bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
When Single Parents Marry: Do Children Benefit Academically?
Authors: Usevitch Matthew T. , Dufur Mikaela J. 
Published: February 2021

ObjectiveThe objective of this research is to determine whether children born to single parents benefit academically if their parents marry.BackgroundChildren born to single parents have on average worse educational outcomes than peers who live with married parents, but transitions to a married parent family are not well understood.MethodWe use the U.S. Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort of 1998 to create two groups of children born to single parents: children who remain in a stable single‐parent family (n = 220) and children whose single parent marries (n = 392). We examine differences in reading and math test scores in context of potential confounding variables.ResultsInitial findings suggest that children born to single parents whose parents marry perform better than do their peers in stable single‐parent families, but this effect disappears when controls for financial and human capital, race, and stress are included.ConclusionFinancial and human capital resources explain the perceived benefit of parent marriage, suggesting benefits of marriage accrue due to selectivity factors among parents more likely to marry. Other factors, such as stress, race, and number of siblings, play a role.ImplicationsDetermining the nature of the link between parental marriage and educational outcomes has important policy implications as to whether marriage should be promoted as an educational benefit to children.
Maternal Race‐Related Stressors and African American Adolescents' Academic and Behavioral Outcomes
Authors: Holloway Kathleen , Varner Fatima 
Published: February 2021

ObjectiveThe purpose of the current study was to use the integrative model for the Study of Stress in Black American Families to test whether a set of maternal race‐related stressors were related to adolescents' academic and behavioral outcomes through maternal depressive symptoms and involved‐vigilant parenting. Gender differences in these relations were tested also.BackgroundResearch on race‐related stressors has predominantly focused on the role of personal racial discrimination experiences on individual outcomes. Yet parents' vicarious and anticipated racial discrimination also may be related to parents' psychological functioning, family processes, and adolescent development.MethodPath analyses were conducted in Mplus 8.2 using online survey data from a national sample of 317 African American mothers of adolescents to examine direct and indirect relations between maternal personal, vicarious, and anticipated racial discrimination, and adolescents' problem behaviors, grades, and academic persistence.ResultsMaternal personal racial discrimination experiences were positively related to adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors directly and indirectly through maternal depressive symptoms and involved‐vigilant parenting. Anticipated racial discrimination and vicarious racial discrimination were indirectly related to better adolescent outcomes through positive relations with maternal involved‐vigilant parenting.ConclusionMaternal personal, vicarious, and anticipated racial discrimination act differently in relation to adolescent competencies in African American families.
Global projections of the soil microbiome in the Anthropocene
Authors: Guerra Carlos A. , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Duarte Eliana , Marigliano Orlando , Görgen Christiane , Maestre Fernando T. , Eisenhauer Nico 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAimSoil microbes are essential for maintenance of life‐supporting ecosystem services, but projections of how these microbes will be affected by global change scenarios are lacking. Therefore, our aim was to provide projections of future soil microbial distribution using several scenarios of global change.LocationGlobal.Time period1950–2090.Major taxa studiedBacteria and fungi.MethodsWe used a global database of soil microbial communities across six continents to estimate past and future trends of the soil microbiome. To do so, we used structural equation models to include the direct and indirect effects of changes in climate and land use in our predictions, using current climate (temperature and precipitation) and land‐use projections between 1950 and 2090.ResultsLocal bacterial richness will increase in all scenarios of change in climate and land use considered, although this increase will be followed by a generalized community homogenization process affecting > 85% of terrestrial ecosystems. Changes in the relative abundance of functional genes associated with the increases in bacterial richness are also expected. Based on an ecological cluster analysis, our results suggest that phylotypes such asGeodermatophilusspp. (typical desert bacteria),Mycobacteriumsp. (which are known to include important human pathogens),Streptomyces mirabilis(major producers of antibiotic resistance genes) or potential fungal soil‐borne plant pathogens belonging to Ascomycota fungi (Venturiaspp.,Devriesiaspp.) will become more abundant in their communities.Main conclusionsOur results provide evidence that climate change has a stronger influence on soil microbial communities than change in land use (often including deforestation and agricultural expansion), although most of the effects of climate are indirect, through other environmental variables (e.g., changes in soil pH). The same was found for microbial functions such as the prevalence of phosphate transport genes. We provide reliable predictions about the changes in the global distribution of microbial communities, showing an increase in alpha diversity and a homogenization of soil microbial communities in the Anthropocene.
