bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data-driven optimization yielded a highly-efficient CRISPR/Cas9 system for gene editing in Arabidopsis
Authors: Geng Haiying , Wang Yifan , Xu Yupu , Zhang Yu , Han Ershang , Peng Yuming , Geng Zhenxing , Liu Yi , Qin Yue , Ma Shisong
Published: October 2023

The CRISPR/Cas9 technology is widely used for plant gene editing. In Arabidopsis, the early CRISPR/Cas9 systems using constitutive promoters to driveCas9expression usually have low heritable mutation efficiencies in the T1 generation. Germ cell-specific or cell division-specific promoters, likeEC1.2en-EC1.1p fusion, YAOandCDC45, have been used as alternatives to directCas9expression, but the efficiency of getting nonchimeric mutations is still not high. To further improve gene editing efficiency, we used gene co-expression network analysis to identifyNUC1as a candidate promoter for drivingCas9expression.NUC1has expression patterns similar toYAO, but expresses at a much higher level. We constructed a CRISPR/Cas9 system pHY07 that uses theNUC1promoter to driveCas9and carries the mCherry protein as a fluorescent marker for selecting transgenic seeds. Using this system to edit theGL2gene, we obtained apparently nonchimeric mutations in 55% of the T1 transgenic plants. Among the Cas9-free T2 plants 99% harbored mutations that are stably inherited from the previous generation. Therefore, our system exhibited extremely high editing efficiency, and through fluorescent screening of transgenic seeds, it become easy to obtain Cas9-free and stable genetic mutants in the T2 generation.
Training-of-trainers program for community health workers involved in an innovative and community-based intervention among goldminers in the Guiana Shield: a quality and effectiveness evaluation
Authors: Carlotta Carboni , Irene Jimeno Maroto , Muriel Galindo , Lorraine Plessis , Yann Lambert , Teddy Bardon , Stephen Vreden , Martha Suárez-Mutis , Jane Miller Bordalo , Maylis Douine , Alice Sanna
Published: October 2023

Introduction:An innovative and community-based intervention is implemented in the Guiana Shield to eliminate malaria among people involved in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. The intervention is possible in the field thanks to community health workers (CHWs) who are previously trained to master all intervention’s procedures, including training gold miners to treat themselves for malaria. This article describes thus a training-of-trainers (ToT) program for CHWs, as well as the method and results of its evaluation in terms of quality and effectiveness.Methods: A mixed-method case study was implemented in two steps and based on knowledge survey, satisfaction test, observations and semi- structured interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated.Results: The project team’s previous experience and the Guiana Shield countries’ commitment to the WHO E-2025 initiative were identified as levers for the quality of the ToT training, while the complexity of the project context was a challenge. Group dynamics and adaptations were found to be central elements of a high-quality training program. CHWs’ satisfaction was elevated especially regarding training format and learning results. Improvements on knowledge level demonstrated good effectiveness of the training. Nevertheless, some difficulties persisted regarding certain tasks to be carried out by CHWs during the intervention procedure. Further on-the-job training permitted to address them, improving CHWs’ practices in the field.Discussion: High-quality, effective, and appropriate training programs are required for effective and sustainable intervention involving CHWs profiles. Training design is a crucial point to attend quality and effectiveness. ToT model has been shown to allow a high level of satisfaction, good learning results and satisfactory implementation in the field. Initial and continuing training is an indispensable continuum to sustain good practices in the field and CHWs’ motivation. Training evaluation permits to standardize methods and facilitate transferability of successful efforts.
A systematic review of non-clinician trauma-based interventions for school-age children and young people
Authors: Avery Flo , Kennedy Natasha , James Michaela , Jones Hope , Amos Rebekah , Bellis Mark , Hughes Karen , Brophy Sinead
Published: October 2023

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is increasingly recognised as a risk factor for health problems in later life. Awareness of ACEs and associated trauma is increasing in schools and educational settings, as well as demand for supportive services to deal with needs. However, there is a lack of clear evidence for effective interventions which can be delivered by non-clinicians (e.g., the school staff themselves). For this review, we conducted a search across five electronic databases for studies published since January 2013. These studies assessed the efficacy of non-clinician delivered interventions for supporting trauma recovery or improvements in mental health in school age youth (4-18 years) who have experienced ACEs. Out of the 4097 studies identified through the search, 326 were retrieved for full text screening and 25 were included in the final review. There was considerable heterogeneity in study design, outcome measures and the intervention being studied. The majority of studies were assessed to be of weak quality due to convenience sampling of participants and potential bias, indicating there is a lack of high quality research evidence to inform non-clinician delivered trauma-informed interventions for improving mental health outcomes in school-age young people. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-based approaches are tentatively suggested as a suitable target for future rigorous evaluations of interventions addressing ACE-related trauma recovery and mental health improvement in school-age young people.
Lycopene Production in Dedicated Novel Chasses for Lignocellulosic Waste Material Utilisation Capable of Sustained Coculture
Authors: Allan John , Crown Matthew , Bashton Matthew , Black Gary W
Published: October 2023

