bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global distribution and diversity of prevalent sewage water plasmidomes
Authors: Teudt Frederik , Otani Saria , Aarestrup Frank M.
Published: February 2022

Sewage water from around the world contains an abundance of short plasmids, a number of which harbor antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). The global dynamics of plasmid-derived antimicrobial resistance and functions is only starting to be unveiled. Here, we utilized a previously created dataset of 159,332 assumed small plasmids from 24 different globally collected sewage samples. We investigated the detailed phylogeny as well as the interplay between their protein domains, ARGs, and predicted bacterial host genera to help understand the global sewage plasmidome dynamics.

A total of 58,429 circular elements carried genes encoding for plasmid-related features, and MASH distance analyses showed a very high degree of diversity. A single very diverse cluster of 520 predicted Acinetobacter plasmids was predominant among the European sewage water.

Based on functional domain network analysis, we identified three groups of plasmids, mainly replication and mobilization domains. However, these backbone domains were not exclusive to any given group. Acinetobacter was the dominant host genus among theta-replicating plasmids at these size ranges. They contained a reservoir of the macrolide resistance gene pair msr(E) and mph(E). Macrolide resistance genes were the most common resistance genes in sewage plasmidomes and found in the largest number of unique plasmids.

While msr(E) and mph(E) were limited to Acinetobacter, erm(B) was disseminated among a range of Firmicutes plasmids, including Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, highlighting a potential reservoir of antibiotics resistance for these pathogens from around the globe.

Importance

Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat to human health inhibiting our ability to treat infectious diseases. This study utilizes sewage water plasmidomes to identify plasmid-derived features, and highlights antimicrobial resistance genes, particularly macrolide resistance to be abundant in sewage water plasmidomes in Firmicutes and Acinetobacter hosts. The emergence of macrolide resistance in these bacteria hints that macrolide selective pressure exists in sewage water, and that the resident bacteria readily can acquire macrolide resistance via small plasmids.
Molecular modeling predicts novel antibody escape mutations in respiratory syncytial virus fusion glycoprotein
Authors: Beach Sierra S. , Hull McKenna , Ytreberg F. Marty , Patel Jagdish Suresh , Miura Tanya A.
Published: February 2022

Monoclonal antibodies are increasingly used for the prevention and/or treatment of viral infections. One caveat of their use is the ability of viruses to evolve resistance to antibody binding and neutralization. Computational strategies to predict which mutations will result in antibody resistance would be invaluable because current methods for identifying potential escape mutations are labor intensive and system-biased. Respiratory syncytial virus is an important pathogen for which monoclonal antibodies against the fusion (F) protein are used to prevent severe disease in high-risk infants. In this study, we used an approach that combines molecular dynamics simulations with FoldX to estimate changes in free energy in F protein folding and binding to the motavizumab antibody upon each possible amino acid change. We systematically selected 8 predicted escape mutations and tested them in an infectious clone. Consistent with our F protein stability predictions, replication-effective viruses were observed for each selected mutation. Six of the eight variants showed increased resistance to neutralization by motavizumab. Flow cytometry was used to validate the estimated (model-predicted) effects on antibody binding to F. Using surface plasmon resonance, we determined that changes in the on-rate of motavizumab binding were responsible for the reduced affinity for two novel escape mutations. Our study empirically validates the accuracy of our molecular modeling approach and emphasizes the role of biophysical protein modeling in predicting viral resistance to antibody-based therapeutics that can be used to monitor the emergence of resistant viruses and to design improved therapeutic antibodies.

Importance

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe disease in young infants, particularly those with heart or lung diseases or born prematurely. As no vaccine is currently available, monoclonal antibodies are used to prevent severe RSV disease in high-risk infants. While it is known that RSV evolves to avoid recognition by antibodies, screening tools that can predict which changes to the virus will lead to antibody resistance are greatly needed.
Genomic and phenotypic comparisons reveal distinct variants of Wolbachia strain wAlbB
Authors: Martinez Julien , Ross Perran A. , Gu Xinyue , Ant Thomas H. , Murdochy Shivan M. , Tong Lily , da Silva Filipe Ana , Hoffmann Ary A. , Sinkins Steven P.
Published: February 2022

The intracellular bacterium Wolbachia inhibits virus replication and is being harnessed around the world to fight mosquito-borne diseases through releases of mosquitoes carrying the symbiont. Wolbachia strains vary in their ability to invade mosquito populations and suppress viruses in part due to differences in their density within the insect and associated fitness costs. Using whole-genome sequencing, we demonstrate the existence of two variants in wAlbB, a Wolbachia strain being released in natural populations of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The two variants display striking differences in genome architecture and gene content. Differences in the presence/absence of 49 genes between variants include genes located in prophage regions and others potentially involved in controlling the symbiont’s density. Importantly, we show that these genetic differences correlate with variation in wAlbB density and its tolerance to heat stress, suggesting that different wAlbB variants may be better suited for field deployment depending on local environmental conditions. Finally, we found that the wAlbB genome remained stable following its introduction in a Malaysian mosquito population. Our results highlight the need for further genomic and phenotypic characterization of Wolbachia strains in order to inform ongoing Wolbachia-based programmes and improve the selection of optimal strains in future field interventions.

