bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uniparental nuclear inheritance following bisexual mating in fungi
Authors: Yadav Vikas , Sun Sheng , Heitman Joseph
Published: December 2020

Some remarkable animal species require an opposite-sex partner for their sexual development but discard the partner’s genome before gamete formation, generating hemi-clonal progeny in a process called hybridogenesis. Here, we discovered a similar phenomenon, termed pseudosexual reproduction, in a basidiomycete human fungal pathogen,Cryptococcus neoformans, where exclusive uniparental inheritance of nuclear genetic material was observed during bisexual reproduction. Analysis of strains expressing fluorescent reporter proteins revealed instances where only one of the parental nuclei was present in the terminal sporulating basidium. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the nuclear genome of the progeny was identical with one or the other parental genome. Pseudosexual reproduction was also detected in natural isolate crosses where it resulted in mainlyMATα progeny, a bias observed inCryptococcusecological distribution as well. The meiotic recombinase Dmc1 was found to be critical for pseudosexual reproduction. These findings reveal a novel, and potentially ecologically significant, mode of eukaryotic microbial reproduction that shares features with hybridogenesis in animals.
Stimulus-selective lateral signaling between olfactory afferents enables parallel encoding of distinct CO2dynamics
Authors: Zocchi Dhruv , Ye Emily S. , Hong Elizabeth J.
Published: December 2020

An important problem in sensory processing is how lateral interactions that mediate the integration of information across sensory channels function with respect to stimulus tuning. We demonstrate a novel form of selective crosstalk between specific olfactory channels that occurs between primary olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). Neurotransmitter release from ORNs can be driven by two distinct sources of excitation, feedforward activity derived from the odorant receptor and lateral input originating from specific subsets of other ORNs. Consequently, levels of presynaptic release can become dissociated from firing rate. Stimulus-selective lateral signaling results in the distributed representation of CO2, a behaviorally important environmental cue that elicits spiking in only a single ORN class, in multiple olfactory channels. Different CO2-responsive channels preferentially transmit distinct stimulus dynamics, thereby expanding the coding bandwidth for CO2. These results generalize to additional odors and olfactory channels, revealing a subnetwork of lateral interactions between ORNs that reshape the spatial and temporal structure of odor representations in a stimulus-specific manner.

One Sentence Summary

A novel subnetwork of stimulus-selective lateral interactions between primary olfactory sensory neurons enables new sensory computations.
Wigner distribution of self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser pulses and extracting its autocorrelation
Authors: Serkez Svitozar , Gorobtsov Oleg , Rivas Daniel E. , Meyer Michael , Sobko Bohdana , Gerasimova Natalia , Kujala Naresh , Geloni Gianluca
Published: December 2020

The emerging concept of `beam by design' in free-electron laser (FEL) accelerator physics aims for accurate manipulation of the electron beam to tailor spectral and temporal properties of the radiation for specific experimental purposes, such as X-ray pump/X-ray probe and multiple wavelength experiments. `Beam by design' requires fast, efficient, and detailed feedback on the spectral and temporal properties of the generated X-ray radiation. Here a simple and cost-efficient method to extract information on the longitudinal Wigner distribution function of emitted FEL pulses is proposed. The method requires only an ensemble of measured FEL spectra and is rather robust with respect to accelerator fluctuations. The method is applied to both the simulated SASE spectra with known radiation properties as well as to the SASE spectra measured at the European XFEL revealing underlying non-linear chirp of the generated radiation. In the Appendices an intuitive understanding of time–frequency representations of chirped SASE radiation is provided.
Superradiant Cherenkov–wakefield radiation as THz source for FEL facilities
Authors: Floettmann Klaus , Lemery Francois , Dohlus Martin , Marx Michaela , Tsakanov Vasili , Ivanyan Mikayel
Published: December 2020

An electron beam passing through a tube of small inner diameter which is lined on the inside with a dielectric layer will radiate energy in the THz range due to the interaction with the boundary. The resonant enhancement of certain frequencies is conditioned by structure parameters such as tube radius and the permittivity and thickness of the dielectric layer. In low-loss structures narrow-band radiation is generated which can be coupled out by suitable antennas. For higher frequencies, the coupling to the resistive outer metal layer becomes increasingly important. The losses in the outer layer prohibit reaching higher frequencies with narrow-band conditions. Instead, short broad-band pulses can be generated with still attractive power levels. In the first section of the paper, a general theory of the impedance of a two-layer structure is presented and the coupling to the outer resistive layer is discussed. Approximate relations for the radiated energy, power and pulse length for a set of structure parameters are derived and compared with numerical results in the following section. Finally, the first numerical result of the out-coupling of the radiation by means of a Vlasov antenna and estimates of the achieved beam quality are presented.
Understanding the spread of prevention and cessation messages on social media for substance use in youth
Authors: Mandal Soumik , Shah Chirag , Peña-Alves Stephanie , Hecht Michael L. , Glenn Shannon D. , Ray Anne E. , Greene Kathryn
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Engagement is a critical metric to the effectiveness of online health messages. This paper explores how people engage in youth-generated prevention messages in social media.