Effects of sodium butyrate supplementation on inflammation, gut microbiota, and short‐chain fatty acids in Helicobacter pylori‐infected mice
Authors: Huang Yumei , Ding Yinhuan , Xu Huiyuan , Shen Cheng , Chen Xia , Li Changping 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundInflammation induced by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the basis for the pathogenesis of H. pylori. Butyric acid, a diet‐related microbial‐associated metabolite, is connected to inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and other diseases. Several studies have indicated the effects of sodium butyrate (SB) against bacteria; however, the effects of SB on the main virulence factors of H. pylori, H. pylori‐induced inflammation, and gut microbiota composition remain unclear.Materials and MethodsSB was supplemented in H. pylori coculture and administered to mice infected with H. pylori. The effects of SB intake on inflammation, gut microbiota composition, and short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in H. pylori‐infected mice were assessed.ResultsThe in vitro experiments demonstrated that SB not only inhibited the growth of H. pylori but also decreased the mRNA expression of CagA and VacA. SB intake reduced the production of virulence factors in H. pylori‐infected mice, inhibited the IκBα/NF‐κB pathway by reducing the expression of Toll‐like receptors (TLRs), and reduced the production of TNF‐α and IL‐8. Further analysis demonstrated that H. pylori infection altered the relative abundance of the intestinal microbial community in mice. The level of SCFAs in the feces of H. pylori‐infected mice was changed, although the intake of SB did not obviously change the level of SCFAs.ConclusionsOur study showed that SB may decrease H. pylori‐induced inflammation by inhibiting the viability and virulence of H. pylori and may reduce inflammation in association with the gut microbiota in H. pylori‐infected mice. This study may provide novel insights into the mechanisms by which SB, a diet‐related microbial‐associated metabolite, affects H. pylori‐induced disease development.
Immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of selected cell lineage markers (CD4, CD8, CD68, c‐Kit, Foxp3, CD56, CD20) in cutaneous variant of lichen planus
Authors: Żychowska Magdalena , Woźniak Zdzislaw , Baran Wojciech 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundLichen planus (LP) is considered to be an immune‐mediated disease of a not fully understood etiology. There are scarce data on the immune cells forming the band‐like infiltration in cutaneous LP (CLP). The objective of the current study was to investigate the immunohistochemical pattern of cells forming the infiltrate in CLP by assessing the immunoexpression of selected cell lineage markers.MethodsThe immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of CD4, CD8, CD20, CD56, CD68, c‐Kit, and Foxp3 was performed in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) biopsy specimens from 14 cases of CLP and 11 healthy volunteers.ResultsThe expression of CD4 (P < 0.001), CD8 (P < 0.001), CD68 (P < 0.001), Foxp3 (P < 0.001), CD56 (v = 0.019), and CD20 (P < 0.001) was significantly higher in lesional skin in CLP compared to healthy controls. The ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells in the infiltrate was 1.75:1. The expression of Foxp3, CD56, and CD20 was markedly lower than the expression of CD4 and CD8. There was no statistically significant difference in c‐Kit expression between CLP lesions and healthy skin (P = 0.57).ConclusionsWe found a wide variety of immune cells in the inflammatory infiltrate in CLP. The expression of CD4, CD8, CD68, Foxp3, CD56, and CD20 was significantly increased in CLP, while the expression of c‐Kit was comparable in lesional skin and controls. The presence of various cell populations, including T regulatory cells, NK cells, and B cells, may indicate a complex pathogenesis of CLP.
