bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The association between stigmatizing attitudes towards depression and help seeking attitudes in college students
Authors: da Conceição Virgínia , Rothes Inês , Gusmão Ricardo
Published: July 2020

Objective

Depression stigma has been considered a significant barrier to treatment and rehabilitation. This study aimed to understand the effects of gender, previous health care use, and symptomatology on depression stigma and analyze the impact of depression stigma on help-seeking attitudes.

Methods

A total of 969 students with a mean age of 18.87 (SD=1.49) were included in this study and completed the Depression Stigma Scale, the Attitude Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help, the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 questionnaire, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. We analyzed data using SPSS 24.0, with a 95% confidence interval. We performed an analysis of variance using One-Way ANOVA and analyzed possible interactions between gender and previous mental healthcare groups on depression stigma and help-seeking attitudes using a Two-Way ANOVA. T-tests were used to study differences between the gender, symptomatology groups, and previous access to mental healthcare. We also executed a hierarchical linear regression to evaluate the effects of individual characteristics on Depression Stigma and Help-seeking attitudes scores.

Results

Participants came from all University schools, and 64.6% were women. Stigma and help-seeking attitudes are positively affected by gender and previous access to mental healthcare services. Higher personal stigma weakened help-seeking attitudes. Depressive and anxiety symptoms influenced personal depression stigma and perceived stigma; however, we detected no direct symptomatology effect on help-seeking attitudes.

Conclusions

Personal depression stigma has an essential effect on help-seeking attitudes, and depressive and anxiety symptoms do not. The promotion of literacy may decrease personal depression stigma and increase professional help-seeking intentions.
SARS-CoV2 spike protein displays biologically significant similarities with paramyxovirus surface proteins; a bioinformatics study
Authors: Ahmadi Ehsan , Zabihi Mohammad Reza , Hosseinzadeh Ramin , Noorbakhsh Farshid
Published: July 2020

Recent emergence of SARS-CoV2 and associated COVID-19 pandemic has posed a great challenge for the scientific community. Understanding various aspects of SARS-CoV2 biology, virulence and pathogenesis as well as determinants of immune response have become a global research priority. In this study, we performed bioinformatic analyses on SAR-CoV2 protein sequences, trying to unravel biologically important similarities between this newly emerged virus with other RNA viruses. Comparing the proteome of SARS-CoV2 with major positive and negative strand ssRNA viruses showed significant homologies between SARS-CoV2 spike protein with pathogenic paramyxovirus fusion proteins. This ‘spike-fusion’ homology was not limited to SARS-CoV2 and it existed for some other pathogenic coronaviruses; nonetheless, SARS-CoV2 spike-fusion homology was orders of magnitude stronger than homologies observed for other known coronaviruses. Moreover, this homology did not seem to be a consequence of general ssRNA virus phylogenetic relations. We also explored potential immunological significance of this spike-fusion homology. Spike protein epitope analysis using experimentally verified data deposited in Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) revealed that the majority of spike’s T cell epitopes as well as many B cell and MHC binding epitopes map within the spike-fusion homology region. Overall, our data indicate that there might be a relation between SARS-CoV2 and paramyxoviruses at the level of their surface proteins and this relation could be of crucial immunological importance.
Presence of Newcastle Disease in Vaccinated Indigenous Chicken from Farms in Selected Regions in Kenya- a Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Apopo Auleria A. , Ngaira Jane M. , Lichoti Jacqueline K. , Athiany Henry , Ateya Leonard O.
Published: July 2020

Indigenous chicken farming is an important source of livelihood for rural families in Kenya. However, the farmers experience challenges including infections from poultry diseases such as Newcastle disease. Vaccination has been used over the years to provide immunity in flocks against disease outbreaks. However, Newcastle diseases virus (NDV) outbreaks are still reported among vaccinated flocks. This study examined the presence of Newcastle disease virus among vaccinated indigenous chicken (IC), in relation to weather (temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed), production system, and interspecies interaction. Samples were collected from flocks of indigenous chicken vaccinated with NDV vaccine from 68 households in six counties in Kenya (Bomet, Baringo, Kilifi, Nakuru, Kakamega, and Machakos). Some of the households (n=5 (9%) reported previous ND outbreaks. All the households had other mixed species of birds (ducks, geese, turkey, wild birds). The total number of samples collected was n=1210, oropharyngeal swabs-650, cloacal swab-650. The total number of the pooled sample was 246 pools. The samples were analysed by RT-qPCR targeting the NDV matrix gene. NDV matrix gene was detected in the pooled samples n=177(72%). Out of the positive samples, n=56(32%) were from vaccinated flocks, 91(51%) were from the cloacal swab and 86(49%) from the oropharyngeal swab. The samples were collected during varying weather (temperature, rainfall, humidity and wind speed). There was a statistical significance on the relationship between the presence of NDV and the Vaccination history (p=0.034); production system, (p=0.004), and month of sample collection (p<0.0001). However, there was no significance on the relationship between the presence of NDV and the interaction of IC and other birds. Failure to vaccinate IC results in the presence of the NDV. The free-range production system can have many cases of NDV due to the lack of biosecurity measures. Therefore, farmers should be advised to vaccinate their IC.
Targeting of Mammalian Glycans Enhances Phage Predation in the Gastrointestinal Tract
Authors: Green Sabrina I. , Liu Carmen Gu , Yu Xue , Gibson Shelley , Salmen Wilhem , Rajan Anubama , Carter Hannah E. , Clark Justin R. , Song Xuezheng , Ramig Robert F. , Trautner Barbara W. , Kaplan Heidi B. , Maresso Anthony W.
Published: July 2020

