bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fully Automated Multi-Grid Cryo-EM Screening using Smart Leginon
Authors: Cheng Anchi , Kim Paul , Kuang Huihui , Mendez Joshua H. , Chua Eugene Y.D. , Maruthi Kashyap , Wei Hui , Sawh Anjelique , Aragon Mahira F. , Serbynovskyi Viacheslav , Neselu Kasahun , Eng Edward T. , Potter Clinton S. , Carragher Bridget , Bepler Tristan , Noble Alex J.
Published: July 2022

Single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) is a swiftly growing method for understanding protein structure. With increasing demand for high-throughput, high-resolution cryoEM services comes greater demand for rapid and automated cryoEM grid and sample screening. During screening, optimal grids and sample conditions are identified for subsequent high-resolution data collection. Screening is a major bottleneck for new cryoEM projects because grids must be optimized over several factors, including grid type, grid hole size, sample concentration, buffer conditions, ice thickness, and particle behaviors. Even for mature projects, multiple grids are commonly screened to select a subset for high-resolution data collection. Here, machine learning and novel, purpose-built image processing and microscope-handling algorithms are incorporated into the automated data collection software, Leginon, to provide an open-source solution for fully automated, high-throughput grid screening. This new version, broadly called Smart Leginon, emulates the actions of an operator in identifying areas on the grid to explore as potentially useful for data collection. Smart Leginon Autoscreen sequentially loads and examines grids from an automated specimen exchange system to provide completely unattended grid screening across a set of grids. Comparisons between a multi-grid Autoscreen session and conventional manual screening by five expert microscope operators are presented. On average, Autoscreen reduces operator time from ∼6 hours to <10 minutes and provides a comparable percentage of suitable images for evaluation as the best operator. Smart Leginon’s ability to target holes that are particularly difficult to identify is analyzed. Finally, Smart Leginon’s utility is illustrated with three real-world multi-grid user screening/collection sessions, demonstrating the efficiency and flexibility of the software package. Smart Leginon’s fully automated functionality significantly reduces the burden on operator screening time, improves the throughput of screening, and recovers idle microscope time, thereby improving availability of cryoEM services.
Brain fingerprint is based on the aperiodic, scale-free, neuronal activity
Authors: Sorrentino P , Troisi-Lopez E , Romano A , Sorrentino G , Jirsa V
Published: July 2022

The possibility to identify subjects from their brain activity was met enthusiastically, as it bears the possibility to individualize brain analyses. However, the nature of the processes generating subject-specific features remains unknown, as the literature does not point to specific mechanisms. In particular, most of the current literature uses techniques that are based on the assumption of stationarity (e.g. Pearson’s correlation), which do not hypothesize any mechanisms, and crashes against a large body of literature showing the complex, highly non-linear nature of brain activity. In this paper, we hypothesize that intermittent moments when large, non-linear perturbations spread across the brain (defined as neuronal avalanches in the context of critical dynamics) are the ones that carry subject-specific information, and that contribute the most to identifiability. To test this hypothesis, we apply the recently-developed avalanche transition matrix (ATM) to source reconstructed magnetoencephalographic data, as to characterize subject-speficic fast dynamics. Then, we perform identifiability analysis based on the ATMs, and compared the performance to more classical ways of estimating large-scale connections (which assume stationareity). We demonstrate that selecting the moments and places where neuronal avalanches spread improves identifiability (p<0.0001, permutation testing), despite the fact that most ot the data (i.e. the linear part) are discarded. Our results show that the non-linear part of the brain signals carries most of the subject-specific information, shading light on the nature of the processes that underlie subject-identifiability. Borrowing from statistical mechanics, a solid branch of physics, we provide a principled way to link emergent large-scale personalized activations to non-observable, microscopic processes.
Aversive bimodal associations impact visual and olfactory memory performance in Drosophila
Authors: Thiagarajan Devasena , Eberl Franziska , Veit Daniel , Hansson Bill S. , Knaden Markus , Sachse Silke
Published: July 2022

Insects rely heavily on sampling information from their environment for survival and fitness. Different sensory channels with dedicated downstream neural substrates are programmed to fine tune these signals and translate them into usable instructions to mediate complex behaviors. Sensory information can also be learned and stored as memories that influence decisions in the future. The learning of unimodal sensory signals, especially olfaction, has been studied extensively in different conditioning paradigms in different insects. Using the Drosophila melanogaster model in our work, we first investigated differences in the efficiencies of aversive associative visual and olfactory learning using sensory cues that are innately very attractive, such as blue or green light as well as food odors found in fruits or yeast. We then combined the presentation of visual and olfactory sensory stimuli during training to study the effect of bimodal integration on learning performance. When trained unimodally, flies did not easily learn visual stimuli, but when trained bimodally, they developed a significant short-term visual memory after a single learning trial. The bimodal training also suppressed the phototaxis response of the flies to near abolishment. However, a similar training did not enhance the short-term olfactory memory and in some cases, even caused reduction in strength. An enhancement after bimodal training was only seen with a weak long-term olfactory memory retrieved after 24h. Our study demonstrates that bimodal sensory integration is not always synergistic, but is conditional upon the training paradigm and inherent learning abilities of the sensory modalities involved.
Comparison between optical tissue clearing methods for detecting administered mesenchymal stromal cells in mouse lungs
Authors: Pichardo Alejandra Hernandez , Amadeo Francesco , Wilm Bettina , Lévy Raphaël , Ressel Lorenzo , Murray Patricia , Sée Violaine
Published: July 2022

