bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does workplace spirituality lead to raising employee performance? The role of citizenship behavior and emotional intelligence
Authors: Jena Lalatendu Kesari
Published: March 2021

Purpose

For businesses today, employee performance is most important. Therefore, this paper aims to the greater purpose of ‘ideal workplace’; focusing on determining the effect of workplace spirituality on employee performance because organizations tend to neglect employees’ spiritual and/or mental wellness but well-maintain the output. This paper also shines light on the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior and the moderating nature of employee’s emotional intelligence.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted with a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical approach. Data were collected in two rounds. In total, 761 responses (416 offline and 345 online) were analyzed for all four hypotheses using statistical data package for social sciences and analysis of moments structure; imploring correlation, regression and mediation and moderation analysis.

Findings

The study found that workplace spirituality is indeed positively linked with employees’ performance. Organizational citizenship behavior is positively associated with workplace spirituality and employee performance. Mediation analysis indicated that organizational citizenship behavior significantly enhances the relationship of workplace spirituality and employee performance. Moderation analysis suggested that employee’s emotional intelligence significantly boosts employee performance.

Originality/value

This research offers deep and critical insights for curating future research and managerial practices, strengthening the concept of workplace spirituality as a promising area in the fields of human resource management and organizational psychology. The study uses a unique approach and provides exclusive findings regarding Indian service and manufacturing professionals.
Forecasting developed and BRICS stock markets with cryptocurrencies and gold: generalized orthogonal generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity and generalized autoregressive score analysis
Authors: Jeribi Ahmed , Ghorbel Achraf
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, it models and forecasts the risk of the five leading cryptocurrencies, stock market indices (developed and BRICS) and gold returns. Second, it conducts different backtesting procedures forecasts. Third, it focuses on the hedging potential of cryptocurrencies and gold.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used the generalized autoregressive score (GAS) models to model and forecast the risk of cryptocurrencies, stock market indices and gold returns. They conduct different backtesting procedures of the 1% and 5%-value-at-risk (VaR) forecasts. They also use the generalized orthogonal generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GO-GARCH) model to explore the hedging potential of cryptocurrencies by estimating the dynamic conditional correlation between cryptocurrencies and gold, on the one hand, and stock markets on the other hand.

Findings

When conducting different backtesting procedures of VaR, our finding suggests that Bitcoin has the highest VaR among cryptocurrencies and Gold and the BRICS indices returns have lower VaR compared to the developed countries. Finally, we provide evidence that the risks among developed stock markets can be hedged by Bitcoin and Gold. Bitcoin can be considered as the new Gold for these economies. Unlike Bitcoin, Gold can be considered as a hedge for Chinese and Indian investors. However, Gold and Bitcoin can be considered as diversifier assets for the other BRICS economies while Dash and Monero are diversifier assets for developed stock markets.

Originality/value

The first paper's empirical contribution lies in analyzing optimal forecast models for cryptocurrencies (other than Bitcoin) returns and risk. The second contribution consists of studying the hedging potential of five leading cryptocurrencies. To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have investigated the role of cryptocurrencies for BRICS investors.
Broadening the concept of patient safety culture through value-based healthcare
Authors: Dombrádi Viktor , Bíró Klára , Jonitz Guenther , Gray Muir , Jani Anant
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Decision-makers are looking for innovative approaches to improve patient experience and outcomes with the finite resources available in healthcare. The concept of value-based healthcare has been proposed as one such approach. Since unsafe care hinders patient experience and contributes to waste, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how the value-based approach can help broaden the existing concept of patient safety culture and thus, improve patient safety and healthcare value.

Design/methodology/approach

In the arguments, the authors use the triple value model which consists of personal, technical and allocative value. These three aspects together promote healthcare in which the experience of care is improved through the involvement of patients, while also considering the optimal utilisation and allocation of finite healthcare resources.

Findings

While the idea that patient involvement should be integrated into patient safety culture has already been suggested, there is a lack of emphasis that economic considerations can play an important role as well. Patient safety should be perceived as an investment, thus, relevant questions need to be addressed such as how much resources should be invested into patient safety, how the finite resources should be allocated to maximise health benefits at a population level and how resources should be utilised to get the best cost-benefit ratio.

Originality/value

Thus far, both the importance of patient safety culture and value-based healthcare have been advocated; this paper emphasizes the need to consider these two approaches together.
International advances in self-direction: themes from a disability leadership exchange
Authors: Bradley Valerie , Kwak Miso , Rich Highsmith , Croft Bevin
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Self-direction–also known as participant direction, personalization and self-directed care–is a service delivery model that enables people to manage their personal budget and purchase services and supports tailored to their needs based on a person-centered plan. This paper, the outcome of an international learning exchange on self-direction, describes approaches across four countries’ successful strategies, unresolved questions and recommendations to enhance self-direction globally.

