bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linkage Analysis in Caribbean Hispanic Families with Puerto Rican Ancestry Idenitfies an Alzheimer Disease Locus on chromosome 9
Authors: Rajabli Farid , Feliciano-Astacio Briseida E. , Cukier Holly N. , Wang Liyong , Griswold Anthony , Hamilton-Nelson Kara L. , Adams Larry D. , Rodriguez Vanessa C. , Mena Pedro Ramon , Tejada Sergio , Celis Katrina , Whitehead Patrice L. , Van Booven Derek J , Hofmann Natalia K. , Bussies Parker , Prough Michael , Chinea Angel , Feliciano Nereida I , Acosta Heriberto , Dalgard Clifton L. , Vance Jeffery M. , Cuccaro Michael C. , Beecham Gary W. , Pericak-Vance Margaret A.
Published: March 2020

Background

The ancestral genetic heterogeneity (admixture) of Caribbean Hispanics makes studies of this population critical to the discovery of ancestry-specific genetic factors in Alzheimer disease. In this study, we performed whole genome sequencing in multiplex Caribbean Hispanic Puerto Rican families to identify rare causal variants influencing Alzheimer disease through linkage and segregation-based approaches.

Methods

As part of the Puerto Rican Alzheimer Disease Initiative, whole genome sequencing data were generated for 100 individuals (61 affected) from 23 Puerto Rican families. To identify the genetic loci likely to carry risk variants, we performed a parametric multipoint affected individuals-only linkage analysis using MERLIN software. Following the linkage analysis, we identified the consensus region (heterogeneity logarithm of the odds score (HLOD) > 5.1), annotated variants using Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor, and combined annotation dependent depletion score (CADD). Finally, we prioritized variants according to allele frequency (< 0.01), function (CADD > 10), and complete segregation among affected individuals.

Results

A locus at 9p21 produced a linkage HLOD score of 5.1 in the parametric affecteds-only multipoint affected individuals-only model supported by 9 families. Through the prioritization step, we selected 36 variants (22 genic variants). Candidate genes in the regions includeC9orf72, UNC13B, andELAVL2.

Conclusions

Linkage analysis of Caribbean Hispanics Puerto Rican families confirmed previously reported linkage to9p21in non-Hispanic White and Israeli-Arap families. Our results suggest several candidates in the region as conferring AD risk. Identified putative damaging rare variants in multiplex families indicates the critical role of rare variation in Alzheimer disease etiology.
Lipid-associated PML domains regulate CCTα, Lipin1 and lipid homeostasis
Authors: Lee Jonghwa , Salsman Jayme , Foster Jason , Dellaire Graham , Ridgway Neale D.
Published: March 2020

Nuclear LDs (nLDs) originate at the inner nuclear membrane by a mechanism that involves the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein. Here we demonstrate that nLDs in oleate-treated U2OS cells are associated withLipid-AssociatedPML (LAP) domains that differ from canonical PML nuclear bodies by the relative absence of SUMO1, SP100 and DAXX. nLDs were also enriched in CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α (CCTα), the phosphatidic acid phosphatase Lipin1 and diacylglycerol (DAG). High resolution imaging revealed that LAP domains and CCTα occupy distinct polarized regions on nLDs, and that loss of LAP domains in PML knockout U2OS cells reduced the recruitment of CCTα onto nLDs by its amphipathic α-helical M-domain. The association of Lipin1 and DAG with nLDs was also LAP domain-dependent. The disruption of CCTα and Lipin1 localization on nLDs in PML knockout cells resulted in the inhibition of phosphatidylcholine and triacylglycerol synthesis indicating that LAP domains are a unique PML subdomain involved in nLD assembly and regulation of lipid metabolism.
Economic policy uncertainty and Bitcoin. Is Bitcoin a safe-haven asset?
Authors: Paule-Vianez Jessica , Prado-Román Camilo , Gómez-Martínez Raúl
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The goal of this work is to determine whether Bitcoin behaves as a safe-haven asset. In order to do so, the influence of Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) on Bitcoin returns and volatility was studied.

Design/methodology/approach

It is evaluated whether, when compared with the evolution of EPU, Bitcoin's returns and volatility show behaviours typical of safe havens or rather, those of conventional speculative assets. When faced with an increase in EPU, safe havens – such as gold – can be expected to increase their returns and volatility, while conventional speculative assets will increase their volatility and reduce their returns. This study uses simple linear regression and quantile regression models on a daily data sample from 19 July 2010 to 11 April 2019, to analyse the influence of EPU on the returns and volatility of Bitcoin and gold.

Findings

Bitcoin's returns and volatility increase during more uncertain times, just like gold, showing that Bitcoin acts not only as a means of exchange but also shows characteristics of investment assets, specifically of safe havens. These findings provide useful information to investors by allowing Bitcoin to be considered as a tool to protect savings in times of economic uncertainty and to diversify portfolios.

