bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Loss ofPrdm12during development, but not in mature nociceptors, causes defects in pain sensation
Authors: Landy Mark A. , Goyal Megan , Casey Katherine M. , Liu Chen , Lai Helen C.
Published: September 2020

Prdm12is as a key transcription factor in nociceptor neurogenesis. Mutations ofPrdm12cause Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIP) due to failure of nociceptor development. However, precisely how deletion ofPrdm12during development or adulthood affects nociception is unknown. Here, we employ tissue- and temporal-specific knockout mouse models to test the function ofPrdm12during development and in adulthood. We find that constitutive loss ofPrdm12causes deficiencies in proliferation during sensory neurogenesis. We also demonstrate that conditional knockout from dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) during embryogenesis causes defects in nociception. In contrast, we find that in adult DRGs,Prdm12is dispensable for pain sensation and injury-induced hypersensitivity. Using transcriptomic analysis, we found unique changes in adultPrdm12knockout DRGs compared to embryonic knockout, and that PRDM12 is likely a transcriptional activator in the adult. Overall, we find that the function of PRDM12 changes over developmental time.
Plasmodium vinckei genomes provide insights into the pan-genome and evolution of rodent malaria parasites
Authors: Ramaprasad Abhinay , Klaus Severina , Douvropoulou Olga , Culleton Richard , Pain Arnab
Published: September 2020

Background

Rodent malaria parasites (RMPs) serve as tractable tools to study malaria parasite biology and host-parasite-vector interactions. Plasmodium vinckei is the most geographically widespread of the four RMP species collected in sub-Saharan Central Africa. Several P. vinckei isolates are available but relatively less characterized than other RMPs, thus hindering their use in experimental studies. We have generated a comprehensive resource for P. vinckei comprising of high-quality reference genomes, genotypes, gene expression profiles and growth phenotypes for ten P. vinckei isolates.

Results

The P. vinckei subspecies have diverged widely from their common ancestor and have undergone genomic structural variations. The subspecies from Katanga, P. v. vinckei, has a uniquely smaller genome, a reduced multigene family repertoire and is also amenable to genetic manipulation making it an ideal parasite for reverse genetics. Comparing P. vinckei genotypes reveals region-specific selection pressures particularly on genes involved in mosquito transmission. The erythrocyte membrane antigen 1 and fam-c families have expanded considerably among the lowland forest-dwelling P. vinckei parasites. Genetic crosses can be established in P. vinckei but are limited at present by low transmission success under the experimental conditions tested in this study.

Conclusions

Plasmodium vinckei isolates display a large degree of phenotypic and genotypic diversity and could serve as a resource to study parasite virulence and immunogenicity. Inclusion of P. vinckei genomes provide new insights into the evolution of RMPs and their multigene families. Amenability to genetic crossing and genetic manipulation make them also suitable for classical and functional genetics to study Plasmodium biology.
Reconstructing the history of founder events using genome-wide patterns of allele sharing across individuals
Authors: Tournebize Rémi , Chu Gillian , Moorjani Priya
Published: September 2020

Founder events play a critical role in shaping genetic diversity, impacting the fitness of a species and disease risk in humans. Yet our understanding of the prevalence and distribution of founder events in humans and other species remains incomplete, as most existing methods for characterizing founder events require large sample sizes or phased genomes. To learn about the frequency and evolutionary history of founder events, we introduceASCEND(Allele Sharing Correlation for the Estimation of Non-equilibrium Demography), a flexible two-locus method to infer the age and strength of founder events. This method uses the correlation in allele sharing across the genome between pairs of individuals to recover signatures of past bottlenecks. By performing coalescent simulations, we show thatASCENDcan reliably estimate the parameters of founder events under a range of demographic scenarios, with genotype or sequence data. We applyASCENDto ~5,000 worldwide human samples (~3,500 present-day and ~1,500 ancient individuals), and ~1,000 domesticated dog samples. In both species, we find pervasive evidence of founder events in the recent past. In humans, over half of the populations surveyed in our study had evidence for a founder events in the past 10,000 years, associated with geographic isolation, modes of sustenance, and historical invasions and epidemics. We document that island populations have historically maintained lower population sizes than continental groups, ancient hunter-gatherers had stronger founder events than Neolithic Farmers or Steppe Pastoralists, and periods of epidemics such as smallpox were accompanied by major population crashes. Many present-day groups--including Central & South Americans, Oceanians and South Asians--have experienced founder events stronger than estimated in Ashkenazi Jews who have high rates of recessive diseases due to their history of founder events. In dogs, we uncovered extreme founder events in most groups, more than ten times stronger than the median strength of founder events in humans. These founder events occurred during the last 25 generations and are likely related to the establishment of dog breeds during Victorian times. Our results highlight a widespread history of founder events in humans and dogs, and provide insights about the demographic and cultural processes underlying these events.
The deacylase SIRT5 supports melanoma viability by regulating chromatin dynamics
Authors: Giblin William , Bringman-Rodenbarger Lauren , Guo Angela H. , Kumar Surinder , Monovich Alexander C. , Mostafa Ahmed M. , Skinner Mary E. , Azar Michelle , Mady Ahmed S.A. , Chung Carolina H. , Kadambi Namrata , Melong Keith-Allen , Lee Ho-Joon , Zhang Li , Sajjakulnukit Peter , Trefely Sophie , Varner Erika L. , Iyer Sowmya , Wang Min , Wilmott James S. , Soyer H. Peter , Sturm Richard A. , Pritchard Antonia L. , Andea Aleodor , Scolyer Richard A. , Stark Mitchell S. , Scott David A. , Fullen Douglas R. , Bosenberg Marcus W. , Chandrasekaran Sriram , Nikolovska-Coleska Zaneta , Verhaegen Monique E. , Snyder Nathaniel W. , Rivera Miguel N. , Osterman Andrei L. , Lyssiotis Costas A. , Lombard David B.
Published: September 2020