Importance

Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes that threatens around half of the world population. Recent advances in dengue control involve the introduction of Wolbachia bacterial symbionts with antiviral properties into mosquito populations which can lead to dramatic decreases in the incidence of the disease. In light of these promising results, there is a crucial need to better understand the factors affecting the success of such strategies, in particular the choice of Wolbachia strain for field releases and the potential for evolutionary changes. Here we characterized two variants of a Wolbachia strain used for dengue control that differ at the genomic level and in their ability to replicate within the mosquito. We also found no evidence for the evolution of the symbiont within the two years following its deployment in Malaysia. Our results have implications for current and future Wolbachia-based health interventions.
Genomic basis and phenotypic manifestation of (non-)parallel serpentine adaptation inArabidopsis arenosa
Authors: Konečná Veronika , Šustr Marek , Požárová Doubravka , Čertner Martin , Krejčová Anna , Tylová Edita , Kolář Filip
Published: February 2022

Parallel evolution is common in nature and provides one of the most compelling examples of rapid environmental adaptation. In contrast to the recent burst of studies addressing genomic basis of parallel evolution, integrative studies linking genomic and phenotypic parallelism are scarce. Edaphic islands of toxic serpentine soils provide ideal systems for studying rapid parallel adaptation in plants, imposing strong, spatially replicated selection on recently diverged populations. We leveraged threefold independent serpentine adaptation ofArabidopsis arenosaand combined reciprocal transplants, ion uptake phenotyping, and available genome-wide polymorphisms to test if parallelism is manifested to a similar extent at both genomic and phenotypic levels. We found pervasive phenotypic parallelism in functional traits yet with varying magnitude of fitness differences that was congruent with neutral genetic differentiation between populations. Limited costs of serpentine adaptation suggest absence of soil-driven trade-offs. On the other hand, the genomic parallelism at the gene level was significant, although relatively minor. Therefore, the similarly modified phenotypes e.g., of ion uptake arose possibly by selection on different loci in similar functional pathways. In summary, we bring evidence for the important role of genetic redundancy in rapid adaptation involving traits with polygenic architecture.
Structural dynamics of DNA strand break sensing by PARP-1 at a single-molecule level
Authors: Sefer Anna , Kallis Eleni , Eilert Tobias , Roecker Carlheinz , Neuhaus David , Eustermann Sebastian , Michaelis Jens
Published: February 2022

Single stranded breaks (SSBs) are the most frequent DNA lesions threatening genomic integrity. A highly kinked DNA structure in complex with human PARP-1 led to the proposal that SSB sensing in Eukaryotes relies on dynamics of both the broken DNA double helix and PARP-1's multi-domain organization. Here, we directly probe this fundamental yet poorly understood process at the single-molecule level. Quantitative SM-FRET and structural ensemble calculations reveal how PARP-1 binding converts DNA SSBs from a largely unperturbed conformation into the highly kinked state. Binding of the second N-terminal zinc finger yields an intermediate DNA conformation that can be recognized by the first zinc finger. Thus, the data is inconsistent with a conformational selection model, instead an induced fit mechanism via a multi-domain assembly cascade drives SSBs sensing. Interestingly, a clinically used PARP-1 inhibitor niraparib shifts the equilibrium towards the unkinked state, whereas the inhibitor EB47 stabilizes the kinked state.
The structure of Vibrio cholerae FeoC reveals conservation of the helix-turn-helix motif but not the cluster-binding domain
Authors: Brown Janae B. , Lee Mark A. , Smith Aaron T.
Published: February 2022

Most pathogenic bacteria require ferrous iron (Fe2+) in order to sustain infection within hosts. The ferrous iron transport (Feo) system is the most highly-conserved prokaryotic transporter of Fe2+, but its mechanism remains to be fully characterized. Most Feo systems are composed of two proteins: FeoA, a soluble SH3-like accessory protein and FeoB, a membrane protein that translocates Fe2+ across a lipid bilayer. Some bacterial feo operons encode FeoC, a third soluble, winged-helix protein that remains enigmatic in function. We previously demonstrated that select FeoC proteins bind O2-sensitive [4Fe-4S] clusters via Cys residues, leading to the proposal that some FeoCs could sense O2 to regulate Fe2+ transport. However, not all FeoCs conserve these Cys residues, and FeoC from the causative agent of cholera (Vibrio cholerae) notably lacks any Cys residues, precluding cluster binding. In this work, we determined the NMR structure of VcFeoC, which is monomeric and conserves the helix-turn-helix domain seen in other FeoCs. In contrast, however, the structure of VcFeoC reveals a truncated winged β-sheet in which the cluster-binding domain is notably absent. To test the interactions of VcFeoC with VcFeoB, we used NMR to demonstrate that these proteins interact in a 1:1 stoichiometry with a Kd of ca. 25 μM. Finally, using homology modeling, we predicted the structure of VcNFeoB and used docking to identify an interaction site with VcFeoC, which is confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. These findings provide the first atomic-level structure of VcFeoC and contribute to a better understanding of its role vis-à-vis FeoB.
Transcription factor paralogs orchestrate alternative gene regulatory networks by context-dependent cooperation with multiple cofactors
Authors: Feng Siqian , Rastogi Chaitanya , Loker Ryan E. , Glassford William J. , Rube H. Tomas , Bussemaker Harmen J. , Mann Richard S.
Published: February 2022

