bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glial cell mechanosensitivity is reversed by adhesion cues
Authors: Tomba C. , Migdal C. , Fuard D. , Villard C. , Nicolas A.
Published: December 2019

Brain tissues demonstrate heterogeneous mechanical properties, which evolve with aging and pathologies. The observation in these tissues of smooth to sharp rigidity gradients raises the question of brain cells responses to both different values of rigidity and their spatial variations. Here, we use recent techniques of hydrogel photopolymerization to achieve stiffness structuration down to micrometer resolution. We investigate primary neuron adhesion and orientation as well as glial cell adhesive and proliferative properties on multi-rigidity polyacrylamide hydrogels presenting a uniform density of adhesive molecules. We first observed that neurons grow following rigidity gradients. Then, our main observation is that glial cell adhesion and proliferation can be enhanced on stiff or on soft regions depending on the adhesive coating of the hydrogel, i. e. fibronectin or poly-L-lysine/laminin. This behavior was unchanged in the presence or not of neuronal cells. In addition, and contrarily to other cell types, glial cells were not confined by sharp, micron-scaled gradients of rigidity. Our observations suggest that their mechanosensitivity could involve adheison-related mechanosensitive pathways that are specific to brain tissues.

SIGNIFICANCE

By growing primary brain cells on 2D multi-rigidity polyacrylamide hydrogels, we show that favorable culture conditions for glial cells switch from stiff to soft substrates when changing the adhesive ligands from fibronectin to poly-L-lysine/laminin. Together with neurons, glial cells thus provide a unique example where soft is preferred to stiff, but unlike neurons, this preference can be reversed by changing the nature of the coating. We additionally show that contrarily to other cell types, glial cells are deformed by subcellular gradients of rigidity but cannot be confined by these rigidity gradients. These observations point that glial cell use a very specific, integrin-related machinery for rigidity sensing.
Loss of Aurora kinase signaling allows lung cancer cells to adopt an alternative cell cycle and form multinucleated polyploid giant cells that resist anti-mitotic drugs
Authors: Tagal Vural , Roth Michael G.
Published: December 2019

Polyploid multinucleated (PP/MN) giant cancer cells are common in tumors and have been associated with resistance to cancer therapy, tumor relapse, malignancy, immunosuppression, metastasis, cancer stem cell production and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. However, the molecular mechanisms that cause these cells to form are yet known. In this study, we discover that Aurora kinases are synergistic determinants of a switch from the proliferative cell cycle to polyploid growth and multinucleation in lung cancer cell lines. When Aurora kinases are inhibited together, lung cancer cells uniformly grow into PP/MN giant cells. These cells have adopted an endocycle in which the genome replicates, mitosis is omitted and cells grow in size. Consequently, such cells continue to safely grow in the presence of antimitotic agents. These polyploid multinucleated cancer cells can re-enter the proliferative cell cycle and grow in cell number when the treatment is terminated.
Characterization of the impact of daclizumab beta on circulating natural killer cells by mass cytometry
Authors: Ranganath Thanmayi , Simpson Laura J. , Seiler Christof , Ferreira Anne-Maud , Vendrame Elena , Zhao Nancy , Fontenot Jason D. , Holmes Susan , Blish Catherine A.
Published: December 2019

Daclizumab beta is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to CD25 and selectively inhibits high-affinity IL-2 receptor signaling. As a former treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS), daclizumab beta induces robust expansion of the CD56brightsubpopulation of NK cells that is correlated with the drug’s therapeutic effects. As NK cells represent a heterogeneous population of lymphocytes with a range of phenotypes and functions, the goal of this study was to better understand how daclizumab beta altered the NK cell repertoire to provide further insight into the possible mechanism(s) of action in RMS. We used mass cytometry to evaluate expression patterns of NK cell markers and provide a comprehensive assessment of the NK cell repertoire in individuals with RMS treated with daclizumab beta or placebo over the course of one year. Treatment with daclizumab beta significantly altered the NK cell repertoire compared to placebo treatment. As previously reported, daclizumab beta significantly increased expression of CD56 on total NK cells. Within the CD56brightNK cells, treatment was associated with multiple phenotypic changes, including increased expression of NKG2A and NKp44, and diminished expression of CD244, CD57, and NKp46. While the changes were less dramatic, CD56dimNK cells responded distinctly to daclizumab beta treatment, with higher expression of CD2 and NKG2A, and lower expression of FAS-L, HLA-DR, NTB-A, NKp30, and Perforin. Together, these data indicate that the expanded NK cells share features of both immature and mature NK cells. These findings show that daclizumab beta treatment is associated with unique changes in NK cells that may enhance their ability to kill autoreactive T cells or to exert immunomodulatory functions.
Determination of secretory granule maturation times in pancreatic islet beta-cells by serial block face scanning electron microscopy
Authors: Rao A. , McBride E.L. , Zhang G. , Xu H. , Cai T. , Notkins A.L. , Aronova M.A. , Leapman R.D.
Published: December 2019

