bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radiation Exposure Determination in a Secure, Cloud-Based Online Environment
Authors: Shirley Ben C. , Mucaki Eliseos J. , Knoll Joan H.M. , Rogan Peter K.
Published: December 2021

Rapid sample processing and interpretation of estimated exposures will be critical for triaging exposed individuals after a major radiation incident. The dicentric chromosome (DC) assay assesses absorbed radiation using metaphase cells from blood. The Automated Dicentric Chromosome Identifier and Dose Estimator System (ADCI) identifies DCs and determines radiation doses. This study aimed to broaden accessibility and speed of this system, while protecting data and software integrity. ADCI Online is a secure web-streaming platform accessible worldwide from local servers. Cloud-based systems containing data and software are separated until they are linked for radiation exposure estimation. Dose estimates are identical to ADCI on dedicated computer hardware. Image processing and selection, calibration curve generation, and dose estimation of 9 test samples completed in <2 days. ADCI Online has the capacity to alleviate analytic bottlenecks in intermediate-to-large radiation incidents. Multiple cloned software instances configured on different cloud environments accelerated dose estimation to within clinically relevant time frames.
Direct and latent effects of ocean acidification on the transition of a sea urchin from planktonic larva to benthic juvenile
Authors: Dorey Narimane , Butera Emanuela , Espinel-Velasco Nadjejda , Dupont Sam
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Ongoing ocean acidification (OA) is expected to affect marine organisms and ecosystems. While sea urchins can survive a wide range of pH, this comes at a high energetic cost, and early life stages are particularly vulnerable. Information on how OA affects transitions between life-history stages is scarce. We evaluated the direct and indirect effects of pH (pHT8.0, 7.6 and 7.2) on the development and transition between life-history stages of the sea urchinStrongylocentrotus droebachiensis, from fertilization to early juvenile. Continuous exposure to low pH negatively affected larval mortality and growth. At pH 7.2, formation of the rudiment (the primordial juvenile) was delayed by two days. Larvae raised at pH 8.0 and transferred to 7.2 after competency had mortality rates five to six times lower than those kept at 8.0, indicating that pH also has a direct effect on older, competent larvae. Latent effects were visible on the larvae raised at pH 7.6: they were more successful in settling (45%) and metamorphosing (30%) than larvae raised at 8.0 (17 and 1% respectively). These direct and indirect effects of OA on settlement and metamorphosis have important implications for population survival.
Urine proteomics as a non-invasive approach to monitor exertional rhabdomyolysis during military training
Authors: Carneiro Andréia , Macedo-da-Silva Janaína , Santiago Verônica Feijoli , Oliveira Gilberto Santos , Guimarães Thiago , Mendonça Clarissa Ferolla , de Oliveira Branquinho Jéssica Laís , Lucena Cintia Verdan , Osório Juliana Batista , Pernambuco Eduardo , Moreira Josino Costa , Pesquero João Bosco , Pereira Marcos Dias , Palmisano Giuseppe
Published: December 2021

Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ERM), a condition often associated with strenuous exercise, a common practice in the military activities, can be defined as the process of injury and rupture of muscle cell membranes, with leakage of its components into the blood stream. Creatine kinase (CK) has been extensively used for ERM diagnosis, albeit several studies reported the discrepancy between CK levels and clinical signs or symptoms. In this study, we analyzed the biochemical profile of the blood, and the urinary proteome of ten marine soldiers in a special training course. The samples were collected in two periods, M1 and M2, which correspond to the lowest and highest CK levels during training, respectively. Quantitative urinary proteome profile of M1 and M2 was determined showing changes with highest significance in immune system and cell adhesion-related pathways after strenuous physical exercise. Changes in the abundance of several proteins was observed in individuals carrying genetic polymorphisms related to greater risk for muscle damage. Remarkably, we identified a panel of proteins (CTSH, PIK3IP1, DEFB1, ITGB1, BCAN, and TNFRSF10C) that present high correlation with three classical blood biochemical markers of ERM and AGT MET235Thr and ACE I/D polymorphisms. These proteins represent potential urine markers of muscle damage due to intense physical conditions such as military training activities.
Commanding or being a simple intermediary: how does it affect moral behavior and related brain mechanisms?
Authors: Caspar Emilie A. , Ioumpa Kalliopi , Arnaldo Irene , Di Angelis Lorenzo , Gazzola Valeria , Keysers Christian
Published: December 2021