Design/methodology/approach

The data sample consisted of engagement measures of 82 youth-generated messages hosted in a social media channel and a follow-up survey on content creators' motivation for promoting their messages and their dissemination strategies. A comparative analysis of engagement metrics along with qualitative analysis of the message types was performed.

Findings

Two types of messages were considered: stop messages and prevent messages. Our analyses found that people interacted with stop messages on social media more frequently than prevent messages. On analyzing the youth's motivation and promotion strategies, no significant difference was observed between stop message creators and prevent message creators.

Social implications

This work has implications for programs promoting prevention and health information in social media.

Originality/value

This is the first study in social media-based prevention programs the authors are aware of that differentiated between the strategies of youth-produced prevention messages.
STEM faculty members and their perceptions of mentoring: “I do not want to be a role model”
Authors: Olson Joann S. , Nayar-Bhalerao Sneha
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this case study is to explore the perceptions of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) faculty members toward mentoring undergraduates.

Design/methodology/approach

Within the context of a student scholarship and faculty development project, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), STEM faculty members were interviewed at a small teaching-focused university in South Texas, United States. This research study utilized a qualitative case study approach based on semi-structured interviews with nine Mathematics and Computer Science faculty members. Transcripts were coded thematically, beginning with open coding and continuing with repeated rounds of comparison leading to the identification of four themes.

Findings

Four themes were identified in the data: describing settings where mentoring occurs, identifying the tasks of mentoring, developing skills for mentoring others and inhabiting the identity of a mentor. These findings suggest that increasing faculty engagement and effectiveness in mentoring STEM students may be a matter of broadening the definition of mentoring and helping faculty members develop the identity of a mentor.

Practical implications

In an effort to promote retention of students, specifically within STEM fields, many initiatives highlight the importance of faculty mentoring for undergraduate students. This research suggests that faculty members' perceptions of the role and structure of a mentoring relationship will shape this relationship and have an impact on student persistence and success.

Originality/value

While most studies of faculty–student mentoring focus on the experiences of students, this study explored faculty members' perceptions of that relationship.
Identifying factors affecting the value of advertisements on football clubs' and players' social media: a discrete choice analysis
Authors: Balliauw Matteo , Onghena Evy , Mulkens Simon
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Advertisers frequently use social media for interactive and customer-oriented relationship marketing (RM) purposes. Moreover, sports clubs and players have been using their social media accounts to post content of their sponsors and other advertising companies. Such posts create visibility and have value for these advertising companies, something which has not been empirically quantified in the existing literature. Hence, this paper's purpose is to identify the factors or attributes that influence the value of such advertisement posts.

Design/methodology/approach

A discrete choice approach is used to empirically estimate the utility that sponsorship managers derive from a post advertising their company or product on football clubs' and players' social media.

Findings

The results indicate that more followers, better on-field performance and a lower price significantly increase the advertising company's utility. Moreover, the used social media channel has a significant influence too, since Facebook and Instagram are preferred over Twitter, due to the latter's limited degrees of freedom for advertisers.

Research limitations/implications

Considering additional factors such as the image fit between sponsor and sponsee and presence on the Chinese social media market offers an interesting avenue for future research.

Practical implications

The empirical estimates allow commercial managers of clubs and players to derive companies' relative willingness to pay (WTP) for changes in characteristics of advertisements on their social media from the calculated utilities. This information can be used in the pricing decision when social media posts are sold or included in sponsorship packages.

Originality/value

This is the first study applying discrete choice modelling to link social media marketing (SMM) and sports marketing.
Blockchain platforms in supply chains
Authors: Vivaldini Mauro
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze blockchain (Bc) platforms in order to expand knowledge about the functionalities applied to supply chains (SCs). Therefore, this research seeks to address what these functionalities are and whether they are aligned with the theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The research utilizes a literature review on Bc in SC (Bc-SC) and an exploratory study focusing on the developers of Bc platforms.

Findings

The research maps and synthesizes concepts and applications of the platforms for SC. The platforms involved with the development of solutions with Bc technology are relatively representative (138 found by this research, and 47 offer solutions in SC), as well as the diversity of solutions and application (101 applications), covering different activities and areas of the SC.

Research limitations/implications

Despite extensive research and data analysis, there may be other platforms and solutions not analyzed in this paper.

