Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms

Parasitic nematodes (roundworms) and platyhelminths (flatworms) cause debilitating chronic infections of humans and animals, decimate crop production and are a major impediment to socioeconomic development. Here we report a broad comparative study of 81 genomes of parasitic and non-parasitic worms. We have identified gene family births and hundreds of expanded gene families at key nodes in the phylogeny that are relevant to parasitism. Examples include gene families that modulate host immune responses, enable parasite migration though host tissues or allow the parasite to feed. We reveal extensive lineage-specific differences in core metabolism and protein families historically targeted for drug development. From an in silico screen, we have identified and prioritized new potential drug targets and compounds for testing. This comparative genomics resource provides a much-needed boost for the research community to understand and combat parasitic worms

Disruptions and General Distress for Essential and Nonessential Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak response represent a global crisis that has affected various aspects of people’s lives, including work. Speculation is rife about the impact of the crisis on employees. Countries and organizations worldwide have categorized some work as essential and, by extension, other work as nonessential. This study aims to investigate the impact of the pandemic by examining the relationship between work disruptions (at time 1) and general distress (at time 2) through various work stressors, contrasting the experiences of employees in essential versus nonessential work. For employees with essential jobs, there is a significant indirect effect of work disruptions on general distress through hindrance stressors. This relationship is not found for employees with nonessential jobs. The general distress of these employees is more strongly affected by disruptions through social stressors (here, social isolation). Hence, this study demonstrates how general distress is affected in different ways for employees conducting essential work and those conducting nonessential work. We further highlight the importance of considering social stressors in this relationship, especially for nonessential work. Organizational change communication quality mitigates the relationship between isolation and general distress for employees with nonessential jobs, but not for those with essential jobs

Understanding constant connectivity to work: How and for whom is constant connectivity related to employee well-being?

Over the past few decades, the widespread use of mobile work devices (MWDs: e.g., laptops and smartphones) has enabled constant connectivity to work. This study advances previous work on the effects of constant connectivity for employees by focusing on how and for whom constant connectivity might be related to employee well-being. Additionally, organizational-level antecedents of constant connectivity are investigated. This paper reports on two survey studies that a) operationalize constant connectivity and its organizational antecedents and b) investigate the relationship between constant connectivity and employee well-being. The findings demonstrate that constant connectivity is negatively related to employees' well-being due to the inability to disengage from work. Moreover, this negative association exists independently of employees' boundary preferences. The findings further suggest that perceived alignment between perceived functional, physical, and symbolic connectivity aspects of MWDs and occupational identity, susceptibility to social pressure, and the visibility of co-workers' communication practices all contribute to constant connectivity in the workplace

Staying in the loop: Is constant connectivity to work good or bad for work performance?

This study addressed the question of how two sides of being constantly connected to work (i.e., availability and interruptions) affect work performance. Applying Self-Determination Theory's (SDT) three basic human needs to the communication realm, we examine how being available for others versus being interrupted by others affects feelings of communication control (autonomy), communication effectiveness (competence), and social support given to and received from coworkers (relatedness). In turn, we examine how availability and interruptions relate to work performance through those three mechanisms. The results of Study 1, a five-day diary study among 317 employees (n = 1135 days) show that daily availability is positively related to work performance through higher levels of communication effectiveness. Daily interruptions are directly negatively related to work performance. Whereas daily availability is positively related to experienced communication control, daily interruptions undermine feelings of control. Study 2, a five-day diary study among 72 employees (n = 324 days) replicates those findings. The two studies further reveal that on days on which employees are more available they provide more emotional support, and they receive more instrumental support from coworkers. On days with more interruptions, employees provide more instrumental support to colleagues. The findings advance theory by applying insights from SDT to the organizational communication literature, developing and testing a model that explains why constant connectivity has pros and cons for work performance

Media Social Responsibility an der Schnittstelle von Media Accountability und Corporate Social Responsibility: ein theoretisches Konzept und eine empirische Untersuchung der Medienindustrie am Beispiel der D-A-CH Länder