It is shown how serial block-face electron microscopy (SBEM) of insulin-secreting beta cells in wild-type mouse pancreatic islets of Langerhans can be used to determine maturation times of secretory granules. Although SBEM captures the beta cell structure at a snapshot in time, the observed ultrastructure can be considered representative of a dynamic equilibrium state of the cells since the pancreatic islets are maintained in culture in approximate homeostasis. It is found that 7.2±1.2% (±st. dev.) of the beta cell volume is composed of secretory granule dense-cores exhibiting angular shapes surrounded by wide (typically ≳100 nm) electron-lucent halos. These organelles are identified as mature granules that store insulin for regulated release through the plasma membrane, with a release time of 96±12 hours, as previously obtained from pulsed 35S-radiolabeling of cysteine and methionine. Analysis of beta cell 3D volumes reveals a subpopulation of secretory organelles without electron-lucent halos, identified as immature secretory granules. Another subpopulation of secretory granules is found with thin (typically ≲30 nm) electron-lucent halos, which are attributed to immature granules that are transforming from proinsulin to insulin by action of prohormone convertases. From the volume ratio of proinsulin in the immature granules to insulin in the mature granules, we estimate that the newly formed immature granules remain in morphologically-defined immature states for an average time of 135±14 minutes, and the immature transforming granules for an average time of 130±17 minutes.
Chromatin-accessibility estimation from single-cell ATAC data with scOpen
Authors: Li Zhijian , Kuppe Christoph , Ziegler Susanne , Cheng Mingbo , Kabgani Nazanin , Menzel Sylvia , Zenke Martin , Kramann Rafael , Costa Ivan G.
Published: December 2019

A major drawback of single cell ATAC (scATAC) is its sparsity, i.e. open chromatin regions with no reads due to loss of DNA material during the scATAC-seq protocol. We propose scOpen, a computational method for imputing and quantifying the open chromatin status of regulatory regions from sparse scATAC-seq experiments. We show that scOpen improves crucial down-stream analysis steps of scATAC-seq data as clustering, visualisation, cis-regulatory DNA interactions and delineation of regulatory features. We demonstrate the power of scOpen to dissect regulatory changes in the development of fibrosis in the kidney. This identified a novel role of Runx1 and target genes by promoting fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation driving kidney fibrosis.
Sensing Traction Force on Matrix Induces Cell-Cell Distant Mechanical Communications for Self-assembly
Authors: Ouyang Mingxing , Qian Zhili , Bu Bing , Jin Yang , Wang Jiajia , Liu Lei , Pan Yan , Deng Linhong
Published: December 2019

The long-range biomechanical force propagating across large scale may reserve the capability to trigger coordinative responses within cell population such as during angiogenesis, epithelial tubulogenesis, and cancer metastasis. How cells communicate in a distant manner within the group for self-assembly remains largely unknown. Here we found that airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) rapidly self-assembled into well-constructed network on 3D Matrigel containing type I collagen (COL), which relied on long-range biomechanical force across the matrix to direct cell-cell distant interactions. Similar results happened by HUVEC cells to mimic angiogenesis. Interestingly, single ASMCs initiated multiple extended protrusions precisely pointing to neighboring cells in distance, depending on traction force sensing. Separate ASMCs sensed each other to move directionally on both non-fibrous Matrigel and more efficiently when containing fibrous COL, but lost mutual sensing on fixed gel or coated glass due to no long-range force transmission. Beads tracking assay demonstrated distant transmission of traction force, and finite element method modeling confirmed the consistency between maximum strain distribution on matrix and cell directional movements in experiments. Furthermore, ASMCs recruited COL from the hydrogel to build fibrous network to mechanically stabilize cell network. Our results revealed for the first time that cells can sense traction force transmitted through the matrix to initiate cell-cell distant mechanical communications, resulting in cell directional migration and coordinative self-assembly with active matrix remodeling. As an interesting phenomenon, cells sound able to ‘make phone call’ via long-range biomechanics, which implicates physiological importance such as for tissue pattern formation.
Quantitative prediction of enhancer–promoter interactions
Authors: Belokopytova Polina S. , Nuriddinov Miroslav A. , Mozheiko Evgeniy A. , Fishman Daniil , Fishman Veniamin
Published: December 2019

