bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Resistant potato starch fuels beneficial host-microbe interactions in the gut
Authors: Trachsel Julian , Briggs Cassidy , Gabler Nicholas K. , Allen Heather K. , Loving Crystal L. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractInteractions between diet, the microbiota, and the host set the ecological conditions in the gut and have broad implications for health. Prebiotics are dietary compounds that may shift these conditions towards health by promoting the growth of beneficial microbes. Pigs fed a diet amended with 5% resistant potato starch (RPS) exhibited alterations associated with gut health relative to swine fed an unamended diet (CON). RPS intake increased abundances of anaerobicClostridiain feces and several tissues, as well as intestinal concentrations of butyrate. Functional gene amplicons suggested bacteria similar toAnaerostipes hadruswere stimulated by RPS intake. The CON treatment exhibited increased abundances of several genera ofProteobacteria(which utilize respiratory metabolisms) in several location. RPS intake increased the abundance of regulatory T cells in the cecum, but not periphery, and cecal immune status alterations were indicative of enhanced mucosal defenses. A network analysis of host and microbial changes in the cecum revealed that regulatory T cells positively correlated with butyrate concentration, luminal IgA concentration, expression of IL-6 and DEF1B, and several mucosa-associated bacterial taxa. Thus, the administration of RPS modulated the microbiota and host response, improved cecal barrier function, promoted immunological tolerance, and reduced the niche for bacterial respiration.ImportanceThe gut microbiota is central to host health. Many disease states and disorders appear to arise from interactions between the gut microbial community and host immune system. As a result, methods and interventions to support the growth and activity of beneficial gut microbes are being actively pursued. Feeding the gut microbiota with dietary compounds, known as prebiotics, is one of the most promising ways to support gut health. Here we describe a successful prebiotic intervention in weaning swine, a relevant translational model for human health. This work unites microbial and immunological data and demonstrates one way a prebiotic intervention can play out for the benefit of the host.
Rapid inference of direct interactions in large-scale ecological networks from heterogeneous microbial sequencing data
Authors: Tackmann Janko , Matias Rodrigues João Frederico , von Mering Christian 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe recent explosion of metagenomic sequencing data opens the door towards the modeling of microbial ecosystems in unprecedented detail. In particular, co-occurrence based prediction of ecological interactions could strongly benefit from this development. However, current methods fall short on several fronts: univariate tools do not distinguish between direct and indirect interactions, resulting in excessive false positives, while approaches with better resolution are so far computationally highly limited. Furthermore, confounding variables typical for cross-study data sets are rarely addressed. We present FlashWeave, a new approach based on a flexible Probabilistic Graphical Models framework to infer highly resolved direct microbial interactions from massive heterogeneous microbial abundance data sets with seamless integration of metadata. On a variety of benchmarks, FlashWeave outperforms state-of-the-art methods by several orders of magnitude in terms of speed while generally providing increased accuracy. We apply FlashWeave to a cross-study data set of 69 818 publicly available human gut samples, resulting in one of the largest and most diverse models of microbial interactions in the human gut to date.
Genetic evidence that the latency III stage of Epstein-Barr Virus infection is a therapeutic target for Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Afrasiabi Ali , Parnell Grant P. , Fewings Nicole , Schibeci Stephen D. , Basuki Monica A. , Chandramohan Ramya , Brown David A. , Swaminathan Sanjay , McKay Fiona C. , Stewart Graeme J. , Booth David R. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractGenome wide association studies have identified >200 susceptibility loci accounting for much of the heritability of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Epstein Barr virus (EBV), a memory B cell tropic virus, has been identified as necessary but not sufficient for development of MS, with evidence for disease causation. The molecular and immunological basis for this has not been established. LCL proliferation is driven by signalling through the EBV produced cell surface protein LMP1, a homologue of the MS risk gene CD40. We show that the CD40 ligand, CD40L, potentially through competitive signalling with LMP1, reduces LCL proliferation (p<0.001). The MS risk variants of the LMP1 signalling inhibitor, TRAF3, had altered expression in B cells and LCLs. Both CD40 and TRAF3 risk SNPs are in binding sites for the EBV transcription factor EBNA2. We have investigated transcriptomes of B cells and EBV infected B cells at Latency III (LCLs) and identified 47 MS risk genes with altered expression, associated with the risk genotype. Overall these MS risk SNPs were overrepresented in target loci of the EBV transcription factor EBNA2 (p<10−16), in genes dysregulated between B and LCLs (p<10−5), and as targets for EBV miRNAs (p<10−4). The risk gene ZC3HAV1 is the putative target for multiple EBV miRNAs. It amplifies the interferon response, and was shown to have reduced expression in LCLs for the risk allele. These data indicate targeting EBV EBNA2, miRNAs, and MS risk genes on the LMP1/LMP2 pathways, and the pathways themselves, may be of therapeutic benefit in MS.
