bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative research on shadow education: Achievements, challenges, and the agenda ahead
Authors: Zhang Wei , Bray Mark
Published: July 2020

This paper reviews research on private supplementary tutoring, widely known as shadow education, during the initial decades of the present century. It takes as its starting point the first global study of the phenomenon, published in 1999, though notes some scattered national and subnational literature prior to that date. During the initial two decades, great expansion of the research on shadow education brought more depth and stronger awareness of commonalities and differences in different cultures. From initial mapping and identification of factors shaping demand came work on ecosystems with deeper sociological and economic analyses, together with greater attention to research methods. The agenda ahead will need to keep up with changing times, e.g., through the impact of technology, and develop stronger interdisciplinarity to explore additional domains. It will also need continued attention to definitions and methods.
Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth? Organising Boundary‐Spanning Government Affairs Units during Times of Crisis
Authors: Barron Andrew , Vanyushyn Vladimir
Published: July 2020

Recent developments – including the COVID‐19 crisis, or the UK's departure from the EU – demonstrate that business is vulnerable to unpredictable political developments. How can firms respond to such challenges? For us, the answer lies in how they organise their political actions. Applying insights from the information processing view of organisation design theory to original survey data, we investigate how firms configure boundary‐spanning government affairs (GA) activities in response to Brexit. Contrary to conventional organisation design thinking, we find the ability of GA units to monitor and influence Brexit‐related developments improves when firms concentrate GA decision‐making at clearly defined organisational levels, and coordinate GA units with the rest of the business. Of interest to scholars of organisation design and boundary spanning, our research contributes primarily to corporate political activity (CPA) research by providing practical and theoretical insights into the management and organisation of firms' political actions in times of crisis.
Detection of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum in drain water based on concentration, enrichment and the use of a duplex TaqMan PCR test
Authors: Sedighian N. , Mendes O. , Poleij L. , Bonants P. , van der Wolf J.
Published: July 2020

The Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) can cause bacterial wilt in a wide variety of plant species, including a number of ornamental glasshouse crops. Recently in Europe, ornamental rose plants for the production of cut flowers and propagation materials have been strongly affected by Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum, phylotype I, biovar 3. To test for the presence of the pathogen in the glasshouse, sampling of water from a drainage gutter or well may be an efficient strategy since it is known that RSSC can be released from infected root systems in the water. A protocol was developed to detect low densities of R. pseudosolanacearum in drain water collected from rose growers. Drain water was filtered through a bacterial filter, the filtrate was collected and target bacteria enriched for 48 h in Semi‐selective Medium South Africa (SMSA) broth supplemented with sterilized tomato plant extracts. DNA extracted from the enrichment broth was analysed using a TaqMan test in a duplex format, based on specific egl sequences of RSSC and the use of an extraction and amplification control. The optimized protocol had a detection level of ≤1–10 colony forming units of R. pseudosolanacearum in drain water.
Incorporating genetic selection into individual‐based models of malaria and other infectious diseases
Authors: Hastings Ian M. , Hardy Diggory , Kay Katherine , Sharma Raman
Published: July 2020

Introduction

Control strategies for human infections are often investigated using individual‐based models (IBMs) to quantify their impact in terms of mortality, morbidity and impact on transmission. Genetic selection can be incorporated into the IBMs to track the spread of mutations whose origin and spread are driven by the intervention and which subsequently undermine the control strategy; typical examples are mutations which encode drug resistance or diagnosis‐ or vaccine‐escape phenotypes.

Methods and results

We simulated the spread of malaria drug resistance using the IBM OpenMalaria to investigate how the finite sizes of IBMs require strategies to optimally incorporate genetic selection. We make four recommendations. Firstly, calculate and report the selection coefficients, s, of the advantageous allele as the key genetic parameter. Secondly, use these values of “s” to calculate the wait time until a mutation successfully establishes itself in the pathogen population. Thirdly, identify the inherent limits of the IBM to robustly estimate small selection coefficients. Fourthly, optimize computational efficacy: when “s” is small, fewer replicates of larger IBMs may be more efficient than a larger number of replicates of smaller size.

Discussion

The OpenMalaria IBM of malaria was an exemplar and the same principles apply to IBMs of other diseases.
Prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes, parasite control practices and anthelmintic resistance patterns in a working horse population in Egypt
Authors: Salem Shebl E. , Abd El‐Ghany Amany M. , Hamad Mohamed H. , Abdelaal Ahmed M. , Elsheikh Hussein A. , Hamid Alaa A. , Saud Mohamed A. , Daniels Simon P. , Ras Refaat
Published: July 2020

Background

Anthelmintic resistance is commonly reported in horse populations in developed countries, but evidence in some working horse populations is either lacking or inconclusive.

Objectives

To estimate prevalence of GI nematode infections in working horses in Egypt and to evaluate strongyle resistance to ivermectin, doramectin and fenbendazole.