The human mucosal surface consists of a eukaryotic epithelium, a prokaryotic microbiota, and a carbohydrate-rich interface that separates them. Bacteriophage parasitize the prokaryotes but are not known to associate with eukaryotic cells. In the gastrointestinal tract, the interaction of these two domains influences the health of the host, especially colonization with invasive pathobionts. Antibiotics may be used but they also kill protective commensals and lack the physio-chemical properties to be specifically and optimally active in this complex milieu. Here, we report a novel phage whose lytic cycle is enhanced in intestinal environments. The enhanced activity is encoded in its tail fiber gene, whose protein product binds human heparan sulfated proteoglycans and localizes the phage to the epithelial cell surface, thereby positioning it near its bacterial host, a type of locational targeting mechanism. This finding offers the prospect of developing epithelial-targeting phage to selectively remove invasive pathobiont species from mucosal surfaces.

Graphical Abstract

Model showing (1) mucins from the intestinal mucus layer inhibit phage infection, (2) phage ES17 can bind to mucin and utilize other intestinal glycans as a receptor to infect and kill mucus-coated bacteria, and (3) phages like ES17 can be utilized to coat the intestinal epithelium by binding heparan sulfate glycans to protect from invasive pathogen infection.
ClassifyCNV: a tool for clinical annotation of copy-number variants
Authors: Gurbich Tatiana A. , Ilinsky Valery Vladimirovich
Published: July 2020

Copy-number variants (CNVs) are an important part of human genetic variation. They can be benign or can play a role in human disease by creating dosage imbalances and disrupting genes and regulatory elements. Accurate identification and clinical annotation of CNVs is essential when evaluating patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital anomalies. Here, we present ClassifyCNV, a tool that implements the 2019 ACMG classification guidelines to assess CNV pathogenicity. ClassifyCNV uses genomic coordinates and CNV type as input and reports the clinical classification for each variant along with a classification score breakdown and a list of genes that could be important for variant interpretation. The tool is suitable for integration into NGS analysis pipelines and facilitates high-throughput CNV analysis.

Availability and implementation

ClassifyCNV is implemented in Python 3 and runs on UNIX, Linux and Mac OS X. The source code is available athttps://github.com/Genotek/ClassifyCNV.
Poly[diethylammonium [tetra-μ2-cyanido-κ8
C:N-tricuprate(I)]], a two-dimensional network solid
Authors: Corfield Peter W. R. , Stavola Thomas James
Published: July 2020

The title compound, (C4H12N)[Cu3(CN)4]
n
, crystallizes as a CuCN network solid, with diethylammonium cations sandwiched between planar CuCN sheets comprised of trigonal planar and digonally coordinated CuI atoms bridged by linear CN groups to form 24-membered rings. The digonally coordinated CuI atoms and the diethylammonium cations lie on separate crystallographic twofold rotation axes. One of the two independent CN groups has a 50:50 disordered orientation, while the other has one orientation favored due to a N—H...NC hydrogen bond between the diethylammonium cation and the anionic CuCN framework. These hydrogen bonds link the sheets together into a three-dimensional network.
Technical efficiency of the small-scale tea processors in Kenya: a stochastic metafrontier approach
Authors: Gatimbu Karambu Kiende , Ogada Maurice Juma
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Importance of small-scale tea producers in Kenya is not in doubt. They account for 60% of all tea produced in the country, serve about 560,000 tea farmers and employ about 10,000 people directly. However, the subsector faces a myriad of challenges ranging from declining yields and rising costs of production to fluctuating world prices. Thus, it is imperative that the producers entrench efficiency as a critical success factor. This makes it important for the producers to understand their relative performances to inform decisions on improving input use. Congruent with this motivation, this study sought to analyze the technical efficiency (TE) of the country's small-scale tea processors within and across the regions under the management of Kenya Tea Development Authority.

Design/methodology/approach

To allow comparison across regions, this study adopted a stochastic metafrontier approach and to be able to decompose inefficiency into persistent and time-varying components, the study adopted regression analysis.