Municipal solid waste (MSW) represents tonnes of material that, for the most part, is relegated to landfill. Synthetic biology proposes solutions to many of the challenges faced by humanity today, but many approaches are confined to use in classical chassis organisms. In MSW there are a variety of potentially toxic materials such as glues, dyes, and preservatives that could pose a challenge to its capitalisation when using these commonplace chassis. We have isolated a bank of strains that utilise paper and cardboard waste from a relevant waste environment. From these we have identified three strains that are capable of utilising cellulose as a sole carbon source. We have analysed how they utilise cellulose and hemicelluloses, both alone and in coculture. This revealed insights to how they might be used in synthetic consortia which were then produced under laboratory conditions. Production of complete genome sequences of these strains provides genetic insight to how these processes may be occurring at the metabolic level, and how they could be augmented using synthetic biology. To this end, we have produced protocols for transforming plasmids into these strains and have produced high value metabolites from this material.

Highlights

Fully annotated genomes were produced from novel mesophilic aerobic strains isolated from lignocellulosic solid waste

Lycopene was produced directly from relevant solid waste substrates by genetically modified variants of these strains

Optimised carbon source blends influence coculture compositions of specific strains
Ventral hippocampus neurons encode meal-related memory
Authors: Décarie-Spain Léa , Gu Cindy , Lauer Logan Tierno , Subramanian Keshav S. , Chehimi Samar N. , Kao Alicia E. , Deng Iris , Bashaw Alexander G. , Klug Molly E. , Galbokke Ashyah Hewage , Donohue Kristen N. , Yang Mingxin , de Lartigue Guillaume , Myers Kevin P. , Crist Richard C. , Reiner Benjamin C. , Hayes Matthew R. , Kanoski Scott E.
Published: October 2023

The ability to encode and retrieve meal-related information is critical to efficiently guide energy acquisition and consumption, yet the underlying neural processes remain elusive. Here we reveal that ventral hippocampus (HPCv) neuronal activity dynamically elevates during meal consumption and this response is highly predictive of subsequent performance in a foraging-related spatial memory task. Targeted recombination-mediated ablation of HPCv meal-responsive neurons impairs foraging-related spatial memory without influencing food motivation, anxiety-like behavior, or escape-mediated spatial memory. These HPCv meal-responsive neurons project to the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing and in situ hybridization analyses indicate they are enriched in serotonin 2a receptors (5HT2aR). Either chemogenetic silencing of HPCv-to-LHA projections or intra-HPCv 5HT2aR antagonist yielded foraging-related spatial memory deficits, as well as alterations in caloric intake and the temporal sequence of spontaneous meal consumption. Collective results identify a population of HPCv neurons that dynamically respond to eating to encode meal-related memories.
Board characteristics and integrated reporting in an emerging market: evidence from India
Authors: Makri Manimore , Makan Leo Themjung , Kabra Kailash Chandra
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the influence of board characteristics on the integrated reporting quality (IRQ) of Indian-listed companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a sample of 197 firms from the BSE 500 for the years 2017–2018 to 2019–2020. The proposed hypotheses are tested using two-stage least squares regression.

Findings

The study documents a positive influence of board size, board independence and gender diversity on IRQ. The study also finds that board activity and role duality are insignificant with IRQ. Among the firm-specific characteristics, variables such as firm size, profitability and capital intensity positively influence IRQ.

Originality/value

The current study presents the first investigation in the context of India on the various board characteristics influencing IRQ. The study reiterates the role that gender-diverse boards have in improving information transparency. Policymakers can therefore drive adoption by recommending changes in board characteristics and increasing the quota for women on boards.
Technological anxiety during the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies – a cross-case study analysis among Polish manufacturing companies
Authors: Sajdak Maja , Młody Michał
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the basis of the technological anxiety phenomenon by defining the differences and similarities in terms of barriers of the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies across industrial processing sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a qualitative, exploratory research, and the authors apply the cross-case study method. The study is based on interviews with representatives of 11 medium-sized and large companies from industrial processing sector; specifically, the authors focus on three industries: automotive, food and furniture.

Findings

The research showed that there are similarities as well as differences in terms of identified barriers between individual industries. Taking into account the various dimensions of technological anxiety, similarities are visible, in particular, in the case of Internal processes and infrastructure and human resources, while in the other two dimensions, i.e. strategic planning and standards and security, differences between the sectors were noted.

Practical implications

The developed list of barriers can be a starting point for middle and senior managers of manufacturing companies to understand the sources of technological anxiety. The planning and introducing preventive and protective tools during Industry 4.0 implementation may reduce the occurrence of technological anxiety and thus ensure a smoother adoption of technologies 4.0, while respecting the organizational culture.

