bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the appeal of a visitor guide: a triangulated approach
Authors: Shen Ye (Sandy) , Lever Michael , Joppe Marion
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Destination management organizations deliver travel-related information through visitor guides to build destination awareness and attract potential tourists. Therefore, this research aims to investigate how people read such a guide, understand their attitudes and to provide recommendations on enhancing its design.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used eye-tracking technology in tandem with surveys and in-depth interviews. Eye-tracking technology uncovered the elements of a visitor guide that attracted particular attention, whereas surveys and interviews provided deeper insights into people’s attitudes toward them.

Findings

People do not spend attention equally on each page of a visitor guide. Instead, they look at the reference points (i.e. photo credits, photos, headings and bolded words) and then read the adjacent areas if the information triggers their interest. The characteristics of the attractive components of a visitor guide were discussed and suggestions on designing a more appealing guide were provided.

Research limitations/implications

The triangulated approach not only generated objective and insightful results but also enhanced research validity. This exploratory sequential mixed method can usefully be applied to test other stimuli and assess attention.

Practical implications

To be deemed appealing, a visitor guide should avoid ads unrelated to the destination, include more photos, use the list format and bolded words, add stories or selected comments from social media and provide well-designed maps.

Originality/value

This research fills a gap in the literature by using a triangulated approach including eye-tracking, survey and interviews to examine a 68-page visitor guide. The concept of reference-point reading behavior is proposed. Practical implications are discussed to improve the design of a visitor guide.
Authentic leadership towards sustainability in higher education – an integrated green model
Authors: Srivastava Anugamini Priya , Mani Venkatesh , Yadav Mohit , Joshi Yatish
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Sustainability in higher education has drawn the attention of various scholars. However, to date, very few studies have examined the human side of green employee behaviour towards sustainability. Thus, to address this gap, this study aims to analyse the effect of green authentic leadership towards sustainability in higher education, with the intervening impact of green internal branding and green training.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examined the data collected from faculty and their immediate heads from private higher education institutions. Tests for reliability, validity and internal consistency of measures followed by exploratory factor analysis were conducted for each measure. The hypotheses were tested through hierarchical regression analysis while confirmatory factor analysis was done to test the fit of the model.

Findings

The results supported the fit of the proposed model and showed positive and significant effect of green authentic leadership on the sustainability in higher education. Further, green internal branding had a mediating effect between green authentic leadership and sustainability and green training showed a significant moderating role between green authentic leadership and sustainability relationship.

Originality/value

The study contributes to ongoing research in the field of green employee behaviour, green HRM practices and sustainability in higher education. Further, the study provides practical implications to enable higher education institution to work towards sustenance effectively.
Up‐regulation of miR‐135b expression induced by oxidative stress promotes the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells under high glucose condition
Authors: Xiao Ling , Luo Dan , Pi Pei , Hu Man‐li , Li Xiang‐you , Yin Qing‐qiao
Published: April 2020

This study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of miR‐135b in high glucose‐induced oxidative stress of renal tubular epithelial cells. Here, in vivo experiments found that compared to the control group, miR‐135b expression was significantly up‐regulated in the diabetes group, whereas BMP7 mRNA and protein levels were down‐regulated. In high glucose‐treated renal tubular epithelial cells (HK‐2) in vitro, oxidative stress was induced, which up‐regulated miR‐135b expression. In addition, the regulation of miR‐135b on BMP7 expression was confirmed in HK‐2 cells. Under high glucose conditions, oxidative stress promoted the apoptosis of HK‐2 cells through the up‐regulation of miR‐135b expression. In vivo experiments indicated that interference with miR‐135b improved renal function in mice with diabetic nephropathy. In conclusion, these results indicated that the up‐regulation of miR‐135b expression induced by oxidative stress promotes the apoptosis of HK‐2 cells under high glucose conditions.
Tying the Acquirer's Human Resource Management Quality to Cross‐Border Acquisition Divestment Probability: Curvilinear Connection with Slacklining
Authors: Avetisyan Emma , Baruch Yehuda , Meschi Pierre‐Xavier , Metais Emmanuel , Norheim‐Hansen Anne
Published: April 2020

Cross‐border acquisitions are growing in volume and global economic importance, yet a considerable number end in failure. Many of these failures may be linked to people management‐related issues. We extend this stream of research by investigating the impact of the acquirer's aggregate human resource management (HRM) quality on cross‐border acquisition divestment. Our empirical analysis uses a panel database of 4128 cross‐border acquisition/year observations and an event history design. The findings confirm a curvilinear relationship and suggest that acquisition failures are not merely associated with poor HRM quality, but also with very high levels of HRM quality, that is, with both extremes. Moreover, our results show that financial slack has a significant moderating effect on the curvilinear relationship between HRM quality and the likelihood of acquisition divestment. Overall, our study reveals boundary conditions for the widely demonstrated positive relationship between HRM quality and organizational performance in an acquisition context.
Accelerating down a Road to Nowhere: On Inventing the Future by Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams
Authors: Gildea Florence
Published: April 2020