Originality/value

This study complements and expands current research by aiming to answer the question of whether Bitcoin is a simple speculative asset or a safe haven. The most significant contribution is to show that Bitcoin is not a mere speculative asset but behaves like a safe haven.
Do we innovate as we believe we do?
Authors: McLaughlin Laura , McLaughlin James F.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This research study assessed the mindset of individuals regarding their perception of innovation as a means for successful product or process improvement and their perception of thought processes that underpin innovative practices. It investigated the attitudinal foundation for the development of training, development and assessment of structured innovation methodologies.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of qualitative and quantitative research gathered through an anonymous survey designed to explore the basic understanding of innovation and included open-ended questions supported more integrated perceptions of innovation in the sampled population's own experiences. The participants of the survey and research were drawn from the public, but it focused more specifically on demographic groups known for their interest in innovation, either as practitioners or teachers.

Findings

The results found, overwhelmingly, survey participants believed innovation is a skill; however, they also believed, inconsistently, that innovation itself is an unpredictable, unstructured and unsystematic process.

Practical implications

At a practical level, exploring the propensity for individuals or groups to believe defined innovation practices can be effective and that these practices can be learned, measured and improved drives the overall effectiveness of training and organizational leadership. With research, we can make training professionals aware that the mindset of potential innovators is to favor a belief in brainstorming and random success. Doing so can significantly impact the preparation of training and development programs for developing structured innovation capabilities.

Originality/value

Training a new generation of innovators, especially young children, requires care so that they internalize the right mindset and the right tool strategy to be the best innovators possible.
Combined cues of male competition influence spermatozoal investment in a moth
Authors: Liu Junyan , Zhang Yujing , Zheng Xia‐Lin , He Xiong Z. , Wang Qiao
Published: March 2020

Male animals usually raise their sperm allocation after detecting sperm competition risk. To date, only a few studies have investigated the cues used by males to sense and respond to rivals. Yet, it is still largely unknown whether males respond to single or combined cues and whether they can increase their lifetime spermatozoal investment after a perception of rival cue(s).

Here we postulate that males increase ejaculation and production of sperm after detecting combined cues from rivals, but such response quickly diminishes after the cues are removed. We exposed newly emerged and virgin focal males of the moth Ephestia kuehniella to various rival cues and then permanently removed the cues. We introduced a virgin female to an exposed focal male and an unexposed focal male, respectively, per day and counted the number of sperm transferred by the focal males in each mating and recovered in their body after death.

We demonstrate that males significantly increased their lifetime sperm allocation and production after premating detection of either single (acoustic or chemical) or combined cues (acoustic + chemical or acoustic + chemical + tactile) from their rivals with combined cues (acoustic + chemical + tactile) somewhat strengthening such response in eupyrene production.

The number of sperm ejaculated by males significantly decreased over successive matings in their lifetime regardless of whether they were exposed to rival cues, but the decline was significantly faster in rival‐cue‐exposed males than in unexposed ones. This suggests that the increase in spermatogenesis cannot fully compensate for that of sperm expenditure in response to rival cues.

We show that 10‐hr premating rival exposure was sufficient to maximize males' response in sperm ejaculation and production. The impact of the rival perception on sperm transfer persisted for most of males' reproductive life, suggesting that the moth males have a long‐term memory of sperm competition risk experienced in the early adulthood.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Common image gather conditioning using cycle generative adversarial networks
Authors: O'Brien G.S.
Published: March 2020

Seismically derived amplitude‐versus‐angle attributes along with well constraints are the base inputs into inverting seismic into subsurface properties. Conditioning the common image gathers is a common workflow in quantitative inversion and leads to a more accurate inversion product due to the removal of post‐migration artefacts. Here, we apply a neural network to condition the post‐migration gathers. The network is a cycle generative adversarial network, CycleGAN, which was designed for image‐to‐image translation. This can be considered the same problem as translating an artefact rich seismic gather to an artefact free seismic gather. To assess the feasibility of applying the network to pre‐stack conditioning, synthetic data sets were generated to train different networks for different tasks. The networks were trained to remove white noise, residual de‐multiples, gather flattening and a combination of the above for conditioning. The results show that a trained network was able remove white noise providing a more robust amplitude‐versus‐offset calculation. Another network trained using synthetic gathers with and without multiples assisted in multiple removal. However, instability around primary preservation has been observed so the network works better as a residual de‐multiple method. For gather conditioning, a network was trained with the unpaired artefact‐rich and artefact‐free training data where the artefacts included complex moveout, noise and multiples. When applied to the test data sets, the networks cleaned the artefact‐rich test data and translated complex moveout into flat gathers whilst preserving the amplitude response. Finally, two networks are applied to real data where a gather based on the well logs is used to quantify the match between the conditioned gathers and the raw gathers. The first network used synthetic data to train the network and, when applied to real data, provided a better tie with the well. The second network was trained with synthetic gathers whose properties were constrained by real seismic gathers from near the well. As anticipated, the network trained on the representative training data outperforms the network trained using the unconstrained data. However, the ability of the first network to condition the gather indicates that a sweep of networks can be trained without the need for real data and applied in a manner analogous to the way parameters are adjusted in traditional geophysical methods. The results show that the different neural networks can offer an alternative or augmentation to the existing geophysical workflow for conditioning pre‐stack seismic gathers.
Territoriality drives preemptive habitat selection in recovering wolves: Implications for carnivore conservation
Authors: O'Neil Shawn T. , Vucetich John A. , Beyer Dean E. , Hoy Sarah R. , Bump Joseph K.
Published: March 2020

