bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consuming Royal Jelly Causes Mosquitoes to Shift Into and Out of Their Overwintering Dormancy
Authors: Bianco Olivia E. , Abdi Aisha , Klein Matthias S. , Meuti Megan E.
Published: June 2022

Females of the Northern house mosquito,Culex pipiens, enter an overwintering dormancy, or diapause, in response to short day lengths and low environmental temperatures. Diapausing female mosquitoes feed exclusively on sugar-rich products rather than human or animal blood, thereby reducing disease transmission. During diapause, Major Royal Jelly Protein 1 (MRJP1) is upregulated in females ofCx. pipiens. This protein is highly abundant in royal jelly, a substance produced by honey bees (Apis mellifera), that is fed to future queens throughout larval development and stimulates longevity and fecundity. However, the role of MRJP1 inCx. pipiensis unknown. We investigated how supplementing the diets of both diapausing and nondiapausing females ofCx. pipienswith royal jelly affects gene expression, egg follicle length, fat content, protein content, longevity, and metabolic profile. We found that feeding royal jelly to long day-reared females significantly reduced the egg follicle lengths of females and switched their metabolic profiles to be similar to diapausing females. In contrast, feeding royal jelly to short day-reared females significantly reduced lifespan and switched their metabolic profile to be similar nondiapausing mosquitoes. Moreover, RNAi directed againstMRJPIsignificantly increased egg follicle length of short day-reared females, suggesting that these females averted diapause, although RNAi againstMRJP1also extended the lifespan of short day-reared females. Taken together, our data show that consuming royal jelly reverses the seasonal responses ofCx. pipiensand that these responses are likely mediated in part by MRJP1.

Summary Statement

Consuming royal jelly reversed seasonal differences in physiological states, lifespan and metabolic profiles in females of the Northern house mosquito, a major vector of West Nile virus.
Flying honeybees adjust their reaction times to enable group cohesion
Authors: Islam Md. Saiful , Faruque Imraan A.
Published: June 2022

Flying insects routinely demonstrate coordinated flight in groups. How they achieve this with very limited communication, vision, and neural systems remains an open question. We measured the visual reaction time in flying honeybees while they chased a moving target, and compared in-flight reaction times for solo animals with those flying in groups. Across 425 insects, the solo honeybees show diverse reaction times (an average of 30ms and a standard deviation of 50ms). The reaction times in groups are significantly more uniform (an average of 15ms and a standard deviation of only 7ms), indicating that honeybees in group flight adjust their reaction times to match their neighbors. To investigate the role of this adjustment, we curve fit the reaction time distributions and analyzed them in a mathematical model of swarming, finding that the reaction time increases the stable region of a cohesive swarm. To verify the stabilizing effect was not an artifact of curve fitting, we then inserted the measured delays in a swarm simulation, which breaks apart under the solo reaction times and achieves stable formations for the group reaction times. Together, our findings highlight how flying animals can synchronize their reaction times in group flights to improve group cohesion.
Proteomic Dynamics of Breast Cancers Identifies Potential Therapeutic Protein Targets
Authors: Sun Rui , Zhu Yi , Sayad Azin , Ge Weigang , Luna Augustin , Liang Shuang , Segura Luis Tobalina , Rajapakse Vinodh N. , Yu Chenhuan , Zhang Huanhuan , Fang Jie , Wu Fang , Xie Hui , Saez-Rodriguez Julio , Ying Huazhong , Reinhold William C. , Sander Chris , Pommier Yves , Neel Benjamin G. , Guo Tiannan , Aebersold Ruedi
Published: June 2022

Treatment and relevant targets for breast cancer (BC) remain limited, especially for triple-negative BC (TNBC). We quantified the proteomes of 76 human BC cell lines using data independent acquisition (DIA) based proteomics, identifying 6091 proteins. We then established a 24-protein panel distinguishing TNBC from other BC types. Integrating prior multi-omics datasets with the present proteomic results to predict the sensitivity of 90 drugs, we found that proteomics data improved drug sensitivity predictions. The sensitivity of the 90 drugs was mainly associated with cell cytoskeleton, signal transduction and mitochondrial function. We next profiled the proteome changes of nine cell lines (five TNBC cell lines, four non-TNBC cell lines) perturbated by EGFR/AKT/mTOR inhibitors. In the TNBC cell lines, metabolism pathways were dysregulated after EGFR/mTOR inhibitors treatment, while RNA modification and cell cycle pathways were dysregulated after AKT inhibitor treatment. Our study presents a systematic multi-omics and in-depth analysis of the proteome of BC cells. This work aims to aid in prioritization of potential therapeutic targets for TNBC as well as to provide insight into adaptive drug resistance in TNBC.
Predictors of second COVID-19 booster dose or new COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among nurses: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Galanis Petros , Vraka Irene , Katsiroumpa Aglaia , Siskou Olga , Konstantakopoulou Olympia , Katsoulas Theodoros , Mariolis-Sapsakos Theodoros , Kaitelidou Daphne
Published: June 2022

Aims and objectives

To assess the levels of second COVID-19 booster dose or new COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among nurses and explore the potential predictors of vaccine hesitancy.

