bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vaccination reduces need for emergency care in breakthrough COVID-19 infections: A multicenter cohort study
Authors: Bahl Amit , Johnson Steven , Maine Gabriel , Garcia Martha Hernandez , Nimmagadda Srinivasa , Qu Lihua , Chen Nai-Wei
Published: June 2021

Importance

While recent literature has shown the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine in preventing infection, its impact on need for emergency care/hospitalization in breakthrough infections remain unclear, particularly in regions with a high rate of variant viral strains.

Objective

We aimed to determine if vaccination reduces hospital visits and severe disease in breakthrough COVID-19 infections.

Design

Multicenter observational cohort analysis

Setting

Eight-hospital acute care regional health system in Michigan, USA

Participants

Consecutive adult patients with COVID-19 requiring emergency care (EC)/hospitalization were eligible participants. Between December 15, 2020 and April 30, 2021, 11,834 EC encounters with COVID-19 infection were included.

Exposures

COVID-19 vaccination

Main Outcomes and Measures

Primary endpoint was rate of COVID-19 emergency care/hospitalization encounters comparing unvaccinated (UV), partially vaccinated (PV), and fully vaccinated (FV) cases. Secondary outcome was severe disease represented as a composite outcome (ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, or in-hospital death).

Demographic and clinical variables were obtained from the electronic record. Vaccination data was obtained from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry and the Centers for Disease Control vaccine tracker.

Results

10,880 (91.9%) UV, 825 (7%) PV, and 129 (1.1%) FV were included. Average age was 53.0 ± 18.2 and 52.8% were female. Accounting for the COVID-19 vaccination population groups in Michigan, the ED encounters/hospitalizations rate relevant to COVID-19 infection was 96% lower in FV versus UV (eβ:0.04,95% CI 0.03 to 0.06, p <0.001) in negative binomial regression. COVID-19 EC visits rate peaked at 22.61, 12.88, and 1.29 visits per 100000 for the UV, PV, and FV groups, respectively. In the propensity-score matching weights analysis, FV had a lower risk of composite disease compared to UV but statistically insignificant (HR 0.84 95% CI 0.52 to 1.38).

Conclusions

The need for emergency care and/or hospitalization due to breakthrough COVID-19 is an exceedingly rare event in fully vaccinated patients. As vaccination has increased within our region, emergency visits amongst fully vaccinated individuals have remained low and occur much less frequently when compared to unvaccinated individuals. In cases of breakthrough COVID-19, if hospital-based treatment is required, elderly patients with significant comorbidities remain at high risk for severe outcomes regardless of vaccination status.
Cauliflower Mosaic Virus Utilizes Processing Bodies to Escape Translational Repression in Arabidopsis
Authors: Hoffmann Gesa , Mahboubi Amir , Garcia Damien , Hanson Johannes , Hafrén Anders
Published: June 2021

Viral infections impose extraordinary RNA stress on a cell, triggering cellular RNA surveillance pathways like RNA decapping, nonsense-mediated decay and RNA silencing. Viruses need to maneuver between these pathways to establish infection and succeed in producing high amounts of viral proteins. Processing bodies (PBs) are integral to RNA triage in eukaryotic cells with several distinct RNA quality control pathways converging for selective RNA regulation. In this study, we investigate the role of Arabidopsis thaliana PBs during Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) infection. We find that several PB components are co-opted into viral replication factories and support virus multiplication. This pro-viral role was not associated with RNA decay pathways but instead, we could establish PB components as essential helpers in viral RNA translation. While CaMV is normally resilient to RNA silencing, PB dysfunctions expose the virus to this pathway, similar to previous observations on transgenes. Transgenes, however, undergo RNA Quality Control dependent RNA degradation, whereas CaMV RNA remains stable but becomes translationally repressed through decreased ribosome association, revealing a unique dependence between PBs, RNA silencing and translational repression. Together, our study shows that PB components are co-opted by the virus to maintain efficient translation, a mechanism not associated with canonical PB functions.
Bipolar-associated miR-499-5p controls neuroplasticity by downregulating the Cav1.2 L-type voltage gated calcium channel subunit CACNB2
Authors: H.C. Martins , A.Ö. Sungur , C. Gilardi , M. Pelzl , S. Bicker , F. Gross , J. Winterer , T.M. Kisko , N. Malikowska-Racia , M.D. Braun , K. Brosch , I. Nenadic , F. Stein , S. Meinert , R.K.W. Schwarting , U. Dannlowski , T. Kircher , M. Wöhr , G. Schratt
Published: June 2021

