bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genomic characterization and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis isolated from food, humans and veterinary-related sources in Brazil
Authors: Vilela Felipe Pinheiro , Rodrigues Dália dos Prazeres , Allard Marc William , Falcão Juliana Pfrimer 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Aims
To characterize the genetic relatedness, phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance and plasmid content of 80 Salmonella Infantis strains isolated from food, humans and veterinary sources from 2013 to 2018 in Brazil.

Methods and results
Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis showed major clusters containing 50% and 38.8% of the strains studied respectively. Multilocus sequence typing assigned all strains to ST32. Disk-diffusion revealed that 90% of the strains presented resistant or intermediate resistant profiles and 38.8% displayed multidrug resistance. Resistance genes for aminoglycosides (aac(6′)-Iaa; aadA12; aph(3″-Ib; aph(6)-Id), β-lactams (blaTEM-1; blaCTX-M-8; blaCMY-2), trimethoprim (dfrA8), tetracycline (tet(A)), amphenicols (floR), sulfonamide (sul2), efflux pumps (mdsA; mdsB), chromosomal point mutations in gyrB, parC, acrB and pmrA were detected. Strains harboured IncI, IncF, IncX, IncQ, IncN and IncR plasmids.

Conclusions
The presence of a prevalent S. Infantis subtype in Brazil and the high antimicrobial resistance rates reinforced the potential hazard of this serovar for the public health and food safety fields.

Significance and Impact of the Study
This is the first study characterizing a large set of S. Infantis from Brazil by whole-genome sequencing, which provided a better local and global comprehension about the distribution and characteristics of this serovar of importance in the food, human and veterinary fields.
Pandemic Politics: The European Union in Times of the Coronavirus Emergency
Authors: Tesche Tobias 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThis article provides an assessment of the EU institutions' response to the coronavirus pandemic. By building on a synthesis of the new intergovernmentalism and the emergency politics approach it contends that the effectiveness and legitimacy of de novo bodies like the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have fallen prey to its intergovernmental decision‐making structure, whereas the ECB has proven to be more resilient. The European Commission as the traditional engine of European integration was able to fill the gap with its large‐scale recovery instrument termed ‘Next Generation EU’ and via the creation of a temporary loan‐based instrument to support national short‐term work schemes (SURE). The historic July 2020 European Council produced policy outputs such as the ‘emergency brake’ and the diluted ‘rule of law mechanism’ that have the potential to deepen the rift between polarized member states.
Labor Market Integration and Fiscal Competition
Authors: KIIASHKO SERGII , KOPIEC PAWEŁ 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThis paper studies the long‐run impact of international labor mobility on a union of countries with an integrated labor market. We build a multicountry model populated by overlapping generations of households with endogenous cross‐country migration flows. Independent governments use fiscal measures to compete for labor. The model is calibrated to match the empirical economic and migration patterns in the European Union. We find that the fiscal‐competition motive has a quantitatively significant impact on optimal fiscal policy, decreasing the average debt‐to‐GDP ratio by 12 percentage points (p.p.) and the average labor income tax by 1 p.p. relative to the no‐competition scenario.
Influence of sleep fragmentation and fatigue on turnover of female nurses working rotating shifts
Authors: Chang Wen‐Pei , Wang Chia‐Hui 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAims and objectivesTo investigate whether the sleep quality and fatigue of female nurses working rotating shifts could be used to predict future turnover status.BackgroundFemale nurses working rotating shifts often suffer from sleep problems and fatigue, and the turnover rates of nurses are generally higher than those of other hospital personnel.DesignA prospective study.MethodsWe recruited a total of 198 female nurses working rotating shifts from December 2017 to March 2019. The nurses completed the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS) scale and wore an actigraph for seven consecutive days in order to collect their sleep parameters. Their turnover status was tracked until 31 May 2021 at which time 55 participants (27.8%) had resigned. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyse the factors influencing turnover. In addition, the study adhered to the STROBE checklist.ResultsThe results revealed significant differences between the nurses in the still‐working group and the resigned group in terms of the sleep quality parameters sleep efficiency (SE) and wake after sleep onset (WASO) as well as CIS scores. WASO was significantly correlated with intensity of fatigue, and fatigue was common among all of the nurses working rotating shifts. As time progressed, the sleep quality parameter WASO and CIS scores could be used to predict turnover status after 2.4 years.ConclusionThe results of this study indicated more sleep fragmentation and poor sleep efficiency in the resigned group. Sleep fragmentation was highly correlated with fatigue, and sleep fragmentation and fatigue could be used to predict turnover status.Relevance to clinical practiceWe suggest that relevant hospital management pay more attention to the sleep conditions and fatigue of female nurses working rotating shifts when arranging personnel and schedules and offer them more understanding.
