bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Native Tongue Title
Authors: Zuckermann Ghil'ad
Published: June 2020

This chapter proposes the enactment of an ex gratia compensation scheme for the loss of Indigenous languages in Australia. Although some Australian states have enacted ex gratia compensation schemes for the victims of the Stolen Generation policies, the victims of linguicide are largely overlooked by the Australian Government. Existing competitive grant schemes to support Aboriginal languages should be complemented with compensation schemes, which are based on a claim of right. The chapter first outlines the history of linguicide during colonization in Australia. It then puts a case for reviving lost Aboriginal languages by highlighting the deontological, aesthetic and utilitarian benefits of language revival. After evaluating the limits of existing Australian law in supporting language revival efforts, I propose ‘Native Tongue Title’, compensation for language loss—modelled upon Native Title, compensation for land loss.
Our Ancestors Are Happy
Authors: Zuckermann Ghil'ad
Published: June 2020

This chapter explores the correlation between language revival and wellbeing. It suggests that there is an urgent need to systematically assess quantitatively the mental health impact of language reclamation on indigenous communities. The primary hypothesis is that there will be significant improvements in mental health during the language revival process, reduced suicide ideation (i.e. people would be less likely to come up with the idea of suicide as a possibility), reduced self-harm, and reduced instances of suicide. Language is postulated as core to a people’s wellbeing and mental health. The link between poor mental health and suicide has been clearly demonstrated. But it is one thing to have a statement about the importance of language and mental health; it is another to have the statistical evidence that governments often require to implement policies that will affect personal, community and social wellbeing. Hallett, Chandler, and Lalonde (2007) report a clear correlation between youth suicide and lack of conversational knowledge in the native language in British Columbia, Canada. However, there has been no systematic study of the impact of language revival on mental health and suicide, partly because language reclamation is still rare. This chapter suggests that just as language loss increases suicidal ideation and depression, language gain reduces ill mental health.
Pliny the Younger
Authors: Gibson Roy K.
Published: June 2020

Within a century of his death, the Younger Pliny was already being confused with his famous uncle, the Elder Pliny. In the 1300s, the two were successfully disentangled, although the error of their origin in Verona (rather than Como) was spread. Statues of the Plinii were erected on Como cathedral in the 1480s as part of a campaign to reassert their citizenship of Roman Comum. Biographical interest in the Younger remained strong in the centuries that followed. Pliny remains the best documented Roman individual, other than emperors, between Cicero and Augustine. The present biography will tell its story through a focus on the locales with which Pliny was most closely associated; but a strong thread of linear narration will be maintained. His Letters are the main source for his life: they need to be evaluated carefully. Four figures will accompany Pliny throughout the biography: Cicero, Tacitus, Epictetus, and Augustine.
“Why Isn’t It Going Away?”: A Qualitative Exploration of Worry and Pain Experiences in Adolescents with Chronic Pain
Authors: Heffernan Marese , Wilson Charlotte , Keating Kim , McCarthy Kevin
Published: June 2020

Introduction

The role of cognition is central to the fear avoidance (FA) model of chronic pain (CP), which emphasizes the importance of catastrophic pain interpretations and has been shown to be applicable to pediatric CP populations. However, while we know that pain catastrophizing plays a distinct role in influencing outcomes for children with CP, we know little about the specifics of how young people with CP experience catastrophizing and worry, as well as their general pain beliefs.

Objective

To qualitatively explore beliefs about and experiences of worry and pain among a purposeful sample of adolescents with CP.

Methods

Individual semistructured interviews with 12 adolescents (aged 12–17) with varying forms of CP attending an outpatient pain clinic in a general children’s hospital. Relevant psychometric measures were administered orally to further inform the data. Data were analyzed using critical realist thematic analysis.

Results

Three themes and one subtheme were identified. Themes were 1) the worry ripple: mind, body, and behavior (subtheme: worry content: personal competence and health); 2) the pain mystery: living in a “scribble of black”; and 3) the resist or avoid conundrum.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the need for psychological interventions targeting acceptance of uncertainty and also informing education on mind/body connections in adolescents with CP.
Development Projects and Economic Networks: Lessons from Rural Gambia
Authors: Heß Simon , Jaimovich Dany , Schündeln Matthias
Published: June 2020