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mood disorder characterized by alternating manic and depressive episodes, often in conjunction with cognitive deficits. Dysregulation of neuroplasticity and calcium homeostasis as a result of complex genetic environment interactions are frequently observed in BD patients, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we show that a BD-associated microRNA, miR-499-5p, regulates neuronal dendrite development and cognitive function by downregulating the BD risk gene CACNB2. miR-499-5p expression is increased in peripheral blood of BD patients and healthy subjects at risk of developing the disorder due to a history of childhood maltreatment. This up-regulation is paralleled in the hippocampus of rats which underwent juvenile social isolation. Elevating miR-499-5p levels in rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons impairs dendritogenesis and reduces surface expression and activity of the voltage-gated L-type calcium channel Cav1.2. We further identified CACNB2, which encodes a regulatory β-subunit of Cav1.2, as a direct target of miR-499-5p in neurons. CACNB2 downregulation is required for the miR-499-5p dependent impairment of dendritogenesis, suggesting that CACNB2 is an important downstream target of miR-499-5p in the regulation of neuroplasticity. Finally, elevating miR-499-5p in the hippocampus in vivo is sufficient to induce short-term memory impairments in rats haploinsufficient for the Cav1.2 pore forming subunit Cacna1c. Taken together, we propose that stress-induced upregulation of miR-499-5p contributes to dendritic impairments and deregulated calcium homeostasis in BD, with specific implications for the neurocognitive dysfunction frequently observed in BD patients.
Loss of Elp1 disrupts trigeminal ganglion neurodevelopment in a model of Familial Dysautonomia
Authors: Leonard Carrie E. , Lefcort Frances , Taneyhill Lisa A.
Published: June 2021

Familial Dysautonomia (FD) is a sensory and autonomic neuropathy caused by a mutation in Elongator complex protein 1 (ELP1). FD patients have small trigeminal nerves and impaired perception of facial pain and temperature. These signals are relayed by nociceptive neurons in the trigeminal ganglion, a structure comprised of both neural crest- and placode-derived cells. Mice lacking Elp1 in neural crest derivatives (“Elp1 CKO”) are born with smaller trigeminal ganglia, suggesting Elp1 is important for trigeminal ganglion development, yet the function of Elp1 in this context is unknown. We demonstrate Elp1 expression in both neural crest- and placode-derived trigeminal neurons, which our data suggest give rise to primarily TrkA- and TrkB/C-expressing neurons, respectively. While Elp1 is not required for initial trigeminal ganglion formation, Elp1 CKO trigeminal neurons exhibit abnormal axon outgrowth and decreased target innervation. Developing nociceptors that express the receptor TrkA are especially vulnerable to Elp1 loss. TrkA expression is decreased in Elp1 CKO trigeminal nerve endings, coinciding with increased cell death. Subsequently, fewer TrkA neurons are present in the Elp1 CKO trigeminal ganglion, indicating Elp1 supports the target innervation and survival of trigeminal nociceptors. These findings explain the loss of facial pain and temperature sensation in FD.
Optimizing Network Propagation for Multi-Omics Data Integration
Authors: Charmpi Konstantina , Chokkalingam Manopriya , Johnen Ronja , Beyer Andreas
Published: June 2021

Network propagation refers to a class of algorithms that integrate information from input data across connected nodes in a given network. These algorithms have wide applications in systems biology, protein function prediction, inferring condition-specifically altered sub-networks, and prioritizing disease genes. Despite the popularity of network propagation, there is a lack of comparative analyses of different algorithms on real data and little guidance on how to select and parameterize the various algorithms. Here, we address this problem by analyzing different combinations of network normalization and propagation methods and by demonstrating schemes for the identification of optimal parameter settings on real proteome and transcriptome data. Our work highlights the risk of a ‘topology bias’ caused by the incorrect use of network normalization approaches. Capitalizing on the fact that network propagation is a regularization approach, we show that minimizing the bias-variance tradeoff can be utilized for selecting optimal parameters. The application to real multi-omics data demonstrated that optimal parameters could also be obtained by either maximizing the agreement between different omics layers (e.g. proteome and transcriptome) or by maximizing the consistency between biological replicates. Furthermore, we exemplified the utility and robustness of network propagation on multi-omics datasets for identifying ageing-associated genes in brain and liver tissues of rats and for elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying prostate cancer progression. Overall, this work compares different network propagation approaches and it presents strategies for how to use network propagation algorithms to optimally address a specific research question at hand.
Parasitic helminth infections in humans modulate Trefoil Factor levels in a manner dependent on the species of parasite and age of the host
Authors: Adewale Babatunde , Pastore Christopher F. , Rossi Heather L. , Hung Li-Yin , Bethony Jeff , Diemert David , Babatunde James Ayorinde , Herbert De’Broski. R.
Published: June 2021

Helminth infections, including hookworms and Schistosomes, can cause severe disability and death. Infection management and control would benefit from identification of biomarkers for early detection and prognosis. While animal models suggest that Trefoil Factor Family proteins (TFF2 and TFF3) and interleukin-33 (IL-33) -driven type 2 immune responses are critical mediators of tissue repair and worm clearance in the context of hookworm infection, very little is known about how they are modulated in the context of human helminth infection. We measured TFF2, TFF3, and IL-33 levels in serum from patients in Brazil infected with Hookworm and/or Schistosomes, and compared them to endemic and non-endemic controls. TFF2 was specifically elevated by Hookworm infection, not Schistosoma or co-infection. This elevation was more strongly correlated with age than with worm burden. To determine if this might apply more broadly to other species or regions, we measured TFFs and cytokine levels in both the serum and urine of Nigerian school children infected with S. haematobium. We found that serum levels of TFF2 and 3 were reduced by infection, but urine cytokine levels were increased (IL-1β, TNFα, IL-13, and IL-10). Finally, to determine if TFF2 and 3 might have immunosuppressive effects, we treated stimulated or unstimulated PMBCs with recombinant human TFF2 or TFF3 and measured proinflammatory cytokine levels. We found that rhTFF2, but not rhTFF3, was able to suppress TNF alpha and IFN gamma release from stimulated human PMBCs. Taken together, these data support a role for TFF proteins in human helminth infection.