Design/methodology/approach

The findings are a product of discussions at the 2019 International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership and International Initiative for Disability Leadership Exchange on Advances in Self-Direction. Participants included people who are self-directing, providers and caregivers who support people who are self-directing, advocates, fiscal agents and public managers who administer self-direction from the United States, England, Australia and New Zealand.

Findings

In all four countries, people who self-direct exercise high levels of choice and control and are able to individualize their services and supports to promote a good life in the community. The exchange also revealed challenges and possible solutions to improve and expand self-direction.

Practical implications

The results of the meeting provide guidance for public managers, providers and advocates for initiating and expanding self-direction.

Originality/value

This international meeting was a unique opportunity to compare self-direction across four different countries and across multiple perspectives, including people with disabilities, caregivers, providers and administrators.
Mental health and stigma in Saudi Arabia: a scoping review
Authors: Alattar Nada , Felton Anne , Stickley Theodore
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Stigma associated with mental health problems is widespread in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Consequently, this may prevent many Saudi people from accessing the mental health-care services and support they need. The purpose of this study is to consider how stigma affects people needing to access mental health services in the KSA. To achieve this aim, this study reviews the knowledge base concerning stigma and mental health in KSA and considers specific further research necessary to increase the knowledge and understanding in this important area.

Design/methodology/approach

This review examines the relevant literature concerning mental health stigma and related issues in KSA using the Arksey and O'Malley and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses frameworks. As a scoping review, it has used a systematic approach in literature searching. The results of the search were then thematically analysed and the themes were then discussed in light of the concepts of stigma and mental health.

Findings

Stigma around mental health impedes access to care, the nature of care and current clinical practice in the KSA. The voices of those with mental health issues in KSA are almost entirely unrepresented in the literature.

Originality/value

The review identifies that mental health stigma and cultural beliefs about mental health in KSA may act as barriers to accessing services. The voice of mental health service users in KSA remains largely unheard. If public discussion of mental health issues can increase, people’s experiences of accessing services may be improved.
Discrimination, competitiveness, and support in US graduate student mental health
Authors: Posselt Julie
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Rising rates of anxiety and depression and the varied costs of these conditions indicate a clear need to create learning environments in which graduate and professional students can more readily thrive. However, the absence of multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary evidence about mental health in graduate education has obscured a clear picture of which populations, contexts and social dynamics merit focused attention and resources. The purpose of this study is therefore to analyze prevalence and risk factors associated with anxiety and depression among a large sample of graduate students, with special attention to how graduate education environments and interactions may be associated with mental health.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper offers the first multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary analysis of depression and anxiety among US graduate and professional students. Using a sample of 20,888 students randomly sampled within 69 universities, the author compares depression and anxiety prevalence among fields of study with hierarchical cluster modeling. Then, using a conceptual framework that links social support, role strain and self-determination theories, the author estimates fixed effects multivariate logistic regressions to measure how depression and anxiety are associated with experiencing racial discrimination, support from friends and family, perceived competitiveness in one’s classes, and comfort speaking with one’s professors about mental health.

Findings

Graduate students who endure frequent racial discrimination have odds of screening positive for depression and anxiety that are 2.3 and 3.0 times higher, respectively, than those who never experience discrimination. Support from family and friends moderates these relationships and perceived competitiveness exacerbates them. LGBTQ students and students who self-report that finances are a struggle or tight also have higher odds of depression and anxiety. Students in the humanities, arts and architecture have significantly higher prevalence of depression and anxiety than the sample as a whole.

Originality/value

The paper offers broadest base of evidence to date about patterns that are usually experienced at the individual level or analyzed institution-by-institution and field-by-field. Specifically, the author identified social dynamics, fields of study and populations where attention to wellbeing may be especially warranted. The conceptual framework and multivariate results clarify how organizational and individual factors in graduate students’ mental health may be intertwined through competitive, discriminatory, or supportive interactions with peers, faculty, family and friends. Findings clarify a need for awareness of the contexts and interactions that graduate students experience as well as individual factors that are associated with student wellbeing.
Keeping the Basilisk Rolling: A War Machine in the Holzschuher Testament of 1558
Authors: Nelson Jennifer
Published: March 2021

In 1558, a year after his second widowing, and aware of Ottomans' increasing hold on lands to the east, the forty‐seven‐year‐old Nuremberg patrician scion Berthold Holzschuher devised a very unusual will and testament: a set of heavily illustrated designs, perhaps unique in the sixteenth century for their procedural detail and sense of scale, for war machines and a mill. Through examination of the first war machine design, this essay investigates how an elite European transmitted not only technical know‐how but also cultural values to the future. By synthesizing courtly, printed, and practical sources of material, Holzschuher and his collaborator, Albrecht Glockendon the Younger, crafted an object that would have been intelligible to all necessary future audiences. They also perpetuated the enduring crisis of the defence of Christendom.
Microfluidic devices for studying bacterial taxis, drug testing and biofilm formation
Authors: Pérez‐Rodríguez Sandra , García‐Aznar José Manuel , Gonzalo‐Asensio Jesús
Published: March 2021