Study design

Cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Faecal egg count was performed on 644 working horses from 2 provinces in Egypt. A short questionnaire about horse signalment and worming history was completed for each horse. Horses identified with ≥50 strongyle type egg/g (n = 146) underwent faecal egg count reduction testing (FECRT) following treatment with ivermectin (n = 33), doramectin (n = 33) or fenbendazole (n = 30). Risk factors for strongyle (≥200 egg/g) and Parascaris equorum (>0 egg/g) infection were investigated using multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Results

The prevalence of low (0‐199 epg), medium (200‐500 epg) and high (>500 epg) strongyle infection was 88.4%, 5.9% and 5.8%, respectively. P. equorum eggs were detected in 5.1% (n = 33) of horses. Strongyle FECR was 100%, 99.97% and 100% following treatment with ivermectin, doramectin and fenbendazole respectively. Anthelmintic treatment in the 12 months preceding examination was associated with reduced likelihood of strongyle infection (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.14, 0.47, P < .001). The likelihood of P. equorum infection was significantly associated with horses’ age (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.69, 0.90; P < .001). Male horses were more likely to have P. equorum infection (OR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.37, 5.93, P = .005).

Main limitations

Nonrandomised selection of study areas and larval cultures was unsuccessful for some samples.

Conclusions

There were low prevalence of strongyle and P. equorum infection and no evidence of macrocyclic lactones or benzimidazole resistance in strongyles in the studied working horse population.
The effect of neonatal dysphagia on subsequent racing performance in Standardbred horses
Authors: Delvescovo Barbara , Mullen Kathleen R. , Eicker Steven W. , Ivanek Renata , Ainsworth Dorothy M.
Published: July 2020

Background

Previously we described a clustering of dysphagic foal cases on a Pennsylvania (PA) Standardbred farm which was associated with exposure of pregnant mares to high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the well water. The effect of dysphagia on future athleticism was uncertain.

Objectives

To determine if, as adults, dysphagic foals were less likely to race and if athleticism (age of first race, Speed Index and Earnings Per Start Index) differed from that of healthy foals that raced as adults.

Study design

Prospective cohort study.

Methods

All foals born during the study period (2014‐2017) on the affected PA or an unaffected New York (NY) farm with the same proprietor were eligible for inclusion in the study. Foals with dysphagia attributed to causes other than PAH environmental exposure were excluded. The proportion of foals from both farms that raced, their age of first race, Earnings Per Start Index and Speed Index were compared between the dysphagic and normal foals using Chi‐Square and Wilcoxon Rank Sum Tests. Significance level was P < .05.

Results

A total of 116 foals met the inclusion criteria. No significant difference was found in the percentages of foals that raced from each farm: On the PA farm, 54% of healthy and 72% of dysphagic foals raced; 70% of healthy NY farm foals raced. Median (interquartile range) age of first race, Earnings Per Start Index or Speed Index for dysphagic foals (2 years (2, 2); 57 (49, 60); 60 (45, 66) was not different from those of healthy foals from both farms (2 years (2, 3); 55 (39, 78)) or the PA farm (2 years (2, 2); 61(24, 73); 68 (57, 85)). All P > .05.

Main limitations

Small sample size and unique type of dysphagia.

Conclusions

The athleticism of formerly dysphagic foals does not appear to be negatively impacted compared with normal foals as measured by age of first race, Earnings Per Start Index and Speed Index.
Relationship between subjective memory complaints and social and leisure activities in community‐dwelling older people: Toyoake Integrated Care Study
Authors: Takechi Hajime , Tsuzuki Akira , Matsumoto Komaki , Matsunaga Shinji , Nishiyama Hiroyuki , Ogawa Masatoshi , Kanada Yoshikiyo
Published: July 2020

Aim

Subjective memory complaints (SMC) have attracted attention in recent years in relation to the early stages of dementia. However, it is not clear whether SMC are related to social and leisure activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate SMC in relation to activities in community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

A questionnaire inquiring about SMC and social and leisure activities was sent to 14 850 people aged ≥65 years residing in Toyoake City, as part of the Toyoake Integrated Care Study. After a preliminary analysis, we targeted respondents aged ≥70 years. Therefore, 6685 people were included in the analysis. Three question items were used detecting SMC: the feeling of a memory problem (SMC‐1), memory loss pointed out by others (SMC‐2) and difficulty in recalling today’s date (SMC‐3). Logistic regression was carried out to determine the relationship between SMC and activities.

Results

In response to SMC‐1, 2 and 3, 45.3%, 13.3% and 23.5% participants, respectively, agreed with the statement. Social and leisure activities were negatively associated with SMC‐2 and SMC‐3, after controlling for confounding factors (SMC‐2: odds ratio 0.76, 95% confidence interval 0.65–0.89; SMC‐3: odds ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.70–0.90). However, a significant increase in participation in social and leisure activities was associated with a positive response to SMC‐1 (SMC‐1: odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.12–1.38).