This article investigates the effects of development projects on economic networks. To this end, we study the impact that a randomly allocated Community-Driven Development program in The Gambia has on economic interactions within rural villages. The program provides an exogenous source of variation to village-level stocks of productive capital and to village-wide collective activities. Based on detailed data on economic and social networks, we find a significant reduction of transfers in these networks in treatment villages. Guided by a theoretical framework, we investigate several possible mechanisms and find evidence that is consistent with two channels. First, the evidence points to modest wealth effects and a village-level transformation process towards a more formal economy. Second, we also find evidence that is consistent with elite capture, favouritism, and unequally distributed benefits leading to reductions in social capital and thus economic transactions. Overall, our findings suggest changes in networks as an avenue through which development interventions may have unintended consequences.
The Psychopathology and Neuroanatomical Markers of Depression in Early Psychosis
Authors: Upthegrove Rachel , Lalousis Paris , Mallikarjun Pavan , Chisholm Katharine , Griffiths Sian Lowri , Iqbal Mariam , Pelton Mirabel , Reniers Renate , Stainton Alexandra , Rosen Marlene , Ruef Anne , Dwyer Dominic B , Surman Marian , Haidl Theresa , Penzel Nora , Kambeitz-llankovic Lana , Bertolino Alessandro , Brambilla Paolo , Borgwardt Stefan , Kambeitz Joseph , Lencer Rebekka , Pantelis Christos , Ruhrmann Stephan , Schultze-Lutter Frauke , Salokangas Raimo K R , Meisenzahl Eva , Wood Stephen J , Koutsouleris Nikolaos ,   PRONIA Consortium
Published: June 2020

Depression frequently occurs in first-episode psychosis (FEP) and predicts longer-term negative outcomes. It is possible that this depression is seen primarily in a distinct subgroup, which if identified could allow targeted treatments. We hypothesize that patients with recent-onset psychosis (ROP) and comorbid depression would be identifiable by symptoms and neuroanatomical features similar to those seen in recent-onset depression (ROD). Data were extracted from the multisite PRONIA study: 154 ROP patients (FEP within 3 months of treatment onset), of whom 83 were depressed (ROP+D) and 71 who were not depressed (ROP−D), 146 ROD patients, and 265 healthy controls (HC). Analyses included a (1) principal component analysis that established the similar symptom structure of depression in ROD and ROP+D, (2) supervised machine learning (ML) classification with repeated nested cross-validation based on depressive symptoms separating ROD vs ROP+D, which achieved a balanced accuracy (BAC) of 51%, and (3) neuroanatomical ML-based classification, using regions of interest generated from ROD subjects, which identified BAC of 50% (no better than chance) for separation of ROP+D vs ROP−D. We conclude that depression at a symptom level is broadly similar with or without psychosis status in recent-onset disorders; however, this is not driven by a separable depressed subgroup in FEP. Depression may be intrinsic to early stages of psychotic disorder, and thus treating depression could produce widespread benefit.
The Human Factor: The Critical Importance of Effective Teamwork and Communication in Providing Quality and Safe Care
Authors: Sonali Seep , Kaur Harmanpreet
Published: June 2020

To achieve the desired results, teamwork requires cooperation, coordination, and communication among team members. This article outlines and presents various ways of reducing communication errors and failures, the importance of teamwork, and communication among direct patient care personnel. The study was descriptive and exploratory in nature with a sample size of 200. The efficient use of teamwork and communication had enhanced the level of quality of care for patients. Results of this article confirmed that the level of patient care improved by teamwork and communication. Consequently, conflicts occurred exclusively during the handover between nursing staff, and after their switch, the nursing staffs were usually in zeal to leave.
Mycobacterium bovis genomics reveals transmission of infection between cattle and deer in Ireland
Authors: Crispell Joseph , Cassidy Sophie , Kenny Kevin , McGrath Guy , Warde Susan , Cameron Henrietta , Rossi Gianluigi , MacWhite Teresa , White Piran C. L. , Lycett Samantha , Kao Rowland R. , Moriarty John , Gordon Stephen V.
Published: June 2020

Control of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by

Mycobacterium bovis

, in the Republic of Ireland costs €84 million each year. Badgers are recognized as being a wildlife source for

M. bovis

infection of cattle. Deer are thought to act as spillover hosts for infection; however, population density is recognized as an important driver in shifting their epidemiological role, and deer populations across the country have been increasing in density and range. County Wicklow represents one specific area in the Republic of Ireland with a high density of deer that has had consistently high bTB prevalence for over a decade, despite control operations in both cattle and badgers. Our research used whole-genome sequencing of

M. bovis

sourced from infected cattle, deer and badgers in County Wicklow to evaluate whether the epidemiological role of deer could have shifted from spillover host to source. Our analyses reveal that cattle and deer share highly similar

M. bovis

strains, suggesting that transmission between these species is occurring in the area. In addition, the high level of diversity observed in the sampled deer population suggests deer may be acting as a source of infection for local cattle populations. These findings have important implications for the control and ultimate eradication of bTB in Ireland.
Sensitivity analysis of the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 in Europe
Authors: Soltesz Kristian , Gustafsson Fredrik , Timpka Toomas , Jaldén Joakim , Jidling Carl , Heimerson Albin , Schön Thomas B. , Spreco Armin , Ekberg Joakim , Dahlström Örjan , Carlson Fredrik Bagge , Jöud Anna , Bernhardsson Bo
Published: June 2020

The role of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 has drawn significant attention, both scientific and political. Particularly, an article by the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team (ICCRT), published online in Nature on June 8, 2020, evaluates the efficiency of 5 NPIs. Based on mortality data up to early May, it concludes that only one of the interventions, lockdown, has been efficient in 10 out of 11 studied European countries.

