bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Light-inducible Deformation of Mitochondria in Live Cells
Authors: Song Yutong , Huang Peiyuan , Liu Xiaoying , Cui Bianxiao , Duan Liting
Published: November 2020

Mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, are dynamic organelles that undergo constant morphological changes. Increasing evidence indicates that mitochondria morphologies and functions can be modulated by mechanical cues. However, the mechano-sensing and -responding properties of mitochondria and the correlation between mitochondrial morphologies and functions are unclear due to the lack of methods to precisely exert mechano-stimulation on and deform mitochondria inside live cells. Here we present an optogenetic approach that uses light to induce deformation of mitochondria by recruiting molecular motors to the outer mitochondrial membranevialight-activated protein-protein hetero-dimerization. Mechanical forces generated by motor proteins distort the outer membrane, during which the inner mitochondrial membrane can also be deformed. Moreover, this optical method can achieve subcellular spatial precision and be combined with other optical dimerizers and molecular motors. This method presents a novel mitochondria-specific mechano-stimulator for studying mitochondria mechanobiology and the interplay between mitochondria shapes and functions.
Differential response of macrophages and neutrophils to trypanosome infections in zebrafish: occurrence of foamy macrophages
Authors: Jacobs Sem H. , Dóró Éva , Hammond Ffion R. , Nguyen-Chi Mai E. , Lutfalla Georges , Wiegertjes Geert F. , Forlenza Maria
Published: November 2020

A tightly regulated innate immune response to trypanosome infections is critical to strike a balance between parasite control and inflammation-associated pathology. In the present study, we make use of the recently establishedTrypanosoma carassiiinfection model in larval zebrafish to study the early response of macrophages and neutrophils to trypanosome infectionsin vivo. We consistently identified high- and low-infected individuals and were able to simultaneously characterize their differential innate response. Not only did macrophage and neutrophil number and distribution differ between the two groups, but also macrophage morphology and activation state. Exclusive to high-infected zebrafish, was the appearance of macrophages rich in lipid droplets, confirmed to be foamy macrophages and characterized by a strong pro-inflammatory profile. Altogether, we provide anin vivocharacterization of the differential response of macrophage and neutrophil to trypanosome infection and identify foamy macrophages as potentially associated with an exacerbated immune response and susceptibility to the infection. To our knowledge this is the first report of the occurrence of foamy macrophages during an extracellular trypanosome infection.
TAD cliques predict key features of chromatin organization
Authors: Liyakat Ali Tharvesh M. , Brunet Annaël , Collas Philippe , Paulsen Jonas
Published: November 2020

Processes underlying genome 3D organization and domain formation in the mammalian nucleus are not completely understood. Multiple processes such as transcriptional compartmentalization, DNA loop extrusion and interactions with the nuclear lamina dynamically act on chromatin at multiple levels. Here, we explore long-range interaction patterns between topologically associated domains (TADs) in several cell types. We find that this is connected to many key features of chromatin organization, including open and closed compartments, compaction and loop extrusion processes. We find that domains that form large TAD cliques tend to be repressive across cell types, when comparing gene expression, LINE/SINE repeat content and chromatin subcompartments. Further, TADs in large cliques are larger in genomic size, less dense and depleted of convergent CTCF motifs, in contrast to smaller and denser TADs formed by a loop extrusion processes. Our results shed light on the organizational principles that govern repressive and active domains in the human genome.
Comprehensive single cell analyses of the nutritional environment of intracellularSalmonella enterica
Authors: Röder Jennifer , Felgner Pascal , Hensel Michael
Published: November 2020

The facultative intracellular pathogenSalmonella entericaTyphimurium (STM) resides in a specific membrane-bound compartment termed theSalmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). STM is able to obtain all nutrients required for rapid proliferation, although being separated from direct access to host cell metabolites. The formation of specific tubular membrane compartment, calledSalmonella-induced filaments (SIFs) are known to provides bacterial nutrition by giving STM access to endocytosed material and enabling proliferation. Additionally, STM expresses a range of nutrient uptake system for growth in nutrient limited environments to overcome the nutrition depletion inside the host. By utilizing dual fluorescence reporters, we shed light on the nutritional environment of intracellular STM in various host cells and distinct intracellular niches. We showed that STM uses nutrients of the host cell and adapts uniquely to the different nutrient conditions. In addition, we provide further evidence for improved nutrient supply by SIF formation or presence in the cytosol of epithelial cells, and the correlation of nutrient supply to bacterial proliferation.
Mutations in an intracellular vestibule that bifurcates from the pore of ClC-1 chloride ion channels affect anion permeation
Authors: Bennetts Brett , Morton Craig J. , Parker Michael W.
Published: November 2020

