bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The proton motive force determinesEscherichia coli’s robustness to extracellular pH
Authors: Terradot Guillaume , Krasnopeeva Ekaterina , Swain Peter S. , Pilizota Teuta
Published: November 2021

Maintaining intracellular homeostases is a hallmark of life, and key physiological variables, such as cytoplasmic pH, osmotic pressure, and proton motive force (PMF), are typically interdependent. Using a mathematical model, we argue that near neutral pH homeostasis implies that cells must export ions other than protons to generate physiological electrical potential across their plasma membrane. ForEscherichia coli, proton:ion antiporters are the only known cation efflux pumps, and we therefore predict that principal function of antiporters is to generate an out-of-equilibrium plasma membrane potential and so maintain the PMF at the constant levels observed. Consequently, the strength of the PMF determines the range of extracellular pH over which the cell is able to preserve its near neutral cytoplasmic pH, and the non-zero PMF is needed to maintain membrane potential. In support, we concurrently measure the PMF and cytoplasmic pH in single cells and demonstrate both that decreasing the PMF’s strength impairsE. coli’s ability to maintain its pH and that artificially collapsing the PMF destroys the out-of-equilibrium plasma membrane potential. We further predict the observed ranges of extracellular pH for which three ofE. coli’s antiporters are expressed, through defining their cost by the rate at which they divert protons from being imported to generate ATP. Taken together, our results suggest a new perspective on bacterial electrophysiology, where cells regulate the plasma membrane potential to maintain
The sperm protein Spaca6 is essential for fertilization in zebrafish
Authors: Binner Mirjam I. , Kogan Anna , Panser Karin , Schleiffer Alexander , Deneke Victoria E. , Pauli Andrea
Published: November 2021

Fertilization is a key process in all sexually reproducing species, yet the molecular mechanisms that underlie this event remain unclear. To date, only a few proteins have been shown to be essential for sperm-egg binding and fusion in mice, and only some are conserved across vertebrates. One of these conserved, testis-expressed factors is SPACA6, yet its function has not been investigated outside of mammals. Here we show that zebrafish spaca6 encodes for a sperm membrane protein which is essential for fertilization. Zebrafish spaca6 knockout males are sterile. Furthermore, Spaca6-deficient sperm have normal morphology, are motile, and can approach the egg, but fail to bind to the egg and therefore cannot complete fertilization. Interestingly, sperm lacking Spaca6 have decreased levels of another essential and conserved sperm fertility factor, Dcst2, revealing a previously unknown dependence of Dcst2 expression on Spaca6. Together, our results show that zebrafish Spaca6 regulates Dcst2 levels and is required for binding between the sperm membrane and the oolemma. This is in contrast to murine SPACA6, which was reported not to be required for sperm-egg membrane binding but necessary for fusion. These findings demonstrate that Spaca6 is essential for zebrafish fertilization and is a conserved sperm factor in vertebrate reproduction.
Characterization and simulation of metagenomic nanopore sequencing data with Meta-NanoSim
Authors: Yang Chen , Lo Theodora , Nip Ka Ming , Hafezqorani Saber , Warren Rene L , Birol Inanc
Published: November 2021

Nanopore sequencing is crucial to metagenomic studies as its kilobase-long reads can contribute to resolving genomic structural differences among microbes. However, platform-specific challenges, including high base-call error rate, non-uniform read lengths, and the presence of chimeric artifacts, necessitate specifically designed analytical tools. Here, we present Meta-NanoSim, a fast and versatile utility that characterizes and simulates the unique properties of nanopore metagenomic reads. Further, Meta-NanoSim improves upon state-of-the-art methods on microbial abundance estimation through a base-level quantification algorithm. We demonstrate that Meta-NanoSim simulated data can facilitate the development of metagenomic algorithms and guide experimental design through a metagenomic assembly benchmarking task.
Human-Plant Coevolution: A modelling framework for theory-building on the origins of agriculture
Authors: Angourakis Andreas , Alcaina-Mateos Jonas , Madella Marco , Zurro Debora
Published: November 2021