Cutaneous melanoma remains the most lethal skin cancer, and ranks third among all malignancies in terms of years of life lost. Despite the advent of immune checkpoint and targeted therapies, only roughly half of patients with advanced melanoma achieves a durable remission. SIRT5 is a member of the sirtuin family of protein deacylases that regulate metabolism and other biological processes. GermlineSirt5deficiency is associated with mild phenotypes in mice. Here we show that SIRT5 is required for proliferation and survival across all cutaneous melanoma genotypes tested, as well as uveal melanoma, a genetically distinct melanoma subtype that arises in the eye and is incurable once metastatic. Likewise, SIRT5 is required for efficient tumor formation by melanoma xenografts and in an autochthonous mouseBraf;Pten-driven melanoma model. Via metabolite and transcriptomic analyses, we find that SIRT5 is required to maintain histone acetylation and methylation levels in melanoma cells, thereby promoting proper gene expression. SIRT5-dependent genes notably includeMITF, a key lineage-specific survival oncogene in melanoma, and thec-MYCproto-oncogene. SIRT5 may represent a novel, druggable genotype-independent addiction in melanoma.
Polarimetric studies of L-arginine-doped potassium dihydrogen phosphate single crystals
Authors: Shopa Mykola , Shopa Yaroslav , Shribak Michael , Kostenyukova Elena , Pritula Igor , Bezkrovnaya Olga
Published: September 2020

Conoscopic interference patterns, channelled spectra and polarimetric techniques have been used for the characterization of pure and doped (with L-arginine amino acid) potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) single crystals. Experimental polarimetric data have been obtained for the frequently used wavelength of 633 nm and for two close wavelengths of 532 and 543 nm in a high-accuracy dual-wavelength polarimeter. The measurement of eigenwave ellipticity in the [100] and [010] directions and between 295 and 340 K shows small differences in the absolute values of the specific optical rotations of KDP crystals doped with L-arginine in the range of 0.7–3.8 wt%. It is found that the gyration tensor component g
11, specific optical rotation and eigenwave ellipticity show different dispersion in the visible spectral region.
Leading the innovation: role of trust and job crafting as sequential mediators relating servant leadership and innovative work behavior
Authors: Khan Muhammad Mumtaz , Mubarik Muhammad Shujaat , Islam Tahir
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to ascertain the role of servant leadership in causing innovative work behavior. The study also examines the mediating role of job crafting and sequential mediating role of trust and job crafting between servant leadership and innovative work behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 258 knowledge workers employed in software houses in Pakistan through survey design. The data analysis was done through structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results of the analysis of 258 respondents show that servant leadership is related with trust, job crafting and innovative work behavior. The mediation analysis revealed that job crafting mediates the relation between servant leadership and innovative work behavior. Finally, the relation between servant leadership and innovative work behavior was found to be sequentially mediated by trust and job crafting.

Originality/value

The current study contributes to delineating the linking mechanism between servant leadership and innovative work behavior. The main contributions of the study are exploring the mediating role of job crafting along with the sequential mediating role of trust and job crafting.
From strategic corporate social responsibility to value creation: an analysis of corporate website communication in the banking sector
Authors: Palazzo Maria , Vollero Agostino , Siano Alfonso
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Increased public scrutiny and stakeholder pressure have given more importance to strategic corporate social responsibility (SCSR) and its three dimensions – orientation, process and value creation. At the same time, they provide banks the inspiration needed to pursue business goals, attain positive performances and communicate their social responsibility efforts. This paper analyses whether and how companies in the banking sector use corporate websites to communicate SCSR dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach

A content analysis was performed based on the corporate websites of leading banks included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index to assess the prominence of SCSR communication.

