bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multicenter social media community consultation for an exception from informed consent trial of the XStat device (PhoXStat trial)
Authors: Stephens Shannon W. , Farley Paige , Collins Sean P. , Wong Monica D. , Panas Ashley B. , Dennis Bradley M. , Richmond Neal , Inaba Kenji , Brown Karen N. , Holcomb John B. , Jansen Jan O.
Published: October 2021

INTRODUCTION

Community consultation (CC) is a key step for exception from informed consent research. Using social media to conduct CC is becoming more widely accepted but has largely been conducted by single sites. We describe our experience of a social media–based CC for a multicenter clinical trial, coordinated by the lead clinical site.

METHODS

Multicenter CC was administered by the lead site and conducted in preparation for a three-site prehospital randomized clinical trial. We used Facebook and Instagram advertisements targeted to the population of interest. When “clicked,” the advertisements directed individuals to study-specific websites, providing additional information and the opportunity to opt out. The lead institution and one other hospital relied on a single website, whereas the third center set up their own website. Site views were evaluated using Google analytics.

RESULTS

The CC took 8 weeks to complete for each site. The advertisements were displayed 9.8 million times, reaching 332,081 individuals, of whom 1,576 viewed one of the study-specific websites. There were no requests to opt out. The total cost was $3,000. The costs per person reached were $1.88, $2.00, and $1.85 for each of the three sites. A number of site-specific issues (multiple languages, hosting of study-specific websites) were easily resolved.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that it is possible for one institution to conduct multiple, simultaneous, social media-based CC campaigns, on behalf of participating trial sites. Our results suggest that this social media CC model reaches many more potential subjects and is economical and more efficient than traditional methods.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Epidemiological, level IV.
d-Serine induces distinct transcriptomes in diverse Escherichia coli pathotypes
Authors: Connolly James P. R. , Turner Natasha C. A. , Hallam Jennifer C. , Rimbi Patricia T. , Flett Tom , McCormack Mhairi J. , Roe Andrew J. , O'Boyle Nicky
Published: October 2021

Appropriate interpretation of environmental signals facilitates niche specificity in pathogenic bacteria. However, the responses of niche-specific pathogens to common host signals are poorly understood. d-Serine (d-ser) is a toxic metabolite present in highly variable concentrations at different colonization sites within the human host that we previously found is capable of inducing changes in gene expression. In this study, we made the striking observation that the global transcriptional response of three

Escherichia coli

pathotypes – enterohaemorrhagic

E. coli

(EHEC), uropathogenic

E. coli

(UPEC) and neonatal meningitis-associated

E. coli

(NMEC) – to d-ser was highly distinct. In fact, we identified no single differentially expressed gene common to all three strains. We observed the induction of ribosome-associated genes in extraintestinal pathogens UPEC and NMEC only, and the induction of purine metabolism genes in gut-restricted EHEC, and UPEC indicating distinct transcriptional responses to a common signal. UPEC and NMEC encode dsdCXA – a genetic locus required for detoxification and hence normal growth in the presence of d-ser. Specific transcriptional responses were induced in strains accumulating d-ser (WT EHEC and UPEC/NMEC mutants lacking the d-ser-responsive transcriptional activator DsdC), corroborating the notion that d-ser is an unfavourable metabolite if not metabolized. Importantly, many of the UPEC-associated transcriptome alterations correlate with published data on the urinary transcriptome, supporting the hypothesis that d-ser sensing forms a key part of urinary niche adaptation in this pathotype. Collectively, our results demonstrate distinct pleiotropic responses to a common metabolite in diverse

E. coli

pathotypes, with important implications for niche selectivity.
Large-scale exploration of whole-brain structural connectivity in anorexia nervosa: alterations in the connectivity of frontal and subcortical networks
Authors: Lloyd E. Caitlin , Foerde Karin E. , Muratore Alexandra F. , Aw Natalie , Semanek David , Steinglass Joanna E. , Posner Jonathan
Published: October 2021

Background

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by disturbances in cognition and behavior surrounding eating and weight. The severity of AN combined with the absence of localized brain abnormalities suggests distributed, systemic underpinnings that may be identified using diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI) and tractography to reconstruct white matter pathways.

Methods

dMRI data acquired from female patients with AN (n = 147) and female healthy controls (HC; n = 119), aged 12-40 years, were combined across five studies. Probabilistic tractography was completed, and full cortex connectomes describing streamline counts between 84 brain regions generated and harmonized. Graph theory methods were used to describe alterations in network organization in AN. The network-based statistic tested between-group differences in brain subnetwork connectivity. The metrics strength and efficiency indexed the connectivity of brain regions (network nodes), and were compared between groups using multiple linear regression.

Results

Individuals with AN, relative to HC, had reduced connectivity in a network comprising subcortical regions and greater connectivity between frontal cortical regions (p < 0.05, FWE corrected). Node-based analyses indicated reduced connectivity of the left hippocampus in patients relative to HC (p < 0.05, permutation corrected). Severity of illness, assessed by BMI, was associated with subcortical connectivity (p < 0.05, uncorrected).

