Microalgae biofuels: Changing carbohydrates into lipids

KOBE UNIVERSITY

Research News

IMAGE: ELECTRON MICROSCOPE IMAGE OF LIPID PRODUCTION IN THE MICROALGAE CHLAMYDOMONAS SP. view more 

CREDIT: KATO ET AL. (2021)

A cross-institutional collaboration has developed a technique to repartition carbon resources from carbohydrates to lipids in microalgae. It is hoped that this method can be applied to biofuel production. This discovery was the result of a collaboration between a research group at Kobe University's Engineering Biology Research Center consisting of Project Assistant Professor KATO Yuichi and Professor HASUNUMA Tomohisa et al., and Senior Researcher SATOH Katsuya et al. at the Takasaki Advanced Radiation Research Institute of the Quantum Beam Science Research Directorate (National institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology).

These research results were published on April 9, 2021 in the international academic journal Communications Biology.

Main Points

• Microalgae are highly capable of producing lipids by fixing atmospheric CO2 via photosynthesis, making them promising candidates for biofuel production.
• In light/dark conditions (i.e. day and night), the majority of microalgae's carbon resources obtained from CO2 are accumulated as carbohydrates (starch). This makes it difficult to get microalgae to produce lipids.
• The researchers used ion beam mutagenesis to develop a strain of microalgae that can produce large amounts of lipids even under light/dark conditions.
• In this microalgae mutant, the starch debranching enzyme gene was disrupted, causing it to produce phytoglycogen, which is easily broken down. The carbon resources were then repartitioned from carbohydrate production to lipid production.

Research Background

Biofuels are renewable resources that have received much attention in the move towards creating more sustainable societies. Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms that are highly capable of producing lipids from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, making them promising candidates for biofuel production. However, a Kobe University research group consisting of Project Assistant Professor Kato Yuichi and Professor Hasunuma Tomohisa et al. discovered that the majority of carbon resources were diverted to starch production instead of lipid production under light/dark conditions (i.e. day and night). This is a problem when cultivating microalgae species outside.

CAPTION

Lipid production model created by disrupting the starch debranching enzyme in microalgae.

CREDIT

Kato et al. (2021)

Research Methodology

For this research study, Project Assistant Professor Kato and Professor Hasunuma's Kobe University research group collaborated with Senior Researcher Satoh et al. at the National institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST). The researchers used the ion beam at QST's Takasaki Advanced Radiation Research Institute to induce mutation in the microalgae. This enabled them to cultivate a new mutant strain called Chlamydomonas sp. KOR1 (*1), which can produce large quantities of lipids even in light/dark conditions.

The researchers discovered that this KOR1 strain has disruptions in the starch debranching enzyme (*2) gene ISA1, causing it to produce a different carbohydrate: phytoglycogen (*3) instead of starch (Figure 1).

Normally, microalgae synthesize and accumulate carbohydrates (starch) during light periods and break them down when it is dark. However, many carbohydrates accumulate that cannot be completely broken down. Contrary to this, the carbohydrate synthesized by KOR1 (phytoglycogen) was completely broken down during the dark period. The results of the KOR1 metabolome analysis (*4) revealed a total increase in intermediate metabolites in both the starch and lipid synthesis pathways (intermediate metabolites included fructose-6-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, acetyl-CoA and glycerol 3-phosphate). From this analysis, the researchers illuminated the metabolic mechanism underlying the increased lipid production that resulted from ISA1 gene disruption. In the KOR1 strain, the carbohydrate (phytoglycogen) was quickly broken down and intermediate metabolites subsequently induced the carbon resource to be repartitioned to lipid production (Figure 2).

Further Developments

In order to produce biofuels using microalgae, it is necessary to cultivate these organisms outside in the sunlight. However, there is an unavoidable decrease in lipid production under these light/dark conditions. The technique of 'repartitioning carbon resources by disrupting the starch debranching enzyme gene' developed through this research is one answer to this problem. It is hoped that this new method can contribute towards the large-scale implementation of biofuel production using microalgae.

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Glossary

1. Chlamydomonas sp. KOR1: Using the microalgae Chlamydomonas sp. JSC4 (isolated from brackish waters in Taiwan) as the parental strain, KOR1 is a mutant obtained via ion beam mutagenesis (*5). It can be cultivated in either freshwater or saltwater. With its ability to break down carbohydrates and convert them into lipids, it has both a high proliferation rate and a high lipid accumulation rate, demonstrating highly efficient lipid production.

2. Starch debranching enzyme: Protein that slices through starch's branch structure. It not only breaks down starch but also creates appropriate structures for synthesis.

3. Phytoglycogen: Phytoglycogen has a highly branched structure compared to starch. It is also highly soluble in water, which means that it is easily broken down and is easy for intercellular enzymes to use.

