bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complete assembly of a dengue virus type 3 genome from a recent genotype III clade by metagenomic sequencing of serum
Authors: Pattabiraman Chitra , Dias Mary , Siddappa Shilpa , Gowda Malali , Shet Anita , Smith Derek , Muehlemann Barbara , Tamma Krishnapriya , Solomon Tom , Jones Terry , Krishna Sudhir
Published: October 2017

Background

Mosquito-borne flaviviruses causing diseases such as dengue and Japanese encephalitis are devastating, particularly in the tropics. Although, multiple flaviviruses are known to co-circulate in India, when a patient presents with febrile illness, testing is usually limited to specific pathogens. Unbiased metagenomic sequencing of febrile cases can reveal the presence of multiple pathogens and provide complete genome information. Sequence information, a cornerstone for tracing virus evolution, is relevant for the design of vaccines and therapeutics. In order to assess the usefulness of unbiased metagenomic sequencing for the identification of viruses associated with febrile illness, we sequenced serum from four individuals and plasma from one individual, all hospitalized at a tertiary care centre in South India with severe or prolonged febrile illnesses, together with one healthy control in 2014.

Results

We identified and assembled a complete dengue virus type 3 (DENV3) sequence from the serum of a case classified as severe dengue. We also found a small number of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) sequences in the serum of two adults with febrile illness, including the one who had dengue. Phylogenetic analysis of the dengue sequence indicates that it belongs to a predominantly Asian, DENV3, genotype III clade. It had an estimated divergence time of 13.86 years (95% Highest Posterior Densities 12.94 - 14.83 years) with the closest Indian strain. Amino acid substitutions were present throughout the sequenced genome, including 11 substitutions in the antigenic envelope protein compared to the strain used for the development of the first commercial dengue vaccine. Of these one substitution (E361D) was unique and six were in critical antigenic sites.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that both genome assembly and detection of a low number of viral sequences are possible by unbiased sequencing of clinical material. Complete dengue virus sequence analysis places the sequenced genome in a recent, predominantly Asian clade within genotype III of DENV3. The detection of JEV, an agent not routinely tested in febrile illness in India, warrants further analysis and highlights the need to study co-circulating flaviviruses in parallel.
Association of Polygenic Risk Scores for Multiple Cancers in a Phenome-wide Study: Results from The Michigan Genomics Initiative
Authors: Fritsche Lars G. , Gruber Stephen B. , Wu Zhenke , Schmidt Ellen M. , Zawistowski Matthew , Moser Stephanie E. , Blanc Victoria M. , Brummett Chad M. , Kheterpal Sachin , Abecasis Gonçalo R. , Mukherjee Bhramar
Published: October 2017

Health systems are stewards of patient electronic health record (EHR) data with extraordinarily rich depth and breadth, reflecting thousands of diagnoses and exposures. Measures of genomic variation integrated with EHRs offer a potential strategy to accurately stratify patients for risk profiling and discover new relationships between diagnoses and genomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) for common cancers are associated with multiple phenotypes in a Phenome-wide Association Study (PheWAS) conducted in 28,260 unrelated, genotyped patients of recent European ancestry who consented to participate in the Michigan Genomics Initiative, a longitudinal biorepository effort within Michigan Medicine. PRS for 12 cancer traits were calculated using summary statistics from the NHGRI-EBI catalog. A total of 1,711 synthetic case-control studies was used for PheWAS analyses. There were 13,490 (47.7%) patients with at least one cancer diagnosis in this study sample. PRSs exhibited strong association for several cancer traits they were designed for including female breast cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid cancer. Phenome-wide significant associations were observed between PRS and many non-cancer diagnoses. To differentiate PRS associations driven by the primary trait from associations arising through shared genetic risk profiles, the idea of “exclusion PRS PheWAS” was introduced. This approach led to phenome-wide significant associations between a lower risk for hypothyroidism in patients with high thyroid cancer PRS and a higher risk for actinic keratosis in patients with high squamous cell carcinoma PRS after removing all cases of the primary cancer trait. Further analysis of temporal order of the diagnoses improved our understanding of these secondary associations. This is the first comprehensive PheWAS study using PRS instead of a single variant.
Ongoing brain rhythms shape I-wave properties in a computational model
Authors: Schaworonkow Natalie , Triesch Jochen
Published: October 2017

Background

Responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are notoriously variable. Previous studies have observed a dependence of TMS-induced responses on ongoing brain activity, for instance sensorimotor rhythms. This suggests an opportunity for the development of more effective stimulation protocols through closed-loop TMS-EEG. However, it is not yet clear how features of ongoing activity affect the responses of cortical circuits to TMS.

Objective/Hypothesis

Here we investigate the dependence of TMS-responses on power and phase of ongoing oscillatory activity in a computational model of TMS-induced I-waves.

Methods

The model comprises populations of cortical layer 2/3 (L2/3) neurons and a population of cortical layer 5 (L5) neurons and generates I-waves in response to TMS. Oscillatory input to the L2/3 neurons induces rhythmic fluctuations in activity of L5 neurons. TMS pulses are simulated at different phases and amplitudes of the ongoing rhythm.