Findings

The study shows that banks give less prominence to SCSR on corporate websites differently from companies belonging to other sectors, as they are less likely to expose their orientation to SCSR and pay slightly less attention to value creation than other companies.

Practical implications

The paper provides theoretical insights into SCSR dimensions and how they are communicated on corporate websites. From a practical standpoint, the study provides guidance for managers in the banking sector aimed at improving their communication efforts, avoiding decoupling issues and adopting a consistent value creation perspective.

Originality/value

Few studies have used a value creation perspective to differentiate between the dimensions of a SCSR approach. The paper fills this gap by assessing the communication efforts adopted by banks and insurance companies in this area.
Examining Lebanese consumers' negative attitudes toward banks
Authors: Elhajjar Samer
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate the causes of consumers' negative attitudes toward banks.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the data collected through a survey, structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analysis were utilized to test the hypotheses. In total, 420 questionnaires were collected from Lebanese customers.

Findings

The results indicate five factors affecting consumer negative attitudes to the banks, which include consumers' perception of financial distress, the behavioral variable concerning the extent to which consumers had been detrimentally affected by the crisis, consumers' knowledge of the crisis, consumers' feelings of anger and consumers' political orientation.

Originality/value

This research offers new contributions in the research of consumers' negative attitudes toward banks during a financial crisis from a theoretical perspective and in reputation and trust management from an applicative perspective.
Patient satisfaction with perioperative nursing care in a tertiary hospital in Ghana
Authors: Anaba Priscilla , Anaba Emmanuel Anongeba , Abuosi Aaron Asibi
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Promoting patient satisfaction is crucial for healthcare quality improvement. However, literature on patient satisfaction with nursing care in Ghana is limited. The aim of this study was to assess patient satisfaction with perioperative nursing care in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the largest tertiary hospital in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was a cross-sectional study. A sample of one hundred (n = 100) in-patients in the surgical department were interviewed. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 22, was used to analyze the data. The results were presented using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses.

Findings

It was found that majority of the respondents were males (53%), employed (56%) and insured (85%). It was also found that eight in ten respondents were satisfied with the perioperative nursing care. Overall patient satisfaction with perioperative nursing care was significantly associated with information provision (p < 0.001), nurse–patient relationship (p < 0.001), fear and concern (p < 0.05) and discomfort and need (p < 0.05). At the multivariate level, overall patient satisfaction was significantly influenced by nurse–patient relationship (β = 0.430, p = 0.002).

Originality/value

There is limited literature on nursing care in surgical departments and rarely are patients' views considered in assessing quality of perioperative care, especially in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (LMICs). This study is a modest contribution to the literature on patient satisfaction with perioperative nursing care in Ghana.
More or less? The effects of financial constraints on variety-seeking behavior
Authors: Fan Yafeng , Jiang Jing , Hu Zuohao
Published: September 2020

Purpose

In daily life, consumers usually experience economic limitations on their consumption, which in turn results in experiencing financial constraints. The purpose of this article is to examine how feeling financially constrained influences variety seeking in consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted three experiments to test the proposed hypotheses by applying multiple methods of manipulation of financial constraints and different measures of variety seeking.

Findings

The authors found that feeling financially constrained increases consumers’ insecurity, which in turn decreases their variety-seeking behavior. Additionally, the authors noted that individuals’ positive illusion could moderate the aforementioned effect. The negative effect of financial constraints on variety seeking only existed among consumers with a low positive illusion.

Practical implications

The findings in this article could help marketers attain a better understanding of consumers’ choices under financial constraints and could help retailers optimize their product lines and distribution.

Originality/value

This research marks the first attempt to examine the relationship between financial constraint and variety seeking. The findings make for a valuable addition to both the financial constraint and variety-seeking literature reviews. The research study also extends the literature on how insecurity and positive illusion influence individuals’ decisions in the consumption context.
The role of public relations in building community resilience to natural disasters: perspectives from Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Authors: Imesha Dharmasena M.K. Gayadini , Toledano Margalit , Weaver C. Kay
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The paper identifies a role for public relations in disaster management by analysing disaster and communication managers' understanding of community resilience and their use of communication in the context of two different cultural environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The research study comprised 51 in-depth qualitative interviews with disaster managers in Sri Lanka and New Zealand, which were thematically analysed using the software programme NVivo 10.

Findings

The study identified cultural differences in Sri Lanka and New Zealand that impact on how managers' communicate in natural disaster situations. The findings indicated that public relations’ understanding of communities’ cultures, their communication, networking and lobbying skills could further enhance the effectiveness of efforts to build community resilience to disasters.

Research limitations/implications

Nations are complex multicultural realities; the findings cannot be generalized to make claims about how natural disasters are managed in different national contexts.