Originality/value

This work contributes to in-depth understanding of multifaced technological anxiety phenomenon. This paper classifies dimensions of existing barriers, increases the awareness on the difficulties during transformation process and, thus enables the improvement of the use of company’s internal potential.
Is ambidexterity crucial for cluster resilience? Conceptional consideration and empirical evidence
Authors: Rothgang Michael , Lageman Bernhard
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study, a conceptual paper, aims an answer the question, how significant cluster ambidexterity is for the resilience of individual clusters.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw up an abductive synopsis of empirical information and relevant theoretical sources. A case study is used to illustrate some of the findings.

Findings

The results of the analysis show that the ambidexterity of a cluster can contribute to its resilience when adverse external developments arise. Ambidexterity proves to be simultaneously a common strategy of key cluster actors and a mechanism for coping with critical situations and developments that can be activated by the cluster actors and may – eventually – lead to cluster resilience. While ambidexterity does not guarantee cluster survival, it can contribute significantly to their economic resilience under adverse conditions.

Research limitations/implications

The concept is developed on a limited empirical basis and would need to be tested and deepened by comparing a wide range of case studies from different clusters.

Practical implications

A better understanding of the importance of ambidexterity for the development of industrial clusters contributes to a better fine-tuning of cluster support policies.

Originality/value

Ambidexterity as a concept originating from business administration has so far only been rudimentarily tapped for empirical and theoretical cluster research. The paper identifies and develops a path how this could be accomplished to a greater extent in the future.
Addressing the challenge of engaging in paid work while undertaking unpaid caring: insights for improving employment inclusion of young carers
Authors: Hutchings Kate , Radford Katrina , Spencer Nancy , Harris Neil , McMillan Sara , Slattery Maddy , Wheeler Amanda , Roche Elisha
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore challenges and opportunities associated with young carers' employment in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multi-stakeholder approach, this study captures the reflections of stakeholders (n = 8) and young carers (n = 10) about opportunities for, and experiences of, paid employment for young carers.

Findings

Despite many organisations internationally increasingly pushing diversity agendas and suggesting a commitment to equal opportunity experiences, this study found that young carers' work opportunities are often disrupted by their caring role. For young carers to be successful in their careers, organisations need to provide further workplace flexibility, and other support is required to attract and retain young carers into organisations and harness their transferrable skills for meaningful careers.

Practical implications

The paper highlights important implications for human resource management practitioners given the need to maximise the participation of young carers as workers, with benefits for young carers themselves, employers and society.

Originality/value

The research adds to the human resource management and work–family conflict literature in examining young carers through drawing on Conservation of Resources theory to highlight resources invested in caring leads to loss of educational and work experience resources. This leads to loss cycles and spirals, which can potentially continue across a lifetime, further contributing to disadvantage and lack of workplace and societal inclusion for this group of young people.
Structural performance evaluation of hybrid polymer composites for critical infrastructure pick-and-place robot grippers using silica nanoparticles
Authors: Mani Megavannan , Murgaiyan Thiyagu , Krishnan Pradeep Kumar
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study focuses on the structural performance assessment of hybrid polymer composites for pick-and-place robot grippers used in critical infrastructure. This research involved the creation of composite materials with different nanoparticle concentrations, followed by extensive testing to assess the mechanical properties of the materials, such as strength, stiffness and durability.

Design/methodology/approach

The composites comprised bidirectional interply inclined carbon fibers (C), S-glass fibers (SG), E-glass (EG), an epoxy matrix and silica nanoparticles (SNiPs). During construction, the composite materials must be carefully layered using quasi-static sequence techniques (45°C1/45°SG2/45°EG2/45°C1/45°EG2/45°SG2/45°C1) to obtain the epoxy matrix reinforcement and bonding using 0, 2, 4 and 6 wt. % of silica nanoparticles.

Findings

According to various test findings, the 4 wt. % of SNiPs added to polymer plates exhibits the maximum strength outcomes. The average results of the tensile and flexural tests for the polymer composite plates with 4 wt. % addition SNiPs were 127.103 MPa and 223.145 MPa, respectively. The average results of the tensile and flexural tests for the plates with 0 wt.% SNiPs were 115.457 MPa and 207.316 MPa, respectively.

Originality/value

The authors hereby attest that the research paper they have submitted is the result of their own independent and unique labor. All of the sources from which the thoughts and passages were derived have been properly credited. The work has not been submitted for publication anywhere and is devoid of any instances of plagiarism.

Highlights

 

The study enhances the engineering materials for innovative applications.

The study explores the mechanical behavior of carbon/S-glass/E-glass fiber composites.