The domestication of plants and the origin of agricultural societies has been the focus of much theoretical discussion on why, how, when, and where these happened. The ‘when’ and ‘where’ have been substantially addressed by bioarchaeology, thanks to advances in methodology and the broadening of the geographical and chronological scope of evidence. However, the ‘why’ and ‘how’ have lagged behind, holding on to relatively old models with limited explanatory power. Armed with the evidence now available, we can return to theory by revisiting the mechanisms allegedly involved, disentangling their connection to the diversity of trajectories, and identifying the weight and role of the parameters involved. We present the Human-Plant Coevolution (HPC) model, which represents the dynamics of coevolution between a human and a plant population. The model consists of an ecological positive feedback system (mutualism), which can be reinforced by positive evolutionary feedback (coevolution). The model formulation is the result of wiring together relatively simple simulation models of population ecology and evolution, through a computational implementation in R. The HPC model captures a variety of potential scenarios, though which conditions are linked to the degree and timing of population change and the intensity of selective pressures. Our results confirm that the possible trajectories leading to neolithisation are diverse and involve multiple factors. However, simulations also show how some of those factors are entangled, what are their effects on human and plant populations under different conditions, and what might be the main causes fostering agriculture and domestication.
Robust Identification of Temporal Biomarkers in Longitudinal Omics Studies
Authors: Metwally Ahmed A. , Zhang Tom , Wu Si , Kellogg Ryan , Zhou Wenyu , Tang Hua , Snyder Michael
Published: November 2021

Longitudinal studies increasingly collect rich ‘omics’ data sampled frequently over time and across large cohorts to capture dynamic health fluctuations and disease transitions. However, the generation of longitudinal omics data has preceded the development of analysis tools that can efficiently extract insights from such data. In particular, there is a need for statistical frameworks that can identify not only which omics features are differentially regulated between groups but also over what time intervals. Additionally, longitudinal omics data may have inconsistencies, including nonuniform sampling intervals, missing data points, subject dropout, and differing numbers of samples per subject. In this work, we developed a statistical method that provides robust identification of time intervals of temporal omics biomarkers. The proposed method is based on a semi-parametric approach, in which we use smoothing splines to model longitudinal data and infer significant time intervals of omics features based on an empirical distribution constructed through a permutation procedure. We benchmarked the proposed method on five simulated datasets with diverse temporal patterns, and the method showed specificity greater than 0.99 and sensitivity greater than 0.72. Applying the proposed method to the Integrative Personal Omics Profiling (iPOP) cohort revealed temporal patterns of amino acids, lipids, and hormone metabolites that are differentially regulated in male versus female subjects following a respiratory infection. In addition, we applied the longitudinal multi-omics dataset of pregnant women with and without preeclampsia, and the method identified potential lipid markers that are temporally significantly different between the two groups. We provide an open-source R package, OmicsLonDA (Omics Longitudinal Differential Analysis): https://bioconductor.org/packages/OmicsLonDA to enable widespread use.
WWOX-Mediated Degradation of AMOTp130 Negatively Affects Egress of Filovirus VP40 VLPs
Authors: Liang Jingjing , Ruthel Gordon , Freedman Bruce D. , Harty Ronald N.
Published: November 2021

Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg (MARV) viruses continue to emerge and cause severe hemorrhagic disease in humans. A comprehensive understanding of the filovirus-host interplay will be crucial for identifying and developing antiviral strategies. The filoviral VP40 matrix protein drives virion assembly and egress, in part by recruiting specific WW-domain-containing host interactors via its conserved PPxY Late (L) domain motif to positively regulate virus egress and spread. In contrast to these positive regulators of virus budding, a growing list of WW-domain-containing interactors that negatively regulate virus egress and spread have been identified, including BAG3, YAP/TAZ and WWOX. In addition to host WW-domain regulators of virus budding, host PPxY-containing proteins also contribute to regulating this late stage of filovirus replication. For example, angiomotin (AMOT) is a multi-PPxY-containing host protein that functionally interacts with many of the same WW-domain-containing proteins that regulate virus egress and spread. In this report, we demonstrate that host WWOX, which negatively regulates egress of VP40 VLPs and recombinant VSV-M40 virus, interacts with and suppresses the expression of AMOT. We found that WWOX disrupts AMOT’s scaffold-like tubular distribution and reduces AMOT localization at the plasma membrane via lysosomal degradation. In sum, our findings reveal an indirect and novel mechanism by which modular PPxY/WW-domain interactions between AMOT and WWOX regulate PPxY-mediated egress of filovirus VP40 VLPs. A better understanding of this modular network and competitive nature of protein-protein interactions will help to identify new antiviral targets and therapeutic strategies.

