bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
With Childhood Hemispherectomy, One Hemisphere Can Support--But is Suboptimal for--Word and Face Recognition
Authors: Granovetter Michael C. , Robert Sophia , Ettensohn Leah , Behrmann Marlene
Published: November 2020

The right and left cerebral hemispheres are important for face and word recognition, respectively—a specialization that emerges over human development. The question is whether this bilateral distribution is necessary or whether a single hemisphere, be it left or right, can support both face and word recognition. Here, face and word recognition accuracy in patients with a single hemisphere following childhood hemispherectomy was compared against matched typical controls. In Experiment 1, participants viewed stimuli in central vision. Across both face and word tasks, accuracy of both left and right hemispherectomy patients, while significantly lower than controls’ accuracy, averaged above 80% and did not differ from each other. To compare patients’ single hemisphere more directly to one hemisphere of controls, in Experiment 2, participants viewed stimuli in one visual field to constrain initial processing chiefly to a single (contralateral) hemisphere. Whereas controls had higher word accuracy when words were presented to the right than to the left visual field, there was no field/hemispheric difference for faces. In contrast, left and right hemispherectomy patients, again, showed comparable performance to one another on both face and word recognition, albeit significantly lower than controls. Altogether, the findings indicate that a single developing hemisphere, either left or right, may be sufficiently plastic for comparable representation of faces and words. However, perhaps due to increased competition or “neural crowding,” constraining cortical representations to one hemisphere may collectively hamper face and word recognition, relative to that observed in typical development with two hemispheres.

Significance Statement

Adults show right and left cerebral hemispheric biases for face and word recognition, respectively, a division of labor that emerges over development. Here, face and word recognition were assessed in childhood hemispherectomy patients to study the consequences of development with a single hemisphere. While these patients showed above 80% accuracy on face and word recognition tasks, which is surprisingly high relative to the brain volume resected, they nonetheless performed more poorly than typically developing controls. Importantly, patient performance was independent of which hemisphere was removed, suggesting that their single, preserved hemisphere subserves face and word recognition comparably, albeit somewhat inferiorly relative to controls. This demonstrates the remarkable plasticity of the developing brain but, at the same time, highlights plasticity’s constraints.
SECANT: a biology-guided semi-supervised method for clustering, classification, and annotation of single-cell multi-omics
Authors: Wang Xinjun , Xu Zhongli , Zhou Xueping , Zhang Yanfu , Huang Heng , Ding Ying , Duerr Richard H. , Chen Wei
Published: November 2020

The recent advance of single cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology such as Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by Sequencing (CITE-seq) allows researchers to quantify cell surface protein abundance and RNA expression simultaneously at single cell resolution. Although CITE-seq and other similar technologies have quickly gained enormous popularity, novel methods for analyzing this new type of single cell multi-omics data are still in urgent need. A limited number of available tools utilize data-driven approach, which may undermine the biological importance of surface protein data. In this study, we developed SECANT, a biology-guided SEmi-supervised method for Clustering, classification, and ANnoTation of single-cell multi-omics. SECANT can be used to analyze CITE-seq data, or jointly analyze CITE-seq and scRNA-seq data. The novelties of SECANT include 1) using confident cell type labels identified from surface protein data as guidance for cell clustering, 2) providing general annotation of confident cell types for each cell cluster, 3) fully utilizing cells with uncertain or missing cell type labels to increase performance, and 4) accurate prediction of confident cell types identified from surface protein data for scRNA-seq data. Besides, as a model-based approach, SECANT can quantify the uncertainty of the results, and our framework can be easily extended to handle other types of multi-omics data. We successfully demonstrated the validity and advantages of SECANT via simulation studies and analysis of public and in-house real datasets. We believe this new method will greatly help researchers characterize novel cell types and make new biological discoveries using single cell multi-omics data.
Costly induction of defense reduces plant growth and alters reproductive traits in mixed-matingDatura stramonium
Authors: Jacobsen Deidra J.
Published: November 2020

Herbivory shapes plant trait evolution by altering allocation to growth and defense in ways that affect plant reproduction and fitness. Initiation of these trade-offs may be particularly strong in juvenile plants with high phenotypic plasticity. Herbivory costs are often measured in terms of plant size or flower numbers, but other herbivore-induced floral changes can alter interactions with pollinators and have important implications for mating systems. In mixed-mating plants that can both self-fertilize and outcross, herbivory can maintain mating system variation if herbivore damage and defensive induction change a plant’s likelihood of selfing versus outcrossing. Here, I use mixed-matingDatura stramoniumto evaluate how early defensive induction and herbivory result in trade-offs among plant defense, growth and reproduction. I used a 2×2 factorial manipulation of early chemical defense induction and season-long insecticide in the field. Growth costs of chemical induction were seen even before plants received damage, indicating an inherent cost of defense. Induction and herbivory changed multiple aspects of floral biology associated with a plant’s selfing or outcrossing rate. This including reduced floral allocation, earlier flowering, and reduced anther-stigma separation (herkogamy). Although these floral changes are associated with decreased attractiveness to pollinators, plants exposed to natural herbivory did not have decreased seed set. This is likely because their floral morphologies became more conducive to selfing (via reduced herkogamy). These vegetative and floral changes following damage and defensive induction can impact interactions among plants (by altering mating environment) and interactions with pollinators (via changes in floral allocation and floral phenology).
A general technique for the detection of switch-like bistability in chemical reaction networks governed by mass action kinetics with conservation laws
Authors: Reyes Brandon C , Otero-Muras Irene , Petyuk Vladislav A
Published: November 2020