We show, via simulations using the ICCRT model code, that conclusions regarding the effectiveness of individual NPIs are not justified. Our analysis focuses on the 11th country, Sweden, an outlier in that no lockdown was effectuated. The new simulations show that estimated NPI efficiencies across all 11 countries change drastically unless the model is adapted to give the Swedish data special treatment. While stated otherwise in the Nature article, such adaptation has been done in the model code reproducing its results: An ungrounded country-specific parameter said to have been introduced in all 11 countries, is in the code only activated for Sweden. This parameter de facto provides a new NPI category, only present in Sweden, and with an impact comparable to that of a lockdown.

While the considered NPIs have unarguably contributed to reduce virus spread, our analysis reveals that their individual efficiency cannot be reliably quantified by the ICCRT model, provided mortality data up to early May.
On the Colijn-Plazzotta numbering scheme for unlabeled binary rooted trees
Authors: Rosenberg Noah A.
Published: June 2020

Colijn & Plazzotta (Syst. Biol.67:113-126, 2018) introduced a scheme for bijectively associating the unlabeled binary rooted trees with the positive integers. First, the rank 1 is associated with the 1-leaf tree. Proceeding recursively, ordered pair (k1,k2),k1⩾k2⩾ 1, is then associated with the tree whose left subtree has rankk1and whose right subtree has rankk2. Following dictionary order on ordered pairs, the tree whose left and right subtrees have the ordered pair of ranks (k1,k2) is assigned rankk1(k1− 1)/2 + 1 +k2. With this ranking, given a number of leavesn, we determine recursions foran, the smallest rank assigned to some tree withnleaves, andbn, the largest rank assigned to some tree withnleaves. Fornequal to a power of 2, the value ofanis seen to increase exponentially with 2αnfor a constantα≈ 1.24602; more generally, we show it is boundedan< 1.5n. The value ofbnis seen to increase withfor a constantβ≈ 1.05653. The great difference in the rates of increase foranandbnindicates that as the indexvis incremented, the number of leaves for the tree associated with rankvquickly traverses a wide range of values. We interpret the results in relation to applications in evolutionary biology.

Mathematics subject classification

05C05, 92B10, 92D15
Tactile active sensing in insect-plant pollination
Authors: Deora Tanvi , Ahmed Mahad A. , Daniel Thomas L. , Brunton Bingni W.
Published: June 2020

The interaction between insects and the flowers they pollinate has driven the evolutionary diversity of both insects and flowering plants, two groups with the most numerous species on earth. Insects use vision and olfaction to localize their host plants, but to feed from the flower, they must find the tiny nectary opening, which can be well beyond their visual resolution. When vision is limited, the sense of touch becomes especially crucial, yet very few studies have investigated the role of rapid and precise tactile feedback in successful feeding and pollination interactions. In this paper, we study the remarkable feeding behavior of flying insects that use their proboscis, a flexible mouthpart often longer than their entire body length when unfurled, to expertly explore floral surfaces. Specifically, we observed how the crepuscular hawkmothManduca sextainteracts with artificial, 3D-printed flowers of varying shapes. We found that moths actively explore the flower for tactile features, systematically sweeping their proboscis from edge to center repeatedly until they locate the nectary. Moreover, naive moths rapidly learn to exploit flowers, and they adopt a tactile search strategy to more directly locate the nectary in as few as three to five consecutive visits. We suggest moths wield their proboscis to extract salient tactile features, such as floral edges and corolla curvature. Our results highlight the proboscis as a unique sensory structure and emphasize the central role of touch in insect-plant pollination interactions.
Augmenting Signaling Pathway Reconstructions
Authors: Rubel Tobias , Ritz Anna
Published: June 2020

Signaling pathways drive cellular response, and understanding such pathways is fundamental to molecular systems biology. A mounting volume of experimental protein interaction data has motivated the development of algorithms to computationally reconstruct signaling pathways. However, existing methods suffer from low recall in recovering protein interactions in ground truth pathways, limiting our confidence in any new predictions for experimental validation. We present the Pathway Reconstruction AUGmenter (PRAUG), a higher-order function for producing high-quality pathway reconstruction algorithms. PRAUG modifies any existing pathway reconstruction method, resulting in augmented algorithms that outperform their un-augmented counterparts for six different algorithms across twenty-nine diverse signaling pathways. The algorithms produced by PRAUG collectively reveal potential new proteins and interactions involved in the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways. PRAUG offers a valuable framework for signaling pathway prediction and discovery.
First proof of the capability of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 in India through detection of genetic material of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Kumar Manish , Patel Arbind Kumar , Shah Anil V , Raval Janvi , Rajpara Neha , Joshi Madhvi , Joshi Chaitanya G
Published: June 2020