Results

The model shows a robust dependence of I-wave properties on phase and power of ongoing rhythms, with the strongest response occurring for TMS at maximal L5 depolarization. The amount of phase-modulation depends on stimulation intensity, with stronger modulation for lower intensity.

Conclusion

The model predicts that responses to TMS are highly variable for low stimulation intensities if ongoing brain rhythms are not taken into account. Closed-loop TMS-EEG holds promise for obtaining more reliable TMS effects.
Simultaneous single-cell profiling of lineages and cell types in the vertebrate brain by scGESTALT
Authors: Raj Bushra , Wagner Daniel E. , McKenna Aaron , Pandey Shristi , Klein Allon M. , Shendure Jay , Gagnon James A. , Schier Alexander F.
Published: October 2017

Hundreds of cell types are generated during development, but their lineage relationships are largely elusive. Here we report a technology, scGESTALT, which combines cell type identification by single-cell RNA sequencing with lineage recording by cumulative barcode editing. We sequenced ~60,000 transcriptomes from the juvenile zebrafish brain and identified more than 100 cell types and marker genes. We engineered an inducible system that combines early and late barcode editing and isolated thousands of single-cell transcriptomes and their associated barcodes. The large diversity of edited barcodes and cell types enabled the generation of lineage trees with hundreds of branches. Inspection of lineage trajectories identified restrictions at the level of cell types and brain regions and helped uncover gene expression cascades during differentiation. These results establish scGESTALT as a new and widely applicable tool to simultaneously characterize the molecular identities and lineage histories of thousands of cells during development and disease.
DNA unwinding is the primary determinant of CRISPR-Cas9 activity
Authors: Gong Shanzhong , Yu Helen Hong , Johnson Kenneth A. , Taylor David W.
Published: October 2017

Bacterial adaptive immunity utilizes RNA-guided surveillance complexes composed of CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-associated (Cas) proteins together with CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) to target foreign nucleic acids for destruction. Cas9, a type II CRISPR-Cas effector complex, can be programed with a single guide RNA that base-pairs with the target strand of dsDNA, displacing the non-target strand to create an R-loop, where the HNH and RuvC nuclease domains can cleave opposing strands. Cas9 has been repurposed for a variety of important genome engineering applications. While many structural and biochemical studies have shed light on the mechanism of Cas9 cleavage, a clear unifying model has yet to emerge. Our detailed kinetic characterization of the enzyme reveals that DNA binding is reversible, R-loop formation is rate-limiting, occurring in two steps, one for each of the nuclease domains. Although the HNH nuclease activity is stimulated by Mg2+ with a single measureable Kd, the RuvC activity requires two distinct Mg2+ binding events. The specificity constant for cleavage is determined through an induced-fit mechanism as the product of the equilibrium binding affinity for DNA and the rate of R-loop formation.
Evidence of non-tandemly repeated rDNAs and their intragenomic heterogeneity inRhizophagus irregularis
Authors: Maeda Taro , Kobayashi Yuuki , Kameoka Hiromu , Okuma Nao , Takeda Naoya , Yamaguchi Katsushi , Bino Takahiro , Shigenobu Shuji , Kawaguchi Masayoshi
Published: October 2017

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) species are one of the most widespread symbionts of land plants. Our substantially improved reference genome assembly of a model AMF,Rhizophagus irregularisDAOM-181602 (total contigs = 210), facilitated discovery of repetitive elements with unusual characteristics.R. irregularishas only ten or eleven copies of complete 45S rDNAs, whereas the general eukaryotic genome has tens to thousands of rDNA copies.R. irregularisrDNAs are highly heterogeneous and lack a tandem repeat structure. These findings provide evidence for the hypothesis that rDNA heterogeneity depends on the lack of tandem repeat structures. RNA-Seq analysis confirmed that all rDNA variants are actively transcribed. Observed rDNA/rRNA polymorphisms may modulate translation by using different ribosomes depending on biotic and abiotic interactions. The non-tandem repeat structure and intragenomic heterogeneity of AMF rDNA/rRNA may facilitate adaptation to a various environmental condition including the broad host range.
Topographical and spectral signatures of infant and adult movement artifacts in naturalistic EEG
Authors: Georgieva Stanimira , Lester Suzannah , Yilmaz Meryem Nazli , Wass Sam , Leongi Victoria
Published: October 2017