Background

COVID-19 full vaccination seems to be highly effective against highly contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2. Healthcare workers are a high-risk group since they have experienced high levels of COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality.

Methods

An on-line cross-sectional study was carried out in Greece in May 2022, using a self-administered questionnaire. The study population included nurses in healthcare services who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of study. We considered socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related variables, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and pandemic as potential predictors of vaccine hesitancy.

Results

Among 795 nurses, 30.9% were hesitant toward a second booster dose or a new COVID-19 vaccine. Independent predictors of hesitancy included lower educational level, absence of a chronic condition, good/very good self-perceived physical health, lack of flu vaccination during 2021, front-line nurses that provided healthcare to COVID-19 patients during the pandemic, nurses that had not been diagnosed with COVID-19 during the pandemic, and nurses that had at least one relative/friend that has died from COVID-19. Moreover, increased compliance with hygiene measures, increased fear of a second booster dose/new COVID-19 vaccine, and decreased trust in COVID-19 vaccination were associated with increased hesitancy.

Conclusions

Our study shows that a significant percentage of nurses are hesitant toward a second booster dose/new COVID-19 vaccine. This initial hesitancy could be a barrier to efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need to communicate COVID-19 vaccine science in a way that is accessible to nurses in order to decrease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.
Host preference and survivorship ofEuschistus heros(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) strains on cotton and soybean
Authors: Hickmann Frederico , Cordeiro Erick M. G. , Aurélio Mateus Souza L. , Saldanha Alan Valdir , Corrêa Alberto Soares
Published: June 2022

The Neotropical brown stink bugEuschistus heros(Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a key pest of soybeans,Glycine max, and recently became an economically important pest of cotton,Gossypium hirsutum. This stink bug has two allopatric strains, one prevalent in southern Brazil (SS), and another in the north (NS). The two strains hybridize in central Brazil. Knowledge of host preferences and host suitability of these strains can clarify the contribution of the different gene pools to contemporary adaptive features such as the ability to harm cotton crops. We tested the attraction of theE. herosstrains and reciprocal hybrids [♀N × ♂S (HNS) and ♀S × ♂N (HSN)] to soybean and cotton plants and evaluated the nymph development and survivorship of the two strains and reciprocal hybrids fed on soybean or cotton. We conducted host-choice experiments with 4th instars and adult females and evaluated the survival of immatures on soybean and cotton plants in laboratory conditions. The SS strain preferred soybean over cotton. NS and hybrid strains chose randomly between soybean and cotton plants. All strains developed on soybean, with similar survival rates. On cotton, the pure strains did not reach adulthood; however, the hybrids developed on cotton but with a survival rate less than 1%. Our results showed thatE. herosSS was more attracted to soybeans, and NS and hybrid strains had a polyphagous choice behavior, suggesting that current host selection has been mediated by historical and, mainly, contemporary relationships ofE. herosstrains with these hosts.
Super-resolution stimulated Raman Scattering microscopy with A-PoD
Authors: Jang Hongje , Li Yajuan , Fung Anthony A. , Bagheri Pegah , Hoang Khang , Skowronska-Krawczyk Dorota , Chen Xiaoping , Wu Jane Y. , Bintu Bogdan , Shi Lingyan
Published: June 2022

Unlike traditionally-mapped Raman imaging, stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) imaging achieved the capability of imaging metabolic dynamics and a greatly improved signal-noise-ratio. However, its spatial resolution is still limited by the numerical aperture or scattering cross-section. To achieve super-resolved SRS imaging, we developed a new deconvolution algorithm – Adam optimization-based Pointillism Deconvolution (A-PoD) – for SRS imaging, and demonstrated a spatial resolution of 52 nm on polystyrene beads. By changing the genetic algorithm to A-PoD, the image deconvolution process was shortened by more than 3 orders of magnitude, from a few hours to a few seconds. By applying A-PoD to spatially correlated multi-photon fluorescence (MPF) imaging and deuterium oxide (D2O)-probed SRS (DO-SRS) imaging data from diverse samples, we compared nanoscopic distributions of proteins and lipids in cells and subcellular organelles. We successfully differentiated newly synthesized lipids in lipid droplets using A-PoD coupled with DO-SRS. The A-PoD-enhanced DO-SRS imaging method was also applied to reveal the metabolic change in brain samples from Drosophila on different diets. This new approach allows us to quantitatively measure the nanoscopic co-localization of biomolecules and metabolic dynamics in organelles. We expect that the A-PoD algorithm will have a wide range of applications, from nano-scale measurements of biomolecules to processing astronomical images.
Sleeve gastrectomy promotes colitis-associated colorectal cancer in a murine model via a modified gut microbiome
Authors: Luo James N. , Haridas Renuka S. , Lo Tammy , Tavakkoli Ali , Yoo James , Sheu Eric G.
Published: June 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States with an alarming rise among young (<50-years-old) patients.1Epidemiologically, obesity appears to be a risk factor for CRC.1Although bariatric surgery has been shown to be associated with decreased risk for most cancers, studies to date on bariatric surgery and CRC continue to yield conflicting results.2One possible explanation for this seeming irreconcilability is the inherent heterogeneity of CRC with its varied mechanisms. This is likely compounded by the differing bariatric operations currently employed. Here, we sharpen our focus and investigate how the most performed bariatric operation, sleeve gastrectomy (SG), affects colitis-associated CRC. Using a murine model, we found that SG significantly exacerbates both colitis and colitis-associated CRC. Using a germ-free (GF) microbiota transplant model, we found that the post-SG microbiota, when transplanted into GF mice, is capable of independently recapitulating the tumor-promoting phenotype of SG. Our results suggest that the postsurgical microbiome plays a key causal role in the increased risk for CRC after SG. This finding represents the first step in our understanding of this complex relationship that is at the intersection of two rising public health threats.
Age-dependent Aedes mosquito resistance profiling and mortality rate to repeated insecticides exposure in Western region, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al Nazawi Ashwaq M , Weetman David
Published: June 2022