4. Metabolome analysis: A method of comprehensively analyzing ionic small molecules in a sample using CE-TOFMS (Capillary electrophoresis-time of flight mass spectrometry) apparatus.

5. Ion beam mutagenesis: This involves hitting cells in a plant or microorganism with the accelerated ion molecules of various atoms (such as carbon) at tenths of the speed of light using a particle accelerator. This irradiation technique alters DNA, thus making it possible to create a breed with useful characteristics.

Acknowledgements

This research received financial support from the following:

• The Impulsing Paradigm Change through Disruptive Technologies (ImPACT) program (of the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan).
• The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)'s Adaptable and Seamless Technology transfer Program (A-STEP).

Journal Information

Title:

"Enhancing carbohydrate repartitioning into lipid and carotenoid by disruption of microalgae starch debranching enzyme"
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01976-8

Authors:

Yuichi Kato, Tomoki Oyama, Kentaro Inokuma, Christopher J. Vavricka, Mami Matsuda, Ryota Hidese, Katsuya Satoh, Yutaka Oono, Jo-Shu Chang, Tomohisa Hasunuma*, and Akihiko Kondo
* Corresponding author

Journal:

Communications

 

Worth 1000 words: How the world saw Australia's black summer

The world media reported on Australia's bushfire crisis very differently to the local media, with a greater focus on the impact of climate change.

QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Research News

IMAGE: HET PAROOL FRONT PAGE FEATURING PHOTO BY PHOTOJOURNALIST MATTHEW ABBOTT view more 

CREDIT: QUT

Australia's 'black summer' of bushfires was depicted on the front pages of the world's media with images of wildlife and habitat destruction, caused by climate change, while in Australia the toll on ordinary people remained the visual front-page focus.

QUT visual communication researcher Dr TJ Thomson compared the front-page bushfire imagery of the Sydney Morning Herald over three months from November 10, 2019 to January 31 2020 with 119 front pages from international media from the start of January, when the world sat up and took notice, to January 31.

"The international sample of front pages included the Americas and Europe (about 90 per cent) representing Australia's 'black summer'. Asia represented around 7 per cent of the international sample and Oceania, excluding Australia, represented 3.3 percent of the sample."

"Over the 83 days of the sample, 33 of the Sydney Morning Herald's front pages displayed 58 photos that were bushfire-related," Dr Thomson said.

"The domestic media's imagery portrayed the bushfires as a humanitarian crisis while overseas it was seen as an environmental crisis.

"Visual news values include impact, aesthetic appeal, proximity and personalisation which includes, events with personal angles or human presence.

"More than 80 per cent of the Herald's coverage depicted people which relied on the personalisation news value.

"The Herald focussed most heavily on firefighters in nature (36.2 per cent of all front-page images and followed this closely with images of ordinary citizens and the effect of the fires on them (32.7 per cent, in all).

"Noticeably absent were images of the affected animals and the environment which were rather sparsely represented."

Dr Thomson said that while media could not control how people interpreted situations, the media could limit the range of interpretation by controlling the information it presented and the way in which it was represented.

"By focussing on people, particularly firefighters, the Herald depicted the disaster not as a faceless calamity but as a crisis whose solution was in human hands," he said.

"The low prevalence of politicians, officials and celebrities (13.7 per cent) in the domestic sample reflects the Australian news media's power to shape the discourse and portray the issue as one that affected ordinary Australians the most.

"It was less of a political issue, despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison being criticised for going on holiday in the midst of the crisis, the government's pro-coal policies, or the ignored warnings of a lack of preparedness for a major bushfire season as far back as April 2019.

Dr Thomson said the environment alone was featured in only nine images on the Herald's front pages and animals ("a solitary koala") made a single image appearance.

In contrast, Australia's bushfires hit the international media in earnest after the evacuation by the Navy of 1000 fire-stranded people from the beach in Victoria in early January and continued to January 31 with 110 front pages containing 142 bushfire-related images.

"An Australian photographer interviewed for the study said the international media hadn't taken any interest in the bushfires until people were having to be rescued from the beach - 'that was the day it went from a big national story to a massive, international story'".

"Our near neighbours, New Zealand, featured pics of their orange and smoky skies."

Dr Thomson found the most resonant photo internationally was the aerial image of this massive smoke tower rising from East Gippsland, which featured on 17 front pages.

"International media's images focused on the fires' impacts on the country's iconic flora and fauna, as 52.1 per cent of all coverage was devoid of humans and depicted only bushfire-affected landscapes or animals.

"They used high-intensity, large-in-scope images of Australia's woes as a warning to their populations to slow or halt climate change's deadly effects.

"By not focussing on the attributes that divide us (skin colour, ability, class, gender) images of the destruction of the natural environment and Australian animal icons were prime targets for symbolic appropriation to a diverse and heterogenous audience because of their universality.

