bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of global economic policy uncertainty and export flows for emerging markets with panel VAR modeling
Authors: Aslan Çağlayan , Acikgoz Senay
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper to examine how global economic policy uncertainty (GEPU) affects export flows of emerging market economies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the effect of GEPU on 28 emerging markets' export performance. GEPU variable used in the authors’ empirical analysis is measured by partial least square (PLS) factor loading model with the help of 24 countries' economic policy uncertainty index. A panel vector autoregression (VAR) model is employed for the estimations and monthly data over the 2006:01–2019:12 period are used.

Findings

The empirical findings show that while the real external income is the main factor that affects export flows, the real exchange rate is the least effective variable with regard to the variance decomposition, which is not expected by the related economic theory. Panel VAR estimations results confirm the previous studies and find that GEPU affects export flows negatively and significantly.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the sole study in terms of focusing on the impacts of GEPU on the export volume of emerging markets. The contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, a large set of countries with monthly frequented data that assist to capture uncertainties better is used. Secondly, the global economic policy index is obtained by employing the PLS method, which provides more robust results that are calculated with respect to the dependent variable.
The symbolic value of wine, moderating and mediating factors and their relationship to consumer purchase intention
Authors: De Toni Deonir , Pompermayer Rogério , Lazzari Fernanda , Milan Gabriel Sperandio
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The symbolic value of wine is a relevant research topic and raises the interest in studies in both the enological and market areas. In this context, this study aims to understand the role of the symbolic value of wine and its relationship to the product purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a survey of 269 wine consumers from Brazil. The basic theoretical framework includes three latent constructs (symbolic value, consumer attitude and product-norm experience) and three moderators (consumer involvement, willingness to pay and consumer preference). Relations between these are analyzed using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the moderated mediation analyses using Haye’s process.

Findings

This research identified that the symbolic value is totally mediated by consumers’ attitudes and product-norm experiences. However, such a relationship occurs directly for consumers with higher involvement with the product, higher willingness to pay, and who assume that wine is their preferred alcoholic beverage.

Originality/value

One of the contributions is to emphasize the symbolic value of wine and highlight how the relationship with different factors can interfere and explain consumer purchase intention and can influence the strategies, actions and investments of companies in the sector.
Relocation of public healthcare network of a large city in the event of a major earthquake: a combined methodological analysis
Authors: Garrido Alexander , Pongutá Fabián , Buitrago Oscar Yecid
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The aim of this research is to improve the responsiveness of the healthcare network of a large city to a major earthquake, by applying a combined methodology to reduce human suffering and death.

Design/methodology/approach

Scenario analysis, a non-linear programming (NLP) model, and the analytical network process are sequentially applied to find the “best location pattern”.

Findings

When considering the occurrence of major earthquakes in cities with high population density, as a rule of thumb, the location of healthcare facilities should prioritize areas characteristically overcrowded and/or that were built based on poor standards of seismic resistance.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed research design does not include a cost criterion in the set of decision variables involved. Furthermore, the results derived from the NLP-model are restricted by the input simulation data.

Practical implications

The performance of the “best location pattern” is compared with the current location of healthcare facilities in terms of their distances to the affected zones. Metropolis areas worldwide with similar conditions to the city under consideration could be benefited from applying the general methodology for relocation of healthcare facilities described in this research.

Originality/value

This research implements a diverse combination of methodologies to examine the problem of relocating of healthcare facilities in a large city in the wake of an assumed earthquake. In addition, to the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first study of its kind that proposes improvements in the responsiveness of the healthcare facilities' network in the city in question.
The neglected contributions of self-efficacy to older adults’ financial capacity
Authors: Waheed Hassam
Published: September 2021

Purpose

An ageing population comes with its own set of challenges such as impaired financial capacity and resultant dependency on others to manage financial affairs. Dependency, in turn, as the evidence suggests, creates opportunities for financial exploitation of older adults. Related studies have primarily examined the clinical features and correlates of financial capacity or have attempted to develop its multidimensional measures. Both of which do little to resolve issues associated with impaired financial capacity. This paper aims to make a case for future researchers to assess older adults’ financial capacity from a non-clinical aspect.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the notion of self-efficacy, as encapsulated within the social cognitive theory, this paper presents evidence from a host of different domains to demonstrate the potential contributions of self-efficacy to older adults’ financial capacity.