Background

Little is documented on Aedes aegypti age-dependent role on different resistance mechanisms to repeated insecticides exposures. The study examined the age-dependence of mortality rate and genetic resistance in two mechanistically pyrethroid resistant mosquito strains exposed once or repeatedly at different ages.

Methods

WHO bioassays and real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed to ascertain their association between age-dependent exposures related mortality rate and single/repeated resistance in the Jeddah and Makkah. Candidate genes of interest (CYP9J7, CYP9J27, CYP9J26, AAEL006953, CYP9P450, AAEL006013) were assessment.

Results

Age dependent and exposure duration had a significant effect on the survival of the Jeddah and resistant Cayman. Our results showed that in a single exposure assays, age had no significant effect on mortality in the Cayman strain (χ2=2.76, df=1, P=0.097), but there was significantly increased mortality in the Jeddah strain younger age (χ2=5.46, df=1, P=0.02), but not statistically significant at older age. In the multiple exposure assay, GLiM analysis showed a significant strain, day and strain*day interaction indicating mortality rate is influenced by the strain or day (which also corresponds to age).The Jeddah strain showed generally lower survival,, there was a highly significant association of survival with repeated exposures in the Jeddah strain (χ2=43.6, df=1, P=4.1×10E-11) and the Cayman strain (χ2=12.5, df=1, P=0.0004). Mortality rate correlated statistically and significantly with the number of days of exposure in the Cayman strain (Spearman rank correlation ρ=-0.77, P=0.01), but in the Jeddah strain it was not statistically significant (ρ= -0.42, P=0.23). After repeated insecticide exposure, the AAEL006013 was statistically and significantly over-expressed compared to the control (P=0.03).

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first research on age and exposure linked genomic and bioassay on field Ae. aegypti in Jeddah, KSA. The study showed that repeated exposure to pyrethroids reduced the Aedes mosquito population mortality rate. This suggests that there is indeed increasing age-dependent resistance or survival with multiple exposure high-doses of same or repeated insecticide, thus indicating the need to rethink on integrated vector control policy and interventions and technical assistance in the Kingdom.
Development of a mouse model for spontaneous oral squamous cell carcinoma in Fanconi anemia
Authors: Errazquin Ricardo , Page Angustias , Suñol Anna , Segrelles Carmen , Carrasco Estela , Peral Jorge , Garrido-Aranda Alicia , Del Marro Sonia , Ortiz Jessica , Lorz Corina , Minguillon Jordi , Surralles Jordi , Belendez Cristina , Alvarez Martina , Balmaña Judith , Bravo Ana , Ramirez Angel , Garcia-Escudero Ramon
Published: June 2022

Fanconi anemia (FA) patients frequently develop oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This cancer in FA patients is diagnosed within the first 3-4 decades of life, very often preceded by lesions that suffer a malignant transformation. In addition, they respond poorly to current treatments due to toxicity or multiple recurrences.

Translational research of new chemopreventive agents and therapeutic strategies has been unsuccessful partly due to scarcity of disease models or failure to fully reproduce the disease. Here we report that Fanca gene knockout mice (Fanca-/-) frequently display pre-malignant lesions in the oral cavity. Moreover, when these animals were crossed with animals having conditional deletion of Trp53 gene in oral mucosa (K14cre;Trp53F2-10/F2-10), they spontaneously developed OSCC with a high penetrance and a median latency of less than ten months. Tumors were well differentiated and expressed markers of squamous differentiation, such as keratins K5 and K10. In conclusion, Fanca and Trp53 genes cooperate to suppress oral cancer in mice, and Fanca-/-;K14cre;Trp53F2-10/F2-10 mice constitute the first animal model of spontaneous OSCC in FA.
Gene-by-environment interactions are pervasive among natural genetic variants
Authors: Chen Shi-An A. , Kern Alexander F. , Ang Roy Moh Lik , Xie Yihua , Fraser Hunter B.
Published: June 2022