Background

Theoretical analysis of signaling pathways can provide a substantial amount of insight into their function. One particular area of research considers signaling pathways capable of assuming two or more stable states given the same amount of signaling ligand. This phenomenon of bistability can give rise to switch-like behavior, a mechanism that governs cellular decision making. Investigation of whether or not a signaling pathway can confer bistability and switch-like behavior, without knowledge of specific kinetic rate constant values, is a mathematically challenging problem. Recently a technique based on optimization has been introduced, which is capable of finding example parameter values that confer switch-like behavior for a given pathway. Although this approach has made it possible to analyze moderately sized pathways, it is limited to reaction networks that presume a uniterminal structure. It is this limited structure we address by developing a general technique that applies to any mass action reaction network with conservation laws.

Results

In this paper we developed a generalized method for detecting switch-like bistable behavior in any mass action reaction network with conservation laws. The method involves 1) construction of a constrained optimization problem using the determinant of the Jacobian of the underlying rate equations, 2) minimization of the objective function to search for conditions resulting in a zero eigenvalue 3) computation of a confidence level that describes if the global minimum has been found and 4) evaluation of optimization values, using either numerical continuation or directly simulating the ODE system, to verify that a bistability region exists. The generalized method has been tested on three motifs known to be capable of bistability.

Conclusions

We have developed a variation of an optimization-based method for discovery of bistability, which is not limited to the structure of the chemical reaction network. Successful completion of the method provides an S-shaped bifurcation diagram, which indicates that the network acts as a bistable switch for the given optimization parameters.
Newly identified proviruses in Thermotogota suggest that viruses are the vehicles on the highways of interphylum gene sharing
Authors: Haverkamp Thomas H. A. , Lossouarn Julien , Zhaxybayeva Olga , Lyu Jie , Bienvenu Nadège , Geslin Claire , Nesbø Camilla L.
Published: November 2020

Phylogenomic analyses of bacteria from the phylum Thermotogota have shown extensive lateral gene transfer (LGT) with distantly related organisms, particularly with Firmicutes. One likely mechanism of such DNA transfer is viruses. However, to date only three temperate viruses have been characterized in this phylum, all infecting bacteria from the Marinitoga genus. Here we report 17 proviruses integrated into genomes of eight Thermotogota genera and induce viral particle production from one of the proviruses. The proviruses fall into two groups based on sequence similarity, gene synteny and taxonomic classification. Proviruses of one group are found in six genera and are similar to the previously identified Marinitoga viruses, while proviruses from the second group are only distantly related to the proviruses of the first group, have different genome organization and are found in only two genera. Both groups are closely related to Firmicutes in genomic and phylogenetic analyses, and one of the groups show evidence of very recent LGT and are therefore likely capable of infecting cells from both phyla. We conjecture that viruses are responsible for a large portion of the observed gene flow between Firmicutes and Thermotogota.
Acute radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation exposures cause neuronal DNA damage and impair neurogenesis in the young adolescent rat brain
Authors: Singh Kumari Vandana , Prakash Chandra , Nirala Jay Prakash , Nanda Ranjan Kumar , Rajamani Paulraj
Published: November 2020

Mobile phone is now a commonly used communication device in all age groups. Young adolescents use it for longer duration and effect of its radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on their brain structure and function need detailed investigation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of RF-EMR emitted from mobile phones, on young adolescent rat brain. Wistar rats (5 weeks, male) were exposed to RF-EMR signal (2,115 MHz) from a mobile phone at a whole body averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.15 W/kg continuously for 8 h. Higher level of lipid peroxidation, carbon centered lipid radicals and DNA damage were observed in the brain of rat exposed to RF-EMR. Number of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in dentate gyrus (DG) were found to be relatively low in RF-EMR exposed rats that may be due to reduced neurogenesis. Acute exposure to RF-EMR induced neuronal degeneration in DG region with insignificant variation in CA3, CA1 and cerebral cortex sub regions of hippocampus. Findings of this study, indicate that acute exposure of high frequency RF-EMR at relatively higher SAR may adversely impact the neurogenesis and function of adolescent rat brain. Generation of carbon centered lipid radicals, and nuclear DNA damage might be playing critical role in reduced neurogenesis and higher neuronal degeneration in the cortex and hippocampus of brain. Detailed understanding of RF-EMR induced alteration in brain function will be useful to develop appropriate interventions for reducing the impact caused by RF-EMR damage.
Prime Editing in Mice Reveals the Essentiality of a Single Base in Driving Tissue-Specific Gene Expression
Authors: Gao Pan , Lyu Qing , Ghanam Amr R. , Lazzarotto Cicera R. , Newby Gregory A. , Zhang Wei , Choi Mihyun , Slivano Orazio J. , Holden Kevin , Walker John A. , Kadina Anastasia P. , Munroe Rob J. , Abratte Christian M. , Schimenti John C. , Liu David R. , Tsai Shengdar Q. , Long Xiaochun , Miano Joseph M.
Published: November 2020