Conclusions

Analyses identified reduced structural connectivity of subcortical networks and regions, and stronger cortical network connectivity, amongst individuals with AN relative to HC. These findings are consistent with alterations in feeding, emotion and executive control circuits in AN, and may direct hypothesis-driven research into mechanisms of persistent restrictive eating behavior.
Male White-shouldered Fairywrens (Malurus alboscapulatus) elevate testosterone when courting females but not during territorial challenges
Authors: Boersma Jordan , Jones John Anthony , Enbody Erik D. , Welklin Joseph F. , Ketaloya Serena , Karubian Jordan , Schwabl Hubert
Published: October 2021

Testosterone mediates suites of physical and behavioral traits across vertebrates, and circulation varies considerably across and within taxa. However, an understanding of the causal factors of variation in circulating testosterone has proven difficult despite decades of research. According to the challenge hypothesis, agonistic interactions between males immediately prior to the breeding season produce the highest levels of testosterone measured during this period. While many studies have provided support for this hypothesis, most species do not respond to male-male competition by elevating testosterone. As a result, a recent revision of the hypothesis (‘challenge hypothesis 2.0’) places male-female interactions as the primary cause of rapid elevations in testosterone circulation in male vertebrates. Here, we offer a test of both iterations of the challenge hypothesis in a tropical bird species. We first illustrate that male White-shouldered Fairywrens (Malurus alboscapulatus) differ by subspecies in plasma testosterone concentrations. Then we use a social network approach to find that males of the subspecies with higher testosterone are characterized by greater social interaction scores, including more time aggregating to perform sexual displays. Next, we use a controlled experiment to test whether males respond to simulated territorial intrusion or courtship interaction contexts by elevating testosterone. Males sampled during courtship had greater plasma testosterone both relative to flushed controls and males sampled during simulated intrusion. Ultimately, our results are consistent with challenge hypothesis 2.0, as males rapidly elevated testosterone following interactions with females, but not during territorial challenges.
Key Factors in the Cortical Response to Transcranial Electrical Stimulations—A Multi-Scale Modeling Study
Authors: Chung Hyeyeon , Im Cheolki , Seo Hyeon , Jun Sung Chan
Published: October 2021

Transcranial electrode stimulation (tES), one of the techniques used to apply non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), modulates cortical activities by delivering weak electric currents through scalp-attached electrodes. This emerging technique has gained increasing attention recently; however, the results of tES vary greatly depending upon subjects and the stimulation paradigm, and its cellular mechanism remains uncertain. In particular, there is a controversy over the factors that determine the cortical response to tES. Some studies have reported that the electric field’s (EF) orientation is the determining factor, while others have demonstrated that the EF magnitude itself is the crucial factor. In this work, we conducted an in-depth investigation of cortical activity in two types of electrode montages used widely—the conventional (C)-tES and high-definition (HD)-tES—as well as two stimulation waveforms—direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). To do so, we constructed a multi-scale model by coupling an anatomically realistic human head model and morphologically realistic multi-compartmental models of three types of cortical neurons (layer 2/3 pyramidal neuron, layer 4 basket cell, layer 5 pyramidal neuron). Then, we quantified the neuronal response to the C-/HD-tDCS/tACS and explored the relation between the electric field (EF) and the radial field’s (RF: radial component of EF) magnitude and the cortical neurons’ threshold. The EF tES induced depended upon the electrode montage, and the neuronal responses were correlated with the EF rather than the RF’s magnitude. The electrode montages and stimulation waveforms caused a small difference in threshold, but the higher correlation between the EF’s magnitude and the threshold was consistent. Further, we observed that the neurons’ morphological features affected the degree of the correlation highly. Thus, the EF magnitude was a key factor in the responses of neurons with arborized axons. Our results demonstrate that the crucial factor in neuronal excitability depends upon the neuron models’ morphological and biophysical properties. Hence, to predict the cellular targets of NIBS precisely, it is necessary to adopt more advanced neuron models that mimic realistic morphological and biophysical features of actual human cells.
Inflammation modulates regeneration in the acute or chronically damaged zebrafish retina
Authors: Iribarne Maria , Hyde David R.
Published: October 2021