In Inventing the Future, Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams implore those on the left not to fear automation but rather to harness it in order to overturn neoliberalism. However, their argument is built upon a controversial philosophy which goes unnamed in the body of the text: accelerationism, the first principles of which would overthrow the very understanding of human nature on which Western democracy has operated for centuries. Their vision also entails a way of doing politics and designing policy which radically differs from representative democracy and grassroots movements as they seek to engineer consent and to form a revolutionary vanguard—not just to overthrow capitalism, but to embark on a journey of continually re‐engineering humanity itself.
Posterior tooth autotransplantation: a case series
Authors: Ong DC‐V , Dance GM
Published: April 2020

Tooth autotransplantation is the technique of transplanting embedded, impacted or erupted teeth from one site into another in the same individual. Autotransplantation can provide a long‐term, cost‐effective and biological solution for adolescent patients with congenitally missing teeth or significantly compromised teeth when a suitable donor tooth is available. Successful autotransplantation of immature teeth can offer many advantages for a growing patient, including a normally functioning periodontium, proprioception and preservation of alveolar bone volume. Even in the event that an autotransplanted tooth does eventually fail, the bone and soft tissue conditions are likely to be conducive for subsequent implant treatment. Despite the significant physiological and cost‐benefit advantages, tooth autotransplantation remains relatively underutilized, as the procedure is considered to be technique‐sensitive. Although carefully considered individual case selection and surgical skill are the critical determinants for success, advances in three‐dimensional computed tomography and rapid prototyping have the potential to simultaneously reduce the technique sensitivity and increase the predictability of the autotransplantation procedure. It is hoped that this case series will provide greater awareness and an appreciation of the tremendous value of autotransplantation for the management of patients with congenitally missing or significantly compromised posterior teeth.
Does a better diet reduce dependence on imports? The case of Tunisia
Authors: Drogue Sophie , Perignon Marlène , Darmon Nicole , Amiot Marie Josèphe
Published: April 2020

In the last 40 years, Tunisia has experienced—as many other developing and emerging countries—a dietary transition, which led to an increase in the consumption of sugar, fats, and animal products. This transition was accompanied by an increase in noncommunicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases. Using mathematical programming, we optimized the Tunisian diet using the French dietary recommendations as constraints. Then, we used the Global Trade Analysis Project's constant elasticities of substitution in order to simulate the impact of fulfilling the nutrient recommendations on international trade and domestic supply. Using this approach, we showed that the Tunisian diet is rich in carbohydrates and sugar but lacks fibers, some minerals, and vitamins. The adherence to all recommendations would induce an imperative shift to less sugar and cereal‐based products by reducing the import dependence on these products, but would result a dramatic increase in the domestic supply of products from animal origin, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Potential impact of maternal vitamin D status on peripheral blood and endometrium cellular immunity in women with recurrent implantation failure
Authors: Chen Xian , Diao Lianghui , Lian Ruochun , Qi Lingbin , Yu Shuyi , Liu Su , Lin Shenglai , Xue Zhigang , Zeng Yong
Published: April 2020

Problem

This study aims to evaluate the modulatory effects of vitamin D on peripheral blood and endometrial cellular immunity in women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF).

Method of study

One hundred and fifty‐four women with RIF were identified at a fertility center from January 2018 and March 2019. Blood and endometrium samples were collected during the mid‐luteal phase before IVF treatment or pregnancy. The serum vitamin D status, NK cell cytotoxicity, Th1 cytokine production, and endometrial immune cells were detected before and after vitamin D supplementation.

Results

The NK cell cytotoxicity at an effector:target (E:T) ratio of 50:1 or 25:1 was significantly higher in vitamin D insufficiency group (VDI) than those in vitamin D normal group (VDN) (P < .05 each). The percentage of IFN‐γ‐ or TNF‐α‐producing Th cells was significantly increased in VDI or vitamin D deficiency group (VDD) when compared with VDN (P < .05 each). The percentage of CD68+ macrophages on all endometrial cells in VDI and VDD was significantly higher than in VDN (P < .05 each), while no significant differences in the percentage of other endometrial immune cells among the three groups were observed. This dysregulation was significantly reduced with vitamin D supplementation.

Conclusion

Our findings highlighted that vitamin D may have an important role in the regulation of not only systemic but also local immune response for optimization of maternal tolerance for implantation in women with RIF. Pre‐conception optimization of vitamin D status should be considered in women with RIF.
Internationally adopted children with and without a cleft lip and palate showed no differences in language ability at school‐age
Authors: Larsson AnnaKarin , Persson Christina , Klintö Kristina , Miniscalco Carmela
Published: April 2020

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate language ability in internationally adopted children aged 7‐8 years with and without a unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Methods

We compared 27 internationally adopted children with a unilateral cleft lip and palate, adopted from China, with a group of 29 children without a cleft lip and palate, adopted from different countries. Participants were recruited from two cleft lip and palate teams in Sweden and through adoption organisations. Assessments were performed using standardised tests of speech and of receptive and expressive language ability. In addition, a parental questionnaire in which speech, language and communication aspects were rated was used.