IMPORTANCE

Filoviruses (Ebola [EBOV] and Marburg [MARV]) are zoonotic, emerging pathogens that cause outbreaks of severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. A fundamental understanding of the virus-host interface is critical for understanding the biology of these viruses and for developing future strategies for therapeutic intervention. Here, we reveal a novel mechanism by which host proteins WWOX and AMOTp130 interact with each other and with the EBOV matrix protein VP40 to regulate VP40-mediated egress of virus like particles (VLPs). Our results highlight the biological impact of competitive interplay of modular virus-host interactions on both the virus lifecycle and the host cell.
Transcriptome and fatty-acid signatures of adipocyte hypertrophy and its non-invasive MR-based characterization in human adipose tissue
Authors: Honecker Julius , Ruschke Stefan , Seeliger Claudine , Laber Samantha , Strobel Sophie , Pröll Priska , Nellaker Christoffer , Lindgren Cecilia M. , Kulozik Ulrich , Ecker Josef , Karampinos Dimitrios C. , Claussnitzer Melina , Hauner Hans
Published: November 2021

Adipose tissue is an organ with great plasticity and its hypertrophic expansion is associated with adipocyte dysfunction. How changes in adipocyte morphology are linked to gene expression and which cellular functions are affected remains elusive. We show that adipocyte hypertrophy is associated with transcriptomic changes using RNA-Seq data obtained from adipose tissue and size-separated adipocytes. Genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, protein biosynthesis and fatty acid metabolism were down-regulated in large adipocytes while genes involved in inflammation were upregulated. For mitochondrial function, a reduction in the expression of thermogenesis related genes and estimated brown/beige adipocyte content was observed in individuals with large adipocytes. As a novel finding the total adipose tissue fatty acid composition was dependent on cell size and depot. MR spectroscopy methods for clinical scanning were developed to characterize adipocyte size and fatty acid composition in a fast and non-invasive manner. Together, the present data provides mechanistic insights on how adipocyte hypertrophy contributes to the manifestation of metabolic disease at the molecular and cellular level. MR spectroscopy was identified as a promising technique for an in-parallel assessment of adipose morphology and fatty acid composition allowing to translate our findings into an improved, non-invasive phenotyping of adipose tissue.
ME-ACP: Multi-view Neural Networks with Ensemble Model for Identification of Anticancer Peptides
Authors: Feng Guanwen , Yao Hang , Li Chaoneng , Liu Ruyi , Huang Rungen , Fan Xiaopeng , Ge Ruiquan , Miao Qiguang
Published: November 2021

Cancer remains one of the most threatening diseases, which kills millions of lives every year. As a promising perspective for cancer treatments, anticancer peptides (ACPs) overcome a lot of disadvantages of traditional treatments. However, it is time-consuming and expensive to identify ACPs through conventional experiments. Hence, it is urgent and necessary to develop highly effective approaches to accurately identify ACPs in large amounts of protein sequences. In this work, we proposed a novel and effective method named ME-ACP which employed multi-view neural networks with ensemble model to identify ACPs. Firstly, we employed residue level and peptide level features preliminarily with ensemble models based on lightGBMs. Then, the outputs of lightGBM classifiers were fed into a hybrid deep neural network (HDNN) to identify ACPs. The experiments on independent test datasets demonstrated that ME-ACP achieved competitive performance on common evaluation metrics.
Insights from systematic literature review of supply chain resilience and disruption
Authors: Agrawal Nishant , Jain Rajesh Kumar
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The study of supply chain disruption (SCD) and supply chain resilience (SCR) remains to be studied deeply in the field of business management. The purpose of this paper is to showcase a framework of SCR strategies to reduce the adverse effects of SCD using systematic literature review and data visualization.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a systematic literature review approach, the paper explores the concepts of supply chain disruption and supply chain resilience. Through rigorous systematic screening, authors studied papers on both the concepts and have proposed a framework for the same. The authors also have used data visualization and network diagram approaches for better understanding of the topic.

Findings

The systematic literature review of both the concepts brings out some exciting results which give a new direction to supply chain field. The outcome of this research also outlines numerous future research direction, which will be useful for the research community.

Practical implications

The numerous strategies of SCR should be implemented by manufacturing as well as a service organization. The framework reported in this research help academician and practitioners to understand SCR and to easily overcome any level of disruption. Supply chain managers must also formulate strategies accordingly and make plans to continually expand the system.

Originality/value

This research is the first such attempt to showcase a formal systematic framework and co-occurrence networks as well as overlay networks of SCR and SCD.
A cell-based smoothed finite element method for incompressible turbulent flows
Authors: Liu Mingyang , Gao Guangjun , Zhu Huifen , Jiang Chen
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of solving turbulent flows based on smoothed finite element method (S-FEM). Then, the differences between S-FEM and finite element method (FEM) in dealing with turbulent flows are compared.

Design/methodology/approach

The stabilization scheme, the streamline-upwind/Petrov-Galerkin stabilization is coupled with stabilized pressure gradient projection in the fractional step framework. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with standard k-epsilon model are selected to solve turbulent flows based on S-FEM and FEM. Standard wall functions are applied to predict boundary layer profiles.

Findings

This paper explores a completely new application of S-FEM on turbulent flows. The adopted stabilization scheme presents a good performance on stabilizing the flows, especially for very high Reynolds numbers flows. An advantage of S-FEM is found in applying wall functions comparing with FEM. The differences between S-FEM and FEM have been investigated.