Optical tissue clearing of lung tissue enables the intact lung to be imaged using fluorescence microscopy. Several clearing protocols have been developed in recent years, including the Clear, Unobstructed Brain/Body Imaging Cocktails and Computational analysis (CUBIC), stabilised 3D imaging of solvent-cleared organs (s-DISCO) and Ethyl cinnamate (ECi) methods. Here we compared these protocols with the aim of determining the biodistribution of mesenchymal stroma cells (MSCs) and understanding how they interact with host cells in the mouse lung. First, we evaluated how each method affected the size, morphology, and transparency of the lungs. Then, we compared the preservation of the fluorescence of the protein tdTomato expressed by the MSCs, and of the organic dye Evans Blue which labels the vasculature. In addition, we tested the compatibility of the methods with immunofluorescence staining. We found that CUBIC clearing is the only method that enables direct imaging of fluorescently labelled MSCs in the lungs thereby allowing the study of the MSC interaction with endothelial and immune cells when combined with immunofluorescence staining. Overall, 3D imaging of CUBIC cleared lungs confirmed that injected MSCs are initially retained in the pulmonary microvasculature, and that most cells are eliminated from the lungs within the first 24 h.

Summary statement

We present a tissue clearing approach to visualize exogenous MSCs in the mouse lung and study their effects in the host.
In vivofunctional genomics identifies essentiality of potassium homeostasis in medulloblastoma
Authors: Fan Jerry J. , Wang Xin , Erickson Anders W. , Skowron Patryk , Wang Xian , Chen Xin , Shan Guanqiao , Bahrampour Shahrzad , Xiong Yi , Dong Weifan , Abeysundara Namal , Francisco Michelle A. , Pusong Ronwell J. , Suárez Raúl A. , Farooq Hamza , Holgado Borja L. , Wu Xiaochong , Daniels Craig , Dupuy Adam J. , Cadiñanos Juan , Bradley Allan , Bagchi Anindya , Moriarity Branden S. , Largaespada David A. , Sorana Morrissy A. , Ramaswamy Vijay , Mack Stephen C. , Garzia Livia , Dirks Peter B. , Wanggou Siyi , Li Xuejun , Sun Yu , Taylor Michael D. , Huang Xi
Published: July 2022

The identification of cancer maintenance genes—driver genes essential to tumor survival—is fundamental for developing effective cancer therapy. Transposon-based insertional mutagenesis screens can identify cancer driver genes broadly but not discriminate maintenance from progression or initiation drivers, which contribute to cancer phenotypes and tumorigenesis, respectively. We engineered a nested, double-jumping transposon system to first dysregulate gene expression during tumorigenesis and then restore gene expression following tumor induction, allowing for genome-wide screening of maintenance essentialityin vivo. In a mouse model of medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric malignancy, insertion and remobilization of this nested transposon uncovers potassium channel genes as recurrent maintenance drivers. In human medulloblastoma, KCNB2 is the most overexpressed potassium channel across Group 3, Group 4, and SHH subgroups, andKcnb2knockout in mice diminishes the replicative potential of medulloblastoma-propagating cells to mitigate tumor growth. Kcnb2 governs potassium homeostasis to regulate plasma membrane tension-gated EGFR signaling, which drives proliferative expansion of medulloblastoma-propagating cells. Thus, our novel transposon system reveals potassium homeostasis as essential to tumor maintenance through biomechanical modulation of membrane signaling.
CEO’s characteristics, integrated reporting and performance in UK
Authors: Dhifi Kawther , Zouari Ghazi
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Integrated reporting (IR) is the latest development in corporate reporting. It is a tool capable of better representing the ability of companies to create value over time. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the CEO’s characteristics (age, gender, education and experience) and firm performance through a mediating variable, namely, IR.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a quantitative research and used panel data. Based on a sample of 449 UK firms or using a sample of 449 UK companies between 2010 and 2020 on STATA17 and structural equation model was used to analyze data and test hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that IR has only indirect mediation on the relationship between CEO’s characteristics and firm performance but mediates the relationship between CEO experience and performance in a complementary manner.

