bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of RT-qPCR and Digital PCR Methods for Wastewater-Based Testing of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Hinkle Adrian , Greenwald Hannah D. , Metzger Matthew , Thornton Melissa , Kennedy Lauren C. , Loomis Kristin , Herrera Monica B , Abayan Raymond-John , Nelson Kara L. , Kantor Rose S. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractWastewater-based epidemiology is an important tool for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 and other molecular targets in populations, using wastewater as a pooled sample. We compared the sensitivity, susceptibility to inhibition, and quantification of reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), microfluidic well digital RT-PCR (RT-dPCR), and droplet digital RT-PCR (RT-ddPCR) measurements of SARS-CoV-2 (N1 gene target) and Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) RNA in 40 wastewater RNA extracts. All three methods were highly sensitive, but appeared less accurate at very low concentrations. Lower inhibition was observed for RT-ddPCR than RT-qPCR with both SARS-CoV-2 and PMMoV targets, but inhibition appeared to be mitigated by dilution of template RNA. The concentrations of N1 and PMMoV from all three methods were significantly correlated (Pearson’s r=0.97-0.98 for N1 and r=0.89-0.93 for PMMoV), although RT-qPCR reported higher concentrations than digital methods. Taken together, this study provides support for the application of all three methods in wastewater-based epidemiology, with additional guidelines for the use of RT-qPCR.Impact StatementPCR-based assays are the current standard for sensitive, specific, rapid pathogen quantification in environmental samples, including wastewater. The increased availability of multiple digital PCR technologies necessitates side-by-side comparison between platforms, including traditional qPCR, to guide the application of these methods. Specifically, this work can inform interpretation of wastewater SARS-CoV-2 PCR data, as reported to public health agencies for pandemic response.
Predicting seasonal influenza vaccine response using systemic gene expression profiling
Authors: Forst Christian V. , Chung Matthew , Hockman Megan , Lashua Lauren , Adney Emily , Carlock Michael , Ross Ted , Ghedin Elodie , Gresham David 
Published: June 2022

AbstractSeasonal influenza is a primary public health burden in the USA and globally. Annual vaccination programs are designed on the basis of circulating influenza viral strains. However, the effectiveness of the seasonal influenza vaccine is highly variable between seasons and among individuals. A number of factors are known to influence vaccination effectiveness including age, sex, and comorbidities. Here, we sought to determine whether whole blood gene expression profiling prior to vaccination is informative about pre-existing immunological status and the immunological response to vaccine. We performed whole transcriptome analysis using RNA sequencing (RNAseq) of whole blood samples obtained prior to vaccination from participants enrolled in an annual influenza vaccine trial. Serological status prior to vaccination and 28 days following vaccination was assessed using the hemagglutination inhibition assay (HAI) to define baseline immune status and the response to vaccination. We find evidence that genes with immunological functions are increased in expression in individuals with higher pre-existing immunity and in those individuals who mount a greater response to vaccination. Using a random forest model we find that this set of genes can be used to predict vaccine response with a performance similar to a model that incorporates physiological and prior vaccination status alone. Our study shows that increased expression of immunological genes, possibly reflecting greater plasmablast cell populations, prior to vaccination is associated with an enhanced response to vaccine. Furthermore, in the absence of physiological information and vaccination history, whole blood gene expression signatures are informative about the immunological response of an individual to seasonal influenza vaccination.
Dissection of insular cortex layer 5 reveals two sublayers with opposing modulatory roles in appetitive behavior
Authors: Takemoto Makoto , Kato Shigeki , Kobayashi Kazuto , Song Wen-Jie 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe insular cortex (insula) is known to play a modulatory role in motivated behaviors including feeding and drinking. Previous studies have revealed that the anterior and posterior subregions of the insula have differential subcortical efferents and roles, yet the anatomical and functional heterogeneity among the cortical layers remains poorly understood. Here, we show that layer 5 of the mouse dysgranular insula has two distinct neuronal subpopulations along the entire anterior-posterior axis: the upper layer (L5a) population, expressing NECAB1, projects bilaterally to the lateral and capsular divisions of the central amygdala, and the deeper layer (L5b) population, expressing CTIP2, projects ipsilaterally to the parasubthalamic nucleus and the medial division of the central amygdala. Optogenetically activating L5a and L5b neuronal populations in thirsty mice led to suppressed and facilitated water spout licking, respectively, in a single-spout test. However, the opto-activation induced no avoidance against or preference for the spout paired with the opto-stimulation in a two-spout choice test, indicating no induction of emotional valences by the opto-activation per se. Our results suggest sublayer-specific bidirectional modulatory roles of insula layer 5 in the motivational aspect of appetitive behavior.
Identification of Bulinus forskalii as a potential intermediate host of Schistosoma hæmatobium in Senegal
Authors: Gaye Papa Mouhamadou , Doucouré Souleymane , Sow Doudou , Sokhna Cheikh , Ranque Stéphane 
Published: June 2022