"From kangaroos and koalas to cattle and alpacas, international outlets featured animals more than 10 times as much as the Australian front pages.

"While kangaroos and koalas are iconic animals and symbols of Australia, they were over-represented in coverage despite not being the most affected animals, as mammals accounted only for an estimated 143 million (4.7 percent) out of the three billion animals lost in the fires.

"This image won a World Press Photo Award and represents Australia's black summer if not climate change itself.

"It also lacks people but the letterbox and burning home make the human presence unmistakable. It was republished across media over time and used extensively in social media, including being posted by teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg to her millions of followers."

Dr Thomson said about 10 per cent of international coverage was critical of Australia's government for its role in the factors that contributed to the mega fires or in its handling of them.

"About 6.7 per cent of those criticised the Prime Minister by name or by title. The remaining 3.3 per cent criticised the country's government or its political leaders for their role in the disaster and its management," he said.

"For example, the Tampa Bay Times' front page on 3 January 2020 wrote: "As record flames and devastation batter Australia, residents turn their anger on the prime minister and his policies. At least 17 people have died."

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Picturing destruction at home and abroad: a comparative visual analysis of icons and news values during disaster was published in Media International Australia.

Media contact: Rod Chester, QUT Media, 07 3138 9449, rod.chester@qut.edu.au After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au

 

The last battle of Anne of Brittany: isotopic study of the soldiers of 1491

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

Research News

 

A multidisciplinary team of researchers from INRAP, CNRS, the universities of Ottawa, Rennes 2, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier and the Max Planck Institute has recognised the soldiers of the last battles of the siege of Rennes in 1491. These are the only witnesses of the forces involved in the conflict between the armies of Duchess Anne of Brittany and the King of France. This research and its methodology are currently the subject of two articles in the PLOS ONE review.

The excavation of the Jacobins convent in Rennes

From 2011 to 2013, a team from INRAP excavated the convent of the Jacobins, site of the future congress centre in Rennes Métropole, giving rise to numerous scientific publications, particularly on Louise de Quengo (a noble Breton naturally mummified in her lead coffin), a musical score engraved on a slate and even the diet in Rennes during the Ancient Régime. The presence of two mass graves, containing more than thirty subjects, remained to be elucidated. These pits are contemporary and have 4 and at least 28 individuals respectively. The simultaneity of the deposits indicates a sudden episode: osteological analyses show that these soldiers, no doubt professional, died from stab wounds; radiocarbon analyses date the event from the mid-15th century to the end of the 16th century. All these criteria correspond to a single conflict: the War of Brittany (1487-1491).

The last Franco-Breton war

In the 15th century, the Duchy of Brittany experienced a period of prosperity due to the policy of the Montfort family, creating a princely state independent of the kingdom. Several reasons led to the conflict: the desire of the King of France, following the Hundred Years' War, to impose himself in Brittany; divisions within the Breton nobility and a ducal policy supporting revolts against the King of France. Moreover, since Duke François II did not have a male heir, the King of France, Charles VIII, claimed Brittany while the Duke positioned his daughters as the legitimate heirs. The war broke out in 1487. It involved many European forces: England, the Kingdoms of Castille and Aragon, the German Holy Roman Empire. The consequences of this conflict are still famous since it marked the end of Breton independence. The siege of Rennes in 1491 ended with the marriage of Duchess Anne of Brittany, then 14, to Charles VIII.

Two camps, two pits

The two pits excavated by INRAP in Rennes contained exclusively male skeletons. Large, mainly young, some are marked by perimortem trauma. But what camps did the Jacobin burials belong to? Sulphur, strontium and oxygen isotopic analyses were conducted to determine the geographical origin of these soldiers.

Preserved in mineralized tissues (bones and teeth), the proportions of these isotopes vary according to various factors such as geology (particularly for the strontium isotopes), climate, altitude and latitude (for the oxygen isotopes), and even distance to the coast (for the sulphur isotopes). By combining these three tracers, we can therefore identify restricted geographical areas for which all these criteria can explain the isotope values observed in the teeth (at the time of childhood and adolescence) and bones (approximately the last 10 years of life of the subject).

Thus, the first grave shows that 3 of the 4 skeletons have a high probability of Breton origin. The fourth has old stab wounds that have scarred over. Its sulphur isotopic values suggest that this was a professional soldier, allied to the Breton camp. Indeed, his diet rich in animal proteins and his genomic characteristics (his mitochondrial haplogroup is identical to that of Louise de Quengo and two of his burial neighbours) favour the hypothesis of a noble soldier rather than a mercenary. The combination of isotopic and genetic analyses reveal that this nobleman had family ties in Brittany, had grown up far from his region of origin, but had returned to fight in the war threatening his independence.