Results

There were no significant differences in language ability between the groups. The only difference was related to speech ability, where the internationally adopted children with unilateral cleft lip and palate scored significantly lower. However, a high proportion of children in both groups scored low on measures of expressive language compared with test norms.

Conclusion

The results suggested that having a cleft lip and palate did not increase the risk of language difficulties. Instead, being internationally adopted may be associated with a risk of delayed language development lasting for several years post‐adoption.
Specifically human: Human work and care in the age of machines
Authors: Bertolaso Marta , Rocchi Marta
Published: April 2020

This paper aims to show how the frequently asked question about the future of work, that is, whether human beings are going to be replaced by machines and robots, arose, and why the way such question is posed is inadequate to account for the human and social value of care professions. We discuss how the dimensions entailed in care professions are specifically human and argue that any kind of human work actually reflects them (and will reflect them in the future), irrespective of the impact of technological changes. The present argument also aims to unveil the extent of the effects of the postmodern epistemological crisis regarding the concept of work, to reformulate the question about the future of human work, and to offer a characterization of care as a specific component of human work in the age of machines.
Zero‐inflated Poisson factor model with application to microbiome read counts
Authors: Xu Tianchen , Demmer Ryan T. , Li Gen
Published: April 2020

Dimension reduction of high‐dimensional microbiome data facilitates subsequent analysis such as regression and clustering. Most existing reduction methods cannot fully accommodate the special features of the data such as count‐valued and excessive zero reads. We propose a zero‐inflated Poisson factor analysis model in this paper. The model assumes that microbiome read counts follow zero‐inflated Poisson distributions with library size as offset and Poisson rates negatively related to the inflated zero occurrences. The latent parameters of the model form a low‐rank matrix consisting of interpretable loadings and low‐dimensional scores that can be used for further analyses. We develop an efficient and robust expectation‐maximization algorithm for parameter estimation. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method using comprehensive simulation studies. The application to the Oral Infections, Glucose Intolerance, and Insulin Resistance Study provides valuable insights into the relation between subgingival microbiome and periodontal disease.
Transporting stochastic direct and indirect effects to new populations
Authors: Rudolph Kara E. , Levy Jonathan , van der Laan Mark J.
Published: April 2020

Transported mediation effects may contribute to understanding how interventions work differently when applied to new populations. However, we are not aware of any estimators for such effects. Thus, we propose two doubly robust, efficient estimators of transported stochastic (also called randomized interventional) direct and indirect effects. We demonstrate their finite sample properties in a simulation study. We then apply the preferred substitution estimator to longitudinal data from the Moving to Opportunity Study, a large‐scale housing voucher experiment, to transport stochastic indirect effect estimates of voucher receipt in childhood on subsequent risk of mental health or substance use disorder mediated through parental employment across sites, thereby gaining understanding of drivers of the site differences.
Horseshoe‐based Bayesian nonparametric estimation of effective population size trajectories
Authors: Faulkner James R. , Magee Andrew F. , Shapiro Beth , Minin Vladimir N.
Published: April 2020

Phylodynamics is an area of population genetics that uses genetic sequence data to estimate past population dynamics. Modern state‐of‐the‐art Bayesian nonparametric methods for recovering population size trajectories of unknown form use either change‐point models or Gaussian process priors. Change‐point models suffer from computational issues when the number of change‐points is unknown and needs to be estimated. Gaussian process‐based methods lack local adaptivity and cannot accurately recover trajectories that exhibit features such as abrupt changes in trend or varying levels of smoothness. We propose a novel, locally adaptive approach to Bayesian nonparametric phylodynamic inference that has the flexibility to accommodate a large class of functional behaviors. Local adaptivity results from modeling the log‐transformed effective population size a priori as a horseshoe Markov random field, a recently proposed statistical model that blends together the best properties of the change‐point and Gaussian process modeling paradigms. We use simulated data to assess model performance, and find that our proposed method results in reduced bias and increased precision when compared to contemporary methods. We also use our models to reconstruct past changes in genetic diversity of human hepatitis C virus in Egypt and to estimate population size changes of ancient and modern steppe bison. These analyses show that our new method captures features of the population size trajectories that were missed by the state‐of‐the‐art methods.
A Bayes factor approach with informative prior for rare genetic variant analysis from next generation sequencing data
Authors: Xu Jingxiong , Xu Wei , Briollais Laurent
Published: April 2020