Some bacteria have coevolved to establish symbiotic or pathogenic relationships with plants, animals or humans. With human association, the bacteria can cause a variety of diseases. Thus, understanding bacterial phenotypes at the single‐cell level is essential to develop beneficial applications. Traditional microbiological techniques have provided great knowledge about these organisms; however, they have also shown limitations, such as difficulties in culturing some bacteria, the heterogeneity of bacterial populations or difficulties in recreating some physical or biological conditions. Microfluidics is an emerging technique that complements current biological assays. Since microfluidics works with micrometric volumes, it allows fine‐tuning control of the test conditions. Moreover, it allows the recruitment of three‐dimensional (3D) conditions, in which several processes can be integrated and gradients can be generated, thus imitating physiological 3D environments. Here, we review some key microfluidic‐based studies describing the effects of different microenvironmental conditions on bacterial response, biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance. For this aim, we present different studies classified into six groups according to the design of the microfluidic device: (i) linear channels, (ii) mixing channels, (iii) multiple floors, (iv) porous devices, (v) topographic devices and (vi) droplet microfluidics. Hence, we highlight the potential and possibilities of using microfluidic‐based technology to study bacterial phenotypes in comparison with traditional methodologies.
Psoas muscle depletion during preoperative chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer has a negative impact on long‐term outcomes after gastrectomy
Authors: Horii Nobutoshi , Kosaka Takashi , Fujiwara Ryo , Sato Sho , Akiyama Hirotoshi , Kunisaki Chikara , Endo Itaru
Published: March 2021

Aim

The significance of sarcopenia in cancers has been widely recognized. However, few studies have focused on chronological changes in sarcopenia in cancer patients. This study aimed to clarify the clinical significance of changes in the psoas muscle area before and after preoperative chemotherapy.

Methods

This study included 39 patients who underwent gastrectomy followed by preoperative chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer between January 2010 and December 2016 in our hospital. The psoas muscle area was measured at the umbilical level before and after chemotherapy, and the relationship between its chronological changes and the long‐term prognosis was examined.

Results

Patients were classified into two groups according to changes in the psoas muscle area before and after preoperative chemotherapy: remarkable muscle depletion and normal groups. No significant differences were observed in clinicopathological factors. Notably, the remarkable muscle depletion group included significantly more male patients (P = .018) and showed a high weight loss rate (P < .001). Although no significant difference was observed in the recurrence‐free survival between the two groups (P = .484), overall survival was significantly worse in the remarkable muscle depletion group (P < .001). Multivariate analysis for prognosis revealed that pathological stage III or higher (P = .022) and decreased psoas muscle area (P = .038) were independent prognostic factors.

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that psoas muscle depletion during preoperative chemotherapy is a prognostic factor for poor long‐term outcomes in patients who underwent gastrectomy followed by preoperative chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.
Stress, physical activity, and screen‐related sedentary behaviour within the first month of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Woodruff Sarah J. , Coyne Paige , St‐Pierre Emily
Published: March 2021

This study investigated how stress, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, of a small sample of Canadians, changed within the first month (i.e. March/April) of the COVID‐19 pandemic and the reasons/barriers associated with such changes. Individuals who regularly wear activity trackers were recruited via social media. Participants (N = 121) completed fillable calendars (March/April 2020) with their step counts and answered an online survey. Separate paired‐sample t‐tests, one‐way ANOVAs and bivariate chi‐squares were conducted, in addition to qualitative analysis. Daily (p <.001) and work (p =.003) stress increased, physical activity (measured by step count) decreased (p =.0014), and screen‐related sedentary behaviour increased (p <.001) as a result of COVID‐19. A decrease in physical activity, as a result of the pandemic, was also associated with a larger increase in work stress, compared with those who self‐reported their physical activity to have been maintained or increased (p =.005). The most common reasons/barriers to changes in physical activity behaviours were access/equipment, time and motivation. Findings provide initial evidence of the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the health of some Canadians and highlight the need for continued monitoring of the health of Canadians throughout the pandemic.
Suicide prevention in childhood and adolescence: a narrative review of current knowledge on risk and protective factors and effectiveness of interventions
Authors: Wasserman Danuta , Carli Vladimir , Iosue Miriam , Javed Afzal , Herrman Helen
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Suicide is a global mental health problem for people of all ages. While rates of suicide in children and adolescents are reported as lower than those in older populations worldwide, they represent the third leading cause of death in 15–19‐year‐olds. The rates are higher among boys than girls worldwide, though the death rates for girls exceed those for boys in Bangladesh, China, India, and Nepal. There has been a general decrease in adolescent suicide rates over recent decades. However, increases are reported in South East Asia as well as South America over the same time period.