Gene-by-Environment (GxE) interactions are fundamental to understanding fitness landscapes and evolution, but have been difficult to identify at the single-nucleotide level, precluding understanding of their prevalence and molecular mechanisms. Most examples involving natural genetic variants exist at the level of entire genomes, e.g. measurement of microbial strain growth across environments, or loci encompassing many variants identified by quantitative trait loci mapping. Here, we introduce CRISPEY- BAR, a high-throughput precision-editing strategy, and use it to map base-pair resolution GxE interactions impacting yeast growth under stress conditions. First, we used CRISPEY-BAR to uncover 338 variants with fitness effects within QTLs previously mapped in different environments. We then measured 1432 ergosterol pathway variants from diverse lineages across six environments, identifying 205 natural variants affecting fitness measured in all six conditions, of which 93.7% showed GxE interactions. Finally, we examine pleiotropic cis-regulatory variants suggesting molecular mechanisms of GxE interaction. In sum, our results suggest an extremely complex, context-dependent fitness landscape characterized by pervasive GxE interactions, while also demonstrating high- throughput genome editing as an effective means for investigating this complexity.
Cross-modal Graph Contrastive Learning with Cellular Images
Authors: Zheng Shuangjia , Rao Jiahua , Zhang Jixian , Cohen Ethan , Li Chengtao , Yang Yuedong
Published: June 2022

Constructing discriminative representations of molecules lies at the core of a number of domains such as drug discovery, material science, and chemistry. State-of-the-art methods employ graph neural networks (GNNs) and self-supervised learning (SSL) to learn the structural representations from unlabeled data, which can then be fine-tuned for downstream tasks. Albeit powerful, these methods that are pre-trained solely on molecular structures cannot generalize well to the tasks involved in intricate biological processes. To cope with this challenge, we propose using high-content cell microscopy images to assist in learning molecular representation. The fundamental rationale of our method is to leverage the correspondence between molecular topological structures and the caused perturbations at the phenotypic level. By including cross-modal pre-training with different types of contrastive loss functions in a unified framework, our model can efficiently learn generic and informative representations from cellular images, which are complementary to molecular structures. Empirical experiments demonstrated that the model transfers non-trivially to a variety of downstream tasks and is often competitive with the existing SSL baselines, e.g., a 15.4% absolute Hit@10 gains in graph-image retrieval task and a 4.0% absolute AUC improvements in clinical outcome predictions. Further zero-shot case studies show the potential of the approach to be applied to real-world drug discovery.
Conoid extrusion serves as gatekeeper for entry of glideosome components into the pellicular space to control motility and invasion in Apicomplexa
Authors: Dos Santos Pacheco Nicolas , Brusini Lorenzo , Haase Romuald , Tosetti Nicolò , Maco Bohumil , Brochet Mathieu , Vadas Oscar , Soldati-Favre Dominique
Published: June 2022

Members of the Apicomplexa are defined by apical cytoskeletal structures and secretory or-ganelles, tailored for motility and invasion. Gliding is powered by actomyosin-dependent rearward translocation of apically secreted transmembrane adhesins. InToxoplasma gondii, the conoid, composed of a cone of spiraling tubulin fibers and apposed preconoidal rings (PCRs), is an enigmatic, dynamic organelle of undefined function. Here we mapped five new components of the PCRs and deduce that the structure serves as a pivotal hub for actin polymerization and glideosome assembly. F-actin produced by Formin1 on the PCRs is used by Myosin H to generate the force for conoid extrusion. A set of B-box-type zinc finger domain containing proteins conserved in Apicomplexa is indispensable for PCRs formation, conoid extrusion and motility inToxoplasmaandPlasmodium. Conoid dynamics directs the flux of F-actin to the pellicular space, acting as dynamic gatekeeper to tightly control parasite motility during invasion and egress.
Aging and sperm signals alter DNA break formation and repair in theC. elegansgermline
Authors: Toraason Erik , Adler Victoria L. , Libuda Diana E.
Published: June 2022

Female reproductive aging is associated with decreased oocyte quality and fertility. The nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansis a powerful system for understanding the biology of aging and exhibits age-related reproductive defects that are analogous to those observed in many mammals, including dysregulation of DNA repair.C. elegansgermline function is influenced simultaneously by both reproductive aging and signals triggered by limited supplies of sperm, which are depleted over chronological time. To delineate the causes of DNA repair defects in agedC. elegansgermlines, we assessed both DNA double strand break (DSB) induction and repair during meiotic prophase progression in aged germlines which were depleted of self-sperm, mated, or never exposed to sperm. We find that germline DSB induction is dramatically reduced only in hermaphrodites which have exhausted their endogenous sperm, suggesting that a signal due specifically to sperm depletion downregulates DSB formation. We also find that DSB repair is delayed in aged germlines regardless of whether hermaphrodites had either a reduction in sperm supply or an inability to endogenously produce sperm. These results demonstrate that in contrast to DSB induction, DSB repair defects are a feature ofC. elegansreproductive aging independent of sperm presence. Finally, we demonstrate that the ubiquitin E2 ligase variant UEV-2 is required for efficient DSB repair specifically in young germlines, implicating UEV-2 in the regulation of DNA repair during reproductive aging. In summary, our study demonstrates that DNA repair defects are a feature ofC. elegansreproductive aging and uncovers parallel mechanisms regulating efficient DSB formation in the germline.