How do Latin American migrants in the USA stand on schooling premium? What does it reveal about education quality in their home countries?
Authors: Alonso-Soto Daniel , Nopo Hugo 
Published: August 2018

PurposeIndicators for quality of schooling are not only relatively new in the world but also unavailable for a sizable share of the world’s population. In their absence, some proxy measures have been devised. One simple but powerful idea has been to use the schooling premium for migrant workers in the USA (Bratsberg and Terrell, 2002). The purpose of this paper is to extend this idea and compute measures for the schooling premium of immigrant workers in the USA over a span of five decades.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors focus on the schooling premia for the Latin American and the Caribbean region and compare them to those of migrants from other regions, particularly from East Asia and Pacific, India, Northern Europe and Southern Europe, all relative to immigrants from former Soviet Republics. The available data allow us to measure such premia for workers who graduated from school, either at the secondary or tertiary levels, in their home countries between 1940 and 2010.FindingsThe results show that the schooling premia in Latin America have been steadily low throughout the whole period of analysis. The results stand after controlling for selective migration in different ways. This contradicts the popular belief in policy circles that the education quality of the region has deteriorated in recent years. In contrast, schooling premium in India shows an impressive improvement in recent decades, especially at the tertiary level.Originality/valueIn this paper, the authors extend the idea of computing schooling premium for migrant workers in the USA (Bratsberg and Terrell, 2002) and present comparative estimates of the evolution of schooling premia in 17 Latin American countries for both secondary and tertiary schooling levels.
Mentefacts as a missing level in theory of information science
Authors: Gnoli Claudio 
Published: August 2018

PurposeThe current debate between two theoretical approaches in library and information science and knowledge organization (KO), the cognitive one and the sociological one, is addressed in view of their possible integration in a more general model. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachPersonal knowledge of individual users, as focused in the cognitive approach, and social production and use of knowledge, as focused in the sociological approach, are reconnected to the theory of levels of reality, particularly in the versions of Nicolai Hartmann and Karl R. Popper (three worlds). The notions of artefact and mentefact, as proposed in anthropological literature and applied in some KO systems, are also examined as further contributions to the generalized framework. Some criticisms to these models are reviewed and discussed.FindingsBoth the cognitive approach and the sociological approach, if taken in isolation, prove to be cases of philosophical monism as they emphasize a single level over the others. On the other hand, each of them can be considered as a component of a pluralist ontology and epistemology, where individual minds and social communities are but two successive levels in knowledge production and use, and are followed by a further level of “objectivated spirit”; this can in turn be analyzed into artefacts and mentefacts. While all these levels are relevant to information science, mentefacts and their properties are its most peculiar objects of study, which make it distinct from such other disciplines as psychology and sociology.Originality/valueThis analysis shows how existing approaches can benefit from additional notions contributed by levels theory, to develop more complete and accurate models of information and knowledge phenomena.
The lifeways we avoid
Authors: Dali Keren 
Published: August 2018

PurposeIn the context of increasing interdisciplinarity in academia and professional practice, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the contribution of information science (IS) to education and practice in social work (SW), specifically in the area of disabilities at the workplace. As a case in point, a work environment of academia and faculty members with disabilities and their managers are chosen. The paper also stands to improve interdisciplinary understanding between IS and SW.Design/methodology/approachCombining SW and IS perspectives and building off selective exposure, cognitive dissonance and uncertainty management theories, the paper looks at one of the root-causes of continuous workplace discrimination against and bullying of people with disabilities – information avoidance (IA).FindingsThe paper conceptualises discrimination and bullying as an inherently information problem, for which an SW solution could be proposed. Two types of information are noted to be avoided: information about disabilities and information about the effect of discrimination and bullying on employees with disabilities. The paper distinguishes between defensive and deliberate IA, each of which poses different challenges for social workers who are likely to intervene in the cases of bullying and discrimination in their capacity as workplace counsellors and advisors.Originality/valueIt is the first known paper that explores the intellectual and practice-based synergy between SW and IS in application to change-related interventions and preventative plans that counteract discrimination against people with disabilities at the workplace. It proposes creative solutions for intervention, including bibliotherapy. It also opens up a broader conversation on how critical the knowledge of IS is for social workers.