The discovery of rare genetic variants through next generation sequencing is a very challenging issue in the field of human genetics. We propose a novel region‐based statistical approach based on a Bayes Factor (BF) to assess evidence of association between a set of rare variants (RVs) located on the same genomic region and a disease outcome in the context of case‐control design. Marginal likelihoods are computed under the null and alternative hypotheses assuming a binomial distribution for the RV count in the region and a beta or mixture of Dirac and beta prior distribution for the probability of RV. We derive the theoretical null distribution of the BF under our prior setting and show that a Bayesian control of the false Discovery Rate can be obtained for genome‐wide inference. Informative priors are introduced using prior evidence of association from a Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test statistic. We use our simulation program, sim1000G, to generate RV data similar to the 1000 genomes sequencing project. Our simulation studies showed that the new BF statistic outperforms standard methods (SKAT, SKAT‐O, Burden test) in case‐control studies with moderate sample sizes and is equivalent to them under large sample size scenarios. Our real data application to a lung cancer case‐control study found enrichment for RVs in known and novel cancer genes. It also suggests that using the BF with informative prior improves the overall gene discovery compared to the BF with noninformative prior.
Drainage response to Arabia–Eurasia collision: Insights from provenance examination of the Cyprian Kythrea flysch (Eastern Mediterranean Basin)
Authors: Shaanan Uri , Avigad Dov , Morag Navot , Güngör Talip , Gerdes Axel
Published: April 2020

The Cenozoic geodynamics of the north‐eastern Mediterranean Basin have been dominated by the subduction of the African Plate under Eurasia. A trench‐parallel crustal‐scale thrust system (Misis–Kyrenia Thrust System) dissects the southern margin of the overriding plate and forms the structural grain and surface expression of northern Cyprus. Late Eocene to Miocene flysch of the Kythrea (Değirmenlik) Group is exposed throughout northern Cyprus, both at the hanging‐wall and foot‐wall of the thrust system, permitting access to an extensive Cenozoic sedimentary record of the basin. We report the results of a combined examination of detrital zircon and rutile U–Pb geochronology (572 concordant ages), coupled with Th/U ratios, Hf isotopic data and quantitative assessment of grain morphology of detrital zircon from four formations (5 samples) from the Kythrea flysch. These data provide a line of independent evidence for the existence of two different sediment transportation systems that discharged detritus into the basin between the late Eocene and late Miocene. Unique characteristics of each transport system are defined and a sediment unmixing calculation is demonstrated and explained. The first system transported almost exclusively North Gondwana‐type, Precambrian‐aged detrital zircon sourced from siliciclastic rock units in southern Anatolia. A different drainage system is revealed by the middle to late Miocene flysch sequence that is dominated by Late Cretaceous–Cenozoic‐aged detrital zircon, whose age range is consistent with the magmatic episodicity of southeast Anatolia, along the Arabia–Eurasia suture zone. Deposition of these late Miocene strata took place thereupon closure of the Tethyan Seaway and African–Eurasian faunal exchange, and overlap in time with a pronounced uplift of eastern Anatolia. Our analytical data indicate the onset of prominent suture‐parallel sediment transport from the collision zone of south‐eastern Anatolia into the Kyrenia Range of northern Cyprus, marking the drainage response to the continental collision between Arabia and Eurasia.
CD20+ tumor‐infiltrating immune cells and CD204+ M2 macrophages are associated with prognosis in thymic carcinoma
Authors: Sato Jun , Kitano Shigehisa , Motoi Noriko , Ino Yoshinori , Yamamoto Noboru , Watanabe Shunichi , Ohe Yuichiro , Hiraoka Nobuyoshi
Published: April 2020

Thymic carcinoma is a rare malignant disease with no standard systemic chemotherapy. The purpose of the present study was to investigate tumor‐infiltrating immune cells (TIIC) in the tumor microenvironment (TME), focusing on the impact of TIIC and program death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression on clinical outcomes in thymic cancer. Patients with thymic carcinoma resected between 1973 and 2017 were investigated. The tissue specimens were analyzed through immunohistochemical staining to elucidate the prognostic effects of TIIC, their ratios and PD‐L1 in a preliminary cohort (n = 10). The density of TIIC as well as PD‐L1 expression was evaluated in intraepithelial and tumor‐stromal areas on the representative whole section of tumors. The immune factors showing significant association with disease‐free survival (DFS) were evaluated in the total cohort (n = 42). TIIC in the preliminary population showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, CD8, CD20, CD204, FOXP3 and CD20/CD204 ratio demonstrated a tendency to act as predictive markers for recurrence. In the total cohort, significant differences were observed for CD8+, CD20+ and CD204+ cells in tumor islets, and for CD8+, CD20+ and FOXP3+ cells as well as the CD8/CD204 and CD20/CD204 ratios in the stroma, indicating their prognostic effect. The prognostic effect of the PD‐L1 expression in tumor cells could not be established, possibly because of intratumoral heterogeneity. CD8, CD20 and CD204 positive TIIC in stroma were identified as possible better prognostic biomarkers, considering the heterogeneity of other biomarkers. The present study paves the way for exploring strategies of combination immunotherapy targeting B cell immunity in thymic carcinoma.
Impact of uveal melanoma thickness on post‐plaque radiotherapy outcomes in the prophylactic anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor era in 1131 patients
Authors: Yang Xiaolu , Dalvin Lauren A. , Mazloumi Mehdi , Chang Michael , Shields Jerry A. , Mashayekhi Arman , Shields Carol L.
Published: April 2020

Importance

The impact of tumour thickness on radiation complications following plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma in the anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) era remains unknown.

