bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crowdsourcing: a systematic review of the literature using text mining
Authors: Pavlidou Ioanna , Papagiannidis Savvas , Tsui Eric
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study is a systematic literature review of crowdsourcing that aims to present the research evidence so far regarding the extent to which it can contribute to organisational performance and produce innovations and provide insights on how organisations can operationalise it successfully.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review revolved around a text mining methodology analysing 106 papers.

Findings

The themes identified are performance, innovation, operational aspects and motivations. The review revealed a few potential directions for future research in each of the themes considered.

Practical implications

This study helps researchers to consider the recent themes on crowdsourcing and identify potential areas for research. At the same time, it provides practitioners with an understanding of the usefulness and process of crowdsourcing and insights on what the critical elements are in order to organise a successful crowdsourcing project.

Originality/value

This study employed quantitative content analysis in order to identify the main research themes with higher reliability and validity. It is also the first review on crowdsourcing that incorporates the relevant literature on crowdfunding as a value-creation tool.
Graduation Intelligent Manufacturing System (GiMS): an Industry 4.0 paradigm for production and operations management
Authors: Guo Daqiang , Li Mingxing , Zhong Ray , Huang G.Q.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an intelligent manufacturing system for transforming production management and operations to an Industry 4.0 manufacturing paradigm.

Design/methodology/approach

A manufacturing mode-Graduation Manufacturing System is designed for organizing and controlling production operations. An Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and digital twin-enabled Graduation Intelligent Manufacturing System (GiMS) with real-time task allocation and execution mechanisms is proposed to achieve real-time information sharing and production planning, scheduling, execution and control with reduced complexity and uncertainty.

Findings

The implementation of GiMS in an industrial company illustrates the potential advantages for real-time production planning, scheduling, execution and control with reduced complexity and uncertainty. For production managers and onsite operators, effective tools, such as cloud services integrates effective production and operations management strategies are needed to facilitate their decision-making and daily operations at the operational level.

Originality/value

This paper presents an Industry 4.0 paradigm-GiMS, which aims to explore Industry 4.0 technologies opportunities on operations and production management, especially on production planning, scheduling, execution and control.
How to take sides: on the challenges of managing positionality
Authors: Hauge Amalie M.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer an overview of contemporary approaches to the challenge of managing positionality and to discuss their applicability to fieldwork in contested fields.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is driven by the author's experience of disconcertment during her fieldwork for a study of economic prioritization of access to new pharmaceuticals. Here she was pushed to take sides between health economists, clinicians and patients. Based on an iterative literature review, the paper identifies contemporary approaches to side-taking and discusses their practical applicability by constructing counterfactual accounts of a specific situation related to her fieldwork.

Findings

The author provides an overview of three “modes of intervention” characteristic of contemporary ethnography: political activism, organizational development and intervening description. The author presents the research agenda, the methodological principles and the means of intervention of each of the three modes, and discusses their applicability to the fieldwork process.

Practical implications

The overview of contemporary approaches to managing positionality is relevant for researchers doing fieldwork in contested fields. The paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches, and is intended as a resource for ethnographers who want to clarify their own positionality and prepare or improve their strategies on how to take sides in the process of doing fieldwork.

Originality/value

While the question of how to take sides is a classical challenge for organizational ethnographers, only few studies exist that look across contemporary ethnographic positions on how to manage positionality in the process of doing fieldwork. In addition to providing an overview for the individual ethnographer, this paper aims to participate in a collective academic conversation on the subject of managing positionality in the process of doing fieldwork.
Long‐term effects of colonization–extinction dynamics of generalist versus specialist wood‐decaying fungi
Authors: Moor Helen , Nordén Jenni , Penttilä Reijo , Siitonen Juha , Snäll Tord
Published: October 2020

Long‐term metapopulation persistence is mediated by the dynamics of colonization and extinction. To understand and predict future species occupancy in changing landscapes, we must account for the dynamic rates that shape the occupancy and disentangle their dependence on environmental conditions. Specialist and generalist species may differ in their dynamics in systematic ways.

Using an extensive, large‐scale repeat survey dataset for wood‐decaying fungi, we fitted dynamic metapopulation models for ten species, ranging from generalists to specialists with differing resource requirements. We first estimated base rates of colonization and extinction and tested their relationships to species' degree of specialization. We then tested for effects of local and landscape scale variables on the colonization and extinction rates. Finally, using the fitted models and a scenario of future forest development we projected future colonization–extinction dynamics over 100 years to test for differences in species occupancies between production stands and set‐aside stands.

Our study revealed a striking pattern of decreasing colonization rates with increasing degree of specialization across species, along with concomitantly increasing extinction rates. Strong sensitivity of colonization probabilities to local habitat quality (dead wood volume and stand age) in specialist but not generalist species constrained the regional occupancy of specialists, especially in production forest. We found evidence for short‐range dispersal limitation in two specialists, but no effect of our measure for landscape‐scale connectivity on colonization rates. Simulations of future metapopulation dynamics resulted in decreasing and lower final occupancy in production forest than in set‐asides, especially of specialist species. In set‐aside stands, however, specialists increased over time to relatively high occupancies.