we made the first ever successful effort from India to detect the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 viruses to understand the capability and application of WBE surveillance in India. Sampling was carried out on 8 and 27 May, 2020 from Old Pirana Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Ahmedabad, Gujarat with 106 million liters per day (MLD) capacity receiving effluent of Civil Hospital treating COVID-19 patient. All three i.e. ORF1ab, N and S genes of SARS-CoV-2 were discerned in the influents with no gene spotted in the effluent collected on 8 and 27 May 2020. Temporal difference between 8 and 27 May 2020 samples was of 10x in gene copy loading with corresponding change of 2x in the number active COVID-19 patient in the city. Number of gene copies was found comparable to that reported in the untreated wastewaters of Australia, China and Turkey and lower than that of the USA, France and Spain. This study, being the first from India and probably among the first ten reports in the world of gene detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the environmental samples, aims to assist concerned authorities and policymakers to formulate and/or upgrade the COVID-19 surveillance to have explicit picture of phase of the pandemic. While infectious SARS-CoV-2 has yet to be identified in the aquatic environment, the virus potentially enters the wastewater stream from patient excretions and thus can be a great tool for pandemic monitoring.

HIGHLIGHTS

□

First ever report of the presence of gene of SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater in India.

□

CT value is explicitly indicative of the increase of COVID-19 patient in the vicinity.

□

All three i.e. ORF1ab, N and S genes of SARS-CoV-2 were discerned in the influents.

□

None of three genes were spotted in the effluent collected on 8 and 27 May 2020.

□

Wastewater surveillance conclusively specified temporal difference in COVID-19 load.

□

Temporal difference was 10x and 2x in gene copies and COVID-19 patient, respectively.
Tbr2-expressing retinal ganglion cells are ipRGCs
Authors: Mao Chai-An , Chen Ching-Kang , Kiyama Takae , Weber Nicole , Whitaker Christopher M. , Pan Ping , Badea Tudor C. , Massey Stephen C.
Published: June 2020

The mammalian retina contains more than 40 retinal ganglion cell (RGC) subtypes based on their unique morphologies, functions, and molecular profiles. Among them, intrinsically photosensitive RGCs (ipRGCs) are the first specified RGC type that emerged from a common pool of retinal progenitor cells. Previous work has shown that T-box transcription factorT-brain 2(Tbr2) is essential for the formation and maintenance of ipRGCs, and Tbr2-expressing RGCs activateOpn4expression upon native ipRGC loss, suggesting that Tbr2+RGCs can serve as a reservoir for ipRGCs. However, the identity of Tbr2+RGCs has not been fully vetted, and the developmental and molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of native and reservoir ipRGCs remain unclear. Here, we showed that Tbr2-expressing retinal neurons include RGCs and GABAergic displaced amacrine cells (dACs). Using genetic sparse labeling, we demonstrated that the majority of Tbr2+RGCs are intrinsically photosensitive and morphologically indistinguishable from known ipRGC types and have identical retinofugal projections. Additionally, we found a minor fraction of Pou4f1-expressing Tbr2+RGCs marks a unique OFF RGC subtype. Most of the Tbr2+RGCs can be ablated by anti-melanopsin-SAP toxin in adult retinas, supporting that Tbr2+RGCs contain reservoir ipRGCs that express melanopsin at varying levels. WhenTbr2is deleted in adult retinas,Opn4expression is diminished followed by the death ofTbr2-deficient cells, suggesting that Tbr2 is essential for bothOpn4expression and ipRGC survival. Finally, Tbr2 extensively occupies multipleT-elements in theOpn4locus, indicating a direct regulatory role for Tbr2 onOpn4transcription.

Significance statement

Melanopsin/Opn4-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) play fundamental roles in non-image forming vision. Previously we identifiedTbr2as the key transcription regulator for the development and maintenance of ipRGCs. To reveal the full identity of Tbr2-expressing retinal neurons and how Tbr2 acts, we generated a novel mouse line to genetically label and study Tbr2-expressing cells. Our in-depth characterizations firmly established that most Tbr2+RGCs are indeed ipRGCs and that Tbr2 regulatesOpn4transcription, thus place Tbr2-Opn4 transcription regulatory hierarchy as the primary component in the development and maintenance of the non-image forming visual system.
Holder Pasteurization Inactivates SARS-CoV-2 in Human Breast Milk
Authors: Conzelmann Carina , Groß Rüdiger , Meister Toni Luise , Todt Daniel , Krawczyk Adalbert , Dittmer Ulf , Stenger Steffen , Münch Jan , Steinmann Eike , Müller Janis A , Pfaender Stephanie
Published: June 2020

SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been detected in the human breast milk of infected mothers, raising concerns regarding the safety of breastfeeding upon infection. We here show that holder pasteurization inactivates SARS-CoV-2 and provides an alternative and safe option for infected mothers to continue feeding breast milk to their infants.
Ambient noise from ocean surf drives frequency shifts in non-passerine bird song
Authors: Sebastianelli Matteo , Blumstein Daniel T. , Kirschel Alexander N. G.
Published: June 2020

Effective communication in birds is often hampered by background noise, with many recent studies focusing on the effect of anthropogenic noise on passerine bird song. Continuous low-frequency natural noise is predicted to drive changes in both frequency and temporal patterning of bird vocalizations, but the extent to which these effects may also affect birds that lack vocal learning is not yet fully understood. Here we use a gradient of exposure to natural low-frequency noise to assess whether it exerts selective pressure on vocalizations in a species whose songs are innate. We tested whether three species ofPogoniulustinkerbirds adapt their song when exposed to a source of continuous low-frequency noise from ocean surf. We show that dominant frequency increases the closer birds are to the coast in all the three species, and in line with higher noise levels, indicating that ocean surf sound may apply a selective pressure on tinkerbird songs. As a consequence, tinkerbirds adapt their songs with an increase in frequency to avoid the masking effect due to overlapping frequencies with ambient noise, therefore improving long-range communication with intended receivers. Our study provides for the first time, compelling evidence that natural ambient noise affects vocalizations in birds whose songs are developed innately. We believe that our results can also be extrapolated in the context of anthropogenic noise pollution, hence providing a baseline for the study of the effects of low-frequency ambient noise on birds that lack vocal learning.

Significance Statement

Birdsong is constantly under selection as it mediates key interactions such as mate attraction, competition with same-sex individuals for reproduction and competition with heterospecifics for space-related resources. Any phenomenon that interferes with communication can therefore have a profound impact on individual fitness. Passerines are more likely to avoid the masking effect of background noise because of their higher vocal flexibility. Many non-passerine species lacking such flexibility might therefore be more vulnerable to the negative effects on their fitness of exposure to low-frequency background noise. Species incapable of adapting their signals to background noise are predicted to disappear from noisy areas. Despite this, we show that species that lack song learning may show an adaptive response to natural noise which may develop over evolutionary timescales.
Optimisation of functional network resources when learning behavioural strategies for performing complex tasks
Authors: Daws Richard E. , Scott Gregory , Soreq Eyal , Leech Robert , Hellyer Peter J. , Hampshire Adam
Published: June 2020

We developed two novel self-ordered switching (SOS) fMRI paradigms to investigate how human behaviour and underlying network resources are optimised when learning to perform complex tasks with multiple goals. SOS was performed with detailed feedback and minimal pretraining (study 1) or with minimal feedback and substantial pretraining (study 2). In study 1, multiple-demand (MD) system activation became less responsive to routine trial demands but more responsive to the executive switching events with practice. Default Mode Network (DMN) activation showed the opposite relationship. Concomitantly, reaction time learning curves correlated with increased connectivity between functional brain networks and subcortical regions. This ‘fine-tuning’ of network resources correlated with progressively more routine and lower complexity behavioural structure. Furthermore, overall task performance was superior for people who applied structured behavioural routines with low algorithmic complexity. These behavioural and network signatures of learning were less evident in study 2, where task structure was established prior to entering the scanner. Together, these studies demonstrate how detailed feedback monitoring enables network resources to be progressively redeployed in order to efficiently manage concurrent demands.

Highlights

We examine the optimisation of behaviour and brain-network resources during a novel “self-ordered switching” (SOS) paradigm.

Task performance depended on generating behavioural routines with low algorithmic complexity (i.e., structured behaviours).

Behaviour became more structured and reaction time decreased as SOS was practised.

As behaviour became more structured, activation in multiple-demand regions decreased for simple trial events but increased for executive switching events

Increases in between-network functional connectivity correlate with reaction time decreases.
A COVID Moonshot: assessment of ligand binding to the SARS-CoV-2 main protease by saturation transfer difference NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Kantsadi Anastassia L. , Cattermole Emma , Matsoukas Minos-Timotheos , Spyroulias Georgios A. , Vakonakis Ioannis
Published: June 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological cause of the coronavirus disease 2019, for which no effective therapeutics are available. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is essential for viral replication and constitutes a promising therapeutic target. Many efforts aimed at deriving effective Mproinhibitors are currently underway, including an international open-science discovery project, codenamed COVID Moonshot. As part of COVID Moonshot, we used saturation transfer difference nuclear magnetic resonance (STD-NMR) spectroscopy to assess the binding of putative Mproligands to the viral protease, including molecules identified by crystallographic fragment screening and novel compounds designed as Mproinhibitors. In this manner, we aimed to complement enzymatic activity assays of Mproperformed by other groups with information on ligand affinity. We have made the MproSTD-NMR data publicly available. Here, we provide detailed information on the NMR protocols used and challenges faced, thereby placing these data into context. Our goal is to assist the interpretation of MproSTD-NMR data, thereby accelerating ongoing drug design efforts.
A D-amino acid produced by plant-bacteria metabolic crosstalk empowers interspecies competition
Authors: Aliashkevich Alena , Howell Matthew , Endre Gabriella , Kondorosi Eva , Brown Pamela J.B. , Cava Felipe
Published: June 2020