Findings

The contributions of self-efficacy in preserving older adults’ financial capacity appear to be much more profound than is currently acknowledged in the literature, thereby overlooking potentially promising and cost-effective interventions for autonomous ageing.

Originality/value

This paper presents a novel application of self-efficacy to autonomous ageing. Within this context, potential routes to the deployment of self-efficacy-based interventions are also discussed.
Does the quality of a youth academy impact a football player's market value?
Authors: Balliauw Matteo , Bosmans Jasper , Pauwels David
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Football clubs invest in the implementation of scientific insights that improve the quality of youth academies. In the long run, clubs expect their youth academy investments to result in better trained players. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the impact of the attended youth academies' quality on the future market value of a player.

Design/methodology/approach

A dataset containing 94 players trained in 13 different academies has been constructed. The dataset contains characteristics of the players and information on the quality of their attended academies. The impact of the quality of the attended academies on players' future market values was estimated empirically through multiple regression analysis.

Findings

The quality of a youth academy has a significant positive impact on a player's market value, which in turn is correlated with higher future wages for players and transfer fees for clubs.

Research limitations/implications

Clubs are advised to pay sufficient attention to investments in their youth academy. This will eventually lead to better trained players and higher revenues. Players in turn should strive to be part of the best academies that provide good training and the opportunity to become a top-earning player. For policymakers, such as football federations, the results imply that stimulating club investments in academies can lead to better national team performances.

Originality/value

The impact of the quality of a youth academy on an individual professional football player's career has never been quantified in the literature before. To this end, a new variable has been constructed using scientific assessments of youth academies.
The past is a feline country? Cuteification-Value Nexus and World Heritage visitor engagement
Authors: Ong Chin Ee
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper responds to the lack of visitor engagement in many culture-based World Heritage sites and conceptualises a “Cuteification-Value Nexus” for the discussion of the communication of heritage values through “cute” or aesthetically pleasing popular culture elements. It reflects on observations in Macao to argue for a greater engagement of culture-based World Heritage sites through a combination of popular culture inspired motifs and truthful heritage messages. Specifically, it identifies a form of “cuteified heritage” – a hyperreal cultural zone that happens away from the actual heritage sites, but which articulates the heritage significances of those sites. This draws on concepts on themed spaces and insights from postmodernistic hyperreality and tourism to examine how the “completely real” becomes identified with the “completely fake” in the staging, consumption and negotiation of experiences with World Heritage and their utility in the management of World Heritage tourism sites.
Detection of the serological markers hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core IgM antibody (anti‐HBcIgM) in the diagnosis of acute hepatitis B virus infection after recent exposure
Authors: de Almeida Pondé Robério Amorim
Published: September 2021

The serological diagnosis of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection after recent exposure has been established by the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti‐hepatitis B core IgM antibody (anti‐HBcIgM) detection in serum, sometimes accompanied by the detection of hepatitis B “e” antigen (HBeAg). Despite this characteristic serological profile, misdiagnosis can occur in cases of unexpected or atypical behavior of the serological markers in the bloodstream, or if the true meaning of its expression is not properly investigated, or even if there is a possibility of interference from factors not necessarily linked to the infectious process, in the detection of these markers. This review discusses the influence of these variables on laboratory results for these two serological markers and, therefore, the potential risk of these variables compromising the correct diagnosis of acute infection after recent HBV exposure.
Diagnostic testing in nontrauma patients presenting to the emergency department with recurrent seizures: A systematic review
Authors: Burgess Michael , Mitchell Robert , Mitra Biswadev
Published: September 2021

Background

There is a lack of consensus regarding the role of investigations among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with recurrent seizures. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the frequency and utility of commonly requested investigations for nontrauma patients presenting to the ED with recurrent seizures.