Recent experimental and computational efforts have provided large data sets describing three-dimensional organization of mouse and human genomes and showed the interconnection between the expression profile, epigenetic state, and spatial interactions of loci. These interconnections were utilized to infer the spatial organization of chromatin, including enhancer–promoter contacts, from one-dimensional epigenetic marks. Here, we show that the predictive power of some of these algorithms is overestimated due to peculiar properties of the biological data. We propose an alternative approach, which provides high-quality predictions of chromatin interactions using information on gene expression and CTCF-binding alone. Using multiple metrics, we confirmed that our algorithm could efficiently predict the three-dimensional architecture of both normal and rearranged genomes.
Dynamical effects in the integrated X-ray scattering intensity from imperfect crystals in Bragg diffraction geometry. I. Semi-dynamical model
Authors: Molodkin V. B. , Olikhovskii S. I. , Dmitriev S. V. , Nizkova A. I. , Lizunov V. V.
Published: December 2019

The analytical expressions for the coherent and diffuse components of the integrated reflection coefficient are considered in the case of asymmetric Bragg diffraction geometry for a single crystal of arbitrary thickness, which contains randomly distributed Coulomb-type defects. The possibility to choose the combinations of diffraction conditions optimal for characterizing defects of several types by accounting for dynamical effects in the integrated coherent and diffuse scattering intensities, i.e. primary extinction and anomalous absorption, has been analysed based on the statistical dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction by imperfect crystals. The measured integrated reflectivity dependencies of the imperfect silicon crystal on azimuthal angle were fitted to determine the diffraction parameters characterizing defects in the sample using the proposed formulas in semi-dynamical and semi-kinematical approaches.
X-ray diffraction from strongly bent crystals and spectroscopy of X-ray free-electron laser pulses
Authors: Kaganer Vladimir M. , Petrov Ilia , Samoylova Liubov
Published: December 2019

The use of strongly bent crystals in spectrometers for pulses of a hard X-ray free-electron laser is explored theoretically. Diffraction is calculated in both dynamical and kinematical theories. It is shown that diffraction can be treated kinematically when the bending radius is small compared with the critical radius given by the ratio of the Bragg-case extinction length for the actual reflection to the Darwin width of this reflection. As a result, the spectral resolution is limited by the crystal thickness, rather than the extinction length, and can become better than the resolution of a planar dynamically diffracting crystal. As an example, it is demonstrated that spectra of the 12 keV pulses can be resolved in the 440 reflection from a 20 µm-thick diamond crystal bent to a radius of 10 cm.
Monte Carlo simulation of coherently scattered photons based on the inverse-sampling technique
Authors: Muhammad Wazir , Liang Ying , Hart Gregory R. , Nartowt Bradley J. , Deng Jun
Published: December 2019

The acceptance–rejection technique has been widely used in several Monte Carlo simulation packages for Rayleigh scattering of photons. However, the models implemented in these packages might fail to reproduce the corresponding experimental and theoretical results. The discrepancy is attributed to the fact that all current simulations implement an elastic scattering model for the angular distribution of photons without considering anomalous scattering effects. In this study, a novel Rayleigh scattering model using anomalous scattering factors based on the inverse-sampling technique is presented. Its performance was evaluated against other simulation algorithms in terms of simulation accuracy and computational efficiency. The computational efficiency was tested with a general-purpose Monte Carlo package named Particle Transport in Media (PTM). The evaluation showed that a Monte Carlo model using both atomic form factors and anomalous scattering factors for the angular distribution of photons (instead of the atomic form factors alone) produced Rayleigh scattering results in closer agreement with experimental data. The comparison and evaluation confirmed that the inverse-sampling technique using atomic form factors and anomalous scattering factors exhibited improved computational efficiency and performed the best in reproducing experimental measurements and related scattering matrix calculations. Furthermore, using this model to sample coherent scattering can provide scientific insight for complex systems.
Towards the “Homo Deus” excellence perspective?
Authors: Anninos Loukas N.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The evolution of management underlines the importance of the human, systemic, technological and contingency element and their interaction along with an amplified awareness of organizations for achieving excellence. This paper aims to discuss whether the fusion of digital, biological and physical world leads to a new excellence perspective and to investigate the potential value of informative neuroscientific findings for setting the foundations for smart services.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a literature review regarding the advances of neurosciences and its implications for business. Their usefulness and potential contribution for the provision of smart services are investigated.

Findings

The fusion of technological evolution and biological sciences may potentially give birth to a new excellence conceptualization complemented by genetic data whose consequences are hard to predict. Neurosciences offer insights for various human behavior areas that can be used by business practitioners, to refine their thinking and management style and build brain-friendly organizational contexts. The combination of using neuroscientific evidence and technology in service systems sets the foundations for an “intelligent” provision of services in a quality context.