Practical implications

The paper identifies the unrealized potential of public relations’ expertise in communication, community relations, networking and lobbying to contribute to building community resilience to natural disasters.

Social implications

By supporting efforts to build community resilience to disasters, public relations practitioners can contribute to social well-being in times of catastrophic natural disasters.

Originality/value

The paper adds an innovative perspective to public relations crisis literature by identifying the potential contribution of public relations’ concepts and practices to build community resilience to natural disasters. It demonstrates how sociocultural differences may affect disaster communication strategies.
Systems thinking in school organizations – perspectives from various leadership levels
Authors: Norqvist Lars , Ärlestig Helene
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how leaders within a school district system understand their own and others' leadership positions from the perspectives of systems thinking and systems thinking skills.

Design/methodology/approach

The findings are based on interviews with superintendents, area managers (deputy superintendents), principals and first teachers in Sweden. Sets of systems thinking skills guide the analysis, specifically how various leadership positions are related (their structure and relationships), how leaders understand themselves in relation to the whole and the parts (mindset), what they think about how the organization is organized (content) and how they relate to the organization's history and future (behavior).

Findings

Leaders at all levels in the school organization have regular communications, but a wider systems thinking perspective is underdeveloped. The systems are hierarchical, with each level taking responsibility for its subsystem to such a high extent that it does not use or learn from other levels. We also found that change in the investigated schools is subtle, and in the schools, it did not seem important to understand change over time or the nature of important leverage points; the organizations' histories and futures were emphasized less than current issues and relations.

Practical implications

Increased knowledge on systems thinking skills can provide insights as to whether mindsets, content, structure and behavior are supporting each other or not. These perspectives can help actors on all levels to learn together.

Originality/value

In addition to the study outcomes, this paper offers a unique approach for studying the leadership positions of the governance chain and their impact on an organization's work and results. It obtains a broader picture of school districts' systems when various members of the governing chain express how they understand their organizations, in relation to systems thinking.
Determinants of online intellectual capital disclosure by Spanish local governments
Authors: Ramírez Yolanda , Tejada Ángel , Sánchez María Pilar
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the extent of intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) through websites and social media in Spanish local government (SLG) and analyze the factors that explain their disclosure.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies content analysis and regression techniques. The ICD is analyzed for Spanish municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants and provincial capitals over a period from January 2018 to February 2020.

Findings

Findings emphasize that the quantity of disclosed information on intellectual capital (IC) is in the low level, particularly with regard to human capital (HC). Furthermore, the results show that the information provided via social media mainly concerns the relational capital (RC). On the other hand, results obtained indicate that larger municipalities, with lower financial autonomy and whose citizens have a high income level use the online media (both websites and social media) more actively to disclose information about IC. Finally, municipalities led by women and with high level of citizens' education exert a positive influence in the ICD only on websites.

Practical implications

This paper makes a number of key contributions to the existing body of knowledge, focusing on ICD, a neglected area in the public sector accounting literature. It explores and identifies the supply-side and demand-side determinants of information affecting the ICD in local governments. The results of this research could be useful for policymakers, regulators and governments' managers to improve the online information addressing ICD issues.

Originality/value

This paper adopts an innovative perspective by investigating the use of alternative tools for ICD in local government context (websites and social media). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that focuses on investigating the determinants of online ICD in local governments.
The unexpected and stickiness behavior of institutional investors in index funds
Authors: Sanchez Eddie , Oh Junho
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the behavior of institutional and retail investors in S&P 500 index funds separately to determine why they behave differently.

Design/methodology/approach

We analyze the relationship between net flow and past index-adjusted returns or expense ratios more extensively via panel data regressions across a broad dataset.

Findings

We find that the holding of institutional investors is, indeed, sticky. The results indicate that the net flow of institutional investors is not sensitive to past index-adjusted returns of expense ratios.

Originality/value

Prior studies have attempted to explain the irrational behavior of investors in S&P 500 index funds. We attempt to show plausible reasons why they behave differently.
How intelligent is a cephalopod? Lessons from comparative cognition
Authors: Schnell Alexandra K. , Amodio Piero , Boeckle Markus , Clayton Nicola S.
Published: September 2020

