bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CLINICAL COURSE AND OUTCOME OF COVID-19 ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME: DATA FROM A NATIONAL REPOSITORY
Authors: El-Solh Ali A. , Meduri Umberto G. , Lawson Yolanda , Carter Michael , Mergenhagen Kari A.
Published: October 2020

Background

Mortality attributable to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) 2 infection occurs mainly through the development of viral pneumonia-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Research Question

The objective of the study is to delineate the clinical profile, predictors of disease progression, and 30-day mortality from ARDS using the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse.

Study Design and Methods

Analysis of a historical cohort of 7,816 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection between January 1, 2020, and August 1, 2020. Main outcomes were progression to ARDS and 30-day mortality from ARDS, respectively.

Results

The cohort was comprised predominantly of men (94.5%) with a median age of 69 years (interquartile range [IQR] 60-74 years). 2,184 (28%) were admitted to the intensive care unit and 643 (29.4%) were diagnosed with ARDS. The median Charlson Index was 3 (IQR 1-5). Independent predictors of progression to ARDS were body mass index (BMI)≥ 40 kg/m2, diabetes, lymphocyte counts<700×109/L, LDH>450 U/L, ferritin >862 ng/ml, C-reactive protein >11 mg/dL, and D-dimer >1.5 ug/ml. In contrast, the use of an anticoagulant lowered the risk of developing ARDS (OR 0.66 [95% CI 0.49-0.89]. Crude 30-day mortality rate from ARDS was 41% (95% CI 38%-45%). Risk of death from ARDS was significantly higher in those who developed acute renal failure and septic shock. Use of an anticoagulant was associated with two-fold reduction in mortality. Survival benefit was observed in patients who received corticosteroids and/or remdesivir but there was no advantage of combination therapy over either agent alone.

Conclusions

Among those hospitalized for COVID-19, nearly one in ten progressed to ARDS. Septic shock, and acute renal failure are the leading causes of death in these patients. Treatment with either remdesivir and corticosteroids reduced the risk of mortality from ARDS. All hospitalized patients with COVID-19 should be placed at a minimum on prophylactic doses of anticoagulation.
Corticosteroids reduce vascular ultrasound sensitivity even with short duration: results from Coventry Multi-Disciplinary Fast Track Pathway for management of Giant Cell Arteritis
Authors: Pinnell Jonathan , Mehta Purnima , Tiivas Carl , Dubey Shirish
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a common form of vasculitis and can result in permanent visual loss and other complications. The advent of vascular Doppler ultrasound (US) has provided a new means for early diagnosis for these patients although it is affected by introduction of corticosteroids (CS). The Coventry multidisciplinary fast track (FTGCA) pathway was set up in 2013 in collaboration with vascular physiology and ophthalmology with a view to enabling prompt multidisciplinary assessment.

Objectives

This study aims to assess feasibility of this novel pathway and to assess the impact of CS use on the performance of US in a real life cohort.

Methods

Data were collected retrospectively for patients who attended the Coventry FTGCA pathway between 1st Jan 2014 to 31st December 2017. Patients were identified from US lists and clinical details were obtained from electronic medical records. Ethical approval was obtained from Research and Development department.

Results

620 eligible patients were included in this study. The pathway overall performed well with significant reduction in patients needing CS. US had sensitivity of 50% which improved further to ∼56% in CS naïve patients although median duration of CS use was 2 days. US specificity was >96%, and we were able to avoid using CS completely in 451 patients (73%). CS negatively impacted on utility of US with US more likely to be false negative.

Conclusions

This novel pathway demonstrates the ability to minimise use of CS through fast track multidisciplinary assessment. US was performed promptly and had reassuring real life sensitivity and specificity in this cohort. CS naïve patients showed significantly higher sensitivity for US despite the short duration of CS use.
Exact solution of infection dynamics with gamma distribution of generation intervals
Authors: Vazquez Alexei
Published: October 2020

Infectious disease outbreaks are expected to grow exponentially in time but their initial dynamics is less known. Here I derive analytical expressions for the infectious disease dynamics with a gamma distribution of generation intervals. Excluding the exponential distribution, the outbreak grows as a power law at short times. At long times the dynamics is exponential with a growth rate determined by the basic reproductive number and the parameters of the generation interval distribution. These analytical expressions can be deployed to do better estimates of infectious disease parameters.
Association between live childhood vaccines and COVID-19 outcomes: a national-level analysis
Authors: Ogimi Chikara , Qu Pingping , Boeckh Michael , Bender Ignacio Rachel A. , Zangeneh Sahar Z.
Published: October 2020