Author Summary

Aging leads to a decline in the quality of the female reproductive cells, known as oocytes. Oocytes subjected to reproductive aging experience an increase in both infertility and aneuploidies that cause miscarriages and birth defects. The nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansis a classic model system used to determine the mechanisms of aging. OldC. elegansoocytes accrue many defects which may contribute to their reduced quality, including dysregulation of DNA repair.C. elegansfertility and germline function is also regulated oocyte-independently by sperm-dependent signals. To determine how aging and sperm may independently impact DNA repair in agingC. elegansoocytes, we control oocyte aging and sperm presence independently to evaluate their effects on DNA break formation and repair. We find that running out of sperm reduces the levels of DNA breaks which are produced, but the efficiency of DNA repair declines during aging independent of sperm effects. We also identify a protein which specifically promotes DNA repair in the oocytes of young animals, suggesting that this protein may regulate DNA repair in the germline during aging. Taken together, our research defines aging-specific and aging-independent mechanisms which regulate the genome integrity of oocytes.
Food literacy as a resilience factor in response to health-related uncertainty
Authors: Gianni Maria , Reitano Antonella , Fazio Marco , Gkimperiti Athanasia , Karanasios Nikolaos , Taylor David W.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people were deprived of their freedom, unable to engage in physical and social activities, and worried about their health. Uncertainty, insecurity, and confinement are all factors that may induce stress, uneasiness, fear, and depression. In this context, this study aims to identify possible relationships of emotions caused by health risks and restrictions to outdoor activities with well-informed decisions about food consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical framework of this research draws on the stimulus-organism-response paradigm yielding six research hypotheses. An online survey was designated to test these hypotheses. A total of 1,298 responses were gathered from Italy, Greece, and the United Kingdom. Data analyses include demographic group comparisons, moderation, and multiple regression tests.

Findings

The results showed that when people miss their usual activities (including freedom of movement, social contact, travelling, personal care services, leisure activities, and eating at restaurants) and worry about their health and the health of their families, they turn to safer food choices of higher quality, dedicating more of their time and resources to cooking and eating.

Research limitations/implications

The findings showcase how risk-based thinking is critical for management and marketing strategies. Academics and practitioners may rely on these findings to include extreme conditions within their scope, understanding food literacy as a resilience factor to cope with health risks and stimulated emotions.

Originality/value

This study identified food behavioural patterns under risk-laden conditions. A health risk acted as an opportunity to look at food consumption as a means of resilience.
New business capacity of developed, developing and least developing economies: inspection through state-of-the-art fuzzy clustering and PSO-GBR frameworks
Authors: Ghosh Indranil , Jana Rabin K. , Pramanik Paritosh
Published: June 2022

Purpose

It is essential to validate whether a nation's economic strength always transpires into new business capacity. The present research strives to identify the key indicators to the proxy new business ecosystem of countries and critically evaluate the similarity through the lens of advanced Fuzzy Clustering Frameworks over the years.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use Fuzzy C Means, Type 2 Fuzzy C Means, Fuzzy Possibilistic C Means and Fuzzy Possibilistic Product Partition C Means Clustering algorithm to discover the inherent groupings of the considered countries in terms of intricate patterns of geospatial new business capacity during 2015–2018. Additionally, the authors propose a Particle Swarm Optimization driven Gradient Boosting Regression methodology to measure the influence of the underlying indicators for the overall surge in new business.

Findings

The Fuzzy Clustering frameworks suggest the existence of two clusters of nations across the years. Several developing countries have emerged to cater praiseworthy state of the new business ecosystem. The ease of running a business has appeared to be the most influential feature that governs the overall New Business Density.

Practical implications

It is of paramount practical importance to conduct a periodic review of nations' overall new business ecosystem to draw action plans to emphasize and augment the key enablers linked to new business growth. Countries found to lack new business capacity despite enjoying adequate economic strength can focus effectively on weaker dimensions.

Originality/value

The research proposes a robust systematic framework for new business capacity across different economies, indicating that economic strength does not necessarily transpire to equivalent new business capacity.
The relationship between minority directors and earnings management: an empirical analysis in the Italian institutional setting
Authors: Fera Pietro , Moscariello Nicola , Pizzo Michele , Ricciardi Giorgio
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Although the previous literature considers independent directors as an internal mechanism for good corporate governance and higher financial disclosure quality, in contexts characterized by high ownership concentration, they may lack the mandate, the incentives and the ability to be an effective monitoring mechanism. Therefore, this study aims to focus on minority directors and investigate their impact on the earnings management activities for firms with concentrated ownership structures.