Unlike mammals, zebrafish regenerate in response to retinal damage. Because microglia are activated by retinal damage, we investigated their role during regeneration following acute or chronic damage. At three weeks-post-fertilization (wpf), fish exhibiting NMDA-induced acute damage or cone photoreceptor-specific chronic degeneration, the gold rush (gosh) mutant, displayed reactive microglia and Müller glia proliferation. Retinas treated to inhibit the immune response lacked reactive microglia and possessed fewer PCNA-positive cells, while LPS treatment increased microglia and PCNA-labeled cells. NMDA-injured retinas upregulated the expression of il-1β and tnf-α pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, followed by increased expression of il-10 and arg1 anti-inflammatory/remodeling cytokine genes. An early and transiently TNF-α pro-inflammatory microglia population was identified in the NMDA-damaged retina. In contrast, gosh mutant retinas exhibited a mild increase of pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression concurrently with a greater increased in anti-inflammatory/remodeling cytokine gene expression. Few TNF-α pro-inflammatory microglia were observed in the gosh retina. How inflammation regulates regeneration in zebrafish would provide important clues towards improving the therapeutic strategies for repairing injured mammalian tissues.
High throughput identification of genes conferring resistance or sensitivity to toxic effectors delivered by the type VI secretion system
Authors: Hersch Steven J. , Sejuty Rehnuma Tabassum , Manera Kevin , Dong Tao G.
Published: October 2021

The type six secretion system (T6SS) is a prevalent bacterial weapon delivering toxic effector proteins into nearby competitors. In addition to immunity genes that protect against a particular effector, alternate yet crucial nonspecific defences have also recently been identified. To systematically identify genes influencing T6SS susceptibility in numerous species, we designed a Tn-Seq-based competition assay. Combined with follow-up analyses using E. coli and V. cholerae gene knockout collections, we demonstrate that our Tn-Seq competition technique can be used to identify both immunity and non-immunity defences against the T6SS. We also identify E. coli proteins that facilitate T6SS-mediated cell death, including metabolic genes such as cyaA and gltA, where mutant strains were resistant to attack. Our findings act as a proof-of-concept for the technique while also illuminating novel genes of interest. Since Tn-Seq can be applied in numerous species, our method has broad potential for identifying diverse T6SS defence genes across genomes in a high-throughput manner.

Importance

The type six secretion system (T6SS) is a molecular poison-tipped spear that bacteria use to kill nearby competitors. To prevent self killing, they use antitoxins called immunity genes that specifically neutralize the poisons. Beyond immunity genes, multiple additional defences have recently been discovered but there are likely many more across the genomes of diverse species. To help discover these novel mechanisms, we designed a high-throughput method that can be used in numerous different species to rapidly identify genes involved in sensitivity to T6SS attacks. Using T6SS ‘killers’ delivering individual poisons and two commonly studied ‘prey’ bacteria, we show proof-of-principle that the technique can discover proteins that make the prey cells more resistant or sensitive to particular poisons. This will greatly improve the speed at which genes influencing the T6SS can be identified and selected for further study in follow-up analyses.
Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein palmitoylation reduces virus infectivity
Authors: Ramadan Ahmed A. , Mayilsamy Karthick , McGill Andrew R. , Ghosh Anandita , Giulianotti Marc A. , Donow Haley M. , Mohapatra Shyam S. , Mohapatra Subhra , Chandran Bala , Deschenes Robert J. , Roy Arunava
Published: October 2021

Spike glycoproteins of almost all enveloped viruses are known to undergo post-translational attachment of palmitic acid moieties. The precise role of such palmitoylation of the spike protein in membrane fusion and infection is not completely understood. Here, we report that palmitoylation of the first five cysteine residues of the c-terminal cysteine-rich domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike are indispensable for infection and palmitoylation deficient spike mutants are defective in trimerization and subsequent membrane fusion. The DHHC9 palmitoyltransferase interacts with and palmitoylates the spike protein in the ER and Golgi, and knockdown of DHHC9 results in reduced fusion and infection of SARS-CoV-2. Two bis-piperazine backbone-based DHHC9 inhibitors inhibit SARS-CoV-2 spike protein palmitoylation and the resulting progeny virion particles released are defective in fusion and infection. This establishes these palmitoyltransferase inhibitors as potential new intervention strategies against SARS-CoV-2.
Polymorphism at four-fold degenerate site, but not at the intergenic regions, explains nucleotide compositional strand asymmetry in bacteria
Authors: Sen Piyali , Aziz Ruksana , Das Soumita , Namsa Nima Dondu , Deka Ramesh Chandra , Feil Edward J , Ray Suvendra Kumar , Satapathy Siddhartha Sankar
Published: October 2021

We investigated single nucleotide polymorphism in intergenic regions (IRs) and four-fold degenerate sites (FFS) in genomes of three γ-Proteobacteria and two Firmicutes to understand the mechanism of nucleotide compositional asymmetry between the leading and the lagging strands. Pattern of the polymorphism spectra were alike regarding transitions but variable regarding transversions in the IRs of these bacteria. Contrasting trends of complementary polymorphisms such as C→T vs G→A as well as A→G vs T→C in the IRs vindicated similar replication-associated strand asymmetry regarding cytosine and adenine deamination, respectively, across these bacteria. Surprisingly, the polymorphism pattern at FFS was different from that of the IRs and its frequency was always more than the IRs in these bacteria. Further, the polymorphism patterns within a bacterium were inconsistent across the five amino acids, which neither the replication nor the transcription-associated mutations could explain. However, the polymorphism at FFS coincided with amino acid specific codon usage bias in the five bacteria. Further, strand asymmetry in nucleotide composition could be explained by the polymorphism at FFS, not at the IRs. Therefore, polymorphisms at FFS might not be treated as nearly neutral unlike that in IRs in these bacteria.
PBP1 ofStaphylococcus aureushas multiple essential functions in cell division
Authors: Wacnik Katarzyna , Rao Vincenzo A , Chen Xinyue , Lafage Lucia , Pazos Manuel , Booth Simon , Vollmer Waldemar , Hobbs Jamie K , Lewis Richard J , Foster Simon J
Published: October 2021