Soziale und umweltbezogene Themen werden heute im globalen Diskurs verstärkt aufgegriffen – sowohl von individuellen Kommunikatoren*innen als auch von Institutionen und Organisationen. Auch Medienunternehmen nehmen ihre Verantwortung gegenüber der Gesellschaft verstärkt wahr und richten ihr Handeln dementsprechend aus. Insbesondere in einer durch die Digitalisierung massiv veränderten Medien- und Informationsökologie rücken Unternehmen der TIMES Branche Aspekte der ökonomischen, aber eben auch sozialen und umweltbezogenen Verantwortung verstärkt in den Mittelpunkt ihrer Geschäftsaktivitäten. Hier werden sie im Zuge von Media Accountability (MA) und Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-Maßnahmen aufgegriffen. Die besondere Herausforderung dabei: bei Medienunternehmen geht es nicht nur um verantwortungsvolles Wirtschaften, sondern zusätzlich um eine Auseinandersetzung mit dem normativen Rahmenwert für eine verantwortungsvolle journalistische Arbeit. Im Bereich Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften werden hier vor allem die Forderungen nach Objektivität, Meinungsvielfalt, Pluralismus und Wahrheitstreue diskutiert – die wiederum auch die normativen Grundpfeiler für MA als Teil der Medien-Selbstregulation und CSR darstellen. Eine Kombination dieser interdisziplinären Theoriebausteine sowie eine Zusammenführung unterschiedlicher methodischer Blickwinkel erscheint sinnvoll, insbesondere in der Analyse von Entscheidungsstrukturen und Dilemmata sowie ethischer Diskurse auf Organisationsebene. Das vorliegende Projekt führt ein organisationsethisches Konzept der Media Social Responsibility ein und begründet dies sowohl theoretisch als auch anhand empirischer Ergebnisse zweier Studien. Studie 1 ist eine quantitative Studie, die das Ziel verfolgt, herauszufinden, ob CSR/MA Aspekte in der Online-Kommunikation von 32 Medienunternehmen aus dem D-A-CH Raum aufgegriffen werden und inwieweit dabei den Besonderheiten der Medienindustrie Rechnung getragen wird. In Studie 2, einer qualitativen Untersuchung, wird der Frage nachgegangen, inwieweit Medienmanager*innen ethische Fragen in Unternehmensentscheidungen miteinbeziehen. Die Ergebnisse leisten einen zentralen Beitrag zu aktuellen organisationsethischen Überlegungen und begründen nicht nur die Verwobenheit einer Ökonomisierung und Digitalisierung mit ethischen Prozessen sondern auch deren Realisierung in der organisationsinternen und -externen Kommunikation

Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms

© 2018, The Author(s). Parasitic nematodes (roundworms) and platyhelminths (flatworms) cause debilitating chronic infections of humans and animals, decimate crop production and are a major impediment to socioeconomic development. Here we report a broad comparative study of 81 genomes of parasitic and non-parasitic worms. We have identified gene family births and hundreds of expanded gene families at key nodes in the phylogeny that are relevant to parasitism. Examples include gene families that modulate host immune responses, enable parasite migration though host tissues or allow the parasite to feed. We reveal extensive lineage-specific differences in core metabolism and protein families historically targeted for drug development. From an in silico screen, we have identified and prioritized new potential drug targets and compounds for testing. This comparative genomics resource provides a much-needed boost for the research community to understand and combat parasitic worms

Body mass index and complications following major gastrointestinal surgery: a prospective, international cohort study and meta-analysis.

AIM: Previous studies reported conflicting evidence on the effects of obesity on outcomes after gastrointestinal surgery. The aims of this study were to explore the relationship of obesity with major postoperative complications in an international cohort and to present a meta-analysis of all available prospective data. METHODS: This prospective, multicentre study included adults undergoing both elective and emergency gastrointestinal resection, reversal of stoma or formation of stoma. The primary end-point was 30-day major complications (Clavien-Dindo Grades III-V). A systematic search was undertaken for studies assessing the relationship between obesity and major complications after gastrointestinal surgery. Individual patient meta-analysis was used to analyse pooled results. RESULTS: This study included 2519 patients across 127 centres, of whom 560 (22.2%) were obese. Unadjusted major complication rates were lower in obese vs normal weight patients (13.0% vs 16.2%, respectively), but this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.863) on multivariate analysis for patients having surgery for either malignant or benign conditions. Individual patient meta-analysis demonstrated that obese patients undergoing surgery for malignancy were at increased risk of major complications (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.49-2.96, P < 0.001), whereas obese patients undergoing surgery for benign indications were at decreased risk (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46-0.75, P < 0.001) compared to normal weight patients. CONCLUSIONS: In our international data, obesity was not found to be associated with major complications following gastrointestinal surgery. Meta-analysis of available prospective data made a novel finding of obesity being associated with different outcomes depending on whether patients were undergoing surgery for benign or malignant disease