We investigated whether countries with higher coverage of childhood live vaccines [BCG or measles-containing-vaccine (MCV)] have reduced risk of COVID-19 related mortality, accounting for known systems differences between countries. In this ecological study of 140 countries using publicly available national-level data, higher vaccine coverage, representing estimated proportion of people vaccinated during the last 15 years, was associated with lower COVID-19 deaths. The associations attenuated for both vaccine variables, and MCV coverage became no longer significant once adjusted for a validated summary score accounting for life expectancy and healthcare quality indicators, the Healthcare access and quality index (HAQI). The magnitude of association between BCG coverage and COVID-19 death rate varied according to HAQI, and MCV coverage had little effect on the association between BCG and COVID-19 deaths. While there are associations between live vaccine coverage and COVID-19 outcomes, the vaccine coverage variables themselves were strongly correlated with COVID-19 testing rate, HAQI, and life expectancy. This suggests that the population-level associations may be further confounded by differences in structural health systems and policies. Cluster randomized studies of booster vaccines would be ideal to evaluate the efficacy of trained immunity in preventing COVID-19 infections and mortality in vaccinated individuals and on community transmission.
A laboratory module that explores RNA interference and codon optimization through fluorescence microscopy usingCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Palmisano Nicholas J. , Azmi Maryam A. , Medwig-Kinney Taylor N. , Moore Frances E. Q. , Rahman Rumana , Zhang Wan , Adikes Rebecca C. , Matus David Q.
Published: October 2020

Scientific research experiences are beneficial to students allowing them to gain laboratory and problem-solving skills, as well as foundational research skills in a team-based setting. We designed a laboratory module to provide a guided research experience to stimulate curiosity, introduce students to experimental techniques, and provide students with foundational skills needed for higher levels of guided inquiry. In this laboratory module, students learn about RNA interference (RNAi) and codon optimization using the research organismCaenorhabditis elegans(C. elegans). Students are given the opportunity to perform a commonly used method of gene downregulation inC. eleganswhere they visualize gene depletion using fluorescence microscopy and quantify the efficacy of depletion using quantitative image analysis. The module presented here educates students on how to report their results and findings by generating publication quality figures and figure legends. The activities outlined exemplify ways by which students can improve their critical thinking, data interpretation, and technical skills, all of which are beneficial for future laboratory classes, independent inquiry-based research projects, and careers in the life sciences and beyond.
Monitoring for outbreak associated excess mortality in an African city: Detection limits in Antananarivo, Madagascar
Authors: Rasambainarivo Fidisoa , Rasoanomenjanahary Anjarasoa , Rabarison Joelinotahiana Hasina , Ramiadantsoa Tanjona , Ratovoson Rila , Randremanana Rindra , Randrianarisoa Santatriniaina , Rajeev Malavika , Masquelier Bruno , Heraud Jean Michel , Metcalf C. Jessica E. , Rice Benjamin L.
Published: October 2020

Quantitative estimates of the impact of infectious disease outbreaks are required to develop measured policy responses. In many low- and middle-income countries, inadequate surveillance and incompleteness of death registration are important barriers. Here, we characterize how large an impact on mortality would have to be to be detectable using the uniquely detailed mortality notification data from the city of Antananarivo in Madagascar, with application to a recent measles outbreak. The weekly mortality rate of children during the 2018-2019 measles outbreak was 154% above the expected value at its peak, and the signal can be detected earlier in children than in the general population. This approach to detecting anomalies from expected baseline mortality allows us to delineate the prevalence of COVID-19 at which excess mortality would be detectable with the existing death notification system in the capital of Madagascar. Given current age-specific estimates of the COVID-19 fatality ratio and the age structure of the population in Antananarivo, we estimate that as few as 11 deaths per week in the 60-70 years age group (corresponding to an infection rate of approximately 1%) would detectably exceed the baseline. Data from 2020 will undergo necessary processing and quality control in the coming months. Our results provide a baseline for interpreting this information.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on mental health of children and adolescents in Greece
Authors: Magklara Konstantina , Lazaratou Helen , Barbouni Anastasia , Poulas Konstantinos , Farsalinos Konstantinos ,   Coronavirus Greece Research Group
Published: October 2020

Background

Mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown measures are expected to be profound.

Aim

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of the pandemic and the lockdown on children’s and adolescents’ mental health in Greece.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of 1,232 Greek parents of children and adolescents aged < 18 years was conducted in March and May 2020. Parents provided information about sociodemographic characteristics, family everyday life during the lockdown and the pandemic psychological impact on their children.

Results

Approximately one-third (35.1%) of parents reported that the psychological health of their children was considerably affected. The most significant concern was social isolation. Unemployment, increased family conflicts, no opportunity for tele-work and a deteriorating psychological health of the parent, as well as children’s previous history of physical health conditions were all significantly associated with adverse mental health impact.