AbstractUnderstanding the transmission of Schistosoma hæmatobium in the Senegal River Delta requires knowledge of the snails serving as intermediate hosts. Accurate identification of both the snails and the infecting Schistosoma species is therefore essential. Cercarial emission tests and multi-locus (COX1 and ITS) genetic analysis were performed on Bulinus forskalii snails to confirm their susceptibility to S. hæmatobium infection. A total of 55 B. forskalii, adequately identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, were assessed. Cercarial shedding and RT-PCR assays detected13 (23.6%) and 17 (31.0%), respectively, B. forskalii snails parasitised by S. hæmatobium complex fluke. Nucleotide sequence analysis identified 6 (11.0%), using COX1, and 3 (5.5%), using ITS2, S. hæmatobium, and 3 (5.5%) S. bovis. This result is the first report of infection of B. forskalii by S. hæmatobium complex parasites.
Synchronisation of apical constriction and cell cycle progression is a conserved behaviour of pseudostratified neuroepithelia informed by their tissue geometry
Authors: Ampartzidis Ioakeim , Efstathiou Christoforos , Paonessa Francesco , Thompson Elliott M , Wilson Tyler , McCann Conor J , Greene Nicholas DE , Copp Andrew , Livesey Frederick J , Elvassore Nicola , Giobbe Giovanni Giuseppe , De Coppi Paolo , Maniou Eirini , Galea Gabriel L 
Published: June 2022

AbstractNeuroepithelial cells balance tissue growth requirement with the morphogenetic imperative of closing the neural tube. They apically constrict to generate mechanical forces which elevate the neural folds, but are thought to apically dilate during mitosis. However, we previously reported that mitotic neuroepithelial cells in the mouse posterior neuropore have smaller apical surfaces than non-mitotic cells. Here, we document progressive apical enrichment of non-muscle myosin-II in mitotic, but not non-mitotic, neuroepithelial cells with smaller apical areas. Live-imaging of the chick posterior neuropore confirms apical constriction synchronised with mitosis, reaching maximal constriction by anaphase, before division and re-dilation. Mitotic apical constriction amplitude is significantly greater than interphase constrictions. To investigate conservation in humans, we characterised early stages of iPSC differentiation through dual SMAD-inhibition to robustly produce pseudostratified neuroepithelia with apically enriched actomyosin. These cultured neuroepithelial cells achieve an equivalent apical area to those in mouse embryos. iPSC-derived neuroepithelial cells have large apical areas in G2 which constrict in M phase and retain this constriction in G1/S. Given that this differentiation method produces anterior neural identities, we studied the anterior neuroepithelium of the elevating mouse mid-brain neural tube. Instead of constricting, mid-brain mitotic neuroepithelial cells have larger apical areas than interphase cells. Tissue geometry differs between the apically convex early midbrain and flat posterior neuropore. Culturing human neuroepithelia on equivalently convex surfaces prevents mitotic apical constriction. Thus, neuroepithelial cells undergo high-amplitude apical constriction synchronised with cell cycle progression but the timing of their constriction if influenced by tissue geometry.
Endocytic trafficking determines cellular tolerance of presynaptic opioid signaling
Authors: Jullié Damien , Benitez Camila , Knight Tracy A. , von Zastrow Mark 
Published: June 2022