Conclusion

A relationship was observed between SMC and social and leisure activities in community‐dwelling older people, although differences in the impact of SMC were seen depending on the question asked. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 867–872.
Interfaces of domestic violence and organization: Gendered violence and inequality
Authors: Wilcox Tracy , Greenwood Michelle , Pullen Alison , O’Leary Kelly Anne , Jones Deborah
Published: July 2020

Domestic violence is a global pandemic. Domestic violence is gendered violence and perpetuates women's inequality. Women experience domestic violence at higher rates than men, and the perpetrators are, more often than not, men. Organizations play an essential role in addressing domestic violence. This article establishes the relationship between domestic violence and organizations at four interfaces of contemporary relevance, to make visible the ways in which domestic violence sustains gender inequality. Interfaces that are central to problematizing domestic violence and organization are discussed: domestic–work; business–society; men–women; and mind/rationality–body/emotion. Adopting the heuristic of interfaces draws our attention to the boundaries that separate fields but also that which connects them, enabling multidisciplinary research across domestic violence to be reviewed in a way that surfaces both the complexities and the organizational responsibility for action‐based change in practice and scholarship. The article concludes by calling for future research that transcends practice and scholarship.
Materialism and life satisfaction: The moderating roles of alexithymia and product retention tendency
Authors: Vredeveld Anna J.
Published: July 2020

This research examines how alexithymia and product retention tendency affect the relationship between materialism and life satisfaction. Extant research has established that materialism has a negative effect on personal well‐being and that consumer culture and marketing facilitates this effect by encouraging consumers to focus on material pursuits to satisfy extrinsic goals. However, previous research has not explored how emotional personality traits and lifestyle values influence this “dark side” of materialism. Alexithymia is an emotional personality trait that inhibits an individual's ability to identify, describe and regulate emotions. Results from survey data show that alexithymia moderates the effect of materialism on life satisfaction, such that the effect is negative for individuals without alexithymia, but positive for individuals with alexithymia. Moreover, product retention tendency attenuates the negative effect of materialism for individuals without alexithymia, but strengthens the positive effect of materialism for individuals with alexithymia. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
The effectiveness of minimum income benefits in poverty reduction in Spain
Authors: Ayala Luis , Arranz José María , García‐Serrano Carlos , Martínez‐Virto Lucía
Published: July 2020

One of the greatest peculiarities of the Spanish system of minimum income benefits is its complex organisation. There is a wide variety of specific means‐tested benefits whose management and financing depend on the central government. They are designed to protect different contingencies, providing very different levels of protection. On the other hand, the general risk of poverty is covered by regional governments without any coordination and financing from the central government. In this article, we provide a picture of the possibilities and limits of the current set of welfare benefits, focusing especially on its effectiveness in terms of reducing poverty. Our findings show that most benefits are clearly insufficient to cover the risk of poverty in terms of both incidence and intensity. The results show the need for the redesign of the system to better articulate existing benefits in order to prevent new forms of poverty and to respond to emergency situations.

Key Practitioner Message: • The Spanish system of minimum income benefits consists of a varied mosaic of benefits that provide very different levels of protection for individuals or households with similar needs; • The contribution of these benefits to the reduction in poverty in Spain is very modest and significantly lower than that of contributory pensions; • The protection provided by MIBS is also unequal by population categories.
Muslim religious accommodations in Western Europe: Do multicultural policies impact religiosity levels among Muslims, Catholics and Protestants?
Authors: Kwon Ronald , McCaffree Kevin
Published: July 2020

How do religious accommodations for Muslim minorities shape religiosity levels among Muslims minorities? Answering this question is critical in the contemporary period, as Western European countries have experienced greater diversity in religious affiliations due to immigration. In this article, we address this question by analysing individual data across multiple waves of the European Social Survey (ESS). Our analysis improves on existing studies in that it (1) incorporates a greater number of countries than prior studies, (2) covers a historically novel period of religious accommodations for Muslim minorities and (3) more effectively controls for unmeasured country and time‐invariant processes than previous research. We find that in countries that have instituted greater religious accommodations, Muslim respondents generally report higher levels of religiosity. Interestingly, we also find that the greater institutionalization of religious accommodations for Muslims also impacts the subjective religiosity levels of Protestant majorities. We find no effect for Catholic respondents.
Ba‐based complex perovskite ceramics with superior energy storage characteristics
Authors: Shi Rui Da , Ma Xiao , Ma Pian Pian , Zhu Xiao Li , Fu Mao Sen , Chen Xiang Ming
Published: July 2020