In eukaryotes, members of large transcription factor families often exhibit similar DNA binding properties in vitro, yet initiate paralog-specific gene regulatory networks in vivo. The serially homologous first (T1) and third (T3) thoracic legs of Drosophila, which result from alternative gene regulatory networks specified by the Hox proteins Scr and Ubx, respectively, offer a unique opportunity to address this paradox in vivo. Genome-wide analyses using epitope-tagged alleles of both Hox loci in the T1 and T3 leg imaginal discs, which are the precursors to the adult appendages and ventral body regions, show that ∼8% of Hox binding is paralog-specific. Binding specificity is mediated by interactions with distinct cofactors in different domains: the known Hox cofactor Exd acts in the proximal domain and is necessary for Scr to bind many of its paralog-specific targets, while in the distal leg domain, we identified the homeodomain protein Distal-less (Dll) as a novel Hox cofactor that enhances Scr binding to a different subset of genomic loci. Reporter genes confirm the in vivo roles of Scr+Dll and suggest that ∼1/3 of paralog-specific Hox binding in enhancers is functional. Together, these findings provide a genome-wide view of how Hox paralogs, and perhaps paralogs of other transcription factor families, orchestrate alternative downstream gene networks and suggest the importance of multiple, context-specific cofactors.
ReciPro: free and open-source multipurpose crystallographic software integrating a crystal model database and viewer, diffraction and microscopy simulators, and diffraction data analysis tools
Authors: Seto Yusuke , Ohtsuka Masahiro
Published: February 2022

ReciPro is a comprehensive multipurpose crystallographic program equipped with an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI), and it is completely free and open source. This software has a built-in crystal database consisting of over 20 000 crystal models, and the visualization system can seamlessly display a specified crystal model as an attractive three-dimensional graphic. The comprehensive features are not confined to these crystal model databases and viewers. It can smoothly and quantitatively simulate not only single-crystal and/or polycrystalline (powder) diffraction patterns of X-ray, electron and neutron diffraction of a selected crystal model, based on the kinematic scattering theory, but also various electron diffraction patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, based on the dynamical scattering theory. The features of stereographic projection of crystal planes/axes to explore crystal orientation relationships and the semi-automatic diffraction spot indexing function for experimental diffraction patterns assist diffraction experiments and analyses. These features are linked through a user-friendly GUI, and the results can be synchronously displayed almost in real time. ReciPro will assist a wide range of crystallographers (including beginners) using X-ray, electron and neutron diffraction crystallography and TEM.
The very small angle neutron scattering instrument at the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Authors: Barker John , Moyer James , Kline Steven , Jensen Grethe , Cook Jeremy , Gagnon Cedric , Kelley Elizabeth , Chabot Jean Philippe , Maliszewskyj Nicholas , Parikh Chirag , Chen Wangchun , Murphy R. P. , Glinka Charles
Published: February 2022

A description and the performance of the very small angle neutron scattering diffractometer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are presented. The measurement range of the instrument extends over three decades of momentum transfer q from 2 × 10−4 to 0.7 Å−1. The entire scattering angle range from 8 × 10−5 to π/6 rad (30°) can be measured simultaneously using three separate detector carriages on rails holding nine 2D detector arrays. Versatile choices of collimation options and neutron wavelength selection allow the q resolution and beam intensity to be optimized for the needs of the experiment. High q resolution is achieved using multiple converging-beam collimation with circular pinholes combined with refractive lenses and prisms. Relaxed vertical resolution with much higher beam intensity can be achieved with narrow slit collimation and a broad wavelength range chosen by truncating the moderator source distribution below 4 Å with a Be crystalline filter and above 8 Å with a supermirror deflector. Polarized beam measurements with full polarization analysis are also provided by a high-performance supermirror polarizer and spin flipper, capable of producing flipping ratios of over 100, along with a high-efficiency 3He polarization analyzer.
Spatial prediction of flood-susceptible zones in the Ourika watershed of Morocco using machine learning algorithms
Authors: Meliho Modeste , Khattabi Abdellatif , Driss Zejli , Orlando Collins Ashianga
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to predict mapping of areas vulnerable to flooding in the Ourika watershed in the High Atlas of Morocco with the aim of providing a useful tool capable of helping in the mitigation and management of floods in the associated region, as well as Morocco as a whole.

Design/methodology/approach

Four machine learning (ML) algorithms including k-nearest neighbors (KNN), artificial neural network, random forest (RF) and x-gradient boost (XGB) are adopted for modeling. Additionally, 16 predictors divided into categorical and numerical variables are used as inputs for modeling.