Synthesis. Colonization–extinction dynamics of wood‐decaying fungi varied with species' degree of specialization. Increasing specialization was associated with increasing sensitivity of colonization rates to habitat conditions, and partly local connectivity, as well as with increasing extinction rates. Low landscape‐scale occupancies of specialist as compared to generalist wood‐decaying fungi are thus maintained by a combination of lower colonization rates, particularly in production forest, and higher extinction rates.
Using the Medical Research Council framework for developing a logic model to support children with visual impairments in their learning environments
Authors: Yeşilkaya Eda
Published: October 2020

Interventions can be designed to support the interactions of children with visual impairments with their learning environments. However, there is a need to develop systematic and theory‐based interventions for supporting children with visual impairments and additional disabilities in their learning environments. This exploratory qualitative study aims to develop a logic model for parents/guardians teachers, and children with visual impairments who attend preschool or primary school by using the Medical Research Council framework for complex interventions. The data were collected in two stages using qualitative data collection methods and in total 27 participants took part. Analysis of the collected data revealed that complex factors can impact on children's interactions with their learning environments. Subsequently, a logic model was developed based on the findings which indicates the importance of a holistic approach through partnership to address the needs of this population.
Iphigenia's sacrifice: generational historicity as a structure of feeling in times of austerity
Authors: Theodossopoulos Dimitrios
Published: October 2020

Iphi, an unemployed actor in austerity‐ridden Greece, imagines a theatre adaptation of a classic tragedy,Iphigenia at Aulis, in which the heroine is sacrificed on the altar of austerity by politicians. While writing her playscript, Iphi has a dream: she is taken to the sacrificial altar, not by politicians, but by her own parents, the generation who lived through the affluent years before austerity. Iphi's generational‐analogical thinking introduces a politically inspiring historicity, which offers insights into the accountability of austerity. It also allows us to reassess the notion of generations as a local category and an anthropological analytical construct. The article indicates the emergence of an as yet not fully articulated generational awareness – a new structure of feeling – about austerity, which is outlined here as it develops in an incipient form. I argue that the emerging generational historicity communicates a critical message, but also hides from view less visible inequalities.
‘Employ'd in Works that Womankind Become’: Andromache and the Idealisation of Separate Spheres in Eighteenth‐Century Literature and Art
Authors: Taylor Jonathan
Published: October 2020

Offering a counterpoint to recent demonstrations that eighteenth‐century writers subverted epic poetry's gender binaries, this article illuminates the eighteenth century's persistent invocation of Homer's Andromache as an ideal archetype of female domesticity. It explores how Homer's eighteenth‐century translators suppressed alternative representations of Andromache as a shrewd military tactician and transformed her into the archetypal domestic woman, before examining how successive eighteenth‐century writers appropriated the ‘domesticated’ Andromache to advocate, inculcate or police the doctrine of separate male and female (public and private) spheres. The final section explores how this trend complicates feminist interpretations of Angelica Kauffman's influential paintings of Andromache.
Benchmarking DNA methylation assays in a reef‐building coral
Authors: Dixon Groves , Matz Mikhail
Published: October 2020

Interrogation of chromatin modifications, such as DNA methylation, has the potential to improve forecasting and conservation of marine ecosystems. The standard method for assaying DNA methylation (whole genome bisulphite sequencing), however, is currently too costly to apply at the scales required for ecological research. Here, we evaluate different methods for measuring DNA methylation for ecological epigenetics. We compare whole genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS) with methylated CpG binding domain sequencing (MBD‐seq), and a modified version of MethylRAD we term methylation‐dependent restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (mdRAD). We evaluate these three assays in measuring variation in methylation across the genome, between genotypes, and between polyp types in the reef‐building coralAcropora millepora. We find that all three assays measure absolute methylation levels similarly for gene bodies (gbM), as well as exons and 1 Kb windows with a minimum Pearson correlation 0.66. Differential gbM estimates were less correlated, but still concurrent across assays. We conclude that MBD‐seq and mdRAD are reliable and cost‐effective alternatives to WGBS. The considerably lower sequencing effort required for mdRAD to produce comparable methylation estimates makes it particularly useful for ecological epigenetics.
Prognostic implications of ST‐segment elevation in lead aVR in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Aqian , Singh Vikas , Duan Yichao , Su Xin , Su Hongling , Zhang Min , Cao Yunshan
Published: October 2020

Background

ST‐segment elevation (STE) in lead aVR is a useful tool in recognizing patients with left main or left anterior descending coronary obstruction during acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The prognostic implication of STE in lead aVR on outcomes has not been established.

Methods

We performed a systematic search for clinical studies about STE in lead aVR in four databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Primary outcome was in‐hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included in‐hospital (re)infarction, in‐hospital heart failure, and 90‐day mortality.