Background

To evaluate treatment outcomes following plaque radiotherapy and prophylactic intravitreal bevacizumab for uveal melanoma based on initial tumour thickness.

Design

This was a retrospective, interventional case series.

Participants

Patients with uveal melanoma were included in this study.

Methods

A review of medical records was conducted of patients with uveal melanoma treated with plaque radiotherapy and prophylactic intravitreal bevacizumab from 7 July 2000 to 2 November 2018.

Main outcomes measures

Radiation‐related outcomes of cystoid macular oedema (CME), radiation maculopathy, papillopathy, retinopathy, iris neovascularization (NVI) and neovascular glaucoma (NVG) were compared based on tumour thickness (small [<3.0 mm] vs medium [3.1‐8.0 mm] vs large [>8.0 mm]).

Results

Of 1131 eyes, 341 (30%) had small, 633 (56%) medium and 157 (14%) large melanoma. Comparison (small vs medium vs large) at 4 years following radiotherapy revealed large melanoma with greater Kaplan‐Meier estimated risk of CME (37% vs 37% vs 63%, P < .001), earlier onset of CME (33 vs 26 vs 19 months, P < .001) and greater development of NVI (<1% vs 2% vs 13%, P < .001) and NVG (1% vs 2% vs 12%, P < .001). Radiation‐induced maculopathy, papillopathy and retinopathy were not associated with tumour thickness.

Conclusions and relevance

Compared with small and medium uveal melanoma, large uveal melanoma demonstrated greater 48‐month risk for CME, shorter time to CME onset and greater development of NVI and NVG following plaque radiotherapy and prophylactic intravitreal bevacizumab.
Trends and knowledge gaps in field research investigating effects of anthropogenic noise
Authors: Jerem Paul , Mathews Fiona
Published: April 2020

Anthropogenic noise is a globally widespread sensory pollutant, recognized as having potentially adverse effects on function, demography, and physiology in wild animals. Human population growth and associated changes in urbanization, transportation, and resource extraction all contribute to anthropogenic noise and are predicted to increase in the coming decades. Wildlife exposure to anthropogenic noise is expected to rise correspondingly. Data collected through field research are uniquely important in advancing understanding of the real‐world repercussions of human activity on wildlife. We, therefore, performed a systematic review of literature published from 2008 to 2018 that reported on field investigations of anthropogenic noise impacts. We evaluated publication metrics (e.g., publication rates and journal type), geographical distribution of studies, study subject, and methods used. Research activity increased markedly over the assessment period. However, there was a pronounced geographical bias in research, with most being conducted in North America or Europe, and a notable focus on terrestrial environments. Fewer than one‐fifth of terrestrial studies were located in rural areas likely to experience urbanization by 2030, meaning data on ecosystems most likely to be affected by future changes are not being gathered. There was also bias in the taxonomic groups investigated. Most research was conducted on birds and aquatic mammals, whereas terrestrial mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates received limited attention. Almost all terrestrial studies examined diurnal species, despite evidence that nocturnality is the prevailing animal activity pattern. Nearly half the studies investigated effects of road or urban noise; the bulk of research was restricted to functional, rather than physiological or demographic consequences. Few experimental studies addressed repercussions of long‐term exposure to anthropogenic noise or long‐term postexposure effects, and multiple noise types or levels were rarely compared. Tackling these knowledge gaps will be vital for successful management of the effects of increasing wildlife exposure to anthropogenic noise.
CD4+ T cell lymphopenia predicts mortality from Pneumocystis pneumonia in kidney transplant patients
Authors: Freiwald Tilo , Büttner Stefan , Cheru Nardos T. , Avaniadi Despina , Martin Simon S. , Stephan Christoph , Pliquett Rainer U. , Asbe‐Vollkopf Aida , Schüttfort Gundolf , Jacobi Volkmar , Herrmann Eva , Geiger Helmut , Hauser Ingeborg A.
Published: April 2020

Background

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PcP) remains a life‐threatening opportunistic infection after solid organ transplantation, even in the era of Pneumocystis prophylaxis. The association between risk of developing PcP and low CD4+ T cell counts has been well established. However, it is unknown whether lymphopenia in the context of post‐renal transplant PcP increases the risk of mortality.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective analysis of a cohort of kidney transplant patients with PcP (n = 49) to determine the risk factors for mortality associated with PcP. We correlated clinical and demographic data with the outcome of the disease. For CD4+ T cell counts, we used the Wilcoxon rank sum test for in‐hospital mortality and a Cox proportional‐hazards regression model for 60‐day mortality.