The ubiquitous CLC protein superfamily consists of channels, that permit passive diffusion of Cl ions across biological membranes, and pumps, that can actively transport Cl ions against their electrochemical gradient; yet, puzzlingly, both types share a strongly conserved Cl ion transport pathway comprised of three consecutive binding sites. This raises the question; how does the same pathway support passive diffusion in CLC channels and active transport in CLC pumps? Based on high-resolution structural data current theories suggest that subtle structural differences in the conserved pathway allow CLC channels to ‘leak’ Cl ions. A recent cryo-electron microscopy structure of the human ClC-1 channel does not show occupancy of the central Cl ion binding site but reveals a wide intracellular vestibule that bifurcates from the conserved pathway in this region. Here we show that replacing residues that line the ClC-1 intracellular vestibule with the corresponding residues of CLC pumps resulted in interactions between permeating anions at neighbouring binding sites and altered anion selectivity. Removing the side chain of a strictly conserved tyrosine residue, that coordinates Cl ion at the central binding site of CLC pumps, removed multi-ion behaviour in ClC-1 mutants. In contrast, removing the side chain of a highly conserved glutamate residue that transiently occupies Cl ion binding sites, as part of the transport mechanism of CLC pumps and the mechanism that opens and closes CLC channels, only partially removed multi-ion behaviour in ClC-1 mutants. Our findings show that structural differences between CLC channels and pumps, outside of the conserved Cl ion transport pathway, fundamentally affect anion permeation in ClC-1 channels.

Some CLC proteins are passive Cl-channels while others are active Cl-pumps but, paradoxically, both share a conserved, canonical, Cl-permeation pathway. Here Bennetts, Morton and Parker show that ‘pump-like’ mutations in a poorly conserved region, located remotely from the canonical pathway, affect anion permeation in human ClC-1 channels.
Rational tuning of a membrane-perforating antimicrobial peptide to selectively target membranes of different lipid composition
Authors: Chen Charles H. , Starr Charles G. , Guha Shantanu , Wimley William C. , Ulmschneider Martin B. , Ulmschneider Jakob P.
Published: November 2020

The use of designed antimicrobial peptides as drugs has been impeded by the absence of simple sequence-structure-function relationships and design rules. The likely cause is that many of these peptides permeabilize membranes via highly disordered, heterogeneous mechanisms, forming aggregates without well-defined tertiary or secondary structure. We demonstrate that the combination of high-throughput library screening with atomistic computer simulations can successfully address this challenge by tuning a previously developed general pore forming peptide into a selective pore former for different lipid types. A library of 2,916 peptides was designed based on the LDKA template. The library peptides were synthesized and screened using a high-throughput orthogonal vesicle leakage assay. Dyes of different sizes were entrapped inside vesicles with varying lipid composition to simultaneously screen for both pore size and affinity for negatively charged and neutral lipid membranes. From this screen, nine different LDKA variants that have unique activity were selected, sequenced, synthesized, and characterized. Despite the minor sequence changes, each of these peptides has unique functional properties, forming either small or large pores and being selective for either neutral or anionic lipid bilayers. Long-scale, unbiased atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations directly reveal that rather than rigid, well-defined pores, these peptides can form a large repertoire of functional dynamic and heterogeneous aggregates, strongly affected by single mutations. Predicting the propensity to aggregate and assemble in a given environment from sequence alone holds the key to functional prediction of membrane permeabilization.
Triblock copolymer micelle model of spherical paraspeckles
Authors: Yamamoto Tetsuya , Yamazaki Tomohiro , Hirose Tetsuro
Published: November 2020

Paraspeckles are nuclear bodies composed of architectural RNA (arcRNA) and RNA-binding proteins. In the wild type, the blocks at the two terminal regions of arcRNAs compose the shell of paraspeckles and the middle region between the two terminal blocks composes the core, analogous to micelles of ABC triblock copolymers. We here use an extension of the theory of polymer micelles to predict the structure and size of paraspeckles as one decreases the length of one of the terminal blocks of arcRNA by CRISPR/Cas9, assuming that paraspeckles are spherical. Our theory predicts that when the length of the edited terminal blocks is larger than a critical value, paraspeckles show discontinuous transitions between the structure in which all the edited terminal blocks are localized in the shell and the structure in which all the edited terminal blocks are localized in the core at a threshold value of the transcription rate of arcRNA. In contrast, when the length of the edited terminal blocks is smaller than the critical value, the population of edited terminal blocks in the shell decreases continuously as one increases the transcription rate of arcRNA. The size of paraspeckles increases as one decreases the length of the edited terminal blocks. These predictions are consistent with our experiments.
Dermal EZH2 simultaneously orchestrates dermal differentiation and epidermal proliferation during murine skin development
Authors: Thulabandu Venkata , Nehila Timothy , Ferguson James W. , Atit Radhika P.
Published: November 2020