Methods

A narrative review method has been used to summarize current knowledge about risk and protective factors for suicide among children and adolescents and to discuss evidence‐based strategy for suicide prevention in this age group.

Results

Identified suicide risk and protective factors for children and adolescents largely overlap with those for adults. Nevertheless, developmental characteristics may strengthen the impact of some factors, such as decision‐making style, coping strategies, family and peer relationships, and victimization. The implementation of evidence‐based suicide preventive strategies is needed. Restricting access to lethal means, school‐based awareness and skill training programs, and interventions delivered in clinical and community settings have been proven effective. The effectiveness of gatekeeper training and screening programs in reducing suicidal ideation and behavior is unproven but widely examined in selected settings.

Discussion

Since most studies have been conducted in western countries, future research should assess the effectiveness of these promising strategies in different cultural contexts. The use of more rigorous study designs, the use of both short‐ and long‐term follow‐up evaluations, the larger inclusion of individuals belonging to vulnerable groups, the evaluation of online intervention, and the analysis of programs' cost‐effectiveness are also required.
The Janus face of ouabain in Na+/K+‐ATPase and calcium signalling in neurons
Authors: Kinoshita Paula Fernanda , Orellana Ana Maria Marques , Nakao Vinicius Watanabe , de Souza Port's Natacha Medeiros , Quintas Luis Eduardo Menezes , Kawamoto Elisa Mitiko , Scavone Cristoforo
Published: March 2021

Na+/K+‐ATPase, a transmembrane protein essential for maintaining the electrochemical gradient across the plasma membrane, acts as a receptor for cardiotonic steroids such as ouabain. Cardiotonic steroids binding to Na+/K+‐ATPase triggers signalling pathways or inhibits Na+/K+‐ATPas activity in a concentration‐dependent manner, resulting in a modulation of Ca2+levels, which are essential for homeostasis in neurons. However, most of the pharmacological strategies for avoiding neuronal death do not target Na+/K+‐ATPase activity due to its complexity and the poor understanding of the mechanisms involved in Na+/K+‐ATPase modulation. The present review aims to discuss two points regarding the interplay between Na+/K+‐ATPase and Ca2+signalling in the brain. One, Na+/K+‐ATPase impairment causing illness and neuronal death due to Ca2+signalling and two, benefits to the brain by modulating Na+/K+‐ATPase activity. These interactions play an essential role in neuronal cell fate determination and are relevant to find new targets for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on Building Bridges in Neuropharmacology. To view the other articles in this section visithttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.8/issuetoc
Eating microRNAs: pharmacological opportunities for cross‐kingdom regulation and implications in host gene and gut microbiota modulation
Authors: del Pozo‐Acebo Lorena , López de las Hazas María‐Carmen , Margollés Abelardo , Dávalos Alberto , García‐Ruiz Almudena
Published: March 2021

Cross‐kingdom communication via non‐coding RNAs is a recent discovery. Exogenous microRNAs (exog‐miRNAs) mainly enter the host via the diet. Generally considered unstable in the gastrointestinal tract, some exogenous RNAs may resist these conditions, especially if transported in extracellular vesicles. They could then reach the intestines and more probably exert a regulatory effect. We give an overview of recent discoveries concerning dietary miRNAs, possible ways of enhancing their resistance to food processing and gut conditions, their transport in extracellular vesicles (animal‐ and plant‐origin) and possible biological effects on recipient cells after ingestion. We critically focus on what we believe are the most relevant data for future pharmacological development of dietary miRNAs as therapeutic agents. Finally, we discuss the miRNA‐mediated cross‐kingdom regulation between diet, host and the gut microbiota. We conclude that, despite many obstacles and challenges, extracellular miRNAs are serious candidates to be targeted pharmacologically for development of new therapeutic agents.
Patient decision‐making and regret in pilonidal sinus surgery: a mixed‐methods study
Authors: Strong Emily , Callaghan Tia , Beal Erin , Moffatt Christine , Wickramasekera Nyantara , Brown Steven , Lee Matthew J. , Winton Catherine , Hind Daniel ,   PITSTOP Project Management Group, PITSTOP Collaborators
Published: March 2021

Aim

Little is known about optimal management strategies for pilonidal sinus disease (PSD). We conducted a mixed‐methods study to understand why patients make, and sometimes regret, treatment decisions.

Method

We conducted longitudinal semi‐structured interviews at the time of surgery and 6 months later with 20 patients from 13 UK hospitals. Framework analysis was performed, and themes were mapped to (1) the coping in deliberation framework and (2) an acceptability framework. Results were triangulated with those from structured survey instruments evaluating shared decision‐making (SDM, best = 9) at baseline and decision regret (DR, most regret = 100) at 6 months.