Originality/value

This article is motivated by the low number of works in the context about the corporate social responsibility and sustainability issues. It makes an important contribution to the academic literature by adding to the limited body of research on CEO’s characteristics, IR and firm performance. This study focuses primarily on the importance of integrated reporting in UK.
Gastronomy as an effect of visitor loyalty: the Peruvian (Lima) case
Authors: Esparza Huamanchumo Rosse Marie , Hernández-Rojas Ricardo David , Longa-López Rosa Alejandra , Cárdenas-Jarama Martin
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyse Peruvian cuisine in the context of visitors’ overall experience, focusing on the loyalty of tourists in terms of gastronomy, their satisfaction with the destination, and the overall image.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from tourists who visited Lima (Peru). Structural equation modeling was used to verify the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

The results obtained confirm that satisfaction and appreciation, such as quality, have a positive influence on tourists’ loyalty and, therefore, they recommend and express their desire to come back to this destination. The traditional gastronomy of Lima stands out as a prominent factor on overall experience.

Research limitations/implications

This paper helps the managers of cities in their decisions to improve the satisfaction and seek loyalty of those who visit a city, emphasizes the role of gastronomy.

Practical implications

The results obtained in this research can be used for the establishment of new strategies for the promotion of the destination in terms of tourism and traditional food.

Originality/value

The gastronomy in Lima, (Peru) is recognized worldwide, as well as a stimulus for tourism because it increases the number of visits to the destination. Several studies carried out in these types of destinations have shown the existence of a relationship between gastronomy, overall experience, satisfaction and loyalty. However, there are no previous studies carried out in Lima that sustain this relationship. This work makes a contribution that completes the academic literature on the study of the emotional bonds between Peruvian gastronomy and the tourist who visits it and its behaviour.
Quality assurance program provider’s influence on wine purchases among Tennessee and U.S. consumers: a multiple indicators multiple causes model analysis
Authors: Rihn Alicia , Jensen Kimberly Lynn , Hughes David
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aims to provide insights on how different sources of information concerning a quality assurance program (QAP) influence consumers’ wine purchase likelihood, profiles of consumers most likely to use QAPs (demographics, wine consumption and expenditures, wine involvement behaviors) and consumer attitudes toward QAPs.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are from a 2021 survey of 1,191 wine consumers in Tennessee and other US states. A multiple indicators multiple causes model is used to estimate how consumer demographics, wine consumption and expenditure patterns and several wine-involvement measures influence likelihood of using QAPs from eight provider sources when making wine purchase decisions. Sources include university, government, third-party certifiers, wineries and wine associations at the state, regional, national and international levels.

Findings

Wine consumers have an interest in QAP information when making wine purchase decisions. Not all QAP provider information is used equally, with almost 69% of the sample indicating the use of state wine association QAPs, but less than 44% indicating the use of government agency QAPs or third-party QAPs. Wine consumers’ demographics also influence the use of QAP information. Males, higher income consumers, residing outside of Tennessee and more wine-involved consumers are more likely to use QAPs. Consumers view QAPs as indicators of overall wine quality, ingredient quality and wine consistency rather than necessarily a means of building knowledge about local wines.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to examine not only QAP use from multiple providers but also how demographics, wine consumption, wine expenditures and wine-involvement impact QAP use.
A moderated-mediation model of perceived enjoyment, security and trust on customer satisfaction: evidence from banking industry in India
Authors: Abdul Sathar Meharaj Banu , Rajagopalan Malini , Naina Shaik Mohamed , Parayitam Satyanarayana
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between perceived usefulness, ease of use and adoption of online banking by customers in the Indian context. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the base, this study underscores the importance of perceived enjoyment, security and trust in influencing customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a structured survey instrument, this paper gathered data from 476 respondents in the southern part of India. First, the instrument’s psychometric properties were tested, and hypotheses were tested using Hayes’s PROCESS macros.

Findings

The results indicated that (i) perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are positively related to the attitude of the consumers to use online banking, (ii) attitude to use is positively related to adoption intention and (iii) adoption intention positively predicts customer satisfaction. The results also reveal that (i) perceived enjoyment moderates the relationship between attitude to use and adoption intention, (ii) trust moderates the relationship between adoption intention and customer satisfaction and (iii) security (second moderator) moderates the moderated relationship between trust (first moderator) and adoption intention on customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

As with any survey research, self-report measures have the inherent problems of common method bias and social desirability bias. However, the authors have taken adequate care to minimize these limitations. In addition, the research has implications for consumer behavior concerned with online banking.

Practical implications

This study contributes to both practicing managers and the literature on online banking. The study suggests that bank managers need to focus on ensuring security and earning customers’ trust to motivate them to adopt online banking.

Social implications

The study contributes to society by unraveling the antecedent conditions leading to accepting innovative changes initiated by banks. Especially in rural and cooperative banks, customers adopting online banking helps save their time and energy in visiting the physical locations of banks.