Practical implications

The narrative and the different examples provided contribute to managers' understanding of the different possibilities for Bc-SC. Studying the services offered by the various platforms also enables managers to better understand what options exist and could potentially be utilized.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers in a leading international OSCM (operations and supply chain management) journal to analyze the Bc platforms in SC and thereby has its relevance by synthesizing the knowledge that is dispersed in software developers (platforms).
The impact of termination severity on customers' emotional, attitudinal and behavioral reactions
Authors: Nazifi Amin , El-Manstrly Dahlia , Tregear Angela , Auxtova Kristina
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper empirically examines the direct and indirect effects of perceived termination severity on customers' behavioral reactions via betrayal and justice. It also examines the moderating effects of attitude toward complaining (ATC).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs a quantitative method approach using a scenario-based experiment in a banking setting.

Findings

The results show that a more severe termination approach results in higher customer negative reactions. Betrayal is shown to be a key driver of customers' behavioral reactions, and ATC moderates these effects.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies should examine the effects of different termination strategies in markedly different cultures and should also examine other boundary conditions such as prior warning, relationship quality and service importance in influencing customers' negative behavioral responses.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the service termination literature by shedding light on the impact of termination severity on customers' reactions. It also unveils the mechanism that explains customers' reactions to service termination. Further, it reveals that ATC moderates customers' public (but not private) complaining behaviors.
Climate influences the value of a plant structural defence against browsing
Authors: Lusk Christopher H. , Wiser Susan K. , Laughlin Daniel C.
Published: December 2020

The circumstances that select for plant anti‐herbivore defences are not well understood. In New Zealand, the ‘divaricate’ cage‐like architecture of many woody plants may have arisen as a defence against avian browsing; it also has some ability to deter browsing by introduced deer. Its prominence on alluvial soils in frosty and droughty areas led us to hypothesize that structural defences are of most value where fertile soils coincide with climatic constraints that prevent plants from quickly growing out of the browse zone.

We tested this hypothesis by growing seedlings of three divaricate species and their broadleaved congeners on fenced and unfenced plots beneath tree‐fall gaps at three humid frost‐free sites in the North Island of New Zealand, and at three colder and drier sites in the South Island. Soil total phosphorus levels were moderate to high at all sites (344–961 ppm), and pellet counts indicated similar average deer densities at North and South Island sites, enabling us to attribute variation in seedling growth and survival primarily to climatic differences between our sites.

On fenced plots, average relative height growth rates in the North Island exceeded those on the southern sites by 64%, and growth of broadleaved species averaged 132% and 99% greater than that of divaricate congeners at North and South Island sites, respectively. On the northern sites, broadleaved species also held a large (137%) net height growth advantage over divaricates even on unfenced plots. In contrast, exposure to browsing on the coldest sites resulted in complete loss of the broadleaved net height growth advantage.

Synthesis. Even in the presence of deer, divaricate plants were overgrown on humid frost‐free sites, but not on colder and drier sites, where browsing neutralized the superior growth potential of broadleaved species. The cost of structural defences therefore paid off only on sites where climatic adversity reduces the ability of plants lacking such defences to grow quickly out of the browse zone, in agreement with our hypothesis.
Poverty analysis in the lowlands of Papua New Guinea underscores climate vulnerability and need for income flexibility*
Authors: Schmidt Emily , Gilbert Rachel , Holtemeyer Brian , Mahrt Kristi
Published: December 2020

A severe El Niño event in 2015/16 decimated an important share of Papua New Guinea's (PNG) local crop production, leaving 10 per cent of the population with significant food shortages. Lack of recent socio‐economic data and analysis of the country's rural population impeded efforts to plan and mitigate the ensuing food crisis. This paper presents the most recent poverty analysis in Papua New Guinea in nearly a decade, and a renewed effort to inform rural production, consumption and livelihood patterns in some of the country's most remote, lowland areas. We designed a rural household survey that collected detailed consumption and expenditure data to explore poverty prevalence and correlates of per capita household expenditure. Results suggest that approximately half of the sampled individuals live in households with total per capita expenditures below the poverty line. Climate shocks have significant and possibly long‐term consequences for household welfare. Households that experienced a drought in the last 5 years are associated with significantly lower per capita expenditures. Labour diversification, via migration, is associated with greater welfare. Households with at least one migrant member are associated with 13 per cent greater per capita expenditure.
Regional inequality and institutional trust in Europe
Authors: Lipps Jana , Schraff Dominik
Published: December 2020