Most single nucleotide variants (SNVs) occur in noncoding sequence where millions of transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) reside. Several genome editing platforms have emerged to evaluate the functionality of TFBS in animals. Here, a comparative analysis of CRISPR-mediated homology-directed repair (HDR) versus the recently reported prime editing 2 (PE2) system was carried out in mice to demonstrate the essentiality of a single TFBS, called a CArG box, in the promoter region of theTspan2gene. HDR-mediated substitution of three base pairs in theTspan2CArG box resulted in 20/37 (54%) founder mice testing positive for the correct edit. Mice homozygous for this edit showed near loss ofTspan2expression in aorta and bladder with no change in heart or brain. Using the same protospacer, PE2-mediated editing of a single base in theTspan2CArG box yielded 12/47 (26%) founder mice testing positive for the correct edit. This single base substitution resulted in ∼90% loss ofTspan2expression in aorta and bladder with no change in heart or brain. Targeted sequencing demonstrated all PE2 and HDR founders with some frequency of on-target editing. However, whereas no spurious on-target indels were detected in any of the PE2 founders, many HDR founders showed variable levels of on-target indels. Further, off-target analysis by targeted sequencing revealed mutations in 5/11 (45%) HDR founders but none in PE2 founders. These results demonstrate high fidelity editing of a TFBS with PE2 and suggest a new paradigm for Cre/loxP-free tissue-specific gene inactivation via single base substitution in a TFBS. The PE2 platform of genome editing represents a powerful approach for modeling and correcting relevant noncoding SNVs in the mouse.
Practical considerations for using K3 cameras in CDS mode for high-resolution and high-throughput single particle cryo-EM
Authors: Sun Ming , Azumaya Caleigh , Tse Eric , Frost Adam , Southworth Daniel , Verba Kliment A. , Cheng Yifan , Agard David A.
Published: November 2020

Detector technology plays a pivotal role in high-resolution and high-throughput cryo-EM structure determination. Compared with the first-generation, single-electron counting direct detection camera (Gatan K2), the latest K3 camera is faster, larger, and now offers a correlated-double sampling mode (CDS). Importantly this results in a higher DQE and improved throughput compared to its predecessor. In this study, we focused on optimizing camera data collection parameters for daily use within a cryo-EM facility and explored the balance between throughput and resolution. In total, eight data sets of murine heavy-chain apoferritin were collected at different dose rates and magnifications, using 9-hole image shift data collection strategies. The performance of the camera was characterized by the quality of the resultant 3D reconstructions. Our results demonstrated that the Gatan K3 operating in CDS mode outperformed nonCDS mode in terms of reconstruction resolution in all tested conditions with 8 electrons per pixel per second being the optimal dose rate. At low magnification (64kx) we were able to achieve reconstruction resolutions of 149% of the physical Nyquist limit (1.8 Å with a 1.346 Å physical pixel). Low magnification allows more particles to be collected per image, aiding analysis of heterogeneous samples requiring large data sets. At moderate magnification (105kx, 0.834Å physical pixel size) we achieved a resolution of 1.65 Å within 9 hours of data collection, a condition optimal for achieving high-resolution on well behaved samples. Our results also show that for an optimal sample like apoferritin, one can achieve better than 2.5 Å resolution with 5 minutes of data collection. Together, our studies validate the most efficient ways of imaging protein complexes using the K3 direct detector and will greatly benefit the cryo-EM community.
Determining the stages of cellular differentiation using Deep Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Ralbovsky Nicole M. , Dey Paromita , Dey Bijan K. , Lednev Igor K.
Published: November 2020