The 28 subjects in the other pit belong to the French camp. Indeed, sulphur isotopic analysis on most of the individuals indicates a non-Breton geographical origin. The geographical origin models based on sulphur, strontium and oxygen isotopes suggest that these soldiers come from the north of the Paris Basin, the Poitou region, the Rhône valley and the Alps. These geographical origins support the rare historical data on the recruitment of French soldiers during this war. Some individuals would have a more distant geography, and would come from Castille, Aragon, England and the German Holy Roman Empire. The isotopic analysis of their diet indicates heterogeneous consumption of animal proteins, suggesting soldiers of varied social status.

The study of human bone remains from mass graves provides unique, first-hand historical insights into sparsely documented conflicts. This research shows that the cross-use of three isotopes can verify assumptions about alliances and recruitment strategies in wars, and completes deficient historical archives about the lives of ordinary soldiers.

Predictive maps serving the history of migration

Here, the researchers develop geographical origin probability maps combining the sulphur, oxygen and strontium isotopes. They compiled 2,680 sulphur isotopic analyses from 221 sites across Western Europe in a database to observe the variations. These sulphur isotopic compositions across Europe are highly predictable and vary mainly with local deposits of sea salt and dust aerosols. Sulphur isotopes are highly complementary to those of strontium and oxygen and improve the accuracy of geographical attributions. The combination of these three isotopes then makes it possible to quantitatively and precisely assess the origin of the archaeological subjects, in particular making it possible to trace migratory flows.

###

References

Rozenn Colleter, Clément Bataille, Henri Dabernat, Daniel Pichot, Philippe Hamon, Sylvie Duchesne, Françoise Labaune-Jean, Stéphane Jean, Gaétan Le Cloirec, Stefania Milano, Manuel Trost, Sven Steinbrenner, Marine Marchal, Céline Guilbeau-Frugier, Norbert Telmon, Éric Crubézy, Klervia Jaouen, The last battle of Anne of Brittany: solving mass grave through an interdisciplinary approach (paleopathology, anthropobiology, history, multiple isotopes and radiocarbon dating), PLOS ONE

Clément P. Bataille, Klervia Jaouen, Stefania Milano, Manuel Trost, Sven Steinbrenner, Éric Crubézy, Rozenn Colleter, Triple Sulfur-Oxygen-Strontium Isotopes Probabilistic Geographic Assignment of Archaeological Remains using a Novel Sulfur Isoscape of Western Europe, PLOS ONE

INRAP

The Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research) is a public body under the oversight of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Research. It works to detect and study archaeological heritage ahead of land-use planning. Each year, it carries out about 1,800 archaeological diagnostic missions and over 200 excavations for public and private developers, working in mainland France and overseas. Its missions cover the scientific analysis and interpretation of excavation data, as well as disseminating archaeological knowledge. Its 2,200 officials, who are spread out over 8 regional and inter-regional directorates, 42 research centres, and a headquarters in Paris, make it the largest European archaeological research operator.

CNRS

The Centre national de la recherche scientifique (National Centre for Scientific Research) is one of the world's most recognized and renowned public research institutions. After more than 80 years, the response to a requirement for excellence in the recruitment and development of multiple and interdisciplinary research projects throughout the territory, in Europe and abroad. Oriented towards the common good and the contribution to the scientific, economic, social and cultural progress of France. CNRS is above all 32,000 women and men and 200 professions. Its 1,000 laboratories, most of which are shared with universities, schools and other research organisations, represent more than 120,000 people; they advance knowledge by exploring life, matter, the universe and the functioning of human societies.

University of Ottawa: An intersection of ideas and cultures

The University of Ottawa has over 50,000 students, professors and administrative employees who live, work and study in French and English. Our campus is a veritable intersection of cultures and ideas, where audacious minds come together to further debate and conceive transformational ideas. We are one of the 10 leading research universities in Canada; our professors and researchers explore new ways to meet today's challenges. Ranked among the 200 top universities in the world, the University of Ottawa attracts the brightest thinkers and welcomes a diversity of perspectives from all over the world.

University Rennes 2

University Rennes 2 is Western France's most important research and higher education institution in the fields of arts, humanities and human and social sciences. It has committed to establishing itself as a major, internationally renowned research and training university by forming the University of Rennes project (UNIR), which brings together 7 institutions of the Rennes region. University Rennes 2 has 21,500 students and 21 research units, including 5 CNRS mixed units.

University of Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier

The University of Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier is one of the leading French universities with some 35,000 students. The diversity of its laboratories and the quality of its teaching in the fields of science, health, sport, technology and engineering have cemented its scientific influence for over fifty years. The university has 64 research-oriented laboratories and federative structures. From the atom to exoplanets, big data to oncology, human and social sciences to ecosystems, its fields of research are first-class and wide-ranging. It is recognised among the top 300 institutions for its scientific performance by the international ranking of the National Taiwan University (NTU ranking).