Silica nanoparticles were enhancing mechanical characteristics of the composite structure.
An exploration of staff views of a trauma-informed pathway in a sentenced and remand prison
Authors: Crole-Rees Clare , Tomlin Jack , Kalebic Natasha , Collings Morwenna , Roberts Neil P. , Forrester Andrew
Published: October 2023

Purpose

People in prisons have a high prevalence of poly-traumatisation throughout their life span. The behavioural and emotional sequalae of trauma are likely to be managed across the whole organisation. However, there is still a lack of clarity about the key components of a trauma-informed approach within the custodial context. This study aimed to gather in-depth knowledge of staff views on the components of an optimal trauma pathway in a prison and the organisational factors that influence its implementation.

Design/methodology/Approach

The authors’ research design is qualitative, involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight members of staff from different professional backgrounds at a single prison in the UK that houses sentenced and remand prisoners. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Findings

Three super-ordinate themes were identified within the data. Firstly, components of a trauma-informed pathway included sub-themes of asking about what has happened and knowing how to respond; providing specialist approaches; enabling residents to cope; screening and detection; and a compassionate relational approach. Secondly, organisational factors were associated with sub-themes of culture and leadership, resources and systems and processes. Thirdly, staff factors were associated with sub-themes of skills development and training, staff well-being and support and staff attitudes.

Practical implications

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD in prisons are under-detected, and there are complex psychosocial factors within prisons that mediate the effectiveness of psychological therapies.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first exploration of staff perspectives on the components of a trauma-informed pathway within custodial settings. Future directions should involve the piloting and evaluation of the components of the trauma-informed pathway, with a focus on longer-term outcomes and exploration of the organisational factors that impact on effectiveness.
Bad apples or rotten orchards? Public attitudes of interactions with police and the role of political ideology
Authors: Hansen Michael A. , Navarro John C.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the ideological gaps across a range of policing interactions with the public.

Design/methodology/approach

In a survey distributed via Mechanical Turk (MTurk) (n = 979), the authors explore the role that respondents' political ideology plays in the agreement of 13 aspects of policing services, their demeanor and decorum.

Findings

Attitudes toward policing interactions are slightly positive. Conservatives steadfastly hold positive attitudes about police. Liberals vacillate from negative to positive attitudes across the 13 policing interaction statements.

Social implications

Although small, there is an ideological consensus that police adequately protect citizens and are knowledgeable about the law.

Originality/value

Even at record lows of public confidence in the police, some subsections of the sample, such as conservatives, firmly hold positive attitudes about police. The unwavering support for police by conservatives continues across the multi-item measure of policing interactions, whereas liberals illustrated less uniformity in their attitudes.
From award shows to average Joes: Sadowsky Guitars Ltd. evolves and expands to meet worldwide demand
Authors: Purnell Dexter L. , Jackson Douglas , Legocki Kimberly V.
Published: October 2023

Research methodology

Research for the case study was conducted using a combination of semi-structured interviews and secondary data sources.

Case overview/synopsis

This case traces the international expansion of Sadowsky Guitars’ bass guitar product line. Roger Sadowsky is one of the most respected instrument makers in the world and gained early acclaim for his outstanding repair and restoration work on guitars and basses. Some of his early clients included Prince, Will Lee (The Tonight Show), Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, Jason Newsted of Metallica, Eddie Van Halen and Marcus Miller. Roger’s reputation and the demand for his instruments led to some customers having to wait for more than a year to obtain the chance to purchase a Sadowsky instrument, while others were unable to do so due to financial constraints. In 2003, Roger made the decision to form Sadowsky Japan to begin the contract manufacturing of more affordable Sadowsky instruments in Tokyo, Japan. As the company grew in size, Roger realized he was becoming more focused on running a business than building instruments. Furthermore, his Japanese partners were only interested in serving the Japanese market. This required him to handle the sales and distribution in the remaining parts of the world. In December of 2019, he announced a new, exclusive licensing agreement and distribution partnership between Sadowsky Guitars and Warwick GmbH & Co Music Equipment KG. The new agreement allowed Roger to continue running the Sadowsky NYC Custom Shop while Warwick would take over building and distributing the Metro instruments and a less-expensive, Chinese-built version of the MetroExpress instruments.

Complexity academic level

This case is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate-level courses related to marketing and consumer behavior. The case walks students through a real-life scenario when the founder of a well-known musical brand sought to expand internationally as a way to meet growing market demand. Students are asked to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the five key international market entry strategies: exporting, licensing, contract manufacturing, joint ventures and investment (equity/acquisition).

The case works well in the classroom, even if people are unfamiliar with the musical instrument retail industry. Participants are most likely aware of some of the artists and musicians mentioned in the case. Some may also be or know musicians. The instructor should be able to quickly engage participants in a lively discussion about Roger Sadowsky’s vision for his instruments and the opportunities and challenges of expanding product offerings and increasing market share.