Originality/value

This study provides new insights into the complex relationships among variables contributing to customer satisfaction. The double-layered moderated moderated-mediation conceptual model developed and tested in this study is a novel idea that makes a significant contribution to the growing literature on online banking.
Impact of empowering leadership on safety behavior and safety climate: mediating and moderating role of safety monitoring
Authors: AlShemeili Hasan , Davidson Ross , Khalid Khalizani
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to critically evaluate the impact of empowering leadership on safety behavior and safety climate during safety monitoring at a nuclear power plant (NPP) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using questionnaires filled out by 500 participants from the UAE nuclear sector. The relationships among the variables were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results indicated that empowering leadership has a positive impact on safety behavior, and a positive safety climate leads to increased levels of safety behavior (compliance and participation). The results also showed that safety climate partially mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and safety behavior.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing knowledge regarding empowering leadership, safety monitoring, behavior and climate. Because limited information is available on this topic, this study extends the research on the relationship between empowering leadership and safety research at an NPP. Specifically, it outlines that safety monitoring partially mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and safety behavior. This research enables NPPs worldwide to incorporate empowering leadership to enhance safety monitoring and ensure better safety behavior and climate.
A bi-objective aircraft maintenance routing problem based on flying hours to efficient use of available fleet
Authors: Esmaeilzadeh Hiwa , Rashidi Komijan Alireza , Kazemipoor Hamed , Fallah Mohammad , Tavakkoli-Moghaddam Reza
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The proposed model aims to consider the flying hours as a criterion to initiate maintenance operation. Based on this condition, aircraft must be checked before flying hours threshold is met. After receiving maintenance service, the model ignores previous flying hours and the aircraft can keep on flying until the threshold value is reached again. Moreover, the model considers aircraft age and efficiency to assign them to flights.

Design/methodology/approach

The aircraft maintenance routing problem (AMRP), as one of the most important problems in the aviation industry, determines the optimal route for each aircraft along with meeting maintenance requirements. This paper presents a bi-objective mixed-integer programming model for AMRP in which several criteria such as aircraft efficiency and ferrying flights are considered.

Findings

As the solution approaches, epsilon-constraint method and a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II), including a new initializing algorithm, are used. To verify the efficiency of NSGA-II, 31 test problems in different scales are solved using NSGA-II and GAMS. The results show that the optimality gap in NSGA-II is less than 0.06%. Finally, the model was solved based on real data of American Eagle Airlines extracted from Kaggle datasets.

Originality/value

The authors confirm that it is an original paper, has not been published elsewhere and is not currently under consideration of any other journal.
Symmetries and asymmetries in the topological roles of piscivorous fishes between occurrence networks and food webs
Authors: Borzone Mas Dalmiro , Scarabotti Pablo , Alvarenga Patricio , Arim Matias
Published: July 2022

Ecological networks represent the architecture over which diversity is assembled. The compartmentalization of trophic links and the spatial aggregation of species determine ecosystem dynamics and stability. Species traits such as body size or those related to dispersal ability or environmental and trophic niche may determine the role of a species in different ecological networks such as food webs and occurrence networks. However, the empirical analysis of these connections and their determinants were seldom considered.

Our study focused on 16 species of piscivorous fishes from 27 water bodies of the Paraná River floodplain, which were surveyed between 4 and 20 times over 5 years. Occurrence networks and food webs were built from abundance of species by site and preys by gut content. Using null models and methods for weighted bipartite networks, we evaluated the compartmentalization in both kinds of networks. The topological roles of species in each network along four hydro‐climatic conditions were calculated, based on their membership in a module standardized within module connectivity ‘z’ and between module connectivity ‘c’ and related to species body size and 30 eco‐morphological variables.

A significant modular organization in feeding links and species occurrences was detected. While species of larger body size seem to have a main role connecting modules in food webs, the smaller size species foster the connection among spatial aggregations. However, body size was not the main determinant of intra module connectivity. Morphologies associated with linear races (fusiform body) and manoeuvrability (orbicular body) and predation behaviours were consistently related to intra and inter‐module connectivity in food webs and occurrence networks.

Our results support the modular organization of food webs and occurrence networks of the main consumers of the Paraná River floodplain and the trait‐related interrelationship among these networks. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of the trait–role association may foster the stable modular structure observed at higher levels. The recognition of the connecting role of the species in the different networks will improve the understanding of their importance in the functioning of ecosystems, thus enhancing the knowledge of the mechanisms shaping biodiversity.
Applying fault tree analysis to biological invasions identifies optimal targets for effective biosecurity
Authors: Gallardo Belinda , Sutherland William J. , Martin Phillip , Aldridge David C.
Published: July 2022

The management of invasive species requires analytical tools that can synthesise the increasing and complex information generated through risk assessment protocols. To that end, fault tree analysis (FTA) provides a means to conceptually map all of the events leading to a particular undesired scenario with associated probabilities and uncertainty.