Design/methodology/approach

As the slate voting system is a peculiar feature of Italian corporate governance regulations, which gives minority shareholders the right to appoint at least one member of the board of directors (minority directors), this paper carries out a quantitative empirical analysis based on a sample of non-financial companies listed on the Italian Stock Exchange to test the role played by minority directors in increasing incentives towards higher financial reporting quality.

Findings

Robust to different model specifications, including the endogeneity test, empirical findings show a negative relationship between minority directors and earnings management, while no relationship holds between the latter and independent directors, suggesting that minority directors might promote greater directors’ accountability than independent directors in highly concentrated ownership structures.

Originality/value

Relying on the empirical findings, this paper offers new insights on a peculiar internal corporate governance mechanism related to one of the most debated issues among financial market practitioners and regulators, namely, the protection of minority shareholders. Moreover, this paper offers new insights for academics and practitioners on a peculiar governance mechanism that could soon be widely adopted.
Is technology everywhere? Exploring Generation Z's perceptions of sustainable tourism in developing countries
Authors: Sfodera Fabiola , Cain Lisa Nicole , Di Leo Alessio
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This study examines the role of technology as a driver of sustainable tourism perceptions among Generation Z.

Design/methodology/approach

The work considers the perspective of locals in Pakistan and uses a multi-method, multiphase embedded research design approach.

Findings

The research findings demonstrated that technology has a positive correlation with the environmental, socio-cultural and economic dimensions of sustainable tourism perception among Generation Z. Therefore, technology could be considered a dimension of sustainable tourism perception for locals, but perceptions differ significantly depending on the size of the city of the participant. The results of the experimental design phase that utilized picture stimuli demonstrated a linear relationship between technology and sustainability and enhanced their definition and implementation for developing countries.

Originality/value

This research diverges from most past research on these topics by focusing on Generation Z, for whom digital media and technology play a crucial role and for whom these technologies are positively correlated with sustainability and its overall perception. Implications for policies and practices for emerging country governments are provided.
Hardness measurements as a technique for measuring accumulated fatigue damage
Authors: Bjørheim Fredrik , Pavlou Dimitrios , Siriwardane Sudath C.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Brinell, Vickers and low-force Vickers hardness measurements are herein adopted to investigate and quantify the fatigue damage evolution in specimens made of S355J2+AR ferritic pearlitic steel. Though nano and microhardness measurements have been well adopted, they require a strict preparation routine, whereas macroscopic hardness measurements are not as stringent.

Design/methodology/approach

The feasibility of adopting macroscopic hardness measurements as a means of measuring fatigue damage is investigated through a combination of experimental tests and finite element analyses with both Brinell and Vickers hardness indenter.

Findings

It is found that the Brinell hardness measurements method seems more feasible, regarding finding a continuous and significant change during the fatigue life, in comparison to both Vickers and low-force Vickers. Thereafter, the question regarding the feasibility of the hardness measurements as a method of assessing accumulated fatigue damage in situ is discussed.

Originality/value

Much work has previously been performed towards correlation of the micro and nano hardness indentations, which generally has stringent preparation requirements before testing. Herein, the adoption of macroscopic hardness measurements as a means of assessing accumulated fatigue damage is considered both experimentally and theoretically.
Visualising and calculating the smart city: a dialogue perspective
Authors: Trunova Olga , Khodachek Igor , Khodachek Aleksandr
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This study addresses the implications of smart city development paths (techno-centric and human-centric) by investigating the evolution of a city strategy, focusing on how different actors in a dialogue centred on strategic planning documents for Saint Petersburg, Russia, visualised the smart city and then made it calculable.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a case study based on a documentary analysis supported by ethnographic elements relying on the smart city conceptual proposals, the approved city strategy and the artifacts of expert discussions leading to the strategy implementation plan.

Findings

Through the lens of dialogue theory, the authors show how government and non-government actors in different organisational settings devised techno-centric smart city calculations, which arose despite an initial human-centric vision.

Research limitations/implications

While the case study allowed the study to illustrate the depth and richness of the context of the authoritarian Russian state where the role of citizens in public decision-making is rather limited, different and even contrasting results could be produced in other contexts.

Practical implications

There is a gap between a smart city vision and its grounding in calculations. Thus, the human-centric elements require special attention, and the organisation of the dialogue on smart city strategy must enable plurality of voices besides those of government actors.

Originality/value

The case suggests viewing the human-centric and techno-centric perspectives not as dichotomous, but rather emerging consecutively throughout the journey from an initial strategic vision to its implementation in the city's calculations.
Micromechanical response of SAC305 solder alloy under gamma radiation via nanoindentation approach
Authors: Wan Yusoff Wan Yusmawati , Ismail Norliza , Mohmad Lehan Nur Farisa Nadia , Amat Azuraida , Ku Ahmad Ku Zarina , Jalar Azman , Abdul Rahman Irman
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the effect of different doses of gamma radiation on the micromechanical response (hardness properties and creep behaviour) of 96.5Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder alloys.