The bacterial cell wall is made of peptidoglycan (PG), a polymer that is essential for maintenance of cell shape and survival. Many bacteria alter their PG chemistry as a strategy to adapt their cell wall to environmental challenges. Therefore, identifying these factors is important to better understand the interplay between microbes and their habitat. Here we used the soil bacteriumPseudomonas putidato uncover cell wall modulators from plant extracts and found canavanine (CAN), a non-proteinogenic amino acid. We demonstrated that cell wall chemical editing by CAN is licensed byP. putidaBsrP, a broad-spectrum racemase which catalyzes production of D-CAN. Remarkably, D-CAN alters dramatically the PG structure of Rhizobiales (e.g.Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Sinorhizobium meliloti), impairing PG synthesis, crosslinkage and cell division. UsingA. tumefacienswe demonstrated that the detrimental effect of D-CAN is suppressed by a single amino acid substitution in the cell division PG transpeptidase penicillin binding protein 3a. Collectively, this work provides a fascinating example of how interspecies metabolic crosstalk can be a source of novel cell wall regulatory molecules to govern microbial biodiversity.
Characterization of basal forebrain glutamate neurons suggests a role in control of arousal and avoidance behavior
Authors: McKenna James T. , Yang Chun , Bellio Thomas , Anderson-Chernishof Marissa B. , Gamble Mackenzie C. , Hulverson Abigail , McCoy John G. , Winston Stuart , McNally James M. , Basheer Radhika , Brown Ritchie E.
Published: June 2020

The basal forebrain (BF) is involved in arousal, attention, and reward processing but the role of individual BF subtypes is still being uncovered. Glutamatergic neurons are the least well-understood of the three major BF neurotransmitter phenotypes. Here we analyzed the distribution, size, calcium-binding protein content and projections of the major group of BF glutamate neurons expressing the vesicular glutamate transporter subtype 2 (vGluT2) and tested the functional effect of activating them. Mice expressing Cre recombinase under control of the vGluT2 promoter were crossed with a reporter strain expressing the red fluorescent protein, tdTomato, to generate vGluT2-cre-tdTomato mice. Immunohistochemical staining for choline acetyltransferase and a cross with mice expressing green fluorescent protein selectively in GABAergic neurons confirmed cholinergic, GABAergic and vGluT2+ neurons represent separate BF subpopulations. Subsets of BF vGluT2+ neurons expressed the calcium binding proteins calbindin or calretinin, suggesting that multiple subtypes of BF vGluT2+ neurons exist. Anterograde tracing using adeno-associated viral vectors expressing channelrhodopsin2- enhanced yellow fluorescent fusion proteins revealed major projections of BF vGluT2+ neurons to neighboring BF cholinergic and parvalbumin neurons, as well as to extra-BF areas involved in the control of arousal and regions responding to aversive or rewarding stimuli such as the lateral habenula and ventral tegmental area. Optogenetic activation of BF vGluT2 neurons in a place preference paradigm elicited a striking avoidance of the area where stimulation was given. Together with previous optogenetic findings suggesting an arousal-promoting role, our findings suggest BF vGluT2 neurons play a dual role in promoting wakefulness and avoidance behavior.
Perceived Challenges of COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Preparedness: A Multinational Survey
Authors: Tartari Ermira , Hopman Joost , Allegranzi Benedetta , Gao Bin , Widmer Andreas , Cheng Vincent Chi-Chung , Wong Shuk Ching , Marimuthu Kalisvar , Ogunsola Folasade , Voss Andreas
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Implementation of effective infection prevention and control (IPC) measures is needed to support global capacity building to limit transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and mitigate its impact on health systems. We assessed the perceptions of healthcare workers on the current global IPC preparedness measures for COVID-19.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey using an electronic survey was circulated between February 26, 2020, and March 20, 2020, to IPC professionals during COVID-19 pandemic. The survey addressed the presence of COVID-19 guidelines as well as specific IPC preparedness activities in response to the outbreak.

Findings

In total, 339 IPC professionals spanning 63 countries in all 6 World Health Organization (WHO) regions, mostly from tertiary care centres participated. Of all participants, 66·6% were aware of the existence of national guidelines to prevent COVID-19. A shortage of PPE supplies was reported by 48% (ranging from 64·2% in low-income countries to 27·4% in high-income countries); 41·5% of respondents considered that the media had an impact on guideline development and 63·6% believed that guidelines were based on maximum security rather than on evidence-based analyses. 58·5% and 72·7% of participants believed that healthcare facilities and community settings respectively were not sufficiently prepared.