Research limitations/implications

The research in this work is limited to the two-dimensional incompressible turbulent flow.

Practical implications

The verification and validation of a new combination are conducted by several numerical examples. The new combination could be used to deal with more complicated turbulent flows.

Social implications

The applications of the new combination to study basic and complex turbulent flow are also presented, which demonstrates its potential to solve more turbulent flows in nature and engineering.

Originality/value

This work carries out a great extension of S-FEM in simulations of fluid dynamics. The new combination is verified to be very effective in handling turbulent flows. The performances of S-FEM and FEM on turbulent flows were analyzed by several numerical examples. Superior results were found compared with existing results and experiments. Meanwhile, S-FEM has an advantage of accuracy in predicting boundary layer profile.
Conceptualizing the supplier switching process: an example from public procurement
Authors: Holma Anne-Maria , Bask Anu , Laakso Antti , Andersson Dan
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a framework for switching a service supplier in a supply network.

Design/methodology/approach

The study builds on existing literature in the field of purchasing and supply management, public procurement (PP) and the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing approach, as well as on an illustrative example case, from the PP context, of a supplier switch in a service delivery process.

Findings

During a switching process, the buyer must simultaneously manage the ending of a relationship with the incumbent supplier and the beginning of a relationship with a new supplier. Collaboration with the focal suppliers to develop a service process with standardized components prevents disruptions in the service processes and reduces the impact of the switch on the wider network.

Research limitations/implications

The conceptualization suggested in this paper needs to be further explored in different empirical contexts to assess its practical adequacy.

Practical implications

Practitioners responsible for service procurement can use the findings to develop collaboration with suppliers, both when it comes to service process development and to the switching process. Furthermore, the authors highlight the importance of ending competencies and the development of an exit plan to conduct a “beautiful exit.”

Originality/value

The paper integrates relationship initiation and ending studies, as well as procurement process models to develop a refined switching process framework. Many PPs rely on short-term relationships due to the legal obligation to frequently invite suppliers to tender, thus understanding the supplier switching process is important both for private and public sector actors.
Relation of principal instructional leadership, school climate, teacher job performance and student achievement
Authors: Dutta Vartika , Sahney Sangeeta
Published: November 2021

Purpose

We study the role of school climate, and teacher task, and citizenship performance in mediating the effects of principal instructional leadership behavior on student achievement.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was applied to data obtained from 302 Indian secondary schools to test a mediated-effects model.

Findings

School climate was examined under two broad dimensions, the social and affective and the physical environment. Results of mediation analysis showed that the benefits of principal instructional leadership for student achievement are operationalized as an indirect effect. This indirect effect is realized primarily through the physical environment, and the in-role task performance of teachers. No significant contribution to the indirect effect through the social and affective environment was found. The latter, nonetheless, fully mediated the relationship between the instructional leadership and extra-role or citizenship behavior of teachers. These findings underscore the different and distinct mediating roles played by the social and affective, and physical dimensions of the school climate in our model.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, the reported associations between principal instructional leadership, school climate and student achievement that take into account both the in-role and extra-role job performance of teachers within the purview of a single framework are new. Also, this is the first study exploring these relations in an Indian context.
The impact of COVID-19 on teachers' mental health
Authors: Cohen-Fraade Shoshana , Donahue Maura
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine teachers’ experiences with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors administered an online survey to full-time public school teachers simultaneously enrolled in a master’s degree program in education. Out of 455 teachers who were sent the survey, 96 completed it, resulting in a 21.1% survey completion rate. The survey was composed of both quantitative and qualitative items which assessed teachers’ self-perceptions about their mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their use of mental health resources. Most questions were drawn from the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), so focused primarily on symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Findings

The results of the survey indicated that overall, teachers felt an increase in symptoms of anxiety and depression between March 2020 and February 2021. A noteworthy percentage of participants said they were seeking mental health supports.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted with teachers in an alternative certification program, so their experiences might not be widely generalizable to teachers enrolled in traditional pathways to certification.