Author Summary

Billions of people are infected with parasitic helminths across the globe, especially in resource poor regions. These infections can result in severe developmental delay, disability, and death. Adequate management of helminth infection would benefit from the identification of host biomarkers in easily obtained samples (e.g. serum or urine) that correlate to infection state. Our goal was to determine if specific proteins involved in tissue repair and immune modulation are altered by infection with specific helminth species in Brazil (hookworm) or Nigeria (blood fluke). One of these proteins, Trefoil Factor 2 (TFF2), was elevated in the serum of hookworm infected individuals, and decreased in the serum of blood fluke infected children. In the blood fluke-infected children, there were also significant increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the urine, where the eggs burst from host tissue. Further, in laboratory experiments, Trefoil Factor 2 reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from human blood cells. This suggests that at high levels TFF2 may suppress inflammation and could serve as a biomarker for infection or treatment efficacy.
The Role of the Nucleus Reuniens in Regulating Contextual Conditioning with the Predator Odor TMT
Authors: Ornelas Laura C. , Van Voorhies Kalynn , Besheer Joyce
Published: June 2021

Rationale

Experiencing intrusive distressing memories of a traumatic event(s) is a prominent symptom profile for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms associated with this symptom profile can be invaluable for effective treatment for PTSD.

Objectives

Here, we investigated the functional role of the nucleus reuniens (RE), a midline thalamic in modulating stressor-related memory.

Methods

Female Long Evans rats were implanted with a cannula aimed at the RE. The RE was pharmacologically inactivated via muscimol (0.5 mM) prior to exposure to the predator odor stressor trimethylthiazoline (TMT; synthetically derived fox feces component) or water (controls) in a distinct context with bedding material (Experiment 1) or no bedding (Experiment 2). To measure context reactivity, the index of the contextual memory, 2 weeks following exposure to TMT, rats were re-exposed to the TMT-paired context (in the absence of TMT).

Results

In Experiment 1, during context re-exposure (with bedding), inactivation of the RE had no effect on context reactivity. In Experiment 2, during context re-exposure (no bedding), rats previous exposed to TMT showed decreased immobility compared to controls, indicating reactivity to the context and likely related to increased exploration of the environment. Rats in the TMT group that received RE inactivation showed increased immobility relative to rats that received aCSF, suggesting that muscimol pre-treatment blunted context reactivity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, recruitment of the RE in stressor-related contextual memory appears to be dependent on the contextual environment and whether the animal is able to engage in different stress coping strategies.
Biosynthesis of cannabinoid precursor olivetolic acid by overcoming rate-limiting steps in genetically engineered Yarrowia lipolytica
Authors: Ma Jingbo , Gu Yang , Xu Peng
Published: June 2021

Natural products acting on our central nervous systems are in utmost demand to fight against pain and mental disorders. Cannabinoids (CBDs) are proven neuroactive agents to treat anxiety, depression, chronic pain diseases, seizure, strokes and neurological disorders. The scarcity of the hemp-sourced CBD products and the prohibitive manufacturing cost limit the wide application of CBDs. Yeast metabolic engineering offers the flexibility to meet the ever-increasing market demand. In this work, we took a retrosynthetic approach and sequentially identified the rate-limiting steps to improve the biosynthesis of the CBD precursor olivetolic acid (OLA) in Yarrowia lipolytica. We debottlenecked the critical enzymatic steps to overcome the supply of hexanoyl-CoA, malonyl-CoA, acetyl-CoA, NADPH and ATPs to redirect carbon flux toward OLA. Implementation of these strategies led to an 83-fold increase in OLA titer in shaking flask experiment. This work may serve as a baseline for engineering CBD biosynthesis in oleaginous yeast species.
Right Temporoparietal Junction Encodes Mental Experience of Others More Than Evaluating False Versus True Belief
Authors: Bio Branden J. , Guterstam Arvid , Pinsk Mark , Wilterson Andrew I. , Graziano Michael S. A.
Published: June 2021

When people make inferences about other people’s minds, called theory of mind (ToM), a network in the cerebral cortex becomes active. ToM experiments sometimes use the false belief task, in which subjects decide whether a story character believes A or B. The “false” belief occurs if the character believes A when B is true. We devised a version in which subjects judged whether a cartoon head “believed” a ball to be in box 1 or box 2. The task was a visual, reaction-time version of a ToM task. We proposed two alternative hypotheses. In hypothesis 1, cortical regions of interest within the ToM network should distinguish between false and true belief trials, reflecting outside information that the subjects have about the cartoon character. In hypothesis 2, the ToM network should distinguish between conditions only if the subjects think that the cartoon character can distinguish between the conditions, thus reflecting a model of the internal contents of the cartoon character’s mind. The results supported hypothesis 2. Events that the cartoon could not “see” did not affect activity in the ToM network; the same events, when the cartoon could apparently “see” them, significantly affected activity in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ). The results support the view that the right TPJ participates in modeling the mental states of others, rather than in evaluating the accuracy of the beliefs of others, and may help explain why previous experiments showed mixed results when directly comparing false belief to true belief conditions.