History has shown that fractioning operations between several individuals along a hierarchical chain allows diffusing responsibility between components of the chain, which has the potential to disinhibit antisocial actions. Here, we present two studies, one using fMRI (Study 1) and one using EEG (Study 2), designed to help understand how commanding or being in an intermediary position impacts the sense of agency and empathy for pain. In the age of military drones, we also explored whether commanding a human or robot agent influences these measures. This was done within a single behavioral paradigm in which participants could freely decide whether or not to send painful shocks to another participant in exchange for money. In Study 1, fMRI reveals that activation in social cognition and empathy-related brain regions was equally low when witnessing a victim receive a painful shock while participants were either commander or simple intermediary transmitting an order, compared to being the agent directly delivering the shock. In Study 2, results indicated that the sense of agency did not differ between commanders and intermediary, no matter if the executing agent was a robot or a human. However, we observed that the neural response over P3 was higher when the executing agent was a robot compared to a human. Source reconstruction of the EEG signal revealed that this effect was mediated by areas including the insula and ACC. Results are discussed regarding the interplay between the sense of agency and empathy for pain for decision-making.
RAS mutation patterns arise from tissue-specific responses to distinct oncogenic signaling
Authors: Erdogan Ozgun , Pershing Nicole L.K. , Kaltenbrun Erin , Newman Nicole J. , Everitt Jeffrey I. , Counter Christopher M.
Published: December 2021

Despite multiple possible oncogenic mutations in the proto-oncogene KRAS, unique subsets of these mutations are detected in different cancer types. As KRAS mutations occur early, if not being initiating, these mutational biases are ostensibly a product of how normal cells respond to the encoded oncoprotein. Oncogenic mutations can impact not only the level of active oncoprotein, but also engagement with effectors and other proteins. To separate these two effects, we generated four novel inducible Kras alleles encoded by the biochemically distinct mutations G12D versus Q61R encoded by native (nat) rare versus common (com) codons to produce either low or high protein levels. Each allele induced a distinct transcriptional response in normal cells. At one end of the spectrum, the KrasnatG12D allele induced transcriptional hallmarks suggestive of an expansion of multipotent cells, while at the other end, the KrascomQ61R allele exhibited all the hallmarks of oncogenic stress and inflammation. Further, this dramatic difference in the transcriptomes of normal cells appears to be a product of signaling differences due to increased protein expression as well as the specific mutation. To determine the impact of these distinct responses on RAS mutational patterning in vivo, all four alleles were globally activated, revealing that hematolymphopoietic lesions were sensitive to the level of active oncoprotein, squamous tumors were sensitive to the G12D mutant, while carcinomas were sensitive to both these features. Thus, we identify how specific KRAS mutations uniquely signal to promote the conversion of normal hematopoietic, epithelial, or squamous cells towards a tumorigenic state.
Exploring the food value chain using open innovation: a bibliometric review of the literature
Authors: Misra Avni , Mention Anne-Laure
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper reviews the literature, foundational works and current trends related to the adoption of open innovation (OI) practices in the food industry, with a particular focus on the food value chain, using a bibliometric and content analysis approach.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on 84 published documents in the field of food OI obtained using the Scopus database. First, a bibliometric analysis was conducted using a bibliographic coupling and co-citation analysis approach to understand the common themes and key clusters of food OI research. It further highlighted authors, countries, journals, years of publication and subject areas to comprehend the scope of the established literature. Second, a content analysis was undertaken to examine the titles and abstracts of the documents to explore the intersection of OI and the food value chain.

Findings

This study provides an integrated framework of the intersection of OI and the food value chain, including information about under-researched and emerging areas in the field of food innovation. It also highlights the critical challenges associated with OI food research and practices.

Practical implications

Practitioners can use the findings to uncover areas with limited open innovation adoption in the food value chain. They can identify extended research areas to explore the food value chain using an open innovation perspective, in different contexts within the food and beverage (F&B) industry. The framework can also be used for conducting comparative studies of current food innovation trends across different contexts within the F&B industry.

Originality/value

By adopting a multi-step approach involving a computer-assisted bibliometric examination complemented by a manual review undertaken through the lens of the food value chain, this literature review provides fresh and unique insights into past and present research on OI in the food industry and paves the way for future studies by laying out specific research avenues.
The influence of clan social capital on collective biogas investment
Authors: Wang Anbang , He Ke , Zhang Junbiao
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of clan social capital on the willingness to pay (WTP) and WTP value for collective biogas investment.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Heckman two-stage model and a dataset of 1,265 representative observations from three provinces in Central China collected in 2019, this paper utilizes the contingent valuation method to estimate households' WTP value for collective biogas investment. The paper also explores the heterogeneity between households with different clan governance mechanisms and village governance structures.

Findings

The results indicate that clan networks and trust were likely to improve farmer households' WTP, while clan trust and norms could improve their WTP values. For clans with councils and for clans that can influence the decision-making of village committees, their members were more likely to be influenced by the social capital of their clans to pay for collective biogas investment.