According to the ideal‐free distribution (IFD), individuals within a population are free to select habitats that maximize their chances of success. Assuming knowledge of habitat quality, the IFD predicts that average fitness will be approximately equal among individuals and between habitats, while density varies, implying that habitat selection will be density dependent. Populations are often assumed to follow an IFD, although this assumption is rarely tested with empirical data, and may be incorrect when territoriality indicates habitat selection tactics that deviate from the IFD (e.g. ideal‐despotic distribution or ideal‐preemptive distribution).

When territoriality influences habitat selection, species' density will not directly reflect components of fitness such as reproductive success or survival. In such cases, assuming an IFD can lead to false conclusions about habitat quality. We tested theoretical models of density‐dependent habitat selection on a species known to exhibit territorial behaviour in order to determine whether commonly applied habitat models are appropriate under these circumstances.

We combined long‐term radiotelemetry and census data from grey wolves Canis lupus in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA to relate spatiotemporal variability in wolf density to underlying classifications of habitat within a hierarchical state‐space modelling framework. We then iteratively applied isodar analysis to evaluate which distribution of habitat selection best described this recolonizing wolf population.

The wolf population in our study expanded by >1,000% during our study (~50 to >600 individuals), and density‐dependent habitat selection was most consistent with the ideal‐preemptive distribution, as opposed to the ideal‐free or ideal‐despotic alternatives.

Population density of terrestrial carnivores may not be positively correlated with the fitness value of their habitats, and density‐dependent habitat selection patterns may help to explain complex predator–prey dynamics and cascading indirect effects. Source–sink population dynamics appear likely when species exhibit rapid growth and occupy interspersed habitats of contrasting quality. These conditions are likely and have implications for large carnivores in many systems, such as areas in North America and Europe where large predator species are currently recolonizing their former ranges.
How climate impacts the composition of wolf‐killed elk in northern Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Wilmers Christopher C. , Metz Matthew C. , Stahler Daniel R. , Kohl Michel T. , Geremia Chris , Smith Douglas W.
Published: March 2020

While the functional response of predators is commonly measured, recent work has revealed that the age and sex composition of prey killed is often a better predictor of prey population dynamics because the reproductive value of adult females is usually higher than that of males or juveniles.

Climate is often an important mediating factor in determining the composition of predator kills, but we currently lack a mechanistic understanding of how the multiple facets of climate interact with prey abundance and demography to influence the composition of predator kills.

Over 20 winters, we monitored 17 wolf packs in Yellowstone National Park and recorded the sex, age and nutritional condition of kills of their dominant prey—elk—in both early and late winter periods when elk are in relatively good and relatively poor condition, respectively.

Nutritional condition (as indicated by per cent marrow fat) of wolf‐killed elk varied markedly with summer plant productivity, snow water equivalent (SWE) and winter period. Moreover, marrow was poorer for wolf‐killed bulls and especially for calves than it was for cows.

Wolf prey composition was influenced by a complex set of climatic and endogenous variables. In early winter, poor plant growth in either year t or t − 1, or relatively low elk abundance, increased the odds of wolves killing bulls relative to cows. Calves were most likely to get killed when elk abundance was high and when the forage productivity they experienced in utero was poor. In late winter, low SWE and a relatively large elk population increased the odds of wolves killing calves relative to cows, whereas low SWE and poor vegetation productivity 1 year prior together increased the likelihood of wolves killing a bull instead of a cow.

Since climate has a strong influence on whether wolves prey on cows (who, depending on their age, are the key reproductive components of the population) or lower reproductive value of calves and bulls, our results suggest that climate can drive wolf predation to be more or less additive from year to year.
The gateway to Africa: What determines sea crossing performance of a migratory soaring bird at the Strait of Gibraltar?
Authors: Santos Carlos David , Silva João Paulo , Muñoz Antonio‐Román , Onrubia Alejandro , Wikelski Martin
Published: March 2020

Large bodies of water represent major obstacles for the migration of soaring birds because thermal updrafts are absent or weak over water. Soaring birds are known to time their water crossings with favourable weather conditions and there are records of birds falling into the water and drowning in large numbers. However, it is still unclear how environmental factors, individual traits and trajectory choices affect their water crossing performance, this being important to understand the fitness consequences of water barriers for this group of birds.