Bacterial cell division is a complex process requiring the coordination of multiple components, to allow the appropriate spatial and temporal control of septum formation and cell scission. Peptidoglycan (PG) is the major structural component of the septum, and our recent studies in the human pathogenStaphylococcus aureushave revealed a complex, multi- stage PG architecture that develops during septation. Penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) are essential for the final steps of PG biosynthesis – their transpeptidase activity links together the peptide sidechain of nascent glycan strands together. PBP1 is required for cell division inS. aureusand here we demonstrate that it has multiple essential functions associated with its enzymatic activity and as a regulator of division. Loss of PBP1, or just its C-terminal PASTA domains, results in cessation of division at the point of septal plate formation. The PASTA domains can bind PG and thus coordinate the cell division process. The transpeptidase activity of PBP1 is also essential but its loss leads to a strikingly different phenotype of thickened and aberrant septa, which is phenocopied by the morphological effects of adding the PBP1-specificβ-lactam, meropenem. Together these results lead to a model for septal PG synthesis where PBP1 enzyme activity is responsible for the characteristic architecture of the septum and PBP1 protein molecules coordinate cell division allowing septal plate formation.
Genomic and antigenic diversity of carried Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates mirrors that of invasive isolates in Blantyre, Malawi
Authors: Lewis Joseph M. , Mphasa Madalitso , Banda Rachel , Beale Mathew A , Mallewa Jane , Heinz Eva , Thomson Nicholas R , Feasey Nicholas A
Published: October 2021

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) associated pathogen of global importance, and polyvalent vaccines targeting K. pneumoniae O-antigens are in development. Genomes from sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) are underrepresented in global sequencing efforts. We therefore carried out a genomic analysis of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing K. pneumoniae complex isolates colonising adults in Blantyre, Malawi, placed these isolates in a global genomic context, and compared colonising to invasive isolates from the main public hospital in Blantyre. 203 isolates from stool and rectal swabs from adults were whole-genome sequenced and compared to a publicly available multicountry collection of 484 K. pneumoniae genomes sampled to cover maximum diversity of the species, 150 previously sequenced Malawian and 66 Kenyan isolates from blood or sterile sites. We inferred phylogenetic relationships and analysed the diversity of genetic loci linked to AMR, virulence, capsule (K-) and LPS O-antigen (O-types). We find that the diversity of Malawian Klebsiella isolates is representative of the species’ population structure, but with local success and expansion of sequence types (STs) ST14, ST15, ST340 and ST307. Siderophore and hypermucoidy genes were more frequent in invasive versus carriage isolates (present in 13% vs 1%, p < 0.001) but still generally lacking in most invasive isolates. The population structure and distribution of O-antigen types was similar in Malawian invasive and carriage isolates, with O4 being more common in Malawian isolates (14%) than in previously published studies (2-5%). We conclude that host factors, pathogen opportunity or alternate virulence loci not linked to invasive disease elsewhere are likely to be the major determinants of invasive disease in Malawi. Distinct ST and O-type distributions in Malawi highlights the need for geographically aware sampling to robustly define secular trends in Klebsiella diversity. Colonising and invasive isolates in Blantyre are similar and hence O-typing of colonising Klebsiella isolates may be a rapid and cost-effective approach to describe global diversity and guide vaccine development.

Data Summary

All data and code to replicate this analysis is available as the blantyreESBL v1.0.0 R package (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5554082) available at https://github.com/joelewis101/blantyreESBL. Reads from all isolates sequenced as part of this study have been deposited in the European Nucleotide Archive, and accession numbers (as well as accession numbers of publicly available genomes used in this analysis) are provided in the R package.
Non-invasive diagnostic method to objectively measure olfaction and diagnose smell disorders by molecularly targeted fluorescent imaging agent
Authors: Adilbay Dauren , Gonzales Junior , Zazhytska Marianna , de Souza Franca Paula Demetrio , Roberts Sheryl , Viray Tara , Artschwager Raik , Patel Snehal , Kodra Albana , Overdevest Jonathan B. , Chow Chun Yuen , King Glenn F. , Jain Sanjay K. , Ordonez Alvaro A. , Carroll Laurence S. , Reiner Thomas , Pillarsetty Nagavarakishore
Published: October 2021