Results

Nine of 20 patients were not offered a choice of treatment, but this was not necessarily seen as negative (SDM median 4; range 2–4). Factors that influenced decision‐making included previous experience and anticipated recovery time. Median (range) DR was 5 (0–50). Those with the highest DR (scores 40–50) were, paradoxically, also amongst the highest scores on SDM (scores 4). Burden of wound care and the disparity between anticipated and actual recovery time were the main reasons for decision regret.

Conclusion

To minimize regret about surgical decisions, people with PSD need better information about the burden of wound care and the risks of recurrence associated with different surgical approaches.
Integrated species distribution models: A comparison of approaches under different data quality scenarios
Authors: Ahmad Suhaimi Siti Sarah , Blair Gordon S. , Jarvis Susan G.
Published: March 2021

Aim

Integrated species distribution modelling has emerged as a useful tool for ecologists to exploit the range of information available on where species occur. In particular, the ability to combine large numbers of ad hoc or presence‐only (PO) records with more structured presence–absence (PA) data can allow ecologists to account for biases in PO data which often confound modelling efforts. A range of modelling techniques have been suggested to implement integrated species distribution models (IDMs) including joint likelihood models, including one dataset as a covariate or informative prior, and fitting a correlation structure between datasets. We aim to investigate the performance of different types of integrated models under realistic ecological data scenarios.

Innovation

We use a virtual ecologist approach to investigate which integrated model is most advantageous under varying levels of spatial bias in PO data, sample size of PA data and spatial overlap between datasets.

Main conclusions

Joint likelihood models were the best performing models when spatial bias in PO data was low, or could be modelled, but gave poor estimates when there were unknown biases in the data. Correlation models provided good model estimates even when there were unknown biases and when good quality PA data were spatially limited. Including PO data via an informative prior provided little improvement over modelling PA data alone and was inferior to using either the joint likelihood or correlation approach. Our results suggest that correlation models provide a robust alternative to joint likelihood models when covariates related to effort or detection in PO data are not available. Ecologists should be aware of the limitations of each approach and consider how well biases in the data can be modelled when deciding which type of IDM to use.
EEG in motion: Using an oddball task to explore motor interference in active skateboarding
Authors: Robles Daniel , Kuziek Jonathan W. P. , Wlasitz Nicole A. , Bartlett Nathan T. , Hurd Pete L. , Mathewson Kyle E.
Published: March 2021

Recent advancements in portable computer devices have opened new avenues in the study of human cognition outside research laboratories. This flexibility in methodology has led to the publication of several electroencephalography studies recording brain responses in real‐world scenarios such as cycling and walking outside. In the present study, we tested the classic auditory oddball task while participants moved around an indoor running track using an electric skateboard. This novel approach allows for the study of attention in motion while virtually removing body movement. Using the skateboard auditory oddball paradigm, we found reliable and expected standard–target differences in the P3 and MMN/N2b event‐related potentials. We also recorded baseline electroencephalography activity and found that, compared to this baseline, alpha power is attenuated in frontal and parietal regions during skateboarding. In order to explore the influence of motor interference in cognitive resources during skateboarding, we compared participants' preferred riding stance (baseline level of riding difficulty) versus their non‐preferred stance (increased level of riding difficulty). We found that an increase in riding difficulty did not modulate the P3 and tonic alpha amplitude during skateboard motion. These results suggest that increases in motor demands might not lead to reductions in cognitive resources as shown in previous literature.
From teachers’ implicit theories of intelligence to job stress: The mediating role of teachers’ causal attribution of students’ academic achievement
Authors: Tao Vivienne Y. K. , Li Yun , Lam Ka Hou , Leung Chi Wo , Sun Chit Iam , Wu Anise M. S.
Published: March 2021

To better understand the cognitive antecedents of teachers’ stress in the school setting, the effects of teachers’ beliefs regarding intelligence and their causal attributions of students’ academic performance on teachers’ job stress were examined in the current study. We recruited 271 teachers who voluntarily filled out an anonymous questionnaire. Findings demonstrated that teachers who endorsed the entity theory of intelligence tended to attribute students’ poor performance to students’ inability but not lack of effort. Results showed a positive relationship between teachers’ fixed view of intelligence and job stress, and this relationship was mediated by teachers’ attributing students’ poor performance to students’ lack of ability, even after controlling for teacher efficacy. We suggest to promote the psychological health of teachers by incorporating intelligence mindset and attribution training programs in preservice teacher education, professional development, and cognitive behavioral stress intervention for in‐service teachers.
Administration of a recombinant ALDH7A1 (rA7) indicates potential regulation of the metabolite and immunology pathways in Atlantic salmon infected with Aeromonas salmonicida
Authors: Li Xiaohao , Fan Kunpeng , Liu Yafang , Liu Ying , Liu Peng‐fei
Published: March 2021