Conclusion

A considerable proportion of children and adolescents may experience adverse mental health effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures, and socioeconomic inequalities may be associated with these effects.
2.5 Million Person-Years of Life Have Been Lost Due to COVID-19 in the United States
Authors: Elledge Stephen J.
Published: October 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by tens of millions of SARS-CoV-2 infections world-wide, has resulted in considerable levels of mortality and morbidity. The United States has been hit particularly hard having 20 percent of the world’s infections but only 4 percent of the world population. Unfortunately, significant levels of misunderstanding exist about the severity of the disease and its lethality. As COVID-19 disproportionally impacts elderly populations, the false impression that the impact on society of these deaths is minimal may be conveyed by some because elderly individuals are closer to a natural death. To assess the impact of COVID-19 in the US, I have performed calculations of person-years of life lost as a result of 194,000 premature deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 infection as of early October, 2020. By combining actuarial data on life expectancy and the distribution of COVID-19 associated deaths we estimate that over 2,500,000 person-years of life have been lost so far in the pandemic in the US alone, averaging over 13.25 years per person with differences noted between males and females. Importantly, nearly half of the potential years of life lost occur in non-elderly populations. Issues impacting refinement of these models and the additional morbidity caused by COVID-19 beyond lethality are discussed.
Temporal regulation of motor behavior on a modified forelimb dexterity test in mice
Authors: Mohammed Hisham , Li Yue , Grazia Paola Di , Bernstein Amanda , Agger Sydney , Hollis Edmund
Published: October 2020

Hand and arm manual dexterity is a hallmark of humans and non-human primates. While rodents are less dexterous than primates, they provide powerful models for testing neural circuit function in behavioral output, including dexterous behaviors. In rodents, the single pellet reach task has been used extensively to study both dexterous forelimb motor learning as well as recovery from injury; however, mice exhibit high variability in task acquisition in comparison to rats and a significant percentage fail to learn the task. We have created a recessed version of the task that requires greater dexterity. This subtle modification increases both task difficulty as well as the proportion of mice that show an improvement with training. Furthermore, motor cortex inactivation shows a greater effect on the execution of the recessed forelimb reach task, with distinct effects on reach targeting vs grasping components depending on the timing of inhibitory activation. Kinematic analysis revealed differences in reach targeting upon transient cortical inhibition prior to reach onset. In summary, the recessed single pellet reach task provides a robust assessment of forelimb dexterity in mice and a tool for studying skilled motor acquisition and execution.
Quinomycin A reduces cyst progression in Polycystic Kidney Disease
Authors: Radadiya Priyanka S , Thornton Mackenzie M , Magenheimer Brenda , Subramaniam Dharmalingam , Tran Pamela V , Calvet James P , Wallace Darren P , Sharma Madhulika
Published: October 2020

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder that affects cilia homeostasis and causes progressive growth of tubular-derived cysts within the kidney. Efforts to find safer drugs for PKD have increased in the past few years after the successful launch of tolvaptan, the first approved drug to combat autosomal dominant PKD progression. Here we investigate the effects of Quinomycin A on progression of PKD. Quinomycin A is a bis-intercalator peptide that has previously shown to be effective against cancer progression. Quinomycin A treatment decreased cyst progression of human ADPKD primary renal epithelial cells grown in a 3D collagen gel to form cysts. In an orthologous mouse model of PKD, Quinomycin A administration reduced kidney to body weight ratios, and reduced cystogenesis. This was accompanied by decreased cell proliferation and fibrosis. Quinomycin treatments efficiently reduced the expression of Notch pathway proteins, RBPjk and HeyL in kidneys of PKD mice. Interestingly, Quinomycin treatments also normalized cilia lengths of collecting duct cyst-lining renal epithelia of PKD mice. This is the first preclinical study to our knowledge that demonstrates Quinomycin A has protective effects against PKD progression, in part by reducing Notch signaling and renal epithelial cilia lengths. Our findings suggest Quinomycin A has potential therapeutic value for PKD patients.
The Safety of Contemporary Planned Cancer Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Shackley D , Gray S , Penney S , Galligan-Dawson L , Howle F , Arya S , Hunter J , Andrews F , Wasson C , Luckas M , Ryan B , Eddleston J , Brookes C , Harrison C
Published: October 2020

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has put an unprecedented burden on global healthcare, including detrimental implications for the volume and provision of surgical services. The aim of this audit was to assess if the planned surgical cancer care (both diagnostic for possible cancer, and treatment of known cancer) during this period of widespread community and hospital based COVID-19 infection resulted in patients acquiring symptomatic COVID-19 as a consequence of their surgical admission, and if so, what the impact on patients was.