Methods

The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched (March 2021) for articles on this topic using search terms related to recurrent seizures, investigations, and the ED. The inclusion criteria required that articles include adult nontrauma patients presenting to the ED. Studies exclusively investigating first‐episode seizures, trauma patients, and status epilepticus were excluded. Eligible studies were assessed for bias using the Newcastle‐Ottawa scale. Results of studies were presented using proportions.

Results

There were six cohort studies included that contributed data from 36,595 patients. All six studies assessed at least one of our primary outcomes for computed tomography (CT) brain scans. The proportion of patients who underwent a head CT ranged from 13% to 42%. The rates of abnormal head CT findings ranged from 8% to 21%. One study reported on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and found it used infrequently in 0.79% of cases. The proportion and yield of nonneuroimaging investigations were not well evaluated in this patient population. Only one study reported on the utility of sodium levels or blood glucose results for this population and reported abnormalities in sodium levels for 19% of patients and abnormalities in glucose levels in 50% of patients.

Conclusions

In this population, CT brain scans appeared to be performed uncommonly but with moderate rates of abnormal findings. In the absence of prolonged alteration of consciousness, a history of brain tumor, or positive neurologic findings, however, neuroimaging was of low yield. Given the heterogeneity and potential limitations of these studies, further research on this topic is required.
Agricultural development in industrialising Japan, 1880–1940
Authors: Arimoto Yutaka , Sakane Yoshihiro
Published: September 2021

This study reviews research examining agricultural development in industrialising Japan. We focus on the (dys)functioning of markets for land, finance, labour and agricultural commodities. We cover topics including land (mis)allocation, size‐productivity relationships, tenancy contract choice and Marshallian inefficiency, property rights, microfinance, shock‐coping strategies, rural–urban migration and agricultural market integration. The literature reveals that market failures often observed in developing economies were not prominent, except for possibly labour markets. The literature also highlights the roles and administrative capacities of central and local governments. Tight local communities served to reduce transaction costs.
Long‐term risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding after Helicobacter pylori eradication: a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Jiang Fang , Guo Chuan‐Guo , Cheung Ka Shing , Leung Wai K.
Published: September 2021

Background

The long‐term effects of H. pylori eradication in preventing upper GI bleeding (UGIB) remains unknown.

Aim

To determine the long‐term risks of UGIB after H. pylori eradication

Methods

We included all patients who had received clarithromycin‐containing triple therapy for the treatment of H. pyliori infection between 2003 and 2012, without subsequent need for re‐treatment. We included a propensity score (PS)‐matched endoscopy cohort of H. pylori‐negative patients as controls. The primary endpoint was the risk of subsequent UGIB. A multivariable Cox model was used to compute the hazard ratio (HR) of UGIB.

Results

We included 62 738 H. pylori‐eradicated and 62 738 PS‐matched H. pylori‐negative patients, with a median follow‐up of 8.1 years (IQR 5.5‐10.6). The incidence of UGIB was 20.8 (95% CI 19.5‐22.1) and 13.6 (95% CI 12.7‐14.7) per 10 000 person‐years in H. pylori‐eradicated and H. pylori‐negative patients, respectively. Compared to controls, H. pylori‐eradicated patients had a significantly higher risk of UGIB (HR: 1.65, 95% CI 1.49‐1.83). The risk of UGIB in H. pylori‐eradicated patients increased after the first 2 years of follow up (HR: 2.18, 95% CI 1.91‐2.49). Age‐stratified analysis showed that patients >45 years had higher UGIB risk, even after eradication.