Skin development and patterning is dependent on factors that regulate the stepwise differentiation of dermal fibroblasts concomitant with dermal-epidermal reciprocal signaling, two processes that are poorly understood. Here we show that dermal EZH2, the methyltransferase enzyme of the epigenetic Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), is a new coordinator of both these processes. Dermal EZH2 activity is present during dermal fibroblast differentiation and is required for spatially restricting Wnt/β-catenin signaling to reinforce dermal fibroblast cell fate. Later in development, dermal EZH2 regulates the differentiation to reticular dermal fibroblasts and initiation of secondary hair follicles. Embryos lacking dermal Ezh2 have elevated epidermal proliferation and differentiation that can be rescued by small molecule inhibition of retinoic acid (RA) signaling. Together, our study reveals that dermal EZH2 acts as a rheostat to control the levels of Wnt/β-catenin and RA signaling to impact fibroblast differentiation cell autonomously and epidermal keratinocyte development non-cell autonomously, respectively.
RNA-seq analysis of laser micro-dissected Arabidopsis thaliana leaf epidermis, mesophyll and vasculature defines tissue-specific transcriptional responses to multiple stress treatments
Authors: Berkowitz Oliver , Xu Yue , Wang Yan , Liew Lim Chee , Zhu Yanqiao , Lewsey Mathew G. , Whelan James
Published: November 2020

Acclimation of plants to adverse environmental conditions requires the coordination of gene expression and signalling pathways between tissues and cell types. As the energy and carbon capturing organs, leaves are significantly affected by abiotic and biotic stresses. However, tissue- or cell type-specific analyses of stress responses have largely focussed on the Arabidopsis root. Here, we comparatively explore the transcriptomes of three leaf tissues (epidermis, mesophyll, vasculature) after induction of diverse stress pathways by chemical stimuli (antimycin A, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, methyl viologen, salicylic acid) and UV light in Arabidopsis. Profiling stimuli-dependent changes after treatments revealed an overall reduction in the tissue-specific expression of genes, with only a limited number gaining or changing their tissue-specificity. We find no evidence of a common stress response, with only a few genes responsive to two or more treatments in the analysed tissues. However, differentially expressed genes overlap across tissues for individual treatments. Further analyses provided evidence for an interaction of auxin and ethylene that mediates retrograde signalling during mitochondrial dysfunction specifically in the epidermis, and a gene regulatory network defined the hierarchy of interactions. Taken together, we generated an extensive reference data set and results enable the tailoring of the tissue-specific engineering of stress tolerant plants.
SPRED proteins and their roles in signal transduction, development, and malignancy
Authors: Lorenzo Claire , McCormick Frank
Published: November 2020

The roles of SPRED proteins in signaling, development, and cancer are becoming increasingly recognized. SPRED proteins comprise an N-terminal EVH-1 domain, a central c-Kit-binding domain, and C-terminal SROUTY domain. They negatively regulate signaling from tyrosine kinases to the Ras–MAPK pathway. SPRED1 binds directly to both c-KIT and to the RasGAP, neurofibromin, whose function is completely dependent on this interaction. Loss-of-function mutations in SPRED1 occur in human cancers and cause the developmental disorder, Legius syndrome. Genetic ablation of SPRED genes in mice leads to behavioral problems, dwarfism, and multiple other phenotypes including increased risk of leukemia. In this review, we summarize and discuss biochemical, structural, and biological functions of these proteins including their roles in normal cell growth and differentiation and in human disease.
The many facets of Notch signaling in breast cancer: toward overcoming therapeutic resistance
Authors: Nandi Ajeya , Chakrabarti Rumela
Published: November 2020

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women and is a complex disease with high intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity. Such heterogeneity is a major driving force behind failure of current therapies and development of resistance. Due to the limitations of conventional therapies and inevitable emergence of acquired drug resistance (chemo and endocrine) as well as radio resistance, it is essential to design novel therapeutic strategies to improve the prognosis for breast cancer patients. Deregulated Notch signaling within the breast tumor and its tumor microenvironment (TME) is linked to poor clinical outcomes in treatment of resistant breast cancer. Notch receptors and ligands are also important for normal mammary development, suggesting the potential for conserved signaling pathways between normal mammary gland development and breast cancer. In this review, we focus on mechanisms by which Notch receptors and ligands contribute to normal mammary gland development and breast tumor progression. We also discuss how complex interactions between cancer cells and the TME may reduce treatment efficacy and ultimately lead to acquired drug or radio resistance. Potential combinatorial approaches aimed at disrupting Notch- and TME-mediated resistance that may aid in achieving in an improved patient prognosis are also highlighted.
Lysing Yeast Cells for Immunoprecipitation Using a Coffee Grinder
Authors: DeCaprio James , Kohl Thomas O.
Published: November 2020