Conclusion

Results revealed lack of guidelines and concerns over insufficient PPE supply in both high- and low-income countries. Our findings should alert national health authorities to ramp up the implementation of IPC measures and focus on long-term preparedness and readiness for future pandemics, likely requiring government funds rather than reliance on healthcare institutions.
Individualism-collectivism cultural differences in performance feedback theory
Authors: Rhee Mooweon , Alexandra Valerie , Powell K. Skylar
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Performance feedback theory (PFT) has informed analyses in numerous national contexts and has been used to explain various business and management activities of firms. Stemming from behavioral theory and grounded in a cognitive perspective, which views organizational actions as being the results of decisions produced by groups of individual decision-makers, PFT research has mostly assumed the universal nature of cognition and decision-making processes. However, PFT also presumes that individual decision-makers bring with them different backgrounds and experiences. Hence, this paper offers propositions on how cultural differences in individualism-collectivism influence the major components of PFT, including the formation and revision of performance goals (aspiration levels), and search behaviors and risk preferences in response to gaps between goals and actual performance. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper offers theoretical propositions for the above purpose.

Findings

This is not an empirical analysis.

Originality/value

By integrating the individualism-collectivism differences framework into the PFT model, the authors answer previous calls to integrate concepts and frameworks from other theories into PFT while considering the role of cultural differences in aspiration-consequence relationships. Additionally, much of PFT research has focused on outcomes, while actual internal processes have remained unobserved. By focusing on how cultural differences influence various PFT processes, this conceptual analysis sheds light on the unobserved bounds of decision-makers' cognitions.
‘Doing nature’ and being a Guide: the problem of the town guide in the British Girl Guides Association, 1930–1960
Authors: Edwards Sian
Published: June 2020

Purpose

To explore the advice given by the British Girl Guides Association, a popular girls' youth organisation, to urban members in the period from 1930 to 1960.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on an analysis of the Girlguiding publications The Guide and The Guider in 30 years spanning 1930–1960.

Findings

The article shows that, although rural spaces maintained symbolic position in the education and training of the British Girl Guides Association throughout the mid-twentieth century, the use of urban spaces were central in ensuring that girls embodied Guiding principles on a day-to-day basis. While rural spaces, and especially the camp, have been conceptualised by scholars as ‘extraordinary’ spaces, this article argues that by encouraging girls to undertake nature study in their urban locality the organisation stressed the ordinariness of Guiding activity. In doing so, they encouraged girls to be an active presence in urban public space throughout the period, despite the fact that, as scholars have identified, the post-war period saw the increased regulation of children's presence in public spaces. Such findings suggest that the organisation allowed girls a modicum of freedom in town Guiding activities, although ultimately these were limited by expectations regarding the behaviour and conduct of members.

Originality/value

The article builds upon existing understandings of the Girl Guide organisation and mid-twentieth century youth movements. A number of scholars have recently argued for a more complex understanding of the relationship between urban and rural, outdoor and indoor spaces, within youth organisations in the 20th century. Yet the place of urban spaces in Girlguiding remains under-explored.
Artificial neural network analysis of teachers’ performance against thermal comfort
Authors: Alzahrani Hamdan , Arif Mohammed , Kaushik Amit , Goulding Jack , Heesom David
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The impact of thermal comfort in educational buildings continues to be of major importance in both the design and construction phases. Given this, it is also equally important to understand and appreciate the impact of design decisions on post-occupancy performance, particularly on staff and students. This study aims to present the effect of IEQ on teachers’ performance. This study would provide thermal environment requirements to BIM-led school refurbishment projects.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a detailed investigation into the direct impact of thermal parameters (temperature, relative humidity and ventilation rates) on teacher performance. In doing so, the research methodological approach combines explicit mixed-methods using questionnaire surveys and physical measurements of thermal parameters to identify correlation and inference. This was conducted through a single case study using a technical college based in Saudi Arabia.

Findings

Findings from this work were used to develop a model using an artificial neural network (ANN) to establish causal relationships. Research findings indicate an optimal temperature range between 23 and 25°C, with a 65% relative humidity and 0.4 m/s ventilation rate. This ratio delivered optimum results for both comfort and performance.

Originality/value

This paper presents a unique investigation into the effect of thermal comfort on teacher performance in Saudi Arabia using ANN to conduct data analysis that produced indoor environmental quality optimal temperature and relative humidity range.
Comparative study of various machine learning algorithms and Denavit–Hartenberg approach for the inverse kinematic solutions in a 3-

PP

SS parallel manipulator
Authors: Thomas Mervin Joe , Sanjeev Mithun M. , Sudheer A.P. , M.L. Joy
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to use different machine learning (ML) algorithms for the prediction of inverse kinematic solutions in parallel manipulators (PMs) to overcome the computational difficulties and approximations involved with the analytical methods. The results obtained from the ML algorithms and the Denavit–Hartenberg (DH) approach are compared with the experimental results to evaluate their performances. The study is performed on a novel 6-degree of freedom (DoF) PM that offers precise motions with a large workspace for the end effector.