Results

In univariate analyses, high CRP, high neutrophils, CD4+ T cell lymphopenia, mechanical ventilation, and high acute kidney injury network stage were associated with in‐hospital mortality following presentation with PcP. In a receiver‐operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, an optimum cutoff of ≤200 CD4+ T cells/µL predicted in‐hospital mortality, CD4+ T cell lymphopenia remained a risk factor in a Cox regression model.

Conclusions

Low CD4+ T cell count in kidney transplant recipients is a biomarker for disease severity and a risk factor for in‐hospital mortality following presentation with PcP.
The impact of humanitarian assistance on post‐disaster social vulnerabilities: some early reflections on the Nepal earthquake in 2015
Authors: Hülssiep Marina , Thaler Thomas , Fuchs Sven
Published: April 2020

Every year, thousands of people around the world who face unequal access to political and social power and resources lose their lives and/or livelihoods in natural hazard events. As a result, the reduction of vulnerability has become a central concern of humanitarian actors. This paper analyses the impact of humanitarian assistance on vulnerabilities in Nepal following the Gorkha earthquake on 25 April 2015. The causes and manifestations of vulnerability before and after the disaster are determined through the application of the Pressure and Release model and the adoption of a mixed‐methods research approach. The findings of the study reveal that 20 months after the earthquake, humanitarian assistance had not had any long‐term positive influences on the root causes of the phenomenon, and that vulnerabilities at the micro level could be resolved in part. To diminish the extent of disasters in the future, however, the fundamental reasons for the vulnerability have to be addressed better.
Mortierella species from declining Araucaria araucana trees in Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: Vélez María L. , Marfetán Jorge A. , Salgado Salomón María E. , Taccari Leonardo E.
Published: April 2020

Since 2015, Araucaria araucana, an ecologically and economically important conifer native to Argentina and Chile, has suffered an unusual partial death of the crown throughout almost all of the distribution range in Argentina. No primary pathogen or pest was evident, associated with the phenomenon. Isolates of Mortierella, a poorly studied fungal genus in Patagonia, were obtained from the margins of necrotic phloem tissue of symptomatic trees. Five species of Mortierella were isolated from affected tissues. In inoculation tests, Mortierella alpina and M. aff. basiparvispora were pathogenic to A. araucana. These species caused necrosis of phloem, leading to chlorosis, foliar desiccation and eventually death, demonstrating that Mortierellales may play a role in the decline of the tree.
Investigating cognitive load modulation of distractor processing using pupillary luminance responses in the anti‐saccade paradigm
Authors: Hsu Yu‐Fan , Baird Talia , Wang Chin‐An
Published: April 2020

Observers must select goal‐directed stimuli in lieu of distractors in the environment for preferential information processing. This selection, according to the load theory of attention, is modulated by cognitive load, involving the frontal cortices, with more significant distractor interference under high cognitive load, with strained executive control resources. Evidence in support of this theory exists; however, working memory tasks were predominately used in these investigations. The influence of other types of cognitive load on distractor processing is largely unknown. An interleaved pro‐ and anti‐saccade task has often been used to investigate executive control in which subjects are instructed in advance to either automatically look at the peripheral stimulus (pro‐saccade), or to suppress the automatic response and voluntarily look in the direction opposite of the stimulus (anti‐saccade). Distinct frontal preparatory activity has been clearly characterized during preparation for pro‐ and anti‐saccades, with higher inhibition‐related activity in preparation for anti‐saccades than pro‐saccades. Here, we used an interleaved pro‐ and anti‐saccade paradigm to investigate the modulation of distractor interference by cognitive load in a group of 24 healthy young adults. Luminant distractors were used to evoke automatic pupillary responses to evaluate distractor processing. Greater pupillary dilation following dark distractor presentation was observed in the anti‐saccade than the pro‐saccade preparation. These effects, however, were absent in pupillary constriction following bright distractors. Together, our results support the load theory of attention, importantly highlighting the potential of using involuntary changes in pupil size to objectively investigate attentional selection under load.
Complementary roles of differential medial entorhinal cortex inputs to the hippocampus for the formation and integration of temporal and contextual memory (Systems Neuroscience)
Authors: Marks William D. , Yamamoto Naoki , Kitamura Takashi
Published: April 2020

In humans and rodents, the entorhinal cortical (EC)‐hippocampal (HPC) circuit is crucial for the formation and recall of memory, preserving both spatial information and temporal information about the occurrence of past events. Both modeling and experimental studies have revealed circuits within this network that play crucial roles in encoding space and context. However, our understanding about the time‐related aspects of memory is just beginning to be understood. In this review, we first describe updates regarding recent anatomical discoveries for the EC‐HPC network, as several important neural circuits critical for memory formation have been discovered by newly developed neural tracing technologies. Second, we examine the complementary roles of multiple medial entorhinal cortical inputs, including newly discovered circuits, into the hippocampus for the temporal and spatial aspects of memory. Finally, we will discuss how temporal and contextual memory information is integrated in HPC cornu ammonis 1 cells. We provide new insights into the neural circuit mechanisms for anatomical and functional segregation and integration of the temporal and spatial aspects of memory encoding in the EC‐HPC networks.
Approaching altered inhibitory control in phenylketonuria: A functional MRI study with a Go‐NoGo task in young female adults
Authors: Sundermann Benedikt , Garde Stefan , Dehghan Nayyeri Mahboobeh , Weglage Josef , Rau Johanna , Pfleiderer Bettina , Feldmann Reinhold
Published: April 2020