Cellular differentiation is a fundamental process in which one cell type changes into one or more specialized cell types. Cellular differentiation starts at the beginning of embryonic development when a simple zygote begins to transform into a complex multicellular organism composed of various cell and tissue types. This process continues into adulthood when adult stem cells differentiate into more specialized cells for normal growth, regeneration, repair, and cellular turnover. Any abnormalities associated with this fundamental process of cellular differentiation is linked to life threatening conditions including degenerative diseases and cancers. Detection of undifferentiated and different stages of differentiated cells can be used for disease diagnosis but is often challenging due to the laborious procedures, expensive tools, and specialized technical skills which are required. Here, a novel approach, called deep ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy, is used to study various stages of cellular differentiation using a well-known myoblast cell line as a model system. These cells proliferate in the growth medium and spontaneously differentiate in differentiation medium into myocytes and later into myotubes and myofibers. The cellular and molecular characteristics of these cells mimic very well actual muscle tissuein vivo. We have found that undifferentiated myoblast cells and myoblast cells differentiated at three different stages are able to be easily separated using deep ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy in combination with chemometric techniques. Our study has a great potential to study cellular differentiation during normal development as well as to detect abnormal cellular differentiation in human pathological conditions in future studies.
Decreased homotopic interhemispheric functional connectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Yao Shuxia , Zhou Menghan , Zhang Yuan , Zhou Feng , Zhang Qianqian , Zhao Zhongbo , Jiang Xi , Xu Xiaolei , Becker Benjamin , Kendrick Keith M.
Published: November 2020

While a number of functional and structural changes occur in large-scale brain networks in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), reduced interhemispheric resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) between homotopic regions may be of particular importance as a biomarker. ASD is an early-onset developmental disorder and neural alterations are often age-dependent, reflecting dysregulated developmental trajectories, although no studies have investigated whether homotopic interhemispheric rsFC alterations occur in ASD children. The present study conducted a voxel-based homotopic interhemispheric rsFC analysis in 146 SD and 175 typically developing children under age 10 and examined associations with symptom severity in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange datasets. Given the role of corpus callosum (CC) in interhemispheric connectivity and reported CC volume changes in ASD we additionally examined whether there were parallel volumetric changes in ASD children. Results demonstrated decreased homotopic rsFC in ASD children in the medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex of the default mode network (DMN), the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex of the salience network, the precentral gyrus and inferior parietal lobule of the mirror neuron system, the lingual, fusiform and inferior occipital gyri of the visual processing network and thalamus. Symptom severity was associated with homotopic rsFC in regions in the DMN and visual processing network. There were no significant CC volume changes in ASD children. The present study shows that reduced homotopic interhemispheric rsFC in brain networks in ASD adults/adolescents is already present in children of 5-10 years old and further supports their potential use as a general ASD biomarker.
Rapid recycling of glutamate transporters on the astroglial surface
Authors: Michaluk Piotr , Heller Janosch , Rusakov Dmitri A.
Published: November 2020

Glutamate uptake by high-affinity astroglial transporters confines excitatory transmission to the synaptic cleft. The efficiency of this mechanism depends on the transporter dynamics in the astrocyte membrane, which remains poorly understood. Here, we visualise the main glial glutamate transporter GLT1 by generating its functional pH-sensitive fluorescent analogue, GLT1-SEP. Combining FRAP-based methods with molecular dissection shows that 70-75% of GLT1-SEP are expressed on the astroglial surface, recycling with a lifetime of only ~22 s. Genetic deletion of the C-terminus accelerates GLT1-SEP membrane turnover by ~60% while disrupting its molecule-resolution surface pattern as revealed by dSTORM. Excitatory activity boosts surface mobility of GLT1-SEP, involving its C-terminus, metabotropic glutamate receptor activation, intracellular Ca2+signalling and calcineurin-phosphatase activity, but not the broad-range kinase activity. The results suggest that membrane turnover, rather than than lateral diffusion, is the main ‘redeployment’ route for the immobile fraction (20-30%) of surface-expressed GLT1. This reveals a novel mechanism by which the brain controls extrasynaptic glutamate escape, in health and disease.
Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, Mycoplasmaspp., and intestinal lesions in experimentally infected zebrafishDanio rerio
Authors: Kent Michael L. , Wall Elena S. , Sichel Sophie , Watral Virginia , Stagaman Keaton , Sharpton Thomas J. , Guillemin Karen
Published: November 2020

Intestinal neoplasms and preneoplastic lesions are common in zebrafish research facilities. Previous studies have demonstrated that the neoplasms are caused by a transmissible agent, and two candidate agents have been implicated: aMycoplasmasp. related toM. penetransand the intestinal parasitic nematode,Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, and both agents are common in zebrafish facilities. To elucidate the role of these two agents in the occurrence and severity of the neoplasm and other intestinal lesions, we conducted two experimental inoculation studies. Exposed fish were examined at various time points over an 8 mo. period for intestinal histpathologic changes and the burden ofMycoplasmaand nematodes. Fish exposed to aMycoplasmaisolate from zebrafish were associated with preneoplastic lesions. Fish exposed to the nematode alone or with theMycoplasmaisolate developed severe lesions and neoplasms. Both inflammation and neoplasm scores were associated with an increase inMycoplasmaburden. These results support the conclusions thatP. tomentosais a strong promoter of intestinal neoplasms in zebrafish, and thatMycoplasmaalone can also cause intestinal lesions and accelerate cancer development in the context of nematode infection.
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and exosome profiling from a year-long human spaceflight reveals circulating biomarkers
Authors: Bezdan Daniela , Grigorev Kirill , Meydan Cem , Pelissier Vatter Fanny A. , Cioffi Michele , Rao Varsha , Nakahira Kiichi , Burnham Philip , Afshinnekoo Ebrahim , Westover Craig , Butler Daniel , Moszary Chris , MacKay Matthew , Foox Jonathan , Mishra Tejaswini , Lucotti Serena , Rana Brinda K. , Melnick Ari M. , Zhang Haiying , Matei Irina , Kelsen David , Yu Kenneth , Lyden David C , Taylor Lynn , Bailey Susan M , P.Snyder Michael , Garrett-Bakelman Francine E. , Ossowski Stephan , De Vlaminck Iwijn , Mason Christopher E.
Published: November 2020