This protocol describes the freezing of yeast in liquid nitrogen (LN2) to form small “beans” that can be ground using a simple propeller-blade coffee grinder. The method is ideally suited for lysate preparations from larger yeast cultures ranging from 50 mL to 5 L and displays the advantage that samples remain cold during the preparative steps. Cells are cultured and collected by centrifugation while in log phase, and the resultant cell pellets are mixed with deionized distilled water and dropped into LN2 to form small frozen beans. Before the freezing process, it is imperative to keep all cell pellets at 4°C on ice. The frozen yeast beans are ground by using a simple kitchen coffee grinder, and the yeast powder is collected for immediate lysis or storage at −80°C for subsequent use. Protective clothing and safety glasses should be worn at all times when working with liquid nitrogen. Plasticware may shatter upon repeated cooling in liquid nitrogen, and appropriate care should be taken.
Analysis of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system workarounds with a resilience perspective
Authors: Yılmaz Börekçi Dilek , Büyüksaatçı Kiriş Sinem , Batmaca Sinem
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Workarounds are defined as user-formulated solutions that overcome the obstacles preventing the system's execution from the users' lenses. In this paper, the authors aim to analyze the workarounds in system implementations and post-implementations with reflections on different levels of resilience in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors conduct a critical review of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system workarounds by evaluating whether the workarounds are treated as resilience enhancers or as hinderers at multiple levels. While doing this evaluation, the authors try to understand the nature of the workarounds (self-serving, social-serving) with respective levels of analysis for resilience (ERP resilience, organizational resilience, team resilience, employee resilience) and to integrate the assessment of similar concepts to resilience such as adaptability, flexibility and agility (in survival and sustainability dimensions).

Findings

Workaround solutions can be treated as resilience enhancers when the alternative solutions overcome some systemic problems and prevent system failures in the short run, but in the long term, they should motivate positive change and organizational dynamics. Otherwise, weaknesses of informal workarounds may become embedded in practice, and prevent confronting and correcting the shortcomings of the system and thus harm resilience.

Originality/value

The differentiation of workarounds as self-serving or social-serving and the resilience perspective toward workarounds with different levels of analysis and integrating resilience relevant concepts such as adaptability, agility and flexibility are new as far as the authors know.
Scaling procedure for designing accidental gas release experiment
Authors: Moscatello Alberto , Uggenti Anna Chiara , Iuso Gaetano , D'Ambrosio Domenic , Cafiero Gioacchino , Gerboni Raffaella , Carpignano Andrea
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure to design an experimental setup meant to validate an innovative approach for simulating, via computational fluid dynamics, a high-pressure gas release from a rupture (e.g. on an offshore oil and gas platform). The design is based on a series of scaling exercises, some of which are anything but trivial.

Design/methodology/approach

The experimental setup is composed of a wind tunnel, the instrumented scaled (1:10) mock-up of an offshore platform and a gas release system. A correct scaling approach is necessary to define the reference speed in the wind tunnel and the conditions of the gas release to maintain similarity with respect to the real-size phenomena. The scaling of the wind velocity and the scaling of the gas release were inspired by the approach proposed by Hallet al.(1997): a dimensionless group was chosen to link release parameters, wind velocity and geometric scaling factor.

Findings

The theoretical scaling approaches for each different part of the setup were applied to the design of the experiment and some criticalities were identified, such as the existence of a set of case studies with some release parameters laying outside the applicability range of the developed scaling methodology, which will be further discussed.

Originality/value

The resulting procedure is one of a kind because it involves a multi-scaling approach because of the different aspects of the design. Literature supports for the different scaling theories but, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, fails to provide an integrated approach that considers the combined effects of scaling.
The effect of cultural value orientations on responses to supply-side disruption
Authors: Sarafan Mehrnoush , Squire Brian , Brandon–Jones Emma
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Past research has shown that culture has significant effects on people's evaluation of and responses to risk. Despite this important role, the supply chain risk literature has been silent on this matter. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of cultural value orientations on managerial perception of and responses to a supply disruption risk.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a scenario-based experiment to investigate the effect of cultural value orientations – i.e. individualism-collectivism and uncertainty avoidance – on individuals' perception of risk and supplier switching intention in the face of a supply disruption.

Findings

The findings highlight the negative effect of individualism-collectivism on disruption risk perception and switching intention in high uncertain circumstances. However, these relationships are non-significant in relatively less uncertain situations. Moreover, the findings show that the impact of uncertainty avoidance on risk perception and supplier switching is positive and significant in both low and high uncertain circumstances.

Originality/value

Extant research has traditionally assumed that when confronted with disruption risks, managers make decisions using an economic utility model, to best serve the long-term objectives of the firm. This paper draws from advances of behavioural research to show that cultural value orientations influence such decisions through a mediating mechanism of subjective risk perception.
Consumer responses to online fashion renting: exploring the role of cultural differences
Authors: Lee Stacy H. , Huang Ran
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore consumer behaviour in the context of online fashion renting by applying the theory of reasoned action (TRA) to online fashion rental services and comparing how consumers perceive online fashion renting in terms of its ecological importance and compatibility with the cultures of the USA and China.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative research was conducted, and 646 data sets were collected from a research firm within three weeks. Prior to launching the main survey, back-and-forth translation processes were engaged for the Chinese survey. To test the proposed hypotheses, structural equation modelling (SEM) and PROCESS models were employed.