Findings

Results showed that the small-scale tea processors operated at a mean TE level of 76% with a technology gap ratio (TGR) of 97%. This implies that the prevailing level of output could be maintained even if inputs were reduced by 24%. Persistent inefficiency could be reduced possibly through rationalization of structural and managerial components of the firms.

Research limitations/implications

While it is important to adopt yield-enhancing technologies and innovation, small-scale tea processors have the latitude to improve their earnings through enhanced TE. They can save up to 24% of their input and be able to pay farmers better even with the fluctuating global tea prices. Enhancing TE should be given priority because it is within the control of the individual firms.

Originality/value

This is a pioneering study in panel data analysis of TE of small-scale tea processors within and across regions in Kenya.
Effects of a documentary on consumer perception of the environmental impact of meat consumption
Authors: Bschaden Andreas , Mandarano Eduardo , Stroebele-Benschop Nanette
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Meat consumption causes a large amount of global greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems. Studies showed that consumers underestimate the environmental impact of meat consumption compared to other food-related behaviours. A video intervention was conducted to investigate the effect of information on consumers' perception and behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Two didactically different videos about meat and the environment and a control video were shown to 189 participants. Ratings about the environmental impact of different food-related behaviours as well as participants' meat consumption frequency were obtained directly before, one week later and one year after the screening by self-report questionnaires.

Findings

Mean rating of the environmental impact of meat consumption was second to the least important of the different food consumption patterns. In the first intervention group, the rating increased significantly (p = 0.001) after having watched the video. There was no such effect in the second intervention or the control group. Self-reported meat consumption frequency did not change significantly in any of the groups. No long-term differences between the groups could be found.

Research limitations/implications

The results suggest that there is still a lack of knowledge concerning the environmental impact of meat consumption. Providing information can affect awareness, depending on the type of information delivery. The circumstances under which information encourages behaviour change need to be further explored.

Originality/value

This is the first study that investigated the impact of different videos about environmental impacts of meat consumption on consumer perceptions and behaviour.
Hybrid parallel adder for 3X multiple generation in radix-8 booth encoding using fast carry tree structure
Authors: Ramu Nirmaladevi , Ramachandran Seshasayanan
Published: July 2020

Purpose

In most commercial processors, enhancing the speed of multiplication using radix-8 booth encoding is the preferred option. In radix-8 architecture, the 3X(= 2X + X) multiple generation is a major bottleneck. This paper aims to propose a parallel implementation scheme recognizing the symmetry in the carry recurrence equations of 3X multiples. The proposed architecture evaluates the odd (H) and even (K) carry signals separately. As prefix tree structure offers fast carry propagation, the parallel implementation is based on a hybrid style of two popular prefix architectures.

Design/methodology/approach

The performance of the proposed architecture is evaluated using Cadence TSMC 180 nm library. A comparison of performance parameters with other architectures has been carried out to highlight the architectural advantages of the proposed architecture.

Findings

A comparison of performance parameters with others shows that the proposed architecture has a reduced critical path and a commensurate improvement in delay for a bit width of 64. It is shown that up to 32 bits, this parallel architecture has a superior performance and would be the appropriate choice for Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) implementation. It has also been suggested that higher-order bit widths could be implemented using a modular arrangement.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new parallel architecture for hard multiple (3X) generation in Radix-8 Booth encoding. As the multiplication is the key operation in digital signal processors, this type of high-speed architectures gains importance in the future processor design. Defence applications such as target finding and multiple target recognitions and image processing applications necessitate this type of high-speed multipliers. Also, it is appropriate for the ASIC implementation. The authors would like to mention that this paper is not yet published anywhere, and it is the research paper of Dr R. Nirmaladevi.
The impact of improvisation and financial bootstrapping strategies on business performance
Authors: Al Issa Hussein-Elhakim
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of financial bootstrapping strategies (FBS) and strategic improvisation (SI) on business performance (BP). The study enriches our understanding of the contributions of bootstrapping and improvisation strategies toward resource-constrained small businesses during real economic downturns and crises. The potential moderating effect of SI on the relationship between FBS and its dimensions and performance were also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the convenience snowball sampling technique, data were collected from entrepreneurs in Tripoli, Libya. Structural equation modeling by means of partial least square bootstrapping resampling was used for the hypotheses testing of the 147 useable responses.

Findings

Statistically significant positive relationships were found in the direct relationships between bootstrapping and improvisation with performance. However, there was no significant association found between the delaying payment related bootstrapping and the owner-related bootstrapping with performance. The moderating effect of improvisation had a significant relationship between bootstrapping as an aggregate construct and its dimensions and performance.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the cross-sectional nature of this study which used a small sample that was randomly selected, generalization to the entire population of business ventures should be made with caution.