Originality/value

While some research has been conducted on mental health, less has been conducted with public school teachers and even less has assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to add to the existing literature about teachers' experiences with anxiety and depression, as well as the specific impact of COVID-19.
A New Priest for a New Society? The Masculinity of the Priesthood in Liberal Spain*
Authors: Romeo Mateo María Cruz
Published: November 2021

This study examines the formation of the ideal of the “good parish priest” as a means for the Catholic Church to recover its social influence in the Spain that emerged from the liberal revolutions of the early nineteenth century. It makes use of the concept of masculinity as a resource for illuminating the forms of authority and social relationships that were held to define the ideal priest. In doing so it draws on two levels of analysis. On the one hand, it considers the manuals of clerical behaviour and regulations of the seminaries, which pursued a model of priestly masculinity that was difficult to achieve in practice. On the other, it considers individual experiences and life stories, as an indispensable viewpoint from which to comprehend the identity of the Catholic clergy. By these means this article enters into a field that has been little explored by Spanish or international historiography, the contribution of religion to the formation of historic masculinities.
A Propos the Historical Study of Reincarnate Lamas in Tibetan Societies: The Dalai Lama and the Emperor of China by P. Schwieger
Authors: Rheingans Jim
Published: November 2021

The Tibetan practice of recognising an individual as the conscious rebirth of a Buddhist saint has been a puzzling tradition to the outsider. Trülku literally refers to an earthly emanation body of a Buddha who manifests for the welfare of sentient beings. It is even more remarkable that the custom of recognising trülkus and institutionalising them through monastic estates is an innovation mainly found in the Tibetan cultural sphere. Peter Schwieger's The Dalai Lama and the Emperor of China: A Political History of the Tibetan Institution of Reincarnation (New York: Columbia University Press, 2015) is a substantial and necessary study, providing the first detailed exploration of the trülkü phenomenon as an institution from the perspective of political history. Focussing on the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries and the politics surrounding the institution of reincarnation between the office of the Dalai Lamas, the Chinese Qing emperors, and Mongol chieftains, it employs a vast number of previously underused sources such as legal and administrative documents. Reviewing Schwieger's study, this article discusses some other recent works about the trülku system and briefly reflects on the usage of sources for Tibetan history and the issue of researching the topic of reincarnation as such.
Examining the impact of fatalism belief and optimism orientation on seismic preparedness: Considering their roles in the nexus between risk perception and preparedness
Authors: Liu Xingyu , Sun Lei
Published: November 2021

Despite the numerous studies focused on the sociopsychological factors involved in seismic preparedness, we have limited knowledge of the impact pathways from fatalism belief and optimism orientation to preparedness. This study proposed a theoretical model to examine the intertwined relationships among fatalism belief, optimism orientation, and risk perception regarding public seismic preparedness based on a survey in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region in China. The results indicate that fatalism belief can directly reduce an individual's seismic preparedness intention. In addition, such beliefs negatively moderate the positive relationship between the probability perception of earthquakes and skill preparedness. Moreover, optimism orientation has dual effects. On the one hand, it directly enhances the public's intention to prepare. On the other hand, it makes people underestimate their perceptions of the consequences of earthquakes, which indirectly reduces their willingness to materially prepare. Furthermore, we found that fatalism belief can negatively moderate the positive relationship between optimism orientation and material preparedness. These findings contribute to safety education for earthquake disaster risk reduction (EDRR) strategies, especially those used where fatalist culture is prevalent.
Observer determination of the make, model, and year of questioned vehicles
Authors: Bruehs Walter E. , Tucker Nicole M. , Meline Kimberly A.
Published: November 2021

Often, criminal acts involving a vehicle are caught on digital video surveillance systems. While potentially useful for an investigation, the recording conditions are typically less than optimal for the extraction of key information for the identification of the perpetrator, such as a license plate. Providing the make, model and year of a questioned vehicle is a common request for examiners, to narrow the field of potential suspect vehicles. This study seeks to compare the performance of a nonpeer‐reviewed make, model, and year determination between two separate groups, specifically, trained forensic image examiners and nontrained individuals. Results show that even with varied image capture conditions and quality, the trained forensic image examiners more correctly and completely identified the test group of questioned vehicles make, model, and year.
Optimising CT‐chest protocols and the added value of venous‐phase contrast timing; Observational case‐control
Authors: Croft Michael , Lim WanYin , Lavender Nusha , Gormly Kirsten
Published: November 2021

Introduction

To optimize CT chest protocol by comparing venous contrast timing with arterial timing for contrast opacification in vessels, qualitative image quality and radiologists’ satisfaction and diagnostic confidence in assessing for potential nodal, pleural and pulmonary disease in general oncology outpatients.

Method

Matched case−control study performed following CT protocol update. 92 patients with a range of primary malignancies with 2 CT chests in a 2‐year period, one with an arterial phase protocol and the second in the 60 second venous phase, were included. Contrast attenuation in aorta, pulmonary artery and liver were measured. Subjective measurements assessed perivenous artefact, confidence in nodal pleural and pulmonary assessment and presence of pulmonary emboli. Statistical analysis was performed using paired and unpaired t‐tests.