Electroencephalography (EEG) is perhaps the most widely used brain-imaging technique for paediatric populations. However, EEG signals are prone to distortion by motion. Compared to adults, infants’ motion is both more frequent and less stereotypical yet motion effects on the infant EEG signal are largely undocumented. Here, we present a systematic assessment of naturalistic motion effects on the infant and adult EEG signal. In Study 1, we documented the prevalence of 27 naturally occurring facial and body motions by video-coding five mother-infant pairs during naturalistic play. In Study 2, we elicited a subset of the most common facial, limb and postural motions from one adult and one infant actor while their EEG was recorded. In Study 3, we recorded EEG signals from a larger group of 12 infants whilst they produced the same motions spontaneously. Our findings from Study 2 suggested that adult movements mainly generated increases in spectral power relative to resting state, primarily at peripheral sites and in delta and high-beta frequency bands. In infants, both elicited motions (N=1, Study 2) and spontaneously-occurring motions (N=12, Study 3) produced decreases in theta, alpha and beta power over central regions and increased beta/delta power at peripheral sites. We also observed that infants’ jaw and upper limb movements generated more pronounced EEG artifacts than lower limb movements. It is intended that this work will inform future development of methods for addressing EEG motion-related artifacts and support wider use of naturalistic paradigms in social and developmental neuroscience.
Mathematical modelling of cortical neurogenesis reveals that the founder population does not necessarily scale with neuronal output
Authors: Picco Noemi , García-Moreno Fernando , Woolley Thomas E. , Maini Philip K. , Molnár Zoltán
Published: October 2017

The mammalian cerebral neocortex has a unique structure, composed of layers of different neuron types, interconnected in a stereotyped fashion. While the overall developmental program seems to be conserved, there are divergent developmental factors generating cortical diversity amongst mammalian species. In terms of cortical neuronal numbers some of the determining factors are the size of the founder population, the duration of cortical neurogenesis, the proportion of different progenitor types, and the fine-tuned balance between self-renewing and differentiative divisions. We develop a mathematical model of neurogenesis that, accounting for these factors, aims at explaining the high diversity in neuronal numbers found across mammalian species. By framing our hypotheses in rigorous mathematical terms, we are able to identify paths of neurogenesis that match experimentally observed patterns in mouse, macaque and human. Additionally, we use our model to identify key parameters that would particularly benefit from accurate experimental investigation. We find that the timing of a switch in favor of symmetric neurogenic divisions produces the highest variation in cortical neuronal numbers. Surprisingly, in our model the increase in cortical neuronal numbers does not necessarily reflect a larger size of founder population, a prediction that identified a specific need for experimental quantifications.
RNA velocity in single cells
Authors: La Manno Gioele , Soldatov Ruslan , Hochgerner Hannah , Zeisel Amit , Petukhov Viktor , Kastriti Maria E. , Lönnerberg Peter , Furlan Alessandro , Fan Jean , Liu Zehua , van Bruggen David , Guo Jimin , Sundström Erik , Castelo-Branco Gonçalo , Adameyko Igor , Linnarsson Sten , Kharchenko Peter V.
Published: October 2017

RNA abundance is a powerful indicator of the state of individual cells, but does not directly reveal dynamic processes such as cellular differentiation. Here we show that RNA velocity—the time derivative of RNA abundance—can be estimated by distinguishing unspliced and spliced mRNAs in standard single-cell RNA sequencing protocols. We show that RNA velocity is a vector that predicts the future state of individual cells on a timescale of hours. We validate the accuracy of RNA velocity in the neural crest lineage, demonstrate its use on multiple technical platforms, reconstruct the branching lineage tree of the mouse hippocampus, and measure RNA kinetics in human embryonic brain. We expect RNA velocity to greatly aid the analysis of developmental lineages and cellular dynamics, particularly in humans.
Cryo-EM Reveals the Structural Basis of Microtubule Depolymerization by Kinesin-13s
Authors: Benoit Matthieu P. M. H. , Asenjo Ana B. , Sosa Hernando
Published: October 2017

Kinesin-13s constitute a distinct group within the kinesin superfamily of motor proteins that promotes microtubule depolymerization and lacks motile activity. The molecular mechanism by which the kinesins depolymerize microtubules and are adapted to perform a seemingly very different activity from other kinesins is still unclear. To address this issue we obtained near atomic resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of Drosophila melanogaster kinesin-13 KLP10A constructs bound to curved or straight tubulin in different nucleotide states. The structures show how nucleotide induced conformational changes near the catalytic site are coupled with kinesin-13-specific structural elements to induce tubulin curvature leading to microtubule depolymerization. The data highlight a modular structure that allows similar kinesin core motor-domains to be used for different functions, such as motility or microtubule depolymerization.
The scent of the fly
Authors: Becher Paul G. , Lebreton Sebastien , Wallin Erika A. , Hedenström Erik , Borrero Felipe , Bengtsson Marie , Jörger Volker , Witzgall Peter
Published: October 2017

(Z)-4-undecenal (Z4-11Al) is the volatile pheromone produced by females of the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. Female flies emit Z4-11Al for species-specific communication and mate-finding. A sensory panel finds that synthetic Z4-11Al has a characteristic flavour, which we perceive even at the small amounts produced by one female fly. Since only females produce Z4-11Al, and not males, we can reliably distinguish between single D. melanogaster males and females, according to their scent. Females release Z4-11Al at 2.4 ng/h and we readily sense 1 ng synthetic Z4-11Al in a glass of wine (0.03 nmol/L), while a tenfold concentration is perceived as a loud off-flavour. This corroborates the observation that a glass of wine is spoilt by a single D. melanogaster fly falling into it, which we here show is caused by Z4-11Al. The biological role of Z4-11Al or structurally related aldehydes in humans and the basis for this semiochemical convergence remains yet unclear.
A United Statistical Framework for Single Cell and Bulk Sequencing Data
Authors: Zhu Lingxue , Lei Jing , Devlin Bernie , Roeder Kathryn
Published: October 2017

