bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infodemic surrounding COVID-19: Can LIS students recognize and categorize “problematic information” types on social media?
Authors: Yesmin Shamima , Ahmed S.M. Zabed
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate Library and Information Science (LIS) students’ understanding of infodemic and related terminologies and their ability to categorize COVID-19-related problematic information types using examples from social media platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants of this study were LIS students from a public-funded university located at the south coast of Bangladesh. An online survey was conducted which, in addition to demographic and study information, asked students to identify the correct definition of infodemic and related terminologies and to categorize the COVID-related problematic social media posts based on their inherent problem characteristics. The correct answer for each definition and task question was assigned a score of “1”, whereas the wrong answer was coded as “0”. The percentages of correctness score for total and each category of definition and task-specific questions were computed. The independent sample t-test and ANOVA were run to examine the differences in total and category-specific scores between student groups.

Findings

The findings revealed that students’ knowledge concerning the definition of infodemic and related terminologies and the categorization of COVID-19-related problematic social media posts was poor. There was no significant difference in correctness scores between student groups in terms of gender, age and study levels.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time an effort was made to understand LIS students’ recognition and classification of problematic information. The findings can assist LIS departments in revising and improving the existing information literacy curriculum for students.
Decoding the global trend of “vaccine tourism” through public sentiments and emotions: does it get a nod on Twitter?
Authors: Gulati Shruti
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to fill the major research gap prevalent in the tourism literature on the new form of tourism branching out from the COVID-19. While there are newspaper reports mentioning about the government’s reaction to vaccine tourism, there is no such study or report that tries to understand what the global masses feel about it; thus, a preliminary investigation of the social sentiment and emotion accruing around vaccine tourism on Twitter is carried out.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study serves as a preliminary investigation of the social sentiment and emotion accruing around vaccine tourism on Twitter and tries to categorise them into eight basic emotions from Plutchik (1994) “wheel of emotions” as joy, disgust, fear, anger, anticipation, sadness, trust and surprise. The results are presented through data visualisation technique for analysis. The study makes use of R programming languages and the extensive packages offered on RStudio.

Findings

A total of 12,258 emotions were captured. It is evident that Vaccine Tourism has got maximum of positive sentiments (28.14%) which is almost double of the negative sentiment (14.05%). It is visible that the highest sentiment is “trust” (12.74%) and is followed by “fear” (8.97%). The least visible sentiment is “surprise” (4.32%). Polarity has been found for maximum tweets as positive (55.52%) which yet again surpasses negative polarity (33.7%), and neutral polarity is the least (10.67%).

Research limitations/implications

It can be said that people bear a positive emotion regarding vaccine tourism such as “trust” and “joy” which also denotes a positive sentiment score for testing polarity. But there are still concerns of high prices of the packages, fear-prevalent people to step out, and the uncertainty of right precautionary measures being taken still puts vaccine tourism under the radar of doubt with a fourth population having negative and neutral sentiments each. This is indicative with “fear” being the second highest emotion to the users. There are mixed emotions for vaccine tourism, but positive dominates the results.

Practical implications

The study attempts to see the global reaction on social media on vaccine tourism trend for giving food for thought to marketers. It can be said that Asians can be the target group.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no study that addresses the new trend of “Vaccine Tourism” or attempts to understand the emotions and sentiments of people globally.
Community work practices against children poverty in Southern Italy. Exploring experiences and perspectives in local welfare
Authors: Chiodo Emanuela
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper has a dual purpose: on one side, it analyzes what types of solidarity and social relations are implemented as social support resources applied to actions aiming at the empowerment of children living in poverty. On the other, it investigates on the role of the community in the governance of local welfare practices and its ability to produce social innovations for municipal policies in favor of children and adolescents.

Design/methodology/approach

Proximity, flexibility, generativity and territoriality are just some of the features that – in the framework of the scientific debate – characterize the social work in areas of social disadvantage. In the framework of the debate, this paper presents a qualitative research on the social ties and educational practices promoted and implemented by nonprofit organizations that attempt to counteract educational poverty and social exclusion of children and adolescents in the eastern peripheral neighborhoods of Naples, one of the poorest cities in the South of Italy.

Findings

The results of the analysis reveal a capacitating and generative role of the actions applied to social and educational practices for children and adolescents and their families in poor neighborhoods and peripheral areas; a role that is, however, also useful for community social policies targeting children and adolescents. Among local welfare policies enhancing community resources, such practices have indeed become an active resource of subsidiarity; they also ensure wider rights and empowerment for children and adolescents who live in poor communities and for their families as well.