Findings

The results showed that RF and XGB were the best performing algorithms, with AUC scores of 99.1 and 99.2%, respectively. Conversely, KNN had the lowest predictive power, scoring 94.4%. Overall, the algorithms predicted that over 60% of the watershed was in the very low flood risk class, while the high flood risk class accounted for less than 15% of the area.

Originality/value

There are limited, if not non-existent studies on modeling using AI tools including ML in the region in predictive modeling of flooding, making this study intriguing.
The DaimlerChrysler takeover failure revisited from a varieties-of-capitalism perspective
Authors: Riach John Rankin Wood , Schneider Martin R.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to revisit the disastrous DaimlerChrysler AG takeover episode from 1998 to 2007 in order to arrive at a more comprehensive explanation of this and other merger and takeover failures based on institutional theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study is based on various secondary sources of information and on the insights that one of the authors gained from working for 14 years in various positions for Daimler-Benz and DaimlerChrysler.

Findings

DaimlerChrysler failed because top management made mistakes in trying to globalize the company. They were unable to realize possible synergies between the two companies, which brought complementary resources into the merger. Furthermore, they did not account for the institutional embeddedness of strategies when they adopted lean production globally, diffused the production system developed in Germany to other parts of the world and tried to implement a global stock enlisted in New York and Frankfurt. The underlying theoretical framework is relevant for other merger and acquisition cases. It features institutional embeddedness, path dependency and institutional arbitrage.

Originality/value

The paper develops an institutional perspective on DaimlerChrysler and on cross-border merger and acquisition failure more generally. The perspective is organized around the varieties-of-capitalism approach. This contribution is important because there is increasing dissatisfaction with the dominant explanation of cross-border merger and acquisition failure, which is based on the allegedly failed management of culture “clashes.”
“Police spatial knowledge” – Aspects of spatial constitutions by the police
Authors: Brauer Eva , Dangelmaier Tamara , Hunold Daniela
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The article presents research results of an ethnographic survey within the German police. The focus is on practices of spatial production and the functions of spaces.

Design/methodology/approach

The article draws on data from the DFG-funded research project KORSIT (Social Construction of security-related Spaces) based on an ethnographic survey in the German police force (https://www.dhpol.de/korsit). Participant observations were conducted in police stations in two large German cities (pseudonymised as “Dillenstadt” and “Rosenberg”). It involved 60 guided interviews with police officers at different levels of the hierarchy, as well as further interviews with local and societal actors for contrasting purposes. The data was analysed on the basis of grounded theory (Strauss and Cobin, 1996).

Findings

This paper shed light on institutional spatial knowledge, which is the basis of police practices, is preceded by experience-based narratives. In an expanded perspective, the paper argues that urban spaces themselves can be understood as materialisations of social practices that serve as social demarcation that legitimise unequal styles of action in the different precinct within the German police. In terms of a relational conceptualisation of space, it is shown that the categories of ethnicity and gender interrelate within the institutional production of space.

Originality/value

The article links organisational research with sociological spatial research and provides basic explanatory models on the conditions of emergence and the persistence of discriminatory practices within the police.
Examining the relationship between dimensions of supply chain integration, operational performance and firm performance: evidence from Ghana
Authors: Agyei-Owusu Benjamin , Asamoah David , Nuertey Dorcas , Acquah Ishmael Nanaba
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The study aims to examine the relationship between dimensions of supply chain integration (SCI), operational performance and firm performance of firms. The study proposes that internal integration serves as the basis for supplier integration and customer integration and all three dimensions directly enhance operational performance and firm performance. Additionally, operational performance is proposed to mediate the effect of dimensions of SCI on firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A research model grounded on the resource-based view and the extended resource-based view was developed to examine the proposed relationships between the dimensions of SCI, operational performance and firm performance. A survey of manufacturing and service firms in Ghana was conducted, with 120 usable responses received. The research model was analysed by using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Robustness tests were conducted by using logistic regression and the Kruskal Wallis test.

Findings

The findings showed that internal integration had positive and significant effects on customer integration and supplier integration. Internal integration had a positive and significant effect on firm performance whilst customer integration had positive and significant effects on operational performance and firm performance. Additionally, operational performance mediated the effect of customer integration on firm performance.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies that examine the interrelationships between dimensions of SCI. Additionally, to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the first study to empirically examine the mediating role of operational performance in the relationship between dimensions of SCI and firm performance.
Tools the board can use to prevent an M&A synergy trap
Authors: Sirower Mark L. , Weirens Jeffery M.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Negative market reactions to a deal are often driven by a gap between what management believes and what investors perceive, so boards need useful tools to stress test deal economics, the messages CEOs give the market and the level of preparation required to immediately begin delivering on market expectations.

Design/methodology/approach

Four simple analytical tools and a set of questions can help boards drive more informed discussions about potential M&A deals.