AbstractOpioid tolerance is well described physiologically but its mechanistic basis remains incompletely understood. An important site of opioid action in vivo is the presynaptic terminal, where opioids inhibit transmitter release. This response characteristically resists desensitization over minutes yet becomes gradually tolerant over hours, and how this is possible remains unknown. Here we delineate a cellular mechanism underlying this longer-term form of opioid tolerance. Our results support a model in which presynaptic tolerance is mediated by a gradual depletion of cognate receptors from the axon surface through iterative rounds of receptor endocytosis and recycling. For the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), we show that the agonist-induced endocytic process which initiates iterative receptor cycling requires GRK2/3-mediated phosphorylation of the receptor’s cytoplasmic tail, and that partial or biased agonist drugs which have reduced ability to drive phosphorylation-dependent endocytosis in terminals produce correspondingly less presynaptic tolerance. We then show that the δ-opioid receptor (DOR) conforms to the same general paradigm except that endocytosis of DOR from the presynapse, in marked contrast to MOR, does not require phosphorylation of the receptor’s cytoplasmic tail. Further, we show that DOR recycles less efficiently than MOR in axons and, consistent with this, that DOR tolerance develops more strongly. Together, these results delineate a cellular basis for the development of presynaptic tolerance to opioids and describe a methodology useful for investigating presynaptic neuromodulation more broadly.
The impact of reducing reporting requirements on audit quality, auditor effort and auditor conservatism
Authors: Elshafie Essam 
Published: June 2022

Purpose
This study aims to examine the effect of reducing disclosure and auditing requirements on audit quality, auditor effort and auditor conservatism. The Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act of 2012 is used as a setting for this research. The JOBS Act aimed to boost economic growth by easing emerging growth companies’ (EGCs) access to capital markets. The Act provides scaled disclosure and auditing provisions and exemptions for EGCs.

Design/methodology/approach
Using data from Capital IQ, CRSP and Audit Analytics on EGCs and matching non-EGCs between 2012 and 2018, this study assesses the effect of such reduced disclosure and audit requirements on audit quality, auditor effort and auditor conservatism.

Findings
The findings denote that while audit quality and auditor effort are lower for EGCs, auditor conservatism is not different for EGCs as compared to non-EGCs.

Originality/value
This study expands the current research by providing evidence on the impact of reduced reporting and auditing requirements on auditor conservatism and audit quality, in addition to auditor effort in EGC engagements.
Coalition of metaheuristics through parallel computing for solving unconstrained continuous optimization problems
Authors: Şenol Mümin Emre , Baykasoğlu Adil 
Published: June 2022

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop a new parallel metaheuristic algorithm for solving unconstrained continuous optimization problems.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed method brings several metaheuristic algorithms together to form a coalition under Weighted Superposition Attraction-Repulsion Algorithm (WSAR) in a parallel computing environment. The proposed approach runs different single solution based metaheuristic algorithms in parallel and employs WSAR (which is a recently developed and proposed swarm intelligence based optimizer) as controller.FindingsThe proposed approach is tested against the latest well-known unconstrained continuous optimization problems (CEC2020). The obtained results are compared with some other optimization algorithms. The results of the comparison prove the efficiency of the proposed method.Originality/valueThis study aims to combine different metaheuristic algorithms in order to provide a satisfactory performance on solving the optimization problems by benefiting their diverse characteristics. In addition, the run time is shortened by parallel execution. The proposed approach can be applied to any type of optimization problems by its problem-independent structure.
Application of bird-strike verified analysis for the design of fast helicopter composite cowling
Authors: Doubrava Radek , Oberthor Martin , Bělský Petr , Cabrnoch Bohuslav 
Published: June 2022