We used a peer‐reviewed dataset (the GB Non‐Native Species Risk Assessments) to build and quantify a FT of all the events leading to the transport, introduction, establishment and spread of harmful aquatic invasive species in Great Britain. We also simulated management scenarios.

Individual barriers to invasion, either natural or human, were largely unsuccessful in hindering invasion (42%–91% probability of failure in a 5‐year period); yet the high interdependence of events in the tree resulted in an overall probability of harmful invasion of about 3%. This figure is much greater than that estimated by the tens rule, which posits that 10% of non‐native species manage to colonise a new area, and only 10% of those become invasive, resulting in a 1% overall probability of harmful invasion.

We used the FTA to explore different management intervention scenarios and found that pre‐border management reduced the overall risk of invasion by 86%, followed in importance by early action after introduction (85%), and detection at the border (81%). In contrast, post‐establishment management techniques, such as eradication and containment, had a limited impact reducing the probability of widespread invasion (18%–24%).

Synthesis and applications. While prevention has been long recognised as the most cost‐effective action against biological invasions, here we were able to quantify the reduction in invasion risk under a range of management scenarios. Optimising all management elements included in the FT reduced the overall probability of invasion by three orders of magnitude.

We conclude that FTA provides a baseline to capitalise on a growing source of peer‐reviewed risk assessments, which allows systematic assessment of the effectiveness of future actions to prevent and manage invasive species at the national and international levels. The analytical framework can be extended to other biological threats (e.g. pests, pathogens, diseases) and scenarios (e.g. climate change, war), so that breach and leverage points in biosecurity can be identified.
Improving family engagement in an adult inpatient mental health service using an action research framework
Authors: Muddle Sarah , Kustner Claudia , Cook Rohan , Wilkinson‐Tough Megan
Published: July 2022

Family involvement in mental health treatment has been shown to improve outcomes for service users. This project used a whole system‐focused action research framework and involved service users, family members and healthcare professionals to develop ways to improve family engagement in an adult inpatient mental health service. Focus groups were conducted with two service users, two family members and four healthcare professionals to discuss their experiences of family involvement and develop initial ideas. A problem‐solving group, involving service users, family members and professionals, was used to develop the solutions. The project identified context‐specific solutions to improve family engagement, which included specific training for professionals working on the inpatient wards, questionnaires to facilitate conversations with families, and sharing information about mental health and the inpatient mental health service with families. These may be helpful for other adult inpatient services.
Anti‐abortion Activism in Poland and the Republic of Ireland c.1970s–1990s*
Authors: Kuźma‐Markowska Sylwia , Kelly Laura
Published: July 2022

This comparative article explores anti‐abortion activism in Poland and Ireland from the period of the 1970s to the early 1990s. Drawing on a range of archival and printed sources, it sheds light on the Polish and Irish anti‐abortion movements as a part of transnational anti‐abortion efforts and underscores the importance of studying such phenomena transnationally, in a comparative perspective. We argue that despite political, social, and legislative differences that characterised both countries during this period, several pertinent parallels existed between Polish and Irish anti‐abortion activism. As we show, both movements relied on transnational anti‐abortion networks and discourses, employed medical knowledge to legitimise their efforts, and represented women undergoing abortion as victims.
TEMPORAL POLITICS AND INJUSTICE IN MEGA URBANIZATION: Lessons from Yangzhou, China
Authors: Zhang Yunpeng
Published: July 2022

This article examines the hitherto overlooked temporal politics and resultant injustice in theorizing urban transformations in China. Through a micro‐level, in‐depth case study of the lifespan of Guangling New City, it unravels the complex and at times conflicting ways in which different temporal dimensions of this mega project were manipulated, exploited and experienced. In particular, it unravels the organization of, and the divisions within, the dominant elites and illustrates how their conflicting and changing interests in time shaped the trajectory of the new city project. Residents caught up in the urbanization process were not completely opposed to the dominant temporalities of the project. Some of them partially submitted to its promises and visions; others gained a marginal degree of control over the temporalities. Both outcomes contradictorily reproduced their submission to dominant interests and power in the urban development game. Time thus played a critical role in enabling and sustaining land‐based accumulation, despite the injustice involved. On this basis, this article calls for a more grounded approach to bring out the messy and contradictory temporal politics of urban development in order to improve the planning and delivery of megaprojects.
Political/Policy Uncertainty, Corporate Disclosure, and Information Asymmetry*
Authors: Lei Lijun (Gillian) , Luo Yan
Published: July 2022