Originality/value

The paper investigates the conceptual development of excellence within the receding context of the “smart era” and the potential contribution of neurosciences for the provision of smart services with reference to quality pioneers’ theories and ideas.
Universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the sustainable development goals
Authors: Purcell Wendy Maria , Henriksen Heather , Spengler John D.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Universities can do more to deliver against the sustainable development goals (SDGs), working with faculty, staff and students, as well as their wider stakeholder community and alumni body. They play a critical role in helping shape new ways for the world, educating global citizens and delivering knowledge and innovation into society. Universities can be engines of societal transformation. Using a multiple case study approach, this study aims to explore different ways of strategizing sustainability toward delivering the SDGs are explored in a university setting with an example from the UK, Bulgaria (Europe) and USA.

Design/methodology/approach

The first case is a public UK university that adopted enterprise and sustainability as its academic mission to secure differentiation in a disrupted and increasingly marketized global higher education sector; this became a source of inspiration for change in regional businesses and the local community. The second case is a business sector-led sustainability-driven transformation working with a private university in Bulgaria to catalyze economic regeneration and social innovation. Finally, a case from the office for sustainability in a major US research university is given to show how its engagement program connected faculty and students in sustainability projects within the institution and with external partners.

Findings

Each case is in effect a “living lab,” positioning sustainability as an intentional and aspirational strategy with sustainable development and the SDG framework a means to that end. Leadership at all levels, and by students, was key to success in acting with a shared purpose. Partnerships within and with universities can help accelerate delivery of the SDGs, enabling higher education to make a fuller contribution to sustaining the economic, environmental, cultural and intellectual well-being of our global communities.

Originality/value

The role of universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the SDGs has been explored by way of three case studies that highlight different means toward that end. The collegiate nature of the higher education sector, with its shared governance models and different constituencies and performance drivers, means that sustainability at a strategic level must be led with leaders at all levels acting with purpose. The “living lab” model can become a part of transformative institutional change that draws on both top-down and bottom-up strategies in pursuit of sustainable development.
Have accounting measures lost their usefulness after the 2008 global financial crisis?
Authors: Almujamed Hesham I. , Alfraih Mishari M.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This purpose of this paper is to investigate the value relevance and incremental importance of earnings and book value in the Kuwaiti market to equity holders over time and in the context of the decade after the 2008 global financial crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Following reports in the literature, the value relevance of earnings and book values was examined using the price valuation model provided by Ohlson (1995). Observations (2,817) were collected from all firms listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange from 1994 to 2016.

Findings

The results suggest that the value relevance of earnings and book values declined over this period, and that the loss of value relevance for earnings data was greater than that for book value. The analysis provides evidence that the decline in value relevance of earnings and book value was driven by book values in the post-GFC period and suggests an exchange of value relevance between earning and book value post GFC.

Practical implications

The results are useful for regulators, analysts, investors and academics as an assessment of effectiveness of current financial reporting. There is a need for improvement because quality information helps equity holders determine value precisely. Timely financial reporting may mitigate the drop in value relevance of financial statements.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine value relevance accounting measures of Kuwaiti companies, in the post-GFC context. It contributes to capital market research through an empirical examination of a frontier capital market.
State of the sector: US worker cooperatives in 2017
Authors: Palmer Tim
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This is a national census of all worker cooperatives in the USA for 2017 implemented by the Democracy at Work Institute which is affiliated with the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives, the largest worker cooperative association in the USA. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Longitudinal survey with descriptive analysis of results.

Findings

The author identified 394 worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces in all areas of the country in fiscal year 2017 (though early tracking for 2018 shows at least 400 such businesses). While the typical worker cooperative is small (about nine workers and about $588,600 gross annual revenue) and either recently launched, or converted to the form, there are many notable examples of very large and/or long lasting businesses. Together they employ an estimated 6,734 workers and produce about $467m in revenue each year. The following analysis attempts to outline the basic geographic, structural, economic and demographic features of these enterprises.

Research limitations/implications

The author reached out to this list of businesses via e-mail and telephone contact between August and November 2018. This included both members of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives and non-members. The author asked participants to provide information based on their fiscal year 2017 performance. The survey asked similar questions to the prior year’s survey (e.g. total revenue, total assets, total wages, net income, total workers, total worker–owners, etc.), but also included some small changes in content, format and style. In total, 105 worker cooperatives responded and either fully or substantially completed the survey questions. All non-responsive firms were verified to be in business and operate as worker cooperatives in 2017 to the best of the author’s knowledge. Regardless of whether they responded, the author assigned all businesses an industry (NAICS) classification, foundational year and primary location based on basic internet research. This allowed the author to examine the larger universe when analyzing issues around the geography, age and industry of these enterprises. Additionally, internet research also allowed the author to add some other information about a portion of the non-responding worker cooperatives (e.g. number of workers, etc.) when such information was self-reported on their websites.