Supplementary material

Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Using explainable machine learning methods to evaluate vulnerability and restoration potential of ecosystem state transitions
Authors: Delaney John T. , Larson Danelle M.
Published: October 2023

Ecosystem state transitions can be ecologically devastating or be a restoration success. State transitions are common within aquatic systems worldwide, especially considering human‐mediated changes to land use and water use. We created a transferable conceptual framework to enable multiscale assessments of state resilience and early warnings of state transitions that can inform strategic restorations and avoid ecosystem collapse. The conceptual framework integrated machine learning predictions with ecosystem state concepts (e.g., state classification, gradients of vulnerability, and recovery potential leading to state transitions) and was devised to investigate possible environmental drivers. As an application of the framework, we generated prediction probabilities of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) presence at nearly 10,000 sites in the Upper Mississippi River (United States). Then, we used an interpretability method to explain model predictions to gain insights into possible environmental drivers and thresholds or linear responses of SAV presence and absence. Model accuracy was 89% without spatial bias. Average water depth, suspended solids, substrate, and distance to nearest SAV were the best predictors and likely environmental drivers of SAV habitat suitability. These environmental drivers exhibited nonlinear, threshold‐type responses for SAV. All the results are also presented in an online dashboard to explore results at many spatial scales. The habitat suitability model outputs and prediction explanations from many spatial scales (4 m to 400 km of river reach) can inform research and restoration planning.
Health‐related quality of life in Chinese children and adolescents with cancer
Authors: Cheng Lei , Wu Min , Yu Ling
Published: October 2023

Aim

Cancer diagnosis and related treatment can have multiple impacts on children's health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to determine profiles of HRQoL in Chinese children and adolescents with cancer based on patient‐reported outcomes.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study recruited 310 pediatric patients with cancer (in treatment and survivorship) aged 8–17 years old and their family caregivers from four hospitals in China. The participants were asked to complete the PROMIS Pediatric‐25 Profile 2.0, along with a demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, fatigue screening item, and an item assessing the family caregiver's coping style. Latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles.

Results

Two profiles were identified: Profile 1, “low symptom and high function” (n = 147, 47.4%); and Profile 2, “high symptom and low function” (n = 163, 52.5%). Children reporting ≥3 on the five‐point Symptom Distress Scale fatigue screening item were more likely to be in Profile 2 (OR = 1.961; 95% CI: 1.098–3.501). Participants were less likely to be in Profile 2 if they were in survivorship (OR = 0.494; 95% CI: 0.271–0.903), or their caregiver's coping style was identified as facing positively (OR = 0.439; 95% CI: 0.274–0.703).

Conclusion

The identified profiles demonstrate the heterogeneity in HRQoL among pediatric patients with cancer, and the importance of supporting caregivers' coping as a means of supporting the child. Knowledge of these profiles can assist clinicians in better identifying and targeting interventions for children with cancer.
From garbage wars to green city: Defining Ukraine's European identity
Authors: Channell‐Justice Emily
Published: October 2023

A 2016 fire at a landfill near the western city of L'viv instigated a political crisis around the issue of waste management in Ukraine. The ensuing debates among the L'viv city government, the national government, and local stakeholders show how waste management becomes a mechanism through which to interrogate questions of state‐citizen relations and what it means to be part of Europe. This article argues that processes of Europeanization rely on the arbitrary application of standards and result in a hierarchy in which countries such as Ukraine are considered not‐yet‐fully European. However, this does not prevent pro‐European Ukrainians, who ground their vision of Ukraine's European future in the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests, from advocating for Ukraine to adopt European standards. This article homes in on the shifting relationship between citizens and state representatives and the development of ecological consciousness as key points by which interlocutors measured Ukraine's path toward Europe, showing how the crisis around waste management in L'viv allows for the contestation of Europeanness itself. While not all Ukrainians have adopted these ideas about European Ukraine, in the context of Russia's devastating invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainians have become increasingly united around the idea of a European future.
Interdependent security games in a unidirectional network
Authors: Rosenthal Edward C. , Trudeau Christian
Published: October 2023

We consider directed tree networks with a single source, where there exists a positive probability of a disruptive event at any node. Such networks model security considerations in pipelines as well as in unidirectional digital networks. If a disruptive event occurs at a certain node, that node and its downstream nodes incur economic losses. Users thus have an incentive to invest in upstream locations as well as their own sites to reduce the probability of a disruptive event. The initial model we develop to reduce the expected investment plus disruption costs is a multiplicative model for which closed‐form solutions cannot be obtained in general. We overcome this problem with an additive model that we show closely approximates the initial formulation. This model reduces the security problem to a public goods setting where we minimize the total expected cost at each node. The users then need to share these costs in an equitable fashion, which gives rise to a set of cooperative games. For the case where disutilities to all users are identical, the Shapley value can be computed efficiently, along the lines of an Airport Game. We also treat the case where risk reduction and disutility vary across the network. Finally, we prove that the cooperative game is concave in this general case, which guarantees that the core of the game is nonempty and that the Shapley value is an element of the core.
Introduction to special issue: States, citizens and social protection in Africa
Authors: Seekings Jeremy , Porisky Alesha , Plagerson Sophie , Ulriksen Marianne S.
Published: October 2023