Political/policy uncertainty causes significant disruption to capital markets around the world. This review synthesizes recent studies on this topic and provides suggestions for future research in this fast‐growing area. Specifically, this review focuses on three areas of research: (i) the measurement of political/policy uncertainty, (ii) the impact of political/policy uncertainty on financial analysts' forecasts, and (iii) the impact of political/policy uncertainty on corporate disclosure. We find that political/policy uncertainty affects both corporate disclosures and financial analysts' forecasts and that these effects interact with information asymmetry in capital markets. Furthermore, we find that companies strategically change their disclosure practices during periods of heightened political/policy uncertainty.
Development and preliminary effectiveness of a smartphone‐based, just‐in‐time adaptive intervention for adults with alcohol misuse who are experiencing homelessness
Authors: Walters Scott T. , Mun Eun‐Young , Tan Zhengqi , Luningham Justin M. , Hébert Emily T. , Oliver Jason A. , Businelle Michael S.
Published: July 2022

Background

Adults experiencing homelessness have much higher rates of alcohol misuse than housed individuals. This study describes the development and preliminary effectiveness of a smartphone‐based, just‐in‐time adaptive intervention (JITAI) to reduce alcohol use among adults experiencing homelessness.

Methods

We conducted a pilot trial (N = 41; mean age [SD] = 45.2 [11.5]; 19.5% women) of the Smart‐T Alcohol JITAI where participants completed brief ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) each day, received personalized treatment messages following each EMA, and accessed on‐demand intervention content for 4 weeks. The prediction algorithm and treatment messages were developed based on an independent but similar sample as part of the trial. We examined three drinking outcomes: daily drinking (yes/no), drinks per day, and heavy episodic drinking, controlling for scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) at baseline, age, and sex using quadratic growth curve models.

Results

Over the 4‐week period, participants showed a decline in all alcohol use outcomes. Participants also reported high levels of satisfaction with the JITAI.

Conclusions

Use of the Smart‐T Alcohol JITAI was well received and provided encouraging evidence that it may reduce any drinking, drinks per day, and heavy episodic drinking among adults experiencing homelessness.
Effectiveness of nurse‐delivered screening and brief alcohol intervention in the workplace: A randomized controlled trial at five Japan‐based companies
Authors: Kuwabara Yuki , Kinjo Aya , Fujii Maya , Minobe Ruriko , Maesato Hitoshi , Higuchi Susumu , Yoshimoto Hisashi , Jike Maki , Otsuka Yuichiro , Itani Osamu , Kaneita Yoshitaka , Kanda Hideyuki , Kasuga Hideaki , Ito Teruna , Osaki Yoneatsu
Published: July 2022

Background

Excessive alcohol use is a leading cause of global morbidity and premature mortality. This study evaluated the effectiveness of two types of nurse‐delivered interventions to reduce excessive alcohol consumption among screened participants using the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) in the workplace.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial involving AUDIT‐positive employees of five Japan‐based companies was conducted. A total of 351 participants were randomized into groups that received a patient information leaflet (PIL), 5 min of brief advice, or 15 min of brief advice and counseling. Outcomes (weekly alcohol consumption and drinking and binge drinking frequency in the previous 30 days) were evaluated at 6 and 12‐month follow‐up.

Results

The follow‐up rates were 96.3% (n = 338) and 94.9% (n = 333) at 6 and 12 months, respectively. At 6 months, the mean change in weekly alcohol consumption was −38.1 g (−1.64 US fluid oz/week) in the 15‐min brief advice and counseling group, which differed significantly from the PIL group. The reduction in the advice and counseling group persisted at 12‐month follow‐up but was no longer significantly different from the PIL group. There was no significant change in alcohol consumption observed in the 5‐min brief advice group. Improvement in drinking and binge drinking frequency was observed in all three groups.

Conclusions

Nurse‐delivered 15‐min brief advice and counseling was effective over a 6‐month period in reducing alcohol consumption in a workplace setting. This finding suggests that the implementation of workplace screening and brief intervention could play a useful role in preventing the burden of harmful alcohol use.
Disclosure of liquidity and cash flow statements by Australian superannuation funds before Covid‐19
Authors: Kent Pamela , Kent Richard , McCormack Robyn , Tarr Julie‐Anne
Published: July 2022

The Commonwealth's stimulus package required the unexpected distribution of cash by superannuation funds to members during the Covid‐19 pandemic. We focus on disclosure and maintenance of an operational risk financial reserve and reporting of the statement of cash flows in annual reports by Australian superannuation funds. These disclosures represent mandated sources of information providing evidence of liquidity levels for meeting cash payouts and disclosure adherence. Many funds did not meet their statutory reporting requirements. More members and higher union board membership as measures of stakeholder power explain higher disclosure in support of managerial stakeholder theory.
Impact of COVID‐19 on student attainment and pedagogical needs when undertaking independent scientific research
Authors: Jeyapalan Jennie N. , James Victoria. , Gardner David S. , Lothion‐Roy Jennifer H. , Mongan Nigel P. , Rutland Catrin Sian
Published: July 2022