Recent advances in technology have enabled the measurement of RNA levels for individual cells. Compared to traditional tissue-level bulk RNA-seq data, single cell sequencing yields valuable insights about gene expression profiles for different cell types, which is potentially critical for understanding many complex human diseases. However, developing quantitative tools for such data remains challenging because of high levels of technical noise, especially the “dropout” events. A “dropout” happens when the RNA for a gene fails to be amplified prior to sequencing, producing a “false” zero in the observed data. In this paper, we propose a Unified RNA-Sequencing Model (URSM) for both single cell and bulk RNA-seq data, formulated as a hierarchical model. URSM borrows the strength from both data sources and carefully models the dropouts in single cell data, leading to a more accurate estimation of cell type specific gene expression profile. In addition, URSM naturally provides inference on the dropout entries in single cell data that need to be imputed for downstream analyses, as well as the mixing proportions of different cell types in bulk samples. We adopt an empirical Bayes approach, where parameters are estimated using the EM algorithm and approximate inference is obtained by Gibbs sampling. Simulation results illustrate that URSM outperforms existing approaches both in correcting for dropouts in single cell data, as well as in deconvolving bulk samples. We also demonstrate an application to gene expression data on fetal brains, where our model successfully imputes the dropout genes and reveals cell type specific expression patterns.
Hybrid organic–inorganic crystal structure of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridinium dimethylammonium tetrachloridolead(II)
Authors: Benson Cassidy A. , Bateman Gage , Cox Jordan M. , Benedict Jason B.
Published: October 2017

The title compound, (C2H8N)(C7H11N2)[PbCl4], is a hybrid organic–inorganic material. It crystallizes in the space groupC2/cand contains one half of a molecule of lead chloride, 4-(dimethylamino)pyridinium, and dimethylammonium in the asymmetric unit. The crystal structure exhibits chains of lead chloride capped by 4-(dimethylamino)pyridinium and dimethylammoium by hydrogen bonding. This creates a one-dimensional zipper-like structure down theaaxis. The crystal structure is examined and compared to a similar structure containing lead chloride and dimethylbenzene-1,4-diaminium.
Crystal structure of (Z)-N-benzylidene-1-phenylmethanamine oxide hydrogen peroxide monosolvate
Authors: Churakov Andrei V. , Prikhodchenko Petr V. , Medvedev Alexander G. , Mikhaylov Alexey A.
Published: October 2017

The title adduct, C14H13NO·H2O2, consists of (Z)-N-benzylidene-1-phenylmethanamine oxide and hydrogen peroxide molecules in a 1:1 ratio. The organic coformer adopts a skew geometry with an inter-aryl-ring dihedral angle of 81.9 (2)°. In the crystal, the organic and peroxide molecules are linked through both peroxide O—H donor groups to oxide O-atom acceptors, giving one-dimensional chains extending along thebaxis. Present also are weak intermolecular C—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions.
Crystal structure of akuammicine, an indole alkaloid fromCatharanthus roseus
Authors: Yahyazadeh Mahdi , Jerz Gerold , Selmar Dirk , Winterhalter Peter , Jones Peter G.
Published: October 2017

The title compound, C20H22N2O2, an alkaloid isolated from the Madagascar periwinkle, crystallizes inP1 with two independent but closely similar molecules in the unit cell. The molecules are linked into pairs by two N—H...O=C hydrogen bonds. The absolute configuration was confirmed by anomalous dispersion effects asSat the 3 and 15 positions, andRat the 7 position.
Crystal structure of a looped-chain CoIIcoordination polymer:catena-poly[[bis(nitrato-κO)cobalt(II)]bis[μ-bis(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)sulfane-κ2N:N′]]
Authors: Moon Suk-Hee , Seo Joobeom , Park Ki-Min
Published: October 2017