Findings

The results suggested that both online fashion renting attitudes and social norms positively influenced online fashion renting intentions. Meanwhile, online fashion renting attitudes were positively impacted by perceived compatibility and perceived ecological importance. The moderating effect of national difference was also examined. Specifically, the positive effect of perceived compatibility on online fashion renting attitudes was stronger in US consumers than in Chinese consumers.

Research limitations/implications

Although the findings of this study are valuable, comparing online fashion renting services in East Asian regions can be further explored, or comparing the USA with European countries may yield different results.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few to investigate how consumers engage in and perceive online fashion renting by comparing cultural differences between the USA and China. These two countries were selected because they are the leading countries in online shopping behaviour.
Community needs and interests in university–community partnerships for sustainable development
Authors: Groulx Mark , Nowak Nadia , Levy Kristin , Booth Annie
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the broad concept of university–community partnerships as it applies to creating sustainability initiatives. The benefits of university–community partnerships are increasingly recognized, and this paper offers direct insights from community stakeholders on the principles, functions and activities they see as foundational to effective university–community partnerships in northern British Columbia.

Design/methodology/approach

CommunityStudio was a co-learning partnership that sought to place students into the community and region to collaborate with community/government partners on interdisciplinary projects identified by the city, regional district or other community stakeholders. Through key informant interviews and a thematic analysis, the authors examine the expressed needs that CommunityStudio partners identified as key to ensuring such collaborations are mutually beneficial.

Findings

Within the community/regional development context of northern British Columbia, community experience highlights the importance of equity and inclusion, flexible programme design and an institutional culture that supports risk taking in teaching and learning as keys to the success of university–community partnerships.

Originality/value

This work contributes to calls for knowledge-based institutions such as universities to act as catalysts for social innovation within regional contexts outside of major metropolitan urban centres.
Multi-metal sulfide pre-blend combination on the tribological performance of the brake friction material
Authors: K. Sathickbasha , A.S. Selvakumar , Balachandran Surya Rajan , P. Hariharasakthisudhan
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is the influence of various combinations of metal sulfides on the tribological performance of brake pads.

Design/methodology/approach

Three brake pads were prepared using the possible combination of any two of the solid lubricants from Bismuth trisulfide (Bi2S3); Tin disulfide (SnS2) and Antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) are chosen and blended with molybdenum disulfide and graphite. The tribological performance was compared with the brake pad containing aftermarket sulfide mixture. The tribological performance parameters such as performance coefficient of friction, fade percent, recovery percent, wear thickness loss, time is taken to reach the maximum temperature and fluctuation of friction were investigated using Chase tribometer adopting IS 2742 Part-4 (1994) test procedure.

Findings

The friction stability of the brake pad with 4Wt% of MoS2, Bi2S3 and SnS2 was observed to be better, but it showed poor wear performance and aggressive towards the rotor, whereas the brake pad contained 4Wt% of MoS2, Bi2S3 and Sb2S3 exhibited improved wear performance.

Originality/value

This paper explains the influence of the combination of multiple metal sulfide in the tribological performance of the copper-free brake friction composite.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-07-2020-0249/
The possibility and importance of immersive technologies during COVID-19 for autistic people
Authors: Newbutt Nigel , Schmidt Matthew M. , Riva Giuseppe , Schmidt Carla
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify three key areas where autistic people may find themselves impacted through COVID-19, namely, education; employment; and anxiety.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides some views based on the extensive experience of using immersive technologies for the utilisation and application with autistic groups during COVID-19.

Findings

This paper offers some examples of immersive technology application that might be helpful for practitioners, services and others to consider in overcoming possible challenges faced by people with autism.

Originality/value

This opinion piece offers expert insights to the role immersive technologies and virtual reality might play during COVID-19 in the lives of autistic groups.
Transformational leadership and innovative work behaviour: the mediating role of psychological empowerment
Authors: Stanescu Dan Florin , Zbuchea Alexandra , Pinzaru Florina
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to explore the relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ innovative work behaviour (IWB), additionally examining the mediating effect of psychological empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a cross-sectional design, data being collected from 139 employees through the following structured questionnaires: Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, IWB and psychological empowerment instrument.

Findings

The findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between transformational leadership and both IWB and psychological empowerment, as well as the fact that transformational leadership, through psychological empowerment, fosters IWB.

Research limitations/implications

One of the main weaknesses of this study is the use of a cross-sectional design, which does not allow for an assessment of the cause–effect relation. Also, using a self-reported questionnaire might have brought common method bias.

Practical implications

The paper shows that, by creating a greater sense of empowerment, leaders could have a higher positive effect on employee’s levels of IWB. Moreover, empowerment acts as one of the most important and effective processes within the transformational leadership framework in fostering innovation among followers.