Results

We included 7 studies with a total of 7,700 patients. The all‐cause in‐hospital mortality of patients with STE in lead aVR during ACS was significantly higher than that of patients without STE (OR: 4.37, 95% CI 1.63 to 11.68, p = .003). Patients with greater STE (>0.1 mV) in lead aVR had a higher in‐hospital mortality when compared to lower STE (0.05–0.1 mV) (OR: 2.00, 95% CI 1.11–3.60, p = .02), However, STE in aVR was not independently associated with in‐hospital mortality in ACS patients (OR: 2.72, 95% CI 0.85–8.63, p = .09). The incidence of in‐hospital myocardial (re)infarction (OR: 2.77, 95% CI 1.30–5.94, p = .009), in‐hospital heart failure (OR: 2.62, 95% CI 1.06–6.50, p = .04), and 90‐day mortality (OR: 10.19, 95% CI 5.27–19.71, p < .00001) was also noted to be higher in patients STE in lead aVR.

Conclusions

This contemporary meta‐analysis shows STE in lead aVR is a poor prognostic marker in patients with ACS with higher in‐hospital mortality, reinfarction, heart failure and 90‐day mortality. Greater magnitude of STE portends worse prognosis. Further studies are needed to establish an independent predictive role of STE in aVR for these adverse outcomes.
A pairwise pseudo‐likelihood approach for left‐truncated and interval‐censored data under the Cox model
Authors: Wang Peijie , Li Danning , Sun Jianguo
Published: October 2020

Left truncation commonly occurs in many areas, and many methods have been proposed in the literature for the analysis of various types of left‐truncated failure time data. For the situation, a common approach is to conduct the analysis conditional on truncation times, and the method is relatively simple but may not be efficient. In this paper, we discuss regression analysis of such data arising from the proportional hazards model that also suffer interval censoring. For the problem, a pairwise pseudo‐likelihood approach is proposed that aims to recover some missing information in the conditional methods. The resulting estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. A simulation study is conducted to assess the performance of the proposed method and suggests that it works well in practical situations and is indeed more efficient than the existing method. The approach is also applied to a set of real data arising from an AIDS cohort study.
The use and limitations of single‐cell mass cytometry for studying human microglia function
Authors: Fernández‐Zapata Camila , Leman Julia K. H. , Priller Josef , Böttcher Chotima
Published: October 2020

Microglia, the resident innate immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), play an important role in brain development and homoeostasis, as well as in neuroinflammatory, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Studies in animal models have been used to determine the origin and development of microglia, and how these cells alter their transcriptional and phenotypic signatures during CNS pathology. However, little is known about their human counterparts. Recent studies in human brain samples have harnessed the power of multiplexed single‐cell technologies such as single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) and mass cytometry (cytometry by time‐of‐flight [CyTOF]) to provide a comprehensive molecular view of human microglia in healthy and diseased brains. CyTOF is a powerful tool to study high‐dimensional protein expression of human microglia (huMG) at the single‐cell level. This technology widens the possibilities of high‐throughput quantification (of over 60 targeted molecules) at a single‐cell resolution. CyTOF can be combined with scRNA‐seq for comprehensive analysis, as it allows single‐cell analysis of post‐translational modifications of proteins, which provides insights into cell signalling dynamics in targeted cells. In addition, imaging mass cytometry (IMC) has recently become commercially available, and will be useful for analysing multiple cell types in human brain sections. IMC leverages mass spectrometry to acquire spatial data of cell–cell interactions on tissue sections, using (theoretically) over 40 markers at the same time. In this review, we summarise recent studies of huMG using CyTOF and IMC analyses. The uses and limitations as well as future directions of these technologies are discussed.
Deciphering the heterogeneity of myeloid cells during neuroinflammation in the single‐cell era
Authors: Borst Katharina , Prinz Marco
Published: October 2020

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disabling neuroinflammatory disease, which is little understood and lacks a sufficient therapeutic regimen. Myeloid cells have repeatedly shown to play a pivotal role in the disease progression. During homeostasis, only the CNS‐resident microglia and CNS‐associated macrophages are present in the CNS. Neuroinflammation causes peripheral immune cells to infiltrate the CNS contributing to disease progression and neurological sequelae. The differential involvement of the diverse peripheral and resident myeloid cell subsets to the disease pathogenesis and outcome are highly debated and difficult to assess. However, novel technological advances (new mouse models, single‐cell RNA‐Sequencing, and CYTOF) have improved the depth of immune profiling, which allows the characterization of distinct myeloid subsets. This review provides an overview of current knowledge on the phenotypes and roles of these different myeloid subsets in neuroinflammatory disease and their therapeutic relevance.
Child Development During the COVID‐19 Pandemic Through a Life Course Theory Lens
Authors: Benner Aprile D. , Mistry Rashmita S.
Published: October 2020