Elite philanthropy in the United States and United Kingdom in the new age of inequalities
Authors: Maclean Mairi , Harvey Charles , Yang Ruomei , Mueller Frank 
Published: February 2021

AbstractElite philanthropy—voluntary giving at scale by wealthy individuals, couples and families—is intimately bound up with the exercise of power by elites. This theoretically oriented review examines how big philanthropy in the United States and United Kingdom serves to extend elite control from the domain of the economic to the domains of the social and political, and with what results. Elite philanthropy, we argue, is not simply a benign force for good, born of altruism, but is heavily implicated in what we call the new age of inequalities, certainly as consequence and potentially as cause. Philanthropy at scale pays dividends to donors as much as it brings sustenance to beneficiaries. The research contribution we make is fourfold. First, we demonstrate that the true nature and effects of elite philanthropy can only be understood in the context of what Bourdieu calls the field of power, which maintains the economic, social and political hegemony of the super‐rich, nationally and globally. Second, we demonstrate how elite philanthropy systemically concentrates power in the hands of mega foundations and the most prestigious endowed charitable organizations. Third, we explicate the similarities and differences between the four main types of elite philanthropy—institutionally supportive, market‐oriented, developmental and transformational—revealing how and why different sections within the elite express themselves through philanthropy. Fourth, we show how elite philanthropy functions to lock in and perpetuate inequalities rather than remedying them. We conclude by outlining proposals for future research, recognizing that under‐specification of constructs has hitherto limited the integration of philanthropy within the mainstream of management and organizational research.
Leadership training and organizational learning climate: Measuring influences based on a field experiment in education
Authors: Daniëls Ellen , Muyters Gertjan , Hondeghem Annie 
Published: February 2021

AbstractResearch considering the effects of leadership training and development is underresearched. However, leadership behaviour can generate greater levels of performance and satisfaction. In this study, the effect of a group reflective learning programme for school leaders is examined. The study questions whether leadership development, using a group reflective learning programme that focuses on coaching skills, can influence teacher perceptions of the organizational learning climate. Gaining a deeper insight in factors influencing organizational learning climate is important because organizational learning climate is associated with job motivation, job satisfaction, positive working conditions and the optimizing of training outcomes. Hence, a positive organizational learning climate can contribute to organizational performance, in the case of primary education delivering quality education to pupils. Based on a sample of 289 teachers, it turned out that school leaders’ participation in the group reflective learning programme resulted in a significant increase of teachers’ perceptions of the organizational learning climate. The results are inspiring for scholars, policy makers and practitioners.
Desecuritizing migration in Greece: Contesting securitization through “flexicuritization”
Authors: Georgia Dimari 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDespite emerging securitization patterns all over Europe and although desecuritization has occasionally been suggested as a possible alternative to security discourses, it has remained, however, severely underexplored. Implications pertaining to the polarization of the security‐migration nexus are traceable both in the host state as well as in the overall life quality of migrants and refugees. As far as Greece is concerned, the migration‐related security discourse has penetrated all layers of the social and political fabric with serious consequences both for those that remain in the country as well as for the political imprint of Greece. Yet, despite limited conceptual attempts to explore the desecuritization of migration dynamics in Greece, there remains a huge research gap. The aim of this paper was to present a desecuritization framework for Greece, through the management and supervision of migratory flows. Drawing insights from conceptual understandings, a pragmatic, utilitarian, flexible and positive form of desecuritization is proposed, called "flexicuritization", which constitutes a feasible and implementable solution in the Greek case. It is argued that desecuritization presupposes a pragmatic view of security leading policymakers to the management of migration through monitoring and supervision. At a theoretical and synthetic level, this strategy will include elements from the three theoretical schools of realism, liberalism and constructivism. The purpose of this flexible strategy is to become a precursor to integration under conditions that are consistent and in the spirit of the flows and the number of migrants / refugees currently in Greece. A case study method will be used, based on Paul Roe's (2004) desecuritization strategy for ethnic minorities in the Greek migration context.