Originality/value

This study extends the empirical research on transformational leadership and its influence on employees’ work attitudes. Given the scant research on the role of the psychological empowerment, the results of this study confirm not only its mediating role but also the need for further studies in this direction.
COVID-19 disease, obesity and micronutrients: an updated narrative review of the literature
Authors: Papadopoulou Sousana K. , Mantzorou Maria , Koutridou Desspina , Tassoulas Elias , Sakellaropoulou Styliani , Biskanaki Fani , Xatziapostolou Efthymis , Papandreou Dimitrios
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically summarize the current data concerning the impact of obesity and micronutrient adequacy and supplementation on the risk and severity of COVID-19 disease, and their potential impact on treatment and rehabilitation.

Design/methodology/approach

PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were thoroughly searched to identify studies concerning obesity and nutritional status, vitamin and other micronutrients adequacy with COVID-19 severity.

Findings

Individuals with higher body mass index are in greater risk of severe disease and need for mechanical ventilation. Concerning micronutrient adequacy, no published studies at the present time have evaluated the effect of supplementation on the risk and the treatment of the novel disease.

Originality/value

Recently, COVID-19 has monopolized the interest of the medical community regarding diet and nutritional status and it possibly plays an important role in disease severity.
Farm Level Effects of On‐Farm Irrigation Infrastructure Programs in the Southern Murray–Darling Basin
Authors: Hughes Neal , Donoghoe Manannan , Whittle Linden
Published: November 2020

On‐farm irrigation infrastructure programs have become an important method of recovering water for the environment in the Australian Murray–Darling Basin (MDB). These programs offer farmers funding to upgrade infrastructure in return for a portion of their water rights. This study measures the effects of Australian Government on‐farm infrastructure programs in the southern MDB between 2009–2010 and 2016–2017, particularly the On‐Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program. A novel dataset is constructed combining program administrative data with farm survey data. This data is used to derive econometric estimates on the effects of these programs on various measures of farm productivity, profitability and water demand. On‐farm programs are found to have positive effects for participants in terms of higher farm productivity and profitability. However, the study also finds a Jevon's paradox outcome, where farm demand for water is significantly higher post‐upgrade.
A Commons for a Supply Chain in the Post‐COVID‐19 Era: The Case for a Reformed Strategic National Stockpile
Authors: HANDFIELD ROBERT , FINKENSTADT DANIEL JOSEPH , SCHNELLER EUGENE S. , GODFREY A. BLANTON , GUINTO PETER
Published: November 2020

Policy Points

Reflecting on current response deficiencies, we offer a model for a national contingency supply chain cell (NCSCC) construct to manage the medical materials supply chain in support of emergencies, such as COVID‐19. We develop the following:

a framework for governance and response to enable a globally independent supply chain;

a flexible structure to accommodate the requirements of state and county health systems for receiving and distributing materials; and

a national material “control tower” to improve transparency and real‐time access to material status and location.

Context

Much of the discussion about the failure of the COVID‐19 supply chain has centered on personal protective equipment (PPE) and the degree of vulnerability of care. Prior research on supply chain risks have focused on mitigating the risk of disruptions of specific purchased materials within a bounded region or on the shifting status of cross‐border export restrictions. But COVID‐19 has impacted every purchase category, region, and border. This paper is responsive to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommendation to study and monitor disasters and to provide governments with course of action to satisfy legislative mandates.

Methods

Our analysis draws on our observations of the responses to COVID‐19 in regard to acquisition and contracting problem‐solving, our review of field discussions and interactions with experts, a critique of existing proposals for managing the strategic national stockpile in the United States a mapping of the responses to national contingency planning phases, and the identification of gaps in current national healthcare response policy frameworks and proposals.

Findings

Current proposals call for augmenting a system that has failed to deliver the needed response to COVID‐19. These proposals do not address the key attributes for pandemic plan renewal: flexibility, traceability and transparency, persistence and responsiveness, global independence, and equitable access. We offer a commons‐based framework for achieving the opportunities and risks which are responsive to a constellation of intelligence assets working in and across focal targets of global supply chain risk.

Conclusions

The United States needs a “commons‐based strategy” that is not simply a stockpile repository but instead is a network of repositories, fluid inventories, and analytic monitoring governed by the experts. We need a coordinated effort, a “commons” that will direct both conventional and new suppliers to meet demands and to eliminate hoarding and other behaviors.
Delirium Prevention, Detection, and Treatment in Emergency Medicine Settings: A Geriatric Emergency Care Applied Research (GEAR) Network Scoping Review and Consensus Statement
Authors: Carpenter Christopher R. , Hammouda Nada , Linton Elizabeth A. , Doering Michelle , Ohuabunwa Ugochi K. , Ko Kelly J. , Hung William W. , Shah Manish N. , Lindquist Lee A. , Biese Kevin , Wei Daniel , Hoy Libby , Nerbonne Lori , Hwang Ula , Dresden Scott M. ,   the GEAR Network
Published: November 2020

Background

Older adult delirium is often unrecognized in the emergency department (ED), yet the most compelling research questions to overcome knowledge‐to‐practice deficits remain undefined. The Geriatric Emergency care Applied Research (GEAR) Network was organized to identify and prioritize delirium clinical questions.