Originality/value

This paper focuses on the WTP and WTP values of households for collective biogas investment, which is often neglected in the research. This paper suggests that clans can be used as a medium to urge households to increase their collective power to reduce carbon emissions and climate crises. The findings empirically contribute to efforts to reduce rural carbon emissions.
Factors affecting hospital costs and revenue: integrating expert opinions and literature review
Authors: Zalvand Rostam , Mohammadian Mohammad , Meskarpour Amiri Mohammad
Published: December 2021

Purpose

There is not enough comprehensive evidence on factors affecting hospital costs and revenue (HCR). The main objective of the current study is to identify and classify factors affecting HCR integrating experts' opinions and literature review.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a restricted literature review is conducted to identify the factors affecting HCR. In the second step, the targeted semi-structured interviews are conducted with 15 experts to identify, validate and classify the latent factors.

Findings

In addition to the factors identified through the literature review, 22 new important factors were added by the experts as the determinants of HCR, which were not pointed out in previous studies. The final model presented for the factors affecting HCR contains seven main groups, 22 subgroups and 70 variables.

Originality/value

Factors affecting HCR will provide valuable contributions for hospital budgeting, and financial and strategic planning, and they will offer an effective horizon for future research on cost-cutting strategies.
Integration of fault-tolerant feature to OMIEEPB routing protocol in wireless sensor network
Authors: Nasurulla I. , Kaniezhil R.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Whereas a human operator is hard to observe the networking infrastructure and its functions on a continuous basis, wireless sensor network (WSN) nodes must overcome faults and route the perceived data to the sink/base stations (BS). The main target of this research article is to ensure the fault-tolerance (FT) capability, especially for transmission of sensed data to its destination without failure. Thus, through this paper, a fuzzy-based subordinate support (FSS) system is introduced as an additional feature to the existing optimized mobile sink improved energy efficient Power-Efficient Gathering in Sensor Information Systems (PEGASIS)-based (OMIEEPB) routing protocol, which lacks focus on ensuring the FT capabilities to the selected leaders of the corresponding chain. The central focus of FSS is to prevent the incident of fault, especially to the cluster heads.

Design/methodology/approach

WSNs encounter several issues owing to random events or different causes such as energy exhaustion, negative influences of the deployed region, signal interference, unbalanced supply routes, instability of motes due to misalignments and collision, which ultimately intends the failure of the network. Throughout the past investigation periods, researchers gain an understanding of fault-tolerant strategies that may improve the data integrity or reliability, precision, energy efficiency, the life expectancy of the system and reduce/prevent the failure of deployed components. If that is the case, the maximum chances of data packets (sensed) needed to be transferred reliably and accurately to the sink node or BS are degraded.

Findings

The FSS system utilizes the fuzzy logic concepts that have been proved to be beneficial since it permits several parameters to be combined effectively and evaluated. Here, near-point, residual energy, total operation time and past average processing time are considered as vital parameters. Moreover, the FSS system ensures the key performance activities of the network, such as optimization of response time, enhancing the data transmission reliability and accuracy. Simulation-based experiments are carried out through the Mannasim framework. After several experimental executions, the outcome of the proposed system is analyzed through elaborated comparison with the advanced existing systems.

Originality/value

Finally, it has been observed that the FSS system not only enhanced the FT features to OMIEEPB but also assures the improved accuracy level (>95%) with optimized response time (<0.09 s) during data communication between leaders and the normal nodes.
Improved neural network-based sensor fault detection and estimation strategy for an autonomous aerial vehicle
Authors: Ullah Mati , Zhao Chunhui , Maqsood Hamid , Ul Hassan Mahmood , Humayun Muhammad
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to design an adaptive nonlinear strategy capable of timely detection and reconstruction of faults in the attitude’s sensors of an autonomous aerial vehicle with greater accuracy concerning other conventional approaches in the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed scheme integrates a baseline nonlinear controller with an improved radial basis function neural network (IRBFNN) to detect different kinds of anomalies and failures that may occur in the attitude’s sensors of an autonomous aerial vehicle. An integral sliding mode concept is used as auto-tune weight update law in the IRBFNN instead of conventional weight update laws to optimize its learning capability without computational complexities. The simulations results and stability analysis validate the promising contributions of the suggested methodology over the other conventional approaches.

Findings

The performance of the proposed control algorithm is compared with the conventional radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), multi-layer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) and high gain observer (HGO) for a quadrotor vehicle suffering from various kinds of faults, e.g. abrupt, incipient and intermittent. From the simulation results obtained, it is found that the proposed algorithm’s performance in faults detection and estimation is relatively better than the rest of the methodologies.

Practical implications

For the improvement in the stability and safety of an autonomous aerial vehicle during flight operations, quick identification and reconstruction of attitude’s sensor faults and failures always play a crucial role. Efficient fault detection and estimation scheme are considered indispensable for an error-free and safe flight mission of an autonomous aerial vehicle.