Results

Venous‐phase CT demonstrated more consistent enhancement of the vessels, with higher attenuation of the nodes, pulmonary and pleural lesions. There was a significant reduction in perivenous beam hardening artefact on venous‐phase CT (P < 0.001). Diagnostic confidence was significantly higher for nodal assessment and pleural abnormality visibility (P < 0.001) and pleural assessment (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in pulmonary mass visibility. There was adequate enhancement to diagnose significant pulmonary emboli (PE) with 4 incidental PEs detected on the venous phase, extending to segmental vessels.

Conclusion

Venous‐phase CT chest performs better than arterial‐phase on all fronts, without compromising assessment of incidental pulmonary emboli. When intravenous contrast is indicated in a routine chest CT (excluding a CT‐angiogram), the default timing should be a venous or 60s phase.
Improved survival in patients with unresectable stage III EGFR‐mutant adenocarcinoma with upfront EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Authors: Wang Sheng‐Yuan , Lai Ching‐Han , Chen Chian‐Wei , Yang Szu‐Chun , Chang Chao‐Chun , Lin Chia‐Ying , Yen Yi‐Ting , Tseng Yau‐Lin , Su Po‐Lan , Lin Chien‐Chung , Su Wu‐Chou
Published: November 2021

Background

Although epidermal growth factor receptor‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR‐TKIs) have been the standard treatment for advanced EGFR‐mutant adenocarcinoma, the effects of upfront EGFR‐TKI use in unresectable stage III EGFR‐mutant adenocarcinoma remain unexplored. Here, we conducted a retrospective study to compare different treatment strategies in these patients.

Methods

From October 2010 to June 2019, patients with unresectable stage III adenocarcinoma who received treatment at a tertiary referral center were enrolled. Patients were classified into three groups: EGFR‐mutant adenocarcinoma treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (group 1) or EGFR‐TKI (group 2) and EGFR wild‐type adenocarcinoma treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (group 3). Progression‐free survival, progression‐free survival‐2, and overall survival were estimated and compared using Kaplan–Meier and log‐rank tests.

Results

A total of 92 patients were enrolled; 10, 40, and 42 patients were assigned to groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Patients with EGFR mutations who received upfront EGFR‐TKIs had significantly longer progression‐free and overall survival than those who received upfront concurrent chemoradiotherapy (hazard ratio 0.33 vs. 0.34, p = 0.006 vs. 0.031) according to a Cox model adjusted for possible confounders. Moreover, upfront concurrent chemoradiotherapy did not lead to higher survival rates in patients with EGFR mutations than in those with EGFR wild‐type adenocarcinoma (progression‐free survival; hazard ratio 0.37, p = 0.036; overall survival; hazard ratio 0.35, p = 0.080) by Cox regression analysis.

Conclusion

This current study suggests that EGFR‐TKIs is a better choice for patients with unresectable stage III EGFR‐mutant adenocarcinoma. However, further randomized studies are required to validate the results.
The relationship between stock repurchase completion rates, firm reputation and financial reporting quality: a commitment‐trust theory perspective
Authors: Bhandari Avishek , Golden Joanna , Walker Kenton , Zhang Joseph H.
Published: November 2021

In this study, we examine firms' commitment to stock repurchase announcements as a proxy for trust within the investing community. Using a commitment‐trust theory perspective, we show that firms with higher repurchase (share buyback) completion rates have higher financial reporting quality. We proxy financial reporting quality using a composite measure of financial reporting aggressiveness and also using management’s propensity to meet or beat analysts' expectations. These firms mitigate (enhance) the negative (positive) effect of repurchases on financial reporting quality. Higher completion rates mitigate the negative effect of accretive stock repurchase on financial reporting quality. Further results show that higher corporate governance and financial constraints dampen this relationship between completion rates and financial reporting quality. Our results, which are robust to various sensitivity tests, indicate that higher stock repurchase completion rates reflect good business morality and a firm’s commitment to its investors, as exhibited by higher financial reporting quality.
Opportunities and barriers for the use of Australian cancer registries as platforms for randomized clinical trials
Authors: Yan Mabel K. , Adler Nikki R. , Heriot Natalie , Shang Catherine , Zalcberg John R. , Evans Sue , Wolfe Rory , Mar Victoria J.
Published: November 2021

It is well recognized that randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are a powerful tool to investigate causal relationships, and are considered the gold standard level of research evidence. However, RCTs can be expensive and time‐consuming, and when they employ strict eligibility criteria, it results in an unrepresentative population and limited external validity. Recently, the registry‐based randomized clinical trial (RRCT) has emerged as an alternative trial design. Utilizing registries to underpin such studies, RRCTs can have advantages including rapid recruitment, and enhanced generalizability. In Australia, legislated mandatory reporting of cancer diagnoses means that jurisdictional cancer registries are a rich source of systematically collected patient details, representing sound platforms for comprehensive data capture that can serve as a key tool for further research. We review the roles of cancer registries in Australia, discuss important considerations relevant to the design of RRCTs, and outline the opportunities provided by cancer registries to strengthen cancer research.
The politics of bachaqueo
Authors: SCHWARTZ STEVEN
Published: November 2021