The sense of smell (olfaction) is one of the most important senses for animals including humans. Despite significant advances in the understanding mechanism of olfaction, currently, there are no objective non-invasive methods that can identify loss of smell. Covid-19-related loss of smell has highlighted the need to develop methods that can identify loss of olfaction. Voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7 (NaV1.7) plays a critical role in olfaction by aiding the signal propagation to the olfactory bulb. We have identified several conditions such as chronic inflammation and viral infections such as Covid-19 that lead to loss of smell correlate with downregulation of NaV1.7 expression at transcript and protein levels in the olfactory epithelium. Leveraging this knowledge, we have developed a novel fluorescent probe Tsp1a-IR800 that targets NaV1.7. Using fluorescence imaging we can objectively measure the loss of sense of smell in live animals non-invasively. We also demonstrate that our non-invasive method is semiquantitative because the loss of fluorescence intensity correlates with the level of smell loss. Our results indicate, that our probe Tsp1a-IR800, can objectively diagnose anosmia in animal and human subjects using infrared fluorescence. We believe this method to non-invasively diagnose loss of smell objectively is a significant advancement in relation to current methods that rely on highly subjective behavioral studies and can aid in studying olfaction loss and the development of therapeutic interventions.
Topology and contribution to the pore channel lining of plasma membrane-embedded S. flexneri type 3 secretion translocase IpaB
Authors: Chen Poyin , Russo Brian C. , Duncan-Lowey Jeffrey K. , Bitar Natasha , Egger Keith , Goldberg Marcia B.
Published: October 2021

Shigella spp. are human bacterial pathogens that cause bacillary dysentery.
Virulence depends on a type 3 secretion system (T3SS), a highly conserved structure present in multiple important human and plant pathogens. Upon host cell contact, the T3SS translocon is delivered to the host membrane, facilitates bacterial docking to the membrane, and enables delivery of effector proteins into the host cytosol. The Shigella translocon is composed of two proteins, IpaB and IpaC, which together form this multimeric structure within host plasma membranes. Upon interaction of IpaC with host intermediate filaments, the translocon undergoes a conformational change that allows for bacterial docking onto the translocon and, together with host actin polymerization, enables subsequent effector translocation through the translocon pore. To generate additional insights into the translocon, we mapped the topology of IpaB in plasma membrane-embedded pores using cysteine substitution mutagenesis coupled with site-directed labeling and proximity-enabled crosslinking by membrane permeant sulfhydryl reactants. We demonstrate that IpaB function is dependent on post translational modification by a plasmid-encoded acyl carrier protein. We show that the first transmembrane domain of IpaB lines the interior of the translocon pore channel such that the IpaB portion of the channel forms a funnel-like shape leading into the host cytosol. In addition, we identify regions of IpaB within its cytosolic domain that protrude into and are closely associated with the pore channel. Taken together, these results provide a framework for how IpaB is arranged within translocons natively delivered by Shigella during infection.

Importance

Type 3 secretion systems are nanomachines employed by many bacteria, including Shigella, which deliver into human cells bacterial virulence proteins that alter cellular function in ways that promote infection. Delivery of Shigella virulence proteins occurs through a pore formed in human cell membranes by the proteins IpaB and IpaC. Here, we define how IpaB contributes to the formation of pores natively delivered into human cell membranes by S. flexneri. We show that a specific domain of IpaB (transmembrane domain 1) lines much of the pore channel and that portions of IpaB that lie in the inside of the human cell loop back into and/or are closely associated with the pore channel. These findings provide new insights into the organization and function of the pore in serving as the conduit for delivery of virulence proteins into human cells during Shigella infection.
Low dose pig anti-influenza virus monoclonal antibodies reduce lung pathology but do not prevent virus shedding
Authors: Paudyal Basudev , McNee Adam , Rijal Pramila , Carr B. Veronica , Nunez Alejandro , McCauley John W. , Daniels Rodney S. , Townsend Alain R. , Hammond John A. , Tchilian Elma
Published: October 2021

We have established the pig, a large natural host animal for influenza, with many physiological similarities to humans, as a robust model for testing the therapeutic potential of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In this study we demonstrated that prophylactic intravenous administration of 15mg/kg of porcine mAb pb18, against the K160-163 site of the haemagglutinin, significantly reduced lung pathology and nasal virus shedding and eliminated virus from the lung of pigs following H1N1pdm09 challenge. When given at 1mg/kg, pb18 significantly reduced lung pathology and lung and BAL virus loads, but not nasal shedding. Similarly, when pb18 was given in combination with pb27, which recognised the K130 site, at 1mg/kg each, lung virus load and pathology were reduced, although without an apparent additive or synergistic effect. No evidence for mAb driven virus evolution was detected. These data indicate that intravenous administration of high doses was required to reduce nasal virus shedding, although this was inconsistent and seldom complete. In contrast the effect on lung pathology and lung virus load is consistent and is also seen at one log lower doses, strongly indicating that a lower dose might be sufficient to reduce severity of disease, but for prevention of transmission other measures would be needed.
Comparison of EMC and CM methods for orienting diffraction images in single-particle imaging experiments
Authors: Tegze Miklós , Bortel Gábor
Published: October 2021