Subtle executive function deficits, particularly regarding inhibitory control, have been reported in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) despite early dietary treatment. Purpose of this study was to assess whether young female adults with PKU exhibit altered neural activity underlying such deficits, particularly in a fronto‐parietal cognitive control network (CCN). Behavioural data and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired during a Go‐NoGo task in 16 young adult patients with PKU and 17 control subjects. Hypothesis‐driven analyses of behavioural and fMRI data in the CCN were supplemented by exploratory whole brain activation analyses. PKU patients exhibited a trend towards higher errors of commission. Patients exhibited marginally increased activation associated with inhibitory control in only one CCN core region (right middle frontal gyrus, p = .043). Whole brain analyses revealed widespread relatively increased activation in adults with PKU in the main task contrast (NoGo > Go). This increased activation was mainly observed outside the CCN and largely overlapped with the default mode network (DMN). In conclusion, only subtle inhibitory control deficits and associated brain activity differences were observed in young adults with PKU. Thus, this work adds to the notion that this particular population seems to be only slightly affected by such cognitive deficits. While there were also only minimal increases when compared to healthy subjects in brain activity in a cognitive control network, we observed more widespread activation increases outside this network. These results support the assumption of DMN dysfunction in PKU.
Multiple invasions of a generalist herbivore—Secondary contact between two divergent lineages of Nezara viridula Linnaeus in Australia
Authors: Brookes Dean Robert , Hereward James P. , Wilson Lewis J. , Walter Gimme Hugh
Published: April 2020

The presence of distinct evolutionary lineages within herbivorous pest insect taxa requires close attention. Scientific understanding, biosecurity planning and practice, and pest management decision‐making each suffer when such situations remain poorly understood. The pest bug Nezara viridula Linnaeus has been recorded from numerous host plants and has two globally distributed mitochondrial (mtDNA) lineages. These mtDNA lineages co‐occur in few locations globally, and the consequences of their divergence and recent secondary contact have not been assessed. We present evidence that both mtDNA lineages of N. viridula are present in Australia and their haplotype groups have a mostly separate distribution from one another. The north‐western population has only Asian mtDNA haplotypes, and the population with an eastern distribution is characterized mostly by European mtDNA haplotypes. Haplotypes of both lineages were detected together at only one site in the north of eastern Australia, and microsatellite data indicate that this secondary contact has resulted in mating across the lineages. Admixture and the movement of mtDNA haplotypes outside of this limited area of overlap has not, however, been extensive. Some degree of mating incompatibility or differences in the climatic requirements and tolerances of the two lineages, and perhaps a combination of these influences, might limit introgression and the movement of individuals, but this needs to be tested. This work provides the foundation for further ecological investigation of the lineages of N. viridula, particularly the consequences of admixture on the ecology of this widespread pest. We propose that for now, the Asian and European lineages of N. viridula would best be investigated as subspecies, so that “pure” and admixed populations of this bug can each be considered directly with respect to management and research priorities.
Comparison of the skin microbiota in acne and rosacea
Authors: Thompson Katherine G. , Rainer Barbara M. , Antonescu Corina , Florea Liliana , Mongodin Emmanuel F. , Kang Sewon , Chien Anna L.
Published: April 2020

Acne and rosacea, despite their similar clinical presentations, follow distinct clinical courses, suggesting that fundamental differences exist in their pathophysiology. We performed a case‐control study profiling the skin microbiota in rosacea and acne patients compared to matched controls. Nineteen rosacea and eight acne patients were matched to controls by age ± 5 years, sex and race. DNA was extracted from facial skin swabs. The V3V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using Illumina MiSeq and analysed using QIIME/Metastats 2.0 software. The mean relative abundance of Cutibacterium acnes in rosacea with inflammatory papules and pustules (20.454% ±16.943%) was more similar to that of acne (19.055% ±15.469%) than that of rosacea without inflammatory papules and pustules (30.419% ±21.862%). C acnes (P = .048) and Serratia marcescens (P = .038) were significantly enriched in individuals with rosacea compared to acne. Investigating the differences between the skin microbiota in acne and rosacea can provide important clues towards understanding the disease progression in each condition.
A novel homozygous mutation p.E88K in maternal SLC30A2 gene as a cause of transient neonatal zinc deficiency
Authors: Li Zhongtao , Wang Jiayue , Yang Yuan , Wang Sheng
Published: April 2020