Encountering the postcolonial in academia
Authors: D’Souza Ryan A. , Pal Mahuya 
Published: August 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to problematize dominant discourses of diversity in academia that are constructed with Eurocentric ideals that demand assimilation with Western expectations and norms that, in one way or another, maintain the status quo. In doing so, the authors theorize transnational diversity in academia by looking back at their own experiences as postcolonial students and teachers.Design/methodology/approachAutoethnography is used as a writing method. The authors use autoethnography to intellectualize their experiences and connect everyday life to the immediate and larger cultural, political and social contexts to reflect on how they navigate their postcolonial identities and negotiate(d) the diversity they bring into academia.FindingsThe authors’ narratives present acceptance, acculturation, assimilation and rejection encompassing trauma and resistance that suggest that the dominant approach to diversity is not necessarily pluralistic, and require a re-organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors’ narratives present acceptance, acculturation, assimilation and rejection encompassing trauma and resistance that suggest that the dominant approach to diversity is not necessarily pluralistic, and requires a re-organization.Originality/valueThe authors theorize transnational diversity as an alternative to the dominant approach to diversity. Transnational diversity attempts to expand the discourse of diversity in academia, and create a space for other cultural, intellectual and institutional legacies to be included and recognized.
Social capital is not for sale: a supply network perspective on mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Chakkol Mehmet , Finne Max , Raja Jawwad Z. , Johnson Mark 
Published: August 2018

PurposeMergers and acquisitions (M&As) often lead to significant changes in the focal supply networks, hence disrupting firm-level relationships. Little is known about the supply network implications of M&As, which can be a major issue, especially for firms acquiring competitors that share suppliers, customers and associated resources. Using social capital as a theoretical lens, this research aims to investigate the implications of an acquisition on supply network relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe acquisition of a large truck manufacturer by its competitor is investigated using an exploratory case study methodology. A total of 24 interviews were conducted across ten companies in the focal supply network with an analysis of financial data.FindingsThe findings from the study provide evidence that firms seeking to acquire such relationships cannot directly buy the social capital embedded within those relationships. They identify pre-acquisition characteristics and post-integration factors to understand how the supply network as a whole draws on the structural, cognitive and relational dimensions of social capital to address discrepancies in the merging network.Originality/valueThis study depicts an empirically grounded, theory-based account of a post-acquisition supply network integration process, showing how an M&A can drastically impact customer and supplier network relationships. The main contribution of this paper lies in extending our understanding of how social capital cannot be simply transferred from one organisation to another during an M&A. Rather, this work illustrates how social capital in supply networks is transformed by considering the pre- and post-acquisition social capital dynamics of the merging networks.
Literature analysis of the evaluation of public training programmes in the USA, Europe and China: Implications for the evaluation of farmer training programmes in China
Authors: Wang Mei , Burgess John , Xiao Yacheng 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis review aims to inform the evaluation of Chinese farmer training programmes through comparison with studies assessing public training programmes in the USA and Europe. The results of comparative analysis from 62 studies in the USA, Europe and Mainland China suggest that evaluation studies of the farmer training programme should measure the effectiveness of farmer training on agricultural income. Considering the cost and availability of data, cross‐section estimation may be an effective way to evaluate the effectiveness of farmer training programmes in China, but on the basis of controlling the initial demographic characteristics of samples. In particular, political status (whether a party member of Communist Party of China or not), position (whether village cadre or not) and region of residence are considered to be important determinants that impact the effectiveness of farmer training programmes in China. This review sets out directions for the future study of Chinese training programmes, with particular emphasis given to the need for research into the causal effects of different training courses, the dynamic effects arising from variation in the duration of training, and the medium‐run or long‐run effects of training programmes.
Diverse Profiles of Biofilm and Adhesion Genes in Staphylococcus Aureus Food Strains Isolated from Sushi and Sashimi
Authors: Puah Suat Moi , Tan Jin Ai Mary Anne , Chew Ching Hoong , Chua Kek Heng 
Published: August 2018

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus is able to form multilayer biofilms embedded within a glycocalyx or slime layer. Biofilm formation poses food contamination risks and can subsequently increase the risk of food poisoning. Identification of food‐related S. aureus strains will provide additional data on staphylococcal food poisoning involved in biofilm formation. A total of 52 S. aureus strains isolated from sushi and sashimi was investigated to study their ability for biofilm formation using crystal violet staining. The presence of accessory gene regulator (agr) groups and 15 adhesion genes was screened and their associations in biofilm formation were studied. All 52 S. aureus strains showed biofilm production on the tested hydrophobic surface with 44% (23/52) strains classified as strong, 33% (17/52) as moderate, and 23% (12/52) as weak biofilm producers. The frequency of agr‐positive strains was 71% (agr group 1 = 21 strains; agr group 2 = 2 strains; agr group 3 = 12 strains; agr group 4 = 2 strains) whereas agr‐negative strains were 29% (15/52). Twelve adhesion genes were detected and 98% of the S. aureus strains carried at least one adhesion gene. The ebps was significantly (p < .05) associated with strong biofilm producing strains. In addition, eno, clfA, icaAD, sasG, fnbB, cna, and sasC were significantly higher in the agr‐positive group compared to the agr‐negative group. The results of this study suggest that the presence of ebps, eno, clfA, icaAD, sasG, fnbB, cna, and sasC may play an important role in enhancing the stage of biofilm‐related infections and warrants further investigation.Practical ApplicationThis work contributes to the knowledge on the biofilm formation and the distribution of agr groups in S. aureus strains as well as microbial surface components in recognizing adherence matrix molecules of organisms isolated from ready‐to‐eat sushi and sashimi. The findings provide valuable information to further study the roles of specific genes in causing biofilm‐related infections.