Originality/value

The proposed scheme introduces RBFNN techniques to detect and estimate the quadrotor attitude’s sensor faults and failures efficiently. An integral sliding mode effect is used as the network’s backpropagation law to automatically modify its learning parameters accordingly, thereby speeding up the learning capabilities as compared to the conventional neural network backpropagation laws. Compared with the other investigated techniques, the proposed strategy achieve remarkable results in the detection and estimation of various faults.
Double materiality and the shift from non-financial to European sustainability reporting: review, outlook and implications
Authors: Baumüller Josef , Sopp Karina
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper outlines the development of the principle of materiality in the European accounting framework, from the Modernization Directive (2003/51/EC) to the NFI Directive (2014/95/EU) and on to the proposals for a Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSR) Directive (2021/0104 (COD)). The authors highlight how the requirements for corporate reporting in terms of sustainability matters have changed, underlining the main issues that require further attention by practitioners, researchers and legislators.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based upon a historic analysis of European Union (EU) regulations in the field of non-financial and sustainability reporting and how these have changed over time. A conceptual comparison of different reporting concepts is presented, and changes in their relevance to the EU accounting framework are discussed as part of the historic analysis. Implications from corporate practice are derived from previous empirical findings from the EU Commission's consultations.

Findings

The proposed change from non-financial to sustainability reporting within the EU affects more than simply the terminology used. It implies that a different understanding is needed of both the purposes of company reporting on sustainability matters and the aims of carrying out such reporting. This change was driven by the need and desire to appropriately interpret the principle of materiality set forth in the NFI Directive. However, the recent redefinition in the shift within the EU Commission's proposals presents considerable challenges–and costs–in practice.

Research limitations/implications

Future research on the conceptualization and operationalization of ecological and social materiality, as well as on the use of this information by different stakeholder groups, is necessary in order to (a) help companies that are applying the reporting requirements in practice, (b) support the increased harmonization of the reports published by these companies and (c) fully assess the costs and benefits associated with the increase in reporting requirements for these companies.

Practical implications

Companies have to establish relevant reporting processes, systems and formats to fulfil the increasing number of reporting requirements.

Originality/value

This paper outlines the historic development of the principle of materiality regarding mandatory non-financial or sustainability reporting within the EU. It outlines a shift in rationales and political priorities as well as in implications for European companies that need to fulfil the reporting requirements. In consequence, it describes appropriate interpretations of this principle of materiality under current and upcoming legislation, enabling users to apply this principle more effectively.
Old frauds with a new sauce: digital assets and space transition
Authors: Dupuis Daniel , Smith Deborah , Gleason Kimberly
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to describe the evolution of fraud schemes with historically conducted with fiat money in physical space to the crypto-assets in digital space as follows: ransomware, price manipulation, pump and dump schemes, misrepresentation, spoofing and Ponzi Schemes. To explain how fraud schemes have evolved alongside digital asset markets, this study applies the space transition theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used is a review of the media regarding six digital asset fraud schemes that have evolved from physical space to virtual space that are currently operational, as well as a review of the literature regarding the space transition theory.

Findings

This paper finds that the digital space and digital assets may facilitate pseudonymous criminal behavior in the present regulatory environment.

Research limitations/implications

The field is rapidly evolving, however this study finds that the conversion from physical to virtual space obfuscates the criminal activity, facilitating anonymity of the perpetrators, and creating new challenges for the legal and regulatory environment.

Practical implications

This paper finds that the digital space and digital assets may facilitate pseudonymous criminal behavior in the present regulatory environment. An understanding of the six crypto-asset fraud schemes described in the paper is useful for anti-financial crime professionals and regulators focusing on deterrence.

Social implications

The space transition theory offers an explanation for why digital space leads criminals to be better positioned to conduct financial crime in virtual space relative to physical space. This offers insights into behavior of digital asset fraudster behavior that could help limit the social damage caused by crypto-asset fraud.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to detail the evolution of fraud schemes with fiat money in physical space to their corresponding schemes with digital assets in physical space. This study is also the first to integrate the space transition theory into an analysis of digital asset fraud schemes.
Antecedents and consequences of experiential value in fashion retailing: a study on Indian consumers
Authors: Varshneya Geetika
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Customer's experiential value is influenced by external as well as internal factors. This study was an effort to explore the impacts of two relevant internal factors (lifestyle and involvement) and one important external factor (atmospherics) on experiential value. Further, it investigates the influence of experiential value on two pertinent outcomes (customer satisfaction and positive word of mouth).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey-based questionnaire was used to collect the data (n = 354) from fashion retail shoppers in NCR region in India and was analysed using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results revealed that positive influence of atmospherics, involvement and lifestyle on experiential value dimensions. Subsequently, the study showed experiential value influences customer satisfaction, which further leads to positive word of mouth.