While social protection provision in Africa has primarily focused on the reduction of food insecurity and income poverty, it has the potential to transform the relationship between citizens and states. The articles in this special issue provide insights into the theoretical, normative, and empirical assessment of the transformative consequences of social protection programmes across parts of East, West and Southern Africa. The articles reveal that the expansion of social protection has varied effects on how governments, local officials, and citizens view their respective rights and responsibilities. Some case studies suggest the expansion of social protection has strengthened understandings of rights‐based social citizenship and the claims that citizens can make of the state. Others, however, suggest that conservative attitudes and paternalistic practices remain deeply entrenched. The result is that the transformative hopes, widespread within international organisations and donor agencies, are likely to be uneven and slow to materialise in many parts of the continent.
Toward a general model for the evolution of the auditory sensitivity under variable ambient noise conditions
Authors: Lugli Marco
Published: October 2023

Ambient noise constrains the evolution of acoustic signals and hearing. An earlier fitness model showed that the trade-off between sound detection and recognition helps predict the best level of auditory sensitivity for acoustic communication in noise. Here, the early model is improved to investigate the effects of different noise masking conditions and signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). It is revealed that low sensitivity is expected for acoustic communication over short distances in complex noisy environments provided missed sound recognition is costly. By contrast, high sensitivity is expected for acoustic communication over long distances in quieter habitats or when sounds are received with good SNRs under unfavorable noise conditions. High sensitivity is also expected in noisy environments characterized by one dominant source of noise with a fairly constant spectrum (running-water noise) or when sounds are processed using anti-masking strategies favoring the detection and recognition of sound embedded in noise. These predictions help explain unexpected findings that do not fit with the current view on the effects of environmental selection on signal and sensitivity. Model predictions are compared with those of models of signal detection in noisy conditions and results of empirical studies.
Sensitivity of an optical feedback interferometer for acoustic waves measurements
Authors: Chanu–Rigaldies Simon , Lecomte Pierre , Ollivier Sébastien , Castelain Thomas
Published: October 2023

This work presents a sensitivity study on the use of an optical feedback interferometer to measure acoustic pressure from plane waves. The sensitivity is established by linearising the interferometer's governing equations. It is shown to be independent of the acoustic wave frequency but dependent on configuration parameters such as the optical feedback parameter or the length of the laser through which the acoustic wave passes. Experimental validation is carried out using three acoustic waveguides in the 0.5–18 kHz range. The sensitivity obtained enables broadband acoustic pressure measure with a low mean relative error in comparison with a reference condenser microphone.
Critical Friends, Dialogues of Discomfort, and Researcher Reflexivity in the Sociology of Sport
Authors: Ali Adam Ehsan , Smith Tavis , Dao Michael
Published: October 2023

In this special issue, which calls for a “more radical sociology of sport and physical culture,” the purpose of this paper is to address how practices of reflexivity might be mobilized among critical sport scholars toward changing the intersectional, fragmented, and complex communities we inhabit inside and outside the academy. We begin by conducting a literature review of researcher reflexivity and positionality in Sociology of Sport Journal from 2000 to 2022. Utilizing Wanda Pillow’s “reflexivities of discomfort,” we interrogate our own research by engaging in a reflexive dialogue as “critical friends.” Through this work, we try to make sense of the potential of these dialogues for shaping our ethical, political, and personal approaches to research, writing, methodology, and knowledge production.
Deep-time paleogenomics and the limits of DNA survival
Authors: Dalén Love , Heintzman Peter D. , Kapp Joshua D. , Shapiro Beth
Published: October 2023

Although most ancient DNA studies have focused on the last 50,000 years, paleogenomic approaches can now reach into the early Pleistocene, an epoch of repeated environmental changes that shaped present-day biodiversity. Emerging deep-time genomic transects, including from DNA preserved in sediments, will enable inference of adaptive evolution, discovery of unrecognized species, and exploration of how glaciations, volcanism, and paleomagnetic reversals shaped demography and community composition. In this Review, we explore the state-of-the-art in paleogenomics and discuss key challenges, including technical limitations, evolutionary divergence and associated biases, and the need for more precise dating of remains and sediments. We conclude that with improvements in laboratory and computational methods, the emerging field of deep-time paleogenomics will expand the range of questions addressable using ancient DNA.
De novo
transcriptome assembly of
Curvularia
sp. VKM F-3040, a promising steroid-modifying ascomycete
Authors: Kollerov Vyacheslav V. , Tarlachkov Sergey V. , Donova Marina V.
Published: October 2023