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Co(NO3)2(C12H12N2S)2]n, contains a bis(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)sulfane (L) ligand, an NO3−anion and half a CoIIcation, which lies on an inversion centre. The CoIIcation is six-coordinated, being bound to four pyridine N atoms from four symmetry-relatedLligands. The remaining coordination sites are occupied by two O atoms from two symmetry-related nitrate anions in a monodentate manner. Thus, the CoIIcentre adopts a distorted octahedral geometry. Two symmetry-relatedLligands are connected by two symmetry-related CoIIcations, forming a 20-membered cyclic dimer, in which the CoIIatoms are separated by 10.2922 (7) Å. The cyclic dimers are connected to each other by sharing CoIIatoms, giving rise to the formation of an infinite looped chain propagating along the [101] direction. Intermolecular C—H...π (H...ring centroid = 2.89 Å) interactions between one pair of correspondingLligands and C—H...O hydrogen bonds between theLligands and the nitrate anions occur in the looped chain. In the crystal, adjacent looped chains are connected by intermolecular π–π stacking interactions [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.8859 (14) Å] and C—H...π hydrogen bonds (H...ring centroid = 2.65 Å), leading to the formation of layers parallel to (101). These layers are further connected through C—H...O hydrogen bonds between the layers, resulting in the formation of a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture.
Synthesis and crystal structure of bis(1H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazole-κN2){2,2′-[N-(phenylphosphorylmethyl-κO)azanediyl]diacetato-κ3O,N,O′}cobalt(II)–1H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazole (1/1)
Authors: Du Chao-Jun , Zhao Xiao-Na
Published: October 2017

In the title compound, [Co(C11H12NO6P)(C6H5N3)2]·C6H5N3, the 2,2′-[N-(phenylphosphorylmethyl-κO)azanediyl]diacetate dianionN,O,O′,O′′-chelates the CoIIcation and two 1H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazole molecules coordinate to the CoIIcation to complete the slightly distorted octahedral coordination. In the crystal, classical O—H...O, N—H...O hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...N hydrogen bonds link the molecules into a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture. π–π stacking between the triazole and benzene rings and between the benzene rings is also observed in the crystal.
Crystal structure of 4,6-dimethyl-2-{[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl]sulfanyl}nicotinonitrile
Authors: Masoud Doaa M. , Hammad Sherif F. , Elgemeie Galal H. , Jones Peter G.
Published: October 2017

In the title compound, C14H18N2O5S, the C—S bond lengths are unequal, with S—Cglucose= 1.8016 (15) Å and S—Cpyridyl= 1.7723 (13) Å. The hydrophilic glucose residues lie in the regionsz≃ 0.25 and 0.75. Four classical hydrogen bonds link the molecules to form layers parallel to theabplane, from which the pyridyl rings project; pyridyl ring stacking parallel to theaaxis links adjacent layers.
2-((E)-{[3-(1H-Imidazol-1-yl)propyl]imino}methyl)-4-[(E)-(2-methylphenyl)diazenyl]phenol
Authors: Slassi Siham , Aarjane Mohammed , Amine Amina , Zouihri Hafid , Yamni Khalid
Published: October 2017

In the title compound, C20H21N5O, an intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bond forms between the –OH substituent of the phenol ring and the adjacent iminomethyl N atom, enclosing anS6 ring. The dihedral angles between the imidazole ring and the methylphenyl and phenol rings are 86.93 (14) and 88.00 (13)°, respectively, while that between the methylphenyl and phenol rings is 2.18 (12)°.
Earnings benchmarks, earnings management and future stock performance of Chinese listed companies reporting under ASBE-IFRS
Authors: Lento Camillo , Yeung Wing Him
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Prior literature has revealed three key earnings benchmarks: earnings level; earnings change; and analysts’ expectations. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the authors seek to establish which earnings benchmark induces the largest extent of earnings management. Second, the authors explore the implications of earnings management on firm future performance. Both of these purposes are investigated for Chinese listed companies during China’s IFRS/ISA reporting era.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors rely upon the unique regulations and incentives for Chinese listed companies in order to develop four testable hypotheses. Next, the authors employ both logistic and ordinary least squares regressions to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results suggest that Chinese listed firms have the highest level of income increasing discretionary accruals around the earnings level benchmark, followed by the earnings change benchmark. The authors do not find any evidence of earnings management to beat analysts’ expectation. In addition, the authors find evidence that Chinese listed firms with relatively high level of earnings management and low earnings exhibit relatively weak future stock performance.

Originality/value

The findings are the first to document an earnings management benchmark hierarchy with respect to the extent of income increasing discretionary accruals, while simultaneously establishing a link between earnings management and firm future stock performance, for Chinese listed companies. The findings are valuable for regulators and investors by suggesting that management intervention in the reporting process during China’s IFRS/ISA reporting era may act to circumvent delisting regulations and cloud earnings signal for firms that beat certain earnings benchmarks.
Chinese vs US investors’ reactions to accounting narratives: an experiment
Authors: Yen Alex C. , Riley Tracey J. , Liao Peiyu
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether investor reactions to accounting narratives are uniform across cultures or if there are predictable systematic culture-based differences, particularly for investors from interdependent cultures, such as in Asia.

Design/methodology/approach

This research paper builds on the experiment conducted in Riley et al. (2014) by collecting data from investors from interdependent cultures and comparing their investment judgments to the “baseline” judgments of the investors from Riley et al. (2014).

Findings

In comparing independent and interdependent culture investors, a culture by construal interaction is observed. Whereas the independent culture investors in Riley et al. (2014) made less favorable investment judgments of a company with a concretely (vs abstractly) written negative narrative, this effect is attenuated for interdependent culture investors.