T‐tapping in Standard Southern British English: An ‘elite’ sociolinguistic variant?
Authors: Alderton Roy 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSocial class is one of the key axes of sociolinguistic variation, but the speech of those at the top of the class spectrum—the elite—is rarely studied. While T‐glottalling has spread widely across British English accents, a competing variant—T‐tapping—has attracted little scholarly attention in the United Kingdom. This article presents a study of elite speech by examining sociolinguistic variation in T‐tapping among adolescent speakers of Standard Southern British English. Data were collected from interviews with teenagers aged 16–19 at two schools in Hampshire, UK. T‐tapping is led by those who previously attended private school and is used more by boys than girls in formal speech. The findings suggest that T‐tapping may be used to index a combination of authority and informality, which is invoked by elite speakers to assert themselves from a position of privilege while maintaining an image of openness and approachability.
Lactating sows fed whey protein supplement has eventually increased the blood profile of piglets
Authors: Sampath Vetriselvi , Park Jae Hong , Shanmugam Sureshkumar , Kim In Ho 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe intension of this study was to examine the effect of dietary whey protein supplementation on the reproduction performance, growth performance and blood profile of sow and their offspring. From Day 114 of lactation to 21 days of weaning, a total of 21 sows (n = 7/ treatment) (Landrace × Yorkshire) were blocked according to average parity (2.4) and allocated to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: (i) CON–corn–soybean meal based basal diet, (ii) WPC‐CON + 0.047% WPC whey protein concentrate (WPC) and (iii) WPH‐CON + 0.02% whey protein hydrolysate (WPH).ResultsThe reproduction performance of sows was not affected by WPC or WPH supplementation. However, piglets that were born to WPC and WPH group sows showed higher body weight at birth (p = 0.057) and at weaning (p = 0.018). After farrowing, WPC and WPH group sows showed decreased (p = 0.043) RBC count and total iron‐binding count (TIBC) (p = 0.046), whereas at the end of the experiment, the blood profile including red blood cells, iron, haemoglobulin and TIBC was significantly increased (p =0.042, 0.049, 0.051 and 0.052 respectively) in WPC group piglets compared to the CON and WPH groups.ConclusionBased on the positive impact on the blood profile of piglets, we conclude that whey protein supplement could serve as a potential energy source to suit lactating sows that could eventually benefit the performance of their offspring.
Psychometric properties of the Telepsych User Experience Scale (TUES)
Authors: Blanchard Brittany E. , Johnson Morgan , Hawrilenko Matt , Bechtel Jared M. , Shushan Stephanie , Fortney John C. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPurposeTo develop and psychometrically evaluate a brief measure of the telemental health experience among people receiving psychiatric and psychological care—the Telepsych User Experience Scale (TUES).MethodsThe TUES was administered at 6 months to 364 study participants who screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder and/or bipolar disorder and used telepsych services. The factor structure of the TUES was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Psychometric testing of the final scale examined (1) internal reliability, (2) criterion validity, (3) convergent validity, and (4) test‐retest reliability using omega coefficients, negative binomial regression, and correlations, respectively. A week after the 12‐month follow‐up survey was completed, a retest was administered to 29 patients to assess reliability.FindingsFactor analytic methods indicated a single latent factor (user experience) and correlated error variance (method effect of item wording) for 2 items. To enhance clinical utility, we removed the 2 negatively worded items, resulting in a 5‐item scale. Confirmatory analyses indicated excellent fit of the final model, which retained the best performing items from each hypothesized construct. The TUES demonstrated evidence of internal consistency (omega = 0.88‐0.90), convergent validity, (r = 0.58), and criterion validity through telepsych engagement (incidence rate ratio = 1.19, P < .001), though test‐retest reliability was unacceptable (r = 0.41).ConclusionThe TUES is a pragmatic instrument with evidence of validity and internal reliability. Replication is necessary, but this initial psychometric evaluation suggests the TUES is a promising, brief yet comprehensive measure of telemental health user experience with clinical populations in rural settings.