The COVID‐19 global pandemic and the resulting economic, health, and educational disruptions have upset all aspects of young people’s lives. The pandemic’s reach will likely continue in the near term and as psychological and academic trajectories unfold over time. In this article, we draw on the central tenets of life course theory—intertwined developmental trajectories, linked lives, and stratification systems (Elder, 1998)—to inform understanding of potential adverse effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on children’s and adolescents’ adjustment and well‐being, as well as mechanisms and processes that may buffer or exacerbate the pandemic’s negative impact. We review empirical evidence on the impact of previous macro‐level crises (e.g., the Great Recession) to illustrate how life course theory can aid developmental scientists in examining the effects of COVID‐19 on children’s development. We conclude with recommendations for research.
CD40L-stimulated B cells forex-vivoexpansion of polyspecific non-human primate regulatory T cells for translational studies
Authors: Alonso-Guallart P , Llore N , Lopes E , Kofman S-B , Ho S-H , Stern J , Pierre G , Bruestle K , Tang Q , Sykes M , Griesemer A
Published: October 2020

The therapeutic applications of regulatory T cells (Tregs) include treating autoimmune diseases, graft-versus-host disease and induction of transplantation tolerance. For ex-vivo expanded Tregs to be used in deceased donor transplantation, they must be able to suppress T cell responses to a broad range of human leukocyte antigen (HLA). Here, we present a novel approach for the expansion of polyspecific Tregs in cynomolgus macaques that was adapted from a good manufacturing practice-compliant protocol. Tregs were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and expanded in the presence of a panel of CD40L-stimulated B cells (CD40L-sBc). Prior to Treg culture, CD40L-sBc were expanded in vitro from multiple major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-disparate macaques. Expanded Tregs expressed high levels of forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) and Helios, a high percentage of Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) demethylation and strong suppression of naïve T cell responses in vitro. In addition, these Tregs produced low levels of inflammatory cytokines and were able to expand post-cryopreservation. Specificity assays confirmed that these Tregs were suppressive upon activation by any antigen-presenting cells (APCs) whose MHC was shared by CD40L-sBc used during expansion, proving that they are polyspecific. We developed an approach for the expansion of highly suppressive cynomolgus macaque polyspecific Tregs through the use of a combination of CD40L-engineered B cells with the potential to be translated to clinical studies. To our knowledge, this is the first report that uses a pool of MHC-mismatched CD40L-sBc to create polyspecific Tregs suitable for use in deceased-donor transplants.
Predictors of OSA following adenotonsillectomy in children with trisomy 21
Authors: Raposo Diogo , Menezes Marco , Rito João , Trindade‐Soares Mafalda , Adónis Cristina , Loureiro Helena Cristina , Freire Filipe
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Given that 30%‐50% of children with trisomy 21 have persistent obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) after adenotonsillectomy, we evaluated whether demographic, clinical and polysomnographic factors predicted persistent OSA and OSA severity after adenotonsillectomy.

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

Secondary care hospital.

Participants

Retrospective review of 32 children with the diagnosis of trisomy 21 and OSA by polysomnography who underwent adenotonsillectomy, from January 2010 to December 2018.

Main outcome and measure

Non‐parametric analysis was used to compare pre‐ and postoperative factors, and regression was used to model persistent OSA and OSA severity.

Results

Thirty‐two children were included (17 males, median age 10.00 ± 8.00 years, median body mass index z‐score 0.89 ± 1.25). Overall, adenotonsillectomy resulted in a significant improvement in median obstructive apnoea‐hypopnoea index (oAHI) from 7.5 ± 8.95 to 4.40 ± 4.38 events per hour (P < .001) and in median OSA‐18 score from 85.00 ± 12.00 to 61.00 ± 37.75 (P < .001). Persistent OSA was found in 56.25% of the children. Univariate regression suggests that postoperative OSA‐18 score was associated with persistent OSA after adenotonsillectomy. Preoperative oAHI, preoperative oxygen desaturation index, pre‐ and postoperative OSA‐18 scores correlated with OSA severity after adenotonsillectomy. However, in a multivariate model only the postoperative OSA‐18 score correlated with OSA severity after adenotonsillectomy.

Conclusions

Although adenotonsillectomy results in a significant improvement of OSA in children with trisomy 21, more than half of the children had persistent OSA. The postoperative OSA‐18 score was associated both with persistent OSA and OSA severity after adenotonsillectomy.
Advances in scarless foetal wound healing and prospects for scar reduction in adults
Authors: Yin Jia‐Li , Wu Yan , Yuan Zheng‐Wei , Gao Xing‐Hua , Chen Hong‐duo
Published: October 2020

Healing after mammalian skin injury involves the interaction between numerous cellular constituents and regulatory factors, which together form three overlapping phases: an inflammatory response, a proliferation phase and a remodelling phase. Any slight variation in these three stages can substantially alter the healing process and resultant production of scars. Of particular significance are the mechanisms responsible for the scar‐free phenomenon observed in the foetus. Uncovering such mechanisms would offer great expectations in the treatment of scars and therefore represents an important area of investigation. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of studies on injury‐induced skin regeneration within the foetus. The information contained in these studies provides an opportunity for new insights into the treatment of clinical scars based on the cellular and molecular processes involved.
Effectiveness of pirfenidone for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis associated with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis‐like lesions and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia
Authors: Sakamoto Susumu , Shimizu Hiroshige , Isshiki Takuma , Nakamura Yasuhiko , Kurosaki Atsuko , Isobe Kazutoshi , Homma Sakae
Published: October 2020

Background

Pirfenidone treatment can slow decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, its effects for usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis‐like lesions (UIP+PPFELL) and UIP with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (UIP+NSIP) are unclear.