The soft‐bodied cephalopods including octopus, cuttlefish, and squid are broadly considered to be the most cognitively advanced group of invertebrates. Previous research has demonstrated that these large‐brained molluscs possess a suite of cognitive attributes that are comparable to those found in some vertebrates, including highly developed perception, learning, and memory abilities. Cephalopods are also renowned for performing sophisticated feats of flexible behaviour, which have led to claims of complex cognition such as causal reasoning, future planning, and mental attribution. Hypotheses to explain why complex cognition might have emerged in cephalopods suggest that a combination of predation, foraging, and competitive pressures are likely to have driven cognitive complexity in this group of animals. Currently, it is difficult to gauge the extent to which cephalopod behaviours are underpinned by complex cognition because many of the recent claims are largely based on anecdotal evidence. In this review, we provide a general overview of cephalopod cognition with a particular focus on the cognitive attributes that are thought to be prerequisites for more complex cognitive abilities. We then discuss different types of behavioural flexibility exhibited by cephalopods and, using examples from other taxa, highlight that behavioural flexibility could be explained by putatively simpler mechanisms. Consequently, behavioural flexibility should not be used as evidence of complex cognition. Fortunately, the field of comparative cognition centres on designing methods to pinpoint the underlying mechanisms that drive behaviours. To illustrate the utility of the methods developed in comparative cognition research, we provide a series of experimental designs aimed at distinguishing between complex cognition and simpler alternative explanations. Finally, we discuss the advantages of using cephalopods to develop a more comprehensive reconstruction of cognitive evolution.
Toxicity of sulfoxaflor and four modern fungicides on various stages of a non-target predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Authors: Ersin Firdevs , Döker İsmail , Turanli Ferit
Published: September 2020

This study was conducted to reveal the toxicity of sulfoxaflor and the four modern fungicides (ametoctradin +dimethomorph, isopyrazam, mandipropamid and propamocarb-HCl+fluopicolide) on various developmental stages of a non-target predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). The maximum recommended concentrations of the pesticides were applied to eggs, larvae and adult females of the predator in order to obtain detail knowledge of their toxicity at worst-case scenario under laboratory conditions. Results indicated that mortality rates vary between the life stages and the larva was the most sensitive. The highest egg mortality was found for isopyrazam (20.44%) followed by propamocarb+fluopicolide (17.55%) and ametoctradin+dimethomorph (15.77%) at 72 h after the treatments. Sulfoxaflor, ametoctradin+dimethomorph and propamocarb+fluopicolide were proven to be harmful to the larvae as they caused significantly higher mortality than the control, and their mortality reached 80.00, 77.50 and 60.00% at 168 h after treatment, respectively. In the case of adult females, respective mortality rates of propamocarb+fluopicolide, sulfoxaflor, ametoctradin+dimethomorph and isopyrazam were found 30.00%, 25.83%, 21.66% and 16.66% after 120 h after treatment, respectively. In addition, mandipropamid and sulfoxaflor caused a drastic decrease in fecundity of the predator. Accordingly, isopyrazam may be compatible with A. swirskii in intergraded pest management programs where it is released as biological control agent. Due to their high toxicity to at least one developmental stage of the predator, further experiments are needed in order to clarify the toxicity of the other pesticides under field or semi-field conditions.
Energy flows in gesture-speech physics: The respiratory-vocal system and its coupling with hand gestures
Authors: Pouw Wim , Harrison Steven J. , Esteve-Gibert Núria , Dixon James A.
Published: September 2020

Expressive moments in communicative hand gestures often align with emphatic stress in speech. It has recently been found that acoustic markers of emphatic stress arise naturally during steady-state phonation when upper-limb movements impart physical impulses on the body, most likely affecting acoustics via respiratory activity. In this confirmatory study, participants (N = 29) repeatedly uttered consonant-vowel (/pa/) mono-syllables while moving in particular phase relations with speech, or not moving the upper limbs. This study shows that respiration-related activity is affected by (especially high-impulse) gesturing when vocalizations occur near peaks in physical impulse. This study further shows that gesture-induced moments of bodily impulses increase the amplitude envelope of speech, while not similarly affecting the Fundamental Frequency (F0). Finally, tight relations between respiration-related activity and vocalization were observed, even in the absence of movement, but even more so when upper-limb movement is present. The current findings expand a developing line of research showing that speech is modulated by functional biomechanical linkages between hand gestures and the respiratory system. This identification of gesture-speech biomechanics promises to provide an alternative phylogenetic, ontogenetic, and mechanistic explanatory route of why communicative upper limb movements co-occur with speech in humans.
Coaches’ Perceptions of Social Identity in Youth Sport: When Youth Athletes Think and Behave as “Us”
Authors: Herbison Jordan D. , Cowan Terry W. , Martin Luc J. , Root Zach , Bruner Mark W.
Published: September 2020