Linear dielectrics are widely used to create high power capacitors, where it is a big challenge to achieve high energy storage density in such dielectrics. Here, Ba‐based complex perovskite ceramics with high dielectric strength, medium dielectric constant, and ultra‐low dielectric loss are proposed as the candidates for high energy storage density dielectric materials, and the significant effects of 1:2 B‐site ordering and ordering domain structure are systematically investigated. In Ba(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 ceramics, high dielectric strength of 1452 kV cm−1 combined with high energy storage density of 3.31 J cm−3 are achieved in the samples after post‐densification annealing, and they are 28% and 57%, respectively, higher than those in the as‐sintered samples. The significant enhancement of energy storage performance could be attributed to the increased B‐site ordering degree, and the uniform ordering domain structure. Furthermore, amorphous alumina thin films are introduced as the charge blocking layers, which significantly enhance the energy storage density to 5.09 J cm−3. The present work provides a new approach to develop the dielectric ceramics with high energy storage density.
Synthesis and characterization of a pyrochlore solid solution in the Na2O‐Bi2O3‐TiO2 system
Authors: Pradal‐Velázquez Emilio , Yang Fan , Sinclair Derek C.
Published: July 2020

The compositional limits of a previously reported (J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 61, 5‐8. (1978)) but relatively unstudied sodium‐bismuth titanate pyrochlore solid solution are revised and their electrical properties presented. The pyrochlore solid solution we report forms via a different mechanism to that originally reported and occurs in a different location within the Na2O‐Bi2O3‐TiO2 ternary system. In both cases, relatively large amounts of vacancies are required on the A‐sites and on the oxygen sites, similar to that reported for undoped ‘Bi2Ti2O7’ pyrochlore. In contrast to ‘Bi2Ti2O7’, this ternary pyrochlore solid solution can be prepared and ceramics sintered using conventional solid‐state methods; however, the processing requires several challenges to be overcome to obtain dense ceramics. This cubic pyrochlore series has low electrical conductivity (and does not exhibit any evidence of oxide‐ion conduction) and exhibits relaxor ferroelectric behavior with a broad permittivity maximum of ~100 near room temperature. Variable temperature neutron diffraction data do not provide any conclusive evidence for a phase transition in the pyrochlore solid solution between ~4 and 873 K.
Curcumin inhibits the growth of triple‐negative breast cancer cells by silencing EZH2 and restoring DLC1 expression
Authors: Zhou Xueliang , Jiao Dechao , Dou Mengmeng , Zhang Weijie , Lv Liying , Chen Jianjian , Li Lifeng , Wang Liuxing , Han Xinwei
Published: July 2020

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), an oncogene, is a commonly up‐regulated epigenetic factor in human cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma deletion gene 1 (DLC1) is an antioncogene that is either expressed at low levels or not expressed in many malignant tumours. Curcumin is a promising anticancer drug that has antitumour effects in many tumours, but its mechanism of action is unclear. Our research demonstrated that EZH2 was up‐regulated in breast cancer (BC) tissues and cells, whereas DLC1 was down‐regulated, and the expression of EZH2 and DLC1 was negatively correlated in BC. By analysing the characteristics of clinical cases, we found that positive expression of EZH2 and negative expression of DLC1 may be predictors of poor prognosis in patients with triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC). Moreover, knockdown of EZH2 expression restored the expression of DLC1 and inhibited the migration, invasion and proliferation, promoted the apoptosis, and blocked the cell cycle of MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Furthermore, we found that curcumin restored the expression of DLC1 by inhibiting EZH2; it also inhibited the migration, invasion and proliferation of MDA‐MB‐231 cells, promoted their apoptosis and blocked the cell cycle. Finally, xenograft tumour models were used to demonstrate that curcumin restored DLC1 expression by inhibiting EZH2 and also inhibited the growth and promoted the apoptosis of TNBC cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that curcumin can inhibit the migration, invasion and proliferation, promote the apoptosis, block the cycle of TNBC cells and restore the expression of DLC1 by inhibiting the expression of EZH2.
Hydrothermal conversion of ice‐cream wastewater
Authors: Enteshari Maryam , Martínez‐Monteagudo Sergio I.
Published: July 2020

Ice‐cream wastewater (WW) was subjected to a hydrothermal process (230°C, 40 bar, and 240 min) to reduce the organic load and to produce functional hydrolysates of protein as value‐added components. Samples of WW from six different production days were collected after a typical clean‐in‐place protocol. Untreated WW contained high values of total protein (12–22% on dry basis), biological oxygen demand (BOD, 8–38 g L−1), and chemical oxygen demand (COD, 7–30 g L−1). The hydrothermal process reduced 87–97 and 25–70% of the BOD and COD, respectively. Moreover, the hydrothermal process hydrolyzed between 38 and 56% of the protein fraction, and the resulting hydrolysates showed antioxidant activity (14–19% of the DPPH) and antihypertension (angiotensin I‐converting enzyme) activity (60–97%). Additionally, the hydrolysates showed a high ratio of glutamic acid (20–26%) and proline (10–15%), which confirmed the relevant functional properties of hydrolysates.