The SLC30A2 gene encodes zinc transporter ZnT2, which is indispensable for the transport of zinc into the breast milk in the mammary gland. Transient neonatal zinc deficiency (TNZD) is caused by a mutation in the maternal SLC30A2 gene and has a clinical presentation similar to that of acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE). We described the case of a Chinese infant who presented with AE‐like lesions 10 days after birth. Sanger sequencing of the AE‐causing gene SLC39A4 revealed no mutations in genomic DNA from the infant, excluding the possibility of AE. Detection of the mother's breast milk showed a significantly lower zinc level. Thus, SLC30A2 sequencing was performed on her genomic DNA and a previously unreported homozygous c.262G > A (p.E88K) mutation was disclosed. Functional analysis suggested the novel mutation could lead to a strong disruption of zinc secretion, which indicated a complete loss of function in the ZnT2 protein. We finally diagnosed the infant with TNZD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of TNZD caused by a homozygous mutation in the maternal SLC30A2 gene. Compared to the heterozygous condition, a homozygous mutation seems to result in a more significant decrease in zinc secretion and a more rapid onset of TNZD.
Zircon fission‐track and U–Pb double dating using femtosecond laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry: A technical note
Authors: Iwano Hideki , Danhara Tohru , Danhara Yugo , Hirabayashi Saori , Nakajima Toru , Sakai Harutaka , Hirata Takafumi
Published: April 2020

We present a new LA–ICP–MS system for zircon fission‐track (FT) and U–Pb double dating, whereby a femtosecond laser combined with galvanometric optics simultaneously ablates multiple spots to measure average surface U contents. The U contents of zircon measured by LA–ICP–MS and standardized with the NIST SRM610 glass are comparable to those measured by the induced FT method, and have smaller analytical errors. LA–ICP–MS FT dating of seven zircon samples including three IUGS age standards is as accurate as the external detector method, but can give a higher‐precision age depending on the counting statistics of the U content measurement. Double dating of the IUGS age standards gives FT and U–Pb ages that are in agreement. A chip of the Nancy 91500 zircon has a homogeneous U content of 84 ppm, suggesting the possibility of using this zircon as a matrix‐matched U‐standard for FT dating. When using the Nancy 91500 zircon as a U‐standard, a zeta calibration value of 42–43 year cm2 for LA–ICP–MS FT dating is obtained. While this value is strictly valid only for the particular session, it can serve as a reference for other studies.
The performance effects of collective and individual bargaining: A comprehensive and granular analysis of the effects of different bargaining systems on company productivity
Authors: BRAAKMANN Nils , BRANDL Bernd
Published: April 2020

Using representative company‐level data for all Member States of the European Union, the authors analyse the relationship between different processes and institutional structures of collective bargaining and the development of company labour productivity. Their results clearly show that these differences have wide‐ranging effects. While some processes and structures of collective bargaining – specifically sectorally uncoordinated systems – appear to be detrimental to company performance, the opposite can be said about sectorally coordinated systems. Thus, what matters are the processes and institutional structures in which collective bargaining is embedded and not whether bargaining should be conducted collectively or individually.
Glycogen synthase kinase‐3 promotes T helper type 17 differentiation by promoting interleukin‐9 production
Authors: Han Dongmei , Medina‐Rodriguez Eva M. , Lowell Jeffrey A. , Beurel Eléonore
Published: April 2020

T helper type 17 (Th17) cells are recognized as important contributors to the deleterious effects of several neurological and psychiatric diseases. Clarifying mechanisms that control the production of Th17 cells may therefore provide new strategies for developing novel interventions in a broad spectrum of disorders. Th17 cell differentiation is promoted by glycogen synthase kinase‐3 (GSK3), but the mechanisms for this are only beginning to be understood. Using T‐cell‐selective depletion of GSK3β and multiple selective pharmacological GSK3 inhibitors, we found that GSK3 inhibition decreased C‐C motif chemokine (ccl)20, C‐C motif chemokine receptor (ccr)6, interleukin (IL)‐9, Runt‐related transcription factor (Runx)1, interferon regulatory factor (Irf)4 and c‐maf mRNA expression after 2 days of Th17 cell differentiation in vitro. These effects were found to be independent of the master regulator transcription factor retinoic acid receptor‐related orphan receptor γT (RORγT), as GSK3 inhibition still reduced Th17 cell differentiation in RORγT‐depleted cells. Because IL‐9 was approximately ninefold down‐regulated in GSK3β−/− CD4 cells, we tested if reintroduction of IL‐9 during Th17 cell differentiation abolished the inhibition by GSK3 deficiency of Th17 cell differentiation. We found that IL‐9 over‐expression was sufficient to reverse the inhibition of Th17 cell differentiation by GSK3 inhibition or depletion. We found that IL‐9 enhances Th17 cell differentiation in part through signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation, and IL‐9 also enhances STAT3 binding to the IL‐17a promoter. Altogether, these findings suggest that IL‐9 might be an important mediator of GSK3β‐dependent enhancement of Th17 cell differentiation.