This research presents
de novo
transcriptome shotgun assembly for
Curvularia
sp. VKM F-3040, which is a putative fungal strain able to modify androstane steroids with production of 7-hydroxy and 17-hydroxylated derivatives—key intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceutical ingredients. The data are of importance for creating novel microbial biocatalysts.
Comparison of two novel one-tube nested real-time qPCR assays to detect human-infecting
Cyclospora
spp.
Authors: Richins Travis , Houghton Katelyn , Barratt Joel , H. Sapp Sarah G. , Peterson Anna , Qvarnstrom Yvonne
Published: October 2023

Human-infecting
Cyclospora
spp. currently include three coccidian parasites that cause the gastrointestinal disease cyclosporiasis in humans. They are often spread through contaminated produce, including leafy greens and berries. The increased availability of sensitive molecular tests for the diagnosis of cyclosporiasis is an important advancement, allowing public health agencies to better understand the scope and source of cyclosporiasis outbreaks. To improve the diagnosis of infected patients, rapidly detect outbreaks, and keep the food supply safe, it is important to continue to develop sensitive, reliable, and inexpensive tests to detect human-infecting
Cyclospora
spp. In this report, we describe the development and evaluation of two novel one-tube nested qPCR assays for the detection of human-infecting
Cyclospora
spp. in clinical stool samples, one targeting
cytb
and the other targeting
coxI
. Of these, the assay targeting the
cytb
mitochondrial locus possessed strong performance characteristics compared to a routinely used 18S assay, including a markedly improved (approximately 10-fold lower) relative detection limit of 0.613 oocysts per gram of feces. This is compared to
coxI
that has a relative detection limit equal to that of the 18S assay. Given the strong performance characteristics of the
cytb
assay, we propose that it may be useful to diagnostic laboratories wishing to screen clinical fecal specimens suspected of containing human-infecting
Cyclospora
spp.

IMPORTANCE

Human-infecting
Cyclospora
spp. cause gastrointestinal distress among healthy individuals contributing to morbidity and putting stress on the economics of countries and companies in the form of produce recalls. Accessible and easy-to-use diagnostic tools available to a wide variety of laboratories would aid in the early detection of possible outbreaks of cyclosporiasis. This, in turn, will assist in the timely traceback investigation to the suspected source of an outbreak by informing the smallest possible recall and protecting consumers from contaminated produce. This manuscript describes two novel detection methods with improved performance for the causative agents of cyclosporiasis when compared to the currently used 18S assay.
Supplemental Material: Two-stage crust-mantle interactions from oceanic subduction to post-collisional extension in the northern margin of the North China Craton: Insights from Paleozoic to Mesozoic magmatism
Authors: Zhang Ying-Shuai , Zhang Yong-Mei , et al.
Published: October 2023

Table S1: LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb isotopic dating data of six samples from the Wulashan area. Table S2: Analytical data of whole-rock major and trace elements and related parameters of the magmatic rocks from the Wulashan area. Table S3: Zircon Lu-Hf isotopic data for the dated samples from the Wulashan area. Table S4: Whole-rock Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic data of the magmatic rocks from the Wulashan area. Table S5: Whole-rock Pb isotopic data of the magmatic rocks from the Wulashan area. Table S6: Trace-element and isotope data for end-members used in geochemical modeling.
Postpartum lifestyle behaviour among women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus: evidence from the HUNT study
Authors: Ringvoll Hanne , Kolberg Marit , Rangul Vegar , Hafskjold Ingrid , Haug Eirin Beate , Blomhoff Rune , Henriksen Hege Berg , Horn Julie
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recommendations for postpartum follow-up include targeted lifestyle advice to lower the risk.

The aim of this study was to compare postpartum lifestyle behaviours and perceptions among women with and without a history of GDM. In addition, we examined whether lifestyle behaviours of women with a history of GDM participating in a lifestyle intervention study differed from lifestyle behaviours of women with a history of GDM in the general population.

Research design and methods

We linked data from the fourth survey of the population-based Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT4) to information from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway for women with registered births between 2000 and 2019. Using logistic regression, we compared lifestyle behaviours in women with and without GDM. In secondary analyses, lifestyle behaviours in women with GDM participating in a postpartum lifestyle intervention study were compared with HUNT participants with GDM using Fisher’s exact tests/t-tests.

Results

A high proportion of the women in our population, regardless of GDM history, reported several unhealthy lifestyle behaviours. We found no significant association between history of GDM and lifestyle behaviours. The lifestyle intervention study for women with a history of GDM appeared to recruit women with more favourable lifestyle behaviours.