Objectives

The aim of study is to assess pirfenidone effectiveness for UIP+PPFELL and UIP+NSIP.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed data from 58 IPF patients treated with pirfenidone more than 6 months. The outcomes of interest were 6‐month follow‐up pulmonary function test results, progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Treatment was considered effective if FVC decline was <5% during the 6‐month period. We compared clinical characteristics, effectiveness, PFS and OS between patients with typical IPF (n = 32), UIP+PPFELL (n = 12) and UIP+NSIP (n = 14).

Results

Data from 58 IPF patients were analysed. At the 6‐month follow‐up examination, treatment was deemed effective for 9 of 14 (64%) UIP+NSIP patients, 6 of 12 (50%) UIP+PPFELL patients and 14 of 32 (44%) patients with typical IPF. The 6‐month decline in FVC before treatment was greater than that after starting treatment in the UIP+NSIP (−210 vs. −57 mL; P = 0.09), UIP+PPFELL (−370 vs. −89 mL; P = 0.001) and typical IPF (−172 vs. −85 mL; P = 0.37). PFS did not significantly differ between the three groups. OS was significantly shorter for UIP+PPFELL (312 days) than for UIP+NSIP (545 days) and typical IPF (661 days).

Conclusions

Pirfenidone decreased the decline in FVC in patients with UIP+PPFELL and UIP+NSIP, as well as in those with typical IPF. However, outcomes were worse for patients with UIP+PPFELL.
Does the accumulated antiepileptic drug load in chronic epilepsy reflect disease severity?
Authors: Witt Juri‐Alexander , Nass Robert D. , Baumgartner Tobias , von Wrede Randi , Elger Christian E. , Surges Rainer , Helmstaedter Christoph
Published: October 2020

Objective

To ascertain factors that are related to the antiepileptic drug load in epilepsy.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, we analyzed a large cohort of conservatively treated patients with epilepsy (n = 1135) and a smaller homogeneous group of presurgical patients with neuropathologically confirmed unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (n = 91). Considered clinical variables comprised (1) presence of an underlying cerebral lesion, (2) onset and (3) duration of epilepsy, (4) seizure frequency, (5) generalized or focal to bilateral tonic‐clonic seizures, (6) ictal impairment of awareness, and (7) a history of convulsive status epilepticus. In the presurgical sample, we additionally considered (8) the degree of pathology (hippocampal neuronal cell densities) instead of (1) presence of a cerebral lesion and (9) an overall rating of epilepsy severity (GASE scale). Drug load was quantified as (a) the number of concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and (b) the total defined daily dose (DDD).

Results

Analyses disclosed only small correlations between clinical variables and drug load indices. In the conservatively treated cohort, the multiple regression analyses revealed that epilepsy onset, cerebral lesion, history of convulsive status epilepticus, and seizure frequency combined explained only 6%–10% of variance in drug load. Nearly the same variance (5%–8%) could be explained by duration of epilepsy alone. Degree of hippocampal pathology and the epilepsy severity ratings were not related to drug load indices.

Significance

Clinical markers of epilepsy severity were only marginally associated with drug load. Findings rather indicate that patients seem to accumulate drugs due to the chronicity of epilepsy. Overall, the drug load remained largely unexplained. The findings nevertheless call for scrutinizing multidrug therapies in patients with long‐lasting epilepsies.
Linking root respiration to chemistry and morphology across species
Authors: Han Mengguang , Zhu Biao
Published: October 2020

Root respiration is a critical physiological trait involved in root resource acquisition strategies, yet it is less represented in root trait syndrome. Here we compiled a large dataset of root respiration associated with root chemical and morphological traits from 245 plant species. Our results demonstrated that root respiration correlated positively with root nitrogen concentration (RNC) and negatively with root tissue density (RTD) across and within woody and non‐woody species. However, the relationships between root respiration and specific root length (SRL) and root diameter (RD) were weak or even insignificant. Such root respiration–traits relationships were not completely in line with predictions by the root economics spectrum (RES). Furthermore, the principal component analysis showed that root trait syndrome was multidimensional. Root respiration was associated more strongly with the RNC‐RTD axis (the classical RES) than with the orthogonal SRL‐RD axis for woody species, but not for non‐woody species. Collectively, the linkages of root physiological, chemical, and morphological traits provide a better understanding of root trait covariation and root resource acquisition strategies.
Atmospheric happening and weather reasoning: Climate history in South Asia
Authors: Carson Sarah
Published: October 2020