Methods

A prospective audit of all patients undergoing elective cancer surgery in Greater Manchester operated on between 01/05/2020 and 31/06/2020 was undertaken after the introduction of specific peri operative COVID safety measures across Greater Manchester cancer surgical cells. The COVID related outcomes for all cancer patients operated on in Greater Manchester were recorded.

Results

Of the 1501 patients undergoing surgery, one (<0.1%) was diagnosed with COVID-19 in hospital within 14 days of surgery. This patient did not require admission to critical care due to post-operative COVID-19 diagnosis, and there was no associated mortality related to post-operative COVID-19 infection.

Conclusion

The use of peri operative COVID-19 infection prevention strategies has allowed for the safe continuation of elective cancer surgery during this pandemic in all surgical units, without significant additional COVID-19 related morbidity or mortality.
Using near-infrared spectroscopy to discriminate closely related species: A case study of neotropical ferns
Authors: Paiva Darlem Nikerlly Amaral , de Oliveira Perdiz Ricardo , Almeida Thaís Elias
Published: October 2020

Identifying plant species requires considerable knowledge and can be difficult without complete specimens. Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) is an effective technique for discriminating plant species, especially angiosperms. However, its efficacy has never been tested on ferns. Here we tested the accuracy of FT-NIR at discriminating species of the genusMicrogramma. We obtained 16 spectral readings per individual from the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of 100 specimens belonging to 13 species. The analyses included all 1557 spectral variables. We tested different datasets (adaxial+abaxial, adaxial, and abaxial) to compare the correct identification of species through the construction of discriminant models (LDA, PLS) and cross-validation techniques (leave-one-out, K-fold). All analyses recovered an overall high percentage (>90 %) of correct predictions of specimen identifications for all datasets, regardless of the model or cross-validation used. On average, there was > 95 % accuracy when using PLS-DA and both cross-validations. Our results show the high predictive power of FT-NIR at correctly discriminating fern species when using leaves of dried herbarium specimens. The technique is sensitive enough to reflect species delimitation problems and possible hybridization, and it has the potential of helping better delimit and identify fern species.
Correction of eIF2-dependent defects in brain protein synthesis, synaptic plasticity and memory in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Oliveira Mauricio M. , Lourenco Mychael V. , Longo Francesco , Kasica Nicole P. , Yang Wenzhong , Ureta Gonzalo , Ferreira Danielle D. P. , Mendonça Paulo H. J. , Bernales Sebastian , Ma Tao , De Felice Fernanda G. , Klann Eric , Ferreira Sergio T.
Published: October 2020

Neuronal protein synthesis is essential for long-term memory consolidation. Conversely, dysregulation of protein synthesis has been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Several types of cellular stress trigger the activation of protein kinases that converge on the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α-P). This leads to attenuation of cap-dependent mRNA translation, a component of the integrated stress response (ISR). We show that AD brains exhibit increased eIF2α-P and reduced eIF2B, key components of the eIF2 translation initiation complex. We further demonstrate that attenuating the ISR with the small molecule compound ISRIB (ISR Inhibitor) rescues hippocampal protein synthesis and corrects impaired synaptic plasticity and memory in mouse models of AD. Our findings suggest that attenuating eIF2α-P-mediated translational inhibition may comprise an effective approach to alleviate cognitive decline in AD.
Proteomics study of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps identifies TFR1, SAHH, and HV307 as potential biomarkers for screening
Authors: Tang Meifang , Zeng Liuhong , Zeng Zhaolei , Liu Jie , Yuan Jie , Wu Dongjie , Lu Ying , Zi Jin , Ye Mingzhi
Published: October 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumour with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Efficient screening strategies for CRC and pre-cancerous lesions will promote early medical intervention and treatment, thus reducing morbidity and mortality. Proteins are generally considered key biomarkers of cancer. Herein, we performed a quantitative, tissue-original proteomics study in a cohort of ninety patients from pre-cancerous to cancerous conditions by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 134,812 peptides, 8,697 proteins, 2,355 (27.08%) union differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), and 409 shared DEPs (compared with adjacent tissues) were identified. The number of DEPs showed a positive correlation with increasing severity of illness. The union and shared DEPs were both enriched in the KEGG pathway of focal adhesion, metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, and drug metabolism – cytochrome P450. Among the 2,355 union DEPs, 32 were selected for identification and validation by multiple reaction monitoring from twenty plasma specimens. Of these, three proteins, transferrin receptor protein 1 (TFR1), adenosylhomocysteinase (SAHH), and immunoglobulin heavy variable 3-7 (HV307), were significantly differentially expressed and displayed the same expression pattern in plasma as observed in the tissue data. In conclusion, TFR1, SAHH, and HV307 may be considered as potential biomarkers for screening of CRC.