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology is based in Leipzig, Germany. It is home to a wide range of scientific fields (natural and human sciences) with the aim of studying the history of humanity from an inter-disciplinary perspective, supported by comparative analyses of genes, cultures, cognitive capacity, languages and the social systems of past and present human populations and those of primates closely related to humans

New mutation raises risk for AFib, heart failure for people of color

Study published in JAMA Cardiology

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO

Research News

 

IMAGE: DAWOOD DARBAR view more 

CREDIT: UIC/JENNY FONTAINE

A new mutation found in a gene associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation poses a significantly increased risk for heart failure in Black people.

The discovery, made by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago, could change current guidelines that recommend against genetic testing in people with atrial fibrillations, also known as AFib.

"We found that this new variant confers a significantly increased risk in African Americans, and this mutation has a 50% chance of being passed on to offspring," said Dr. Dawood Darbar, UIC professor of medicine and pharmacology at the College of Medicine. "Since it increases risk for heart failure, it would be wise to test people with atrial fibrillation to see if they carry this dangerous gene."

AFib is the most prevalent heart rhythm disorder worldwide and increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and even dementia.

Previous research from Darbar's lab identified several genes with variations or mutations that increased the risk of early-onset AFib in white people. One of these variants is in a gene called Titan -- the largest gene in the human genome.

Darbar and colleagues sequenced the genes associated with increased risk of early-onset AFib in 227 Black and Latino patients with early-onset AFib who were seen at UI Health, UIC's health care system.

"With early-onset AFib, which we defined in our research as younger than age 65, the likelihood that AFib is genetic, or familial in its cause, is much higher," Darbar said.

They found that 7% of these patients had at least one genetic variation associated with an increased risk of AFib. Among these patients, 50% had a mutation in the Titan gene.

"The Titan mutation is very strongly associated with an increased risk for heart failure as well as AFib, which suggests that African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos with early-onset AFib be screened for this dangerous gene," Darbar said.

Darbar and colleagues also discovered a new genetic variation they think might be associated with an increased risk of early-onset AFib.

"The new gene we discovered was present in six families with two or more individuals with early-onset AFib, making this gene very suspicious," Darbar said. "We will be looking into the significance of this variation in our future studies."

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Brandon Chalazan, Denise Mol, Faisal Darbar, Aylin Ornelas-Loredo, Bahaa Al-Azzam, Yining Chen, David Tofovic, Arvind Sridhar and Zain Alzahrani of UIC and Patrick Ellinor of Massachusetts General Hospital are co-authors of the paper.

This work was supported in part by grants from the American Heart Association (17MCPRP33420153) and the National Institutes of Health (R01HL138737, T32HL139439).

 

UNH research: More than one way for animals to survive climate change

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Research News

 

DURHAM, N.H.-- As climate change continues to trigger the rise in temperature, increase drier conditions and shift precipitation patterns, adapting to new conditions will be critical for the long-term survival of most species. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire found that to live in hotter more desert-like surroundings, and exist without water, there is more than one genetic mechanism allowing animals to adapt. This is important not only for their survival but may also provide important biomedical groundwork to develop gene therapies to treat human dehydration related illnesses, like kidney disease.

"To reference a familiar phrase, it tells us that there is more than one way to bake a cake," said Jocelyn Colella, a postdoctoral researcher in evolutionary biology. "In other words, there are several ways for animals to adapt to desert conditions and discovering this genetic flexibility offers a silver lining to all species that will increasingly be forced to acclimate to hotter, drier settings."

In their study, recently published in the Journal of Heredity, researchers compared the genetic mechanisms of three species of mice found in warm and dry areas; the cactus and canyon mice, both found predominately in desert habitats, and the North American deer mouse, which can also be found in colder, wetter climates in the northern United States. The researchers hypothesized that similar genes in each species would be critical to survive in desert environments. What they found was that each species used a different mechanism, meaning different genes and functions allowing for the same adaptation. One species adapted through mutational genetic changes over time and another used changes in gene expression which can occur more quickly and may be the more efficient evolutionary route.

"We were excited by the findings because if our research had only found one gene that was critical to adapting to warmer, drier conditions it would suggest that it would be challenging for other animals to respond to climate change, but our work says there are multiple evolutionary options that enable desert survival," said Colella.

The findings could also provide foundational information for biomedical research in developing gene therapies for human kidney disease.

"Because mice are physiologically similar to humans, this type of evolutionary work offers important first steps toward identifying and understanding genes that control complex traits like dehydration, which can compromise human kidneys causing lifelong, irreparable damage," said Matt MacManes, associate professor of genome enabled biology.

Each year millions of people die of dehydration related illness around the world. Experts say even minor dehydration can compromise the kidneys causing lifelong issues.