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the approach for the design of cowlings for a new fast helicopter from the perspective of airworthiness requirements regarding high-speed impact resistance.Design/methodology/approachValidated numerical simulation was applied to flat and simple curved test panels. High-speed camera measurement and non-destructive testing (NDT) results were used for verification of the numerical models. The final design was optimized and verified by validated numerical simulation.FindingsThe comparison between numerical simulation based on static material properties with experimental results of high-speed load shows no significant influence of strain rate effect in composite material.Research limitations/implicationsOwing to the sensitivity of the composite material on technology production, the results are limited by the material used and the production technology.Practical implicationsThe application of flat and simple curved test panels for the verification and calibration of numerical models allows the optimized final design of the cowling and reduces the risk of structural non-compliance during verification tests.Originality/valueNumerical models were verified for simulation of the real composite structure based on high-speed camera results and NDT inspection after impact. The proposed numerical model was simplified for application in a complex design and reduced calculation time.
Revisiting trust in the digital era: the interplay of online trust and online dialogic communication from the practitioners' perspective
Authors: Tong Suk Chong , Chan Fanny Fong Yee 
Published: June 2022

PurposeWith the prevailing use of online communication platforms, this study revisits the definitions of trust in an online context. By exploring organizational online communications from a practitioners' perspective, a conceptual framework that illustrates the nature of trust and its relationship with dialogic communication between organizations and organizations' stakeholders in the digital era is proposed.Design/methodology/approachA total of 27 in-depth interviews were conducted with public relations and marketing practitioners involved in coordinating organizational online communications in Hong Kong.FindingsFrom the practitioners' perspective, stakeholders' online trust toward an organization, which is a hybridity of initial and rapidly evolving trust, begins with stakeholders swift and initial judgment of the organization according to category-based cues (including knowledge-based attributes of the organization, institutional cues, and particular attributes of online dialogic communication) available on online platforms and further develops over time. Practitioners regard the integration of online and offline communication platforms to be the most effective way to build trust in organization–stakeholder relationships in the digital era, while dialectical tensions can hinder trust formed in online communication.Originality/valueAlong with the proposed conceptual framework, this study advances the discussion of online trust in public relations practices from the practitioners' perspective. A qualitative approach provides rich descriptions that may help to enrich theories in public relations and communication management regarding the interplay of trust and dialogic communication in organizational practices in the digital era.
Sustainability in retail services: a transformative service research (TSR) perspective
Authors: Dodds Sarah , Palakshappa Nitha , Stangl Loren M. 
Published: June 2022

PurposeRetail organizations that consider a service ecosystems view of sustainability focused on transformation have the potential to contribute to the wellbeing of individuals, business and society. The purpose of this paper is to explore the transformative nature of sustainable retail fashion organizations and their impact on wellbeing within a sustainable retail service ecosystem.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative in-depth case study research design was implemented using four sustainable fashion brands. Data were collected from multiple sources including secondary data from company websites and publicly available reports and interviews with founders and/or high-ranking managers within the organization.FindingsThree overarching themes critical to transformation in sustainable retail service ecosystems were identified: (1) embedded core purpose or ethos, (2) relevance of fit and (3) breadth and depth of message. Corresponding wellbeing elements were found within the three themes – community and society wellbeing, environmental wellbeing, business strategy wellbeing, consumer wellbeing, leadership wellbeing, employee wellbeing, stakeholder and value chain wellbeing and brand wellbeing.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research offers an important opportunity to further explore the relationships between sustainability, TSR and wellbeing in other service contexts.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to transformative service research literature by conceptualizing a sustainable retail service wellbeing ecosystem framework.
The short video usage motivation and behavior of middle-aged and old users
Authors: Yu Xiaofeng , Zhang Yiqing , Zhang Xiaoxue 
Published: June 2022