In single-particle imaging (SPI) experiments, diffraction patterns of identical particles are recorded. The particles are injected into the X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) beam in random orientations. The crucial step of the data processing of SPI is finding the orientations of the recorded diffraction patterns in reciprocal space and reconstructing the 3D intensity distribution. Here, two orientation methods are compared: the expansion maximization compression (EMC) algorithm and the correlation maximization (CM) algorithm. To investigate the efficiency, reliability and accuracy of the methods at various XFEL pulse fluences, simulated diffraction patterns of biological molecules are used.
Exploring maintaining gains following therapy during the coronavirus pandemic with adults with an intellectual disability
Authors: Purrington Jack , Nye Arthur , Beail Nigel
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The novel coronavirus and associated mitigation efforts have caused significant increases in stress for adults with intellectual disabilities. Such increases in life stress predict an increased risk of relapse following psychological therapy. This contributes to the high global disease burden of common mental health difficulties. Therefore, this paper aims to explore service user experiences of maintaining gains following therapy within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-methods evaluation was completed in a psychology service based in the North of England which specialises in supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. Descriptive statistics and effect size calculations were used to examine therapeutic outcomes pre-therapy, post-therapy, and at follow-up. These findings informed a framework analysis of eight semi-structured interviews.

Findings

Overall, outcome results improved post-therapy and regressed at follow-up. The framework analysis revealed facilitators to maintenance include a recollection of specific aspects of therapy and the regular utilisation of strategies and resources. Conversely, barriers to maintenance include a recollection focussed on personal outcome, a reliance on social support and an inability to remember therapy.

Originality/value

This is the only study to the authors’ knowledge examining service user experiences of maintaining gains following therapy within the context of Covid-19. It is hoped that these findings will inform further research and be useful for services in preparing service users for discharge as the Covid-19 pandemic continues and moves towards the post-pandemic phase.
Risk, competition, efficiency and its interrelationships: evidence from the Chinese banking industry
Authors: Tan Yong , Charles Vincent , Belimam Doha , Dastgir Shabbir
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study investigates the interrelationships between efficiency, competition and risk in the Chinese banking industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Parametric stochastic frontier analysis is used to estimate bank efficiency; the Lerner index is used as the competition indicator; accounting ratios and a translog function are used to measure different types of risk and finally, the three-stage least square estimator is used to investigate the interrelationships.

Findings

The results of this study show that the impact of competition on different types of risk is significant and positive, while there is a significant and positive impact of credit risk, liquidity risk and capital risk on bank competition. In addition, the findings demonstrate that the interrelationships between efficiency and competition are significant and negative. The authors do not find any robust interrelationships between different types of risk and different types of efficiency; the authors find that diversification and higher levels of profitability reduce bank credit risk. The results suggest that a higher developed banking sector reduces the level of bank competition in China.

Originality/value

This is the first piece of research that comprehensively investigates the interrelationships between different types of risk, competition and different efficiencies in China.
Ranking of performance indicators in an Internet of Things (IoT)-based traceability system for the agriculture supply chain (ASC)
Authors: Yadav Sanjeev , Garg Dixit , Luthra Sunil
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The prime aim of this paper is the identification and prioritization of performance indicators, which motivate the development of an Internet of Things (IoT)-based traceability system for the agriculture supply chain (ASC). Also, this research aims for checking the robustness of obtained results.

Design/methodology/approach

Ten performance indicators have been identified based on the five “criteria in the IoT-based traceable system”. Further, based on five criteria, performance indicators were ranked by using grey-based “Additive Ratio Assessment”.

Findings

Sustainable practices obtained first rank, and certification of agri-products obtained worst ranking. Further, based on sensitivity analysis, tracking of agri-products and stakeholders' behavior have found high sensitivity. Also, information sharing and global distribution networks have found the least sensitive performance indicators.

Research limitations/implications

This research has some limitations of taking only a few criteria and alternatives. This study may also contribute as a practical insight to the practitioners and managers in decision-making in the adoption of an IoT-based traceable system within the ASC.

Originality/value

This research may motivate the implementation of an IoT-based efficient traceability mechanism that improved the sustainability and consumer's trust in the ASC during different types of hazardous activities and other outbreaks (COVID-19). Also, this research has provided a theoretical insight based on the dynamic capability theory (DCT).
Using the theory of planned behavior to understand the students’ pro-environmental behavior: a case-study in a Portuguese HEI
Authors: Correia Elisabete , Sousa Sara , Viseu Clara , Leite Joana
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Through the application of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study aims to explore the main determinants of higher education students’ pro-environmental behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted among the students of a public higher education institution (HEI) in Portugal, from March to May of 2020. The data were analyzed with the structural equation modeling technique, considering environmental attitude, knowledge, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control as exogenous latent variables, and pro-environmental intention and behavior as endogenous latent variables.