Research limitations/implications

This study extends the literature on accounting narratives by providing evidence that investors’ culture and linguistic characteristics of accounting narratives “interact,” suggesting that future studies in this area should account for culture as a variable. As for limitations, the independent and interdependent participant data were predominantly collected from different universities, so the differences observed may be due to institutional, not cultural differences. However, the populations are matched on key demographic measures.

Practical implications

The results have practical implications for investor relations professionals and international standard-setting bodies.

Originality/value

This study is believed to be the first to examine how investors’ culture may affect their reactions to the features of accounting narratives.
Why did cannabis treatment presentations rise in England from 2004-2005 to 2013-2014?
Authors: McCulloch Liz
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Cannabis treatment entries rose significantly from 2004/2005 to 2013/2014, but there has been limited investigation into why this increase has occurred. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the plausibility of different explanations within the English context and identifies gaps in the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Explanations have been categorised under: misreporting, increased probability of entering treatment and increased incidence of cannabis use disorder (CUD). The explanations are evaluated through published literature, data in the public domain and interview data. Interview participants included four practitioners, one senior manager, one commissioner, one journalist, one academic and one clinician.

Findings

Plausible and influential explanations are that an expanding treatment offer occurred alongside an expanding cohort of people needing support for CUD. The evidence suggests increased prevalence in the 1990s to early 2000s, and an increase in high-potency cannabis, led to a significant rise in need for cannabis treatment. Minor explanations relating to funding formulas, criminal justice referrals and the emergence of synthetic cannabinoids could also cumulatively have a substantial effect on the data.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the dearth of research in use and attitudes towards cannabis, there are some explanations which cannot be ruled out.

Practical implications

More research is needed on user perceptions of cannabis harms and how intensively people are using cannabis.

Social implications

Wider implications are that a genuine and increasing need for support relating to cannabis within the English population requires an appropriate response from national bodies, commissioners and service providers.

Originality/value

A more comprehensive understanding of why this new cohort is emerging can inform better service provision and commissioning.
The UK drugs strategy 2017: contexts and analysis
Authors: Stothard Blaine
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the content of the strategy and assess its claims to be evidence based.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a close-reading of the text with commentary on specific content and reference to wider contexts.

Findings

The strategy makes use of evidence in its sections on treatment. Much evidence, including that of the UK ACMD, is dismissed or ignored. The issue of funding in times of austerity is not considered in the strategy. The range and complexity of drug use and users are not fully considered.

Research limitations/implications

The strategy can be seen as an idealised ambition with little basis in reality without funding to support its aims.

Social implications

There is no consideration of the impact of macro-economic policy on the extent of drug misuse.

Originality/value

Other commentaries on the strategy are emerging. This paper is a more extensive consideration than has so far appeared.
Do black lives really matter in the workplace? Restorative justice as a means to reclaim humanity
Authors: Opie Tina , Roberts Laura Morgan
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Overwhelming evidence suggests that black lives have not and do not matter in the American workplace. In fact, disturbing themes of black labor dehumanization, exploitation and racial discrimination appear throughout history into the present-day workplace. Yet, curiously, organizations and organizational scholars largely ignore how racism and slavery have informed management practice (Cooke, 2003) and contemporary workplace racism. The authors address this gap, using the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as a platform. BLM is a social justice movement created in response to the pervasive racism experienced by black people. The purpose of this paper is to accomplish five goals, which are summarized in the following sections.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors outline historical themes of black labor dehumanization, exploitation and racial discrimination, providing specific examples to illustrate these themes and discussing their contemporary workplace implications. Second, key challenges that may arise as organizations seek to make black lives matter in the workplace are discussed. Third, the authors provide examples of organizations where black lives have mattered as an inspiration for how workplaces can affirm the humanity and self-actualization of black people.

Findings

Fourth, the authors provide organizations with helpful tools to truly make black lives matter in the workplace, using restorative justice as a framework to remedy workplace racism. Finally, while the paper is largely focused on business organizations, as two management scholars, the authors felt compelled to briefly articulate how academic scholarship might be influenced if black lives truly mattered in management scholarship and management education.

Originality/value

This paper begins to articulate how black lives matter in the workplace. The goal is to intervene and upend the exploitation of black workers so that they are finally recognized for their worth and value and treated as such. The authors have provided historical context to illustrate that contemporary workplace racism is rooted in the historical exploitation of black people from enslavement to contemporary instances of labor exploitation. The authors offer a restorative justice framework as a mechanism to redress workplace racism, being careful to outline key challenges with implementing the framework. The authors concluded with steps that organizations may consider as they work to repair the harm of workplace racism and rebuild trust amongst employees. Specifically, the authors discuss the benefits of organizational interventions that provide intergroup contact with an emphasis on perspective taking, and present a case example and suggested key indicators that black lives matter in today’s workplace.
Sociopolitical testing discourses in elementary teachers’ talk about reading assessment
Authors: Schmidt Renita , Jacobs Mary M. , Meyer Heidi
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to describe the current sociopolitical context and complex consequences surrounding elementary literacy education in one Midwestern US state and consider how power works through language.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative methods and critical discourse analysis as a theory and method, surveys and interview data from teachers, administrators and parents, policy documents and other artifacts were analyzed and described to explain the sociopolitical climate.