Practical implications

The negative moderation effect of improvisation on FBS-BP association suggests that entrepreneurs need to be careful in balancing the two strategies so that efforts are no wasted.

Originality/value

While business performance has been studied in various organizations, its examination with financial bootstrapping strategies as a predictor and strategic improvisation as a moderator contribute nascent theoretical insights.
A novel discrete grey Riccati model and its application
Authors: Zeng Liang
Published: July 2020

Purpose

To develop the theory and application of the grey prediction model, this investigation constructs a novel discrete grey Riccati model termed DGRM(1,1).

Design/methodology/approach

By examining a special kind of Riccati difference equation and the structure of the conventional discrete grey model (DGM), we advance a novel DGRM, and the model's prediction effect is evaluated by two numerical examples and an application case and compared with that of other conventional grey models.

Findings

The average relative simulation error of DGRM(1,1) does not change if the model is built after the original sequence has been transformed by a multiplier, and the new model is suitable to predict monotonically increasing, monotonically decreasing and unimodal sequences.

Practical implications

DGRM(1,1) is utilized to forecast the development cost of a small plane owned by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) with an original data sequence from 2006 to 2013. The outcomes indicate that DGRM(1,1) exhibits high precision and potential in development cost prediction.

Originality/value

Combining the Riccati difference equation with the conventional DGM, the author advances a new grey model that is suitable to predict three kinds of data series with different changing trends.
The size prediction and auto-generation of garment template
Authors: Liu Haisang , Jiang Gaoming , Dong Zhijia , Xia Fenglin , Cong Honglian
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The size prediction of garment is an important part in the process of the garment design and production, and it is also one of the most important features in warp-knitted computer-aided design system. The purpose of this paper is to realize the auto-generation of the garment templates using JavaScript and WebGL technologies, based on the prediction of the size of warp-knitted seamless sportswear.

Design/methodology/approach

The warp-knitted jacquard technology is used to produce the warp-knitted seamless sportswear, which is divided into suits and tights. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, the dimensions of four kinds of jacquard patterns knitted under different knitting conditions are measured and the crosswise and longitudinal size shrinkage percentages are also calculated. Then, the relationship between the yarn count and the drawing density as well as the size shrinkage percentage is studied and a size prediction model for warp-knitted jacquard fabric is established. Next, according to the results of the size calculation, the point positions of the garment boundary in the mathematical coordinate system is determined. The color formula is built by the two-dimensional mathematical matrix. Finally, combined with the coordinate position and color information, the template can be drawn automatically.

Findings

Based on the size prediction model of warp-knitted garment, the template generation of warp-knitted full-form sportswear on WebGL-enabled web browser is realized, which is proven to be an effective computer-aided design method for warp-knitted garments.

Research limitations/implications

Because of limited researches, only two groups of yarns and four kinds of jacquard patterns were studied. A vaster database should be built and smooth curve, accurate coordinate needs to be optimized in the further research.

Practical implications

The size prediction model for warp-knitted jacquard garment and garment template auto-generation of warp-knitted computer-aided design system will simplify the fabric technical design process, shorten design time and improve the efficiency of new product development.

Social implications

The size prediction model for warp-knitted jacquard garment and garment template auto-generation of warp-knitted computer-aided design system will provide the industries a guidance for new sample development and it also can shorten the development time and lower cost.

Originality/value

This author analyzes the relationship between the size characteristics and knitting technology of warp-knitted jacquard patterns, proposes a model of size prediction and realizes the auto-drawing of the garment template in the warp-knitted CAD system, which provides a reference for the new product design and development of warp-knitted seamless sportswear.
Empowering SHGs Women through Micro-finance in Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Aggarwal Shalini , Kumar Praveen , Garg Vikas
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the factors for self-help groups (SHGs) women empowerment in the state of Uttar Pradesh using the primary data.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary data have been collected by a household survey in the four districts of Uttar Pradesh. Factor analysis is used to estimate the odd of improving women empowerment after participating in SHG.

Findings

Factor analysis extracted four factors which were economic development, improvement in family matters, decision to use public amenities and political empowerment. Also, analysis of variance andt-test was used employing SPSS. The results, therefore, show that education has a significant impact on all the aspects of SHGs people.

Practical implications

The findings of the study can help policymakers to adopt appropriate policies that integrate empowerment in development projects with women.

Social implications

The results of this research could encourage more women to participate in SHG activities and development projects.

Originality/value

This research provides the most updated data from a primary survey in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
The S&OP process and the influence of personality and key behavioral indicators: insights from a longitudinal case study
Authors: Stentoft Jan , Freytag Per Vagn , Mikkelsen Ole Stegmann
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend the research domain of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) beyond the hard issues by focusing on soft issues in S&OP processes. This paper aims to investigate how consciousness of different personality types can affect S&OP processes.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a single longitudinal case study from a medium-sized enterprise with a data collection period of more than two years. This paper is based on observation and interviews gathered at several stages during pilot implementation and operation phases.