Findings

The results show that the students’ environmental attitude and knowledge have no significant impact on their pro-environmental intention, while the students’ subjective norm and perceived behavioral control have a positive impact on their pro-environmental intention. The results also reveal that the students’ perceived behavioral control and pro-environmental intention have a strong and positive impact on their pro-environmental behavior.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses on the students from a single public HEI, in accounting and administration area, and deepens environmental behavior in relation to resources’ consumption.

Practical implications

This study provides findings that can be useful for HEIs to be more effective in their policies, strategies and practices to improve students’ environmental behavior.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature by exploring the main determinants of higher education students’ pro-environmental behavior in a Portuguese HEI and extending the TPB considering the additional variable environmental knowledge.
Choice of certification schemes by smallholder pineapple farmers in Ghana: analysis of constraints and determinants of adoption
Authors: Quartey Comfort Love Naa Kwaale , Osei Mensah James , Nimoh Fred , Adams Faizal , Etuah Seth
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to assess constraints and determinants of pineapple farmers' choice of certification schemes in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

A multistage sampling method was used to solicit data from 345 pineapple farmers from Eastern and Central regions of Ghana. Analytical techniques including descriptive statistics, four-point Likert scale index and multinomial logistic regression model (MNL) were used to analyze the data.

Findings

The four-point scale index shows that high renewal fee for certification schemes is the most important constraint facing certified farmers before high labor cost of production. The MNL model shows that both off-farm income and age negatively influenced farmers' choice of GlobalG.A.P scheme. However, household size had significant positive influence on farmers' choice of GlobalG.A.P and Organic schemes. Likewise, formal education had significant positive relationship with the choice of Fairtrade and Organic certification schemes while farming experience positively influenced organic scheme choice. On the other hand, premium price and extension services positively influenced the likelihood of choosing all the three certification schemes. Lastly, regional dummy only negatively influences the choice of organic certification schemes.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the literature on certification schemes adopted by smallholder by analyzing the determinants and constraints of choice of scheme(s).

Originality/value

The study brings to bear the issues confronting smallholder pineapple farmers in the employment of certification schemes in developing countries, specifically Ghana.
Stability of Borna disease virus‐based episomal vector under physical and chemical stimulation
Authors: Yanai Mako , Sakai Madoka , Komorizono Ryo , Makino Akiko , Tomonaga Keizo
Published: October 2021

Borna disease virus (BoDV), a nonsegmented, negative‐sense RNA virus, establishes persistent infection and replicates in the cell nucleus. Since BoDV genomic RNA exists as episomal RNA, the host genome is not invaded by BoDV infection. These unique features make BoDV a promising gene delivery system as an RNA virus‐based episomal vector (REVec). Previously, the stable expression of genes of interest in vitro and in vivo using a REVec was reported. For the clinical application of a REVec, the fundamental properties under various physical and chemical conditions must be determined to develop purification processes, supply chains, and biosafety management. This study investigated the effects of the following conditions on the inducibility of transmission‐defective ΔG‐REVec: freeze–thaw cycles, dehydration, UV, temperature, pH, and reagents for virucides and laboratory experiments. Although the titer of ΔG‐REVec was not influenced by the freeze–thaw process or 5 minute incubation at ≤50°C, ΔG‐REVec was significantly inactivated by incubation at ≥70°C for 5 minutes. The induction titer of ΔG‐REVec was decreased by long‐term incubation, dehydration, and UV irradiation in a temperature‐ and time‐dependent manner. ΔG‐REVec was sensitive to lower pH and inactivated by chemical reagents under general conditions. These results provide important knowledge for developing the clinical use of REVec and biosafety management.
Viral adaptations to vector‐borne transmission can result in complex host–vector–pathogen interactions
Authors: Wilfert Lena
Published: October 2021

Research Highlight: Norton, A. M., Remnant, E. J., Tom, J., Buchmann, G., Blacquiere, T., & Beekman, M. (2021). Adaptation to vector‐based transmission in a honeybee virus. Journal of Animal Ecology, 90, https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365‐2656.13493.