“Why Can't I See My Friends and Family?”: Children's Questions and Parental Explanations About Coronavirus
Authors: Haber Amanda S. , Kumar Sona C. , Puttre Hannah , Dashoush Nermeen , Corriveau Kathleen H. 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTQuestion‐explanation exchanges in parent–child interactions foster children's early learning, especially when children are inquiring about unobservable scientific phenomena such as the novel coronavirus (COVID‐19). As with other unobservable entities, children must rely on adults to acquire knowledge about COVID‐19. Yet, we know very little about what children understand about COVID‐19 or its consequences. In our study, we explored developmental changes in children's questions about COVID‐19 and parents' explanations. Parents (n = 182) of children (aged 3–8) completed an online survey, which included demographic information, parents' explanations, and children's questions. Parents' explanations referenced germs, used illness analogies, and mentioned mitigation strategies. Most of children's COVID‐related questions focused on the consequences of COVID‐19. Whereas older children asked more about death, younger children asked about loss of activities. The findings advance our understanding of the impact of COVID‐19 on parents and children.
Long‐term care nurses’ perceptions of a good death for people with dementia: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Nasu Katsumi , Fukahori Hiroki , Miyashita Mitsunori 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIntroductionThe number of people with dementia (PwD) dying in long‐term care (LTC) settings is expected to increase. However, effective care strategies to promote a good death for PwD remain unclear. This study aimed to explore nurses’ perceptions of a good death for PwD in LTC settings for older adults.MethodsInterviews were conducted with 19 nurses providing end‐of‐life care in LTC settings for older adults in Japan. The transcribed texts were analysed using inductive content analysis.ResultsWe identified two themes: (1) ambiguity and (2) preparedness. Participants perceived that there was ambiguity regarding a good death for PwD and emphasised the need for preparedness of those around PwD for a good death. Five categories represented preparedness: (a) reaffirming the original personality before dementia; (b) respecting that PwD change; (c) interpreting and fulfilling obscure desires, feelings, and sensations; (d) providing care consistent with an agreed‐upon natural death process; and (e) maintaining relationships.ConclusionLong‐term care nurses should encourage families and multidisciplinary team members, including the nurses themselves, to prepare for a good death of the PwD. Future research should focus on healthcare professionals’ perspectives on advance care planning in the early stages of dementia, as well as the perceptions of PwD, their family members and other healthcare professionals regarding the natural death process.