Research is often an essential component of completing a veterinary medicine degree, with universities worldwide aiming to teach students a variety of techniques and general research comprehension and skills. As universities worldwide navigated the COVID‐19 pandemic, it was often necessary to move towards distance learning, this was employed for the research module at The University of Nottingham, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. Following completion of their independent research project, each student cohort was sent a student evaluation of the module questionnaire and quantitative and qualitative analysis was undertaken. In addition, assessment outcomes based on dissertation grade, supervisor grade and overall module score were analysed quantitatively. This was conducted on both the individual cohorts and between the pre‐ and peri‐pandemic groups, ranging from 2017–2018 through to 2021–2022 cohorts. The students received increased dissertation and supervisor grades (by nearly 6%) during the 2021–2022 peri‐pandemic cohort, when compared to the pre‐pandemic cohorts, but did differ significantly compared to the 2020–2021 cohort. The pre‐ and peri‐pandemic Likert‐scale ratings for module organisation and assessment criteria were similar, workload management and the ability to explore concepts and ideas was reduced in the peri‐pandemic cohorts, whereas the accessibility to resources was increased in the peri‐pandemic students compared to those taught prior to the pandemic. Student feedback can provide essential information when designing and managing research projects and when compared to assessment grades it can help us understand attainment, essential information when providing a quality university level education whilst supporting student welfare following the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Outsourcing the dry season: Cattle ranchers' responses to weather shocks in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Skidmore Marin Elisabeth
Published: July 2022

Livestock production plays a vital role in the global economy, yet little is known about how climate change will affect the industry. Studies of crop agriculture may not translate to livestock agriculture due to differences in the set of potential adaptation strategies. Ranchers' responses to changing weather and climate are particularly relevant in the Brazilian Amazon, where the dry season is increasing by as much as 0.6 days per year. A longer dry season increases production risks as animals may succumb to starvation, lack of water, or heat stress. I pair transaction data and weather shocks to show that ranchers strategically sold animals prior to the dry season, in response to two predictors of an extreme dry season: sporadic rainfall and high temperatures prior to the dry season. Ranchers sold animals for both fattening and slaughter in response to sporadic rainfall prior. Nearly half of animals initially sold for fattening were sold for slaughter 90 days later. In contrast, ranchers responded to high temperatures solely by selling for slaughter, suggesting that current on‐farm technologies are insufficient to prevent losses from heat stress. The overall supply increased in years with sporadic rainfall and high temperatures, but the supply fell by a greater amount the following year. My results suggest that farmers are currently not fully insulated from the effects of a severe dry season. As severe dry seasons become more frequent, the industry will likely increasingly rely on feedlots and need additional methods to cope with heat stress.
More competitive than you think? Pricing and location of processing firms in agricultural markets
Authors: Graubner Marten , Sexton Richard J.
Published: July 2022

The spatial distribution of production is a defining characteristic of agriculture, and the location choice in geographic space and the spatial pricing policies adopted by agricultural processing/packing firms are key determinants of the competitiveness and efficiency of agricultural product procurement markets. Spatially distributed buying firms in the presence of costly transportation of farm products creates natural oligopsony procurement markets. Although several studies have contributed to our understanding of price and output determination and the distribution of welfare in these markets, all are limited in that they address buying firms' locations or their choices of spatial pricing strategy in isolation, holding the other factor fixed, even though both would be chosen jointly in reality to comprise a firm's product‐procurement strategy. Here we overcome this limitation by using computational methods (including genetic algorithms) to study duopsony firms' joint choices of location and pricing policy. Our results differ considerably from those presented in prior literature. In general, we find that, when buyers have the flexibility to jointly choose their locations and pricing strategies, market outcomes are much more competitive and locations more efficient in terms of cost minimization than has been predicted by prior studies viewing location choice or pricing strategy in isolation.
Sustainable Finance: ESG/CSR, Firm Value, and Investment Returns*
Authors: Chang Xin , Fu Kangkang , Jin Yaling , Liem Pei Fun
Published: July 2022

We review the burgeoning sustainable finance literature, emphasizing the value implications of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and CSR (corporate social responsibility) practices. We use a discounted cash flow valuation framework to identify value drivers through which such practices can enhance firm value. Collectively, empirical evidence supports that they increase firm value by motivating employees, strengthening customer–supplier relationships, boosting long‐term growth, increasing dividends, and reducing financing costs. Furthermore, more socially responsible firms deliver no higher excess stock returns in the long run. Green bonds neither provide issuers with a price premium nor make investors sacrifice on lower returns. Socially responsible investing (SRI) funds generate no higher risk‐adjusted long‐term returns than non‐SRI funds. Finally, we briefly suggest several topics for future research on sustainable finance.
Association of TNFSF11 rs2200287 and TNFSF11 rs2148072 gene polymorphisms in preeclampsia
Authors: Sivaraj Nagarjuna , Kusuma Bunga Papa , Kutikuppala L V Simhachalam , Rachel K Vijaya , Balaga Vijaya Sirisha , Gundakaram Samhitha
Published: July 2022

Background

Various cytokines released by white blood cells like lymphocytes are linked to the immune system during pregnancy. The polymorphism of the TNFSF11 (rs2200287 and rs2148072) gene is related to the preeclampsia of pregnancy.