The effectiveness of a new dried human amnion derived membrane in addition to standard care in treating diabetic foot ulcers: A patient and assessor blind, randomised controlled pilot study
Authors: Game Fran , Gray Katie , Davis Daniel , Sherman Rachelle , Chokkalingam Kamal , Connan Zak , Fakis Apostolos , Jones Michael 
Published: February 2021

AbstractRecent reviews suggest that amniotic membrane products may accelerate healing of diabetic foot ulcers. A new dried human amniotic membrane (dHAM) has been used for ocular ulcers but not for diabetic foot ulcers. This was a multi‐centre, prospective, patient and observer blind, randomised controlled pilot trial, to investigate whether 2 weekly addition of the dHAM to standard care versus standard care alone increased the proportion of healed participants' index foot ulcers within 12 weeks. Thirty‐one people (mean age 59.8 years, 81% male, 87% type 2 diabetes) were randomised (15 dHAM, 16 usual care). Within 12 weeks, healing occurred in 4 (27%) ulcers in the dHAM group versus 1 (6.3%) usual care group (P = .1). Percentage wound area reduction was higher in the dHAM versus control group. (P = .0057). There was no difference in AEs between the two groups. Six participants allocated to dHAM correctly identified their treatment group, although 5 in usual care incorrectly thought they were in the intervention arm. This pilot trial result is encouraging showing that this dHAM preparation is safe and promising treatment. These results will be used to design a statistically powered, definitive double blind randomised controlled trial.
Little evidence of range size conservatism in freshwater plants across two continents
Authors: Vieira Denner S. , García‐Girón Jorge , Heino Jani , Toivanen Maija , Helm Aveliina , Alahuhta Janne 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAimRange size conservatism suggests that closely‐related species maintain geographic ranges of similar extent. However, consensus regarding this suggestion has not been reached. To shed more light on this phenomenon, we studied freshwater plant range size conservatism, range overlap and environmental niche conservatism using congeneric species comparison in two continents. In addition, we investigated whether a phylogenetic signal is found in the range sizes of aquatic plants.LocationEurope and North America.TaxonFreshwater plants.MethodsAcross spatial resolutions (50 km2, 100 km2and 200 km2), we applied Spearman correlations among 347 and 730 pairs of congeneric species in Europe and North America, respectively, and 63 pairs shared between them. In addition, Spearman correlations were used to evaluate how the degree of spatial overlap influences range sizes and which environmental variables explain variation in range sizes. Brownian evolutionary model was used to assess the phylogenetic signal in species range sizes.ResultsWe found no evidence of range size conservatism across spatial resolutions for any species and species shared between the continents. In addition, range sizes of more closely related species did not overlap geographically more than those of distantly related ones and no support for environmental niche conservatism was evidenced.Main conclusionsWe found that aquatic plants show no range size conservatism in the Northern Hemisphere. This means that it is challenging to define different range sizes of freshwater plants through species traits. Furthermore, we are unable to predict unknown distributions of extant aquatic plant species based on known distributional attributes of closely related species. However, our findings suggest that the interpretations of previous investigations on the range sizes of aquatic plants remain valid due to lack of range size conservatism. These practical implications encourage studying range size conservatism across realms and regions, especially for understudied organismal groups.
