High Prevalence and Factors Associated With the Distribution of the Integron intI1 and intI2 Genes in Scottish Cattle Herds

Integrons are genetic elements that capture and express antimicrobial resistance genes within arrays, facilitating horizontal spread of multiple drug resistance in a range of bacterial species. The aim of this study was to estimate prevalence for class 1, 2, and 3 integrons in Scottish cattle and examine whether spatial, seasonal or herd management factors influenced integron herd status. We used fecal samples collected from 108 Scottish cattle herds in a national, cross-sectional survey between 2014 and 2015, and screened fecal DNA extracts by multiplex PCR for the integrase genes intI1, intI2, and intI3. Herd-level prevalence was estimated [95% confidence interval (CI)] for intI1 as 76.9% (67.8–84.0%) and intI2 as 82.4% (73.9–88.6%). We did not detect intI3 in any of the herd samples tested. A regional effect was observed for intI1, highest in the North East (OR 11.5, 95% CI: 1.0–130.9, P = 0.05) and South East (OR 8.7, 95% CI: 1.1–20.9, P = 0.04), lowest in the Highlands. A generalized linear mixed model was used to test for potential associations between herd status and cattle management, soil type and regional livestock density variables. Within the final multivariable model, factors associated with herd positivity for intI1 included spring season of the year (OR 6.3, 95% CI: 1.1–36.4, P = 0.04) and watering cattle from a natural spring source (OR 4.4, 95% CI: 1.3–14.8, P = 0.017), and cattle being housed at the time of sampling for intI2 (OR 75.0, 95% CI: 10.4–540.5, P < 0.001). This study provides baseline estimates for integron prevalence in Scottish cattle and identifies factors that may be associated with carriage that warrant future investigation.

Regional effect on the molecular clock rate of protein evolution in Eutherian and Metatherian genomes

Background Different types of proteins diverge at vastly different rates. Moreover, the same type of protein has been observed to evolve with different rates in different phylogenetic lineages. In the present study we measured the rates of protein evolution in Eutheria (placental mammals) and Metatheria (marsupials) on a genome-wide basis and we propose that the gene position in the genome landscape has an important influence on the rate of protein divergence. Results We analyzed a protein-encoding gene set (n = 15,727) common to 16 mammals (12 Eutheria and 4 Metatheria). Using sliding windows that averaged regional effects of protein divergence we constructed landscapes in which strong and lineage-specific regional effects were seen on the molecular clock rate of protein divergence. Within each lineage, the relatively high rates were preferentially found in subtelomeric chromosomal regions. Such regions were observed to contain important and well-studied loci for fetal growth, uterine function and the generation of diversity in the adaptive repertoire of immunoglobulins. Conclusions A genome landscape approach visualizes lineage-specific regional differences between Eutherian and Metatherian rates of protein evolution. This phenomenon of chromosomal position is a new element that explains at least part of the lineage-specific effects and differences between proteins on the molecular clock rates.

The Reverse Regional Effect of the All-Union Unification (On the Example of the East Siberian Regional Union of Soviet Artists)

The establishment of Soviet artists’ unions in remote parts of the country has not been fully studied, but it is of interest for understanding the processes of formation of national fine art. One of the most important documents for the Soviet cultural space of the 1930s was the resolution of April 23, 1932, of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks “On the restructuring of literary and artistic organizations”. Its impact is of a prolonged nature: artistic associations, originally created in the form of regulated unions, still exist, already having the status of entities exempt from direct government control. The main object of this research is the organization that united the masters of fine arts of a vast territory — the East Siberian Regional Union of Soviet Artists. The source base of the research is archival documents that make it possible to reconstruct the process of uniting provincial artists into a single regular organization and to assess the decisions of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks from the point of view of the development of the cultural space of the East Siberian Territory. Despite the regulatory actions common to the creation of such institutions, the process of organizing the association of Soviet artists in the peripheral parts of the country had a number of features that formed the final assessment of the outcome of the above-mentioned resolution. The article demonstrates that the geographic remoteness from the capital, the separation from the cultural centers, the harsh climatic conditions, the small population on a large territory, and technical communication difficulties had predetermined the specificity of the processes of Siberian social design, and the need for certain decisive actions and support from the authorities to create a viable association of fine art masters.

Sustainable Ventilation Strategies for a Medium-Sized Space with Regional Effect

The analysis of ventilation strategies is fundamentally affected by regional climate conditions and local cost databases, in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emission and cost-effective analysis. A systematic approach is covered in this paper to estimate a local economic and environmental impact on a medium-sized space located in two regions during supply-and-installation and operation phases. Three ventilation strategies, including mixing ventilation (MV), displacement ventilation (DV) and stratum ventilation (SV) were applied to medium-sized air-conditioned space with this approach. The trend of the results for three ventilation systems in the life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) analysis is SV < DV < MV. The result of CO2 emission and regional LCC shows that SV is the lowest one in both regional studies. In comparison with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) during 20 Service years, the case analysis demonstrates that the percentage differences in LCC analysis of MV, DV & SV in Guangdong are less than 20.5%, 19.4% and 18.82% respectively. Their CO2 emission of MV, DV and SV in Guangdong are more than HKSAR in 10.69%, 11.22% and 12.05%, respectively. The present study could provide information about regional effects in the LCA and LCC analysis of three ventilation strategies emissions, and thereby help set up models for decision-making on high efficiency and cost-effective ventilation strategy plans.