Inequality is a central explanation of political distrust in democracies, but has so far rarely been considered a cause of (dis‐)trust towards supranational governance. Moreover, while political scientists have extensively engaged with income inequality, other salient forms of inequality, such as the regional wealth distribution, have been sidelined. These issues point to a more general shortcoming in the literature. Determinants of trust in national and European institutions are often theorized independently, even though empirical studies have demonstrated large interdependence in citizens’ evaluations of national and supranational governance levels. In this paper, we argue that inequality has two salient dimensions: (1) income inequality and (2) regional inequality. Both dimensions are important antecedent causes of European Union (EU) trust, the effects of which are mediated by evaluations of national institutions. On the micro‐level, we suggest that inequality decreases a person's trust in national institutions and thereby diminishes the positive effect of national trust on EU trust. On the macro‐level, inequality decreases country averages of trust in national institutions. This, however, informs an individual's trust in the EU positively, compensating for the seemingly untrustworthiness of national institutions. Finally, we propose that residing in an economically declining region can depress institutional trust. We find empirical support for our arguments by analysing regional temporal change over four waves of the European Social Survey 2010–2016 with a sample of 209 regions nested in 24 EU member states. We show that changes in a member state's regional inequality have similarly strong effects on trust as changes in the Gini coefficient of income inequality. Applying causal mediation techniques, we can show that the effects of inequality on EU trust are largely mediated through citizens’ evaluations of national institutions. In contrast, residing in an economically declining region directly depresses EU trust, with economically lagging areas turning their back on European governance and resorting to the national level instead. Our findings highlight the relevance of regional inequality for refining our understanding of citizens’ support for Europe's multi‐level governance system and the advantages of causal modelling for the analysis of political preferences in a multi‐level governance system.
Validation of two methods for the quantitative analysis of cocaine and opioids in biological matrices using LCMSMS
Authors: Wagner Rebecca , Moses Linda
Published: December 2020

The proliferation of misuse of prescription and non‐prescription opioids, in recent years, has caused an opioid epidemic in the United States. Forensic toxicology laboratories often encounter implications of abuse in both driving under the influence of drugs and death investigation cases. The Virginia Department of Forensic Science has seen over a 190% increase in the number of reported opioids in death investigation cases over the past several years. Traditionally, analyses are completed by individual drug class, which subsequently requires an individual case to be evaluated using multiple analytical techniques for comprehensive analysis. To ease the impact of increasing case submissions and case complexity, two liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS) methods for the quantitative analysis of opioids, cocaine, and cocaine metabolites in biological matrices have undergone a fit‐for‐purpose validation. The methods were compared to determine the advantages and disadvantages of each analytical technique. Two sample preparation techniques, protein precipitation and solid‐phase extraction, were employed for quantitative validation. Validation aspects evaluated included accuracy and precision, sensitivity, linearity, matrix effects, recovery, carryover, interferences, dilution integrity, and post‐extraction stability. The accuracy of the protein precipitation method ranged from 80 ± 3% to 101 ± 10%. The accuracy of the solid‐phase extraction method ranged from 88 ± 9% to 119 ± 3%. Additionally, within‐run and intermediate precision was within ±20% for both extraction techniques. Although ionization suppression was noted, it was determined to have minimal effect on the methods. The newly developed methods require less sample volume and combine four analytical techniques into one method, which significantly impacts laboratory productivity.
Modeling Watershed‐Wide Bioretention Stormwater Retrofits to Achieve Thermal Pollution Mitigation Goals
Authors: Chen Helen Y. , Hodges Clayton C. , Dymond Randel L.
Published: December 2020

Stream ecosystems are increasingly at risk for thermal impairment as urbanization intensifies, resulting in more heated runoff from impervious cover that is less likely to be cooled naturally. While several best management practices, including bioretention filters, have been able to reduce thermal pollution, success has been limited. The extent of thermal mitigation required to prevent ecological damage remains unknown. A calibrated runoff temperature model of a case study watershed in Blacksburg, VA was developed to determine the cumulative treatment volume of bioretention filters required to reduce thermal impacts caused by runoff from development in the watershed to regulated biologically acceptable levels. A future build out scenario of the study watershed was also analyzed. Results from this study established that runoff thermal pollution cannot be fully reduced to goal thresholds during all storms using bioretention filter retrofits. While retrofitting significantly decreased temperatures and heat exports relative to the controls, increasing treatment volumes did not really enhance mitigation. Alternate thermal mitigation methods that actively remove runoff volume should be considered where more thermal mitigation is required.
Robust pricing with refunds
Authors: Hinnosaar Toomas , Kawai Keiichi
Published: December 2020

Before purchase, a buyer of an experience good learns about the product's fit using various information sources, including some of which the seller may be unaware of. The buyer, however, can conclusively learn the fit only after purchasing and trying out the product. We show that the seller can use a simple mechanism to take best advantage of the buyer's post‐purchase learning to maximize his guaranteed‐profit. We show that this mechanism combines a generous refund, which performs well when the buyer is relatively informed, with non‐refundable random discounts, which work well when the buyer is relatively uninformed.
Interéaction of submergence tolerance and drought yield QTLs (Sub1 and qDTYs) enhances morpho‐physiological traits and survival of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under submergence
Authors: Mohd Ikmal Asmuni , Noraziyah Abd Aziz Shamsudin , Wickneswari Ratnam , Amira Ismail , Puteri Dinie Ellina Zulkafli
Published: December 2020