This study sought to examine coaches’ perceptions of social identity among their athletes and explore the ways that they may attempt to influence its development. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 head coaches (Mage = 49.25 years; SD = 6.5 years; Mexperience  = 15.75 years; SD = 7.66 years; nfemale = 1) of male (n = 8) and female (n = 4) competitive youth ice hockey teams. Three main themes were identified through our analysis. First, the coaches’ perceptions of athletes’ social identities were described through examples of peer connection and similarity (i.e., in-group ties), athletes’ experience of positive affect (i.e., in-group affect), and athletes demonstrating the meaning and value that they attribute to team membership (i.e., cognitive centrality). Second, the coaches discussed a variety of ways that they sought to develop and reinforce a shared social identity within their teams. These behaviors aligned with principles advanced within the social identity leadership literature—namely, the coaches acted as in-group prototypes, in-group champions, entrepreneurs of identity, and embedders of identity. Finally, the coaches identified parents and cliques as key social agents with the ability to undermine social identity development. The findings are discussed in relation to both their theoretical and practical implications.
Australian Primary School Principals’, Teachers’, and Parents’ Attitudes and Barriers to Changing School Uniform Policies From Traditional Uniforms to Sports Uniforms
Authors: McCarthy Nicole , Hope Kirsty , Sutherland Rachel , Campbell Elizabeth , Hodder Rebecca , Wolfenden Luke , Nathan Nicole
Published: September 2020

Background: To determine Australian primary school principals’, teachers’, and parents’ attitudes to changing school uniform policies to allow students to wear sports uniforms every day and to assess associations between participant characteristics and their attitudes. A secondary aim was to identify principals’ and teachers’ perceived barriers to uniform changes. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys of principals, teachers, and parents of children in grades 2 to 3 (age 7–10 y) from 62 Australian primary schools (Oct 2017–Mar 2018) were undertaken. Mixed logistic regression analyses assessed the associations between participant characteristics and attitudes toward uniform changes. Results: In total, 73% of the principals (38/52) who responded reported that their school only allowed children to wear a sports uniform on sports days. Overall, 38% of the principals (18/47), 63% of the teachers (334/579), and 78% of the parents (965/1231) reported they would support a policy that allowed children to wear daily sports uniforms. The most commonly reported barrier was the perception that sports uniforms were not appropriate for formal occasions. Conclusions: Although the majority of the principals were not supportive of a change to a daily sports uniform, the majority of the teachers and parents were. Strategies to improve principal support may be required if broader adoption of physical activity–supporting uniforms is to be achieved.
Validity of Postural Sway Assessment on the Biodex BioSway™ Compared With the NeuroCom Smart Equitest
Authors: Miner Daniel G. , Harper Brent A. , Glass Stephen M.
Published: September 2020

Context: Current tools for sideline assessment of balance following a concussion may not be sufficiently sensitive to identify impairments, which may place athletes at risk for future injury. Quantitative field-expedient balance assessments are becoming increasingly accessible in sports medicine and may improve sensitivity to enable clinicians to more readily detect these subtle deficits. Objective: To determine the validity of the postural sway assessment on the Biodex BioSway™ compared with the gold standard NeuroCom Smart Equitest System. Design: Cross-sectional cohort study. Setting: Clinical research laboratory. Participants: Forty-nine healthy adults (29 females: 24.34 [2.45] y, height 163.65 [7.57] cm, mass 63.64 [7.94] kg; 20 males: 26.00 [3.70] y, height 180.11 [7.16] cm, mass 82.97 [12.78] kg). Intervention(s): The participants completed the modified clinical test of sensory interaction in balance on the Biodex BioSway™ with 2 additional conditions (head shake and firm surface; head shake and foam surface) and the Sensory Organization Test and Head Shake Sensory Organization Test on the NeuroCom Smart Equitest. Main Outcome Measures: Interclass correlation coefficient and Bland–Altman limits of agreement for Sway Index, equilibrium ratio, and area of 95% confidence ellipse. Results: Fair–good reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = .48–.65) was demonstrated for the stance conditions with eyes open on a firm surface. The Head Shake Sensory Interaction and Balance Test condition on a firm surface resulted in fair reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = .50–.59). The authors observed large ranges for limits of agreement across outcome measures, indicating that the systems should not be used interchangeably. Conclusions: The authors observed fair reliability between BioSway™ and NeuroCom, with better agreement between systems with the assessment of postural sway on firm/static surfaces. However, the agreement of these systems may improve by incorporating methods that mitigate the floor effect in an athletic population (eg, including a head shake condition). BioSway™ may provide a surrogate field-expedient measurement tool.
Re-Education: What Can Complementary and Alternative Approaches to Movement Education Teach Kinesiology?
Authors: Anderson David I.
Published: September 2020

The goal of this special issue ofKinesiology Reviewis to expose kinesiology to a body of knowledge that is unfamiliar to most in the field. That body of knowledge is broad, deep, rich, and enduring. In addition, it brings with it a skill set that could be extremely helpful to professional practice, whether in teaching, coaching, training, health work, or rehabilitation. The body of knowledge and skills comes from a loosely defined field of study I have referred to as “complementary and alternative approaches to movement education” (CAAME). The field of CAAME is as diverse as the field of kinesiology. This introductory article focuses on what the field of CAAME has to teach kinesiology and what the field could learn from kinesiology. The overarching aim of the special issue is to foster dialogue and collaboration between students and scholars of kinesiology and practitioners of CAAME.
The Influence of Confucianism on Para-Sport Activism
Authors: Choi Inhyang , Haslett Damian , Monforte Javier , Smith Brett
Published: September 2020