Design/methodology/approach

SAC305 solder pastes deposited on printed circuit boards (PCBs) were subjected to a reflow soldering process to form soldered samples. The soldered samples were irradiated with a gamma source at different doses (5–50 Gy). Nanoindentation testing was used to determine the hardness properties and creep behaviour after gamma irradiation.

Findings

The results showed that the hardness of SAC305 solder alloys gradually increased up to 15 Gy and then gradually decreased to 50 Gy of gamma irradiation. The highest hardness value (0.37 GPa) was observed on SAC305 solder alloys exposed to 15 Gy irradiation. Hardening of SAC305 solder alloy was suggested to be due to the high defect density induced by the gamma irradiation. Meanwhile, exposure to 50 Gy irradiation resulted in the lowest hardness value, 0.13 GPa. The softening behaviour of SAC305 solder alloy was probably due to the evolution of defect size in the solder joint. In addition, the creep behaviour of the SAC305 solder alloys changed significantly with different gamma irradiation doses. The creep rates were higher at a dose of 10 Gy up to a dose of 50 Gy. Gamma irradiation caused the SAC305 solder alloy to become more ductile compared to the non-irradiated alloy. The stress exponent also showed different deformation mechanisms with varying gamma doses.

Originality/value

Research into the micromechanical properties of solder alloys subjected to gamma irradiation has rarely been reported, especially for Sn-Ag-Cu lead-free solder. Thus, this research provides a fundamental understanding of the micromechanical response (hardness and creep behaviour) of solder, especially lead-free solder alloy, to gamma irradiation.
Locating skarns with magnetic survey data, Geyer, Erzgebirge: optimizing data acquisition procedures
Authors: Ugalde Hernan , Morris William , Madriz Yuleika , Kirsch Moritz , Gloaguen Richard , Schneider Michael , Schiffler Markus , Siemon Bernhard , Fréville Tristan , Munschy Marc
Published: June 2022

Magnetic data can be acquired from a number of different platforms (e.g., ground, drone, helicopter) using a variety of sensors (e.g., caesium vapour‐type optically pumped magnetometers, fluxgate, superconducting quantum interference devices) with different flight line configurations. To detect a magnetic anomaly associated with a mineral commodity that is not exposed but is thought to be associated with the anomalous magnetic mineral content, it is necessary to optimize the survey parameters through a complete data integration process. Prior petrophysical measurements provide insight into the physical contrast that might be expected between adjacent lithologic units and between the ore zone and the encompassing lithology. Oriented rock samples provide access to magnetic remanence data through palaeomagnetic laboratory measurements. Knowing the typical morphology of the ore zone one can compute a forward model of the expected anomalous response and determine which combination of survey parameters provides the highest probability of detecting the commodity being sought. In this study, we analyse magnetic patterns associated with thin dipping skarn bodies from the Geyer mining district in Erzgebirge, Germany. Petrophysical measurements indicate that the skarns are more magnetic than the surrounding host rock. Partially oriented samples from a bore core record a Variscan age metamorphic remanence. Forward modelling indicates that clusters of skarn bodies are required to produce a reliably detectable magnetic signal. Ground, or low elevation drone surveys are needed to detect these anomalies with standard scalar‐type optically pumped magnetometer or fluxgate magnetic surveys. The enhanced spatial resolution and long‐wavelength rejection of a superconducting quantum interference device based full‐tensor magnetic gradiometer provide an improvement over optically pumped magnetometers for an aircraft‐based survey platform.
Liberalising the EU sugar market: what are the effects on third countries?*
Authors: Haß Marlen
Published: June 2022

This paper examines the consequences of a liberalisation of the EU sugar policy on Australia and other third countries. Four scenarios are simulated showing the trade and production effects of a gradual phasing‐out of EU domestic support measures and EU import tariffs using two partial equilibrium models linked to each other. Compared with previous work, tariff rate quotas are represented in great detail, going beyond the classical single‐origin, single‐destination approach. Furthermore, supply functions of EU sugar processors are calibrated based on empirical data on production costs to overcome the problem of non‐observed production costs due to the existence quota rents. Results suggest that, in particular, sugar production in Balkan countries is adversely affected by a liberalisation of the EU sugar regime. Moreover, the simulation shows that preferential LDC‐ACP exporters, among them Fiji and Papua New Guinea, are displaced from the EU market leading to a decline in production. An elimination of EU import tariffs benefits in particular the Ukraine and the world's largest sugar producers, such as Australia, all with currently only limited preferential market access to the EU. During periods of low global sugar prices, these countries even increase sugar production, if the EU sugar market is completely liberalised.
Efficacy of leflunomide in the treatment of palindromic rheumatism
Authors: Sadri Maryam , Esalatmanesh Kamal , Khabbazi Alireza
Published: June 2022

Objective

The goal of treatment in palindromic rheumatism (PR) is to control the attacks and prevent disease evolution to chronic arthritis. Conventional synthetic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) including antimalarial and methotrexate cannot control attacks in all patients.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we assessed the efficacy of leflunomide in patients with PR who had an inadequate response to DMARDs. In this study, patients who had a diagnosis of PR and were treated with leflunomide because of active disease despite treatment with csDMARDs for at least 6 months were included. Remission was defined as no attacks for 3 months and prednisolone dose ≤5 mg/d. Leflunomide treatment failure was defined as failure to achieve remission, the need to add other DMARDs for controlling attacks and disease progression to chronic arthritis during treatment with leflunomide.