Practical Applications

Virtually all ice‐cream manufacturers experience the common challenge of managing WW from production and cleaning operations. In this study, we converted ice‐cream WW into valued‐added hydrolysates through hydrothermal process. Produced hydrolysates exhibited relevant functional properties. More importantly, the outcomes of this investigation help to address the environmental concerns associated with millions of tons of WW generated from manufacturing activities.
Efficiency of tannase enzyme for degradation of tannin from cashew apple juice: Modeling and optimization of process using artificial neural network and response surface methodology
Authors: Abdullah S. , Pradhan Rama Chandra , Aflah Muhammed , Mishra Sabyasachi
Published: July 2020

The study was conducted on tannase‐assisted extraction of cashew apple juice at different combinations of tannase concentration (0.01–0.1% wt/wt), incubation time (20–120 min), and incubation temperature (30–50°C) for the maximum reduction of tannin from the juice. The modeling and optimization of process parameters were performed using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). The RSM proposed an optimum process condition of 0.079% tannase concentration, 85 min incubation time, and 46°C incubation temperature, whereas the ANN model proposed 0.085% tannase concentration, 89 min incubation time, and 39°C incubation temperature as the optimum conditions. The reduction in tannin content achieved using the optimum conditions proposed by RSM and ANN models were 63.93 and 68.85%, respectively. Statistical parameters such as absolute average deviation (AAD), mean squared error (MSE), and determination coefficient (R2) indicated the superiority of the ANN model with high R2 and low AAD and MSE values.

Practical application

Astringency due to tannin content is the primary reason behind the low consumer acceptability of the cashew apple juice. The application of tannase enzyme during juice extraction has a potential to decrease the tannin content of cashew apple juice. However, the effect of tannase enzyme, on tannin degradation in cashew apple juice has not been systematically studied in details. Hence, a study was conducted to optimize the process parameters of tannase‐assisted juice extraction from cashew apple for maximum reduction of tannin content. More than 68% reduction in tannin content was achieved using the optimized process conditions. This study will help food industries to develop juice from highly nutritious cashew apple with minimum astringency and better consumer acceptability.
Hot deformation behaviour of bimodal sized Al2O3/Al nanocomposites fabricated by spark plasma sintering
Authors: SADEGHI BEHZAD , CAVALIERE PASQUALE , NOSKO MARTIN , TREMBOŠOVÁ VERONIKA , NAGY ŠTEFAN
Published: July 2020

The deformation behaviour of bimodal sized Al2O3/Al nanocomposites were investigated by hot compression tests conducted in the temperature range 350–500°C and strain rates of 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 s–1. The dynamic recrystallisation behaviour of the nanocomposites strongly depended on the forming parameters. The bimodal sized Al2O3 particles played a crucial role in the recrystallised microstructure. The addition of bimodal sized Al2O3 particles led to a significant increase of activation energy of plastic deformation, corroborating the enhanced resistance of the nanocomposite to hot deformation. This was also reflected by the increased compressive yield strength in the nanocomposite due to both dislocation strengthening caused by n‐Al2O3 and preventing the grain growth due to the presence of μ‐Al2O3 at grain boundaries. It was found that with the decrease of Z values, local strain induced by deformation was released and the grain size of aluminium matrix gradually increased, indicating that the main softening mechanism of the bimodal sized Al2O3/Al nanocomposites was dynamic recrystallisation (DRX). The lower the Z value was, the easier the DRX occurred. The highly beneficial role of the bimodal sized Al2O3 reinforcement in improving the high‐temperature performance of aluminium matrix nanocomposite was discussed.
Patterns of Parental Messages Supporting Fighting and Nonviolence Among Urban Middle School Students
Authors: O'Connor Kelly E. , Coleman Jasmine N. , Farrell Albert D. , Sullivan Terri N.
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of adolescents with distinct perceptions of parental messages supporting fighting and nonviolence. Latent class analysis identified four subgroups among 2,619 urban middle school students (90% African American; 52% female): messages supporting fighting (32%), messages supporting nonviolence (29%), mixed messages (23%), and no messages (16%). We found significant differences across subgroups in their frequency of physical aggression and peer victimization and beliefs about the use of aggressive and nonviolent responses to peer provocation. Beliefs significantly mediated the relation between parental messages subgroups and both aggression and victimization. Findings illustrate the heterogeneity in the messages urban adolescents perceive from their parents, as well as relations with adolescents’ beliefs and behavior.
Impact of hearing impairment on early childhood development in Australian Aboriginal children: A data linkage study
Authors: Su Jiunn‐Yih , Guthridge Steven , He Vincent Y , Howard Damien , Leach Amanda J
Published: July 2020

Aim

To investigate the association between hearing impairment (HI) and measures of early childhood development in Aboriginal children at age 5 years.

Methods

An observational cohort study (n = 1037) of children aged 4.0–7.3 years (median 5.4 years), living in remote Northern Territory (NT) communities, was conducted using multiple linked administrative datasets, including the NT Perinatal Data Register, Remote Hearing Assessment records (2007–2015) and Australian Early Development Censuses (AEDC, 2009, 2012 and 2015). Outcome measures were summary and domain‐specific AEDC results using both dichotomous and continuous variables (domain scores).