Originality/value

More recent studies focusing on the role of social ties in deprived context and impoverishment processes, demonstrated that nonprofit organizations operate as crucial actors fostering inclusion and social cohesion, by means of “elective participation”; this guarantees access to protection and recognition resources that are an integral part of the social support these organizations provide in their areas of intervention. Despite the wide debate on the key role of the Third Sector in territorial welfare policies, further empirical studies on the role of these organizations in poor neighborhoods of the cities of the south of Italy are necessary. The value of this article is an attempt to provide to bridge this gap.
Shareholder risk-taking incentives in the presence of contingent capital
Authors: Fatouh Mahmoud , McCunn Ayowande A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to present a model of shareholders’ willingness to exert effort to reduce the likelihood of bank distress and the implications of the presence of contingent convertible (CoCo) bonds in the liabilities structure of a bank.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a basic model about the moral hazard surrounding shareholders willingness to exert effort that increases the likelihood of a bank’s success. This study uses a one-shot game and so do not capture the effects of repeated interactions.

Findings

Consistent with the existing literature, this study shows that the direction of the wealth transfer at the conversion of CoCo bonds determines their impact on shareholder risk-taking incentives. This study also finds that “anytime” CoCos (CoCo bonds trigger-able anytime at the discretion of managers) have a minor advantage over regular CoCo bonds, and that quality of capital requirements can reduce the risk-taking incentives of shareholders.

Practical implications

This study argues that shareholders can also use manager-specific CoCo bonds to reduce the riskiness of the bank activities. The issuance of such bonds can increase the resilience of individual banks and the whole banking system. Regulators can use restrictions on conversion rates and/or requirements on the quality of capital to address the impact of CoCo bonds issuance on risk-taking incentives.

Originality/value

To model the risk-taking incentives, authors generally modify the asset processes to introduce components that reflect asymmetric information between CoCo holders and shareholders and/or managers. This paper follows a simpler method similar to that of Holmström and Tirole (1998).
Active lane management for intelligent connected vehicles in weaving areas of urban expressway
Authors: Li Haijian , Zhang Junjie , Zhang Zihan , Huang Zhufei
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to use active fine lane management methods to solve the problem of congestion in a weaving area and provide theoretical and technical support for traffic control under the environment of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

By analyzing the traffic capacities and traffic behaviors of domestic and foreign weaving areas and combining them with field investigation, the paper proposes the active and fine lane management methods for ICVs to optimal driving behavior in a weaving area. The VISSIM simulation of traffic flow vehicle driving behavior in weaving areas of urban expressways was performed using research data. The influence of lane-changing in advance on the weaving area was evaluated and a conflict avoidance area was established in the weaving area. The active fine lane management methods applied to a weaving area were verified for different scenarios.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that ICVs complete their lane changes before they reach a weaving area, their time in the weaving area does not exceed the specified time and the delay of vehicles that pass through the weaving area decreases.

Originality/value

Based on the vehicle group behavior, this paper conducts a simulation study on the active traffic management control-oriented to ICVs. The research results can optimize the management of lanes, improve the traffic capacity of a weaving area and mitigate traffic congestion on expressways.
Health-care information technologies for dispersed knowledge management
Authors: Alrahbi Dana Abdulla , Khan Mehmood , Gupta Shivam , Modgil Sachin , Chiappetta Jabbour Charbel Jose
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The health-care industry has multiple stakeholders, with knowledge dispersed among clinicians, experts and patients and their families. As the adoption of health-care information technologies (HITs) depends on multiple factors, this study aims to uncover the motivators for adopting them.

Design/methodology/approach

The study considers 391 respondents, representing the health-care sector, to evaluate the motivators for adopting HITs for better-dispersed knowledge management. The authors analyze the responses using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify the actual structure of the factors, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Findings

EFA categorized the factors into four classes: quality management; information sharing; strategic governance; and available technological infrastructure. CFA revealed that the strategic governance factor is most predictive of successfully adopting HITs that model the normative pressure of Institutional theory in health-care organizations. These results indicate that, along with considerations of finances, care quality and infrastructure, effective government involvement and policy-making are important for successful HIT adoption.

Practical implications

Results reveal that stakeholders’ motivating factors for HIT adoption in a developed economy like the United Arab Emirates are based on considering HITs as a knowledge management mechanism. These factors may help other nations in HIT implementation and drive valuable innovations in the health-care sector. This research presents the implications for health-care professionals and stakeholders in relation to adopting HITs and their role in knowledge flow for efficient care.

Originality/value

HITs offer an affordable and convenient platform for collaboration among diverse teams in the health-care sector. Apart from this, it helps in facilitating an interactive platform for knowledge creation and transfer for the benefit of users and providers.
Executive coaching: an exploration of the coachee's perceived value
Authors: Mosteo Leticia , Chekanov Alexander , Rovira de Osso Juan
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The goal of this qualitative study is to explore how different elements of the coach–coachee setting can affect the perceived outcome from coaching sessions by the coachee.