Findings

Before committing to a major deal, both parties will need to assess the effect on each company’s shareholder value should the synergy expectations embedded in the premium fail to materialize.

Practical/implications

Empowered Post Merger Integration teams must be created with clear roles, responsibilities and reporting relationships to make effectual recommendations for top management to ratify.

Originality/value

Before approving a deal and recommending it to shareholders, directors should ensure that senior management offers a clear business case and has an operating model’and a plan’ in place. Four simple analytical tools and a set of questions can help boards drive more informed discussions about potential M&A deals.
Moderate climate warming scenarios during embryonic and post‐embryonic stages benefit a cold‐climate lizard
Authors: Liu Wan‐li , Liu Peng , Cui Luo‐xin , Meng Yu , Tao Shi‐ang , Han Xing‐zhi , Sun Bao‐jun
Published: March 2022

Warming temperatures caused by climate change are predicted to vary temporally and spatially. For mid‐ and high‐latitude reptiles, the seasonal variation in warming temperatures experienced by embryos and hatchlings may determine offspring fitness, yet this has remained largely unexplored.

To evaluate the independent and interactive influence of seasonal variation in warming temperatures on embryonic and hatchling development, we incubated eggs and reared hatchlings of a cold‐climate oviparous ectothermic species, the Heilongjiang grass lizard (Takydromus amurensis), following a 2 × 2 factorial design (present climate versus warming climate for embryos × present climate versus warming climate for hatchlings). We then evaluated embryonic and hatchling development, including hatching success, incubation period, initial hatchling body size, hatchling metabolic rate, growth rate and survival in the mesocosms.

We found that warming temperatures shortened the incubation period and produced hatchlings with higher survival rates than those incubated under the present climate conditions. Similarly, hatchlings reared under a warming climate had similar growth rates and resting metabolic rates, but higher survival rates than those reared under the present climate. Hatchlings that experienced both warming incubation and warming growth conditions had the highest survival rates.

This study revealed that moderate warming temperatures (Representative Concentration Pathway, RCP 4.5, 1.1–2.6°C) experienced by embryos and hatchlings interact to benefit hatchling fitness in cold‐climate oviparous ectotherms. Our study also highlighted the importance of integrating seasonal variation in warming temperatures when evaluating the responses to climate warming in multiple developmental stages in oviparous ectotherms.
Thermal plasticity and evolution shape predator–prey interactions differently in clear and turbid water bodies
Authors: Wang Ying‐Jie , Tüzün Nedim , Sentis Arnaud , Stoks Robby
Published: February 2022

Warming and eutrophication negatively affect freshwater ecosystems by modifying trophic interactions and increasing water turbidity. We need to consider their joint effects on predator–prey interactions and how these depend on the thermal evolution of both predator and prey.

We quantified how 4°C warming and algae‐induced turbidity (that integrates turbidity per se and increased food for zooplankton prey) affect functional response parameters and prey population parameters in a common‐garden experiment. We did so for all combinations of high‐ and low‐latitude predator (damselfly larvae) and prey (water fleas) populations to assess the potential impact of thermal evolution of predators and/or prey at a high latitude under warming using a space‐for‐time substitution. We then modelled effects on the system stability (i.e. tendency to oscillate) under different warming, turbidity and evolutionary scenarios.

Warming and turbidity had little effect on the functional response parameters of high‐latitude predators. In contrast, warming and turbidity reduced the handling times of low‐latitude predators. Moreover, warming increased the search rates of low‐latitude predators in clear water but instead decreased these in turbid water.

Warming increased stability (i.e. prevented oscillations) in turbid water (except for the ‘high‐latitude predator and high‐latitude prey’ system), mainly by decreasing the prey’s carrying capacity and partly also by decreasing search rates, while it did not affect stability in clear water. Algae‐induced turbidity generally decreased stability, mainly by increasing the prey’s carrying capacity and partly also by increasing search rates. This resembles findings that nutrient enrichment can reduce the stability of trophic systems. The expected stability of the high‐latitude trophic system under warming was dependent on the turbidity level: our results suggest that thermal plasticity tends to destabilize the high‐latitude trophic system under warming in clear water but not in turbid water, and that thermal evolution of the predator will stabilize the high‐latitude system under warming in turbid water but less so in clear water.

The extent to which thermal plasticity and evolution shape trophic system stability under warming may strongly differ between clear and turbid water bodies, with their contributions having a more stabilizing role in turbid water.
Indigenous brigades change the spatial patterns of wildfires, and the influence of climate on fire regimes
Authors: Oliveira Maxwell R. , Ferreira Bruno H. S. , Souza Evaldo B. , Lopes Aline A. , Bolzan Fábio P. , Roque Fábio O. , Pott Arnildo , Pereira Alexandre M. M. , Garcia Letícia C. , Damasceno Geraldo A. , Costa Ademilson , Rocha Mesaque , Xavier Silvio , Ferraz Rubens A. , Ribeiro Danilo B.
Published: February 2022

Indigenous people have been managing fire‐prone landscapes for millennia, especially in tropical savannas, thereby maintaining carbon stocks and pyrodiversity and ensuring food security. In some indigenous lands in Brazil, fire brigades are composed of indigenous people, integrating their traditional knowledge in Brazilian fire management policies; however, the effectiveness of their management is largely undocumented. Nevertheless, we need to know the effectiveness of indigenous fire brigades and their influence on fire patterns.