Methods

GEAR identified and engaged 49 transdisciplinary stakeholders including emergency physicians, geriatricians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and patient advocates. Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses for Scoping Reviews, clinical questions were derived, medical librarian electronic searches were conducted, and applicable research evidence was synthesized for ED delirium detection, prevention, and management. The scoping review served as the foundation for a consensus conference to identify the highest priority research foci.

Results

In the scoping review, 27 delirium detection “instruments” were described in 48 ED studies and used variable criterion standards with the result of delirium prevalence ranging from 6% to 38%. Clinician gestalt was the most common “instrument” evaluated with sensitivity ranging from 0% to 81% and specificity from 65% to 100%. For delirium management, 15 relevant studies were identified, including one randomized controlled trial. Some intervention studies targeted clinicians via education and others used clinical pathways. Three medications were evaluated to reduce or prevent ED delirium. No intervention consistently prevented or treated delirium. After reviewing the scoping review results, the GEAR stakeholders identified ED delirium prevention interventions not reliant on additional nurse or physician effort as the highest priority research.

Conclusions

Transdisciplinary stakeholders prioritize ED delirium prevention studies that are not reliant on health care worker tasks instead of alternative research directions such as defining etiologic delirium phenotypes to target prevention or intervention strategies.
Completeness and capture rate of publicly funded arthroplasty procedures in the New Zealand Joint Registry
Authors: Rahardja Richard , Allan Rachele , Frampton Christopher M. , Morris Arthur J. , McKie John , Young Simon W.
Published: November 2020

Background

Registry‐based studies have become more common due to the availability of a large study cohort. However, the validity of findings is dependent on the completeness of the registry. This study aimed to validate the capture rate of the New Zealand Joint Registry (NZJR) by matching procedures that have been recorded separately via clinical coding by the New Zealand Government's National Surgical Site Infection Improvement Programme (SSIIP).

Methods

The National Health Index, a unique identification code for all patients, was combined with the arthroplasty procedure performed (primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA), primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), revision TKA or revision THA) and operation side. Publicly funded procedures recorded in the NZJR were matched with procedures recorded by the SSIIP on a record‐by‐record basis. This identified the total number of arthroplasty procedures performed in New Zealand, which was used as the denominator value to calculate the procedure capture rate of the NZJR.

Results

Between 2013 and 2018, 24 556 primary TKA, 28 970 primary THA, 2107 revision TKA and 4263 revision THA procedures were recorded by both datasets. The NZJR recorded 95.5% of primary TKA procedures, 96.3% of primary THA procedures, 97.1% of revision TKA procedures and 95.2% of revision THA procedures.

Conclusion

The NZJR recorded >95% of publicly funded arthroplasty procedures. In contrast, there were inaccuracies in clinical coding by hospitals, particularly with revision procedures, demonstrating the benefits of an arthroplasty registry. However, data recorded by an infection surveillance programme may supplement arthroplasty registry data to strengthen the quality of research.
LC‐MS‐sMRM method development and validation of different classes of pain panel drugs and analysis of clinical urine samples
Authors: Masood M. Athar , Veenstra Timothy D.
Published: November 2020

Urine drug testing (UDT) is an important analytical/bio‐analytical technique that has inevitably become an integral and vital part of a testing programme for diagnostic purposes. This manuscript presents a tailor‐made LC‐MS/MS quantitative assay method development and validation for a custom group of 33 pain panel drugs and their metabolites belonging to different classes (opiates, opioids, benzodiazepines, illicit, amphetamines, etc.) that are prescribed in pain management and depressant therapies. The LC‐MS/MS method incorporates two experiments to enhance the sensitivity of the assay and has a run time of about 7 minutes with no prior purification of the samples required and a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min. The method also includes the second‐stage metabolites for some drugs that belong to different classes but have first‐stage similar metabolic pathways that will enable to correctly identify the right drug or to flag the drug that might be due to specimen tampering. Some real case examples and difficulties in peak picking were provided with some of the analytes in subject samples. Finally, the method was deliberated with some randomly selected de‐identified clinical subject samples, and the data evaluated from “direct dilute and shoot analysis” and after “glucuronide hydrolysis” were compared. This method is now used to run routinely more than 100 clinical subject samples on a daily basis.
Interplay of tectonics and magmatism during post‐rift inversion on the central West Iberian Margin (Estremadura Spur)
Authors: Pereira Ricardo , Rosas Filipe , Mata João , Represas Patrícia , Escada Cláudia , Silva Beatriz
Published: November 2020