Materials and methods

This study was a prospective study involving 304 pregnant women with preeclampsia (n = 152) and controls (non‐preeclamptic pregnant women) (n = 152). To investigate the rs2200287 and rs2148072 SNP's of TNFSF11 gene polymorphism by using the PCR–RFLP techniques.

Results

A significantly different genotype distribution of TNFSF11 (rs2200287 and rs2148072) polymorphisms were observed between the two groups, with the G allele of variant rs2200287 was highly significant in the preeclamptic group (P = 0.000; .5814; OR = .5814; 95% CI = .4211–.8012). And the C allele of variant rs2148072 was also highly significant in the preeclamptic group (P = 0.000; OR = .5076; 95% CI, .362–.71) in this study.

Conclusion

The outcomes of the present study indicate that there was an association in TNFSF 11 (rs2200287 and rs2148072) gene polymorphism with preeclampsia compared to non‐preeclampsia women.
How Norms Shape the Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Publics
Authors: Groenendyk Eric , Kimbrough Erik O. , Pickup Mark
Published: July 2022

How should ideology be understood, and should we be concerned if Americans lack it? Combining widely used survey questions with an incentivized coordination game, we separately measure individuals’ own policy preferences and their knowledge of what other ideological group members expect them to believe. This allows us to distinguish knowledge of ideological norms—what liberals and conservatives believe ought to go with what—from adherence to those norms. We find that a nontrivial portion of those reporting ideologically inconsistent preferences do so knowingly, suggesting their lack of ideological constraint can be attributed to pragmatism rather than innocence. Additionally, a question order experiment reveals that priming ideological norms before measuring policy preferences promotes ideological adherence, suggesting ideological constraint is at least partially attributable to norm‐conformity pressure. Together, these findings raise the question whether ideology is actually desirable or if it instead allows elites to reverse the direction of accountability.
Exposure to avian coronavirus vaccines is associated with increased levels of SARS‐CoV‐2‐cross‐reactive antibodies
Authors: Ardicli Ozge , Carli K. Tayfun , Satitsuksanoa Pattraporn , Dreher Anita , Cusini Alexia , Hutter Sandra , Mirer David , Rückert Beate , Jonsdottir Hulda R. , Weber Benjamin , Cervia Carlo , Akdis Mubeccel , Boyman Onur , Eggel Alexander , Brüggen Marie‐Charlotte , Akdis Cezmi A. , van de Veen Willem
Published: July 2022

Background

Although avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and SARS‐CoV‐2 belong to different genera of the Coronaviridae family, exposure to IBV may result in the development of cross‐reactive antibodies to SARS‐CoV‐2 due to homologous epitopes. We aimed to investigate whether antibody responses to IBV cross‐react with SARS‐CoV‐2 in poultry farm personnel who are occupationally exposed to aerosolized IBV vaccines.

Methods

We analyzed sera from poultry farm personnel, COVID‐19 patients, and pre‐pandemic controls. IgG levels against the SARS‐CoV‐2 antigens S1, RBD, S2, and N and peptides corresponding to the SARS‐CoV‐2 ORF3a, N, and S proteins as well as whole virus antigens of the four major S1‐genotypes 4/91, IS/1494/06, M41, and D274 of IBV were investigated by in‐house ELISAs. Moreover, live‐virus neutralization test (VNT) was performed.

Results

A subgroup of poultry farm personnel showed elevated levels of specific IgG for all tested SARS‐CoV‐2 antigens compared with pre‐pandemic controls. Moreover, poultry farm personnel, COVID‐19 patients, and pre‐pandemic controls showed specific IgG antibodies against IBV strains. These antibody titers were higher in long‐term vaccine implementers. We observed a strong correlation between IBV‐specific IgG and SARS‐CoV‐2 S1‐, RBD‐, S2‐, and N‐specific IgG in poultry farm personnel compared with pre‐pandemic controls and COVID‐19 patients. However, no neutralization was observed for these cross‐reactive antibodies from poultry farm personnel using the VNT.

Conclusion

We report here for the first time the detection of cross‐reactive IgG antibodies against SARS‐CoV‐2 antigens in humans exposed to IBV vaccines. These findings may be useful for further studies on the adaptive immunity against COVID‐19.