Añú indigenous people living in the La Guajira borderland work by purchasing subsidized gasoline from local service stations in Venezuela and reselling it with high markups in Colombia—an extralegal trade called bachaqueo. Gasoline black markets, despite unleashing new forms of criminalization and violence, are an attempt to reclaim oil in ways that open novel possibilities for channeling indigenous rights, aspirations, and political claims. By extending the routes of distribution beyond their expected end point in gasoline consumers, bachaqueros (smugglers, traders) disrupt top‐down planning and partially redress the failures of Venezuelan petropolitics in delivering its promise of social justice and wealth redistribution for indigenous people. [oil, extractivism, smuggling, indigeneity, Añú, La Guajira, Venezuela]
Conventional and novel therapeutic options in children with familial Mediterranean fever: A rare autoinflammatory disease
Authors: Poddighe Dimitri , Romano Micol , Garcia‐Bournissen Facundo , Demirkaya Erkan
Published: November 2021

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common monogenic autoinflammatory disease and is usually diagnosed in childhood, especially in the first decade of life. Paediatric FMF is characterized by a protean clinical expression and a variable therapeutic response, which can make its medical management very challenging. However, even if long‐term complications of untreated FMF (e.g. amyloidosis and related organ damage) are less frequent in children compared to adults, they are not uncommon. Colchicine is the mainstay of the therapy in paediatric FMF; however, if children develop colchicine intolerance and/or resistance, biologics, particularly interleukin‐1 antagonists, must be considered. Other conventional or biological therapeutic options do not currently have appropriate evidence‐based support, except for some specific clinical presentations (e.g., arthritis). In this review, we discuss the biological basis and the clinical evidence for the current pharmacological treatment options available for paediatric FMF.
Environmental management, nonmarket strategy, and firm performance in emerging markets: The case of ISO 14001
Authors: Riaz Hammad , Saeed Abubakr , Liedong Tahiru Azaaviele , Rajwani Tazeeb
Published: November 2021

Firms use environmental management standards such as ISO 14001 to reduce the impact of business activity on the natural environment. Though these standards are widely celebrated on moral and ethical grounds, their implication for financial performance and competitiveness is equivocal. Drawing on neo‐institutional theory, we conceptualize ISO 14001 as a nonmarket strategy and examine its impact on firm performance within the contexts of three highly polluted emerging markets – China, India, and Pakistan. Employing a rigorous event‐study approach, we find that ISO 14001 certification has a negative impact on firms’ operating profitability and market value in both short and long runs. This negative impact appears to be stronger in contexts with weak institutions and poor environmental protection regimes. Further multivariate analyses show that the negative impact of ISO 14001 on firm performance is weaker among socially responsible firms and stronger among politically connected firms. These findings contribute to the environmental management literature. They also have practical implications for managers.
The wild ancestors of domestic animals as a neglected and threatened component of biodiversity
Authors: Smith William J. , Quilodrán Claudio S. , Jezierski Michał T. , Sendell‐Price Ashley T. , Clegg Sonya M.
Published: November 2021

Domestic animals have immense economic, cultural, and practical value and have played pivotal roles in the development of human civilization. Many domesticates have, among their wild relatives, undomesticated forms representative of their ancestors. Resurgent interest in these ancestral forms has highlighted the unclear genetic status of many, and some are threatened with extinction by hybridization with domestic conspecifics. We considered the contemporary status of these ancestral forms relative to their scientific, practical, and ecological importance; the varied impacts of wild–domestic hybridization; and the challenges and potential resolutions involved in conservation efforts. Identifying and conserving ancestral forms, particularly with respect to disentangling patterns of gene flow from domesticates, is complex because of the lack of available genomic and phenotypic baselines. Comparative behavioral, ecological, and genetic studies of ancestral‐type, feral, and domestic animals should be prioritized to establish the contemporary status of the former. Such baseline information will be fundamental in ensuring successful conservation efforts.
Social capital and board gender diversity
Authors: Afzali Mansoor , Silvola Hanna , Terjesen Siri
Published: November 2021

Research question/issue

This study explores the relationship between the level of social capital in the location of a firm's headquarter and the presence of female board directors. We measure local social capital by civic norms (i.e., voter turnout and census participation) and density of social networks (i.e., community, professional, church, and sports). We hypothesize that greater levels of local social capital will increase the share of female directors on local firms' boards, including women attaining a critical mass presence as well as member and chair roles on the board's audit, compensation, and nomination committees.