Results

Compared with normal hearing children, after adjustment for selected confounding factors, those with moderate or worse HI had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.69 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03–2.77) for being developmentally vulnerable in two or more of the five AEDC domains. Children with mild HI and those with moderate to worse HI had lower domain score sum by −1.60 (95% CI, −3.02 to −0.18) and − 2.40 (95% CI, −4.50 to −0.30), respectively. There was also evidence for an association between HI and poorer outcomes in the ‘language and cognitive skills’, ‘communication skills and general knowledge’ and ‘physical health and wellbeing’ domains.

Conclusions

Otitis media‐related HI is associated with increased risk for poorer outcomes in early childhood development and this risk appears to increase with higher levels of HI. Prevention and early treatment of otitis media will reduce both the disease and the associated negative impact on early child development, especially the development of language, cognitive and communication skills and physical health and wellbeing.
Structural Variations Increase the Upper Limit of Colony Size ofMicrocystis: Implications from Laboratory Cultures and Field Investigations
Authors: Feng Ganyu , Zhu Wei , Xue Zongpu , Hu Siyuan , Wang Ruochen , Zhao Shuai , Chen Huaimin
Published: July 2020

WildMicrocystishave highly diverse colonial structures and sizes, including variable colony geometry, cell arrangement, and diameter. These structural and dimensional variations may play an important role in continual, frequentMicrocystisblooms during summer and autumn, the cause of which still remains unclear. Here, laboratory cultures and field investigations were applied to assess mechanisms that drive variation in structure and size, as well as factors that influence diversity. The results demonstrated that colonies grew to large sizes at the expense of their structure being loose and inhomogeneous. Furthermore, colonies may spontaneously change structure to relieve the constraints of size in return. Influencing factors (nutrient limits and turbulent shear) tended to promote these variations. Our work highlights that the diversity ofMicrocystiscolonies may be a result of structural variations as survival strategies for gaining a higher upper size limit. Therefore, during seasonal successions, large colonies commonly have porous or loosely arranged structures, such as inM. aeruginosa. Additionally, this study hypothesized three possible transition routes for better understanding structural diversity and variations inMicrocystis.
Tackling Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms with Chinese Colleagues: We're All in the Same Boat
Authors: Paerl Hans W.
Published: July 2020

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs) are a rapidly proliferating global problem, threatening the use and sustainability of our freshwater resources. In recent decades, the United States, China, and other developed and developing countries threatened by CyanoHAB expansion have established collaborative efforts aimed at mitigating and managing this environmental and human health problem. However, an escalating negative political climate and restrictive policies on scientific exchange threaten these efforts. In this Perspective, I point to progress that has been made to counter the CyanoHAB problem on U.S.–Chinese fronts through our collaborations, which have been mutually beneficial from research and academic perspectives. Much like global efforts now needed to control pandemics, we are all “in the same boat” when to comes to countering the threat CyanoHABs pose for drinkable, swimmable, and fishable freshwater supplies and human health.
Evolutionary Phycology: Toward a Macroalgal Species Conceptual Framework
Authors: McCoy Sophie J. , Krueger‐Hadfield Stacy A. , Mieszkowska Nova
Published: July 2020

Species concepts formalize evolutionary and ecological processes, but often conflict with one another when considering the mechanisms that ultimately lead to species delimitation. Evolutionary biologists are, however, recognizing that the conceptualization of a species is separate and distinct from the delimitation of species. Indeed, if species are generally defined as separately evolving metapopulation lineages, then characteristics, such as reproductive isolation or monophyly, can be used as evidence of lineage separation and no longer conflict with the conceptualization of a species. However, little of this discussion has addressed the formalization of this evolutionary conceptual framework for macroalgal species. This may be due to the complexity and variation found in macroalgal life cycles. While macroalgal mating system variation and patterns of hybridization and introgression have been identified, complex algal life cycles generate unique eco‐evolutionary consequences. Moreover, the discovery of frequent macroalgal cryptic speciation has not been accompanied by the study of the evolutionary ecology of those lineages, and, thus, an understanding of the mechanisms underlying such rampant speciation remain elusive. In this perspective, we aim to further the discussion and interest in species concepts and speciation processes in macroalgae. We propose a conceptual framework to enable phycological researchers and students alike to portray these processes in a manner consistent with dialogue at the forefront of evolutionary biology. We define a macroalgal species as an independently evolving metapopulation lineage, whereby we can test for reproductive isolation or the occupation of distinct adaptive zones, among other mechanisms, as secondary lines of supporting evidence.
Resolving robust phylogenetic relationships of core Brassicaceae using genome skimming data
Authors: Liu Liang‐Min , Du Xin‐Yu , Guo Cen , Li De‐Zhu
Published: July 2020