Here, we evaluate an 18‐year historical series of fire patterns and burn scars, comparing periods with and without indigenous brigade activity, to describe the role of indigenous fire brigades in the Kadiwéu Indigenous Territory. In this Indigenous Territory, fire brigades composed of indigenous people have been instituted, trained and maintained by the National Center of Prevention and Combat of Wildfire (PREVFOGO/IBAMA) since 2009. These brigades are responsible for fire management throughout the Kadiwéu Indigenous Territory using controlled burning, prescribed burning and combating wildfires.

We found that fire management by the indigenous brigades has reduced fire frequency by 80% in the areas with high fire frequency (over 70% of the analysed time). Management also reduced the size of the area burned by 53% and the influence of climate over the total area burned. According to our models, the area affected by fires is mainly influenced by annual rainfall in the absence of indigenous brigades; in contrast, climatic factors could not explain the variation in the burned area in the period without indigenous brigades.

Synthesis and applications. The fire management realized by the indigenous brigades can modify the fire regime. These changes in the fire regime can include: changes in spatial patterns, the magnitude of fires and reduction in the influence of climate on fire regimes. Hence, the management carried out by the indigenous brigades can be considered an important tool for fire management. In addition to demonstrating the importance of programs that integrate traditional indigenous knowledge with fire management policies, such as the Integrated Fire Management (IFM), to construct effective management strategies.
Influence of species functional strategy on leaf stoichiometric responses to fertilizer in a Bornean heath forest
Authors: Sellan Giacomo , Thompson Jill , Majalap Noreen , Brearley Francis Q.
Published: February 2022

The distribution of Bornean heath forest on white sand soils is believed to be due to element limitation and soil acidity.

To determine the impact of both element limitation and soil acidity on tropical heath forest, we established a soil fertilization experiment to investigate the impact that increased soil N availability and reduced soil pH (using lime/CaCO3) had on a range of elements in tree leaves. We hypothesized that alterations in soil resource availability would cause changes in the tree leaf N:P ratio and concentrations of other elements and these changes would be influenced by species' functional strategies.

The experiment was carried out in a Bornean heath forest on infertile soil over a 2‐year period. We selected 10 common tree species, spanning acquisitive to conservative strategies and tested whether tree species functional strategies influenced tree leaf elemental concentrations after the fertilization.

Leaf N:P ratios showed considerable differences among co‐occurring species. Overall, we found that soil N addition treatments increased leaf N concentration, although leaf N:P ratios were not affected. Changes in leaf Al, Fe and S concentrations were correlated with species functional strategy: conservative species showed a greater increase in leaf Fe compared with acquisitive species, whereas acquisitive species showed a greater increase in leaf Al but a decrease in leaf S compared with conservative species.

Synthesis. We show that soil elements uptake differs between acquisitive and conservative species and that acquisitive species may not take up soil elemental resources more effectively than conservative species. We suggest that the greater Fe acquisition by conservative species, in comparison to acquisitive species, might be due to a stress tolerance strategy. The overall increase in leaf N showed that, in this nutrient‐poor forest, N is a fundamental requirement irrespective of species functional strategies. Given the increased leaf Al and Fe concentration after liming, we also suggest that these elements are important, and possibly limiting (Fe), in this heath forest.
Face Value: Trait Impressions, Performance Characteristics, and Market Outcomes for Financial Analysts
Authors: PENG LIN , TEOH SIEW HONG , WANG YAKUN , YAN JIAWEN
Published: February 2022

Using machine learning–based algorithms, we measure key impressions about sell‐side analysts using their LinkedIn photos. We find that impressions of analysts’ trustworthiness (TRUST) and dominance (DOM) are positively associated with forecast accuracy, especially after recent in‐person meetings between analysts and firm managers. High TRUST also enhances stock return sensitivity to forecast revisions, especially for stocks with high institutional ownership. In contrast, the impression of analysts’ attractiveness (ATTRACT) is only positively associated with accuracy for new analysts or when a firm has a new CEO or CFO. Furthermore, while high DOM helps male analysts’ chances of attaining All‐Star status, it reduces female analysts’ accuracy and the likelihood of winning the All‐Star award. In addition, the relation between TRUST and accuracy is modulated by the disclosure environment and is attenuated by Regulation Fair Disclosure. Our results suggest that face impressions influence analysts’ access to information and the perceived credibility of their reports.
Accuracy of presenting symptoms, physical examination, and imaging for diagnosis of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Fernando Shannon M. , Tran Alexandre , Cheng Wei , Rochwerg Bram , Strauss Shira A. , Mutter Eric , McIsaac Daniel I. , Kyeremanteng Kwadwo , Kubelik Dalibor , Jetty Prasad , Nagpal Sudhir K. , Thiruganasambandamoorthy Venkatesh , Roberts Derek J. , Perry Jeffrey J.
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) is a life‐threatening condition, and rapid diagnosis is necessary to facilitate early surgical intervention. We sought to evaluate the accuracy of presenting symptoms, physical examination signs, computed tomography with angiography (CTA), and point‐of‐care ultrasound (PoCUS) for diagnosis of rAAA.