Design/methodology/approach

Using thematic analysis on 197 semi-structured interviews of bank executives, the authors suggest an evidence-based sequential model on how the perceived value of the coaching process might be contingent on four elements.

Findings

As a result of the exploratory analysis, the authors’ suggest that the coach's guidance, coach's reliableness, coachee's willingness and coachee's self-awareness can determine the coachees' perceived effectiveness or usefulness from their coaching sessions.

Originality/value

There is little empirical data regarding the coachee's perceived value. The current study attempts to fill the gap in the existing literature by considering the coaching outcomes with particular regard to the executive's perceived value of coaching. This research adds to the literature on how to deliver effective coaching in organizations and provides empirical evidence to practitioners on how coachees perceive value from coaching.
The moderating role of age on social media marketing activities and customer brand engagement on Instagram social network
Authors: Hazzam* Joe
Published: September 2021

Purpose

In the context of fashion brands on Instagram platform, this study aims to investigate the impact of age on the relationships between informative, interactive and trendy social media marketing (SMM) activities, customer brand engagement (CBE) and brand loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative method was used to collect and analyses the data and to test the conceptual model. In total, 241 usable questionnaires were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling and multi-group moderation analysis.

Findings

The results of this study demonstrate that informativeness of SMM activities relates positively and significantly to CBE in all age groups. However, the strength and the significance of interactive and trendy social media activities differ between age groups.

Research limitations/implications

This study used only two age groups of college students to answer the research questions. Despite that tech-savvy millennials and generation Z are highly engaged in social media environment, the results may not be representative of the entire population and the findings may be cautiously generalized to other platform types or product categories.

Originality/value

By offering a new understanding of perceived SMM in different age groups on Instagram platform, this study contributes to the literature by identifying the types of social media activities that engage different age groups on social media networks.
Spatial and temporal variation in phenotypes and fitness in response to developmental thermal environments
Authors: Pruett Jenna E. , Warner Daniel A.
Published: September 2021

Phenotypic variation within populations is influenced by the environment via plasticity and natural selection. How phenotypes respond to the environment can vary among traits, populations and life stages in ways that can influence fitness.

Plastic responses during early development are particularly important because they can affect components of fitness throughout an individual's life. Consequently, how natural selection shapes developmental plasticity could be influenced by fitness consequences across different life stages. Moreover, spatial variation in selection pressures could generate differences in plastic responses among populations.

To gain insight into sources of variation in phenotypes and survival, we used a laboratory egg incubation experiment using brown anole lizardsAnolis sagreifrom mainland (ancestral) and island (descendent) populations, combined with a mark–release–recapture experiment in the field. Our study was designed to (a) quantify the effects developmental temperature on embryo development and offspring morphology, (b) assess how developmental temperature influences offspring survival across different life stages and (c) quantify how thermal reaction norms vary among ancestral and descendant populations.

Developmental temperature influenced offspring morphology, but thermal reaction norms of embryos showed little variation among populations. Developmental temperature influenced offspring survival, but the patterns differed between embryo and hatchling stages; the optimal temperature for embryos was about 5℃ lower than that for hatchlings. High temperatures were thermally stressful to embryos, but they reduced incubation duration and led to early hatching. In turn, earlier hatching increased the probability of survival to adulthood. Moreover, the effect of developmental temperature on hatchling survival was most pronounced for offspring that hatched late in the season.

The difference in optimal developmental temperatures between life stages may be driven by physiological tolerance for embryos and by ecological factors for hatchlings. Moreover, the fitness consequences of the developmental environment depend on the phenology of hatching. Overall, these results highlight how the developmental environment can differentially affect fitness across life stages and show that temporal thermal heterogeneity can influence survival of embryos, but the consequences on post‐hatching stages may vary at different times of the season.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Small firms, owner managers and (strategic?) human resource management
Authors: Atkinson Carol , Lupton Ben , Kynighou Anastasia , Antcliff Val
Published: September 2021

The focus of much strategic human resource management (SHRM) research has been on large firms and there are questions as to the applicability of the existing SHRM models in small firms that have different modes of operation, particularly where owner managers dominate and human resource (HR) specialists are largely absent. There is nevertheless growing evidence that SHRM can be effective in small firms. To develop understanding, this study uses qualitative data from a project that delivered HR support services to small firms to explore why HR practices exist and how they operate. Owner manager responses to cues prompted take up of HR support and developing their understanding and confidence led to the implementation of both routine and progressive HR practices. Owner managers engaged in sense making to navigate the associated dynamics of formality. We present a model of SHRM in the small firm context, incorporating HR support services as an important contribution.
Docosahexaenoic acid monoglyceride induces apoptosis and autophagy in breast cancer cells via lipid peroxidation‐mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Wang Tian‐tian , Yang Yong , Wang Feng , Yang Wen‐ge , Zhang Jin‐jie , Zou Zu‐quan
Published: September 2021