In their paper on the adaptation to vector‐based transmission via the mite Varroa destructor in a honeybee virus, Norton et al. study how high versus low levels of a viral vector affect viral load and potential competition between two strains of Deformed Wing Virus, an important highly virulent bee virus with the potential to spill‐over into other pollinators and bee‐associated insect species. This paper addresses two very timely issues, on the one hand on viral evolutionary ecology in response to vector‐borne transmission, and on the other hand providing much needed information on an important honey bee pathogen. Using a complex natural system, this study shows that vector‐borne transmission, and the control of the vector, can select for complex host–pathogen–vector interactions and that adaptations to changing transmission landscapes in fast evolving pathogens can create conditions for emerging pathogens to transition to endemic diseases.
Dancing bees evaluate central urban forage resources as superior to agricultural land
Authors: Samuelson Ash E. , Schürch Roger , Leadbeater Ellouise
Published: October 2021

Recent evidence suggests that flower‐rich areas within cities could play an important role in pollinator conservation, but direct comparison of floral resources within agricultural and urban areas has proved challenging to perform over large scales.

Here we use the waggle dances of honeybees Apis mellifera L. to perform large‐scale landscape surveys at heavily urban or agricultural sites for a key pollinator of wild and crop plants. We analysed 2,827 dances that were performed by 20 colonies in SE England.

We show that hive median foraging trip distance is consistently lower at urban sites across the entire season. The sucrose content of collected nectar did not significantly differ between urban and agricultural land, ruling out the possibility that longer foraging distances in agricultural sites were driven by distant but nectar‐rich resources.

Within cities, bees preferentially targeted residential areas on foraging trips, while trips to mass‐flowering crops overwhelmingly dominated at agricultural sites. For both land‐use types, distances flown increased in the summer, but there was high variation in temporal patterns between individual sites.

Policy implications. From the self‐reported perspective of a generalist pollinator, forage was easier to find in heavily urbanized areas than in the modern agricultural landscapes that we studied. A focus on continuous spatial and temporal provision within agricultural environments is key to redressing this imbalance.
Corporate Governance in Extreme Institutional Environments
Authors: Cumming Douglas , Girardone Claudia , Śliwa Martyna
Published: October 2021

This paper reviews the literature on corporate governance in extreme institutional environments, including both formal and informal institutions. We focus on three main areas of research: corporate governance in an international context, banking and corporate governance, and governance in entrepreneurship and innovation. We document some classic papers in each of these areas and explain how the papers in this special issue contribute to the development of these areas of research. We discuss recommendations for policy and practice and offer suggestions for future research.
What Form would Referendums on Irish Unification take?
Authors: Renwick Alan , Kelly Conor J.
Published: October 2021

The Belfast or Good Friday Agreement of 1998 makes provision for Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland through a unification referendum, if voters so wish. Yet, the provision is short on detail and has not been substantively explored. A Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland has recently sought to address this gap. In this article, the Working Group's chair and research assistant outline the project's methodology and key findings, covering overall referendum configurations and specific design features, as well as what steps might be taken in the coming years. The article also highlights two comparative lessons, relating to tensions between the values of informed consent and inclusive design, and between majoritarian and consensual politics. These tensions afflict many referendums, particularly on sovereignty questions. They cannot be resolved, but only tempered, through careful and inclusive design of referendum processes.
Personal Financial Distress, Limited Attention
Authors: ASLAN HADIYE
Published: October 2021

By linking sell‐side equity analysts to their deed records and LinkedIn profiles, I show that analysts with higher exposure to negative wealth shocks issue more pessimistic and less accurate forecasts. The effects are stronger when analysts have higher leverage in their homes and face career concerns. I also find that stocks recommended by exposed analysts underperform those of nonexposed counterparts, by an amount that is significant and economically large in magnitude. The results remain robust to unobserved skill differences, the potential endogeneity of housing prices, the self‐selection of analysts into neighborhoods with certain traits, and placebo tests where housing wealth shocks are randomized across analysts. Collectively, this study provides new evidence on if and how personal wealth shocks impact analysts' work productivity and forecast behavior.
Papaya and pineapple juices facilitate rehydration of mummified dermal tissue for fingerprint capture
Authors: Fernandez Fidel , Thumaty Neehar , Climer Cailin R. , Escorcia Wilber
Published: October 2021

Mummified remains pose an issue for forensic scientists as identification of the deceased can be difficult due to extreme shriveling of dermal tissue and a resulting lack of quality fingerprint features. The typical protocols used to address this problem include corrosive chemicals that may further damage the already susceptible tissues. An alternative approach is found in the juice of two fruit species known to contain proteolytically active enzymes that tenderize soft tissues, thereby promoting water uptake. In this study, we saturated mummified fingers in papaya and pineapple juice treatments, followed by syringe‐facilitated finger volume distension. After juice saturation, the data showed statistically significant increases in mass and volume of the samples, (papaya: relative mass p < 0.02833, relative volume p < 0.008466; pineapple: relative mass p < 0.01426, relative volume p < 0.04182). The post‐treatment tissues were then rehydrated through a hydraulic mechanism that exerted the required turgor for effective fingerprint capture. This novel protocol utilizes fruit‐based reagents to rehydrate mummified fingers without risk of corrosive damage, allowing for the restoration of accurate fingerprints and the positive identification of decedents. The value of this protocol lies in its simple implementation, affordability, instrument availability, and time effectiveness.