Methods

We searched six databases from inception through April 2021. We included studies investigating the accuracy of any of the above tests for diagnosis of rAAA. The primary reference standard used in all studies was intraoperative diagnosis or death from rAAA. Because PoCUS cannot detect rupture, we secondarily assessed its accuracy for the diagnosis of AAA, using the reference standard of intraoperative or CTA diagnosis. We used GRADE to assess certainty in estimates.

Results

We included 20 studies (2,077 patients), with 11 of these evaluating signs and symptoms, seven evaluating CTA, and five evaluating PoCUS. Pooled sensitivities of abdominal pain, back pain, and syncope for rAAA were 61.7%, 53.6%, and 27.8%, respectively (low certainty). Pooled sensitivity of hypotension and pulsatile abdominal mass were 30.9% and 47.1%, respectively (low certainty). CTA had a sensitivity of 91.4% and specificity of 93.6% for diagnosis of rAAA (moderate certainty). In our secondary analysis, PoCUS had a sensitivity of 97.8% and specificity of 97.0% for diagnosing AAA in patients suspected of having rAAA (moderate certainty).

Conclusions

Classic clinical symptoms associated with rAAA have poor sensitivity, and their absence does not rule out the condition. CTA has reasonable accuracy, but misses some cases of rAAA. PoCUS is a valuable tool that can help guide the need for urgent transfer to a vascular center in patients suspected of having rAAA.
Corporate social responsibility and litigation risk: Evidence from securities class action lawsuits
Authors: Chakraborty Atreya , Gao Lucia S. , Musa Prianka
Published: February 2022

This study examines whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) is associated with the likelihood and outcomes of securities class action lawsuits. We find a lower likelihood of securities litigation for firms with higher CSR. This effect is larger for companies with lower levels of financial distress, companies with larger proportions of institutional investors, and for internal CSR. Additionally, CSR has a mitigating effect on negative market assessments around the filing dates of securities litigation. The results suggest that higher CSR firms are less likely to engage in financial misconduct, and investors are less likely to penalise them for such occurrences.
Does mRNA SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine in the follicular fluid impact follicle and oocyte performance in IVF treatments?
Authors: Odeh‐Natour Rasha , Shapira Maanit , Estrada Daniela , Freimann Sarit , Tal Yana , Atzmon Yuval , Bilgory Asaf , Aslih Nardin , Abu‐Raya Yasmin Shibli , Shalom‐Paz Einat
Published: February 2022

Problem

The COVID‐19 pandemic has many clinical manifestations. Rapid vaccine development raised concerns and speculations about future fertility outcomes and vaccine safety. We evaluated the effect of Pfizer‐BioNTech mRNA SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine on IVF treatment, oocyte and embryo quality, and pregnancy outcomes.

Method of study

This prospective, observational cohort study was conducted in a referral IVF Unit, 3/2021‐5/2021. We aimed to recruit all women undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles from 3/1–4/30/2021, 2‐8 weeks after the second vaccination, and to analyze 50–60 samples in the 2‐month period. Patients were categorized according to serum antibody levels: positive for spike (S), positive for nucleotide (N), or negative for both. On the day of ovum pick‐up, follicular fluid and blood samples were analyzed for anti‐nucleotide (anti‐N) antibodies, and anti‐spike (anti‐S) antibodies, hormonal profile, C‐reactive protein (CRP) and other metabolic parameters.

Results

Of 59 women enrolled, 37 reported being vaccinated and 22 were not. We found 97% correlation between anti‐S and anti‐N in the blood and the follicular fluid. Follicular fluid was analyzed based on antibody categorization. All IVF treatment parameters in the follicular fluids and serum were comparable, except CRP was significantly elevated among patients with anti‐N antibodies (2.29 [1.42–6.08] vs. 4.11 [1.62–5.75] vs. 1.44 [.36–8.33]; p < .001). Pregnancy outcomes were comparable (44% vs. 33% vs. 50%; p = .97).

Conclusion

mRNA SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine did not appear to affect treatment outcomes or ovarian reserves in the subsequent IVF cycle.
Prior term delivery increases risk of subsequent recurrent preterm birth: An unexpected finding
Authors: Suff Natalie , Xu Vicky X. , Dalla Valle Giorgia , Carter Jenny , Brennecke Shaun , Shennan Andrew
Published: February 2022

Background

Women with a prior pregnancy at term are generally considered to be at reduced risk for subsequent spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), whereas a previous sPTB is a major predictor for a future sPTB.

Aims

The objective of this study was to investigate the risk of recurrent sPTB in women with a prior term birth and a subsequent sPTB.

