4 research outputs found
Analysis of justification for author order and gender bias in author order among those contributing equally
No full textABSTRACTThe practice of designating two or more authors as equal contributors (ECs) on a scientific publication is increasingly common as a form of sharing credit. However, EC authors are often unclearly attributed on curriculum vitae (CVs) or citation engines, and it is unclear how research teams determine author order within an EC listing. In response to studies showing that male authors were more likely to be placed first in an EC listing, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) required that authors explain the reasons for author order beginning in 2020. In this study, we analyze data from over 2,500 ASM publications to see how this policy affected gender bias and how research teams are making decisions on author order. Data on publications from 2018 to 2021 show that gender bias was largely nonsignificant both before and after authors were asked by ASM to provide an EC statement. The most likely reasons for EC order included alphabetical order, seniority, and chance, although there were differences for publications from different geographic regions. However, many research teams used unique methods in order selection, highlighting the importance of EC statements to provide clarity for readers, funding agencies, and tenure committees.IMPORTANCEFirst-author publications are important for early career scientists to secure funding and educational opportunities. However, an analysis published in eLife in 2019 noted that female authors are more likely to be placed second even when both authors report they have contributed equally. American Society for Microbiology announced in response that they would require submissions to include a written justification of author order. In this paper, we analyze the resultant data and show that laboratories are most likely to use some combination of alphabetical order, seniority, and chance to determine author order. However, the prevalence of these methods varies based on the research team's geographic location. These findings highlight the importance of equal contributor statements to provide clarity for readers, funding agencies, and tenure committees. Furthermore, this work is critically important for understanding how these decisions are made and provides a glimpse of the sociology of science
Fungal Melanins and Applications in Healthcare, Bioremediation and Industry
No full textMelanin is a complex multifunctional pigment found in all kingdoms of life, including fungi. The complex chemical structure of fungal melanins, yet to be fully elucidated, lends them multiple unique functions ranging from radioprotection and antioxidant activity to heavy metal chelation and organic compound absorption. Given their many biological functions, fungal melanins present many possibilities as natural compounds that could be exploited for human use. This review summarizes the current discourse and attempts to apply fungal melanin to enhance human health, remove pollutants from ecosystems, and streamline industrial processes. While the potential applications of fungal melanins are often discussed in the scientific community, they are successfully executed less often. Some of the challenges in the applications of fungal melanin to technology include the knowledge gap about their detailed structure, difficulties in isolating melanotic fungi, challenges in extracting melanin from isolated species, and the pathogenicity concerns that accompany working with live melanotic fungi. With proper acknowledgment of these challenges, fungal melanin holds great potential for societal benefit in the coming years
Fungal Pigments 2021
No full textNew edition of the reprint Fungal pigments: Chapters titles: PART 1. Investigation on various chemical classes of fungal pigments: Genomic Analysis and Assessment of Melanin Synthesis in Amorphotheca resinae by Jeong-Joo Oh et al.; Fungal Melanins and Applications in Healthcare, Bioremediation and Industry by Ellie Rose Mattoon et al.; Recent Findings in Azaphilone Pigments by Lúcia P. S. Pimenta et al.; Characterization of a Biofilm Bioreactor Designed for the Single-Step Production of Aerial Conidia and Oosporein by Beauveria bassiana PQ2 by Héctor Raziel Lara-Juache et al.; PART 2. Molecular characterization: Molecular Characterization of Fungal Pigments by Miriam S. Valenzuela-Gloria et al.; PART 3. Biological properties: Seven New Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Xanthoquinodins from Jugulospora vestita by Lulu Shao et al.; PART 4. Toxicity assessment and safety evaluation of fungal pigments: Safety Evaluation of Fungal Pigments for Food Applications by Rajendran Poorniammal et al.; Preliminary Examination of the Toxicity of Spalting Fungal Pigments: A Comparison between Extraction Methods by Badria H. Almurshidi et al.; PART 5. Use of by-products or waste for industrial production of fungal pigments: Production of Bio-Based Pigments from Food Processing Industry By-Products Using Aspergillus carbonarius by Ezgi Bezirhan Arikan et al.; PART 6. Prospective aspects and brainstorming: Does Structural Color Exist in True Fungi? by Juliet Brodie et al.; Fungal Biomarkers Stability in Mars Regolith Analogues after Simulated Space and Mars-like Conditions by Alessia Cassaro et al
Fungal Pigments 2021
No full textNew edition of the reprint Fungal pigments: Chapters titles: PART 1. Investigation on various chemical classes of fungal pigments: Genomic Analysis and Assessment of Melanin Synthesis in Amorphotheca resinae by Jeong-Joo Oh et al.; Fungal Melanins and Applications in Healthcare, Bioremediation and Industry by Ellie Rose Mattoon et al.; Recent Findings in Azaphilone Pigments by Lúcia P. S. Pimenta et al.; Characterization of a Biofilm Bioreactor Designed for the Single-Step Production of Aerial Conidia and Oosporein by Beauveria bassiana PQ2 by Héctor Raziel Lara-Juache et al.; PART 2. Molecular characterization: Molecular Characterization of Fungal Pigments by Miriam S. Valenzuela-Gloria et al.; PART 3. Biological properties: Seven New Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Xanthoquinodins from Jugulospora vestita by Lulu Shao et al.; PART 4. Toxicity assessment and safety evaluation of fungal pigments: Safety Evaluation of Fungal Pigments for Food Applications by Rajendran Poorniammal et al.; Preliminary Examination of the Toxicity of Spalting Fungal Pigments: A Comparison between Extraction Methods by Badria H. Almurshidi et al.; PART 5. Use of by-products or waste for industrial production of fungal pigments: Production of Bio-Based Pigments from Food Processing Industry By-Products Using Aspergillus carbonarius by Ezgi Bezirhan Arikan et al.; PART 6. Prospective aspects and brainstorming: Does Structural Color Exist in True Fungi? by Juliet Brodie et al.; Fungal Biomarkers Stability in Mars Regolith Analogues after Simulated Space and Mars-like Conditions by Alessia Cassaro et al