Epidemiologic and preclinical studieshave shown that marine n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 PUFAs) elicit promising chemoprevention against breast cancer. Docosahexaenoic acid monoglyceride (MAG‐DHA), a docosahexaenoic acid sn‐1‐monoacylglycerol does not required pancreatic lipase to be absorbed, eliciting a better bioavailability when compared with other formulations such as DHA‐free fatty acid, DHA‐triglycerol, or DHA‐ethyl ester. However, the anticancer actions and underlying mechanisms of MAG‐DHA on breast cancer remain to be assessed. In this study, MAG‐DHA induced significant growth inhibition in MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cells in a dose‐dependent manner. MAG‐DHA treatment (80 µM) led to 83.8 and 94.3% growth inhibition between MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 cells, respectively. MAG‐DHA‐induced growth inhibition was tightly associated with apoptosis, as evidenced by increased active forms of caspase‐3, poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase‐12. In particular, MAG‐DHA‐induced apoptosis was triggered by oxidative stress‐mediated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as evidenced by activation of the PERK‐eIF2α pathway in ER. MAG‐DHA treatment also strongly suppressed the growth of E0771 murine breast cancer xenografts, significant differences of tumor volume were found between MAG‐DHA group (0.271 cm3) and control group (0.875 cm3) after 15 daily MAG‐DHA treatments. The in vitro antibreast cancer mechanism of MAG‐DHA was supported by the in vivo xenograft model. In addition, MAG‐DHA‐induced ER stress concomitantly triggered autophagy in these cancer cells, and the induction of autophagy suppressed its ability to induce apoptotic cell death. Our data suggested that MAG‐DHA as dietary supplement, in combination with autophagy inhibitors may be a useful therapeutic strategy in treating breast cancer.
Prevalence of celiac disease in China: Meta‐analysis and serological survey in high‐risk populations
Authors: Zhou Wan Yan , Liu Xiu Ying , Wang Ming Ming , Liang Li Ping , Liu Le , Zheng De Kai , Silvester Jocelyn A. , Ma Wen Jun , Wu Wei , Ji Gui Yuan , Xu Yan Jun , Xu Xiao Jun , Kelly Ciarán P. , Chen Ye
Published: September 2021

Objective

To summarize data from a serological survey of high‐risk populations in Guangdong Province, China, and to perform a meta‐analysis to investigate the prevalence and seroprevalence of celiac disease (CD) in the Chinese general and high‐risk populations.

Methods

We collected data from the serological survey of high‐risk population of CD in Guangdong Province, China (N = 1390) by testing their serum tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A (tTG‐IgA), deamidated gliadin peptides immunoglobulin A (DGP‐IgA) and deamidated gliadin peptides immunoglobulin G (DGP‐IgG). Additionally, a literature search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and three Chinese databases for articles published up to 20 December 2020 to estimate the pooled prevalence and seroprevalence of CD in China.

Results

In the serological survey, 0.94% (13/1390) of individuals were positive for CD antibodies. In a meta‐analysis of 18 studies, the seroprevalence of CD in the general Chinese population was 0.27% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02%‐0.71%). While that in the high‐risk population was 8.34% (95% CI 4.90%‐12.54%) (odds ratio 7.27, 95% CI 4.06‐13.04). The prevalence of biopsy‐confirmed CD in high‐risk Chinese populations was 4.44% (95% CI 1.53%‐8.58%). The seroprevalence of CD varied with patients’ geographical origin, being higher in northern China than in southern China.

Conclusions

Early diagnosis of CD by serological screening in high‐risk population and generous serological testing in those with vague symptoms, especially in northern China, are recommended.
Influence of reduced‐impact logging on Central Amazonian bats using a before‐after‐control‐impact design
Authors: Castro A. B. , Bobrowiec P. E. D. , Castro S. J. , Rodrigues L. R. R. , Fadini R. F.
Published: September 2021