The bacterium Aeromonas salmonicida is the pathogen responsible for furunculosis, which is a serious disease of salmonids. This disease has a significant economic impact on the economic benefits of the global salmon farming industry. However, the pathogenesis of this disease in fish is still unknown. Members of the aldehyde dehydrogenase gene (ALDH) superfamily play a key role in the enzyme detoxification of endogenous and exogenous aldehydes. In this study, we obtained a recombinant aldehyde dehydrogenase 7A1 (ALDH7A1) protein to find its functions on Atlantic salmon infected by A. salmonicida. The transcriptional response in the liver of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with differing levels of A. salmonicida infection was analysed and compared in order to reveal mechanisms by which ALDH7A1 may confer infection resistance. With the addition of ALDH7A1 protein, it was found that a total of 13,369 genes were annotated with one or more KEGG and localized to 360 KEGG pathways in the high concentration infection group. The differential expression genes were more enriched in immune signalling pathways such as the Toll‐like receptor signalling pathway, NF‐kappa B signalling pathway and TNF signalling pathway. On the other hand, at low concentrations of infection, KEGG enriched a smaller number of differential expression genes. However, these differential genes were more concentrated in immune signalling pathways such as the PI3K‐Akt signalling pathway, JAK‐STAT signalling pathway and complement and coagulation cascades. In addition, several known immune‐related genes including HSP90α, HSP70, DNA damage‐inducible transcript 4, integrin alpha 5 and microtubule‐associated protein 2 were among the differentially expressed transcripts. These data provide the first insights into the host–ALDH7A1 vaccine interactome. The results of this study contribute to identifying the potential resistance mechanisms of Atlantic salmon to A. salmonicida infection and determining future treatment strategies.
Quantitative PCR for Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi and T. finnmarkense
Authors: Nowlan Joseph P. , Lumsden John S. , Russell Spencer
Published: March 2021

Numerous Tenacibaculum species, including T. dicentrarchi, T. maritimum and T. finnmarkense, are associated with tenacibaculosis in finfish; however, quantitative identification techniques are limited. Quantitative PCR assays were developed to detect T. dicentrarchi and T. finnmarkense. TaqMan assays using 16S rDNA demonstrated low detection limits (0.07–269 bacteria), suitable amplification efficiencies (>86%) and moderate specificity. However, the amplification of isolates with 100% sequence similarity to T. finnmarkense AY7486TD using both the T. finnmarkense and T. dicentrarchi assays indicates that other genes should be investigated. Both assays may help describe the pathogenesis of tenacibaculosis and may aid management practices for the aquaculture industry.
Land and livelihood in the age of COVID‐19: Implications for indigenous food producers in Ecuador
Authors: McBurney Matthew , Tuaza Luis Alberto , Ayol Carlos , Johnson Craig A.
Published: March 2021

Like many Latin American countries, Ecuador responded to COVID‐19 by restricting trade and travel, a decision that disrupted the prevailing model of regional trade integration. Among some analysts, observations have been made that the lockdown represents a new opportunity to revitalize rural livelihoods and smallholder agriculture. This paper evaluates these claims by exploring the impact of COVID‐19 on household food security and smallholder food production in Chimborazo, a highland province that is known for extremely high rates of poverty and the highest concentration of Kichwa‐speaking Indigenous people in Ecuador. Drawing upon original empirical research, it makes the case that the prospects for revitalizing smallholder production remain structurally constrained by a legacy of land inequality and failed agrarian reform. According to our findings, the only sectors that thrived during the lockdown were ones that served local markets. For those requiring significant shipping and storage, merchants and traders were able to drive down farmgate prices, squeezing local producers. At the same time, new government legislation made it easier for employers to terminate wage labourers, undermining a vital source of income and employment for low‐income households. Far from revitalizing smallholder agriculture, the pandemic appears to have further entrenched an economic model of supporting agribusiness at the expense of family farms and migrant labour.
Presenting age and features of females diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Tang Jonathan W , Li Jason W , Baulderstone David , Jeyaseelan Deepa
Published: March 2021

Aim

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is reportedly more prevalent in males than in females. Hypotheses for this gender imbalance include differing presentations in females. The aim of this study was to identify gender‐based ASD differences in age at presentation, clinical features, comorbidities and severity levels.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted at a Child Development Unit. Children diagnosed with ASD during a 6‐month period were analysed.

Results

A total of 195 children were analysed with a male‐to‐female ratio of 2.8:1. No difference was found between gender and age at diagnosis. Males were more likely to display deficits in imaginative play and use repeated or learned phrases. Females were more likely to present with proprioception and vestibular issues, fears reflecting sensory avoidance and ASD of lesser severity.