Originality/value

This is the only census of worker cooperatives done in the USA to the author’s knowledge.
The role of teachers’ self-efficacy between trust and organisational citizenship behaviour among secondary school teachers
Authors: Choong Yuen Onn , Ng Lee Peng , Ai Na Seow , Tan Chun Eng
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of teachers’ perception on trust over their willingness to exercise organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB) using self-efficacy as a mediator.

Design/methodology/approach

Usable questionnaires were collected from 411 teachers in secondary schools. A two-stage analytic approach was used to analyse the data.

Findings

The results indicated that trust and teachers’ self-efficacy dimensions (general teaching and personal teaching) are positively related to OCB. Additionally, trust in the principal, colleagues and clients are predicted to have indirect influence on OCB through self-efficacy.

Practical implications

Teachers’ personal sense of efficacy is largely dependent on the amount of efforts devoted in their teaching, their decision-making ability and the degree of persistency in solving problematic issues. School management and policy makers are urged to develop effective human resources initiatives and programmes that can create a trusting relationship in the organisation and enhance teachers’ self-efficacy. These may include the socialisation programmes that can inculcate teachers’ inner natures, confidence and interpersonal skills when directed towards perceived abilities in given specific tasks and responsibilities to make a significant impact on OCB. Apart from this, the school administrator is advised to offer relevant training and workshops that able to enhance the efficacy level of teachers.

Originality/value

This study explored how teachers’ self-efficacy was related to trust and OCB. Teachers’ positive behaviours enable them to have greater belief in their capability of handling pressures and crises. The study contributes to the current body of literature and creates a comprehensive theoretical framework for teachers to be involved in OCB. Besides, these unique findings served as a reference to management of any school to better understand the importance of trust in the school and how it relates to teacher self-efficacy, which, in turn nurture the citizenship behaviour in workplace.
A pilot study to assess an in-process inspection method for small diameter holes produced by direct metal laser sintering
Authors: Deja Mariusz , Zielinski Dawid
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the geometric quality of small diameter holes in parts printed by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technology. An in-process optical inspection method is proposed and assessed during a pilot study. The influence of the theoretical hole diameter assumed in a computer-aided design (CAD) system and the sample thickness (hole length) on the hole clearance was analyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

The samples are made of two different materials: EOS MaragingSteel MS1 and aluminium alloy EOS Aluminium consisted of straight through holes of different diameters and lengths. Dimensional and shape accuracy of the holes were determined with the use of the image processing software and the computer analysis of two-dimensional (2-D) images. The definition of the equivalent hole diameter was proposed to calculate the hole clearance. Feret’s diameters were determined for the evaluation of the shape accuracy.

Findings

The dependency between the equivalent hole diameter and the theoretical diameter was approximated by the linear function for a specific sample thickness. Additionally, a general empirical model for determining the hole clearance was developed, allowing for calculating the equivalent hole diameter as a function of a sample thickness and a theoretical hole diameter.

Practical implications

Developed functions can be used by designers for a proper assignment of a hole diameter to achieve the required patency. The relevant procedures and macros based on proposed empirical models can be embedded in CAD systems to support the designing process.

Originality/value

The analysis of the geometric quality of the holes in parts printed by DMLS was based on the computer analysis of 2-D images. The proposed method of assessing the shape accuracy of straight through holes is relatively cheap, is widely available and can be applied to the features of other shapes produced by three-dimensional printing.
Study on the improvement of ultra-wideband localization accuracy in narrow and long space
Authors: Cao Bo , Wang Shibo , Ge Shirong , Liu Wanli , Wang Shijia , Yi Shixue
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Wireless network localization technology is very popular in recent years and has attracted worldwide attention. The purpose of this paper is to improve the localization accuracy of ultra-wideband (UWB) with lower localization error taking into consideration the special real environment with the closed long and narrow space.

Design/methodology/approach

The principle of multidimensional scaling (MDS), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and Taylor series expansion algorithm (Taylor-D) were introduced. A novel positioning algorithm, MDS-PSO-Taylor was proposed to minimize the localization error. MDS-PSO algorithm provided a more accurate preliminary coordinate by applying the PSO algorithm so that the Taylor-D was used for further enhancing the localization accuracy.