The Brassicaceae is an economically and scientifically important family distributed globally, including oilseed rape and the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Although growing molecular data have been used in phylogenetic studies, the relationships among major clades and tribes of Brassicaceae are still controversial. Here, we investigated the core Brassicaceae phylogenetics using 222 plastomes and 235 nrDNA cistrons, including 106 plastomes and 112 nrDNA cistrons assembled from newly sequenced genome skimming data of 112 taxa. The sampling covered 73 genera from 61.5% tribes and four unassigned genera and species. Three well supported lineages LI, LII, and LIII were revealed in our plastomic analyses, with LI sister to LII + LIII. In addition, the monophyly of the newly delimitated LII was strongly supported by three different partition strategies, concatenated methods under Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses. LII comprised 13 tribes, including four tribes previously unassigned to any lineage, that is Biscutelleae as the earliest diverging clade and Cochlearieae as the sister to Megacarpaeeae + Anastaticeae. Within LII, the intertribal relationships were also well resolved, except that a conflicting position of Orychophragmus was detected among different datasets. In LIII, Shehbazia was resolved as a member of Chorisproreae, but Chorisproreae, Dontostemoneae, and Euclidieae were all resolved as paraphyletic, which was also confirmed by nrDNA analyses. Moreover, the loss of the rps16 gene was detected as likely to be a synapomorphy of the tribes Arabideae and Alysseae. Overall, using genome skimming data, we resolved robust phylogenetic relationships of core Brassicaceae and shed new light on the complex evolutionary history of this family.
A history of antimicrobial drugs in animals: Evolution and revolution
Authors: Lees Peter , Pelligand Ludovic , Giraud Etienne , Toutain Pierre‐Louis
Published: July 2020

The evolutionary process of antimicrobial drug (AMD) uses in animals over a mere eight decades (1940–2020) has led to a revolutionary outcome, and both evolution and revolution are ongoing, with reports on a range of uses, misuses and abuses escalating logarithmically. As well as veterinary therapeutic perspectives (efficacy, safety, host toxicity, residues, selection of drug, determination of dose and measurement of outcome in treating animal diseases), there are also broader, nontherapeutic uses, some of which have been abandoned, whilst others hopefully will soon be discontinued, at least in more developed countries. Although AMD uses for treatment of animal diseases will continue, it must: (a) be sustainable within the One Health paradigm; and (b) devolve into more prudent, rationally based therapeutic uses. As this review on AMDs is published in a Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, its scope has been made broader than most recent reviews in this field. Many reviews have focused on negative aspects of AMD actions and uses, especially on the question of antimicrobial resistance. This review recognizes these concerns but also emphasizes the many positive aspects deriving from the use of AMDs, including the major research‐based advances underlying both the prudent and rational use of AMDs. It is structured in seven sections: (1) Introduction; (2) Sulfonamide history; (3) Nontherapeutic and empirical uses of AMDs (roles of agronomists and veterinarians); (4) Rational uses of AMDs (roles of pharmacologists, clinicians, industry and regulatory controls); (5) Prudent use (residue monitoring, antimicrobial resistance); (6) International and inter‐disciplinary actions; and (7) Conclusions.
A Multi‐Transition Approach to Evaluating Peacekeeping Effectiveness
Authors: Kim Wukki , Sandler Todd , Shimizu Hirofumi
Published: July 2020

Past studies of the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations (PKOs) mainly focus on the preservation of peace. If the transitions from peace to conflict or from conflict to peace are correlated based on grievances or war weariness, then a multi‐transition survival analysis provides more efficient estimates and may limit bias. Our main analysis for 133 country‐based conflicts during 1990–2016 shows that estimates of the two transitions display a significant negative covariance, consistent with grievances and the need for a multi‐transition approach. As a robustness check, we match UN PKOs with the absence of UN PKOs to address nonrandom assignments of PKOs. For the matched and unmatched estimates, we find that UN peace enforcement missions induce a transition from conflict to peace, while UN observation, traditional peacekeeping, and peacebuilding missions limit a transition from peace to conflict. We also show that UN troops, rather than UN police, are more effective in transitioning from conflict to peace and in maintaining peace after conflict. Further robustness runs for alternative subsamples (e.g., just civil wars) support the main results. Our findings indicate the appropriate UN PKO mission type and personnel mix to deploy depending on the conflict’s current state.
When I say …. diversity
Authors: Chiavaroli Neville , Blitz Julia , Cleland Jennifer
Published: July 2020

The authors explore the meanings, significance, implications of the term ‘diversity’, arguing this crucial concept needs to be understood contextually, critically.
The Arabidopsis thaliana gene AtERF019 negatively regulates plant resistance to Phytophthora parasitica by suppressing PAMP‐triggered immunity
Authors: Lu Wenqin , Deng Fengyan , Jia Jinbu , Chen Xiaokang , Li Jinfang , Wen Qujiang , Li Tingting , Meng Yuling , Shan Weixing
Published: July 2020