The health impact of prolonged space flight on the human body is not well understood. Liquid biopsies based on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) or exosome analysis provide a noninvasive approach to monitor the dynamics of genomic, epigenomic and proteomic biomarkers, and the occurrence of DNA damage, physiological stress, and immune responses. To study the molecular consequences of spaceflight we profiled cfDNA isolated from plasma of an astronaut (TW) during a year-long mission on the International Space Station (ISS), sampling before, during, and after spaceflight, and compared the results to cfDNA profiling of the subject’s identical twin (HR) who remained on Earth, as well as healthy donors. We characterized cfDNA concentration and fragment size, and the positioning of nucleosomes on cfDNA, observing a significant increase in the proportion of cell-free mitochondrial DNA inflight, suggesting that cf-mtDNA is a potential biomarker for space flight-associated stress, and that this result was robust to ambient transit from the International Space Station (ISS). Analysis of exosomes isolated from post-flight plasma revealed a 30-fold increase in circulating exosomes and distinct exosomal protein cargo, including brain-derived peptides, in TW compared to HR and all known controls. This study provides the first longitudinal analysis of astronaut cfDNA during spaceflight, as well as the first exosome profiles, and highlights cf-mtDNA levels as a potential biomarker for physiological stress or immune system responses related to microgravity, radiation exposure, and other unique environmental conditions on the ISS.
A comprehensive appraisal of Sharīʿah governance practices in Malaysian Islamic banks
Authors: Naysary Babak , Salleh Marhanum Che Mohd , Abdullah Nurdianawati Irwani
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to empirically investigate the impact of the Sharīʿah Governance Framework (SGF) on improving Sharīʿah governance practices in Islamic banks in Malaysia and in addressing its related issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection was carried out using a comprehensive questionnaire survey, which was developed primarily based on SGF-2010 and arguments in the literature. The sample for this study includes key functionaries in Sharīʿah governance including senior managers, Sharīʿah committee (SC) and Sharīʿah team members of Islamic banks in Malaysia.

Findings

The analysis of scores obtained from the questionnaire survey–including 41 items representing current significant issues in Sharīʿah governance–indicates that SGF-2010 has been successful in achieving its objectives and in addressing related issues. The results of the paired sample t-test show significant improvements in Sharīʿah governance practices in Malaysian Islamic banks in light of the aforementioned guideline by Bank Negara Malaysia.

Research limitations/implications

Findings of this research suggest that among the five essential pillars of Sharīʿah governance, namely, accountability and responsibility, independence, competence, confidentiality and transparency, most of the improvements and changes brought about by SGF-2010 are attributable to accountability and responsibility. However, there is still room for improvement in other components of the SGF, particularly with regard to transparency and the independence of the SC and Sharīʿah team.

Originality/value

Given the importance of Sharīʿah governance and considering recent endeavours to improve Sharīʿah-compliant culture among Islamic banks in Malaysia, this research is among the first attempts to empirically and comprehensively delve into this subject and evaluate its main issues by directly contacting key players in the Islamic banking industry and providing first-hand highlights. This research also compares the findings based on SGF-2010 with the requirements of SGF-2017 and Sharīʿah Governance Policy Document (SGPD-2019), which were released after this research was completed, where applicable.
Artificial intelligence, real-time feedback and workplace learning analytics to support in situ complex problem-solving: a commentary
Authors: de Laat Maarten , Joksimovic Srecko , Ifenthaler Dirk
Published: November 2020

Purpose

To help workers make the right decision, over the years, technological solutions and workplace learning analytics systems have been designed to aid this process (Ruiz-Calleja et al., 2019). Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to further revolutionise the integration of human and artificial learning and will impact human and machine collaboration during team work (Seeber et al., 2020).

Design/methodology/approach

Complex problem-solving has been identified as one of the key skills for the future workforce (Hager and Beckett, 2019). Problems faced by today's workforce emerge in situ and everyday workplace learning is seen as an effective way to develop the skills and experience workers need to embrace these problems (Campbell, 2005; Jonassen et al., 2006).