Tropical forests contain the highest concentration of species in terrestrial ecosystems. However, they are disappearing rapidly due to forest clearing to extract timber illegally. Reduced‐impact logging (RIL) is one of the main sustainability proposals for earning profits while still promoting biodiversity conservation. In the present study, we test the impacts of RIL on biodiversity and use the results to draw conclusions regarding the capacity of RIL to deliver conservation goals whilst also enabling minimal biodiversity impacts. We used a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) study to assess the effects of RIL on a bat assemblage in Central Amazon. We sampled unlogged (control) and RIL areas before and after timber extraction. We also tested the relationship between forest canopy openness and bat assemblage before and after logging. For 64 nights, we captured 706 individuals of 33 Phyllostomidae species. Sampling time influenced total bat composition and phytophagous bat composition, both in logged and control sites. The time × site interaction influenced animalivorous bat composition and reduced the abundance and richness of animalivorous species in RIL sites. Sampling time, site, and the time × site interaction did not influence the number of species, total abundance, or phytophague abundance. The canopy was, on average, 3.4 times more open after the RIL and influenced animalivorous composition. Our results indicate that species sensitive to environmental changes, such as animalivorous bats, respond rapidly to forest logging. In more opportunistic guilds, such as phytophagues, the temporal change in the species composition in control and logged sites indicate that other temporal factors, besides logging, may have influenced bat assemblages. We suggest that RIL timber certification stimulates the protection of primary forest without logging within the area under exploration, which is not the case in the area we studied. We also recommend the application of BACI designs and monitoring environmental metrics in RIL impact studies.
Restoring Anáhuac: Indigenous Genealogies and Hemispheric Republicanism in Postcolonial Mexico
Authors: Chang Arturo
Published: September 2021

This article turns to postcolonial Mexico to analyze the importance of Indigenous political thought for the transformation of radical republicanism during the Age of Revolutions. I argue that Mexican insurgents deployed Indigenous genealogies to instantiate what I call “restorative revolution,” a form of revolutionary thinking that prioritized memorialization over absolute foundation. Mexico's restorative project began with calls for the return of the Anáhuac Empire, an Indigenous genealogy that memorialized histories of popular self‐rule to legitimize postcolonial demands. I suggest that the Anáhuac movement transformed the principles of radical republican thought by mobilizing around religious, plebeian, and hemispheric identities. Each of these characteristics problematizes dominant interpretations of republicanism as a secular, elite, and national enterprise. This article uses popular objects and archival ephemera to illustrate the importance of engaging with the political contributions of marginalized groups from the spaces, practice, and languages they used to envision postcolonial emancipation in collective terms.
Single nucleotide polymorphism in avian uncoupling protein gene is associated with thermoregulation in chicks
Authors: Ouchi Yoshimitsu , Chowdhury Vishwajit S. , Cockrem John F. , Bungo Takashi
Published: September 2021

Avian uncoupling protein (av‐UCP) is a key protein for thermoregulation in poultry. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the av‐UCP gene has been reported in chickens. The purpose of the current study was to clarify the association between this av‐UCP gene mutation and thermoregulation in chickens. Wild and mutant type chicks for the av‐UCP gene SNP (g. 1270 of the av‐UCP gene exon 3 with C to T substitution and amino acid substitution) were exposed to high ambient temperature. Rectal temperature, radiation temperature on the body surface, and the expression of heat dissipation behavior (wing drooping and panting) during heat exposure were measured. In addition, oxygen consumption rate in the thermoneutral zone in wild and mutant type chicks was measured. Changes in wing temperature during heat exposure in wild‐type chicks were lower than those in mutants. The latency of continuous wing drooping during heat exposure in wild‐type chicks was shorter than in mutant chicks. It was also found that the SNP in the av‐UCP gene caused reduced oxygen consumption. These results suggest that the av‐UCP gene mutation affects thermoregulation, especially heat production, in chickens.
Latent group detection in functional partially linear regression models
Authors: Wang Wu , Sun Ying , Wang Huixia Judy
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we propose a functional partially linear regression model with latent group structures to accommodate the heterogeneous relationship between a scalar response and functional covariates. The proposed model is motivated by a salinity tolerance study of barley families, whose main objective is to detect salinity tolerant barley plants. Our model is flexible, allowing for heterogeneous functional coefficients while being efficient by pooling information within a group for estimation. We develop an algorithm in the spirit of the K‐means clustering to identify latent groups of the subjects under study. We establish the consistency of the proposed estimator, derive the convergence rate and the asymptotic distribution, and develop inference procedures. We show by simulation studies that the proposed method has higher accuracy for recovering latent groups and for estimating the functional coefficients than existing methods. The analysis of the barley data shows that the proposed method can help identify groups of barley families with different salinity tolerant abilities.
Transcontinental retroarc sediment routing controlled by subduction geometry and climate change (Central and Southern Andes, Argentina)
Authors: Garzanti Eduardo , Capaldi Tomas , Vezzoli Giovanni , Limonta Mara , Sosa Numa
Published: September 2021