Conclusion

Our study supports the hypothesis that gender‐based differences exist within ASD presenting features. These differences should be considered when assessing for ASD in females to avoid under recognition.
Transfer boarding delays care more in low‐volume rural emergency departments: A cohort study
Authors: Mohr Nicholas M. , Wu Chaorong , Ward Michael J. , McNaughton Candace D. , Faine Brett , Pomeranz Kaila , Richardson Kelly , Kaboli Peter J.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Emergency department (ED) crowding is increasing and is associated with adverse patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to measure the relative impact of ED boarding on timeliness of early ED care for new patient arrivals, with a focus on the differential impact in low‐volume rural hospitals.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of all patients presenting to a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) ED between 2011 and 2014. The primary exposure was the number of patients in the ED at the time of ED registration, stratified by disposition (admit, discharge, or transfer) and mental health diagnosis. The primary outcome was time‐to‐provider evaluation, and secondary outcomes included time‐to‐EKG, time‐to‐laboratory testing, time‐to‐radiography, and total ED length‐of‐stay. Rurality was measured using the Rural‐Urban Commuting Areas.

Findings

A total of 5,912,368 patients were included from all 123 VHA EDs. Adjusting for acuity, new patients had longer time‐to‐provider when more patients were in the ED, and patients awaiting transfer for nonmental health conditions impacted time‐to‐provider for new patients (16.6 min delays, 95% CI: 12.3–20.7 min) more than other patient types. Rural patients saw a greater impact of crowding on care timeliness than nonrural patients (additional 5.3 min in time‐to‐provider per additional patient in ED, 95% CI: 4.3–6.4), and the impact of additional patients in all categories was most pronounced in the lowest‐volume EDs.

Conclusions

Patients seen in EDs with more crowding have small, but additive, delays in early elements of ED care, and transferring patients with nonmental health diagnoses from rural facilities were associated with the greatest impact.
The effect of 5 nights of sleep restriction on empathic propensity
Authors: Amicucci Giulia , Tempesta Daniela , Salfi Federico , D'Atri Aurora , Viselli Lorenzo , De Gennaro Luigi , Ferrara Michele
Published: March 2021

Literature supports the existence of a significant relationship between sleep quality/quantity and empathy. However, empathic ability and empathic propensity are distinct constructs. Expression of empathic propensity depends on the subjective cognitive costs attributed to the empathic experience. Studies on the effects of the experimental reduction in sleep duration on empathic behaviour are still lacking. Therefore, we investigated the consequences of 5 consecutive nights of sleep restriction on empathic propensity. A total of 42 university students (mean [SEM] age 24.09 [0.65] years; 22 females) underwent a cross‐over design consisting of 5 consecutive nights of regular sleep and 5 consecutive nights of sleep restriction with a maximum of 5 hr sleep/night. After each condition, all participants were evaluated using the Empathy Selection Task, a new test assessing the motivated avoidance of empathy for its associated cognitive costs. The results showed different effects of sleep restriction depending on the habitual way of responding in the empathic context. Participants with baseline high levels of empathic propensity reduced their empathic propensity after prolonged sleep restriction. Differently, participants who tended to avoid empathising already in the habitual sleep condition maintained their empathic behaviour unchanged after sleep curtailment. In conclusion, inter‐individual variability should be taken into account when evaluating the effects of sleep restriction on empathic propensity. People with habitual higher tendency to empathise could choose to avoid empathic experience following several consecutive nights of inadequate sleep.
Development of a multiplex microsatellite assay for parentage assignment in orange‐spotted groupers (Epinephelus coioides)
Authors: Wang Xi , Hua Qianqian , Wu Lina , Weng Zhuoying , Huang Wenhua , Meng Zining
Published: March 2021

Establishment of reliable pedigree information of different lineages is crucial for selective breeding and stock enhancement programs. However, owing to the absence of a reliable assay for parentage assignment, such information is lacking in orange‐spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), which is an economically important coral‐reef fish. In this study, we developed two multiplex microsatellite polymerase chain reaction systems that consisted of 12 microsatellite markers (seven in system A and five in system B) for parentage assignment of orange‐spotted groupers. The theoretical exclusion probability per locus ranged from 0.079 to 0.436 when both parents were unknown (E‐1P) and from 0.191 to 0.614 when one parent was known (E‐2P). The combined exclusion probability values of 12 loci were 98.8% (E‐1P) and 100% (E‐2P), respectively. The accuracy of the parentage test for a mixed family (15 dams and 12 sires, 226 offspring) was 100%. In addition, two wild populations (79 individuals) were added as interferential offspring, only four of which were misassigned to the stock. The success rate of assignment was 98.69%. We provide a reliable microsatellite‐based assay for parentage assignment in orange‐spotted groupers, which will be useful for selective breeding and stock enhancement programs for this species and maybe other groupers.
Convergent evolution of increased urine‐concentrating ability in desert mammals
Authors: Rocha Joana L. , Brito José C. , Nielsen Rasmus , Godinho Raquel
Published: March 2021

One of the most celebrated textbook examples of physiological adaptations to desert environments is the unique ability that desert mammals have to produce hyperosmotic urine. Commonly perceived as an adaptation mainly observed in small rodents, the extent to which urine‐concentrating ability has evolved independently in distinct mammalian lineages has not previously been assessed using modern phylogenetic approaches.