We addressed this problem using the black kiteMilvus migransas model species at a major migration bottleneck, the Strait of Gibraltar.

We recorded high‐resolution GPS and triaxial accelerometer data for 73 birds while crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, allowing the determination of sea crossing duration, length, altitude, speed and tortuosity, the flapping behaviour of birds and their failed crossing attempts. These parameters were modelled against wind speed and direction, time of the day, solar irradiance (proxy of thermal uplift), starting altitude and distance to Morocco, and age and sex of birds.

We found that sea crossing performance of black kites is driven by their age, the wind conditions, the starting altitude and distance to Morocco. Young birds made longer sea crossings and reached lower altitude above the sea than adults. Crosswinds promoted longer sea crossings, with birds reaching lower altitudes and with higher flapping effort. Birds starting at lower altitudes were more likely to quit or made higher flapping effort to complete the crossing. The location where birds started the sea crossings impacted crossing distance and duration.

We present evidence that explains why migrating soaring birds accumulate at sea passages during adverse weather conditions. Strong crosswinds during sea crossings force birds to extended flap‐powered flight at low altitude, which may increase their chances of falling in the water. We also showed that juvenile birds assume more risks than adults. Finally, the way in which birds start the sea crossing is crucial for their success, particularly the starting altitude, which dictates how far birds can reach with reduced flapping effort.
Stay home, stay safe—Site familiarity reduces predation risk in a large herbivore in two contrasting study sites
Authors: Gehr Benedikt , Bonnot Nadège C. , Heurich Marco , Cagnacci Francesca , Ciuti Simone , Hewison A. J. Mark , Gaillard Jean‐Michel , Ranc Nathan , Premier Joe , Vogt Kristina , Hofer Elizabeth , Ryser Andreas , Vimercati Eric , Keller Lukas
Published: March 2020

Restricting movements to familiar areas should increase individual fitness as it provides animals with information about the spatial distribution of resources and predation risk. While the benefits of familiarity for locating resources have been reported previously, the potential value of familiarity for predation avoidance has been accorded less attention. It has been suggested that familiarity should be beneficial for anti‐predator behaviour when direct cues of predation risk are unclear and do not allow prey to identify well‐defined spatial refuges. However, to our knowledge, this hypothesis has yet to be tested.

Here, we assessed how site familiarity, measured as the intensity of use of a given location, is associated with the probability of roe deer Capreolus capreolus being killed by two predators with contrasting hunting tactics, the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and human hunters. While risk of human hunting was confined to open habitats, risk of lynx predation was more diffuse, with no clear refuge areas.

We estimated cause‐specific mortality rates in a competing risk framework for 212 GPS‐collared roe deer in two ecologically distinct areas of Central Europe to test the hypothesis that the daily risk of being killed by lynx or hunters should be lower in areas of high familiarity.

We found strong evidence that site familiarity reduces the risk of being predated by lynx, whereas the evidence that the risk of being hunted is linked to site familiarity was weak.

We suggest that local knowledge about small‐scale differences in predation risk and information about efficient escape routes affect an individual's ability to avoid or escape an attack by an ambush predator. Our study emphasizes the role of site familiarity in determining the susceptibility of prey to predation. Further research will be required to understand better how a cognitive map of individual spatial information is beneficial for avoiding predation in the arms race that drives the predator–prey shell game.
Payoff of the Grain for Green policy
Authors: Cao Shixiong , Xia Chengqi , Xian Junli , Guo Hao , Zheng Heran
Published: March 2020

To protect the global ecological environment and prevent threats to human safety and property, nations around the world have invested heavily in ecological restoration programmes. However, we do not know whether these investments have been repaid by the resultant benefits.

To answer this question, we developed an improved method of quantifying costs and benefits that accounts for more of the costs associated with ecological restoration, thereby letting us calculate the net benefit.

To demonstrate this method, we analysed the Grain for Green Program (GGP), which is the world's largest ecological restoration programme. We found that the increase in net benefits amounted to a total of 530.1 × 109 RMB/year in 2017. However, 11 of China's 25 provinces have incurred net losses due to high cost increases and low increases in benefits under the GGP.