Climate change has caused increasing incidences of the extreme flooding around the world, which has impacted rice production, especially in rainfed ecosystems. Breeding for submergence tolerant rice varieties has been conducted to mitigate the adverse effects and help farmers to reduce yield loss. The present study was carried out to introgress the submergence tolerance QTL (Sub1) from IR64‐Sub1 into drought‐tolerant lines; UKM5 and UKM91 possessing the drought yield quantitative trait loci (qDTYs), viz. qDTY12.1 and qDTY3.1, and to evaluate the effects of the combination of these QTLs in improving the morpho‐physiological traits and survival under submergence. UKM5 and UKM91 were selected as the recipient of the Sub1 locus because of the intermediate submergence tolerance they possessed even though they only have qDTY/s. Therefore, the introgression of Sub1 into these lines was hypothesised to enhance survival. Submergence stress was given for 14 days to BC1F4 lines from the two breeding populations. Lines with better survival than the tolerant check, IR64‐Sub1 were selected and evaluated under 18 days of submergence stress. Generally, lines with Sub1 and qDTYs from UKM5*/IR64‐Sub1 and UKM91*/IR64‐Sub1 populations had higher survival rate (SR) of 90–100%, lower shoot elongation percentage (EP) and a smaller percentage of chlorophyll content change (CCC) than IR64‐Sub1. The selected lines also showed a low percentage of non‐structural carbohydrate change (NSCC) which related to the ability to recover after submergence. In both populations, the interaction of qDTY3.1 with Sub1 proved to give the best improvement on EP and CCC. This experiment provides novel findings; that is, the combinations of Sub1 + qDTY12.1 + qDTY3.1 showed high survival rate in the population of UKM5*/IR64‐Sub1, while qDTY3.1 improved SR of the lines from UKM91*/IR64‐Sub1 population to 100%. These results proved that the action of Sub1, qDTY/s and their interaction differ in contrasting population or background. The QTL combinations showed a consistent effect in both submergence experiments and proved the effectiveness of Sub1 and qDTYs combinations in enhancing the morpho‐physiological traits and survival.
Anthocyanins attenuate endothelial dysfunction through regulation of uncoupling of nitric oxide synthase in aged rats
Authors: Lee Geum‐Hwa , Hoang The‐Hiep , Jung Eun‐Soo , Jung Su‐Jin , Han Seong‐Kyu , Chung Myoung‐Ja , Chae Soo‐Wan , Chae Han‐Jung
Published: December 2020

Endothelial dysfunction is one of the main age‐related arterial phenotypes responsible for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older adults. This endothelial dysfunction results from decreased bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) arising downstream of endothelial oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of anthocyanins and the underlying mechanism in rat thoracic aorta and human vascular endothelial cells in aging models. In vitro, cyanidin‐3‐rutinoside (C‐3‐R) and cyanidin‐3‐glucoside (C‐3‐G) inhibited the d‐galactose (d‐gal)‐induced senescence in human endothelial cells, as indicated by reduced senescence‐associated‐β‐galactosidase activity, p21, and p16INK4a. Anthocyanins blocked d‐gal‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and NADPH oxidase activity. Anthocyanins reversed d‐gal‐mediated inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) serine phosphorylation and SIRT1 expression, recovering NO level in endothelial cells. Also, SIRT1‐mediated eNOS deacetylation was shown to be involved in anthocyanin‐enhanced eNOS activity. In vivo, anthocyanin‐rich mulberry extract was administered to aging rats for 8 weeks. In vivo, mulberry extract alleviated endothelial senescence and oxidative stress in the aorta of aging rats. Consistently, mulberry extract also raised serum NO levels, increased phosphorylation of eNOS, increased SIRT1 expression, and reduced nitrotyrosine in aortas. The eNOS acetylation was higher in the aging group and was restored by mulberry extract treatment. Similarly, SIRT1 level associated with eNOS decreased in the aging group and was restored in aging plus mulberry group. These findings indicate that anthocyanins protect against endothelial senescence through enhanced NO bioavailability by regulating ROS formation and reducing eNOS uncoupling.
Increased brain reactivity to gambling unavailability as a marker of problem gambling
Authors: Brevers Damien , Baeken Chris , Bechara Antoine , He Qinghua , Maurage Pierre , Petieau Mathieu , Sescousse Guillaume , Vögele Claus , Billieux Joël
Published: December 2020