Research findings/insights

Using 53,671 observations from U.S. public companies from 2000 to 2018, we find that firms headquartered in counties with higher levels of social capital have higher percentages of women directors. The results are robust to the inclusion of local female labor participation rate, religiosity, and other county‐level demographics as well as instrumental variable and propensity score matching models. We also find that female directors in firms located in high social capital counties are more likely to achieve a critical mass; attain membership of audit, compensation, and/or nomination committees; and serve as chair of audit and nomination committees than female directors in firms located in low social capital counties. A robustness check with an international sample reveals similar results.

Theoretical/academic implications

We build on institutional theory to highlight that the informal institution of social capital, in the form of U.S. county‐level civic norms and social networks, shapes gender composition of local firms' boards. We build institutional theory at two levels of the quest for “fit” to the environment: firms seeking “fit” by creating more leadership opportunities for women, and individuals pursuing “fit” by moving up in corporate careers. We outline theoretical mechanisms including underlying informal societal norms of greater trust, tolerance for gender equality, respect for civil liberties, cooperative and helpful behavior, transparency, external monitoring, and less discrimination and information asymmetry.

Practitioner/policy implications

Our findings offer insights to policymakers and practitioners interested in how local social capital shapes firm and individual actions. Our policy‐related findings suggest that communities with greater civic norms are characterized by greater individual commitment to and trust in communities, equality, helpful behavior, and external monitoring, and less cynicism, and this context enables women to reach corporations' highest echelons. To maximize career prospects, women can attain leadership and other skills through local societal associations and build and strengthen ties in counties with higher levels of social capital. Firms should actively support community associations and direct philanthropy towards building social fabric in local communities.
Epidemics, Convergence, and Common Prosperity: Evidence from China
Authors: Qian Zesen , Yuan Lingran , Wang Shuo , Zhang Qizheng , Gong Binlei
Published: November 2021

This article investigates the impact of previous epidemics on rural development and convergence, and identifies the impact's mechanism based on convergence tests. Using a balanced panel of 31 provinces, the empirical results from 2002 to 2019 show that epidemics decelerated convergence in rural per capita income. The mechanism analysis shows that the accelerated divergence in wages and the decelerated convergence in business income were the major drivers, which also led to decelerated convergence in rural per capita consumption. Although epidemics have not threatened rural food consumption and the Engel coefficient of rural households, these two indicators of basic living needs have failed to achieve convergence across regions. The overall impact of an epidemic on convergence in rural–urban income disparity has also been insignificant, indicating that epidemics have affected rural and urban development simultaneously. Finally, COVID‐19 is likely to decelerate convergence in rural income, rural consumption, and urban income.
Sharpening, focusing, and developing: A study of change in nonsymbolic number comparison skills and math achievement in 1st grade
Authors: Wilkey Eric D. , Shanley Lina , Sabb Fred , Ansari Daniel , Cohen Jason C. , Men Virany , Heller Nicole A. , Clarke Ben
Published: November 2021

Children's ability to discriminate nonsymbolic number (e.g., the number of items in a set) is a commonly studied predictor of later math skills. Number discrimination improves throughout development, but what drives this improvement is unclear. Competing theories suggest that it may be due to a sharpening numerical representation or an improved ability to pay attention to number and filter out non‐numerical information. We investigate this issue by studying change in children's performance (N = 65) on a nonsymbolic number comparison task, where children decide which of two dot arrays has more dots, from the middle to the end of 1st grade (mean age at time 1 = 6.85 years old). In this task, visual properties of the dot arrays such as surface area are either congruent (the more numerous array has more surface area) or incongruent. Children rely more on executive functions during incongruent trials, so improvements in each congruency condition provide information about the underlying cognitive mechanisms. We found that accuracy rates increased similarly for both conditions, indicating a sharpening sense of numerical magnitude, not simply improved attention to the numerical task dimension. Symbolic number skills predicted change in congruent trials, but executive function did not predict change in either condition. No factor predicted change in math achievement. Together, these findings suggest that nonsymbolic number processing undergoes development related to existing symbolic number skills, development that appears not to be driving math gains during this period.

Children's ability to discriminate nonsymbolic number improves throughout development. Competing theories suggest improvement due to sharpening magnitude representations or changes in attention and inhibition.

The current study investigates change in nonsymbolic number comparison performance during first grade and whether symbolic number skills, math skills, or executive function predict change.

Children's performance increased across visual control conditions (i.e., congruent or incongruent with number) suggesting an overall sharpening of number processing.

Symbolic number skills predicted change in nonsymbolic number comparison performance.