Findings

This paper indicates that a focus on behavior using personality type theory and key behavioral indicators has provided a common framework for understanding how the S&OP process is impacted by different personalities and behavior. This knowledge has increased the awareness of which behavior sustains a silo mentality and which behavior breaks it down. Quotations are used to provide substance of this explorative topic.

Research limitations/implications

As a single case study, this paper only provides results for analytical generalization.

Practical implications

Consciousness of behavioral elements in S&OP processes is proposed here as a complement to key performance indicators as levers to implement and obtain sustained operation of S&OP.

Originality/value

This paper is the first explicitly integrating personality type theory for a better understanding of implementing and operating S&OP processes. This paper contributes with a new understanding of S&OP success factors and how a common language may improve process efficiency.
Impact of the institutional quality on NAFTA's international trade: a system GMM approach
Authors: Heo Yoon , Thanh Huyen Nguyen Thi , Doanh Nguyen Khanh
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the impacts of institutional quality on trade flows of NAFTA with a panel data set of 105 countries spanning the period 2006–2017.

Design/methodology/approach

We applied the system generalized method of moment (GMM) estimator to investigate the impacts.

Findings

The results show that institutional quality is a positive and significant determinant of international trade flows of the NAFTA bloc and its trading partners. Our results also indicate that the impact of institutional quality depends on the level of economic development of NAFTA's trading partners. Specifically, the trade elasticity of institutional quality is the highest for NAFTA’s trade with middle-income countries and the lowest for NAFTA's trade with low-income countries. In the long run, the trade elasticity of institutional quality increased significantly, with the highest increase in the case of NAFTA's trade with medium-income countries and the lowest increase in the case of NAFTA's trade with low-income countries.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature in three different ways. First, we examine the differential impact of institutions on NAFTA's trade according to the level of economic development of NAFTA's trading partners. Second, we compare the differential trade elasticity of institutional quality in the long run. Finally, we support our findings through an improved research methodology by using the system GMM estimation. This method allows us to overcome the potential sample bias, omitted variable problems and endogeneity of explanatory variables.
Antenatal care attendance and maternal knowledge on child feeding predict haemoglobin level of pre-school children in Wa Municipality of Ghana
Authors: Adokiya Martin Nyaaba , Langu Andrews T.K. , Ali Zakari
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify locally relevant factors that predict low haemoglobin (Hb < 11.0g/dl) level of pre-school children (6–23 months) in an impoverished area of Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a cross-sectional analysis of 278 mother–child pairs selected from households using random sampling techniques. Child feeding knowledge, antenatal care (ANC) practices and socio-demographic characteristics were assessed. Hb levels were laboratory determined. This paper modelled the predictors of low Hb in multiple linear regressions.

Findings

More than half (53.0%) of the children were female and aged more than one year (60.4%). Mean Hb was 8.5 ± 1.5 g/dl, and the prevalence of anaemia was 95.0%. High child feeding knowledge was independently associated with increased Hb of children after adjusting for the effects of other factors (β = 0.61, p < 0.005), and mothers who made at least four ANC visits during pregnancy had children with high Hb (β = 0.42, p = 0.04). This paper found some evidence of an inverse association between high household wealth and child Hb levels (β= −0.75, p = 0.06).

Originality/value

This study reports a high prevalence of low haemoglobin levels and anaemia in pre-school children in an impoverished area in Ghana. Maternal education on appropriate child feeding and encouragement of antenatal care attendance during pregnancy are key factors to increasing child haemoglobin levels in this setting. Though the current study bridges the knowledge gap between health service education and practice, a large population-based study is required to confirm the finding.
Desperately seeking funding: library guides to student funding
Authors: Lundy Rochelle , Curran Reilly
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine online research guides as a measure of academic library support for students seeking educational funding opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

The library websites of 38 members of a regional academic library consortium were examined for guides that address funding for educational purposes. The guide content was manually reviewed. Information regarding institutional characteristics was gathered from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Findings

Despite relatively few reports of educational funding support in the library literature, online guides exist at 42% of studied institutions. However, few guides are comprehensive and many lack features that promote discoverability. Instructional content – guidance, advice or information beyond resource descriptions – and in-person funding support rarely appear in the studied guides, presenting opportunities for academic libraries to contribute to student retention and success.