Significance statement

How do we understand the minds of others? A specific network of areas in the human brain is known to emphasize building models of other people’s minds. In one traditional hypothesis, this network helps us distinguish whether someone else’s beliefs are true or false. Here we show that the network is relatively insensitive to one’s own, outside knowledge about whether someone else’s beliefs are true or false. Instead, at least one node in the network appears to limit itself mainly to reconstructing the other person’s point of view. This social cognition network may be more about empathy than about critical evaluation.

Classification

Social Sciences - Psychological and Cognitive Sciences
Ovule siRNAs methylate protein-coding genes intrans
Authors: Burgess Diane , Chow Hiu Tung , Grover Jeffrey W. , Freeling Michael , Mosher Rebecca A.
Published: June 2021

24-nt small interfering siRNAs maintain asymmetric DNA methylation at thousands of euchromatic transposable elements in plant genomes in a process call RNA-directed DNA Methylation (RdDM). RdDM is dispensable for growth and development in Arabidopsis, but is required for reproduction in other plant species, such asBrassica rapa.24-nt siRNAs are particularly abundant in maternal reproductive tissue, due largely to overwhelming expression from a small number of loci in the ovule and developing seed coat, termed siren loci. Recently it was shown that abundantly expressed 24-nt siRNAs produced in the tapetal tissue of anthers can methylate male meiocyte genesin trans(Long et al., 2021). Here we show that a similar process takes place in female tissue. siRNAs are produced from gene fragments embedded in some siren loci, and these siRNAs can trigger methylation intransat related protein-coding genes. Thistrans-methylation is associated with silencing of some target genes and may be responsible for seed abortion in RdDM mutants. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a consensus sequence in at least two families of DNA transposons is associated with abundant siren expression, most likely through recruitment of the CLSY3 putative chromatin remodeller. This research describes a new mechanism whereby RdDM influences gene expression and sheds light on the role of RdDM during plant reproduction.
Profiling Human CMV-specific T cell responses reveals novel immunogenic ORFs
Authors: Dhanwani Rekha , Dhanda Sandeep Kumar , Pham John , Williams Gregory P. , Sidney John , Grifoni Alba , Picarda Gaelle , Lindestam Arlehamn Cecilia S. , Sette Alessandro , Benedict Chris A
Published: June 2021

Despite the prevalence and medical significance of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections, a systematic analysis of the targets of T cell recognition in humans that spans the entire genome and includes recently described potential novel ORFs is not available. Here, we screened a library of epitopes predicted to bind HLA class II that spans over 350 different HCMV ORFs and includes ∼150 previously described and ∼200 recently described potential novel ORFs using an ex vivo IFNγ fluorospot assay. We identified 235 unique HCMV specific epitopes derived from 100 ORFs, some previously described as immunodominant and others that were not previously described to be immunogenic. Of those, 41 belong to the set of recently reported novel ORFs, thus providing evidence that at least some of these are actually expressed in vivo in humans. These data reveal that the breadth of the human T cell response to HCMV is much greater than previously thought. The ORFs and epitopes identified will help elucidate how T cell immunity relates to HCMV pathogenesis and instruct ongoing HCMV vaccine research.

Importance

To understand the crucial role of adaptive immunity in controlling cytomegalovirus infection and disease, we systematically analyzed the CMV ’ORFeome’ to identify new CMV epitopes targeted primarily by CD4 T cells in humans. Our study identified >200 new T cell epitopes derived from both canonical and novel ORFs, highlighting the substantial breadth of anti-CMV T cell response and providing new targets for vaccine design.
Engineered Aim-Based Selective Autophagy to Degrade Proteins and Organelles
Authors: Luo Na , Shang Dandan , Tang Zhiwei , Huang Xiao , Tao Li-Zhen , Liu Linchuan , Gao Caiji , Qian Yangwen , Xie Qingjun , Li Faqiang
Published: June 2021