Central Argentina from the Pampean flat‐slab segment to northern Patagonia (27°–41°S) represents a classic example of a broken retroarc basin with strong tectonic and climatic control on fluvial sediment transport. Combined with previous research focused on coastal sediments, this actualistic provenance study uses framework petrography and heavy‐mineral data to trace multistep dispersal of volcaniclastic detritus first eastwards across central Argentina for up to ca. 1,500 km and next northwards for another 760 km along the Atlantic coast. Although detritus generated in the Andes is largely derived from mesosilicic volcanic rocks of the cordillera, its compositional signatures reflect different tectono‐stratigraphic levels of the orogen uplifted along strike in response to varying subduction geometry as well as different character and crystallization condition of arc magmas through time and space. River sand, thus, changes from feldspatho‐litho‐quartzose or litho‐feldspatho‐quartzose in the north, where sedimentary detritus is more common, to mostly quartzo‐feldspatho‐lithic in the centre and to feldspatho‐lithic in the south, where volcanic detritus is dominant. The transparent‐heavy‐mineral suite changes markedly from amphibole ≫ clinopyroxene > orthopyroxene in the north, to amphibole ≈ clinopyroxene ≈ orthopyroxene in the centre and to orthopyroxene ≥ clinopyroxene ≫ amphibole in the south. In the presently dry climate, fluvial discharge is drastically reduced to the point that even the Desaguadero trunk river has become endorheic and orogenic detritus is dumped in the retroarc basin, reworked by winds and temporarily accumulated in dune fields. During the Quaternary, instead, much larger amounts of water were released by melting of the Cordilleran ice sheet or during pluvial events. The sediment‐laden waters of the Desaguadero and Colorado rivers then rushed from the tract of the Andes with greatest topographic and structural elevation, fostering alluvial fans inland and flowing in much larger valleys than today towards the Atlantic Ocean. Sand and gravel supply to the coast was high enough not only to promote rapid progradation of large deltaic lobes but also to feed a cell of littoral sediment transport extending as far north as the Río de la Plata estuary.
GLI3 variants causing isolated polysyndactyly are not restricted to the protein's C‐terminal third
Authors: Sczakiel Henrike Lisa , Hülsemann Wiebke , Holtgrewe Manuel , Abad‐Perez Angela Teresa , Elsner Jonas , Schwartzmann Sarina , Horn Denise , Spielmann Malte , Mundlos Stefan , Mensah Martin Atta
Published: September 2021

Loss of function variants of GLI3 are associated with a variety of forms of polysyndactyly: Pallister‐Hall syndrome (PHS), Greig‐Cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome (GCPS), and isolated polysyndactyly (IPD). Variants affecting the N‐terminal and C‐terminal thirds of the GLI3 protein have been associated with GCPS, those within the central third with PHS. Cases of IPD have been attributed to variants affecting the C‐terminal third of the GLI3 protein. In this study, we further investigate these genotype–phenotype correlations. Sequencing of GLI3 was performed in patients with clinical findings suggestive of a GLI3‐associated syndrome. Additionally, we searched the literature for reported cases of either manifestation with mutations in the GLI3 gene. Here, we report 48 novel cases from 16 families with polysyndactyly in whom we found causative variants in GLI3 and a review on 314 previously reported GLI3 variants. No differences in location of variants causing either GCPS or IPD were found. Review of published data confirmed the association of PHS and variants affecting the GLI3 protein's central third. We conclude that the observed manifestations of GLI3 variants as GCPS or IPD display different phenotypic severities of the same disorder and propose a binary division of GLI3‐associated disorders in either PHS or GCPS/polysyndactyly.
The clinical efficacy and safety of anti‐IgE therapy in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa
Authors: Chen Fuying , Guo Yifeng , Zhou Kaili , Deng Dan , Yue Wanbo , Yang Weiqin , Zhang Beibei , Li Yue , Liang Jianying , Li Ming , Yao Zhirong
Published: September 2021

The treatment of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) remains challenging. Elevated IgE levels have previously been reported in several RDEB patients. In this prospective, single‐centre, open intervention study, elevated IgE levels were seen in 11 out of 12 patients with intense pruritus, and the patients with elevated IgE levels received anti‐IgE therapy every 4 weeks for at least three cycles. Compared with the baseline, 10 patients with RDEB had good clinical outcomes with enhanced wound healing, a reduction in Birmingham (epidermolysis bullosa) EB severity score by 15%, a reduction in affected body surface area by 23.3%, amelioration of skin inflammation, and an increase in type VII collagen deposition by 13.1‐fold. All the patients had a good tolerance to anti‐IgE therapy. Furthermore, patients with higher IgE levels tended to have higher disease severity and more favorable clinical outcomes. Our report also suggested the potential role of IgE in the pathogenesis of inflammatory conditions associated with RDEB. (ChiCTR1900021437).
Facial contact dermatitis caused by cosmetic‐relevant allergens
Authors: Bruusgaard‐Mouritsen Maria A. , Garvey Lene H. , Johansen Jeanne D.
Published: September 2021

Background

Facial allergic contact dermatitis caused by cosmetic products is common. New allergens in cosmetics continuously emerge.