South Asian scholarship is increasingly approaching the natural world as both an active force in history and an object of sustained human concern. Until recently, where climate had been studied, it was closely associated with maritime trade, scientific racism, extractive imperialism, and discredited environmental determinism. Broadly, two new and opposing frameworks make the terrain of “climate” rich for re‐thinking. First, the expansion of the concept of climate during the first half of the twentieth century from static and localized, to dynamic and global has had repercussions for both critical theory and empirical South Asian history. Second, increased interest in changeable, risky weather has invited focused studies at narrower temporal and geographical scales. Cultural and intellectual histories concerned with particular places connect pluralistic weather rationalities and practices to the livelihoods of diverse communities, including commercial traders and banking interests, sailors and boatmen, small farmers, Sanskrit scholars and astrologers, and professional meteorologists. Taking stock of the competing pulls toward planetary climate and localized weather, this article highlights developments across several subfields and suggests paths forward. It contends that research at the intersection of environmental history (atmospheric happening), and the history of knowledge (weather reasoning) is particularly fruitful for understanding the meanings and effects of human‐environment interactions broadly, and global warming in particular.
Effects of composite binder phase on microstructure and mechanical properties of ultrafine‐grained cemented carbides
Authors: Yu Bin , Wang Zhenhua , Sun Ning , Zheng Kan , Wang Boxiang , Yin Zengbin , Yuan Juntang
Published: October 2020

In order to develop a new high‐performance binder phase, four different alloys Co‐Ni‐Fe, Co‐Ni‐Cr, Co‐Ni‐Nb, and AlCoCrNiNb0.5 were used as a binder in cemented carbides. The room‐temperature mechanical properties and high‐temperature flexural strength of cemented carbides were studied. The results show that the optimal mechanical properties for the WC‐8(Co‐Ni‐Fe, Co‐Ni‐Cr, Co‐Ni‐Nb, and AlCoCrNiNb0.5) can be obtained at the sintering temperatures of 1200°C, 1350°C, 1350°C, and 1300°C, respectively. Compared with cemented carbides with Co as binder phase, the hardness of the four kinds of alloys is increased, the WC grain size becomes finer, but the fracture toughness is slightly decreased. When the temperature is under 600°C, there is no visible oxidation of the four kinds of cemented carbides, and their bending strengths are basically not reduced. When the temperature increased from 600°C to 900°C, the WC‐8(Co‐Ni‐Nb) and WC‐8(Co‐Ni‐Fe) samples present the better high‐temperature bending resistance compared with the WC‐8(Co‐Ni‐Cr) and WC‐8AlCoCrNiNb0.5 samples, with respective decrease in bending strength of 11.7% and 7.3%.
Sensory characteristics and consumer segmentation of fried sweetpotato for expanded markets in Africa
Authors: Dery Eric K. , Carey Edward E. , Ssali Reuben T. , Low Jan W. , Johanningsmeier Suzanne D. , Oduro Ibok , Boakye Abena , Omodamiro Rachael M. , Yusuf Hauwa L.
Published: October 2020

Prepared foods are increasing in popularity in West Africa alongside rapid urbanisation. Growing demand for fried products calls for targeted breeding efforts to meet consumer needs, but little is known regarding consumer preferences. This research identified the sensory attributes of fried sweetpotato preferred by different consumer groups using a combination of consumer acceptance testing and descriptive sensory analysis. Market and community surveys identified three consumer segments in Ghana and Nigeria with contrasting preferences for fried sweetpotato sensory attributes. One group preferred crispy, crunchy, mealy and sweet fried sweetpotato; another preferred characteristic yam flavour and dry texture; and the third preferred uniform orange colour appearance, ripe plantain flavour and palm nutty flavour. Such consumer segmentation can help emerging West African fried sweetpotato industries identify target markets and provides valuable information to breeders, growers and retailers to prioritise attributes in their breeding, growing or product sourcing decisions.
A psychometric evaluation of the Vietnamese version of the Evidence‐Based Practice Attitudes and Beliefs Scales
Authors: Van Giang Nguyen , Lin Shu‐Yuan , Thai Duong Hong
Published: October 2020

Aim

The aim of this study is to develop and to test the construct validity and reliability of the Vietnamese versions of the Evidence‐Based Practice Attitude and Evidence‐Based Practice Beliefs scales.

Methods

This is a psychometric evaluation study. Three hundred and fifty‐three nurses and midwives were recruited from a national hospital in Vietnam from September to December 2018. Data were obtained from two scales. Content validity, face validity and construct validity measures were all conducted, whereas exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed from data collected from two cohorts of participants. Cronbach's alpha coefficient represented reliability, and data were analysed in SPSS 20 and AMOS 24.

Results

The four‐factor model developed with openness, requirements, appeal and divergence factors accounted for 55% of total variance in the Attitude scale. A three‐factor model labelled as value beliefs, knowledge beliefs and resource beliefs with 59% of total variance was explained in the Beliefs scale. Cronbach's α coefficients were .72 for the Attitude scale and .81 for the Beliefs scale.