Findings

Experimental results manifested that the proposed algorithm, providing small localization error value and higher positioning accuracy, can effectively reduce errors and achieve better performance in terms of the considerable improvement of localization accuracy.

Originality/value

The presented study with the real environment test attempts to demonstrate the proposed algorithm is hopeful to be applied to the underground environment for in the future.
Childhood abuse and unplanned pregnancies: a cross‐sectional study of women in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study
Authors: Drevin J , Hallqvist J , Sonnander K , Rosenblad A , Pingel R , Bjelland EK
Published: December 2019

Objective

To study if childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse are determinants for having an unplanned pregnancy, if the categories of abuse interact, and if a potential bias due to the selection of the participants (collider stratification bias) could explain the effect of childhood abuse.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Setting

The study is based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway.

Sample

Women participating in the MoBa for the first time, ≥18 years of age who responded to questions regarding childhood abuse and pregnancy planning (n = 76 197).

Methods

Data were collected using questionnaires. We conducted analyses using modified Poisson regressions and the relative excess risks due to interaction (RERI). Sensitivity analyses were performed.

Main outcome measure

An unplanned pregnancy (yes/no).

Results

Exposure to childhood emotional (adjusted relative risk [RR] 1.14, 95% CI 1.10–1.19), physical (adjusted RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04–1.18) and sexual (adjusted RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.14–1.27) abuse increased the risk of having an unplanned pregnancy. The effects could not be explained by the collider stratification bias. The different combinations of categories of abuse did not show any interaction effects.

Conclusions

Childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuses separately increase the risk of having an unplanned pregnancy. The results indicate that victims of childhood abuse are in greater need of support to achieve their reproductive goals.

Tweetable abstract

Childhood abuse increases the risk of having an unplanned pregnancy. #reproductivehealth #epitwitter.
Do obstetricians apply the national guidelines? A vignette‐based study assessing practices for the prevention of preterm birth
Authors: Rousseau A , Azria E , Baumann S , Deneux‐Tharaux C , Senat MV
Published: December 2019

Objective

To describe spontaneous preterm birth prevention practices self‐reported before and after the dissemination of relevant guidelines, and to identify personal and organisational factors associated with adherence.

Design

A repeated cross‐sectional vignette‐based survey study.

Setting

French obstetricians.

Population

French obstetricians practicing in public or private maternity units.

Methods

Before and after the dissemination of the 2017 French guidelines on the prevention of spontaneous preterm birth, participants were asked to complete a web‐based self‐administered questionnaire based on two clinical vignettes. Vignette 1 focused on respondents’ attitudes towards strict bed rest, cerclage, and progesterone treatment for women with a short cervix in mid‐trimester; vignette 2 focused on attitudes towards strict bed rest and maintenance tocolysis after successful tocolysis for preterm labour. A mixed quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted.

Main outcome measures

Non‐adherence to guidelines for the prevention of spontaneous preterm birth in responses to each vignette.

Results

We obtained complete responses from 286 obstetricians before and 282 obstetricians after guideline dissemination, including 145 obstetricians participating in both. After dissemination, 51.4% of obstetricians self‐reported non‐adherent practices for vignette 1 and 22.3% of obstetricians self‐reported non‐adherent practices for vignette 2. No improvement was observed after dissemination. The quantitative analysis identified factors associated with non‐adherence, including older age and practice in non‐university or small hospitals, whereas the qualitative analysis highlighted barriers to implementation, including fear of change, habits, work overload, and lack of time.

Conclusions

Adherence to guidelines was generally low, with practices unmodified by their dissemination. Improvement is required, especially regarding applicability.

Tweetable abstract

Adherence to guidelines to prevent spontaneous preterm birth was generally low and remained unmodified after guideline dissemination.
Evidence of climate change impacts on crop comparative advantage and land use
Authors: Arora Gaurav , Feng Hongli , Anderson Christopher J. , Hennessy David A.
Published: December 2019

Relative agricultural productivity shocks emerging from climate change will alter regional cropland use. Land allocations are sensitive to crop profits that in turn depend on yield effects induced by changes in climate and technology. We develop and apply an integrated framework to assess the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and land use for the U.S. Northern Great Plains. Crop‐specific yield–weather models reveal crop comparative advantage due to differential yield impacts of weather across the region's major crops, that is, alfalfa, wheat, soybeans, and maize. We define crop profits as a function of the weather‐driven yields, which are then used to model land use allocation decisions. This ultimately allows us to simulate the impact of climate change under the RCP4.5 emissions scenario on land allocated to the region's major crops as well as to grass/pasture. Upon removing the trends effects in yields, climate change is projected to lower yields by 33–64% over 2031–2055 relative to 1981–2005, with soybean being the least and alfalfa the most affected crops. Yield projections applied to the land use model at present‐day input costs and output prices reveals that Dakotas’ grass acreage will increase by up to 23%, displacing croplands. Wheat acreage is expected to increase by up to 54% in select southeastern counties of North Dakota and South Dakota, where maize/soy acreage had increased by up to 58% during 1995–2016.
Sex‐specific variation in facial masculinity/femininity associated with autistic traits in the general population
Authors: Tan Diana Weiting , Maybery Murray T. , Ewing Louise , Tay Jia‐Xin , Eastwood Peter R. , Whitehouse Andrew J.O.
Published: December 2019