The unprecedented development and ubiquity of sports betting constitute an emerging public health concern. It is crucial to provide markers that could help to better identify people experiencing sports betting‐related harms. The current study investigated whether problem gambling status, sports betting passion, and trait‐self‐control modulate brain reactivity to sports betting cues. Sixty‐five frequent sports bettors (35 “nonproblem bettors” and 30 “problem bettors”) were exposed to cues representing real upcoming sport events (with varying levels of winning confidence) that were made available or blocked for betting, during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recording. Sports betting passion and trait‐self‐control were assessed using self‐report scales. Sport events nonavailable for betting elicited higher insular and striatal activation in problem bettors, as compared with nonproblem bettors. Within a large cluster encompassing the ventral striatum, hippocampus, and amygdala, lower trait‐self‐control was associated with increased brain reactivity to sport events with high levels of winning confidence that were nonavailable for betting. No significant effect of sports betting passion was observed. These findings suggest that sports bettors' brain reactivity to gambling unavailability might be a relevant marker of sports betting‐related harms, as well as of blunted trait‐self‐control.
Biology and dynamics of B cells in the context of IgE‐mediated food allergy
Authors: Satitsuksanoa Pattraporn , Daanje Monique , Akdis Mübeccel , Boyd Scott D. , van de Veen Willem
Published: December 2020

An increasing number of people suffer from IgE‐mediated food allergies. The immunological mechanisms that cause IgE‐mediated food allergy have been extensively studied. B cells play a key role in the development of IgE‐mediated food allergies through the production of allergen‐specific antibodies. While this particular function of B cells has been known for many years, we still do not fully understand the mechanisms that regulate the induction and maintenance of allergen‐specific IgE production. It is still not fully understood where in the body IgE class switch recombination of food allergen‐specific B cells occurs, and what processes are involved in the immunological memory of allergen‐specific IgE responses. B cells can also contribute to the regulation of allergen‐specific immune responses through other mechanisms such as antigen presentation and cytokine production. Recent technological advances have enabled highly detailed analysis of small subsets of B cells down to the single‐cell level. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on the biology of B cells in relation to IgE‐mediated food allergies.
Exploring Draheim's three dimensions of success in cooperative organizations—the case of collective Alpine summer farms
Authors: Mann Stefan , Stoinescu Andrei
Published: December 2020

The important distinction among an organization's profits, the economic benefits generated for its members and the generation of social capital, as the three functions of a cooperative, goes back to the German economist Georg Draheim. We explore these dimensions in a survey of 793 Alpine summer farming collectives in Switzerland and in subsequent in‐depth interviews. Exclusive institutional choices, such as restricted membership, decrease economic performance. Prioritizing economic success increases both the profits and economic benefits for members, whereas the prioritization of social values, such as self‐determination and traditions, positively affects social success. However, all three objectives are positively correlated, and the qualitative interview shows how interwoven social and economic benefits often are.
“I had to fight for my VBAC”: A mixed methods exploration of women’s experiences of pregnancy and vaginal birth after cesarean in the United States
Authors: Basile Ibrahim Bridget , Knobf M. Tish , Shorten Allison , Vedam Saraswathi , Cheyney Melissa , Illuzzi Jessica , Kennedy Holly Powell
Published: December 2020

Background

Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is safe, cost‐effective, and beneficial. Despite professional recommendations supporting VBAC and high success rates, VBAC rates in the United States (US) have remained below 15% since 2002. Very little has been written about access to VBAC in the United States from the perspectives of birthing people. We describe findings from a mixed methods study examining experiences seeking a VBAC in the United States.

Methods

Individuals with a history of cesarean and recent subsequent birth were recruited through social media groups. Using an online questionnaire, we collected sociodemographic and birth history information, qualitative accounts of participants’ experiences, and scores on the Mothers on Respect Index, the Mothers Autonomy in Decision Making Scale, and the Generalized Self‐Efficacy Scale.

Results

Participants (N = 1711) representing all 50 states completed the questionnaire; 1151 provided qualitative data. Participants who planned a VBAC reported significantly greater decision‐making autonomy and respectful treatment in their maternity care compared with those who did not. The qualitative theme: “I had to fight for my VBAC” describes participants’ accounts of navigating obstacles to VBAC, including finding a supportive provider and traveling long distances to locate a clinician and/or hospital willing to provide care. Participants cited support from providers, doulas, and peers as critical to their ability to acquire the requisite knowledge and power to effectively self‐advocate.

Discussion

Findings highlight the difficulties individuals face accessing VBAC within the context of a complex health system and help to explain why rates of attempted VBAC remain low.
The definition, screening, and treatment of postpartum anemia: A systematic review of guidelines
Authors: Ruiz de Viñaspre‐Hernández Regina , Gea‐Caballero Vicente , Juárez‐Vela Raúl , Iruzubieta‐Barragán Francisco Javier
Published: December 2020

Background

Postpartum anemia can negatively affect maternal health and interfere with early parenting. Thus, it is important to have clear, evidence‐informed recommendations on its diagnosis and treatment.

Objective

To compare global recommendations regarding the appropriate management of postpartum anemia and to highlight similarities and differences.

Methods

Systematic searches were conducted in the databases PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, TRIP database, and Scopus, and in the websites of health institutions and scientific societies. Search terms were related to anemia and the postpartum period. Two hundred and eighty papers were identified; the full texts of 30 sets of guidelines were reviewed, with seven being included in the final analysis. Recommendations were extracted through an evaluation of the evidence on the definition, screening, and diagnosis of anemia. The quality of the guidelines was assessed using the AGREE II instrument.