Academics and sport organizations have recently recognized Para-sport as a powerful platform for disability activism. However, little attention has been given to Para-sport activism in non-Western cultures. This study explored the influence of Confucianism on South Korean Para-sport activism. Data were collected through interviews conducted with four stakeholders from the Korea Paralympic Committee and 18 Para-athletes. Through a reflexive thematic analysis, the authors crafted five themes corresponding to Confucian values: position hierarchy, age hierarchy, parent–child relationship, factionalism, and collectivism. All values had the capacity to encourage and discourage participants toward engaging in activism. These findings contribute to the field of  Cultural Sport Psychology by highlighting a multitude of cultural factors affecting Para-sport activism. Practical suggestions to promote Para-sport activism are offered, including sociocultural and organizational legacy.
Efficacy Beliefs Are Related to Task Cohesion: Communication Is a Mediator
Authors: McLean Sarah P. , Habeeb Christine M. , Coffee Pete , Eklund Robert C.
Published: September 2020

Efficacy beliefs and communication are key constructs that have been targeted to develop task cohesion. This study’s purpose was to (a) examine whether collective efficacy, team-focused other-efficacy, and team-focused relation-inferred self-efficacy are predictive of task cohesion and (b) evaluate the possibility that communication mediates efficacy–task cohesion relationships. British university team-sport athletes (N = 250) completed questionnaires assessing efficacy beliefs, communication (i.e., positive conflict, negative conflict, and acceptance communication), and task cohesion (i.e., attractions to group, group integration). Data were subjected to a multigroup path analysis to test mediation hypotheses while also addressing potential differences across males and females. Across all athletes, collective efficacy and team-focused other-efficacy significantly predicted attractions to group and group integration directly. Positive conflict and acceptance communication significantly mediated relationships between efficacy (team-focused other-efficacy, collective efficacy) and cohesion (attractions to group, group integration). Findings suggest that enhancing athletes’ collective efficacy and team-focused efficacy beliefs will encourage communication factors affecting task cohesion.
Metabolic adaptation to calorie restriction
Authors: Guijas Carlos , Montenegro-Burke J. Rafael , Cintron-Colon Rigo , Domingo-Almenara Xavier , Sanchez-Alavez Manuel , Aguirre Carlos A. , Shankar Kokila , Majumder Erica L.-W. , Billings Elizabeth , Conti Bruno , Siuzdak Gary
Published: September 2020

Metabolites that may enable calorie restriction to induce hypothermia and extend health span are identified.
ssRNA stimulates Piezo1 and serotonin synthesis
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: September 2020

The gut produces serotonin upon activation of the Ca
2+
channel Piezo1 by microbiome-derived ssRNA.
Performance and Application of 16S rRNA Gene Cycle Sequencing for Routine Identification of Bacteria in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
Authors: Church Deirdre L. , Cerutti Lorenzo , Gürtler Antoine , Griener Thomas , Zelazny Adrian , Emler Stefan
Published: September 2020

This review provides a state-of-the-art description of the performance of Sanger cycle sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene for routine identification of bacteria in the clinical microbiology laboratory. A detailed description of the technology and current methodology is outlined with a major focus on proper data analyses and interpretation of sequences. The remainder of the article is focused on a comprehensive evaluation of the application of this method for identification of bacterial pathogens based on analyses of 16S multialignment sequences.
Mutational Analysis of Residues in PriA and PriC Affecting Their Ability To Interact with SSB in Escherichia coli K-12
Authors: Klimova Anastasiia N. , Sandler Steven J.
Published: September 2020

Escherichia coli
PriA and PriC recruit the replication machinery to a collapsed replication fork after it is repaired and needs to be restarted.
In vitro
studies suggest that the C terminus of SSB interacts with certain residues in PriA and PriC to recruit those proteins to the repaired fork, where they help remodel it for restart. Here, we placed those mutations on the chromosome and tested the effect of mutating these residues
in vivo
. The
priC
mutation completely abolished function. The
priA
mutations had no effect by themselves. They did, however, display modest phenotypes in a
priB
-null strain. These phenotypes were partially suppressed by SSB overproduction. These studies give us further insight into the reactions needed for replication restart.
Left gonadal vein thrombosis in a patient with COVID-19-associated coagulopathy
Authors: Veyseh Maedeh , Pophali Prateek , Jayarangaiah Apoorva , Kumar Abhishek
Published: September 2020