Techniques for disrupting of protein function are essential for biological researches and therapeutics development. Though well-established, genetic perturbation strategies may have off-target effects and/or trigger compensatory mechanisms, and cannot efficiently eliminate existing protein variants or aggregates1, 2. Therefore, precise and direct protein-targeting methods are highly desired. Here we describe a novel method for targeted protein clearance by engineering an autophagy receptor with a binder to provide target specificity and an ATG8-binding motif (AIM) to link the targets to nascent autophagosomes, thus harnessing the autophagy machinery for degradation. We demonstrate its specificity and broad potentials by degrading various fluorescent-tagged proteins and peroxisome organelle, using a tobacco-based transient expression system, and by degrading endogenous proteins in transgenic Arabidopsis expressing engineered receptors. With the wide substrate scope and specificity of selective autophagy, our method provides a convenient and robust strategy for eliminating proteins and aggregates, and may enable developing new treatments for protein-related disorders.
Essential role of hyperacetylated microtubules in innate immunity escape orchestrated by the EBV-encoded BHRF1 protein
Authors: Glon Damien , Vilmen Géraldine , Perdiz Daniel , Hernandez Eva , Beauclair Guillaume , Quignon Frédérique , Berlioz-Torrent Clarisse , Maréchal Vincent , Poüs Christian , Lussignol Marion , Esclatine Audrey
Published: June 2021

Innate immunity constitutes the first line of defense against viruses, in which mitochondria play an important role in the induction of the interferon (IFN) response. BHRF1, a multifunctional viral protein expressed during Epstein-Barr virus reactivation, modulates mitochondrial dynamics and disrupts the IFN signaling pathway. Mitochondria are mobile organelles that move through the cytoplasm thanks to the cytoskeleton and in particular the microtubule (MT) network. MTs undergo various post-translational modifications, among them tubulin acetylation. In this study, we demonstrated that BHRF1 induces MT hyperacetylation to escape innate immunity. Indeed, the expression of BHRF1 induces the clustering of shortened mitochondria next to the nucleus. This “mito-aggresome” is organized around the centrosome and its formation is MT-dependent. We also observed that the α-tubulin acetyltransferase ATAT1 interacts with BHRF1. Using ATAT1 knockdown or a non-acetylatable α-tubulin mutant, we demonstrated that this hyperacetylation is necessary for the mito-aggresome formation. Similar results were observed during EBV reactivation. We investigated the mechanism leading to the clustering of mitochondria, and we identified dyneins as motors that are required for mitochondrial clustering. Finally, we demonstrated that BHRF1 needs MT hyperacetylation to block the induction of the IFN response. Moreover, the loss of MT hyperacetylation blocks the localization of autophagosomes close to the mito-aggresome, impeding BHRF1 to initiate mitophagy, which is essential to inhibiting the signaling pathway. Therefore, our results reveal the role of the MT network, and its acetylation level, in the induction of a pro-viral mitophagy.
Mechanical stress in pancreatic cancer: Signaling pathway adaptation activates cytoskeletal remodeling and enhances cell migration
Authors: Kalli Maria , Li Ruxuan , Mills Gordon B. , Stylianopoulos Triantafyllos , Zervantonakis Ioannis K.
Published: June 2021

New treatments for patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancers are urgently needed due to their resistance to all current therapies. Current studies focus on alternative treatment approaches that target or normalize the abnormal microenvironment of pancreatic tumors, which among others, is responsible for elevated mechanical stress in the tumor interior. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms by which mechanical stress regulates pancreatic cancer metastatic potential remain elusive. Herein, we used a large-scale proteomic assay to profile mechanical stress-induced signaling cascades that drive the motility of pancreatic cancer cells. Proteomic analysis, together with selective protein inhibition and siRNA treatments, revealed that mechanical stress enhances cell migration through activation of the p38 MAPK/HSP27 and JNK/c-Jun signaling axes, and activation of the actin cytoskeleton remodelers: Rac1, cdc42, and Myosin II. Our results highlight targeting aberrant signaling in cancer cells that are adapted to the mechanical tumor microenvironment as a novel approach to effectively limit pancreatic cancer cell migration.
Evaluation of traditional foods from a consumer's perspective: a review of methods and highlights
Authors: García-Barrón Sergio Erick , Leyva-Trinidad Doris Arianna , Carmona-Escutia Rosa Pilar , Romero-Medina Angélica , Villanueva-Rodríguez Socorro Josefina
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This review aims to summarize some of the relevant methodologies used to study traditional foods evaluated from the consumers' perspective. The analysis provided in this review will shed light on the methods as a valuable tool to stimulate research in traditional to promote cultural and nutritional revaluation of these products.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was performed on 60 articles related to the study of traditional foods from the consumer's perspective.

Findings

Ten methodologies were found that address the study of this product category. European countries lead the research in traditional foods while research in Latin America, Africa and Asia is still incipient.

Practical implications

This review shows the potential of each method to be applied in the study of traditional foods as well as the positive implications that research about these products could bring to regions/countries with a great diversity of traditional products.

Originality/value

This review reveals the need to approach the study of traditional foods and encourage future research on them, which in turn, will contribute to the cultural and integral development of local communities, even to the recovery of ingredients and local raw materials.
Apps within apps: predicting government WeChat mini-program adoption from trust–risk perspective and innovation diffusion theory
Authors: Tang Zhenya , Zhou Zhongyun , Xu Feng , Warkentin Merrill
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The WeChat mini-program is a new channel for the delivery of online and mobile services, including electronic government services. Given the distinguishing characteristics and new business model of WeChat mini-programs, additional studies of mini-program-based government services are warranted. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that determine user adoption and usage of government WeChat mini-programs (GWMPs).