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This work was funded by the National Institute of Health National Institute of General Medical Sciences to M.D.M. (1R35GM128843).

The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation, and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. As one of the nation's highest-performing research universities, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, and receives more than $110 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space.

Gender pay gaps in nonprofits are even greater when there is room for salary negotiations

A new study that looked at executive compensation at nonprofit organizations found that women earn 8.9% less than men with the gap becoming greater when there is room for salary negotiations

THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR WHEN THEY BARGAIN WITH UNIONS 

THEY CLAIM TO BE EITHER BROKE OR WE SHOULD ALL BE VOLUNTEERING OUR WORK

DREXEL UNIVERSITY

Research News

 

With increased media attention and political campaigns focusing on the gender pay gap, the fact that women -- on average -- are paid less than men, has become an important public discussion. While much of the focus has been on the corporate sector, a new study that looked at executive compensation at nonprofit organizations found that women earn 8.9% less than men with the gap becoming greater when there is room for salary negotiations.

The study co-authored by Curtis Hall, PhD, an associate professor in Drexel University's LeBow College of Business; Andrew R. Finley, assistant professor at the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance at Claremont McKenna College; and LeBow College of Business doctoral student Amanda R. Marino, analyzed data from IRS form 990 filings--where salaries of executuves in nonprofits are publicly disclosed--for four years across various industries.

The researchers first looked at whether or not a gap in pay does exist among executives in the nonprofit sector and then, the extent to which negotiation opportunities -- either real or perceived -- contribute to this difference.

"For various reasons we may not expect to observe a gender pay gap among the nonprofit sector even though recent research has found gaps in pay among for-profit executives," said Hall. "First, there is more female participation in the nonprofit workforce compared to the for-profit sector. Second, one may expect stakeholders, like donors or boards of directors to curtail gender pay gaps, but we didn't find this to be enough of a factor to prevent gender pay gaps."

To better understand the role of negotiation in contributing to the pay gap, the researchers examined settings with an expected variation in opportunities and willingness to negotiate. They looked at external employment options for the nonprofit executives, the organization's constraints in paying executives, the gender composition of its leadership and the pay variability within its executive ranks. Each of these factors uniquely influences the negotiation environment, according to the authors.

They found that executives' external employment options and competition lead to greater gender pay gaps with male executives more likely to capitalize on a broader external labor market or other opportunities to negotiate additional compensation.

However, in organizations with higher female board representation, and/or the presence of a female CEO, the pay gap is reduced. This may be because female leadership increases the willingness of female employees to negotiate, according to the authors.

"This study documents the contexts that influence negotiation on the gender pay gap, which is part of a larger societal issue," said Hall. "Employers should be cognizant of how the environment for negotiating compensation within their organizations can lead to gender-based pay disparities. Perhaps more importantly, business leaders and educators should think about ways to empower female workers to get more out of salary negotiations, which would hopefully help to close gender pay gaps in the future."

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The paper, "Negotiation and Executive Gender Pay Gaps in Nonprofit Organizations," was accepted for publication in the Review of Accounting Studies.

Online learning doesn't improve student sleep habits, research suggests

Students working/studying from home sleep later but not longer, according to a new study from Simon Fraser University researchers

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Research News

 

New research from Simon Fraser University suggests that students learning remotely become night owls but do not sleep more despite the time saved commuting, working or attending social events.

The study, led by psychology professor Ralph Mistlberger, Andrea Smit and Myriam Juda, at SFU's Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Lab, compared self-reported data on sleep habits from 80 students enrolled in a 2020 summer session course at SFU with data collected from 450 students enrolled in the same course during previous summer semesters. The study results were recently published in the journal PLOS ONE.

"There is a widespread belief among sleep researchers that many people, especially young adults, regularly obtain insufficient sleep due to work, school, and social activities," says Mistlberger. "The move toward remote work and school during COVID-19 has provided a novel opportunity to test this belief."

The student participants kept daily sleep diaries over a period of two-to-eight weeks, completed questionnaires and provided written reports. Fitbit sleep tracker data was collected from a subsample of participants.

The team found that students learning remotely in the summer 2020 session went to bed an average of 30 minutes later than pre-pandemic students. They slept less efficiently, less at night and more during the day, but did not sleep more overall despite having no early classes and 44 per cent fewer work days compared to students in previous semesters.

"One very consistent finding is a collective delay of sleep timing - people go to bed and wake up later," says Mistlberger. "Not surprisingly, there is also a marked reduction in natural light exposure, especially early in the day. The lack of change in sleep duration was a bit of a surprise, as it goes against the assumption that young adults would sleep more if they had the time."

Self-described night owls were more likely to report a greater positive impact on their sleep, getting to sleep in, instead of waking up early for that morning class, while morning types were more likely to report a negative response to sleeping later than usual.