PurposeThe main research problem is the relationship between the use motivation (UM) and use behavior (UB) of middle-aged and old short videos users and the difference of the influence of the use motivation of middle-aged and old users, a special group, on the usage behavior is analyzed.Design/methodology/approachBy means of a questionnaire survey and in-depth interview, the middle-aged and old-aged users' short video use motivation and behavior and their influence relationship are discussed.FindingsIt is found that information appeal is the main motivation of middle-aged and old-aged users to use short videos and users with different social attributes have differences in motivation and there is a significant relationship between motivation and behavior.Originality/valueThe research objective is middle-aged and elderly short video users. And how to promote the transformation of middle-aged and old-aged users' use mentality and record and create their unique bright spots in the big stage of short videos with a more active and independent attitude, is of unique significance not only to the users themselves but also to the media content of this era and the users' existence in the technological change.
Seasonal variation of water quality parameters of surface water in mining areas
Authors: Yirenkyi-Fianko Adwoa Boadua , Yanful Ernest Kwesi , Ottou Jemima Antwiwaa 
Published: June 2022

PurposeTotal organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and other physicochemical parameters of the Birim River, which serves for drinking and domestic purposes for rural mining communities, were analysed to assess the suitability of water quality for human consumption.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 40 samples were collected from 20 sampling sites during the rainy season from July to September and the dry season from December to February in addition to two repeat samples and two blank samples. Samples were analysed for physiochemical parameters and the results were compared with World Health Organisation standards (WHO).FindingsData obtained for both rainy and dry seasons indicated TOC ranged from 1.1 to 7.3 mg/L and DOC 1–7.2 mg/L; pH, 5.6–8.63; temperature, 23.3–29.3°C; turbidity, <1.00–869NTU; apparent colour, <2.5–600 mg/L Pt-Co; true colour <2.5–150 mg/L Pt-Co; alkalinity, 27.8–80.4 mg/L; total suspended solids, <1.00–998 mg/L; electrical conductivity, 82–184 µS/cm; and bicarbonate, 33.9–98.1 mg/L. Particulate organic carbon (POC) was constituted between 1 and 10% of the TOC. Values for pH, turbidity, total suspended solids, and true colour indicated contamination of the river. p -value of <0.05 between seasons for the physicochemical parameters also suggests that the water is polluted.Practical implicationsWater from the Birim River is unsuitable for human consumption and may constitute a serious health risk to the consumers.Originality/valueThe paper yields immense value to inhabitant of communities using surface water affected by mining activities, policy makers in sustainability. It warns of the unsuitability of water from the Birim River for human consumption due to the potential health risk to consumers.
Role of internal resources on the competitive advantage building in a knowledge-intensive organisation in an emerging market
Authors: Amaya Norbey , Bernal-Torres César Augusto , Nicolás-Rojas Yoni W. , Pando-Ezcurra Tamara T. 
Published: June 2022

Purpose
This study aims to analyse the way the internal resources and their attributes contribute to the competitive advantages in an intensive organisation in knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry in an emerging market.

Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative case study focused where the NVivo software was used for information analysis and thematic analysis.

Findings
The outcomes showed that from the VRIO framework (value, rarity, imitability and organisation), the plant and equipment and the technical knowledge of its workers are the resources that, due to their attributes, especially the rare, those that grant an advantage competitive position compared to other companies in its sector. Those findings highlight that the resource-based view (RBV) is a good approximation to explain the construction of competitive advantage (CA) and, in addition, the relevance of rare attribute in pharmaceutical companies was confirmed.

Practical implications
The study points out empirical evidence on the relevancy of RBV, from the VRIO framework and the competitive profile matrix (CPM) for the analysis of the management of organisations from the emerging market (economy) perspective. The study also provides competitive advantage analysis tools with which managers can identify strategic resources for their companies.

Originality/value
The VRIO framework and CPM were integrated in the study to analyse the role of internal resources and their attributes in achieving CAs. This integration is the first time that it has been carried out in companies in the context of an emerging market.