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was conducted through an online survey of Chinese GWMPs users. The proposed model was tested by analyzing the collected data using the covariance-based structural equation modeling approach.

Findings

The findings show that trust in government, trust in WeChat, trust in GWMPs and perceived convenience have significant effects on the usage of GWMPs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding of the GWMPs and mini-program-based government phenomenon. Theoretical implications for future e-government research as well as practical suggestions for GWMPs operators are also discussed.
Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy aggregation operators and their application in decision-making
Authors: Batool Bushra , Abdullah Saleem , Ashraf Shahzaib , Ahmad Mumtaz
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This is mainly because the restrictive condition of intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy number (IHFN) is relaxed by the membership functions of Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy number (PyPHFN), so the range of domain value of PyPHFN is greatly expanded. The paper aims to develop a novel decision-making technique based on aggregation operators under PyPHFNs. For this, the authors propose Algebraic operational laws using algebraic norm for PyPHFNs. Furthermore, a list of aggregation operators, namely Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy weighted average (PyPHFWA) operator, Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy weighted geometric (PyPHFWG) operator, Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted average (PyPHFOWA) operator, Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted geometric (PyPHFOWG) operator, Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy hybrid weighted average (PyPHFHWA) operator and Pythagorean probabilistic hesitant fuzzy hybrid weighted geometric (PyPHFHWG) operator, are proposed based on the defined algebraic operational laws. Also, interesting properties of these aggregation operators are discussed in detail.

Design/methodology/approach

PyPHFN is not only a generalization of the traditional IHFN, but also a more effective tool to deal with uncertain multi-attribute decision-making problems.

Findings

In addition, the authors design the algorithm to handle the uncertainty in emergency decision-making issues. At last, a numerical case study of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as an emergency decision-making is introduced to show the implementation and validity of the established technique. Besides, the comparison of the existing and the proposed technique is established to show the effectiveness and validity of the established technique.

Originality/value

Paper is original and not submitted elsewhere.
Toward the e-loyalty of digital library users: investigating the role of e-service quality and e-trust in digital economy
Authors: Anser Muhammad Khalid , Tabash Mosab I. , Nassani Abdelmohsen A. , Aldakhil Abdullah Mohammed , Yousaf Zahid
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of e-service quality and e-trust for achieving e-loyalty among digital library users in the digital economy. The current study examined the mediation effect of e-trust in the connection between e-service quality and e-loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-sectional design was applied for the purpose of data collection and empirical findings of the study. Survey method was used for the purpose of data collection from 783 online digital libraries users.

Findings

Results reveal that e-service quality positively predicts e-trust in digital economy. Moreover, in digital economy e-trust predicts the e-loyalty. The findings also reveal that e-trust mediates the relationship between e-service quality and e-loyalty links.

Originality/value

The finding of study suggested that individual level e-trust have a strong effect on e-loyalty in digital economy. Individual level aspects in term of e-service quality have a direct effect on e-trust to improve their e-loyalty. The finding indicated that digital libraries users in future will be more loyal toward e-service quality providers. The results are useful for the management of digital libraries and academia for future. This is the first study that includes e-service quality, e-trust and e-loyalty in the context of digital economy.
Selective fungal bioprecipitation of cobalt and nickel for multiple‐product metal recovery
Authors: Ferrier John , Csetenyi Laszlo , Gadd Geoffrey Michael
Published: June 2021

There are a need for novel, economical and efficient metal processing technologies to improve critical metal sustainability, particularly for cobalt and nickel which have extensive applications in low‐carbon energy technologies. Fungal metal biorecovery processes show potential in this regard and the products of recovery are also industrially significant. Here we present a basis for selective biorecovery of Co and Ni oxalates and phosphates using reactive spent Aspergillus niger culture filtrate containing mycogenic oxalate and phosphate solubilized from struvite. Selective precipitation of oxalates was achieved by adjusting phosphate‐laden filtrates to pH 2.5 prior to precipitation. Co recovery at pH 2.5 was high with a maximum of ~96% achieved, while ~60% Ni recovery was achieved, yielding microscale polyhedral biominerals. Co and Ni phosphates were precipitated at pH 7.5, following prior oxalate removal, resulting in near‐total Co recovery (>99%), while Ni phosphate yields were also high with a recovery maximum of 83.0%.
Urban proximity, access to value chains, and dairy productivity in Ethiopia
Authors: Vandercasteelen Joachim , Minten Bart , Tamru Seneshaw
Published: June 2021