Conclusions

Despite H. pylori eradication, the long‐term risk of UGIB was still higher than in H. pylori‐negative control subjects. The protective effects of eradication therapy in preventing UGIB appeared to be limited to younger patients, and to within the first 2 years after eradication.
Instrumental variable estimation of complier causal treatment effect with interval‐censored data
Authors: Li Shuwei , Peng Limin
Published: September 2021

Assessing causal treatment effect on a time‐to‐event outcome is of key interest in many scientific investigations. Instrumental variable (IV) is a useful tool to mitigate the impact of endogenous treatment selection to attain unbiased estimation of causal treatment effect. Existing development of IV methodology, however, has not attended to outcomes subject to interval censoring, which are ubiquitously present in studies with intermittent follow‐up but are challenging to handle in terms of both theory and computation. In this work, we fill in this important gap by studying a general class of causal semiparametric transformation models with interval‐censored data. We propose a nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator of the complier causal treatment effect. Moreover, we design a reliable and computationally stable expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm, which has a tractable objective function in the maximization step via the use of Poisson latent variables. The asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators, including the consistency, asymptotic normality, and semiparametric efficiency, are established with empirical process techniques. We conduct extensive simulation studies and an application to a colorectal cancer screening data set, showing satisfactory finite‐sample performance of the proposed method as well as its prominent advantages over naive methods.
The effect of Hurricane María on the richness and calling activity of the Eleutherodactylus assemblages of the Carite State Forest, Puerto Rico
Authors: López‐Hernández Diana , Puente‐Rolón Alberto
Published: September 2021

Hurricane María severely disturbed Puerto Rico's forests, including their vegetation and animal communities. One of the main links on the trophic chains of these forests is amphibians of the Eleutherodactylus genus. This study quantifies the effect that Hurricane María had on the Eleutherodactylus communities by using passive acoustic monitoring. Methods included species richness and calling activity comparisons of each species present in the studied sites. Because of how energetically costly vocalizing is for anurans, calling activity can be used as a measurement of how these frogs are recovering after the disturbance. Results showed that the species’ responses to the disturbance were heterogeneous and site‐dependent. Eleutherodactylus antillensis and E. brittoni were the only colonizer species increasing in both calling activity (52% and 28%) and occurrence. E. wightmanae and E. coqui appeared in the same number of sites both before and after the hurricane, but did reduce their calling activity (11% and 6%). E. richmondi and E. cochranae decreased their calling activity (7.5% and 43%) and appeared in fewer sites post‐hurricane. The only species that did not change its activity or occurrence post‐hurricane was E. portoricensis. This study shows that passive acoustic monitoring can be a useful tool to survey the effect of large‐scale disturbances on amphibian communities. This is the first study quantifying the effects of a Category 4 hurricane on the Eleutherodactylus communities of southeastern Puerto Rico.

Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
LncRNA BASP1‐AS1 interacts with YBX1 to regulate Notch transcription and drives the malignancy of melanoma
Authors: Li YaLing , Gao YaLi , Niu XueLi , Tang MingSui , Li JingYi , Song Bing , Guan XiuHao
Published: September 2021

Melanoma is a fatal skin malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. We found that long noncoding RNA BASP1‐AS1 is essential for the development and prognosis of melanoma. The methylation, RNA sequencing, copy number variation, mutation data, and sample follow‐up information of melanoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed using weighted gene co‐expression network analysis and 366 samples common to the three omics were selected for multigroup clustering analysis. A four‐gene prognostic model (BASP1‐AS1, LOC100506098, ARHGAP27P1, and LINC01532) was constructed in the TCGA cohort and validated using the GSE65904 series. The expression of BASP1‐AS1 was upregulated in melanoma tissues and various melanoma cell lines. Functionally, the ectopic expression of BASP1‐AS1 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in both A375 and SK‐MEL‐2 cells. Mechanically, BASP1‐AS1 interacted with YBX1 and recruited it to the promoter of NOTCH3, initiating its transcription process. The activation of the Notch signaling then resulted in the transcription of multiple oncogenes, including c‐MYC, PCNA, and CDK4, which contributed to melanoma progression. Thus, BASP1‐AS1 could act as a potential biomarker for cutaneous malignant melanoma.
We should not necessarily expect positive relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in observational field data
Authors: Hagan James G. , Vanschoenwinkel Bram , Gamfeldt Lars
Published: September 2021