Significance

CRC is a malignant tumour with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Efficient screening strategies for CRC and pre-cancerous lesions can play an important role in addressing the issue of high morbidity and mortality. Screening of molecular biomarkers provide a non-invasive, cost-effective and effective approach. Proteins are generally considered key molecular biomarkers of cancer. Our study reports a quantitative proteomics analysis of protein biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) and adenomatous polyps and identifies TFR1, SAHH, and HV307 as potential biomarkers for screening. The research makes a significant contribution to the literature because whereas mass spectrometry-based proteomics research has been widely used for clinical research, its application to clinical translation is lacking as parallel specimens ranging from pre-cancerous to cancerous tissues, according to the degree of disease progression, have not been readily assessed.
Multi-step vs. single-step resistance evolution under different drugs, pharmacokinetics and treatment regimens
Authors: Igler Claudia , Rolff Jens , Regoes Roland R.
Published: October 2020

The success of antimicrobial treatment is threatened by the evolution of drug resistance. Population genetic models are an important tool in mitigating that threat. However, most such models consider resistance emergence via a single mutational step. Here, we assembled experimental evidence that drug resistance evolution follows two patterns: i) a single mutation, which provides a large MIC increase, or ii) multiple mutations, each conferring a small increase, which combine to yield high-level resistance. Using stochastic modeling we then investigated the consequences of these two patterns for treatment failure and population diversity under various treatments. We find that resistance evolution is substantially limited if more than two mutations are required and that the most efficacious drug type depends on the pharmacokinetic profile. Further, we demonstrate that, for resistance evolution in multiple steps, adaptive treatment, which only suppresses the bacterial population, is favored over aggressive treatment, which aims at eradication.
High-throughput phenotyping analysis of maize at the seedling stage using end-to-end segmentation network
Authors: Li Yinglun , Wen Weiliang , Guo Xinyu , Yu Zetao , Gu Shenghao , Yan Haipeng , Zhao Chunjiang
Published: October 2020

Image processing technologies are available for high-throughput acquisition and analysis of phenotypes for crop populations, which is of great significance for crop growth monitoring, evaluation of seedling condition, and cultivation management. However, existing methods rely on empirical segmentation thresholds, thus can have insufficient accuracy of extracted phenotypes. Taking maize as an example crop, we propose a phenotype extraction approach from top-view images at the seedling stage. An end-to-end segmentation network, named PlantU-net, which uses a small amount of training data, was explored to realize automatic segmentation of top-view images of a maize population at the seedling stage. Morphological and color related phenotypes were automatic extracted, including maize shoot coverage, circumscribed radius, aspect ratio, and plant azimuth plane angle. The results show that the approach can segment the shoots at the seedling stage from top-view images, obtained either from the UAV or ground high-throughput phenotyping platform. The average segmentation accuracy, recall rate, and F1 score are 0.96, 0.98, and 0.97, respectively. The extracted phenotypes, including maize shoot coverage, circumscribed radius, aspect ratio, and plant azimuth plane angle, are highly correlated with manual measurements (R2=0.96-0.99). This approach requires less training data and thus has better expansibility. It provides practical means for high-throughput phenotyping analysis of early growth stage crop populations.
Vectorchip: Microfluidic platform for highly parallel bite by bite profiling of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission
Authors: Kumar Shailabh , Hol Felix J. H. , Pujhari Sujit , Ellington Clayton , Narayanan Haripriya Vaidehi , Li Hongquan , Rasgon Jason L. , Prakash Manu
Published: October 2020

Mosquito bites transmit a number of human pathogens resulting in potentially fatal diseases including malaria, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile encephalitis, and Zika. Although female mosquitoes transmit pathogens via salivary droplets deposited during blood feeding on a host, very little is known about the genomic content of these nanoliter scale droplets, including the transmission dynamics of live pathogens. Here we introduceVectorchip, a low-cost, scalable microfluidic platform for molecular interrogation of individual mosquito bites in a high-throughput fashion. An ultra-thin PDMS membrane coupled to a microfluidic chip acts as a biting interface, through which freely-behaving mosquitoes deposit saliva droplets by biting into isolated arrayed micro-wells enabling molecular interrogation of individual bites. By modulating membrane thickness, the device enables on-chip comparison of biting capacity and provides a mechanical filter allowing selection of a specific mosquito species. UtilizingVectorchip, we show on-chip simultaneous detection of mosquito DNA as well as viral RNA from Zika infectedAedes aegyptimosquitoes – demonstrating multiplexed high-throughput screening of vectors and pathogens. Focus-forming assays performed on-chip quantify number of infectious viral particles transmitted during mosquito bites, enabling assessment of active virus transmission. The platform presents a promising approach for single-bite-resolution laboratory and field characterization of vector pathogen communities, to reveal the intricate dynamics of pathogen transmission, and could serve as powerful early warning artificial “sentinel” for mosquito-borne diseases.
Transcriptomic, proteomic and phosphoproteomic underpinnings of daily exercise performance and Zeitgeber activity of endurance training
Authors: Maier Geraldine , Delezie Julien , Westermark Pål O. , Santos Gesa , Ritz Danilo , Handschin Christoph
Published: October 2020