Practical implications

This paper provides information on and examples of online guides to educational funding useful to academic libraries looking to support students facing affordability concerns.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on non-disciplinary uses of online research guides and is the first to survey academic library guides on educational funding opportunities.
Taurine prevents high‐fat diet‐induced‐hepatic steatosis in rats by direct inhibition of hepatic sterol regulatory element‐binding proteins and activation of AMPK
Authors: Morsy Mohamed Darwesh , Aboonq Moutasem Salih , ALsleem Mohammed Abadi , Abusham Abdalla Abdelrahim
Published: July 2020

This study investigated if the protective effect of taurine against high fat diet‐induced hepatic steatosis involves modulating the hepatic activity of 5' AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) and levels/activity of the sterol regulatory element‐binding proteins‐1/2 (SREBP1/2). Rats were divided into four groups (n = 12/group) as (a) STD, fed standard diet (3.85 kcal/g); (b) STD + taurine (500 mg/kg); (c) HFD, fed HFD (4.73 kcal/g); and (d) HFD + taurine. All treatments were conducted for 12 weeks. Independent of food intake or modulating glucose or insulin levels, taurine administration to STD and HFD‐fed rats significantly lowered weekly weight gain and the accumulation of the retroperitoneal, visceral and subcutaneous fats. In both groups, taurine also reduced serum and hepatic levels of triglycerides and cholesterol and reduced hepatic mRNA and protein levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl CoA carboxylase‐1 (ACC‐1), HMG‐CoA‐reductase and HMG‐CoA synthetase. In control rats only, taurine reduced hepatic levels of mature forms of sterol regulatory element‐binding proteins (SREBP)‐1/2. In HFD‐fed rats, taurine reduced SREBP‐1/2 precursor and mature forms in the livers of HFD‐fed rats. Besides, taurine significantly increased levels of glutathione (GSH), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the activity of AMPK and its downstream β‐oxidation genes including peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α (PPAR‐α) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT‐1) in the livers of both the control and HFD‐fed rats. In conclusion, taurine protects against HFD‐induced hepatic steatosis stimulating antioxidant levels, and concomitant stimulating hepatic β‐oxidation and suppressing lipid synthesis, mediated by activation of AMPK and suppression of SREBP‐1.
Pollination structures plant and nectar‐feeding bird communities in Cape fynbos, South Africa: Implications for the conservation of plant–bird mutualisms
Authors: Geerts Sjirk , Coetzee Anina , Rebelo Anthony G. , Pauw Anton
Published: July 2020

With the current global concerns about pollinators, relationships between species interactions and diversity are pivotal. If pollinator communities depend strongly on the diversity of flowering plants and vice versa, anthropogenic influences—whether positive or negative—on one partner will cause changes in the other. Here we ask whether nectarivorous bird communities are structured by resource abundance (Proteaceae nectar) or Proteaceae diversity at different spatial scales in the Cape fynbos of South Africa. On a small spatial scale, we sampled 34 one‐hectare plots across the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) for flowering Proteaceae species, number of inflorescences, nectar volume, vegetation age, nectar‐feeding bird abundance and species richness. At small scale, nectar—rather than vegetation structure or plant community composition—was the most strongly correlated to nectar‐feeding bird diversity and abundance. On a landscape scale we investigated the spatio‐temporal flowering patterns of ornithophilous Proteaceae throughout the CFR. Similar flowering patterns—with a winter floral abundance peak—were found throughout the region, butProtea,LeucospermumandMimetesshowed complementary flowering periods. At large spatial scales ornithophilous Proteaceae species richness is strongly correlated—more so than plant or floral abundance—to the nectar‐feeding bird community. At large spatial scales resource diversity—and at a smaller scale resource abundance, shapes nectar‐feeding bird communities. Providing high volumes of nectar sugar throughout the year is key to restore the nectar‐feeding bird communities in small conservation areas.
A Mountain to Climb: The Labour Together 2019 Election Review
Authors: Surridge Paula
Published: July 2020

The Labour Together review of the 2019 election brings together polling data, survey data, interviews, and submissions from across the Labour movement. An unpopular leader, tensions around the Brexit position, and a manifesto which was not seen as credible, are all found to have contributed to the scale of the defeat, but Labour’s unexpectedly strong performance in 2017 also masked long‐term issues in its connection with the electorate and within the party’s campaign organisation. The report attempts to move beyond simply diagnosing the difficulties the party faces, but some of the thorniest issues for the party to resolve are nonetheless left unresolved.
Legal Feasibility and Implementation of Federal Strategies for a National Retail‐Based Fruit and Vegetable Subsidy Program in the United States
Authors: POMERANZ JENNIFER L. , HUANG YUE , MOZAFFARIAN DARIUSH , MICHA RENATA
Published: July 2020

Policy Points

Suboptimal intake of fruit and vegetables is associated with increased risk of diet‐related diseases. A national retail‐based fruit and vegetable subsidy program could broadly benefit the health of the entire population.

Existing fruit and vegetable subsidy programs can inform potential implementation mechanisms; Congress's powers to tax, spend, and regulate interstate commerce can be leveraged to create a federal program.