Conclusions

The two scales could be used to assess Vietnamese nurses' attitudes and beliefs to adopt evidence‐based practice enabling hospitals to align individual and organizational goals for developing evidence‐based practice and enable comparison of the results with international samples.
A branched‐chain amino acid‐based metabolic score can predict liver fat in children and adolescents with severe obesity
Authors: Lischka Julia , Schanzer Andrea , Hojreh Azadeh , Ba Ssalamah Ahmed , Item Chike Bellarmine , de Gier Charlotte , Walleczek Nina‐Katharina , Metz Thomas F. , Jakober Ivana , Greber‐Platzer Susanne , Zeyda Maximilian
Published: October 2020

Background

Eighty percent of adolescents with severe obesity suffer from non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Non‐invasive prediction models have been tested in adults, however, they performed poorly in paediatric populations.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate novel biomarkers for NAFLD and to develop a score that predicts liver fat in youth with severe obesity.

Methods

From a population with a BMI >97th percentile aged 9‐19 years (n = 68), clinically thoroughly characterized including MRI‐derived proton density fat fraction (MRI‐PDFF), amino acids and acylcarnitines were measured by HPLC‐MS.

Results

In children with NAFLD, higher levels of plasma branched‐chain amino acids (BCAA) were determined. BCAAs correlated with MRI‐PDFF (R = 0.46, p < .01). We identified a linear regression model adjusted for age, sex and pubertal stage consisting of BCAAs, ALT, GGT, ferritin and insulin that predicted MRI‐PDFF (R = 0.75, p < .01). ROC analysis of this model revealed AUCs of 0.85, 0.85 and 0.92 for the detection of any, moderate and severe steatosis, respectively, thus markedly outperforming previously published scores.

Conclusion

BCAAs could be an important link between obesity and other metabolic pathways. A BCAA‐based metabolic score can predict steatosis grade in high‐risk children and adolescents and may provide a feasible alternative to sophisticated methods like MRI or biopsy in the future.
The influence of alcohol on judgement of facial expressions of emotion
Authors: Borrill Josephine A. , Rosen Bernard K. , Summerfield Angela B.
Published: October 2020

Despite considerable research into the effects of alcohol on behaviour, there appears to be little information available about the influence of alcohol on interpersonal judgement. An experiment was carried out to test the hypothesis that alcohol would affect subjects' ability to judge facial expressions of emotion. Thirty male and 30 female normal social drinkers were allocated at random to high alcohol, low alcohol or placebo conditions and were shown photographs of faces displaying basic emotions. As predicted, subjects in the high alcohol condition made more errors and subjects in the low alcohol condition fewer errors than subjects in the placebo condition. Accuracy of judgement also varied significantly according to the sex of the subject and the category of emotion being judged. In particular, alcohol was associated with greater impairment of judgements of anger than of other emotions. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the association between alcohol and violence, and the use of social skills training with problem drinkers.
A framework synthesis reviewing the impact of neonatal care unit admission on early caregiver–infant relationships
Authors: Carton Amelia Myri , Cordwell Jacinta , Steinhardt Karen
Published: October 2020

Aims

To critically review and synthesize qualitative research pertaining to the establishment of early caregiver–infant relationships in the neonatal care unit (NCU).

Background

It is well‐established that bonding and attachment, established across the prenatal and early childhood periods, affect child cognitive and behavioural development. Proximity, reciprocity, and commitment are key to the formation of these early relationships. It is intuitively likely that an admission to the NCU may affect early reciprocal caregiver–infant relationships.

Design

A qualitative best‐fit framework synthesis.

Data sources

A systematic search of four databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, British Nursing Index and CINAHL) was conducted, from January 2000–December 2018.

Review Methods

The RATS quality appraisal tool was used to evaluate study quality. To ensure reliability, 20% of studies were randomly selected for independent rating. A “best‐fit” synthesis approach using an existing framework of early parent–infant attachment and bonding was adopted to synthesize the review findings.

Findings

Twenty studies, from an original 3,526 unique articles, were included in the review. Studies varied in the extent to which they demonstrated transparency of procedures and in the quality of recruitment information provided. The meta‐synthesis demonstrated that proximity, reciprocity, and commitment were affected by admission to a NCU and identified that parental reflections on bonding and the role of staff in this process, were important factors to consider.

Conclusions

Caregiver–infant relationships are affected by admission to the NCU. The review theoretically supports moves to Family Integrated Care. Units should evaluate caregiver emotional state and consider the role of peer support.