Findings

Using Fairclough (2015) and Gee’s (2015) tools, the authors identified the discourses of deficiency, efficiency and gatekeeping in the data. Foucault’s ideas about governmentality and regimes of truth are used to explain the ways teachers took up the policies and resisted them.

Research limitations/implications

The authors argue that a new testing regime is on the move, and more unity and critique by elementary and secondary teachers and administrators will be important for restoring and sustaining quality literacy instruction and decision-making in all classrooms.

Practical implications

Continued research is needed to understand how particular reading assessments exacerbate and perpetuate the ranking and sorting in schools and the loss and struggle children face when they are denied literacy experiences that validate their lives outside of school and give meaning and purpose to reading in school.

Originality value

As the reality for secondary education language arts teachers begins to shift to a more restrictive curriculum, a loss of academic freedom and frequent testing, the authors see an opportunity for new professional alliances to form in support of a complex theory of literacy.
Making room for discomfort
Authors: Hsieh Betina
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to relay and discuss the experiences of a teacher educator teaching critical literacy to preservice teacher candidates immediately following the US presidential election in 2016. In a time of increasing polarization in the USA, teachers and teacher educators have unique opportunities to create honest spaces for dialogue, but developing classrooms that can serve as these spaces is not an easy task.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a self-study practitioner narrative of a teacher educator teaching a secondary literacy course.

Findings

The paper discusses the importance of addressing critical literacy in the context of particular historical moments and as more sustained, engaged work that makes room for minority voices that may not be heard across particular settings. The findings prompt teachers and teacher educators to consider whose voices are present, absent and valued during difficult conversations.

Originality/value

Making room for uncomfortable dialogues in preservice teacher education classrooms can transform the ways in which teacher candidates (and their future students) engage with written and non-traditional texts in the world around them. Promoting spaces for critical, authentic and honest dialogue requires teacher educators to model the willingness to move beyond their own comfort zones and interrogate their own deeply help beliefs. This paper is evidence of engaged self-reflection, a necessary part of transformative practice related to critical literacy.
High-order non-inertial computation method for helicopter rotor flows in forward flight
Authors: Li Gaohua , Fu Xiang , Wang Fuxin
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to improve the computational efficiency and to achieve high-order accuracy for the computation of helicopter rotor unsteady flows in forward flight during the industrial preliminary design stage.

Design/methodology/approach

The integral arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian form of unsteady compressible Navier–Stokes equations with low Mach number preconditioned pseudo time terms based on non-inertial frame of reference undergoing rotating and translating was derived and discretized in the framework of multi-block structured finite volume grid using three types of spatial reconstruction schemes, i.e. the third-order accurate monotonic upwind scheme for conservation laws, the fifth-order accurate weighted essentially non-oscillatory and the fifth-order accurate weighted compact nonlinear schemes.

Findings

The results show that the present non-inertial computational method can obtain comparable results with other methods, such as the dynamic overset method, and make sure that the higher-order spatial schemes can significantly improve the tip vortex resolution.

Originality/value

The computational grid used by the present method remained static during the whole unsteady computation process, with only local deformations induced by blade cyclic pitch and other operating motions, which greatly reduced the complexity of grid motion and enhanced the efficiency and robustness.
Understanding organizational citizenship behavior: the counselor’s role
Authors: Eissenstat SunHee Jang , Lee Yunsoo
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) as a variable to bridge employer’s and employee’s needs from employee counseling. This study examined the relationship between meaningful work, job satisfaction, and OCB and how their positive associations can be enhanced. The role of counselors was discussed, too.

Design/methodology/approach

A moderated mediation model was suggested with the mediation model of meaningful work, job satisfaction, and OCB and the moderator, work time flexibility. Intervention was implemented with the goal of increasing employee’s control over work schedule. Six analyses were conducted to compare before and after the intervention aiming for enhancing employee’s work time flexibility, and one year after the intervention. Comparison between the intervention and the control group was also implemented.

Findings

The result indicated that the intervention was effective but the effect did not last one year after the intervention. This study suggests the role of employee counselors at organization.