Timed physical activity might potentiate the health benefits of training. The underlying signaling events triggered by exercise at different times of the day are, however, poorly understood. Here, we found that time-dependent variations in maximal treadmill exercise capacity of naïve mice were associated with energy stores, mostly hepatic glycogen levels. Importantly, running at different times of the day resulted in a vastly different activation of signaling pathways, e.g., related to stress response, vesicular trafficking, repair, and regeneration. Second, voluntary wheel running at the opposite phase of the dark, feeding period surprisingly revealed minimal Zeitgeber (i.e., synchronizing) activity of training. This integrated study provides important insights into the circadian regulation of endurance performance and the control of the circadian clock by exercise. These results are of high importance to understand circadian aspects of training design in athletes and the application of chrono-exercise-based interventions in patients.

Highlights

Maximal endurance performance is greater in the early morning

Timed exercise differentially alters the muscle transcriptome and (phospho)-proteome

Morning exercise triggers energy provisioning and tissue regeneration

Evening exercise activates stress-related and catabolic pathways

Training exerts poor Zeitgeber activity on the muscle and liver clocks
Resource reallocation in engineeredEscherichia colistrains with reduced genomes
Authors: Nakayasu Ernesto S. , Chazin-Gray Adam M. , Francis Ryan M. , Eaton Arielle M. , Auberry Deanna L. , Muñoz Nathalie , Cottam Joseph A. , Zucker Jeremy D. , Kumar Neeraj , Nicora Carrie D. , Mitchell Hugh D. , Kim Young-Mo , Nelson William C. , Egbert Robert G.
Published: October 2020

A major challenge in synthetic biology is properly balancing evolved and engineered functions without compromising microbial fitness. Many microbial proteins are not required for growth in regular laboratory conditions, but it is unclear what fraction of the proteome can be eliminated to increase bioproduction and maintain fitness. Here, we investigated the effects of massive genome reduction inE. colion the expression level and evolutionary stability of a model biosynthetic pathway to produce the pigment protodeoxyviolacein (PDV). We identified an amino acid metabolism imbalance and compromised growth that were correlated with elimination of genes associated with significant proteome fraction. Proteomic profiling suggested that increased amino acid pools are responsible for an alleviation of fitness defects associated with PDV expression. In addition, all strains with genome reductions that significantly affected the proteome exhibited decreased stability of PDV production compared to the wild-type strain under persistent PDV expression conditions despite the alleviation of fitness defects. These findings exhibit the importance of balancing evolved functions with engineered ones to achieve an optimal balance of fitness and bioproduction.
Suicide Deaths during the Stay-at-Home Advisory in Massachusetts
Authors: Faust Jeremy S. , Shah Sejal B. , Du Chengan , Li Shu-Xia , Lin Zhenqiu , Krumholz Harlan M.
Published: October 2020

Many believe that shelter-in-place or stay-at-home policies might cause an increase in so-called deaths of despair. While increases in psychiatric stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic are anticipated, whether suicide rates changed during stay-at-home periods has not been described.

This was an observational cohort study that assembled suicide death data for persons aged 10 years or older from the Massachusetts Department of Health Registry of Vital Records and Statistics from January 2015 through May 2020. Using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and seasonal ARIMA to analyze suicide deaths in Massachusetts, we compared the observed number of suicide deaths in Massachusetts during the stay-at-home period (March through May, 2020) in Massachusetts to the projected number of expected deaths. To be conservative, we also accounted for the deaths still pending final cause determination

The incident rate for suicide deaths in Massachusetts was 0.67 per 100,000 person-month (95% CI 0.56-0.79) versus 0.81 per 100,000 person-month (95% CI 0.69-0.94) during the 2019 corresponding period (incident rate ratio of 0.83; 95% CI 0.66-1.03). The addition of the 57 deaths pending cause determination occurring from March through May 2020 and the 33 cases still pending determination from the 2019 corresponding period did not change these findings.

The observed number of suicide deaths during the stay-at-home period did not deviate from ARIMA projected expectations using either preliminary data or an alternate scenario in which deaths pending investigation (exceeding the average remaining number of deaths still pending investigation which occurred during the corresponding 2015-2019 period) were ascribed to suicide. Decedent age and sex demographics were unchanged during the pandemic period compared to 2015-2019.