Research limitations/implications

The study was carried out in fashion retail stores in National Capital Region in India. Therefore, further investigation is required for generalising the results. Theoretical and managerial contributions of the study are further discussed in the paper.

Originality/value

Arguably, this paper is an initial attempt to explore the antecedents and consequences of experiential value in the context of fashion retailing.
Rethinking companies’ culture through knowledge management lens during Industry 5.0 transition
Authors: Cillo Valentina , Gregori Gian Luca , Daniele Lucia Michela , Caputo Francesco , Bitbol-Saba Nathalie
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Through the human resources (HR) and knowledge management (KM) perspective as human-centric processes, the aim of this study is to explore how companies’ engagement in diversity (DIV), inclusion (INC) and people empowerment (PEMP) policies influences companies’ organizational performance, to support organizations in the shift to the Industry 5.0 framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Combining the HR management and the KM-driven organizational culture, a conceptual model is proposed for explaining companies’ higher organizational performance. Proposed hypotheses are tested with reference to a set of listed international companies traced by Refinitiv on a five-year time horizon (2016–2020) through 24,196 firm-year observations.

Findings

This research shows that companies engaged in DIV policies, INC practices and PEMP through education have higher profitability and are more valued by capital markets’ investors.

Originality/value

This paper draws attention to the need to overcome the reductionist view of HR and rethink KM architecture to cope with the growing challenge of HR integration according to the Industry 5.0 paradigm.
How job resources influence employee productivity and technology-enabled performance in financial services: the job demands–resources model perspective
Authors: Nuutinen Sanna , Ahola Salla , Eskelinen Juha , Kuula Markku
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study aims to provide insight into the relationship between job resources (job control and possibilities for development at work) and employee performance, measured as employee productivity and technology-enabled performance, by examining the role of employee well-being (work engagement and emotional exhaustion).

Design/methodology/approach

The data comprised two overlapping data sets collected from a large financial institution; Study 1 employed survey data (N = 636), whereas study 2 employed register data on job performance collected over a one-year period combined with survey data (N = 143). The data were analysed through structural equation modelling.

Findings

Study 1 indicated that job resources were positively associated with technology-enabled performance more strongly through work engagement than emotional exhaustion. Study 2 revealed that emotional exhaustion was associated with lower employee productivity, whereas work engagement was not. Furthermore, the results indicated that job control was related to higher productivity through a lower level of emotional exhaustion.

Practical implications

The study's findings point to the importance of developing interventions that decrease emotional exhaustion.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to measure employee productivity longitudinally as a ratio of inputs (working time) to outputs (relevant job outcomes) over one year. This study contributes to the job demands–resources model (JD-R) literature by showing the importance of job control in fostering both employee productivity and more positive perceptions of technology.
Sustainable waste management in the Indonesian medical and health-care industry: technological performance on environmental impacts and occupational safety
Authors: Tseng Ming Lang , Ardaniah Viqi , Bui Tat-Dat , (Aaron) Jiun-Wei Tseng , Lim Ming K. , Ali Mohd Helmi
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Sustainable waste management (SWM) leads to human safety by eliminating dangerous substances, increasing cost efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. Integrating social, economic and environmental factors is the standard for successfully implementing SWM. However, prior studies have not incorporated the triple bottom line with technological performance and occupational safety in establishing SWM. To drive sustainability in waste management, this study aims to provide a set of SWM attributes and identify a causality model based on the interrelationships among the attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the Delphi method to list the relevant attributes and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) involving 18 experts from the medical and health-care industry to present the interrelationships indicating the group of cause–effect attributes of SWM.

Findings

The study selected 5 aspects and 20 criteria as the relevant attributes of SWM. The cause group consists of environmental impacts and occupational safety, with positive values of 27.031 and 24.499, respectively. The effect group includes technological performance, economic performance and social performance. In particular, the challenges and practices of technological performance are linked to environmental impacts and occupational safety.

Practical implications

The top four criteria for industrial improvement are green practices, government policy and rules, the awareness of workers and waste separation and collection. These results present deeper insights into theoretical and managerial implications.

Originality/value

This study contributes to addressing the challenges and practices of SWM in technological performance leading to environmental impacts and occupational safety. Studies on the technological performance aspect in the causality relationships between environmental impacts and occupational safety are lacking. This study describes SWM using qualitative information and quantitative data.
Community patch dynamics governs direct and indirect nutrient recycling by aggregated animals across spatial scales
Authors: Atkinson Carla L. , Forshay Kenneth J.
Published: December 2021

Animals can have pervasive effects on ecosystems as they modify their biogeochemical and physical environments. In particular, when animals occur in high densities these effects can result in dramatic changes in the physical environment and biogeochemical hotspots or hot moments. While most research to date has focused on the direct role of animals in biogeochemical cycles, few have examined how animals indirectly influence biogeochemical cycles across scales.