Our current, empirical understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function is based on two information sources. First, controlled experiments which show generally positive relationships. Second, observational field data which show variable relationships. This latter source coupled with a lack of observed declines in local biodiversity has led to the argument that biodiversity‐ecosystem functioning relationships may be uninformative for conservation and management. We review ecological theory and re‐analyse several biodiversity datasets to argue that ecosystem function correlations with local diversity in observational field data are often difficult to interpret in the context of biodiversity‐ecosystem function research. This occurs because biotic interactions filter species during community assembly which means that there can be a high biodiversity effect on functioning even with low observed local diversity. Our review indicates that we should not necessarily expect any specific relationship between local biodiversity and ecosystem function in observational field data. Rather, linking predictions from biodiversity‐ecosystem function theory and experiments to observational field data requires considering the pool of species available during colonisation: the local species pool. We suggest that, even without local biodiversity declines, biodiversity loss at regional scales—which determines local species pools—may still negatively affect ecosystem functioning.
Metabolically induced intracellular pH changes activate mitophagy, autophagy, and cell protection in familial forms of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Komilova Nafisa R. , Angelova Plamena R. , Berezhnov Alexey V. , Stelmashchuk Olga A. , Mirkhodjaev Ulugbek Z. , Houlden Henry , Gourine Alexander V. , Esteras Noemi , Abramov Andrey Y.
Published: September 2021

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder induced by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain. The mechanism of neurodegeneration is associated with aggregation of misfolded proteins, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Considering this, the process of removal of unwanted organelles or proteins by autophagy is vitally important in neurons, and activation of these processes could be protective in PD. Short‐time acidification of the cytosol can activate mitophagy and autophagy. Here, we used sodium pyruvate and sodium lactate to induce changes in intracellular pH in human fibroblasts with PD mutations (Pink1, Pink1/Park2, α‐synuclein triplication, A53T). We have found that both lactate and pyruvate in millimolar concentrations can induce a short‐time acidification of the cytosol in these cells. This induced activation of mitophagy and autophagy in control and PD fibroblasts and protected against cell death. Importantly, application of lactate to acute brain slices of WT and Pink1 KO mice also induced a reduction of pH in neurons and astrocytes that increased the level of mitophagy. Thus, acidification of the cytosol by compounds, which play an important role in cell metabolism, can also activate mitophagy and autophagy and protect cells in the familial form of PD.
Spatial and temporal patterns in native and invasive crayfishes during a 19‐year whole‐lake invasive crayfish removal experiment
Authors: Perales K. Martin , Hansen Gretchen J. A. , Hein Catherine L. , Mrnak Joseph T. , Roth Brian M. , Walsh Jake R. , Vander Zanden M. Jake
Published: September 2021

Understanding where, when, and how native species persist in the face of invasive species‐driven ecosystem change is critical for invasive species management and native species conservation. In some cases, ecological interactions among native and invasive species are spatially structured, and spatial segregation can be a key coexistence mechanism for ecologically similar taxa.

We evaluated 19‐years of spatially explicit crayfish community data from a long‐term whole‐lake experiment, which includes 8 years of invasive rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) removal followed by 11 years of post‐removal data collection. We quantified the within lake spatiotemporal patterns of virile crayfish (F. virilis) and rusty crayfish, and relate their dynamics to site‐level habitat conditions.

In response to removal efforts, rusty crayfish catch rates declined by >95%, and native virile crayfish catch rates increased by more than 20‐fold. Ten years after ceasing removals, rusty crayfish have stayed at this relatively low abundance, and the virile crayfish population has remained stable. During removal, rusty crayfish abundances decreased non‐uniformly throughout the lake. Only after rusty crayfish populations were at their lowest levels did the native virile crayfish population begin to show signs of a recovery.

Virile crayfish recovery was highly localized within the lake, and likely influenced by habitat and rusty crayfish abundance. Initially, virile crayfish made the most substantial resurgence in an area of the lake with rocky habitat conditions, but through time their distribution shifted into adjacent suboptimal macrophyte and muck habitats as rusty crayfish became more abundant in nearby areas. In general, when the two species overlapped in space, virile crayfish abundance stayed low, or the population shifted to adjacent areas with fewer competitively dominant rusty crayfish.