Results

Two sets of guidelines have been elaborated by international organizations, and the rest were produced by professional associations within high‐resource countries. The discrepancies found in the guidelines are important and affect the definition of anemia, the criteria for screening asymptomatic women, or the criteria guiding treatment. The quality of the guidelines commonly scored between 4 and 6 on a scale of 0 to 7. Recommendations with poor‐quality evidence predominated over recommendations with high‐quality evidence.

Conclusions

This review highlights the need to reach a consensus on the definition of postpartum anemia, to agree on what constitutes a problem for maternal health, and to provide recommendations that reach greater consensus on its diagnosis and treatment.
Intrinsic motivation enhances online group creativity via promoting members’ effort, not interaction
Authors: Zhang Xinru , Pi Zhongling , Li Chenyu , Hu Weiping
Published: December 2020

Intrinsic motivation is seen as the principal source of vitality in educational settings. This study examined whether intrinsic motivation promoted online group creativity and tested a cognitive mechanism that might explain this effect. University students (N = 72; 61 women) who volunteered to participate were asked to fulfill a creative task with a peer using online software. The peer was actually a fake participant who was programed to send prepared answers in sequence. Ratings of creativity (fluency, flexibility and originality) and eye movement data (focus on own vs. peer’s ideas on the screen) were used to compare students who were induced to have high intrinsic motivation and those induced to have low intrinsic motivation. Results showed that compared to participants with low intrinsic motivation, those with high intrinsic motivation showed higher fluency and flexibility on the creative task and spent a larger percentage of time looking at their own ideas on the screen. The two groups did not differ in how much they looked at the peer’s ideas. In addition, students’ percentage dwell time on their own ideas mediated the beneficial effect of intrinsic motivation on idea fluency. These results suggest that although intrinsic motivation could enhance the fluency of creative ideas in an online group, it does not necessarily promote interaction among group members. Given the importance of interaction in online group setting, findings of this study suggest that in addition to enhancing intrinsic motivation, other measures should be taken to promote the interaction behavior in online groups.

Practitioner Notes

What is already known about this topic

The generation of creative ideas in group settings calls for both individual effort and cognitive stimulation from other members.

Intrinsic motivation has been shown to foster creativity in face‐to‐face groups, which is primarily due the promotion of individual effort.

In online group settings, students’ creativity tends to rely on intrinsic motivation because the extrinsic motivation typically provided by teachers’ supervision and peer pressure in face‐to‐face settings is minimized online.

What this paper adds

Creative performance in online groups benefits from intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation promotes creativity through an individual’s own cognitive effort instead of interaction among members.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Improving students’ intrinsic motivation is an effective way to promote creativity in online groups.

Teachers should take additional steps to encourage students to interact more with each other in online groups.
When self‐prioritization crosses the senses: Crossmodal self‐prioritization demonstrated between vision and touch
Authors: Schäfer Sarah , Wesslein Ann‐Katrin , Spence Charles , Frings Christian
Published: December 2020

The investigation of self‐prioritization via a simple matching paradigm represents a new way of enhancing our knowledge about the processing of self‐relevant content and also increases our understanding of the self‐concept itself. By associating formerly neutral material with the self, and assessing the resulting prioritization of these newly formed self‐associations, conclusions can be drawn concerning the effects of self‐relevance without the burden of highly overlearned materials such as one’s own name. This approach was used to gain further insights into the structure and complexity of self‐associations: a tactile pattern was associated with the self and thereafter, the prioritization of the exact same visual pattern was assessed – enabling the investigation of crossmodal self‐associations. The results demonstrate a prioritization of self‐associated material that rapidly extends beyond the borders of a sensory modality in which it was first established.
Prognostic scoring system and risk stratification in patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis: an 11‐year prospective study at a tertiary referral centre
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Sriram , Zumla Alimuddin , Sekar Hariharasudhan , Muneer Asif , Thiruvengadam Gayathri , Kumaresan Natarajan
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To define pre‐morbid, clinical, laboratory, and imaging features and identify prognostic factors associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) and develop a prognostic scoring system for improving management outcomes.

Patients and Methods

From January 2009 to December 2019, we performed a prospective study of all patients with a suspected diagnosis of EPN referred to a specialist tertiary centre in South India. All patients who underwent non‐contrast computed tomography of the abdomen and those diagnosed with EPN were included in this study. Demographic parameters, imaging, haematological and microbiology results were recorded. Patients were divided into three groups: Group 1, patients who survived without any intervention; Group 2, those who survived with surgical intervention; and Group 3, those who died with or without intervention. A prognostic scoring system was developed from 18 different parameters and risk stratification was developed. The scores were correlated with overall prognosis.