Utility of CT imaging in a novel form of high‐dose‐rate intraoperative breast radiation therapy
Authors: Hassinger Taryn E , Showalter Timothy N , Schroen Anneke T , Brenin David R , Berger Adam C , Libby Bruce , Showalter Shayna L 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIntroductionIntraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is an alternative to whole breast radiation following breast conserving surgery. Conventional breast IORT is limited by lack of cross‐sectional imaging. In response, our institution developed Precision Breast IORT (PB‐IORT) which utilizes intraoperative computed tomography (CT) images for confirmation of brachytherapy applicator placement and for treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of CT imaging in PB‐IORT in the first 103 patients treated in two prospective clinical trials.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the first 103 patients treated with PB‐IORT. All patients underwent breast surgery and placement of a multi‐lumen brachytherapy applicator. Patients had a CT scan followed by high‐dose‐rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Endpoints were the number of patients having more than one CT during PB‐IORT and the number of treatment plans having image‐based modifications.ResultsAfter initial CT scan, 27 patients (26.2%) had findings prompting surgical applicator adjustment. One patient underwent an additional scan to localize a biopsy clip and aid in excision to negative margin. Eighty‐one patients (78.6%) had dosimetry modifications based on CT findings with 36 plans (35.0%) adjusted to protect the skin or chest wall and 45 plans (43.7%) to protect both the skin and chest wall.ConclusionsComputed tomography findings prompted treatment alterations in the majority of patients treated with PB‐IORT to enhance tissue conformity and to sculpt the radiation dose away from normal tissues. CT imaging is unique to PB‐IORT. These findings suggest the potential clinical superiority of PB‐IORT given its allowance for patient‐specific alterations.
Trends and Characterization of Academic Emergency Department Patient Visits: A Five‐year Review
Authors: Peterson Susan M. , Harbertson Cathi A. , Scheulen James J. , Kelen Gabor D. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractObjectivesTo meet the unique comparative data needs of academic emergency departments (EDs), we describe the recent 5‐year national and regional trends for adult emergency patients’ characteristics and operational parameters at academic emergency medical centers.MethodsData collected from the recent 5‐year period academic year (AY) 2012 through AY 2016 of the Academy of Administrators in Academic Emergency Medicine (AAAEM) and the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM) Academic Emergency Medicine Benchmarking Survey were analyzed for trends in 1) ED volumes and modes of arrival, 2) triage acuity level, 3) trends in ED professional fee billing, and 4) disposition patterns of ED patients including admission rates and walkouts. The AY spanned the 12‐month period of July 1 through June 30. Only primary academic or academic affiliate hospitals data were included. Community and freestanding affiliated EDs were excluded. Institutional‐specific data were stratified into four cohorts based on the following annual ED visit volumes: under 40,000, 40,000 to 60,000, 60,000 to 80,000, and over 80,000. Triage acuity levels were based on the Emergency Severity Index (ESI). Professional fee billing was analyzed specifically for CPT codes 99284, 99285, and 99291 (critical care). Left without being seen (LWBS), defined as leaving before a screening examine by a licensed medical provider, and screened and left (SAL), i.e., patients who were screened by a provider, but left before definitive evaluation and management, were similarly evaluated. Total walkouts were defined as the sum of LWBS and SAL.ResultsForty‐four primary academic and academic affiliate sites completed the survey for all 5 years. The mean annual patient census increased 13.4% over the study period, with the majority (80%) of sites experiencing volume growth. Acuity/illness severity, measured as ESI 1 and 2, and CPT codes 99284, 99295, and 99291 increased an aggregate 18.2 and 8.4%, respectively. Large‐volume hospitals (>60,000–80,000, >80,000) admissions increased by 15 and 21.6%, respectively, primarily due to surge in 2016. Overall emergency medical services (EMS) arrivals increased 7.3% although admissions from EMS remained relatively stable. LWBS rates decreased 19.5%, but total walkouts did not appear to change.ConclusionWith a focus on larger academic institutions, differences were noted in the overall increases in volume and acuity. In this survey, participating institutions experienced increased volumes of patients with seemingly higher illness severity. While inroads have been made in LWBS rates, there has not been an overall decrease in total walkouts. The data reported here differed in many aspects compared to other benchmark surveys.