Sleep plays an important role in immune functioning and mental health, which is why good sleep habits are crucial.

"My advice for students and anybody working from home is to try to get outside and be active early in the day because the morning light helps stabilize your circadian sleep-wake cycle - this should improve your sleep, and allow you to feel more rested and energized during the day," says Mistlberger.

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Kidney cancer risks higher for Hispanic, Native Americans in Arizona

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA HEALTH SCIENCES

Research News

 

Recently published research from the University of Arizona Health Sciences shows that advanced-stage kidney cancer is more common in Hispanic Americans and Native Americans than in non-Hispanic whites, and that both Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in Arizona have an increased risk of mortality from the disease.

"We knew from our past research that Hispanic Americans and Native Americans have a heavier burden of kidney cancer than non-Hispanic whites," said Ken Batai, PhD, a Cancer Prevention and Control Program research member at the UArizona Cancer Center and research assistant professor of urology in the College of Medicine - Tucson. "But we also know that around 90% of the Hispanic population in Arizona is Mexican American - either U.S.-born or Mexican-born - and we do not think this subgroup is well-represented in the national data."

With funding from the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Batai led a team of UArizona Cancer Center researchers that examined data from the National Cancer Database and the Arizona Cancer Registry to look for disparities in surgical treatment of kidney cancer. They also investigated the possibility that delayed treatments may result in advanced-stage kidney cancer, which has been associated with high mortality rates in Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.

The paper, "Renal Cell Carcinoma Health Disparities in Stage and Mortality among American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanic Americans: Comparison of National Cancer Database and Arizona Cancer Registry Data," was published in the journal Cancers.

The study found that Arizona's Hispanic Americans are about two times more likely than non-Hispanic white people to have advanced-stage kidney cancer and have nearly a two times higher risk of mortality from early-stage kidney cancer. Similarly, Native Americans are about 30% more likely to have advanced-stage kidney cancer and face a 30% increased risk of mortality from early-stage kidney cancer.

These findings suggest that observed disparities in kidney cancer mortality risk cannot be explained by delays in treatment.

The researchers utilized state data to organize Hispanic Americans into various subgroups, including U.S.-born Mexican Americans. They determined this group to have a three times higher risk of mortality compared with non-Hispanic white Americans. National cancer statistics do not break down subgroups within the general Hispanic population, thus risks to U.S.-born Mexican Americans living in Arizona may be understated in national reporting.

Dr. Batai attributes the discrepancy in national versus state data to the data-collection process. The National Cancer Database relies on hospital-based reporting, whereas the state registry is population-based. Many small hospitals and clinics in rural settings may not report to the National Cancer Database, which could explain the misrepresentation of Hispanic Americans in Arizona.

"To this point, there has been no research documenting this disparity in Hispanic Americans," Dr. Batai said. "This can be very useful information to share with primary care providers and urologists who may not yet be aware."

"Carefully documenting these disparities is something that distinguishes us as a comprehensive cancer center," said Joann Sweasy, PhD, Cancer Center director and inaugural holder of the Nancy C. and Craig M. Berge Endowed Chair. "Dr. Batai is embedded in our center not only in prevention, but he is also a part of our genitourinary clinical research team. This research benefits both perspectives, which are critical for us to meet the needs of our patients."

The research could drive further investigation into why Arizona's Hispanic and Native American populations face increased risks from kidney cancer.

"We know these populations also have higher prevalence of diabetes and blood pressure, both of which are risk factors for kidney cancer," Dr. Batai said. "While we continue to explore differences in kidney cancer surgical treatment across these groups, we are investigating if there are biologic bases in kidney cancer disparities."

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Can an AI algorithm mitigate racial economic inequality? Only if more black hosts adopt it

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

Research News

 

Machine learning algorithms can leverage vast amounts of consumer data, allowing automation of business decisions such as pricing, product offerings, and promotions. Airbnb, an online marketplace for vacation rentals and other lodging, created an algorithm-based smart-pricing tool that is free to all Airbnb hosts and allows hosts to set their properties' daily price automatically. A new study investigated the impact of Airbnb's algorithm on racial disparities among Airbnb hosts. Adopting the tool narrowed the revenue gap between White and Black hosts considerably, but because far fewer Black hosts used the algorithm, the revenue gap between White and Black hosts actually increased after the tool's introduction.

The study, by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), is forthcoming Marketing Science.

"The disparity in revenues earned by White and Black hosts has been the subject of a lot of negative publicity for Airbnb in the last few years," explains Param Vir Singh, Professor of Business Technologies and Marketing at CMU's Tepper School of Business, who led the study. "Our results show that a smart-pricing algorithm can be effective in mitigating racial disparities, but that effectiveness is limited by the extent to which the tool is adopted."