Our results suggest that habitat heterogeneity allowed virile crayfish to maintain a foothold despite high rusty crayfish densities. Removal efforts led to the recovery of virile crayfish, and spatial segregation facilitated both species coexisting at comparable abundances for a decade. Our results highlight that invasive species control, even in the absence of complete eradication, can benefit native species and that spatially structured interactions can promote coexistence.
Driving cessation and physical frailty in community‐dwelling older adults: A longitudinal study
Authors: Ishii Hideaki , Doi Takehiko , Tsutsumimoto Kota , Nakakubo Sho , Kurita Satoshi , Shimada Hiroyuki
Published: September 2021

Aim

Physical frailty is a critical health problem that can increase the risk of adverse health outcomes in older adults. Driving cessation has been associated with negative outcomes such as disability. However, the relationship between physical frailty and driving cessation remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to examine whether driving cessation is associated with physical frailty transition in community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

This prospective cohort study was performed in a community setting in Japan. Participants were 2934 older Japanese adults, classified into two groups according to their driving status: a driving group (drivers at baseline who continued driving at a 4‐year follow‐up) and a driving cessation group (drivers at baseline who ceased driving by 4‐year follow‐up). We examined the association between physical frailty transition and driving cessation over a 4‐year period, using logistic regression analysis before and after imputation.

Results

In total, 3.9% of community‐dwelling older adults had ceased driving by the 4‐year follow‐up. Rates for physical frailty transition in the driving and driving cessation groups were 4.6% and 17.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). In fully adjusted logistic regression analysis, when compared with driving, driving cessation independently affected physical frailty transition. The results were similar after multiple imputations.

Conclusions

Our findings indicated driving cessation was an independent risk factor associated with physical frailty transition in older adults. As physical frailty in older adults can contribute to negative health outcomes, including increased disability and mortality, preventing frailty has important public health implications. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 1047–1052.
Sericite instead of feldspar in porcelain stoneware: Effect on sintering and phase evolution
Authors: Tavares Brasileiro Camila , de Almeida Filho Humberto Dias , Santana Geovana Lira , Lot Ana Virgínia , Conte Sonia , Zanelli Chiara , Dondi Michele , Ortega Boschi Anselmo
Published: September 2021

The growing demand for fluxes, dictated by the shift toward porcelain stoneware, is urging the ceramic tile industry to find a viable alternative to feldspathic materials. Sericite, a microcrystalline form of muscovite, is present in many ceramic raw materials. It melts during firing and can be a suitable substitute for potassic feldspar. The aim of this study is to understand in depth the effects of replacing feldspar with sericite in porcelain stoneware batches with nearly the same chemical composition. Characterization includes phase composition (X‐ray powder diffraction, XRPD Rietveld), melt chemical composition (calculated), sintering behavior (optical thermo‐dilatometry), and microstructure (scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results indicate a different vitrification path, mostly in the early stage of sintering, related to the different mineralogical composition and particle size distribution of sericite for K‐feldspar. Nevertheless, at temperatures higher than 1150°C, the bodies have similar phase composition, microstructure, melt chemical composition, and physical properties. Densification kinetics is faster in the batch with sericite, while the body with feldspar is able to reach a higher bulk density.
V‐ATPase subunit a is required for survival and midgut development of Locusta migratoria
Authors: Liu X.‐J. , Liang X.‐Y. , Guo J. , Shi X.‐K. , Merzendorfer H. , Zhu K. Y. , Zhang J.‐Z.
Published: September 2021