Diagnostic and prognostic value of CSF neurofilaments in a cohort of patients with motor neuron disease: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Gagliardi Delia , Faravelli Irene , Meneri Megi , Saccomanno Domenica , Govoni Alessandra , Magri Francesca , Ricci Giulia , Siciliano Gabriele , Pietro Comi Giacomo , Corti Stefania 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMotor neuron disease (MND) is a rare group of disorders characterized by degeneration of motor neurons (MNs). The most common form of MND, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is an incurable disease with a variable rate of progression. The search of robust biomarkers able to discriminate among different ALS forms is paramount to properly stratify patients, and to identify those who could most likely benefit from experimental therapies. Phosphorylated‐neurofilament heavy chain (p‐NfH) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) are neuron‐specific components of the cytoskeleton and may represent reliable markers of neuronal injury in neurological disorders. In this study, we described our cohort of ALS patients in order to investigate whether and how cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) p‐NfH and NfL levels may reflect progression rate, MN involvement and the extent of neurodegeneration. CSF p‐NfH and NfL were significantly increased in ALS compared with healthy and disease controls, including patients with other forms of MND, and were higher in patients with more aggressive disease course, reflecting progression rate. We also evaluated neurofilament diagnostic accuracy in our centre, identifying with high sensitivity and 100% specificity cut‐off values of 0.652 ng/mL for CSF p‐NfH (P < .0001) and of 1261 pg/mL for NfL (P < .0001) in discriminating ALS from healthy controls. CSF neurofilaments were significantly correlated with ALS progression rate. Overall, CSF neurofilaments appear to reflect the burden of neurodegeneration in MND and represent reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in ALS.
MicroRNA‐130a inhibits proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells by suppressing autophagy via ATG2B
Authors: Zheng Liang , Wang Zhecun , Li Zilun , Wang Mian , Wang Wenjian , Chang Guangqi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractNumerous microRNAs participate in regulating the pathological process of atherosclerosis. We have found miR‐130a is one of the most significantly down‐regulated microRNAs in arteriosclerosis obliterans. Our research explored the function of miR‐130a in regulating proliferation by controlling autophagy in arteriosclerosis obliterans development. A Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of miR‐130a target genes indicated a correlation between miR‐130a and cell proliferation. Thus, cell cycle, CCK‐8 assays and Western blot analysis were performed, and the results indicated that miR‐130a overexpression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) significantly attenuated cell proliferation, which was validated by an in vivo assay in a rat model. Moreover, autophagy is thought to be involved in the regulation of proliferation. As our results indicated, miR‐130a could inhibit autophagy, and ATG2B was predicted to be a target of miR‐130a. The autophagy inhibition effect of miR‐130a overexpression was consistent with the effect of ATG2B knockdown. The results that ATG2B plasmids and miR‐130a mimics were cotransfected in VSMCs further confirmed our conclusion. In addition, by using immunohistochemistry, the positive results of LC3 II/I and ATG2B in the rat model and artery vascular tissues from the patient were in accordance with in vitro data. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that miR‐130a inhibits VSMCs proliferation via ATG2B, which indicates that miR‐130a could be a potential therapeutic target that regulates autophagy in atherosclerosis obliterans.
The aberrant expression in epithelial cells of the mesenchymal isoform of FGFR2 controls the negative crosstalk between EMT and autophagy
Authors: Ranieri Danilo , Nanni Monica , Guttieri Luisa , Torrisi Maria Rosaria , Belleudi Francesca 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSignalling of the epithelial splicing variant of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2b) triggers both differentiation and autophagy, while the aberrant expression of the mesenchymal FGFR2c isoform in epithelial cells induces impaired differentiation, inhibition of autophagy as well as the induction of the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). In light of the widely proposed negative loop linking autophagy and EMT in the early steps of carcinogenesis, here we investigated the possible involvement of FGFR2c aberrant expression and signalling in orchestrating this crosstalk in human keratinocytes. Biochemical, molecular, quantitative immunofluorescence analysis and in vitro invasion assays, coupled to the use of specific substrate inhibitors and transient or stable silencing approaches, showed that AKT/MTOR and PKCε are the two hub signalling pathways, downstream FGFR2c, intersecting with each other in the control of both the inhibition of autophagy and the induction of EMT and invasive behaviour. These results indicate that the expression of FGFR2c, possibly resulting from FGFR2 isoform switch, could represent a key upstream event responsible for the establishment of a negative interplay between autophagy and EMT, which contributes to the assessment of a pathological oncogenic profile in epithelial cells.