Design/methodology/approach

The kinematic model for the proposed 3-PPSS PM is obtained using the modified DH approach and its inverse kinematic solutions are determined using the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. Various prediction algorithms such as the multiple linear regression, multi-variate polynomial regression, support vector, decision tree, random forest regression and multi-layer perceptron networks are applied to predict the inverse kinematic solutions for the manipulator. The data set required to train the network is generated experimentally by recording the poses of the end effector for different instantaneous positions of the slider using the concept of ArUco markers.

Findings

This paper fully demonstrates the possibility to use artificial intelligence for the prediction of inverse kinematic solutions especially for complex geometries.

Originality/value

As the analytical models derived from the geometrical method, Screw theory or numerical techniques involve approximations and needs more computational power, it is not advisable for real-time control of the manipulator. In addition, the data set obtained from the derived inverse kinematic equations to train the network may lead to inaccuracies in the predicted results. This error may generate significant deviations in the end-effector position from the desired position. The present work attempts to resolve this issue by proposing a camera-based approach that uses ArUco library and ML algorithms to create the data set experimentally and predict the inverse kinematic solutions accurately.
Drivers of youth in cocoa value chain activities in Ghana
Authors: Mabe Franklin Nantui , Danso-Abbeam Gideon , Azumah Shaibu Baanni , Amoh Boateng Nathaniel , Mensah Kwadwo B. , Boateng Ethel
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Cocoa is regarded as a brown-golden crop, but its value chain activities are dominated by the elderly. Hence, focussing attention on the young generation of farmers is the surest way to reverse this trend and secure the future of the cocoa industry. This paper, therefore explores factors influencing youth participation in cocoa value chain activities in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected using a multistage sampling technique. The authors used a semi-structured questionnaire in collecting data via interviews. Through the theory of utility maximization, a multivariate probit (MVP) model was estimated to identify factors influencing youth participation in cocoa value chain activities in Ghana.

Findings

The author found that some of the value chain activities are complementary, while others are substitutes. Participation in cocoa value chain activities is influenced by access to land, participation in training programmes in cocoa production, membership of Next Generation Cocoa Youth Programme (MASO), access to agricultural credit and other demographic characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

Relevant information and youth-targeted projects enhance their participation in value chain activities.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few studies that empirically analyses drivers of youth participation in cocoa value chain activities in Africa.
Why are academics of science more productive than those of social science? Evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Gaus Nurdiana , Malago Jasruddin Daud , Basri Muhammad , Mustaking Mustaking , Paramma Muhammad Azwar , Maharani Nina , Angraeni Retno
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine factors influencing the productivity in research and publication between science and social science.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach with interviews for 40 academics in four public universities in Indonesia was applied to get an in-depth understanding of the issues.

Findings

The results of this study demonstrated that individual factors instead of institutional factors that contributed to the productivity of academics in science as compared to academics in social science.

Originality/value

Despite there were influential effects of institutions in which the socializing process of internalizing the values, norms and scientific roles under the auspice of qualified supervisors or advisors, there seemed to be an individual capacity that comes in between. The implications of this study are discussed in the article.
Understanding value creation in cultural industries: strategies for creating and managing meaning
Authors: Yin Eden , Phillips Nelson
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the valuation of cultural products and explores what this process means for organizations involved in their production and marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop the arguments using a number of mini-cases and industry examples.

Findings

The main thesis is that the meaningfulness and value ambiguity of cultural products shift the focus of valuation away from the products themselves towards how certain agents in the socio-cultural environment identify and certify these products. This paper discuss how valuation takes place via selection systems and how the nature of cultural products drives the dominance of one selection system over others.

Research limitations/implications

Theories on value creation needs to take consideration of the critical role played by the selection system instead of just the firms that produce these products.

Practical implications

Organizations engaged in producing highly symbolic products need to manage selection systems and related industry dynamics to establish an enduring competitive advantage.

Social implications

Value creation is a collective social efforts. Every member of the society can play a central role in this process. Better engaging various member of the society to enable them actively participate in the value creation process is what organizations today need to consider, instead of just treating individuals in the society as a “customer” who only passively consume. This research calls for the true empowerment of every member of the society to facilitate collective creativity and participation in the value creation endeavour that benefits the entire society as a whole.

Originality/value

It is the first paper that has created a conceptual link between the type of selection system and product categories. In other words, it takes existing literature on value creation and selection system one step further by creating the alignment or match between types of selection system and types of product categories. Therefore, it offers academics and practitioners a much detailed understanding on how value creation is conducted across different product categories.