Successful short‐term sperm cryopreservation in brown‐marbled grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) with the utility of ultra‐freezer (−80°C)
Authors: Yang Sen , Chen Xinghan , Fan Bin , Hua Yanglin , Meng Zining 
Published: December 2021

AbstractProduction of cryopreserved semen in fish generally requires liquid nitrogen (LN), which is not always easily available in remote areas. To reduce reliance on LN, the aim of the present study was to evaluate whether electric freezer could be a feasible LN‐free alternative to cryopreserve brown‐marbled grouper sperm. After loading, semen straws were put directly into freezers (−30 or −80°C) for freezing and then transferred to LN for storage. Compared with the conventional LN vapour freezing (straws were put horizontally 3 cm above the surface of LN), there was a significant reduction in all tested post‐thaw sperm quality parameters in samples frozen at −30°C for 10 min, including kinetic parameters (total motility: 85.0% vs. 48.6%), viability (84.7% versus 51.7%), high mitochondrial membrane potential (86.4% vs. 63.7%), ATP content (106.9 nM/109 cells vs. 72.9 nM/109 cells) and hatching rate (86.3% vs. 45.7%), accompanied with an increasing lipid peroxidation level (MDA content: 11.9 nM/109 cells vs. 4.9 nM/109 cells). In contrast, frozen with −80 °C ultra‐freezer (10 min or 12 hr) produced similar sperm quality parameters to those using LN, except that temporary storage (12 hr) at −80°C yielded lower average path velocity. In conclusion, this study confirmed that −80°C ultra‐freezer is an effective alternative to LN for sperm freezing in brown‐marbled grouper.
Performance of innovative materials as recruitment substrates for coral restoration
Authors: Leonard Camille , Hédouin Laetitia , Lacorne Margaux C. , Dalle Julien , Lapinski Matthieu , Blanc Philippe , Nugues Maggy M. 
Published: December 2021

Artificial reefs and, more recently, ecoengineering are frequently advocated as possible tools to counteract the loss of tropical coral reefs worldwide. Despite increasing availability of novel materials, there is limited understanding of how different materials and their physical and chemical properties can influence coral recruitment success and early benthic community development. This study investigated the efficacy of several innovative materials as recruitment substrates for corals and other sessile benthic communities. Stacks of vertically oriented tiles made of eight innovative materials and two common (control) materials were deployed for 6 months during major coral spawning events on the forereef of Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Tiles were separated from their neighbors by 15 mm to mimic cryptic habitats that are sheltered from predation and typically favored by coral recruits. Six innovative materials, including 3D printed concrete, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with chitosan coating, fiberglass polymer, and flax‐based polylactic acid, produced similar coral recruitment to control materials (Portland concrete and PVC). Two materials (porous concrete and ceramic foam) produced lower recruitment. Porous concrete was characterized by a high abundance of non‐coralline encrusting red algae, which negatively correlated with coral recruitment, while ceramic foam was prone to erosion. The results suggest the structural micro‐complexity and durability of an artificial material and the composition of the benthic communities colonizing it can strongly influence coral recruitment. This study highlights several innovative materials as suitable recruitment substrates for coral restoration and provides a better understanding of the properties of artificial materials that are critical for coral recruitment success.
“Togetherness in loneliness” ‐ experiences of a group activity for families with a child suffering from cancer as described from the parents’ perspective
Authors: Blom Andersson Carina , Karlsson Ann‐Kristin , Bergsten Ulrika 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundWhen a child is afflicted by a life‐threatening disease, it places a huge burden on the family.AimTo gain a deeper understanding of parents’ experiences of psycho‐social support in a group activity for families with children and adolescents suffering from cancer.MethodData were collected by means of focus group interviews with 10 parents from eight families with children treated for cancer during the period 2011–2017. The interviews were transcribed and analysed in accordance with qualitative content analysis.ResultsAn overarching theme”Togetherness in loneliness” emerged, highlighting the importance of sharing experiences, based on the main categories: “a clearing house” and “a meeting place”. A clearing house was described as a place for sharing experiences on equal terms and a short cut to care contacts. A meeting place was depicted as a temporary home, a place for recuperation, but that sharing also had a cost.DiscussionThe results revealed that the parents of children suffering from cancer experienced the group activity for such families as an important support during the treatment period. The group served as an arena for mutual support and exchange of experiences, but it was also an easy way for the participants to access psychosocial support at an early stage of the cancer treatment. There was a risk that the participants would be unable to cope with sharing the anxiety and setbacks experienced by others, something that might be difficult to foresee when joining the group.