The pricing algorithm was introduced in November 2015, and the study ran from July 2015 to August 2017. Researchers randomly selected 9,396 Airbnb properties in 324 zip codes, primarily in seven large U.S. cities; 2,118 hosts adopted the algorithm during the study. Researchers looked at each property's average daily revenue by month. Hosts' race/ethnicity (White, Black, or other) was determined from profile photos of host pages.

Prior to the introduction of the algorithm, White hosts earned $12.16 more in daily revenues than Black hosts after controlling for other observed host, property, and neighborhood characteristics. While both Black and White hosts charged similar prices for their properties, demand for rentals hosted by Black hosts was 20% less than that for White hosts. This suggests the presence of racial biases among Airbnb guests against Black hosts, the researchers concluded.

Adopting the algorithm benefited Black hosts in the study more than White hosts, according to the study. This is because it led to a much larger increase in demand for rentals hosted by Black hosts than for rentals hosted by White hosts, largely because demand for rentals hosted by Black hosts was more responsive to price changes than that for rentals hosted by White hosts.

But Black hosts were 41% less likely than White hosts to adopt the algorithm. Thus, while adopting the tool narrowed the revenue gap between White and Black hosts in the study, when researchers applied their findings at the population level, the revenue gap increased.

Even though Black and White hosts faced different demand curves, the price suggested by the algorithm was the same across Black and White hosts. This is because the algorithm pools the data of Black and White hosts to determine the same optimal price for both groups, in effect, ignoring racial differences between hosts. As a result, although the optimal price suggested by the algorithm should lie between the optimal price for Black hosts and the optimal price for White hosts, since fewer Black hosts adopted the algorithm, the suggested optimal price is likely to be closer to the optimal price for White hosts and farther than that for Black hosts.

"Our study has implications for policymakers and managers," says Kannan Srinivasan, Professor of Management, Marketing, and Business Technologies at CMU's Tepper School, who coauthored the study. "For policymakers, our study shows that when racial biases exist in the marketplace, an algorithm that ignores those biases may not succeed in reducing racial disparities.

"Given the much lower rate of adoption of the algorithm by Black hosts than White hosts, managers may want to devise strategies to encourage Black hosts to adopt the algorithm," Shunyuan Zhang, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Harvard Business School and co-author added. "Otherwise, an algorithm that could reduce disparities may end up increasing them."

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Significant progress in lithium-air battery development

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

Research News

 

IMAGE: STEPHENSON INSTITUTE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY view more 

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

Research led by the University of Liverpool, in partnership with Johnson Matthey PLC and Loughborough University is making significant progress in the development of stable and practical electrolytes for lithium-oxygen batteries.

The lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery (or lithium-air battery), consisting of Li-metal and a porous conductive framework as its electrode's releases energy from the reaction of oxygen from the air and lithium. The technology is in its infancy, but in theory could provide much greater energy storage than the conventional lithium-ion battery.

In a paper published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, Professor Laurence Hardwick from the University of Liverpool's Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy (SIRE) and colleagues meticulously characterised and developed electrolyte formulations that significantly minimises side reactions within the battery to enable improved longer cycle stability.

According to lead author of the paper, Dr Alex Neale who is also with SIRE, the research demonstrates that the reactivity of certain electrolyte components can be switched off by precise control of component ratios.

Dr Neale said: "The ability to precisely formulate the electrolyte using readily-available, low volatility components enabled us to specially tailor an electrolyte for the needs of metal-air battery technology that delivered greatly improved cycle stability and functionality."

"The outcomes from our study really show that by understanding the precise coordination environment of the lithium ion within our electrolytes, we can link this directly to achieving significant gains in electrolyte stability at the Li metal electrode interface and, consequently, enhancements in actual cell performance."

Dr Pooja Goddard, from Loughborough University's Department of Chemistry, said: "It was exciting to see through the use of both calculations and experimental data we were able to identify the key physical parameters that enabled the formulations to become stable against the lithium metal electrode interface."

The designed electrolytes provide new benchmark formulations that will support ongoing investigations within our research groups to understand and develop new, and practically viable, cathode architectures to reduce round-trip inefficiencies and further extend cycle lifetimes.

The collaborative research between the two University research groups in Liverpool and Loughborough and Johnson Matthey PLC was made possible by support from an Innovate UK Grant that enables industry and academia to work together to tackle technology focused research challenges.

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The research has benefited from battery research and characterisation facilities at the Stephenson institute for Renewable Energy, University of Liverpool, the Imaging Centre at Liverpool and the EPSRC National Facility for X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy ("HarwellXPS").

The paper ' Design Parameters for Ionic Liquid - Molecular Solvent Blend Electrolytes to Enable Stable Li Metal Cycling Within Li-O2 Batteries' (doi: 10.1002/adfm.202010627) is published in Advanced Functional Materials.