Synthesis and applications. Because compensation payments to farmers and herders whose livelihoods were disrupted by implementation of the Grain for Green Program only accounted for 0.8% of the programme's cost, improving compensation payments will be essential to its success. Assessing Grain for Green Program the largest ecological restoration programme in the world will provide guidance for ecological protection and restoration policies around the world.
From Rebellion to Extinction: Where have all the Tory Remainer MPs Gone?
Authors: Alexandre‐Collier Agnès
Published: March 2020

This article examines the process of extinction of former remainer Conservative MPs who followed different paths in the run‐up to the 2019 general election: either choosing to stay loyal and merge with the rest of the parliamentary party, or to express their discontent and leave the party. When they chose to rebel against the leadership, only a small minority dared to vindicate their position. The other rebels constantly played down their identity as remainers and justified their views in an apologetic way. More remarkably, they were treated differently by Boris Johnson, who eventually suspended the last remainers and called for a general election to renew the composition of the party. The consequences of this last move are crucial in order to understand the radical transformation of the Conservative Party into the actual (and only) ‘party of Brexit’.
Popular Urbanization: Conceptualizing Urbanization Processes Beyond Informality
Authors: Streule Monika , Karaman Ozan , Sawyer Lindsay , Schmid Christian
Published: March 2020

This article introduces the concept of popular urbanization to describe a specific urbanization process based on collective initiatives, self‐organization and the activities of inhabitants. We understand popular urbanization as an urban strategy through which an urban territory is produced, transformed and appropriated by the people. This concept results from a theoretically guided and empirically grounded comparison of Mexico City, Istanbul and Lagos. Based on postcolonial critiques of urban theory and on the epistemologies of planetary urbanization, we bring urbanization processes in these urban regions into conversation with each other through a multidimensional theoretical framework inspired by Henri Lefebvre focusing on material interaction, territorial regulation, and everyday experience. In this way, popular urbanization emerged as a distinct urbanization process, which we identified in all three contexts. While this process is often subsumed under the broader concept of ‘urban informality’, we suggest that it may be helpful to distinguish popular urbanization as primarily led by the people, while commodification and state agencies play minor roles. As popular urbanization unfolds in diverse ways dependent upon the wider urban context, specific political constellations and actions, it results in a variety of spatial outcomes and temporal trajectories. This is therefore a revisable and open concept. In proposing the concept of popular urbanization for further examination, we seek to contribute to the collective development of a decentered vocabulary of urbanization.
Prior placental bed disorders and later dementia: a retrospective Swedish register‐based cohort study
Authors: Andolf E , Bladh M , Möller L , Sydsjö G
Published: March 2020

Objective

To investigate the association between a history of placental bed disorders and later dementia.

Design

Retrospective population‐based cohort study.

Setting

Sweden.

Sample

All women giving birth in Sweden between 1973 and 1993 (1 128 709).

Methods

Women with and without placental bed disorders (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy including pre‐eclampsia, fetal growth restriction, spontaneous preterm labour and birth, preterm premature rupture of membranes, abruptio placenta, late miscarriages) and other pregnancy complications were identified by means of the Swedish Medical Birth Register. International classification of disease was used. Data were linked to other National Registers. Participants were followed up until 2013. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios for women with and without pregnancy complications and were adjusted for possible confounders.

Main outcome measures

Diagnosis of vascular dementia and non‐vascular dementia.

Results

Adjusted for cardiovascular disease and socio‐demographic factors, an increased risk of vascular dementia was shown in women with previous pregnancy‐induced hypertension (Hazard ratio [HR] 1.88, 95% CI 1.32–2.69), pre‐eclampsia (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.23–2.16), spontaneous preterm labour and birth (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.12–2.42) or preterm premature rupture of membranes (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.08–2.37). No statistically significant increased risk was seen for other pregnancy complications or non‐vascular dementia even though many of the point estimates indicated increased risks.

Conclusions

Women with placental bed disorders have a higher risk for vascular disease. Mechanisms behind the abnormal placentation remain elusive, although maternal constitutional factors, abnormal implantation as well as impaired angiogenesis have been suggested.

Tweetable abstract

Placental bed syndromes associated with vascular dementia even after adjusting for cardiovascular disease.
Starch–lipid and starch–lipid–protein complexes: A comprehensive review
Authors: Wang Shujun , Chao Chen , Cai Jingjing , Niu Bin , Copeland Les , Wang Shuo
Published: March 2020

Physical interactions often occur between major food components during food processing. These interactions may involve starch, lipids, and proteins forming V‐type starch–lipid complexes or ternary starch–lipid–protein complexes of larger molecular size and greater structural order. Complexes between starch and lipids have been the subject of intensive research for over half a century, whereas the study of starch–lipid–protein complexes is a relatively new field with only a limited amount of knowledge being gained so far. The formation of these complexes can significantly affect the functional and nutritional properties of finished food products in terms of flavor, texture, shelf life, and digestibility. This article provides a comprehensive review of starch–lipid and starch–lipid–protein complexes, including their classification, factors affecting their formation and structure, and preparative and analytical methods. The review also considers how complexes affect the physicochemical and functional properties of starch, including digestibility, and potential applications in the food industry.
Cultural values and definitions of career success
Authors: Benson George S. , McIntosh Cheryl K. , Salazar Maritza , Vaziri Hoda
Published: March 2020