Results

Data from 131 patients with EPN enrolled in the study were analysed: Group 1 (n = 22), Group 2 (n = 102) and Group 3 (n = 7). By using univariate analysis, 10 factors were identified to be significantly associated with prognosis. Diabetes mellitus was the most common comorbidity. Shock at initial admission indicated a poor prognosis and warranted immediate attention (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

A multi‐disciplinary approach, a high index of clinical suspicion, an early diagnosis and administration of culture‐specific antibiotics with identification of prognostic indicators and risk stratification, allows prompt and appropriate medical and surgical treatments that could improve EPN management outcomes.
A novel tool to predict functional outcomes after robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy and the value of additional surgery for incontinence
Authors: Tutolo Manuela , Bruyneel Luk , Van der Aa Frank , Van Damme Nancy , Van Cleynenbreugel Ben , Joniau Steven , Ammirati Enrico , Vos Gigi , Briganti Alberto , De Ridder Dirk , Everaerts Wouter ,   Be‐RALP: the Belgian RALP consortium
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To develop and validate a model to predict 12‐month continence status after robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) from preoperative and 3‐month postoperative data; this model could help in informing patients on their individualised risk of urinary incontinence (UI) after RP in order to choose the best treatment option.

Patients and Methods

Data on 9421 patients in 25 Belgian centres were prospectively collected (2009–2016) in a compulsory regional database. The primary outcome was the prediction of continence status, using the International Consultation on Incontinence Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ‐UI‐SF) at 12‐months after RARP. Linear regression shrinkage was used to assess the association between preoperative 3‐month postoperative characteristics and 12‐month continence status. This association was visualised using nomograms and an online tool.

Results

At 12 months, the mean (sd) score of the ICIQ‐UI‐SF questionnaire was 4.3 (4.7), threefold higher than the mean preoperative score of 1.4. For the preoperative model, high European Association of Urology risk classification for biochemical recurrence (estimate [Est.] 0.606,se0.165), postoperative radiotherapy (Est. 1.563,se0.641), lower preoperative European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire 30‐item core (EORCT QLQ‐C30)/quality of life (QoL) score (Est. −0.011,se0.003), higher preoperative ICIQ‐UI‐SF score (Est 0.214,se0.018), and older age (Est. 0.058,se0.009), were associated with a higher 12‐month ICIQ‐UI‐SF score. For the 3‐month model, higher preoperative ICIQ‐UI‐SF score (Est. 0.083,se0.014), older age (Est. 0.024,se0.007), lower 3‐month EORCT QLQ‐C30/QoL score (Est. −0.010,se0.002) and higher 3‐month ICIQ‐UI‐SF score (Est. 0.562,se0.009) were associated with a higher 12‐month ICIQ‐UI‐SF score.

Conclusions

Our models set the stage for a more accurate counselling of patients. In particular, our preoperative model assesses the risk of UI according to preoperative and early postoperative variables. Our postoperative model can identify patients who most likely would not benefit from conservative treatment and should be counselled on continence surgery.
Rapid and precise delivery of cells in the urethral sphincter complex by a novel needle‐free waterjet technology
Authors: Linzenbold Walter , Jäger Luise , Stoll Hartmut , Abruzzese Tanja , Harland Niklas , Bézière Nicolas , Fech Andreas , Enderle Markus , Amend Bastian , Stenzl Arnulf , Aicher Wilhelm K.
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To investigate the therapy of stress urinary incontinence in a preclinical setting cells were injected into the urethrae of minipigs; however, cells injected by William’s needle were frequently misplaced or lost; thus, we investigated if needle‐free cell injections using a novel waterjet technology facilitates precise injections in the urethral sphincter complex.

Materials and Methods

Porcine adipose tissue‐derived stromal cells (pADSCs) were isolated from boars, expanded, labelled, and injected in the sphincter of female pigs by waterjet employing two different protocols. After incubation for 15 min or 3 days, the urethrae of the pigs were examined. Injected cells were visualised by imaging and fluorescence microscopy of tissue sections. DNA of injected male cells was verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the sex‐determining region (SRY) gene. Cell injections by William’s needle served as controls.

Results

The new waterjet technology delivered pADSCs faster and with better on‐site precision than the needle injections. Bleeding during or after waterjet injection or other adverse effects, such as swelling or urinary retention, were not observed. Morphologically intact pADSCs were detected in the urethrae of all pigs treated by waterjet. SRY‐PCR of chromosomal DNA and detection of recombinant green fluorescent protein verified the injection of viable cells. In contrast, three of four pigs injected by William’s needle displayed no or misplaced cells.

Conclusion

Transurethral injection of viable pADSCs by waterjet is a simple, fast, precise, and yet gentle new technology. This is the first proof‐of‐principle concept study providing evidence that a waterjet injects intact cells exactly in the tissue targeted in a preclinical in vivo situation. To further explore the clinical potential of the waterjet technology longer follow‐up, as well as incontinence models have to be studied.