The stable rates of suicide deaths during the stay-at-home advisory in Massachusetts parallel findings following ecological disasters. As the pandemic persists, uncertainty about its scope and economic impact may increase. However, our data are reassuring that an increase in suicide deaths in Massachusetts during the stay-at-home advisory period did not occur.
Neural oscillations track natural but not artificial fast speech: Novel insights from speech-brain coupling using MEG
Authors: Casas Ana Sofía Hincapié , Lajnef Tarek , Pascarella Annalisa , Guiraud Hélène , Laaksonen Hannu , Bayle Dimitri , Jerbi Karim , Boulenger Véronique
Published: October 2020

Speech processing is supported by the synchronization of cortical oscillations to its rhythmic components, including syllable rate. This has been shown to be the case for normal rate speech as well as artificially accelerated speech. However, the case of natural speech rate variations, which are among the most ubiquitous sources of variability in speech, has been largely overlooked. Here, we directly compared changes in the properties of cortico-acoustic coupling when speech naturally shifts from normal to fast rate and when it is artificially accelerated. Neuromagnetic brain signals of 24 normal-hearing adults were recorded with magnetoencephalography (MEG) while they listened to natural normal (∼6 syllables/s), natural fast (∼9 syllables/s) and time-compressed (∼9 syllables/s) sentences, as well as to envelope-matched amplitude-modulated noise. We estimated coherence between the envelope of the acoustic input and MEG source time-series at frequencies corresponding to the mean syllable rates of the normal and fast speech stimuli. We found that listening to natural speech at normal and fast rates was associated with coupling between speech signal envelope and neural oscillations in right auditory and (pre)motor cortices. This oscillatory alignment occurred at ∼6.25 Hz for normal rate sentences and shifted up to ∼8.75 Hz for naturally-produced fast speech, mirroring the increase in syllable rate between the two conditions. Unexpectedly, despite being generated at the same rate as naturally-produced fast speech, the time-compressed sentences did not lead to significant cortico-acoustic coupling at ∼8.75 Hz. Interestingly, neural activity in putative right articulatory cortex exhibited stronger tuning to natural fast rather than to artificially accelerated speech, as well as stronger phase-coupling with left temporo-parietal and motor regions. This may reflect enhanced tracking of articulatory features of naturally-produced speech. Altogether, our findings provide new insights into the oscillatory brain signature underlying the perception of natural speech at different rates and highlight the importance of using naturally-produced speech when probing the dynamics of brain-to-speech coupling.
Post-entry growth in scope and scale among Chinese multinational enterprises: a structural embeddedness explanation
Authors: Shi Xuanya , Boadu Francis , Du Yifei
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Both the scope of postentry growth and the scale of postentry growth are essential for Chinese multinational enterprises' aggressive internationalization. Yet, prior literature has not considered the synergistic approach of postentry growth that seeks the scope of growth and the scale of growth simultaneously. Building upon the embeddedness perspective and the learning view, we address how structural embeddedness directly affects firms' postentry growth in the form of scope and scale and indirectly affects postentry growth via both the scope of growth and the scale of growth. Particularly, we investigate the decreasing mediating effect of the growth's scale on the growth's scope when embeddedness strengthens.

Design/methodology/approach

With a survey data set of 206 Chinese multinational firms from manufacturing and service industries, we conduct structural equation modeling (SEM), partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM), instantaneous indirect effect assessment and hierarchical linear regression model to test our hypotheses.

Findings

First, Chinese multinational enterprises’ (CMNEs) structural embeddedness is positively related to their scope of postentry growth, while has aU-shaped relationship with their scale of postentry growth. Second, CMNEs' scope of postentry growth mediates the relationship between structural embeddedness and the scale of postentry growth, the mediation effect counts for 33.5% of the over effect. Finally, the indirect effect of structural embeddedness on the scope of postentry growth through the scale of postentry growth is nonlinear. As the structural embeddedness strengthens, the positive indirect effect gradually weakens.

Originality/value

We believe this study further connects core international business research on postentry growth to the fast-growing literature on emerging markets multinational enterprises' internationalization. In addition, we undertake an initial effort in addressing an important gap in the literature: how structural embeddedness matters to firms' postentry growth. Moreover, this study finds important evidence to support the direct and indirect effect of structural embeddedness on postentry growth.
Factors influencing graduate job choice – a systematic literature review
Authors: Purohit Divyang , Jayswal Mitesh , Muduli Ashutosh
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper, systematic literature review, is twofold: to identify the factors influencing graduate job choice and to propose a theoretical model that can be useful for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

Thematic analysis of the literature available till June 2020 has been reviewed using electronic databases such as ABI/INFORM Complete, EBSCO, Emerald Insight, ProQuest, SAGE Journals, Science Direct (Elsevier), Scopus, Springer Link, Taylor and Francis Online, Wiley Online Library.