Originality/value

Psychological wellness of employees becomes an interest not only of employees but also employers to reduce cost from employee burnout and turnover. Employee counseling can be provided to improve employee’s psychological wellness and also to meet the goal of employers. Integrated perspective serving two purposes is suggested in this study.
Angiotensin II–C–C chemokine receptor2/5 axis‐dependent monocyte/macrophage recruitment contributes to progression of experimental autoimmune myocarditis
Authors: Lu Hongxiang , Zong Gangjun , Zhou Shanshan , Jiang Yuanyuan , Chen Rong , Su Zhaoliang , Wu Yan
Published: October 2017

Angiotensin II (ANG II) plays critical roles in modulation of circulatory homeostasis and activation of innate and adaptive immunity and has also been implicated in several mouse models of autoimmune disease. However, how ANG II regulates macrophages and is involved in development of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to address the above question and explore possible mechanisms. EAM was induced in BALB/c mice. ANG II was quantitated by ELISA and hematoxylin and eosin staining was employed to analyze pathological changes and macrophage infiltration. The chemotactic ability of ANG II was assessed by using a Transwell system. It was found that ANG II is up‐regulated in serum and heart tissues of mice with EAM and that ANG II significantly drives monocyte/macrophage infiltration through the C‐C chemokine receptor 2/5 (CCR2/5) axis. CCR2/5 antagonists and ANG II receptor inhibitor could all abrogate monocyte/macrophage infiltration and ameliorate development of EAM. Our results have firstly identified a novel function of ANG II: that it is a critical chemokine for monocyte/macrophage recruitment. Furthermore, our results indicate that ANG II is a potential candidate for treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Linking spring phenology with mechanistic models of host movement to predict disease transmission risk
Authors: Merkle Jerod A. , Cross Paul C. , Scurlock Brandon M. , Cole Eric K. , Courtemanch Alyson B. , Dewey Sarah R. , Kauffman Matthew J.
Published: October 2017

Disease models typically focus on temporal dynamics of infection, while often neglecting environmental processes that determine host movement. In many systems, however, temporal disease dynamics may be slow compared to the scale at which environmental conditions alter host space‐use and accelerate disease transmission.

Using a mechanistic movement modelling approach, we made space‐use predictions of a mobile host (elk [Cervus Canadensis] carrying the bacterial disease brucellosis) under environmental conditions that change daily and annually (e.g., plant phenology, snow depth), and we used these predictions to infer how spring phenology influences the risk of brucellosis transmission from elk (through aborted foetuses) to livestock in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Using data from 288 female elk monitored with GPS collars, we fit step selection functions (SSFs) during the spring abortion season and then implemented a master equation approach to translate SSFs into predictions of daily elk distribution for five plausible winter weather scenarios (from a heavy snow, to an extreme winter drought year). We predicted abortion events by combining elk distributions with empirical estimates of daily abortion rates, spatially varying elk seroprevelance and elk population counts.

Our results reveal strong spatial variation in disease transmission risk at daily and annual scales that is strongly governed by variation in host movement in response to spring phenology. For example, in comparison with an average snow year, years with early snowmelt are predicted to have 64% of the abortions occurring on feedgrounds shift to occurring on mainly public lands, and to a lesser extent on private lands.

Synthesis and applications. Linking mechanistic models of host movement with disease dynamics leads to a novel bridge between movement and disease ecology. Our analysis framework offers new avenues for predicting disease spread, while providing managers tools to proactively mitigate risks posed by mobile disease hosts. More broadly, we demonstrate how mechanistic movement models can provide predictions of ecological conditions that are consistent with climate change but may be more extreme than has been observed historically.
Invasive Bromus tectorum alters natural selection in arid systems
Authors: Leger Elizabeth A. , Goergen Erin M.
Published: October 2017

While much research has documented the impact of invaders on native communities and ecosystem services, there has been less work quantifying how invasion affects the genetic composition of native populations. That is, when invaders dominate a community, can they shift selection regimes and impact the evolutionary trajectory of native populations?

The invasion of the annual grass Bromus tectorum in the Intermountain West provides an opportunity to quantify the effects of invasion on natural selection in wild populations. The shift from a perennial‐dominated native community to one dominated by a highly competitive annual species alters the timing and intensity of competitive pressure, which has the potential to strongly shift selection regimes for native plants.

To quantify traits under selection in contrasting environments, we planted seeds of two native perennial grasses, Elymus multisetus and Poa secunda, into three invaded, invaded but weeded and relatively uninvaded sagebrush systems. We quantified phenotypic traits of seedlings from separate maternal plants, describing differences in phenotypes among individuals. We then asked which traits were associated with survival and plant size in adjacent invaded and uninvaded sagebrush systems, following individual seed performance for 3 years.

We found evidence for divergent selection between invaded and uninvaded sagebrush systems, with contrasting phenotypic traits associated with greater survival or plant size in these different growing conditions at all three field sites. For example, at one field site, P. secunda families with higher root tip production were more likely to survive in invaded and weeded environments, but this was not the case in uninvaded environments. Similarly, for E. multisetus, root mass fraction, seed mass and allocation to coarse or fine roots affected survival and plant size, again with contrasting relationships across invaded, weeded or uninvaded environments.

Synthesis. Impacts of invasive species extend beyond ecosystem and community composition changes and can affect the evolutionary trajectory of native populations. By quantifying natural selection in invaded landscapes, we identified phenotypic traits that are potentially adaptive in these invaded systems. Importantly, these traits differed from traits associated with success in uninvaded communities. This insight into adaptive, contemporary evolution in native species can guide restoration and conservation efforts.