This paper examines how national culture relates to the ways that individuals define career success. Data are drawn from interviews with 269 professional services employees in 15 countries. Interviews are content coded and linked with country‐level Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness measures of cultural values. We test our hypotheses using a multilevel multinomial logit model. The results demonstrate that the ways in which employees define career success vary across countries, due in part to differences in cultural values after controlling for gender, occupation, job level, and national economic development. We find that employees from countries high in future orientation, uncertainty avoidance, and performance orientation are more likely to define career success in terms of interpersonal outcomes, and those from countries high in collectivism (institutional and in‐group), humane orientation, and gender egalitarianism are more likely to prefer intrapersonal outcomes. We find that employees from countries that are high in assertiveness, uncertainty avoidance, and performance orientation are more likely to define career success in terms of achievement‐oriented outcomes. Finally, we find that employees from countries high in power distance report career success definitions in terms of safety and security outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of cultural differences in careers across countries.
Physicochemical, thermal, mechanical, optical, and barrier characterization of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) mucilage‐protein concentrate biodegradable films
Authors: Salazar Vega Ine Mayday , Quintana Owen Patricia , Segura Campos Maira Rubi
Published: March 2020

In this study, the effect of chia mucilage (CM) and protein concentrate (CPC) contents on the physicochemical, thermal, mechanical, and optical characteristics of developed films was evaluated. Films were prepared dissolving CM:CPC mixtures (1% w/v) in seven ratios (0:1, 1:4, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 1:0). Microstructure of treatments with higher CM revealed the formation of polysaccharide granules. A semicrystalline behavior was manifested in 1:0, which decreased as CPC content in the formulations increased. Contact angle values obtained for 1:1 and 2:1 were the highest (61.24° and 62.44°), evidencing less affinity to water than other films. TGA analysis suggest that films showed thermal stability at less than 225 °C. Melting temperatures above 85 °C were found for all films in the evaluated range (50 °C to 200 °C) of DSC analysis. Higher CM concentrations in films increased the force required to break them (13.5 MPa) and their elongation capacity (5.20%). As the CM ratio in formulations was increased, the color difference was lower (ΔE = 27.45), water vapor permeability was higher (10.9 × 10−11 g/m·s·Pa), but transparency was statistically the same for all treatments (6.62 to 7.26). After analyzing all films properties, 2:1 formulation corresponding to 25:75% w/v mixtures of CM:CPC would be the best option for use in food packaging.
Microgreen nutrition, food safety, and shelf life: A review
Authors: Turner Ellen R. , Luo Yaguang , Buchanan Robert L.
Published: March 2020

Microgreens have gained increasing popularity as food ingredients in recent years because of their high nutritional value and diverse sensorial characteristics. Microgreens are edible seedlings including vegetables and herbs, which have been used, primarily in the restaurant industry, to embellish cuisine since 1996. The rapidly growing microgreen industry faces many challenges. Microgreens share many characteristics with sprouts, and while they have not been associated with any foodborne illness outbreaks, they have recently been the subject of seven recalls. Thus, the potential to carry foodborne pathogens is there, and steps can and should be taken during production to reduce the likelihood of such incidents. One major limitation to the growth of the microgreen industry is the rapid quality deterioration that occurs soon after harvest, which keeps prices high and restricts commerce to local sales. Once harvested, microgreens easily dehydrate, wilt, decay and rapidly lose certain nutrients. Research has explored preharvest and postharvest interventions, such as calcium treatments, modified atmopsphere packaging, temperature control, and light, to maintain quality, augment nutritional value, and extend shelf life. However, more work is needed to optimize both production and storage conditions to improve the safety, quality, and shelf life of microgreens, thereby expanding potential markets.
Synergistic anticancer effects of curcumin and 3',4'‐didemethylnobiletin in combination on colon cancer cells
Authors: DiMarco‐Crook Christina , Rakariyatham Kanyasiri , Li Zhengze , Du Zheyuan , Zheng Jinkai , Wu Xian , Xiao Hang
Published: March 2020

Chemoprevention strategies employing the use of multiple dietary bioactive components and their metabolites in combination offer advantages due to their low toxicity and potential synergistic interactions. Herein, for the first time, we studied the combination of curcumin and 3',4'‐didemethylnobiletin (DDMN), a primary metabolite of nobiletin, to determine their combinatory effects in inhibiting growth of human colon cancer cells. Isobologram analysis revealed a synergistic interaction between curcumin and DDMN in the inhibition of cell growth of HCT116 colon cancer cells. The combination treatment induced significant G2–M cell‐cycle arrest and extensive apoptosis, which greatly exceeded the effects of individual treatments with curcumin or DDMN. Proteins associated with these heightened anticarcinogenic effects were p53, p21, HO‐1, c‐poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase, Cdc2, and Cdc25c; each of the proteins was confirmed to be substantially impacted by the combination treatment, more than by individual treatments alone. Interestingly, an increase in the stability of curcumin was also observed with the presence of DDMN in cell culture medium, which could offer an explanation in part for the synergistic interaction between curcumin and DDMN. This newly identified synergy between curcumin and DDMN should be explored further to determine its chemopreventive potential against colon cancer in vivo.