Reports linking prenatal testosterone exposure to autistic traits and to a masculinized face structure have motivated research investigating whether autism is associated with facial masculinization. This association has been reported with greater consistency for females than for males, in studies comparing groups with high and low levels of autistic traits. In the present study, we conducted two experiments to examine facial masculinity/femininity in 151 neurotypical adults selected for either low, mid‐range, or high levels of autistic traits. In the first experiment, their three‐dimensional facial photographs were subjectively rated by 41 raters for masculinity/femininity and were objectively analysed. In the second experiment, we generated 6‐face composite images, which were rated by another 36 raters. Across both experiments, findings were consistent for ratings of photographs and composite images. For females, a linear relationship was observed where femininity ratings decreased as a function of higher levels of autistic traits. For males, we found a U‐shaped function where males with mid‐range levels of traits were rated lowest on masculinity. Objective facial analyses revealed that higher levels of autistic traits were associated with less feminine facial structures in females and less masculine structures in males. These results suggest sex‐specific relationships between autistic traits and facial masculinity/femininity.
Rain shadow effects predict population differences in thermal tolerance of leaf‐cutting ant workers (Atta cephalotes)
Authors: Baudier Kaitlin M. , O’Donnell Sean
Published: December 2019

Tests of hypotheses for the evolution of thermal physiology often rely on mean temperatures, but mounting evidence suggests geographic variation in temperature extremes is also an important predictor of species’ thermal tolerances. Although the tropics are less thermally variable than higher latitude regions, rain shadows on the leeward sides of mountains can experience greater diel and seasonal variation in temperature than windward sites. Rain shadows provide opportunities to test predictions about the relationships of extreme temperatures with thermal physiology while controlling for latitude. We tested the hypothesis that populations of leaf‐cutting ants (Atta cephalotes) in leeward, montane, and windward sites in Costa Rica would differ in upper thermal tolerances (CTmax) of workers. As predicted from rain shadow effects via extreme high temperatures, the leeward rain shadow site yielded the highest mean CTmax (rain shadow site 42.1 ± 0.3°C, Montane site 38.2 ± 0.5°C, and windward site 38.2 ± 0.3°C). This suggests that high‐temperature extremes in tropical rain shadow forests can select for higher thermal tolerances. CTmax increased with worker body size within sites, but CTmax increased with body size more gradually at the two lowland sites, as predicted if local high temperatures selected more strongly on the most thermally vulnerable society members (small workers). This suggests that warmer lowland climates selected for colonies with less variation in heat tolerance than cooler high elevation climates.

Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Can better parenting be achieved through short prevention programs? The challenge of universal prevention through Strengthening Families Program 11–14
Authors: Sánchez‐Prieto Lidia , Orte Carmen , Ballester Lluís , Amer Joan
Published: December 2019

With the increase in substance use by young people in recent years' there has been a growth in evidence‐based programs aimed at preventing this problem. This study aims to assess possible changes in family and parental dynamics among families taking part in a short (6‐session) universal program. These changes might act as protective factors for families in preventing substance use. A quasi‐experimental design was used' with pretest and posttest evaluations. The participating schools meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The sample was made up of 16 experimental groups and 17 control groups' with the participation of 353 parents and 289 youths. The results confirm the strengthening of the families by improving the following key components of parenting: resilience' involvement' family conflicts' and positive parenting. Reinforcing parenting skills through a short program is a good strategy to take' ensuring high levels of adherence (86.40% retention of the initial sample). Hence future universal prevention programs must not just set their sights on high levels of effectiveness' but also on efficiency.
Limited effects of depth (0–80 cm) on communities of archaea, bacteria and fungi in paddy soil profiles
Authors: Yuan Chao‐Lei , Zhang Li‐Mei , Wang Jun‐Tao , Teng Wen‐Kai , Hu Hang‐Wei , Shen Ju‐Pei , He Ji‐Zheng
Published: December 2019