Freshwater mussels occur as spatially heterogeneous, dense and species‐rich aggregations in many river ecosystems world‐wide. Here we examined how mussel communities (a) directly influence the flux of particulate and dissolved nutrients and (b) indirectly effect the flux of N2production, via denitrification, across a gradient of mussel biomass and differences in community composition at the patch‐ (0.25 m2) and stream reach‐scales (60–80 m).

We combined measurements of ammonia (N) and soluble reactive phosphorous (P) excretion and C, N and P biodeposition rates for 10 species with biomass and distribution estimates for seven mixed‐species aggregations to quantify direct mussel contributions to biogeochemical cycling and the spatial heterogeneity of their impact. Additionally, we sampled sediments at a fine spatial scale to determine how mussel biomass and richness influence potential denitrification (indirect flux) rates at the patch‐ and reach‐scales.

We predicted that increasing mussel biomass would lead to greater direct and indirect fluxes of nutrients, manifesting in heterogeneous nutrient redistribution within and among stream reaches. We also predicted that variation in community composition would result in differential nutrient excretion and egestion stoichiometries.

Our results indicate that mussel aggregations directly influence soluble and particulate nutrient fluxes with community composition, particularly phylogenetic tribe composition, controlling the stoichiometry. Mussel aggregations also indirectly influenced nutrient fluxes as greater mussel biomass and species richness resulted in higher denitrification rates as mediated by their interactions with the sediments and enhancement of nutrient availability. Our results underscore the importance of patchy communities in acting as biogeochemical control points.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Links between boreal forest management, soil fungal communities and below‐ground carbon sequestration
Authors: Jörgensen Karolina , Granath Gustaf , Strengbom Joachim , Lindahl Björn D.
Published: December 2021

Forest management has a potential to alter below‐ground carbon storage. However, the underlying mechanisms, and the relative importance of carbon input and decomposition in regulation of soil carbon dynamics are poorly understood.

We examined whether interactive effects of forest fertilization and thinning on carbon stocks in the topsoil of boreal forests were linked to changes in fungal community composition, biomass and enzyme activities, in a long‐term fertilization and thinning experiment distributed across 29 Pinus sylvestris forests along a 1,300 km latitudinal transect in Sweden.

Nitrogen fertilization increased fungal biomass, particularly towards the north and mainly by promoting root‐associated Ascomycetes, but the response was moderated by thinning. Fungal biomass correlated positively with carbon stocks in the organic topsoil. However, ectomycorrhizal Cortinarius species were reduced in abundance by fertilization and correlated negatively with carbon stocks.

Plausibly, increased soil carbon stocks after fertilization are linked to increased input of carbon in the form of root‐associated mycelium combined with the loss of ectomycorrhizal decomposers within the genus Cortinarius. These fungal responses to fertilization may mediate a natural climate solution by promoting carbon sequestration in the organic topsoil, but the effect of fertilization may also be undesired from a biodiversity perspective.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Ruminating on the science of carbon ranching
Authors: Reinhart Kurt O. , Sanni Worogo Hilaire S. , Rinella Matthew J.
Published: December 2021

There is interest in reducing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere by managing livestock grazing to increase carbon (C) storage in soil. However, our understanding of the value of this practice of ‘C ranching’ is based on studies suffering substantial, overlooked methodological problems.

We reviewed research into effects of grazing treatments on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks (mass SOC × area₋1). We show the empirical basis for C ranching (C offset) projects relies mainly on studies with unrealistic and overly simplistic livestock grazing treatments (e.g. grazed vs. not grazed), suboptimal experimental designs (e.g. lack pretreatment data, low number of treatment replications) and problematic SOC stock metrics.

Synthesis and applications. It is not clear that grazing treatments differ enough in their effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks to reliably offset CO2 generated by human activities and/or reduce CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. Therefore, we caution against overselling the value of carbon (C) ranching. Knowledge of C ranching effects on SOC is inadequate to justify C offset projects that provide ranchers with payment for environmental services. To better quantify benefits of C ranching, we advise using current best practices and expanding C ranching research with more realistic treatments over either broader spatio‐temporal scales and/or climate change treatments (e.g. drought, warming, elevated CO2).
Colposcopic assessment by Swedescore, evaluation of effectiveness in the Swedish screening programme: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Alfonzo Emilia , Holmberg Erik , Milsom Ian , Strander Björn
Published: December 2021

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness and performance of Swedescore in the Swedish screening programme.

Design

Cross‐sectional register study.