Practical Application

This study identifies for the first time the synergistic inhibition of colon cancer cell growth by the dietary component curcumin present in turmeric, in combination with a metabolite of nobiletin, a unique citrus flavonoid. The synergism of the combination may be due to cell‐cycle arrest and apoptosis induced by the combination as well as an improvement in the stability of curcumin as a result of the antioxidant property of the nobiletin metabolite. These significant findings of synergism between curcumin and the nobiletin metabolite could offer potential chemopreventive value against colon cancer.
Effect of adding shea butter stearin and emulsifiers on the physical properties of cocoa butter
Authors: Zeng Junpeng , Shen Jinrong , Wu Yanping , Liu Xianbiao , Deng Ze‐Yuan , Li Jing
Published: March 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of shea butter stearin (SBS) as cocoa butter equivalent (CBE). In this work, the optimal ratio of SBS and cocoa butter (CB) was evaluated by the solid fat content and deviation solid fat content. Emulsifiers added to SBS and CB blends were first screened based on β polymorph level, and mixture regression experiment was designed to obtain the optimized compound emulsifiers ratio, finally the characterization of shea butter chocolate was evaluated by sensory evaluation and texture profile analysis (TPA). The best compatibility was obtained when the mixture ratio of SBS and CB was 20:80, where ΔSFC within a range of 1.5 was shown. The appropriate compound emulsifiers were soy lecithin: polyglycerol polyricinoleate: Tween 60 = 1:1:1. Both sensory evaluation and TPA test showed SBS and CB blends could improve the taste and texture of chocolate with proper emulsifiers addition.
Physical, mechanical, and antibacterial characteristics of bio‐nanocomposite films loaded with Ag‐modified SiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Hajizadeh Hamed , Peighambardoust Seyed Jamaleddin , Peighambardoust Seyed Hadi , Peressini Donatella
Published: March 2020

In this study, starch‐based films incorporating metal oxide (MO2) nanoparticles (NPs) of TiO2 and SiO2 (at a concentration of 1 to 4 wt. %) were produced by solution casting method. In order to exhibit antimicrobial properties, MO2 NPs were modified by synthesizing silver (Ag) ions over the NPs using cationic adsorption method. Ag ions were then reduced to metallic Ag by sodium borohydride solution. Scanning electron microscopy showed a smooth surface for the pure starch film. Incorporating MO2@Ag NPs in the films increased surface roughness with agglomerated NPs within starch matrix. Energy dispersive X‐ray analysis exhibited a uniform dispersion of Ag‐loaded MO2 NPs, which increases surface contact between these NPs and the biopolymer matrix leading to improved physical and mechanical properties of the resulting films. With increasing in the NPs concentrations, the tensile strength and elongation at break % of the films increased and decreased, respectively. Incorporating MO2@Ag NPs into starch matrix decreased solubility in water and water vapor permeability of the obtained films, and significantly inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The most antibacterial effect was obtained for the films containing higher weight concentrations of Ag‐loaded SiO2‐NPs.
Ionic liquid‐modified countercurrent chromatographic isolation of high‐purity delphinidin‐3‐rutinoside from eggplant peel
Authors: Fan Chen , Li Nai , Cao Xueli , Wen Lijiao
Published: March 2020

Delphinidin‐3‐rutinoside, a high‐value of anthocyanin, was isolated and purified by ionic liquid (IL)‐modified countercurrent chromatography (CCC) from waste peel of eggplant (Solanum melongena), one of the most common vegetables consumed all around the world. Different conventional CCC and IL‐CCC solvent systems were evaluated in respect of partition coefficient (K), separation factor (α), and stationary phase retention factor (Sf) to separate polar target and other components. Basic solvent system, kind of ILs, and amount of ILs were systematically optimized by totally K‐targeted strategy, which drastically reduced the experimental effort. Finally, a novel CCC two‐phase solvent system (methyl tert‐butyl ether–butanol–acetonitrile–1% trifluoroacetic acid water–1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4MIM][PF6]) [2:4:1:5:0.2; v/v/v/v/v]) was successfully established and applied. The baseline separation of target fraction was obtained in one cycle process. The purity of delphinidin‐3‐rutinoside was over 99%. Moreover, the distribution behavior of different kinds of ILs in biphasic solvent system and the removal method of ILs were explored. The results showed that hydrophobic IL significantly improved the partition of polar anthocyanin in organic solvent system, thereby the separation resolution and stationary phase retention through introducing intermolecular forces. This IL‐modified CCC strategy may be applied for the separation of other anthocyanins from variety of natural food resources and waste.
The Novel Coronavirus – A Snapshot of Current Knowledge
Authors: Brüssow Harald
Published: March 2020