We review urine‐concentrating ability data from the literature in 121 mammalian species with geographic ranges encompassing varying climatic conditions. We explicitly test the general hypothesis that desert‐dwelling mammals have evolved greater ability to concentrate urine than non‐desert species, controlling for body mass, phylogenetic affinity and other covariates.

Ancestral state reconstruction across our dataset’s phylogeny shows that the ability to produce hyperosmotic urine, measured as maximum urine osmolality, has evolved convergently in mammalian species with geographic ranges characterised by low mean annual aridity index.

Phylogenetic generalised least‐squares (PGLS) models show that the mean annual aridity index of a species’ geographic range largely predicts its urine‐concentrating ability, even when accounting for body mass differences, phylogenetic correlations, the specific condition under which urine osmolality was measured, the method used to measure urine osmolality, and the species’ diet.

In contrast, we find much weaker correlations between mass‐adjusted basal metabolic rate and environmental variables when analysing 84 of the species included in the urine osmolality analysis.

Taken together, our results not only show that desert mammals effectively concentrate more urine than non‐desert mammals, but further suggest that aridity is likely to have been one of the main selective pressures leading to increasing maximum urine‐concentrating ability and driving its repeated evolution in different desert mammalian lineages.
Genomic signatures of divergent selection are associated with social behaviour for spinner dolphin ecotypes
Authors: Andrews Kimberly R. , Epstein Brendan , Leslie Matthew S. , Fiedler Paul , Morin Phillip A. , Hoelzel A. Rus
Published: March 2021

Understanding the genomic basis of adaptation is critical for understanding evolutionary processes and predicting how species will respond to environmental change. Spinner dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) present a unique system for studying adaptation. Within this large geographical region are four spinner dolphin ecotypes with weak neutral genetic divergence and no obvious barriers to gene flow, but strong spatial variation in morphology, behaviour and habitat. These ecotypes have large population sizes, which could reduce the effects of drift and facilitate selection. To identify genomic regions putatively under divergent selective pressures between ecotypes, we used genome scans with 8994 RADseq single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify population differentiation outliers and genotype–environment association outliers. Gene ontology enrichment analyses indicated that outlier SNPs from both types of analyses were associated with multiple genes involved in social behaviour and hippocampus development, including 15 genes associated with the human social disorder autism. Evidence for divergent selection on social behaviour is supported by previous evidence that these spinner dolphin ecotypes differ in mating systems and associated social behaviours. In particular, three of the ETP ecotypes probably have a polygynous mating system characterized by strong premating competition among males, whereas the fourth ecotype probably has a polygynandrous mating system characterized by strong postmating competition such as sperm competition. Our results provide evidence that selection for social behaviour may be an evolutionary force driving diversification of spinner dolphins in the ETP, potentially as a result of divergent sexual selection associated with different mating systems. Future studies should further investigate the potential adaptive role of the candidate genes identified here, and could probably find further signatures of selection using whole genome sequence data.
Genetic analysis of ear‐related traits under different pollination treatments in maize (Zea mays)
Authors: Yang Lin , Li Ting , Liu Binbin , Li Ranran , Yu Ruisu , Zhang Xiuying , Li Qin , Xu Shutu , Xue Jiquan
Published: March 2021

Ear‐related traits are crucial factors in grain yield, and understanding the genetic analysis of these traits provides important insights into maize breeding. This study derived a F5:6 recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population including 201 families from a cross between KA105 and KB020 lines. Genotyping by target sequencing was then used to construct a high‐density genetic map with 2,248 markers. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the following six ear‐related traits were identified under four environmental conditions, including self‐pollination and open pollination, using the complete interval mapping method: ear length, fruit length, ear diameter, ear row number, kernel number per row and kernel number per ear. Forty‐eight QTLs were detected on all chromosomes, except chromosomes 7 and 9, with 4.13%–17.16% phenotypic variation explanation (PVE). Among them, five QTLs were identified across at least two environments and five QTLs were associated with more than two traits. Three pairs of epistatic QTLs were detected by single environment analysis. This research provides insights into genetic mechanisms and molecular marker‐assisted selection related to the improvement of ear‐related traits in maize.