Objectives

To investigate characteristics of patients with facial dermatitis (FD) between 2010 and 2019 including patch test results from cosmetic‐related allergens and a new test series with cosmetic‐relevant natural ingredients (CRNIs).

Methods

This is a retrospective study analysing demographics, clinical characteristics according to MOAHLFA index (male; occupation; atopic dermatitis; hand; leg; face; age ≥ 40 years), and patch test results to 27 cosmetic‐relevant allergens in FD patients. A prospective study evaluating a screening test series with CRNIs in consecutive FD patients for 1 year was also conducted. These patients received a questionnaire for collecting extra characteristics (eg, concerning quality of life).

Results

Of 8740 tested patients, 2292 (26.2%) had FD. Of these, 30.6% had cosmetic‐induced FD. The most common cosmetic‐related allergens were fragrances and preservatives. The most common patch test‐positive CRNIs were hydroperoxides of limonene and linalool, and propolis. Potato and peanut were rare, but the most common prick test‐positive CRNIs, however, without any relation to the use of cosmetic products. FD affected nearly all patients' quality of life and caused limitations to their daily life.

Conclusions

Updated management and quick diagnosis of FD is important to avoid negative impact on patients' quality of life.
Trends in preservative allergy: Benzisothiazolinone emerges from the pack
Authors: King Natalie , Latheef Faheem , Wilkinson Mark
Published: September 2021

Background

Preservatives are used widely in cosmetic, household, and industrial products to prevent microbial growth and spoiling of the products. There has been a recent epidemic of contact allergy to methylisothiazolinone (MI).

Objectives

To establish emerging trends in preservative contact allergy as MI is replaced.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study on consecutively patch‐tested patients at our center from January 2011 to December 2019.

Results

A total of 7846 consecutively patch‐tested patients were included who were patch tested between January 2011 and December 2019. The prevalence of allergy to MI fell from a peak of 9.39% in 2013 to 1.98% in 2019. MI/methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) followed a similar trend, with a peak prevalence of 7.85% in 2014 and falling to 1.39% in 2018. The prevalence of contact allergy to benzisothiazolinone (BIT) has increased steadily increased in 2014 from 0.26% (confidence interval [CI] 0.03‐0.93) to 3.42% (CI 2.43‐4.66) in 2019.

Conclusions

Our data show a significant increase in the prevalence of contact allergy to BIT over the last 6 years, probably as a consequence of increased use in household products. It is essential to continue to look for emerging trends in contact allergy to enable prompt preventative measures to be taken.
Evaluating the Impact of Entrepreneurship Edutainment in Egypt: An Experimental Approach
Authors: Barsoum Ghada , Crépon Bruno , Gardiner Drew , Michel Bastien , Parienté William
Published: September 2021

We measure the impact of an edutainment television programme specifically designed to promote entrepreneurship among young adult viewers in Egypt. We implemented a randomized controlled trial following a non‐symmetric encouragement design and using cheap scalable incentives to measure the impact of the intervention. While the impact of the show appears otherwise more limited, we find that the good performance of female contestants improved viewers’—in particular, men’s—general perceptions of female entrepreneurs. However, despite the apparent difficulties faced by women in setting up a business, the show also led viewers to think that discrimination against women was not as important as they had previously believed, highlighting the possible distorting effect of media content.
Evidence of an olfactory imprinting window in embryonic Atlantic salmon
Authors: Armstrong Malia E. , Minkoff David , Dittman Andrew H. , May Darran , Moody Eric K. , Quinn Thomas P. , Atema Jelle , Ardren William R.
Published: September 2021

Salmonid olfactory imprinting during the parr‐to‐smolt transformation (PST) is essential for successful homing to natal spawning sites years later by mature fish. However, in many species, juveniles may move away from spawning sites before the PST, yet home to the natal site as adults, indicating that there may be multiple imprinting windows. To test the hypothesis that olfactory learning can occur prior to the PST, we exposed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to the imprinting odorant L‐arginine at the alevin stage. Odour exposures were conducted in both brook and well water to test whether environmental characteristics of the rearing water affected endocrine and imprinting responses. Changes in thyroid hormone concentration differed over the course of development between water sources (p < .001). In brook water, fish experienced a plateau in thyroxine concentrations coinciding with the L‐arginine exposure, but a continued decline was observed in those kept in well water. In subsequent experiments, migratory stage adults from the brook water‐reared group exposed to L‐arginine spent significantly more time than control fish (p < .04) in the L‐arginine odour arm of a two‐choice maze, whereas the well water‐reared group's responses did not differ from those of the control group. Our findings provide physiological and behavioural evidence supporting the hypothesis that imprinting in Atlantic salmon can occur before the PST. These results indicate that the water source during development may affect the ability to imprint and may have implications for hatchery programmes that often incubate salmonids in well water during the alevin life stage.
Assessing the effects of sub‐tropical winter thermal conditions on coolwater fish reproduction
Authors: Cannaday John D. , Farmer Troy M.
Published: September 2021