The vacuolar‐type H+‐ATPase (V‐ATPase) is an ATP‐dependent proton pump, which regulates various cellular processes. To date, most functional studies on V‐ATPases of insects have focused on subunits of the V1 complex, and there is little information on the VO genes. In this study, two cDNA sequences of LmV‐ATPase a were identified in Locusta migratoria. RT‐qPCR analysis revealed that LmV‐ATPase a1 and LmV‐ATPase a2 are differentially expressed in various tissues and developmental stages. Injection of dsRNA for the common region of LmV‐ATPase a1 and LmV‐ATPase a2 into third‐instar nymphs resulted in a significant suppression of LmV‐ATPase a. The injected nymphs ceased feeding, lost body weight and finally died at a mortality of 98.6%. Furthermore, aberrations of midgut epithelial cells, the accumulation of electron‐lucent vesicles in the cytoplasm, and a partially damaged brush border were observed in dsLmV‐ATPase a‐injected nymphs using transmission electron microscopy. Especially, the mRNA level of wingles, and notch genes were dramatically down‐regulated in the dsLmV‐ATPase a‐injected nymphs. Taken together, our results suggest that LmV‐ATPase a is required for survival and midgut development of L. migratoria. Hence, this gene could be a good target for RNAi‐based control against locusts.
Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma: a consensus practice statement from the Australasian Lymphoma Alliance
Authors: Wight Joel , Hamad Nada , Campbell Belinda A. , Ku Matthew , Lee Kenneth , Rose Hannah , Armytage Tasman , Latimer Maya , Lee Hui‐Peng , Lee Sze‐Ting , Dickinson Michael , Khor Richard , Verner Emma
Published: September 2021

Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common lymphoma subtype, accounting for 30–40% of lymphoma diagnoses. Although aggressive, cure is achievable in approximately 60% of cases with primary chemoimmunotherapy, and in a further substantial minority by salvage therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Despite promising activity in early phase clinical trials, no intensified or novel treatment regimen has improved outcomes over R‐CHOP21 in randomised studies. However, there remain several areas of controversy including the most appropriate prognostic markers, central nervous system prophylaxis and the optimal treatment for patients with high‐risk disease. This position statement presents an evidence‐based synthesis of the literature for application in Australasian practice.
Psychological distress and perceived job stressors among hospital nurses and physicians during the COVID‐19 outbreak
Authors: Hamama Liat , Marey‐Sarwan Ibtisam , Hamama‐Raz Yaira , Nakad Bothaina , Asadi Ahamd
Published: September 2021

Aims

The study examined self‐reported job‐related stressors induced by the COVID‐19 pandemic and psychological distress among hospital nurses and physicians. In addition, we explored the role of negative affect (NA) and background variables in relation to COVID‐19‐related job stressors and psychological distress.

Background

During COVID‐19 pandemic, hospital nurses and physicians were exposed to highly enduring occupational stress, that stem from subjective appraisal of inadequate job resources (i.e., personal protection equipment, information on how to manage safely in the ongoing work and organizational attention to the needs arising from the ongoing work).

Design

Cross‐sectional design.

Methods

Between May and July 2020, 172 nurses and physicians working at a medical centre in Israel filled in self‐report questionnaires about sociodemographic data, COVID‐19‐related job stressors, psychological distress and NA.

Results

Our results confirmed the positive direct link between perceived COVID‐19‐related job stressors and psychological distress among hospital nurses and physicians. NA was found to serve as a mediator in this association (indirect link). Furthermore, nurses and physicians' seniority was related positively to psychological distress and also played a moderator role in the indirect link.

Conclusion

We recommend to monitor the mental health of hospital nurses and physicians and to provide a platform to address their job stressor concerns related to COVID‐19, and share helpful coping strategies.

Impact statement

During the abrupt COVID‐19 outbreak, hospital nurses and physicians face challenges that might raise NA and psychological distress. Our study revealed that among hospital nurses and physicians, COVID‐19‐related perceived job stressors and psychological distress were positively linked, and NA plays a mediating role in this association. Among nurses and physicians with moderate or high years of seniority (>11 years), higher COVID‐19‐related perceived job stressors associated with higher NA, which in turn was associated with greater psychological distress. Policymakers would be wise to provide a platform to address hospital nurses and physicians' mental health.
Streaming platform and strategic recommendation bias
Authors: Bourreau Marc , Gaudin Germain
Published: September 2021