The combined effects of post‐rift magma emplacement and tectonic inversion on the hyper‐extended West Iberian Margin are unravelled in detail using multichannel 2D/3D seismic data. The Estremadura Spur, acting as an uplifted crustal block bounded by two first‐order transfer zones, shows evidence of four post‐rift tectonic events each with a distinctive seismic‐stratigraphic response that can be used to demonstrate the tectono‐magmatic interplay, namely: (a) the Campanian onset of magmatism (including the Fontanelas Volcano, the widespread evidence of multiple sill complexes and the detailed description of a >20 km long laccolith, the Estremadura Spur Intrusion; (b) the Campanian‐Maastrichtian NE‐SW event pervasively affecting the area, resulting in regional uplift, reverse faulting and folding; (c) the Paleocene‐mid Eocene inversion that resulted in widespread erosion and; (d) the Oligocene‐mid Miocene evidence of rejuvenated NW‐SE inversion marked by crestal faulting and forced‐fault folding establishing the final geometry of the area. The distinct deformation styles within each tectonic phase document a case of decoupled deformation between Late Cretaceous and Tertiary units, in response to the predominant stress field evolution, revealing that the magnitude of Late Cretaceous inversion is far more significant than the one affecting the latter units. A detailed analysis of the laccolith and its overburden demonstrate the distinct deformation patterns associated both with magma ascent (including extensional faulting, forced‐folding and concentric reverse faulting) and its interference as a rigid intrusive body during subsequent transpressive inversion. This reinforces the role that the combined tectono‐magmatic events played on the margin. Also analysed is the wider impact of post‐rift magmatism and the associate emplacement of sub‐lithospheric magma on the rheology of a thinned continental crust. This takes into account the simultaneous tectonic inversion of the margin, the implied alternative views on characteristic heat flow, and on how these can be incorporated in source rock organic maturity modelling.
Oral health and happiness in adolescents: A cohort study
Authors: Tuchtenhagen Simone , Ortiz Fernanda R. , Ardenghi Thiago M. , Antunes José L.F.
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To investigate the influence of oral health conditions, socioeconomic status and dental care utilization on subjective happiness and identify the factors associated with changes in happiness among adolescents.

Methods

Data were collected in 2012 and 2014. Oral health conditions were evaluated by performing clinical examinations; socioeconomic status and dental care utilization were assessed by using a questionnaire. The participants answered the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11‐14 for the evaluation of the impact of these variables on oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL). Happiness was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Subjective Happiness Scale. For longitudinal data analysis, a mixed‐effect model of linear regression was used to assess the factors related to happiness and multinomial logistic regression to appraise prospective changes in happiness.

Results

A total of 1134 12‐year‐old adolescents were examined at baseline (response rate: 93%), and 770 were reevaluated after 2 years (retention rate: 68%). The adolescents who lived in households with lower equivalized income and greater overcrowding, had not visited the dentist in the later 6 months, had a higher number of cavitated carious lesions, and reported a higher impact on OHRQoL in 2012 presented lower happiness levels. Additionally, the adolescents with a higher number of decayed, missing or filled teeth and who reported a higher impact on OHRQoL were more likely to belong to the most unfavourable happiness trajectory categories.

Conclusions

The presence of dental caries, socioeconomic conditions, dental care utilization and OHRQoL influence happiness in adolescents. Having more teeth affected by dental caries and worse self‐perception in early adolescence can lead to a decrease in happiness.
Alternative systems for misfolded protein clearance: life beyond the proteasome
Authors: Johnston Harvey E. , Samant Rahul S.
Published: November 2020

Protein misfolding is a major driver of ageing‐associated frailty and disease pathology. Although all cells possess multiple, well‐characterised protein quality control systems to mitigate the toxicity of misfolded proteins, how they are integrated to maintain protein homeostasis (‘proteostasis’) in health—and how their disintegration contributes to disease—is still an exciting and fast‐paced area of research. Under physiological conditions, the predominant route for misfolded protein clearance involves ubiquitylation and proteasome‐mediated degradation. When the capacity of this route is overwhelmed—as happens during conditions of acute environmental stress, or chronic ageing‐related decline—alternative routes for protein quality control are activated. In this review, we summarise our current understanding of how proteasome‐targeted misfolded proteins are retrafficked to alternative protein quality control routes such as juxta‐nuclear sequestration and selective autophagy when the ubiquitin–proteasome system is compromised. We also discuss the molecular determinants of these alternative protein quality control systems, attempt to clarify distinctions between various cytoplasmic spatial quality control inclusion bodies (e.g., Q‐bodies, p62 bodies, JUNQ, aggresomes, and aggresome‐like induced structures ‘ALIS’), and speculate on emerging concepts in the field that we hope will spur future research—with the potential to benefit the rational development of healthy ageing strategies.