This article analyzes how urban proximity introduces spatial heterogeneity in farm productivity within the high‐value dairy sector in one of the poorest countries in Africa, Ethiopia. We look at how urban proximity—measured as travel time—affects the decisions and productivity of milk farmers located in rural production zones serving fresh milk to the capital Addis Ababa. Using an instrumental variable approach, we find that with each additional hour of travel time, farmers’ milk productivity per cow is reduced, on average, by almost 1 L per day or by 26%. When trying to disentangle the underlying mechanisms (and controlling for transaction costs), we find that farmers’ inclusion in “modern” value chains and their access to commercial milk buyers and milk processing companies drive the urban proximity effect. As only a limited number of farmers have access to such value chains in developing countries, measures to make dairy value chains more inclusive to remote—often poorer—farmers can, therefore, have important benefits for them, for the performance of the dairy sector in Ethiopia, and for the process of agricultural transformation as a whole.
An identical‐by‐descent novel splice‐donor variant in PRUNE1 causes a neurodevelopmental syndrome with prominent dystonia in two consanguineous Sudanese families
Authors: Koko Mahmoud , Yahia Ashraf , Elsayed Liena E. , Hamed Ahlam A. , Mohammed Inaam N. , Elseed Maha A. , Hamad Muddathir H. A. , Babai Arwa M. , Siddig Rayan A. , Abd Allah Amal S. I. , Mohamed Mayada , EL‐Amin Melka , Esteves Typhaine , Altmüller Janine , Toliat Mohammad Reza , Thiele Holger , Nürnberg Peter , Salih Mustafa A. , Ahmed Ammar E. , Lerche Holger , Stevanin Giovanni
Published: June 2021

PRUNE1 is linked to a wide range of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative phenotypes. Multiple pathogenic missense and stop‐gain PRUNE1 variants were identified in its DHH and DHHA2 phosphodiesterase domains. Conversely, a single splice alteration was previously reported. We investigated five patients from two unrelated consanguineous Sudanese families with an inherited severe neurodevelopmental disorder using whole‐exome sequencing coupled with homozygosity mapping, segregation, and haplotype analysis. We identified a founder haplotype transmitting a homozygous canonical splice‐donor variant (NM_021222.3:c.132+2T > C) in intron 2 of PRUNE1 segregated with the phenotype in all the patients. This splice variant possibly results in an in‐frame deletion in the DHH domain or premature truncation of the protein. The phenotypes of the affected individuals showed phenotypic similarities characterized by remarkable pyramidal dysfunction and prominent extrapyramidal features (severe dystonia and bradykinesia). In conclusion, we identified a novel founder variant in PRUNE1 and corroborated abnormal splicing events as a disease mechanism in PRUNE1‐related disorders. Given the phenotypes’ consistency coupled with the founder effect, canonical and cryptic PRUNE1 splice‐site variants should be carefully evaluated in patients presenting with prominent dystonia and pyramidal dysfunction.
Influence of maternal postpartum depression on children’s toothbrushing frequency
Authors: Tsuchiya Shinobu , Tsuchiya Masahiro , Momma Haruki , Nagatomi Ryoichi , Arima Takahiro , Yaegashi Nobuo , Igarashi Kaoru ,   the Japan Environment, Children’s Study Group
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Daily toothbrushing behaviour is very effective for the prevention of early childhood dental caries (ECC), but is mostly dependent upon parental management. Intrapersonal association between lower toothbrushing frequency and depression is well known; however, the impact of maternal postpartum depression on child toothbrushing behaviour within the mother‐child dyad remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the prevalence of maternal postpartum depression and lower toothbrushing frequency in children aged two years.

Methods

A secondary analysis of a data set from the Japan Environment and Children's Study was performed. A total of 104 062 fetuses were enrolled after obtaining informed written parental consent, in which 84 533 mother‐infant pairs were included after applying exclusion criteria. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to evaluate maternal postpartum depression (a total score of ≥9 in EPDS) at one and six months postpartum. Indeed, the participants were classified based on the persistence of postpartum depression: ‘Resilient’ (no prevalence); ‘Improving’ (prevalence only at one month postpartum); ‘Emergent’ (prevalence only at six months postpartum); and ‘Chronic’ (prevalence at both time points). The association between postpartum depression and a toothbrushing frequency in children (the reference group: more than once per day, the low group: once per day, and the very‐low group: less than once per day) was examined using Poisson regression models with adjustments for maternal and child characteristics after multiple imputations for missing data.

Results

The prevalence of maternal postpartum depression at one and six months postpartum was 13.9% and 11.4%, respectively; the proportions of each persistence group were 81.1% (‘Resilient’), 7.5% (‘Improving’), 5.0% (‘Emergent’) and 6.4% (‘Chronic’). Concerning children's toothbrushing frequency, 51.6% and 0.5% of participants self‐reported frequencies of once per day and less than once per day, respectively. The association of maternal postpartum depression with a lower toothbrushing frequency in children consistently had higher relative risks (RRs). However, these associations were weakened when adjusting for whether the child could self‐perform toothbrushing or whether this was done under parental supervision. A key result is that participants with persistent postpartum depression at both one and six month(s) postpartum showed the highest adjusted RRs (95% CI) for lower toothbrushing frequency in children (1.08 [1.04‐1.12] with a decrease in children's toothbrushing frequency).