Another animal to human transmission of a coronavirus occurred in December 2019 on a live animal market in the Chinese city of Wuhan causing an epidemic in China, reaching now different continents. This minireview summarizes the research literature on the virological, clinical and epidemiological aspects of this epidemic published until end of February 2020.
The Case for Regional Cooperation in Trade and Investment Finance for Asia
Authors: Chatterjee Arup , Goswami Arjun , Hugot Jules , Vital Marianne
Published: March 2020

This article reviews the evolution of the role of export credit agencies (ECAs) and their impact on trade and investment. We argue that regional cooperation in Asia would foster regulation and facilitate access to trade and investment finance. Regional cooperation could take the form of regulation aiming at levelling the playing field; or it could go further, with the creation of a multilateral agency that would leverage the industry’s best practices and a good credit standing to facilitate access to trade and investment finance across Asia, particularly in the countries where availability is limited. We review the lessons learnt from existing multilateral ECAs and national ECAs in Asia and argue that these should be carefully considered when designing a new regional ECA.
Trade Liberalization and Fiscal Stability in Developing Countries: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?
Authors: Dutt Devika , Gallagher Kevin P. , Thrasher Rachel D.
Published: March 2020

This paper evaluates the evidence as regards the extent to which trade liberalization has led to a decline in tariff revenue, total tax revenue, government expenditure, and government debt. Conventional theory generally predicts that when tariff losses do occur, they may be recouped through better forms of taxation – though a more sophisticated body of theory suggests otherwise. The empirical evidence is also mixed. Theory driven ex‐ante models of trade liberalization assume that trade agreements are revenue neutral. Ex‐post studies suggest that theory may hold in advanced and upper middle‐income economies. However, the consequences for lower income countries are a matter for concern. The majority of the evidence finds that low income countries lose trade tax revenue and are unable to recoup much of that lost revenue. At a time when fresh bilateral trade and investment treaties are being negotiated and WTO reform is on the global policy agenda, this paper highlights the need to design a treaty regime that enhances the ability of poorer nations to mobilize domestic resources without jeopardizing fiscal and financial stability.
Distribution and density of oxpeckers on giraffes in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Authors: Gagnon Roxanne , Mabika Cheryl T. , Bonenfant Christophe
Published: March 2020

Oxpeckers (Buphagus sp.) are two bird species closely associated to large mammals, including giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis). We tested whether oxpeckers distributed themselves at random across individuals or aggregated on individual giraffes, and whether birds select the host's body parts with the expected greatest amount of ticks. By counting oxpeckers on giraffe's body from photographs, we quantified the distribution of birds per hosts and over predefined zones on the giraffe body. Oxpeckers displayed a strong aggregation behaviour with few hosts carrying many birds while many carried a limited number or no bird, a pattern that was most exaggerated for males. Oxpeckers were disproportionately found on the mane and back, where the density of ticks is presumably the highest. This high aggregation level of birds is typical of parasitic species and could suggest that oxpecker distribution may mirror the distribution of ticks, their primary food resource, on giraffes. Abundance of ticks appears as a major driver of the oxpecker foraging behaviour, and the oxpecker–large herbivores system proves to be highly relevant for the study of host–parasite dynamics.
Mitochondrial oxygen affinity increases after sprint interval training and is related to the improvement in peak oxygen uptake
Authors: Larsen Filip J. , Schiffer Tomas A. , Zinner Christoph , Willis Sarah J. , Morales‐Alamo David , Calbet Jose A.L. , Boushel Robert , Holmberg Hans‐Christer
Published: March 2020

Aims

The body responds to exercise training by profound adaptations throughout the cardiorespiratory and muscular systems, which may result in improvements in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and mitochondrial capacity. By convenience, mitochondrial respiration is often measured at supra‐physiological oxygen levels, an approach that ignores any potential regulatory role of mitochondrial affinity for oxygen (p50mito) at physiological oxygen levels.

Methods

In this study, we examined the p50mito of mitochondria isolated from the Vastus lateralis and Triceps brachii in 12 healthy volunteers before and after a training intervention with seven sessions of sprint interval training using both leg cycling and arm cranking. The changes in p50mito were compared to changes in whole‐body VO2peak.

Results

We here show that p50mito is similar in isolated mitochondria from the Vastus (40 ± 3.8 Pa) compared to Triceps (39 ± 3.3) but decreases (mitochondrial oxygen affinity increases) after seven sessions of sprint interval training (to 26 ± 2.2 Pa in Vastus and 22 ± 2.7 Pa in Triceps, both P < .01). The change in VO2peak modelled from changes in p50mito was correlated to actual measured changes in VO2peak (R2 = .41, P = .002).

Conclusion

Together with mitochondrial respiratory capacity, p50mito is a critical factor when measuring mitochondrial function, it can decrease with sprint interval training and should be considered in the integrative analysis of the oxygen cascade from lung to mitochondria.