Conclusions

Women, regardless of GDM history, could potentially benefit from further support for lifestyle improvement, but it may be especially important in women with a history of GDM given their increased risk of T2DM and CVD. Interventions targeting women with GDM might not reach the women with the unhealthiest lifestyle behaviours, and measures to reach out to all women should be further investigated.
About the performance of perturbative treatments of the spin-boson dynamics within the hierarchical equations of motion approach
Authors: Xu Meng , Ankerhold Joachim
Published: October 2023

The hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) provide a numerically exact approach for simulating the dynamics of open quantum systems coupled to a harmonic bath. However, its applicability has traditionally been limited to specific spectral forms and relatively high temperatures. Recently, an extended version called Free-Pole HEOM (FP-HEOM) has been developed to overcome these limitations. In this study, we demonstrate that the FP-HEOM method can be systematically employed to investigate higher order master equations by truncating the FP-HEOM hierarchy at a desired tier. We focus on the challenging scenario of the spin-boson problem with a sub-Ohmic spectral distribution at zero temperature and analyze the performance of the corresponding master equations. Furthermore, we compare the memory kernel for population dynamics obtained from the exact FP-HEOM dynamics with that of the approximate Non-Interacting-Blip Approximation (NIBA).
SPANSE: Combining sparsity with density for efficient one-time code-based digital signatures
Authors: Baldi Marco , Chiaraluce Franco , Santini Paolo
Published: October 2023

The use of codes defined by sparse characteristic matrices, like QC-LDPC and QC-MDPC codes, has become an established solution to design secure and efficient code-based public-key encryption schemes, as also witnessed by the ongoing NIST post-quantum cryptography standardization process. However, similar approaches have been less fortunate in the context of code-based digital signatures, since no secure and efficient signature scheme based on these codes is available to date. The main limitation of previous attempts in this line of research has been the use of sparse signatures, which produces some leakage of information about the private key. In this paper, we propose a new code-based digital signature scheme that overcomes such a problem by publishing signatures that are abnormally dense, rather than sparse. This eliminates the possibility of deducing information from the sparsity of signatures, and follows a recent trend in code-based cryptography exploiting the hardness of the decoding problem for large-weight vectors, instead of its classical version based on small-weight vectors. We focus on one-time use and provide a first parameterization of the new scheme, the main advantages of which are very fast signature generation and verification, and public keys that are not too large for a code-based signature scheme.
LINKING ENGAGEMENT FOR INNOVATION WITH INNOVATIVE PERFORMANCE: THE ROLE OF DISCRETIONARY EFFORTS AND KNOWLEDGE-SHARING BEHAVIOUR
Authors: NAWAZ ASIF , SOOMRO SHUAIB AHMED , MANSOOR KUNDI YASIR
Published: October 2023

Drawing on the Conservation of Resources and Social Exchange Theories, this study examines the relationship between employee engagement for innovation (EEI) and innovative performance (IP) through discretionary efforts (DE) and knowledge sharing (KS). We collected data from 202 peer dyads of 15 universities in Pakistan and used SmartPLS 4 for hypotheses testing. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between EEI, DE, KS and IP. In contrast, mediation mechanism via DE and KS did not show the expected mediation effects. This outcome can be attributed to the unique socio-cultural context in which we collected the data. This work focussed on employees working in a collectivist culture within a patriarchal society, where traditional hierarchical structures and values influence the dynamics between EEI, DE, KS and IP. We also discuss the theoretical and practical implications and the directions for future research.
Detection of Microbes in Ice Using Microfabricated Impedance Spectroscopy Sensors
Authors: Kaiser-Jackson Lauren B. , Dieser Markus , McGlennen Matthew , Parker Albert E. , Foreman Christine M. , Warnat Stephan
Published: October 2023

During the growth of a polycrystalline ice lattice, microorganisms partition into veins, forming an ice vein network highly concentrated in salts and microbial cells. We used microfabricated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) sensors to determine the effect of microorganisms on the electrochemical properties of ice. Solutions analyzed consisted of a 176 μS cm−1 conductivity solution, fluorescent beads, and Escherichia coli HB101-GFP to model biotic organisms. Impedance spectroscopy data were collected at −10 °C, −20 °C, and −25 °C within either ice veins or ice grains (i.e., no veins) spanning the sensors. After freezing, the fluorescent beads and E. coli were partitioned into the ice veins. The corresponding impedance data were discernibly different in the presence of ice veins and microbial impurities. The presence of microbial cells in ice veins was evident by decreased electrical characteristics (electrode polarization between electrode and ice matrix) relative to solid ice grains. Further, this electrochemical behavior was reversed in all bead-doped solutions, indicating that microbial processes influence sensor response. Linear mixed-effects models empirically corroborated the differences in polarization associated with the presence and absence of microbial cells in ice. We show that EIS has the potential to detect microbes in ice and differentiate between veins and solid grains.