YWHAG Mutations Cause Childhood Myoclonic Epilepsy and Febrile Seizures: Molecular Sub-regional Effect and Mechanism

YWHAG, which encodes an adapter protein 14-3-3γ, is highly expressed in the brain and regulates a diverse range of cell signaling pathways. Previously, eight YWHAG mutations have been identified in patients with epileptic encephalopathy (EE). In this study, using trios-based whole exome sequencing, we identified two novel YWHAG mutations in two unrelated families with childhood myoclonic epilepsy and/or febrile seizures (FS). The identified mutations included a heterozygous truncating mutation (c.124C&gt;T/p.Arg42Ter) and a de novo missense mutation (c.373A&gt;G/p.Lys125Glu). The two probands experienced daily myoclonic seizures that were recorded with ictal generalized polyspike-slow waves, but became seizure-free with simple valproate treatment. The other affected individuals presented FS. The truncating mutation was identified in the family with six individuals of mild phenotype, suggesting that YWHAG mutations of haploinsufficiency are relatively less pathogenic. Analysis on all missense mutations showed that nine mutations were located within 14-3-3γ binding groove and another mutation was located at residues critical for dimerization, indicating a molecular sub-regional effect. Mutation Arg132Cys, which was identified recurrently in five patients with EE, would have the strongest influence on binding affinity. 14-3-3γ dimers supports target proteins activity. Thus, a heterozygous missense mutation would lead to majority dimers being mutants; whereas a heterozygous truncating mutation would lead to only decreasing the number of wild-type dimer, being one of the explanations for phenotypical variation. This study suggests that YWHAG is potentially a candidate pathogenic gene of childhood myoclonic epilepsy and FS. The spectrum of epilepsy caused by YWHAG mutations potentially range from mild myoclonic epilepsy and FS to severe EE.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): a rising tide lifts all boats? Global reporting implications in a post SDGs world

PurposeWe investigate the integration of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)– based reporting thus exploring the factors that influence the adoption of the SDGs by organizations.Design/methodology/approachWe analyzed the GRI dataset provided by the GRI data secretariat. We analyzed 14,308 reports provided by 9,397 organizations between 2016 and 2017.FindingsLarger organizations are more likely to integrate the SDGs into their reporting than smaller organizations. Secondly, publicly listed firms are more likely to address the SDGs. Thirdly, industries with higher sustainability impacts are more likely to address the SDGs in their reporting. Fourthly, our data confirm a regional effect with regard to SDG reporting. Moreover, organizations that follow international sustainability guidelines and standards such as becoming a member of the GRI Gold Community or using the GRI Content Index services and having external assurance are more likely to report on the SDGs.Research limitations/implicationsCorporations play an essential role in the achievement of the SDGs, which shape the future of the world's sustainable development. Nevertheless, SDGs reporting needs more research to analyze the factors that can influence it. The study contributed to the academic literature on CSR and legitimacy theory by analyzing institutional and regional factors that impact SDGs reporting.Practical implicationsThe study provides insights about the integration of the SDGs into organizational reporting and accounting, including the adoption of the SDGs by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the benefits of the SDGs as a framework for strategic corporate sustainability.Social implicationsA global sustainability framework, such as the SDGs can be integrated into organizations sustainability reporting and accounting in a meaningful way.Originality/valueThis is the first study that analyzes the integration of the SDGs into GRI-based reporting. The study contributes to legitimacy theory by highlighting the factors, which contribute to the legitimacy-based adoption of the SDGs, including organizational size, being publicly listed, being from high-impact industries and certain global regions, etc. SDG reporting can help firms increase their organizational legitimacy across their stakeholders.

Noncommunicable Diseases, Sociodemographic Vulnerability, and the Risk of Mortality in Hospitalized Children and Adolescents with COVID-19 in Brazil: A Syndemic in Play

BackgroundAlthough many studies identify the presence of comorbidities and socioeconomic vulnerabilities as risk factors for worse COVID-19 outcomes, few have addressed this issue in children. We aimed to study how these factors have impacted COVID-19 mortality in Brazilian children and adolescents.MethodsThis is an observational study using publicly available data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. We studied 5,857 patients younger than 20 years old, all of them hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. We used multilevel mixed-effects generalized linear models to study mortality, stratifying the analysis by age, region of the country, presence of noncommunicable diseases, ethnicity, and socioeconomic development.FindingsIndividually, most of the comorbidities included were risk factors. Having more than one comorbidity increased almost tenfold the risk of death (OR 9·67 95%CI 6·89-13·57). Compared to White children, Indigenous, Pardo (mixed), and East Asian had a significantly higher risk of mortality. We also found a regional effect (higher mortality in the North), and a socioeconomic effect (higher mortality among children from less socioeconomically developed municipalities).InterpretationBesides the impact of comorbidities, we identified ethnic, regional, and socioeconomic effects shaping the mortality of children hospitalized with COVID-19 in Brazil. Putting these findings together, we propose that there is a syndemic among COVID-19 and noncommunicable diseases, driven and fostered by large-scale sociodemographic inequalities. Facing COVID-19 in Brazil must also include addressing these structural issues. Our findings also identify risk groups among children that should be prioritized for public health measures, such as vaccination.FundingNone.

Participation of the Federation Units in the Investment of Sports and Leisure Policies in Brazil

The purpose of this exploratory descriptive study was to evaluate the participation of state governments (federation units) in the financing of sports and leisure public policies from 2002 to 2016. In order to better understand the regional effect of investment, the information was cut by region. Two central hypotheses were tested, the concentrator effect and the equity effect. The database was formed from the consolidated expenditure record registered with the National Treasury in the Accounting and Tax Information System of the Brazilian Public Sector - Siconfi. In order to ensure the comparability of tax information, the values were deflated by the Consumer Price Index. Although there are no constraints at the level of the federation pressing the Federation Units to be active with regard to the sports agenda, these Units have been shown to be responsive to it. The overall result produces different effects between macro-regions, regions and Federation Units, concentrating the resources, or distributing them more evenly.