Phytophthora species are destructive plant pathogens that cause significant crop losses worldwide. To understand plant susceptibility to oomycete pathogens and to explore novel disease resistance strategies, we employed the Arabidopsis thaliana–Phytophthora parasitica model pathosystem and screened for A. thaliana T‐DNA insertion mutant lines resistant to P. parasitica. This led to the identification of the resistant mutant 267‐31, which carries two T‐DNA insertion sites in the promoter region of the ethylene‐responsive factor 19 gene (ERF019). Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT‐qPCR) assays showed that the expression of ERF019 was induced during P. parasitica infection in the wild type, which was suppressed in the 267‐31 mutant. Additional erf019 mutants were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and were confirmed to have increased resistance to P. parasitica. In contrast, ERF019 overexpression lines were more susceptible. Transient overexpression assays in Nicotiana benthamiana showed that the nuclear localization of ERF019 is crucial for its susceptible function. RT‐qPCR analyses showed that the expression of marker genes for multiple defence pathways was significantly up‐regulated in the mutant compared with the wild type during infection. Flg22‐induced hydrogen peroxide accumulation and reactive oxygen species burst were impaired in ERF019 overexpression lines, and flg22‐induced MAPK activation was enhanced in erf019 mutants. Moreover, transient overexpression of ERF019 strongly suppressed INF‐triggered cell death in N. benthamiana. These results reveal the importance of ERF019 in mediating plant susceptibility to P. parasitica through suppression of pathogen‐associated molecular pattern‐triggered immunity.
Sources of Power in Public Negotiations: A Framework Applied to Public‐Public and Public‐Private Negotiations
Authors: Mandell Brian S. , Petraeus Stephen , Subramanian Guhan
Published: July 2020

The negotiation literature has extensively examined the topic of power and how it can be wielded. Numerous frameworks have been created and utilized in the various treatises on negotiations; analyzing the power differential in any given situation is a common teaching technique. However, despite this focus on the topic, discussions of power have been mainly focused on negotiations in the private sector. As a result, many of the most common frameworks are oriented toward this type of situation, resulting in a clumsy application to a public‐sector negotiation.

Given the growing importance of negotiations to public‐sector leaders, we provide a new structure for analyzing power that can be utilized in such situations. For a municipal leader confronted with a complex public‐private partnership, it is important to have the right tools to use when examining the power dynamics at play. After examining several current models of power, as well as other writings on the topic in negotiation and strategy literature, we present a new model. This model divides power into different categories based on whether it stems from formal or informal mechanisms, and then offers several specific forms relevant to the public sector.

We then use this new model to examine a case study involving the new mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire and her efforts to negotiate a better response to the opioid and homelessness crisis. This case study illustrates the unique nature of public sector negotiations and provides a roadmap for negotiators looking to use our new framework.
Nutraceuticals as potential therapeutics for vesicant‐induced pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Businaro Rita , Maggi Elisa , Armeli Federica , Murray Alexa , Laskin Debra L.
Published: July 2020

Exposure to vesicants, including sulfur mustard and nitrogen mustard, causes damage to the epithelia of the respiratory tract and the lung. With time, this progresses to chronic disease, most notably, pulmonary fibrosis. The pathogenic process involves persistent inflammation and the release of cytotoxic oxidants, cytokines, chemokines, and profibrotic growth factors, which leads to the collapse of lung architecture, with fibrotic involution of the lung parenchyma. At present, there are no effective treatments available to combat this pathological process. Recently, much interest has focused on nutraceuticals, substances derived from plants, herbs, and fruits, that exert pleiotropic effects on inflammatory cells and parenchymal cells that may be useful in reducing fibrogenesis. Some promising results have been obtained with nutraceuticals in experimental animal models of inflammation‐driven fibrosis. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the putative preventive/therapeutic efficacy of nutraceuticals in progressive pulmonary fibrosis, with a focus on their activity against inflammatory reactions and profibrotic cell differentiation.
Effectiveness of school‐based interventions to prevent obesity among children aged 4 to 12 years old in middle‐income countries: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Singhal Juhi , Herd Clare , Adab Peymane , Pallan Miranda
Published: July 2020

Economic and accompanying nutrition transition in middle‐income countries is resulting in rapidly increasing childhood obesity prevalence, exceeding acceleration rates in the West. Previous school‐based obesity prevention reviews have mainly included studies from high‐income countries. This review aimed to summarize the evidence from randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of school‐based interventions in preventing childhood obesity in middle‐income countries. Six electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, LILACS, IBECS and WPRIM. Eligibility criteria included middle‐income country setting, randomized/cluster‐randomized controlled trials, children aged 4–12 years and school‐based interventions targeting dietary intake and/or physical activity. Twenty‐one cluster‐randomized controlled trials, conducted in Asia (n = 10), South America (n = 4), North America (n = 4) and the Middle East (n = 3), were included. Fifteen studies reported a significant intervention effect on at least one adiposity‐related outcome. Characteristics of effective interventions included combined diet and PA interventions, school teacher‐delivery, duration of >8 months, parental involvement, education sessions and school food modifications. The risk of bias in these trials was mixed. The pooled estimate of the odds ratio for obesity in intervention versus control schools (nine studies) was 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.94; p = 0.009. In conclusion, there is some evidence to support school‐based interventions in preventing childhood obesity in middle‐income countries.