COVID-19 disease is a viral illness that predominantly causes pneumonia and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. The endothelial injury and hypercoagulability secondary to the inflammatory response predisposes severely ill patients to venous thromboembolism. The exact mechanism of hypercoagulability is still under investigation, but it is known to be associated with poor prognosis. The most common thrombotic complication reported among these patients is pulmonary embolism. To our knowledge, gonadal vein thrombosis is an uncommon phenomenon that has not been reported in the setting of COVID-19-associated coagulopathy. We report an unusual case of ovarian vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism associated with COVID-19 presenting with abdominal pain. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of COVID-19 with absent respiratory symptoms and presentation with venous thrombosis in an unusual location.
PERsistent Sitagliptin treatment & Outcomes (PERS&O 2.0) study, long-term results: a real-world observation on DPP4-inhibitor effectiveness
Authors: Bossi Antonio Carlo , De Mori Valentina , Galeone Carlotta , Bertola Davide Pietro , Gaiti Margherita , Balini Annalisa , Berzi Denise , Forloni Franco , Meregalli Giancarla , Turati Federica
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Sitagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Limited real-world data on its effectiveness and safety are available from an Italian population.

Research design and methods

We evaluated long-term clinical data from the single-arm PERsistent Sitagliptin Treatment & Outcomes (PERS&O) study, which collected information on 440 patients with TD2 (275 men, 165 women; mean age 64.1 years; disease median duration: 12 years) treated with sitagliptin ‘add-on’. For each patient, we estimated the 10-year cardiovascular (CV) risk using the UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) Risk Engine (RE). Drug survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves; repeated measures mixed effects models were used to evaluate the evolution of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and CV risk during sitagliptin treatment.

Results

At baseline, most patients were overweight or obese (median body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) 30.2); median HbA1c was 8.4%; median fasting plasma glucose: 172 mg/dL; median UKPDS RE score: 24.8%, being higher in men (median 30.2%) than in women (median 17.0%) as expected. Median follow-up from starting sitagliptin treatment was 5.6 years. From Kaplan-Meier curves, the estimated median drug survival was 32.8 months when considering discontinuation for any cause and 58.4 months when considering discontinuation for loss of efficacy. A significant improvement in HbA1c was evident during treatment with sitagliptin (p<0.01): the reduction was rapid (median HbA1c after 4–6 months: 7.5%) and continued at longer follow-up. When comparing patients treated with sitagliptin versus those stopping sitagliptin and switching to another antihyperglycemic drug, we detected a significant difference in the evolution of HbA1c in favor of patients who continued sitagliptin treatment. The UKPDS RE score at 10 years and the BMI significantly improved during treatment with sitagliptin (p<0.001). Adverse events were relatively uncommon.

Conclusion

Patients with T2D treated with sitagliptin achieved an improvement in metabolic control and a reduction in CV risk and did not experience relevant adverse events.
Differences between frequent emergency department users in a secondary rural hospital and a tertiary suburban hospital in central Japan: a prevalence study
Authors: Kaneko Makoto , Inoue Machiko , Okubo Masashi , Furgal Allison K Cullen , Crabtree Benjamin F , Fetters Michael D
Published: September 2020

Objectives

Although frequent emergency department (ED) use is a global issue, little research has been conducted in a country like Japan where universal health insurance is available. The study aims to (1) document the proportion of ED visits that are by frequent users and (2) describe the differences in characteristics of frequent ED users and other ED users including expenditures between a secondary and a tertiary hospital.

Design

A prevalence study for a period of 1 year.

Setting

A secondary hospital and a tertiary hospital in central Japan.

Participants

All patients who presented to the EDs.

Primary outcome measures

We defined frequent ED user as a patient who visited the ED≥5 times/year. The main outcome measures were the proportion of frequent ED users among all ED users and the proportion of healthcare expenditures by the frequent ED users among all ED expenditures.

Results

Of 25 231 ED visits over 1 year, 134 frequent ED users accounted for 1043 visits—0.66% of all ED users, comprised 4.1% of all ED visits, and accounted for 1.9% of total healthcare expenditures. Median ED visits per one frequent ED user was 7.9. At the patient level, after adjusting for age, gender and receiving public assistance, older age (OR 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.02) and receiving public assistance (OR 7.19, 95% CI 2.87 to 18.07) had an association with frequent ED visits. At the visit-level analysis, evaluation by internal medicine (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.57), psychiatry (OR 124.69, 95% CI 85.89 to 181.01) and obstetrics/gynaecology (OR 2.77, 95% CI 2.09 to 3.67) were associated with frequent ED visits.

Conclusion

The proportion of frequent ED users, of total visits, and of expenditures attributable to them—while still in the low end of the distribution of published ranges—are lower in this study from Japan than in reports from many other countries.