First detection of human pathogenic variant of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in field‐collected Haemaphysalis longicornis, Pennsylvania, USA
Authors: Price Keith J. , Ayres Bryan N. , Maes Sarah E. , Witmier Bryn J. , Chapman Holly A. , Coder Brooke L. , Boyer Christian N. , Eisen Rebecca J. , Nicholson William L. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, an invasive species associated with human pathogens, has spread rapidly across the eastern USA. Questing H. longicornis ticks recovered from active surveillance conducted from 1 May to 6 September, 2019 throughout Pennsylvania were tested for rickettsial pathogens. Of 265 ticks tested by PCR for pathogens, 4 (1.5%) were positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene confirmed two positives as A. phagocytophilum–human agent variant. This is the first reported detection of A. phagocytophilum–human pathogenic strain DNA in exotic H. longicornis collected in the USA.
A revised mechanism of action of hyperaldosteronism‐linked mutations in cytosolic domains of GIRK4 (KCNJ5)
Authors: Shalomov Boris , Handklo‐Jamal Reem , Reddy Haritha P. , Theodor Neta , Bera Amal K. , Dascal Nathan 
Published: December 2021

AbstractG protein‐gated, inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK) mediate inhibitory transmission in brain and heart, and are present in the adrenal cortex. GIRK4 (KCNJ5) subunits are abundant in the heart and adrenal cortex. Multiple mutations of KCNJ5 cause primary aldosteronism (PA). Mutations in the pore region of GIRK4 cause loss of K+ selectivity, Na+ influx and depolarization of zona glomerulosa cells followed by hypersecretion of aldosterone. The concept of selectivity loss has been extended to mutations in cytosolic domains of GIRK4 channels, remote from the pore. We expressed aldosteronism‐linked GIRK4R52H, GIRK4E246K and GIRK4G247R mutants in Xenopus oocytes. Whole‐cell currents of heterotetrameric GIRK1/4R52H and GIRK1/4E246K channels were greatly reduced compared with GIRK1/4WT. Nevertheless, all heterotetrameric mutants retained full K+ selectivity and inward rectification. When expressed as homotetramers, only GIRK4WT, but none of the mutants, produced whole‐cell currents. Confocal imaging, single‐channel and Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) analyses showed: (1) reduction of membrane abundance of all mutated channels, especially as homotetramers, (2) impaired interaction with Gβγ subunits, and (3) reduced open probability of GIRK1/4R52H. VU0529331, a GIRK4 opener, activated homotetrameric GIRK4G247R channels, but not GIRK4R52H or GIRK4E246K. In the human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line (HAC15), VU0529331 and overexpression of heterotetrameric GIRK1/4WT, but not overexpression of GIRK1/4 mutants, reduced aldosterone secretion. Our results suggest that, contrary to pore mutants of GIRK4, non‐pore mutants R52H and E246K mutants are loss‐of‐function rather than gain‐of‐function/selectivity‐loss mutants. Hence, GIRK4 openers may be a potential course of treatment for patients with cytosolic N‐ and C‐terminal mutations.
imageKey points
Mutations in GIRK4 (KCNJ5) G protein‐gated channels cause primary aldosteronism, a major cause of secondary hypertension. The primary mechanism is believed to be loss of K+ selectivity.
R52H and E246K, aldosteronism‐causing mutations in cytosolic N‐ and C‐ termini of GIRK4, were reported to cause loss of K+ selectivity.
We show that R52H, E246K and G247R mutations render homotetrameric GIRK channels non‐functional. In heterotetrameric context with GIRK1, these mutations impair membrane expression, interaction with Gβγ and open probability, but do not alter K+ selectivity or inward rectification.
In the human aldosterone‐secreting cell line, a GIRK4 opener and overexpression of heterotetrameric GIRK1/4WT, but not overexpression of GIRK1/4 mutants, reduced aldosterone secretion.
Aldosteronism‐causing mutations in the cytosolic domain of GIRK4 are loss‐of‐function mutations rather than gain‐of‐function, selectivity‐loss mutations. Deciphering of exact biophysical mechanism that impairs the channel is crucial for setting the course of treatment.