Results

Ten cases with active disease despite treatment with hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate and low‐dose prednisolone treated with leflunomide were included in the study. During the 12.6 ± 7.5 months of treatment with leflunomide, the frequency of attacks significantly decreased. Complete and partial remission were achieved in 90% of patients.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that leflunomide controls PR attacks and it might be a new option for patients with PR.
Risk of non‐fatal suicide attempt in individuals with substance use disorder: the roles of aggregate genetic liability and environmental exposures in a Swedish population‐based cohort
Authors: Lannoy Séverine , Ohlsson Henrik , Stephenson Mallory , Kendler Kenneth S. , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina , Edwards Alexis C.
Published: June 2022

Background and Aims

Substance use disorder (SUD) is related to widespread adverse consequences, including higher suicidality. Shared genetic liability has been demonstrated between SUD and suicidality. Here, we measured the factors that contribute to increased risk of non‐fatal suicide attempt among individuals with SUD by focusing upon aggregate genetic risks and both childhood and past‐year environmental factors.

Design

Longitudinal study. Family genetic risk scores and environmental factors (childhood, aged from 0 to 15 years, and the year preceding SUD registration) were used to predict the relative risk of non‐fatal suicide attempt using Cox proportional hazards models. Additional analyses employed a co‐relative design, accounting for genetic factors and shared familial environment, to test for potential causality.

Setting and participants

Based on longitudinal Swedish registry data, 228 617 individuals with SUD registrations from 1991 to 2015 were included.

Measurements

SUD and suicide attempts were identified using medical records (International Classification of Diseases codes). SUD was also identified using pharmacy and criminal registries.

Findings

In multivariable analyses that jointly accounted for all the selected potential predictors, individuals with SUD were at higher risk for non‐fatal suicide attempt if they had experienced a parental death [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30, 1.93], were female (HR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.49, 1.57), had low educational attainment (HR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.46, 1.55), received social welfare (HR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.17, 1.25) or had lived in a non‐intact family (HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.14). In co‐relative analyses, low education was supported as a possible causal factor for suicide attempt. Aggregate genetic risks interacted with low education and being raised in a non‐intact family, with increased prevalence of suicide attempt in people with high genetic risks and unfavorable environmental exposures.

Conclusions

Aggregate genetic liability, childhood environmental experiences and specific socio‐economic indicators are important risk factors for non‐fatal suicide attempt among individuals with substance use disorder.
Patterns and metacommunity processes of epiphytic bromeliad assemblages along a coastal‐inland gradient in a subtropical Brazilian geographic corridor
Authors: Fávero Alessandro A. , Büneker Henrique M. , Waechter Jorge L.
Published: June 2022

Metacommunity ecology investigates how drivers of regional and local scales cause compositional variation in a network of communities potentially linked by dispersal. We examined the metacommunity structure of epiphytic bromeliad assemblages along a coastal‐inland gradient in a subtropical geographic corridor extending from the Atlantic coast to near the Uruguay River, in the central depression of Rio Grande do Sul State, in southernmost Brazil. We surveyed floristic and environmental data on a sequence of 71 testimonial hills. We used elements of metacommunity structure to identify metacommunity patterns (i.e. random, checkerboard, nested, Clementsian, Gleasonian, evenly spaced and quasi‐structured). We ran a canonical correspondence analysis to evaluate how coastal‐inland gradient influenced species distribution. Finally, we employed variation partitioning to determine archetype‐based metacommunity structuring processes (i.e. species sorting, neutral dynamics, patch dynamics and mass effects). We found that temperature‐ and moisture‐based gradients generated environmental heterogeneity that established species filtering, determining the formation of cohesive groups of epiphytic bromeliads with coincidentally occurring boundaries (i.e. quasi‐Clementsian structure). As a result, we identified four metacommunity structures embedded along the coastal‐inland gradient: In the eastern and east‐central metacommunities, species distributions were idiosyncratic due to individual species' responses to environmental gradients (i.e. quasi‐Gleasonian structure), and in the western and west‐central metacommunities, we observed Clementsian and Gleasonian structures, respectively. Habitat heterogeneity and dispersal sufficiency (i.e. species sorting archetype) were the foremost drivers establishing metacommunity structures. Ultimately, and surprisingly, in the east‐central metacommunity, we detected source‐sink dynamics among the testimonial hills (i.e. mass effects archetype). Our findings suggest that epiphytic bromeliad assemblages are linked to a gradient‐driven pattern with moderate heterogeneity (i.e. low turnover) and identify four embedded metacommunity structures. Moreover, they indicate that the species sorting archetype best represents the processes of establishing metacommunity structures.