Legal and administrative feasibility considerations support a conditional funding program or a federal‐state cooperative program combining regulation, licensing, and state or local options for flexible implementation strategies. Strategies to engage key stakeholders would enable the program to utilize lessons learned from existing programs.

Context

Suboptimal intake of fruit and vegetables (F&Vs) is associated with increased risk of diet‐related diseases. Yet, there are no US government programs to support increased F&V consumption nationally for the whole population, most of whom purchase food at retail establishments. To inform policy discussion and implementation, we identified mechanisms to effectuate a national retail‐based F&V subsidy program.

Methods

We conducted legal and policy research using LexisNexis, the UConn Rudd Center Legislation Database, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chronic Disease State Policy Tracking System, the US Department of Agriculture's website, Congress.gov, gray literature, and government reports. First, we identified existing federal, state, local, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) policies and programs that subsidize F&Vs. Second, we evaluated Congress's power to implement a national retail‐based F&V subsidy program.

Findings

We found five federal programs, three federal bills, four state laws, and 17 state (including the District of Columbia [DC]) bills to appropriate money to supplement federal food assistance programs with F&Vs; 74 programs (six multistate, 22 state [including DC], and 46 local) administered by state and local governments and NGOs that incentivize the purchase of F&Vs for various subpopulations; and two state laws and 11 state bills to provide tax exemptions for F&Vs. To create a national F&V subsidy program, Congress could use its Commerce Clause powers or its powers to tax or spend, through direct regulation, licensing, taxation, tax incentives, and conditional funding. Legal and administrative feasibility considerations support a voluntary conditional funding program or, as a second option, a mandatory federal‐state cooperative program combining regulation and licensing.

Conclusions

Multiple existing programs provide an important foundation to inform potential implementation mechanisms for a national F&V subsidy program. Results also highlight the value of state and local participation to leverage existing networks and stakeholder knowledge.
An Empirical Study of Patent Grant Rates as a Function of Race and Gender
Authors: Schuster W. Michael , Davis R. Evan , Schley Kourtenay , Ravenscraft Julie
Published: July 2020

In this article we examine the rate at which patent applications are granted as a function of the inventor's race and gender. Empirical analysis of more than 3.9 million U.S. applications finds minority and women applicants are significantly less likely to secure a patent relative to the balance of inventors. Further analysis indicates that a portion of this bias is introduced during prosecution at the Patent Office, independent of the quality of the application. Mechanisms underlying these disparities are explored. The article concludes with a discussion of our results and their interaction with patent law, innovation policy, and employment trends.
The aged hematopoietic system promotes hippocampal‐dependent cognitive decline
Authors: Smith Lucas K. , Verovskaya Evgenia , Bieri Gregor , Horowitz Alana M. , von Ungern‐Sternberg Saskia N. I. , Lin Karin , Seizer Peter , Passegué Emmanuelle , Villeda Saul A.
Published: July 2020

The aged systemic milieu promotes cellular and cognitive impairments in the hippocampus. Here, we report that aging of the hematopoietic system directly contributes to the pro‐aging effects of old blood on cognition. Using a heterochronic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation model (in which the blood of young mice is reconstituted with old HSCs), we find that exposure to an old hematopoietic system inhibits hippocampal neurogenesis, decreases synaptic marker expression, and impairs cognition. We identify a number of factors elevated in the blood of young mice reconstituted with old HSCs, of which cyclophilin A (CyPA) acts as a pro‐aging factor. Increased systemic levels of CyPA impair cognition in young mice, while inhibition of CyPA in aged mice improves cognition. Together, these data identify age‐related changes in the hematopoietic system as drivers of hippocampal aging.
Universal access to safe, affordable, timely surgical and anaesthetic care in Papua New Guinea: the six global health indicators
Authors: James Kennedy , Borchem Isaiah , Talo Rodney , Aihi Sonia , Baru Helai , Didilemu Fiona , Moore Eileen M. , McLeod Elizabeth , Watters David A.
Published: July 2020

Background

The unmet global burden of surgical disease is substantial. The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) estimated that 5 billion people do not have access to safe, affordable and timely surgical care, with 80% of those without access living in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The Milne Bay Province (pop 331 000) of Papua New Guinea, with an archipelago of islands up to 750 km from its capital, Alotau, has only one hospital capable of performing Caesarean Section, Emergency Laparotomy and managing an open fracture, the three Bellwether procedures. This paper aims to report the six Lancet Commission on Global Surgery metrics for Milne Bay Province.

Methods

The study was conducted between January and August 2019. Bellwether access was investigated by a prospective study on 115 patients presenting to hospital. The surgical, anaesthesia and obstetric (SAO) workforce, surgical volume and perioperative mortality rate, were calculated for 2012–2018 from hospital records and operation registers. Financial risk metrics were calculated by surveying 50 patients at discharge from hospital.