Impact

The synthesis revealed that areas typically implicated in the formation of attachment and bonds were affected by admission to a NCU. Results have implications on the clinical care delivered as part of neonatal care.
Polydatin inhibits ZEB1‐invoked epithelial‐mesenchymal transition in fructose‐induced liver fibrosis
Authors: Zhao Xiaojuan , Yang Yanzi , Yu Hanwen , Wu Wenyuan , Sun Yang , Pan Ying , Kong Lingdong
Published: October 2020

High fructose intake is a risk factor for liver fibrosis. Polydatin is a main constituent of the rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat liver fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanisms of fructose‐driven liver fibrosis as well as the actions of polydatin are not fully understood. In this study, fructose was found to promote zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) nuclear translocation, decrease microRNA‐203 (miR‐203) expression, increase survivin, activate transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1)/Smad signalling, down‐regulate E‐cadherin, and up‐regulate fibroblast specific protein 1 (FSP1), vimentin, N‐cadherin and collagen I (COL1A1) in rat livers and BRL‐3A cells, in parallel with fructose‐induced liver fibrosis. Furthermore, ZEB1 nuclear translocation‐mediated miR‐203 low‐expression was found to target survivin to activate TGF‐β1/Smad signalling, causing the EMT in fructose‐exposed BRL‐3A cells. Polydatin antagonized ZEB1 nuclear translocation to up‐regulate miR‐203, subsequently blocked survivin‐activated TGF‐β1/Smad signalling, which were consistent with its protection against fructose‐induced EMT and liver fibrosis. These results suggest that ZEB1 nuclear translocation may play an essential role in fructose‐induced EMT in liver fibrosis by targeting survivin to activate TGF‐β1/Smad signalling. The suppression of ZEB1 nuclear translocation by polydatin may be a novel strategy for attenuating the EMT in liver fibrosis associated with high fructose diet.
The use of machine learning to detect foraging behaviour in whale sharks: a new tool in conservation
Authors: Whitehead Darren A. , Magaña Felipe G. , Ketchum James T. , Hoyos Edgar M. , Armas Rogelio G. , Pancaldi Francesca , Olivier Damien
Published: October 2020

In this study we present the first attempt at modelling the feeding behaviour of whale sharks using a machine learning analytical method. A total of eight sharks were monitored with tri‐axial accelerometers and their foraging behaviours were visually observed. Our results highlight that the random forest model is a valid and robust approach to predict the feeding behaviour of the whale shark. In conclusion this novel approach exposes the practicality of this method to serve as a conservation tool and the capability it offers in monitoring potential disturbances of the species.
Catfishes of the genus Sperata (Pisces:Bagridae) in India
Authors: Kumar Rahul Girish , Charan Ravi , Krishnaprasoon Nadumury Pradeep , Basheer Valaparambil Saidumohammad
Published: October 2020

DNA barcode data of the South Asian bagrid catfish genus Sperata indicate the presence of at least five species in the Indian subcontinent. Those results, which are supported by morphological data, show a marked increase in species diversity from the recent taxonomic and fishery literature, although each of the five species had been previously named. Two species are restricted to rivers of peninsular India south of the Godavari: Sperata aorides from the Cauvery river basin and S. seenghala from the Krishna river basin. Most literature records of S. seenghala from the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna river basins likely refer to S. lamarrii, a species which appears to also be present in the Indus river basin. Some genetic data reported as S. seenghala from the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna river basins refer to S. aorella. S. aor is widespread in the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Surma river basins in India and Bangladesh, extending southwards to the Godavari river.
Microarchitecture of cetacean vertebral trabecular bone among swimming modes and diving behaviors
Authors: Ingle Danielle N. , Porter Marianne E.
Published: October 2020

Cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) are fully aquatic mammals that are supported by water's buoyancy and swim through axial body bending. Swimming is partially mediated by variations in vertebral morphology that creates trade‐offs in body flexibility and rigidity between axial regions that either enhance or reduce displacement between adjacent vertebrae. Swimming behavior is linked to foraging ecology, where deep‐diving cetaceans glide a greater proportion of the time compared to their shallow‐diving counterparts. In this study, we categorized 10 species of cetaceans (Families Delphinidae and Kogiidae) into functional groups determined by swimming patterns (rigid vs. flexible torso) and diving behavior (shallow vs. deep). Here, we quantify vertebral trabecular microarchitecture (a) among functional groups (rigid‐torso shallow diver (RS), rigid‐torso deep diver (RD), and flexible‐torso deep diver (FD)), and (b) among vertebral column regions (posterior thoracic, lumbar, caudal peduncle, and fluke insertion). We microCT scanned vertebral bodies, from which 1‐5 volumes of interest were selected to quantify bone volume fraction (BV/TV), specific bone surface (BS/BV), trabecular thickness (TbTh), trabecular number (TbN), trabecular separation (TbSp), and degree of anisotropy (DA). We found that BV/TV was greatest in the rigid‐torso shallow‐diving functional group, smallest in flexible‐torso deep‐diving species, and intermediate in the rigid‐torso deep‐diving group. DA was significantly greater in rigid‐torso caudal oscillators than in their flexible‐torso counterparts. We found no variation among vertebral regions for any microarchitectural variables. Despite having osteoporotic skeletons, cetacean vertebrae had greater BV/TV, TbTh, and DA than previously documented in terrestrial mammalian bone. Cetacean species are an ideal model to investigate the long‐term adaptations, over an animal's lifetime and over evolutionary time, of trabecular bone in non‐weight–bearing conditions.