Findings

In this commentary the authors argue that the increased digitization of work and social interaction, combined with recent research on workplace learning analytics and AI opens up the possibility for designing automated real-time feedback systems capable of just-in-time, just-in-place support during complex problem-solving at work. As such, these systems can support augmented learning and professional development in situ.

Originality/value

The commentary reflects on the benefits of automated real-time feedback systems and argues for the need of shared research agenda to cohere research in the direction of AI-enabled workplace analytics and real-time feedback to support learning and development in the workplace.
Mapping the intervention of sustainable design studio using multidimensional scaling and pathfinder networks
Authors: Yilmaz Tolga , Kapkin Engin
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate undergraduate industrial design students’ perception of sustainable design concepts and how their conceptualization evolves as a function of their attendance to a specific sustainable design studio (SDS) course.

Design/methodology/approach

Two groups of students participated in the study. Students who did not attend to SDS were in the control group, whereas students who attended SDS were in the experimental group. In total, 22 concepts, which have been highlighted in literature and the SDS course, were selected as keywords. Participants were asked to provide relatedness scores of these keywords before and after they attended the course. The data were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and pathfinder (PF) networks.

Findings

Results indicate that the SDS caused a change in the conceptualization of sustainable design concepts parallel to the course outcomes and the literature. Some concepts were highlighted as conveyors that guide students to conceptualize sustainable development and design.

Research limitations/implications

This study is considered a case study focusing on declarative knowledge, and owing to the low number of participants, the results should be carefully interpreted.

Practical implications

The findings may support design educators to enhance their courses and promote deeper debates on teaching sustainable design.

Originality/value

Two specific dimensions were found from the analysis of multidimensional scaling, and several conveyor concepts were identified from PF networks. Allocating proposed dimensions and concepts into a course may have the potentials to enhance students’ perception of sustainability concepts.
Structural determinants of graduate employability: impact of university and industry collaborations
Authors: Aliu John , Aigbavboa Clinton Ohis
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of university and construction industry collaborations (UIC) activities in developing the employability of built environment graduates.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a quantitative approach wherein data was obtained from professionals across academia, construction industry and government establishment within the South African built environment. A total of 204 questionnaires were administered to these professionals to provide information regarding the subject matter under question. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was adopted to examine possible relationships among identified factors that were obtained from a review of extant literature. SEM was performed using analysis of moment structures (AMOS Graphics, version 26) in testing the model and a best-fit was achieved after various model selections and validation tests were conducted.

Findings

The final model revealed that graduate employability can be improved through UIC as effective university-industry linkages provide students with mentoring opportunities and exposure to relevant training which improves their job market prospects and ultimately increases their professional relevance in the long run.

Practical implications

To continuously enhance the employability of students before graduation, universities are required to foster collaborations with the industry as such linkages are critical to the development of the future custodians of the construction industry.

Originality/value

There have been several generalized statements as to which of the UIC activities contribute to graduate employability. Therefore, through the use of SEM using AMOS, it was possible to state precisely the UIC constructs that are statistically significant and contribute to graduate employability.
An exploratory treatise on the ethnocentric tendencies of Emirati Gen Z consumers
Authors: Potluri Rajasekhara Mouly , Johnson Sophia , Koppalakrishnan Premila
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the ethnocentric tendencies of Emirati Gen Z consumers and to provide empirical evidence on how demographic variables (gender and education) influence ethnocentric tendencies. The study also attempts to know the impact of ethnocentrism on the buying behavior of the segment.

Design/methodology/approach

Researchers collected the opinions of 310 Emirati Gen Z consumers by using a modified CETSCALE. The data was reviewed and coded by applying software R Studio and Microsoft Excel. Cronbach’s α and Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) tests were administered to check the internal consistency and validity of the 17-item CETSCALE. Then, the factor extraction method principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze the data. The selected hypotheses were tested by using the Cronbach α and Kruskal–Wallis (K-W) hypothesis testing technique.

Findings

The findings suggest that Emirati Gen Z consumers substantially ethnocentric who prefer domestic products/services over foreign goods. No significant influence of gender and education on Emirati Gen Z consumers’ ethnocentric tendencies.

Research limitations/implications

The targeted subjects were selected only from Dubai and the Sharjah Emirates and not covered the remaining five emirates of the UAE. Consumers were asked to assess their ethnocentrism without reference to a specific product or service.

Originality/value

This type of meticulous study in the UAE has never been done before to explore the ethnocentric tendencies of Gen Z consumers.
Strengthening consumers’ halal buying behaviour: role of attitude, religiosity and personal norm
Authors: Tuhin Md. Kashedul Wahab , Miraz Mahadi Hasan , Habib Md. Mamun , Alam Md. Mahbub
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to determine direct and indirect ways of strengthening consumer’s halal buying behaviour. For this, the researchers explore the role of religiosity and consumers’ personal norms on consumers’ attitudes and halal buying behaviour. The study also reconnoiters the mediating role of consumer attitudes.