Most current microbial studies in paddy soils have focused on the top (0–20 cm) layer where rice roots are concentrated. To better understand the vertical distribution of microorganisms in paddy soils, we investigated the abundances, diversities and community compositions of archaea, bacteria and fungi in six geographically and climatically distinct paddy soil profiles from 0–80‐cm depth. Although microbial abundances and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) diversities largely decreased with soil depth, only the community composition of archaea (not bacteria or fungi) was associated with soil depth, echoing that only one archaeal OTU, but no bacterial or fungal OTUs, differed significantly in relative abundance between depth intervals. Mean annual temperature, precipitation and soil iron and manganese concentrations were significantly correlated with the ordinations of microbial communities for all three domains. Besides these common environmental factors, bacterial and archaeal community structures were also influenced by soil chloride and sulphate concentrations, whereas the concentrations of organic matter and total nitrogen were important explanatory factors for the variation in fungal community composition. Further analyses on putative bacterial functions showed significant differences between sampling sites rather than depth intervals, and suggested that bacterial OTUs that significantly varied in relative abundance across sampling sites might be functionally related to organic matter decomposition, sulphur oxidation and reduction, as well as nitrate reduction. Altogether, in the studied paddy soil profiles, the community composition and putative functions of bacteria were largely the same between different vertical layers, each with a thickness of 20 cm. This study suggests that the community compositions of archaea, bacteria and fungi are mainly driven by different soil chemical properties rather than soil depth, which could be linked to the ecological traits of the three microbial domains.

Highlights

Communities of archaea, bacteria and fungi were investigated in six paddy soil profiles.

Soil depth was only correlated with archaeal community structure

Environmental factors influenced community composition differently for different domains.

Bacterial OTUs contributing to variation in community composition among sites were functionally linked to C, N and S cycling.
Implications of Family Cohesion and Conflict for Adolescent Mood and Well‐Being: Examining Within‐ and Between‐Family Processes on a Daily Timescale
Authors: Fosco Gregory M. , Lydon‐Staley David M.
Published: December 2019

Family‐level conflict and cohesion are well‐established predictors of adolescent mental health. However, traditional approaches focusing on between‐family differences in cohesion and conflict may overlook daily intrafamily variability that might provide important new information. We used data from a 21‐day daily diary protocol in a sample of 151 caregivers (95.3% female) and their adolescent child (61.5% female) in two‐caregiver families to test whether daily changes in family functioning are associated with daily changes in adolescent well‐being and whether adolescent well‐being depends on average levels of family functioning. We examined family cohesion and conflict in relation to adolescent angry, depressed, and anxious mood, as well as happiness, life satisfaction, and meaning and purpose in life in multilevel models. Both cohesion and conflict exhibited meaningful daily variation. Adolescent‐reported cohesion and conflict had unique within‐family associations with all six adolescent outcomes. Models using parent reports of family functioning yielded fewer associations than models with adolescent reports; however, several findings remained. Cross‐level interactions indicated that within‐family variations in cohesion were only associated with adolescent depression in families with lower average levels of cohesion across days. In sum, this study provides compelling evidence that families exhibit meaningful variability from day to day and that daily variation has important implications for adolescent well‐being.
Spatial heterogeneity in water velocity drives leaf litter dynamics in streams
Authors: Bastias Elliot , Bolivar Manel , Ribot Miquel , Peipoch Marc , Thomas Steven A. , Sabater Francesc , Martí Eugènia
Published: December 2019

Stream hydro‐morphology refers to the heterogeneous distribution of hydrologic conditions that occur above a complex benthic surface such as a streambed.

We hypothesised that hydro‐morphological conditions will influence the retention, re‐distribution, and microbial‐driven decomposition of leaf litter inputs in stream ecosystems because each process varies with overlying water velocity.

We tested this hypothesis using: (1) the spatial distribution of water velocity within a stream reach as a surrogate of stream hydro‐morphology; (2) leaf tracer (i.e. Ginkgo biloba L.) additions with serial recovery to examine the relationship between benthic retention and overlying velocity; and (3) measurements of leaf litter decomposition (i.e. Alnus glutinosa [L.] Gaertn.) under different water velocity conditions.

Results demonstrate that water velocity exerts a significant influence on the retention and re‐distribution of leaf litter inputs within the reach. The observed range of water velocity (from c. 0 to 0.92 cm/s) also strongly influences the range of leaf litter decomposition rates (0.0076–0.0222/day).

Our findings illustrate that water velocity influences leaf litter dynamics in streams by controlling leaf litter transport, retention and re‐distribution as well as how leaves decompose within recipient stream reaches. Ultimately, the results show that the efficiency of leaf litter inputs in supporting stream ecosystem function is dependent on the hydro‐morphological characteristics of the receiving stream ecosystems.