Setting and Population

All Swedish women aged over 18 years with a colposcopic assessment linked to a biopsy in the Swedish National Cervical Screening Registry, 2015–20.

Methods

Colposcopies with Swedescore were compared with the histopathological diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher (CIN2+). The respective influence of cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, at referral for colposcopy and concurrently with colposcopy, were investigated in regression models.

Main Outcome Measures

CIN2+.

Results

A total of 11 317 colposcopic assessments with Swedescore were included. Odds ratios for CIN2+ increased for every step in the Swedescore scale. At Swedescore ≥0–1, the proportion of CIN2+ was 9.8%. At Swedescore ≥8, the specificity was 93.3% and the positive predictive value was 60.1%, Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) was 0.71. If the smear had been abnormal at referral, a normal colposcopy (Swedescore 0–1) was still associated with a CIN2+ risk of more than 5%. In the regression model, cytology and HPV had higher odds ratio for CIN2+ than colposcopy; the combination resulted in an AUC of 0.88.

Conclusions

Swedescore works well in a routine clinical setting but colposcopy assessed with Swedescore was inferior to that reported in previous clinical studies. No safe cutoff level was identified for refraining from biopsy. See‐and‐treat at Swedescore 8–10 is feasible only if referral cytology showed high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.

Tweetable Abstract

No safe cutoff level for refraining from biopsy nor for see‐and‐treat with Swedescore.
Burnout of the US midwifery workforce and the role of practice environment
Authors: Thumm E. Brie , Smith Denise C. , Squires Allison P. , Breedlove Ginger , Meek Paula M.
Published: December 2021

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of burnout among the midwifery workforce and the association between fixed personal and practice characteristics and modifiable organizational factors, specifically practice environment, to burnout among midwives in the United States.

Data Source

Primary data collection was conducted via an online survey of the complete national roster of certified nurse‐midwives and certified midwives over 3 weeks in April 2017.

Study Design

The study was a cross‐sectional observational survey consisting of 95 items about personal and practice characteristics, respondents' practice environments, and professional burnout.

Data Collection Methods

The inclusion criterion was actively practicing midwifery in the United States. Data were analyzed with bivariate analyses to determine the association between personal and practice characteristics and burnout. A hierarchal multilinear regression evaluated the interrelationship between personal and practice characteristics, practice environment, and burnout.

Principal Findings

Of the almost one third (30.9%) of certified nurse‐midwives and certified midwives who responded to the survey, 40.6% met criteria for burnout. Weak negative correlations existed between burnout and indicators of career longevity: age (r(2256) = −0.09, p < 0.01), years as a midwife (r(2267) = −0.07, p = 0.01), and years with employer (r(2271) = −0.05, p = 0.02). There were significant relationships between burnout score and patient workload indicators: patients per day in outpatient setting (F(5,2292) = 13.995, p < 0.01), birth volume (F(3,1864) = 8.35, p < 0.01), and patient acuity (F(2,2295) = 20.21, p < 0.01). When the practice environment was entered into the model with personal and practice characteristics, the explained variance increased from 6.4% to 26.5% (F(20,1478) = 27.98, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our findings suggested that a key driver of burnout among US midwives was the practice environment, specifically practice leadership and participation and support for the midwifery model of care. Structural and personal characteristics contributed less to burnout score than the practice environment, implying that prevention of burnout may be achieved through organizational support and does not require structural changes to the provision of perinatal health.
Recovered microbiome of an oviparous lizard differs across gut and reproductive tissues, cloacal swabs, and faeces
Authors: Bunker Marie E. , Martin Mark O. , Weiss Stacey L.
Published: December 2021

Microbial diversity and community function are related, and can be highly specialized in different gut regions. The cloacal microbiome of Sceloporus virgatus females provides antifungal protection to eggshells, a specialized function that suggests a specialized microbiome. Here, we describe the cloacal, intestinal, and oviductal microbiome from S. virgatus gravid females, adding to growing evidence of microbiome localization in reptiles and other taxa. We further assessed whether common methods for sampling gastrointestinal (GI) microbes – cloacal swabs and faeces – provide accurate representations of these microbial communities. We found that different regions of the gut had unique microbial communities. The cloacal microbiome showed extreme specialization averaging 99% Proteobacteria (Phylum) and 83% Enterobacteriacaea (Family). Enterobacteriacaea decreased up the GI and reproductive tracts. Cloacal swabs recovered communities similar to that of lower intestine and cloacal tissues. In contrast, faecal samples had much higher diversity and a distinct composition (common Phyla: 62% Firmicutes, 18% Bacteroidetes, 10% Proteobacteria; common families: 39% Lachnospiraceae, 11% Ruminococcaceae, 11% Bacteroidaceae) relative to all gut regions. The common families in faecal samples made up <1% of cloacal tissue samples, increasing to 43% at the upper intestine. Similarly, the common families in gut tissue (Enterobacteriaceae and Helicobacteraceae) made up <1% of the faecal microbiome. Further, we found that cloacal swabs taken shortly after defaecation may be contaminated with faecal matter. Our results serve as a caution against using faeces as a proxy for GI microbes, and may help explain high between‐sample variation seen in some studies using cloacal swabs.
Outcome of low‐dose prednisolone use for the induction of remission in lupus nephritis patients
Authors: Bandhan Iftekhar Hussain , Islam Md. Nazrul , Ahmad Habib Imtiaz , Ahmedullah Abul Khair
Published: December 2021