Design/methodology/approach

With a structured questionnaire, a survey was conducted to collect data on consumer attitudes, personal norms and halal buying behaviour. Finally, 229 valid questioners were retained for data analysis. The structural equation modelling technique was used for data analysis using SmartPLS 3.0 software.

Findings

The result of this study suggests that consumers’ attitude towards halal purchase depends on consumers’ personal norms and religiosity. Further, the role of consumer attitudes and religiosity on the halal buying behaviour of consumers is significant. However, the personal norm is not a significant predictor of halal buying behaviour. Consumer attitudes mediate the relationships between personal norms and halal buying behaviour, as well as religiosity and halal buying behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the present study indicate that consumers’ personal norms and religiosity are the important determinants of consumer attitude and behaviour towards halal purchase. Marketers of halal products and services should focus on strengthening consumers’ attitudes and religiosity to influence consumer behaviour towards halal purchase.

Originality/value

In light of recent research studies on the halal purchase, the present research finds the essential predictors of consumers’ halal purchase attitude and behaviour. The study also reveals that consumer attitude is an important role in strengthening halal buying behaviour, as it has both direct and indirect impact halal buying behaviour.
Oppositional loyalty as a brand identity-driven outcome: a conceptual framework and empirical evidence
Authors: Liao Junyun , Dong Xuebing , Luo Ziwei , Guo Rui
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Oppositional loyalty toward rival brands is prevalent. Although its antecedents have increasingly received scholarly attention, the literature is rather disparate. Based on identity theory, this study aims to propose that oppositional loyalty is a brand identity-driven outcome and provides a unified framework for understanding the formation and activation of brand identity in influencing oppositional loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was used to test the theoretical framework based on an online survey of 329 brand community members. Multigroup analysis was used to test the moderating effect of inter-consumer brand rivalry and brand community engagement.

Findings

The results show that self-brand similarity, brand prestige and brand uniqueness lead to consumers’ brand identity (i.e. consumer-brand identification), which, in turn, facilitates oppositional loyalty. Furthermore, the results indicate that inter-consumer brand rivalry and brand community engagement are identity-salient situations that strengthen the relationship between consumer-brand identification and oppositional loyalty.

Practical implications

Identity has great power in shaping consumer behaviors. Fostering consumer-brand identification is critical for firms to prevent consumers from switching to competing brands. Inter-consumer brand rivalry and brand community engagement can help firms consolidate their customer base by evoking consumers’ brand identity.

Originality/value

This investigation makes theoretical contributions by providing a unified theoretical framework to model the development of oppositional loyalty based on identity theory.
Effect of friction stir process parameters on tensile strength of eggshell and SiC-reinforced aluminium-based composite
Authors: Islam Anas , Dwivedi Shashi Prakash , Dwivedi Vijay Kumar
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to minimize pollution and enhance the mechanical properties of SiC- reinforced aluminum- based composite by utilizing waste eggshell. Pollution is increasing at an exponential rate across the globe. Every nation is struggling to have strong control over the rise in pollution. Many countries are even successful in this regard, but only up to a certain extent; also, a lot of capital investment is required just to make arrangements for making and taking care of dedicated dump yards. An alternative approach in this regard could be using the unwanted wastes in some constructive works by recycling them. Novel strategies and dedicated cells for the research and development regarding the recycling of various kinds of wastes are continuously being developed by various nations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study attempts to make a hybrid composite of AA6101 alloy through the friction stir process (FSP) technique in which waste eggshells and SiC have been used as reinforcement particles. As the densities of eggshells, SiC show different values of densities to make them a single entity, they were subjected to ball milling for around 75 h. After ball milling, the reinforcement particles (eggshells and SiC) were distributed uniformly in the metal matrix (Al), and they appear as a single entity in the metal matrix composite.

Findings

The main objective of this study is to obtain an enhanced value of tensile strength of the final composite. Concerning this, the parameters of FSP, i.e. rotational speed and transverse speed, have been optimized through the Box–Behnken design approach. The optimized values of FSP parameters came out to be as 935.92 rpm of rotational speed and 22.48 mm/min as transverse speed value.

Originality/value

The results showed that the tensile strength and hardness of the composite developed at an optimum combination of FSP parameters enhanced by about 47.14 and 45.45%, respectively.
Population increase and changes in behavior and morphology in the Critically Endangered Redonda ground lizard (Pholidoscelis atratus) following the successful removal of alien rats and goats
Authors: DONIHUE Colin M. , DALTRY Jennifer C. , CHALLENGER Shanna , HERREL Anthony
Published: November 2020