Results

Bellwether access: Only 27.8% (n = 32) of the study population (n = 115) experienced less than 2‐hours second delay (journey time to hospital). The average SAO provider density was 1.8 per 100 000 population. There were 606 procedures performed per 100 000 with a mean annual perioperative mortality rate of 0.3%. Catastrophic expenditure is a risk for 29% of the population.

Conclusion

Milne Bay Province can perform surgery safely, but there is limited access to timely surgical care when needed with a significant proportion put at financial risk by requiring it.
Refuting “How the other half lives”: I am a woman’s rights
Authors: Johnson Azeezat
Published: July 2020

Through this commentary, I hope to trouble the way Black feminists are called on to repeatedly remind predominantly white audiences that white women cannot inherently define the lives of all women.
A cross‐sectional pilot study to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for leptospirosis in South‐Western Victorian dairy herds, 2017
Authors: Erregger E , Stevenson MA , Beggs DS , Oswin S , Jagoe SP , Mansell PD , Pyman MF
Published: July 2020

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis, found worldwide, affecting many species of animals. We conducted a cross‐sectional study to estimate the prevalence of Leptospira borgpetersenii sv Hardjo and Leptospira interrogans sv Pomona in cattle in dairy herds in South‐Western Victoria, Australia. Fifty‐three herds were enrolled in the study. Urine samples were collected from 15 late‐lactation cows in each herd. A questionnaire was provided to herd managers at the time of each herd visit, asking them to describe the methods they used for controlling leptospirosis, including vaccination. Urine samples were pooled at the herd level and tested for leptospira spp. using real time PCR. Urine samples from individual cows within the positive pooled samples were then tested for Leptospira Hardjo and Leptospira Pomona using qPCR.

Four of the 53 herds showed positive leptospirosis results giving an apparent prevalence of 8 (95% CI 2–18) leptospira‐positive herds per 100 herds at risk. Based on the 53 completed questionnaires, leptospirosis vaccination programs were not compliant with label directions in 36 of the 52 vaccinated herds: 69 (95% CI 55–81) of 100 herd managers that routinely vaccinated for leptospirosis did not comply with label directions. One herd was completely unvaccinated.

Based on our findings, we estimate that approximately 10% of dairy farms in South‐Western Victoria are likely to be infected with leptospirosis. While most herds are vaccinating for leptospirosis, most are not doing so according to label directions. We conclude that herd managers need to be better educated regarding leptospirosis vaccination programs.
Fundamental insights on when social network data are most critical for conservation planning
Authors: Rhodes Jonathan R. , Guerrero Angela M. , Bodin Örjan , Chadès Iadine
Published: July 2020

As declines in biodiversity accelerate, there is an urgent imperative to ensure that every dollar spent on conservation counts toward species protection. Systematic conservation planning is a widely used approach to achieve this, but there is growing concern that it must better integrate the human social dimensions of conservation to be effective. Yet, fundamental insights about when social data are most critical to inform conservation planning decisions are lacking. To address this problem, we derived novel principles to guide strategic investment in social network information for systematic conservation planning. We considered the common conservation problem of identifying which social actors, in a social network, to engage with to incentivize conservation behavior that maximizes the number of species protected. We used simulations of social networks and species distributed across network nodes to identify the optimal state‐dependent strategies and the value of social network information. We did this for a range of motif network structures and species distributions and applied the approach to a small‐scale fishery in Kenya. The value of social network information depended strongly on both the distribution of species and social network structure. When species distributions were highly nested (i.e., when species‐poor sites are subsets of species‐rich sites), the value of social network information was almost always low. This suggests that information on how species are distributed across a network is critical for determining whether to invest in collecting social network data. In contrast, the value of social network information was greatest when social networks were highly centralized. Results for the small‐scale fishery were consistent with the simulations. Our results suggest that strategic collection of social network data should be prioritized when species distributions are un‐nested and when social networks are likely to be centralized.
Development of spirometric reference equations for children living at high altitude
Authors: Aristizabal‐Duque Ricardo , Sossa‐Briceño Monica P. , Rodriguez‐Martinez Carlos E.
Published: July 2020

Objectives

This study was aimed to provide locally derived spirometric equations from a population of healthy children residing in Bogota, Colombia, a high‐altitude city.

Methods

Healthy children aged more than 6 years up to less than 18 years underwent spirometry from January 2017 to January 2018, following the recommendations made by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) Task Force. We performed stepwise multiple regression analyses to predict each spirometric parameter. We also performed extensive residual analyses comparing the measured values with those calculated with our new spirometric equations and with other commonly used equations.

Results

Predictive equations for each spirometric variable were derived from 326 spirometric tests (149 boys, 177 girls). Our newly derived spirometric equations provided the minimum of median of prediction error for almost all spirometric indices measured.

Conclusion

We recommend the newly developed spirometric equations for assessing the ventilatory function of children living in Bogota, Colombia.