Objectives

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of low‐dose prednisolone with conventional high‐dose regimen in proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) for remission.

Methods

This open‐label randomized clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Rheumatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 32 LN patients were randomized into low‐dose (experimental) and high‐dose (control) groups. All subjects received standard dose of intravenous (I/V) methylprednisolone and pulse I/V cyclophosphamide. Oral prednisolone, 0.5 mg/kg/d and 1 mg/kg/d were given to experimental and control groups respectively for initially 4 weeks then tapered. The patients were followed for 24 weeks. The rates of renal remission (complete and partial) were assessed at 24 weeks. The disease activity, biochemical markers, and quality of life were evaluated at baseline and at 24 weeks.

Results

Complete renal remission was achieved by 66.7% of patients in each group (P = .99). Renal remission (partial/complete) was achieved by 86.7% and 83.3% of patients in the prednisolone low‐dose group and high‐dose group respectively (P = .99). In between groups, no significant difference was observed in the improvement of active urinary sediments, serum creatinine level, anti‐double‐stranded DNA level, complements level, disease activity and Short Form‐12 score. The prednisolone dose‐related adverse events like cushingoid facies, abdominal stria, infections and serious adverse events like death occurred more in the high‐dose prednisolone group.

Conclusions

It has been observed that low‐dose prednisolone regimen may be effective in LN. Steroid dose‐related side effects and rate of infections were lower in this group.
GinJinn2: Object detection and segmentation for ecology and evolution
Authors: Ott Tankred , Lautenschlager Ulrich
Published: December 2021

Collection and preparation of empirical data still represent one of the most important, but also expensive steps in ecological and evolutionary/systematic research. Modern machine learning approaches, however, have the potential to automate a variety of tasks, which until recently could only be performed manually. Unfortunately, the application of such methods by researchers outside the field is hampered by technical difficulties.

Here, we present GinJinn2, a user‐friendly toolbox for deep learning‐based object detection and instance segmentation on image data. Besides providing a convenient command‐line interface to existing software libraries, it comprises several additional tools for data handling, pre‐ and postprocessing, and building advanced analysis pipelines.

We demonstrate the application of GinJinn2 for biological purposes using four exemplary analyses, namely the evaluation of seed mixtures, detection of insects on glue traps, segmentation of stomata and extraction of leaf silhouettes from herbarium specimens.

GinJinn2, by providing a coding‐free environment, will enable users with a primary background in biology to apply deep learning‐based methods for object detection and segmentation in order to automate feature extraction from image data.
Altered neural responses to missed chance contribute to the risk‐taking behaviour in individuals with Internet gaming disorder
Authors: Liu Zhiyuan , Huang Pujiang , Gong Yue , Wang Yifan , Wu Yuyan , Wang Chenggong , Guo Xiuyan
Published: December 2021

Missed chance is a powerful factor in shaping risk‐taking behaviour. The abnormal risk‐taking behaviour is an obvious feature of individuals with Internet gaming disorder (IGD). However, the relationship between the neural responses to missed chance and risk‐taking behaviour in IGD individuals remains unclear. In the current fMRI study, 28 IGD subjects (12 female, 23.04 ± 2.43 years old) and 26 healthy control (HC) subjects (13 female, 23.58 ± 2.67 years old) participated in fMRI scanning during performance of a sequential risk‐taking task. The general linear model and the psycho‐physiological interaction analyses were conducted to explore the difference in neural responses between the two groups. The results showed that IGD subjects reported more regret for the large missed chance and took more risk than HC subjects. Moreover, compared with HC subjects, IGD subjects exhibited greater activations in brain regions like ventral striatum (VS) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and stronger VS‐thalamus functional connectivity for the large missed chance. Additionally, among IGD subjects, the SFG activation for the large missed chance was positively correlated with the risk‐taking behaviour. Together, the results revealed the altered neural responses to missed chance contributed to the risk‐taking behaviour in IGD individuals. The findings could help to clearly understand why IGD individuals continue playing online games despite the risks of widely known and could provide a new perspective for the intervention of IGD.