Redonda is a small volcanic Caribbean island that is home to at least 4 endemic lizard species, including the Critically Endangered ground lizard (Pholidoscelis atratus). Black rats (Rattus rattus) and domestic goats (Capra hircus) were introduced to the island at some time after its discovery by Europeans in the late 1500s. They had a devastating effect on the island, resulting in the loss of nearly all trees and most of the ground vegetation. Point count surveys of P. atratus in 2012 indicated low densities, and the invasive rats were observed hunting and preying on the lizards. Both populations of rats and goats were successfully removed in 2017 as part of an ecological restoration program, and native vegetation and invertebrate populations have increased rapidly since. Population surveys in 2017, 2018, and 2019 show the lizard population has increased by more than sixfold. In 2017, as rats and goats were being removed, we evaluated the morphology and escape behavior of this species and repeated these measurements 1 year later. We observed that P. atratus had become bolder, with a reduced flight distance. We also detected changes in limb morphology related to locomotion and suggest possible explanations that will need to be further investigated in the future. These results show how the removal of invasive species can rapidly affect lizard population recovery and behavior, potentially restoring island ecosystems to their pre‐human interference dynamics.
Comparison of the Diagnostic Value of Phosphatidylethanol and Carbohydrate‐Deficient Transferrin as Biomarkers of Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Årving Alexander , Høiseth Gudrun , Hilberg Thor , Trydal Torleif , Husa Asgeir , Djordjevic Aleksandar , Kabashi Saranda , Vindenes Vigdis , Bogstrand Stig Tore
Published: November 2020

Background

The aim of this study was to compare the results of Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) and carbohydrate‐deficient transferrin (CDT) in blood as biomarkers of alcohol consumption in a large clinical cohort and to evaluate concentrations in relation to age and sex.

Methods

Results of PEth 16:0/18:1 in blood and CDT in serum were included, together with information of age and sex, which were extracted from a clinical chemistry database containing samples mostly from patients of primary care physicians and social care institutions. PEth concentrations were determined using Ultra Performance Convergence chromatography mass spectrometer. CDT was quantified by electrophoretic Capillary System. CDT values ≥ 1.7 %‐units and PEth values ≥ 0.31 µmol/L were considered to indicate heavy alcohol consumption.

Results

Samples from 6705 patients were included. The median age was 54.5 years, and 34 % were females. Only 47 % of the patients with PEth ≥ 0.31 µmol/L had increased CDT ≥ 1.7 %‐units examined in the same specimen (Cohen’s kappa was 0.43, p < 0.001). Patients above 50 years had significantly higher concentrations for both CDT (1.0 %‐units vs. 0.9 %‐units, p < 0.001) and PEth (0.340 µmol/L vs. 0.200 µmol/L, p < 0.001) compared with younger patients. Concentrations of CDT were significantly higher in males compared with females (p = 0.002), while no significant sex differences were seen for PEth (p = 0.465).

Conclusions

A high fraction of the patients had PEth values above the suggested cutoff for heavy drinking and normal CDT values, verifying the superior sensitivity of PEth compared with CDT. The effect of age seems to be minor for both markers. Higher concentrations of CDT, but not PEth, were seen in males, indicating that PEth, as opposed to CDT, might be formed equally in men and women. Therefore, the bias due to sex is possibly present only for CDT, not for PEth.
Microglia Phenotypes Following the Induction of Alcohol Dependence in Adolescent Rats
Authors: Peng Hui , Nixon Kimberly
Published: November 2020

Background

Activation of the innate immune system may play a role in the development of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), which often originate with adolescent alcohol abuse. A key player in the innate immune system is microglia, the activation of which occurs along a spectrum from proinflammatory, or M1‐like, to anti‐inflammatory, or M2‐like, phenotypes.

Methods

Adolescent, male rats were gavaged with ethanol (EtOH) or isocaloric control diet every 8 hours for 4 days and then sacrificed at 0, 2, 7, and 14 days later. Microglia were isolated from the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus by Percoll gradient centrifugation, labeled with surface antigens for activation, and analyzed by flow cytometry. Polarization states of microglia, defined as CD11b+CD45low cells, were determined by the expression of M1 surface markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II, CD32, and CD86, and M2 surface marker, CD206 (mannose receptor). Cytokine gene expression was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Isolated cells were a highly enriched population (>95% pure) of microglia/macrophages according to CD11b immunoreactivity. EtOH rats showed the most dramatic increases in microglia activation markers CD11b and CD45, and M1 (MHC‐II) and M2 (CD206) markers at T2, when additional M1 markers CD86 and CD32 were also increased. Surprisingly, proinflammatory gene expression of CCL2, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α generally was decreased at all time points in EtOH rats except for IL‐6 which was increased at T0 and TNF‐α which was not changed at T0 in either region. Simultaneously, BDNF expression was increased at T2 and T7, while IGF1 and TGF‐β gene expression was decreased. Arginase was also increased at T0 in hippocampus, but not changed by alcohol otherwise.

Conclusions

These data show that microglia phenotype after alcohol dependence is not a simple M1 or M2 classification, though more indicators of an anti‐inflammatory phenotype were observed. Determining microglia phenotype is critical for understanding their role in the development of AUDs.