Fish populations on equatorward range edges are often the first to exceed thermal bounds in response to climate‐induced warming, increasing risk for local extirpation. For many fishes, regionally specific thermal bounds for reproduction and early life stages are unknown as is the potential for transgenerational acclimation, limiting our ability to identify populations at the greatest risk from warming. Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens, Mitchill 1814), a coolwater species, have a patchy distribution at the southern edge of their North American range, occurring primarily in systems with summertime coolwater refugia. Minimum winter temperatures in these systems are much warmer than in northern locations where long, cold winters result in higher quality eggs compared with short, warm winters. We conducted controlled laboratory experiments with Yellow Perch from the Savannah River, SC to determine how sub‐tropical minimum winter temperatures and durations affected reproduction. We measured spawning success, fecundity, egg and larval quality, and assessed the potential for transgenerational acclimation. We found that minimum winter temperature influenced timing of spawning, but had no effect on spawning success, fecundity, egg size or transgenerational acclimation. Larval size was positively associated with colder winters, but eggs from colder winters also had lower caloric density, suggesting a possible trade‐off between larval size and egg energetic density. Our results provide an improved understanding of the thermal requirements for successful Yellow Perch reproduction at southern latitudes and suggest knowledge of local adaptations is required to accurately predict the impacts of warming on coolwater fishes.
Population structure of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. sensu stricto in Pinus brutia Ten. in south‐western Turkey
Authors: Beram Refika Ceyda , Doğmuş Lehtijärvi Hatice Tuğba , Aday Kaya Ayşe Gülden
Published: September 2021

Species of Heterobasidion are amongst the most destructive disease agents on conifers in the Northern hemisphere. The area examined in the present work was the first example of typical disease centres and symptoms of H. annosum root rot observed on pines in Turkey. Twenty disease centres were identified in a Pinus brutia regeneration area, and a total of 182 isolates were obtained from the centres. All isolates from the regeneration area mated almost perfectly with H. annosum s.s. isolates from Europe, giving a clear identification. Based on a combination of morphological and molecular methods, the genetic variation of H. annosum was determined in the study site. The variation amongst and within isolates amounted to, respectively, 49% and 51% of total variation. The population structure of the isolates is discussed. It was concluded that H. annosum was well‐established in the regeneration area and was probably not caused by recent infections and spread.
First report of leaf spot on Elaeagnus pungens caused by Epicoccum latusicollum in China
Authors: Qi Xi‐Ling , He Jiao , Li De‐Wei , Huang Lin
Published: September 2021

Elaeagnus pungens is an ornamental plant used in landscapes and is native to China and Japan. In Nov. 2015, a leaf spot was found on El. pungens in the Sheshan National Forest Park located at Shanghai. A fungus was isolated from the margins of the lesions and one isolate, EP8, selected for identification and pathogenicity tests. Morphological characteristics of the fungus were similar to Epicoccum latusicollum. Phylogenetic analysis using concatenated sequences of ITS, LSU, TUB, and RPB2 also showed that isolate EP8 clustered with strains of E. latusicollum, a relationship supported with a high bootstrap value. This report is the first of E. latusicollum causing leaf spot on El. pungens.
Dilution effects in disease ecology
Authors: Keesing Felicia , Ostfeld Richard S.
Published: September 2021

For decades, people have reduced the transmission of pathogens by adding low‐quality hosts to managed environments like agricultural fields. More recently, there has been interest in whether similar ‘dilution effects’ occur in natural disease systems, and whether these effects are eroded as diversity declines. For some pathogens of plants, humans and other animals, the highest‐quality hosts persist when diversity is lost, so that high‐quality hosts dominate low‐diversity communities, resulting in greater pathogen transmission. Meta‐analyses reveal that these natural dilution effects are common. However, studying them remains challenging due to limitations on the ability of researchers to manipulate many disease systems experimentally, difficulties of acquiring data on host quality and confusion about what should and should not be considered a dilution effect. Because dilution effects are widely used in managed disease systems and have been documented in a variety of natural disease systems, their existence should not be considered controversial. Important questions remain about how frequently they occur and under what conditions to expect them. There is also ongoing confusion about their relationships to both pathogen spillover and general biogeographical correlations between diversity and disease, which has resulted in an inconsistent and confusing literature. Progress will require rigorous and creative research.