Findings

Out of more than 5,000 studies, 14 studies were found addressing the issue of career choice among graduating students. The thematic analysis result explored five themes such as internal factors, external factors, interpersonal factors, institutional factors and socio-demographic factors that can be considered critical for graduates’ career choice decision. Details of the subthemes are also identified.

Research limitations/implications

Implications for practitioners have been suggested from the internal factors, external factors, interpersonal factors, institutional factors and socio-demographic factors’ perspectives. The study result can be useful for conducting future research using quantitative data on graduate job choice.

Originality/value

This is the first attempt to present a comprehensive picture of past studies on graduate job choice and exploring the factors influencing graduate job choice.
Manager-as-coach: stimulating engagement via learning orientation
Authors: Lyons Paul , Bandura Randall P.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use recent empirical research and theory to help explain how a manager may assume a coaching role to assist employee learning and growth. In the coaching role, performance appraisal and other information may be carefully used as feedback to reinforce growth mindset learning in the service of employee development and engagement in work tasks and in the organization.

Design/methodology/approach

Aided by search devices (Psych Articles, Google Scholar, etc.), this study explored several distinct areas of information to include: manager-as-coach, performance management/appraisal, engagement with work, mindsets – fixed and growth, feedback and self-regulation of learning. Across these domains, this study searched for linkages useful in guiding managers to assist employees to learn and change.

Findings

Coaching employees to embrace a growth mindset and one’s self-regulation of learning has been expressed as a means to improve performance, resiliency, persistence, ability to cope with change and motivation.

Practical implications

Explicit, grounded recommendations are offered to assist managers to guide employees to embrace a growth mindset and take charge of their own learning and development.

Originality/value

Through examination and coordination of streams of research and theory, the study are able to make reasonably clear some avenues for a manager to attempt to positively influence employee confidence, learning, success and growth.
Research and application of novel Euler polynomial-driven grey model for short-term PM10 forecasting
Authors: Xiang Xiwang , Ma Xin , Ma Minda , Wu Wenqing , Yu Lang
Published: October 2020

Purpose

PM10 is one of the most dangerous air pollutants which is harmful to the ecological system and human health. Accurate forecasting of PM10 concentration makes it easier for the government to make efficient decisions and policies. However, the PM10 concentration, particularly, the emerging short-term concentration has high uncertainties as it is often impacted by many factors and also time varying. Above all, a new methodology which can overcome such difficulties is needed.

Design/methodology/approach

The grey system theory is used to build the short-term PM10 forecasting model. The Euler polynomial is used as a driving term of the proposed grey model, and then the convolutional solution is applied to make the new model computationally feasible. The grey wolf optimizer is used to select the optimal nonlinear parameters of the proposed model.

Findings

The introduction of the Euler polynomial makes the new model more flexible and more general as it can yield several other conventional grey models under certain conditions. The new model presents significantly higher performance, is more accurate and also more stable, than the six existing grey models in three real-world cases and the case of short-term PM10 forecasting in Tianjin China.

Practical implications

With high performance in the real-world case in Tianjin China, the proposed model appears to have high potential to accurately forecast the PM10 concentration in big cities of China. Therefore, it can be considered as a decision-making support tool in the near future.

Originality/value

This is the first work introducing the Euler polynomial to the grey system models, and a more general formulation of existing grey models is also obtained. The modelling pattern used in this paper can be used as an example for building other similar nonlinear grey models. The practical example of short-term PM10 forecasting in Tianjin China is also presented for the first time.
Health care access issues among young African American and Hispanic men
Authors: Johnson-Bibbs LaTasha
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to clarify the relationship between characteristics that contribute to health care access issues and individual behavior seeking health care. It proposes the different contexts of why African American and Hispanic men are not accessing health care. The study findings provided the target audience with past and present literature to contribute to the future resolution of racial and ethnic health care disparity, as well as health care access.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opted for a descriptive case study using a one-on-one face-to-face semi-structured approach of a case study, including 10 depth interviews representing African American and Hispanic men who are experiencing health care access issues. The data were complemented by archival data analysis, description of personal accounts of the African American and Hispanic men and articles pertaining to racial and ethnic health disparities.

Findings

The paper provides insights into how change is brought about the improvement of health care for all races and ethnicity. It suggests that leaders act as “integrating forces” on two levels: integrating the important elements of improved health care coupled with communication, language and health care cost and mediating between the health care structures and the individual.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need to study the characteristics that contribute to health care access issues among African American and Hispanic men.