Materials and Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, UK. There were 430 women included: 230 with a term birth (caesarean section or vaginal delivery) preceding a sPTB (term + sPTB group) and 200 with a prior sPTB only (sPTB only group). The primary outcome was sPTB, <37 weeks gestation.

Results

Of the term + sPTB group, 38.7% (89/230) had a recurrent sPTB compared to 20% (40/200) in the sPTB only group (P < 0.0001), with a relative risk (RR) of 1.9. Of women who had a term caesarean section and a subsequent PTB, 50% (30/60) had a further sPTB (RR 2.5 compared to the sPTB only group), while 34.7% (59/170) of women who had a term vaginal birth and subsequent sPTB, had a further sPTB (RR 1.7 compared to the sPTB only group).

Conclusion

In women who have had a previous sPTB, the risk of a recurrence is much higher than in women with a prior term birth. The aetiology of PTB may be different in this subgroup of women and needs to be further elucidated to determine how best to identify and treat them.
Mechanisms linking emotional labour and emotional exhaustion: Combining two different perspectives
Authors: Yang Kyunguk , Jang Heeeun
Published: March 2022

Although many studies have been conducted on emotional labour, the empirical evidence regarding the effect of deep acting on employees' emotional exhaustion remains mixed. Scholars adopting the person‐focused approach have supposed that deep acting is beneficial for employees' well‐being because it reduces the discrepancy between felt and expressed emotions—emotional dissonance. However, the mixed results of previous empirical studies indicate that a more balanced approach including an alternative mechanism that offsets the effect of emotional dissonance seems to be required. Drawing upon the job‐focused perspective, which stresses the psychological costs of emotional labour, we posited difficulty maintaining display rules as an alternative mechanism representing the ego‐depleting process of emotional labour. We tested the mediating effects of emotional dissonance and difficulty maintaining display rules on the relationship between emotional labour and emotional exhaustion. Our research model was tested using data collected from 211 salespeople over a 4‐week period. Using multilevel path analysis, we find that emotional dissonance and difficulty maintaining display rules mediate the effects of surface acting on emotional exhaustion. Difficulty maintaining display rules mediates the relationship between deep acting and emotional exhaustion. Our findings suggest that emotional labour strategies impact employees' emotional exhaustion via different mechanisms.
His Bundle pacing for congenital complete AV block: An attempt to fix a broken heart?
Authors: Piemontese Giuseppe Pio , Ziacchi Matteo , Statuto Giovanni , Angeletti Andrea , Massaro Giulia , Bartoli Lorenzo , Biffi Mauro
Published: March 2022

Congenital complete atrioventricular block (CCAVB) is usually due to failure of atrioventricular nodal conduction with preservation of the His‐Purkinje system. Most patients with CCAVB ultimately require pacemaker therapy to restore physiologic heart rates, dealing with the detrimental effects of chronic right ventricular (RV) pacing on cardiac structure and function. The ideal stimulation pattern aims to mimic the normal conduction to restore electromechanical coupling, preventing the harmful effects of lack of atrioventricular and inter‐intraventricular synchrony. This can be done through conduction system pacing. Using His bundle pacing (HBP) for cardiac resynchronization therapy in two complete congenital atrioventricular block patients, we have reported better exercise tolerance and echocardiographic improvements related to reversible left ventricular dysfunction that can be corrected by restoration of the normal activation pathway via the His‐Purkinje network.
Business and health: A research agenda post‐Covid‐19
Authors: Husted Bryan W.
Published: February 2022

Despite some work dealing with occupational health and marketing unhealthy products, the business and society largely ignores the impacts of business on health. Focusing on employees and consumers, the literature does not take into account the impacts of business on the health of community members in general. Given work in such fields as public health, geography, and history, there is an ample basis upon which to construct a new line of research for business and society scholars—business and health. This essay develops ideas on how such a line of inquiry might proceed.
Bayesian Interaction Selection Model for Multimodal Neuroimaging Data Analysis
Authors: Zhao Yize , Wu Ben , Kang Jian
Published: February 2022

Multimodality or multiconstruct data arise increasingly in functional neuroimaging studies to characterize brain activity under different cognitive states. Relying on those high-resolution imaging collections, it is of great interest to identify predictive imaging markers and intermodality interactions with respect to behavior outcomes. Currently, most of the existing variable selection models do not consider predictive effects from interactions, and the desired higher-order terms can only be included in the predictive mechanism following a two-step procedure, suffering from potential misspecification. In this paper, we propose a unified Bayesian prior model to simultaneously identify main effect features and intermodality interactions within the same inference platform in the presence of high-dimensional data. To accommodate the brain topological information and correlation between modalities, our prior is designed by compiling the intermediate selection status of sequential partitions in light of the data structure and brain anatomical architecture, so that we can improve posterior inference and enhance biological plausibility. Through extensive simulations, we show the superiority of our approach in main and interaction effects selection, and prediction under multimodality data. Applying the method to the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, we characterize the brain functional underpinnings with respect to general cognitive ability under different memory load conditions.