Conclusion

Maternal mental health provides valuable screening information for children with lower toothbrushing frequency for the purpose of preventing ECC.
Chronic demodicosis in patients with immune dysregulation: An unexpected infectious manifestation of Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1 gain-of-function
Authors: Shamriz Oded , Lev Atar , Simon Amos J , Barel Ortal , Javasky Elisheva , Matza-Porges Sigal , Shaulov Adir , Davidovics Zev , Toker Ori , Somech Raz , Zlotogorski Abraham , Molho-Pessach Vered , Tal Yuval
Published: June 2021

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1 heterozygous gain-of-function (GOF) mutations are known to induce immune dysregulation and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMCC). Previous reports suggest an association between demodicosis and STAT1 GOF. However, immune characterization of these patients is lacking. Here, we present a retrospective analysis of patients with immune dysregulation and STAT1 GOF who presented with facial and ocular demodicosis. In-depth immune phenotyping and functional studies were used to characterize the patients. We identified five patients (three males) from two non-consanguineous Jewish families. The mean age at presentation was 11.11 (range = 0.58–24) years. Clinical presentation included CMCC, chronic demodicosis and immune dysregulation in all patients. Whole-exome and Sanger sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous c.1386C>A; p.S462R STAT1 GOF mutation in four of the five patients. Immunophenotyping demonstrated increased phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription in response to interferon-α stimuli in all patients. The patients also exhibited decreased T cell proliferation capacity and low counts of interleukin-17-producing T cells, as well as low forkhead box protein 3+ regulatory T cells. Specific antibody deficiency was noted in one patient. Treatment for demodicosis included topical ivermectin and metronidazole. Demodicosis may indicate an underlying primary immune deficiency and can be found in patients with STAT1 GOF. Thus, the management of patients with chronic demodicosis should include an immunogenetic evaluation.
Resource users as land‐sea links in coastal and marine socioecological systems
Authors: Williams Nicholas E. , Sistla Seeta A. , Kramer Daniel B. , Stevens Kara J. , Roddy Adam B.
Published: June 2021

Coastal zones, which connect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, are among the most resource‐rich regions globally and home to nearly 40% of the global human population. Because human land‐based activities can alter natural processes in ways that affect adjacent aquatic ecosystems, land‐sea interactions are increasingly recognized as critical to coastal conservation planning and governance. However, the complex socioeconomic dynamics inherent in coastal and marine socioecological systems (SESs) have received little consideration. Drawing on knowledge generalized from long‐term studies in Caribbean Nicaragua, we devised a conceptual framework that clarifies the multiple ways socioeconomically driven behavior can link the land and sea. In addition to other ecosystem effects, the framework illustrates how feedbacks resulting from changes to aquatic resources can influence terrestrial resource management decisions and land uses. We assessed the framework by applying it to empirical studies from a variety of coastal SESs. The results suggest its broad applicability and highlighted the paucity of research that explicitly investigates the effects of human behavior on coastal SES dynamics. We encourage researchers and policy makers to consider direct, indirect, and bidirectional cross‐ecosystem links that move beyond traditionally recognized land‐to‐sea processes.
Glacial connectivity and current population fragmentation in sky islands explain the contemporary distribution of genomic variation in two narrow‐endemic montane grasshoppers from a biodiversity hotspot
Authors: Tonzo Vanina , Ortego Joaquín
Published: June 2021

Aim

Cold‐adapted biotas from mid‐latitudes often show small population sizes, harbour low levels of local genetic diversity and are highly vulnerable to extinction due to ongoing climate warming and the progressive shrinking of montane and alpine ecosystems. In this study, we use a suite of analytical approaches to infer the demographic processes that have shaped contemporary patterns of genomic variation in Omocestus bolivari and Omocestus femoralis, two narrow‐endemic and red‐listed Iberian grasshoppers forming highly fragmented populations in the sky island archipelago of the Baetic System.

Location

South‐eastern Iberia.

Methods

We quantified genomic variation in the two focal taxa and coupled ecological niche models and a spatiotemporally explicit simulation approach based on coalescent theory to determine the relative statistical support of a suite of competing demographic scenarios representing contemporary population isolation (i.e. a predominant role of genetic drift) versus historical connectivity and post‐glacial colonization of sky islands (i.e. pulses of gene flow and genetic drift linked to Pleistocene glacial cycles).

Results

Inference of spatial patterns of genetic structure, environmental niche modelling and statistical evaluation of alternative species‐specific demographic models within an approximate Bayesian computation framework collectively supported genetic admixture during glacial periods and post‐glacial colonization of sky islands, rather than long‐term population isolation, as the scenario best explaining the current distribution of genomic variation in the two focal taxa. Moreover, our analyses revealed that isolation in sky islands has also led to extraordinary genetic fragmentation and contributed to reduce local levels of genetic diversity.

Main conclusions

This study exemplifies the potential of integrating genomic and environmental niche modelling data across biological and spatial replicates to determine whether organisms with similar habitat requirements have experienced concerted/idiosyncratic responses to Quaternary climatic oscillations, which can ultimately help to reach more general conclusions about the vulnerability of mountain biodiversity hotspots to ongoing climate warming.