We consider a platform that carries content from two upstream content providers and presents personalized recommendations to participating customers. We focus on streaming platforms in media markets, where users pay a subscription fee to join the platform but no usage fee, and consume a mix of content originating from each provider. We characterize the bias in the user‐specific recommendations offered by the platform when one content provider charges lower royalties than the other. We establish that if consumers are sufficiently insensitive to bias, the recommendation system allows the platform to credibly threaten upstream providers to steer consumers away from their content, which reduces their market power. We also investigate the effects of vertical integration by the platform and show the robustness of our results to nonlinear (personalized) streaming services.
Artificial intelligence for detecting superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma under multiple endoscopic imaging modalities: A multicenter study
Authors: Yuan Xiang‐Lei , Guo Lin‐Jie , Liu Wei , Zeng Xian‐Hui , Mou Yi , Bai Shuai , Pan Zhen‐Guo , Zhang Tao , Pu Wen‐Feng , Wen Chun , Wang Jun , Zhou Zheng‐Duan , Feng Jing , Hu Bing
Published: September 2021

Background and Aim

Diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is complicated and requires substantial expertise and experience. This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system for detecting superficial ESCC under multiple endoscopic imaging modalities.

Methods

Endoscopic images were retrospectively collected from West China Hospital, Sichuan University as a training dataset and an independent internal validation dataset. Images from other four hospitals were used as an external validation dataset. The AI system was compared with 11 experienced endoscopists. Furthermore, videos were collected to assess the performance of the AI system.

Results

A total of 53 933 images from 2621 patients and 142 videos from 19 patients were used to develop and validate the AI system. In the internal and external validation datasets, the performance of the AI system under all or different endoscopic imaging modalities was satisfactory, with sensitivity of 92.5–99.7%, specificity of 78.5–89.0%, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.906–0.989. The AI system achieved comparable performance with experienced endoscopists. Regarding superficial ESCC confined to the epithelium, the AI system was more sensitive than experienced endoscopists on white‐light imaging (90.8% vs 82.5%, P = 0.022). Moreover, the AI system exhibited good performance in videos, with sensitivity of 89.5–100% and specificity of 73.7–89.5%.

Conclusions

We developed an AI system that showed comparable performance with experienced endoscopists in detecting superficial ESCC under multiple endoscopic imaging modalities and might provide valuable support for inexperienced endoscopists, despite requiring further evaluation.
Accelerated aging in older cancer survivors
Authors: Sedrak Mina S. , Kirkland James L. , Tchkonia Tamar , Kuchel George A.
Published: September 2021

This editorial comments on the article by Siddique et al.
High heritability of telomere length and low heritability of telomere shortening in wild birds
Authors: Bauch Christina , Boonekamp Jelle J. , Korsten Peter , Mulder Ellis , Verhulst Simon
Published: September 2021

Telomere length and telomere shortening predict survival in many organisms. This raises the question of the contribution of genetic and environmental effects to variation in these traits, which is still poorly known, particularly for telomere shortening. We used experimental (cross‐fostering) and statistical (quantitative genetic “animal models”) means to disentangle and estimate genetic and environmental contributions to telomere length variation in pedigreed free‐living jackdaws (Corvus monedula). Telomere length was measured twice in nestlings, at ages 4 (n = 715) and 29 days (n = 474), using telomere restriction fragment (TRF) analysis, adapted to exclude interstitial telomeric sequences. Telomere length shortened significantly over the nestling period (10.4 ± 0.3 bp day–1) and was highly phenotypically (rP = 0.95 ± 0.01) and genetically (rG > 0.99 ± 0.01) correlated within individuals. Additive genetic effects explained a major part of telomere length variation among individuals, with its heritability estimated at h2 = 0.74 on average. We note that TRF‐based studies reported higher heritabilities than qPCR‐based studies, and we discuss possible explanations. Parent–offspring regressions yielded similar heritability estimates for mothers and fathers when accounting for changes in paternal telomere length over life. Year effects explained a small but significant part of telomere length variation. Heritable variation for telomere shortening was low (h2 = 0.09 ± 0.11). The difference in heritability between telomere length (high) and telomere shortening (low) agrees with evolutionary theory, in that telomere shortening has stronger fitness consequences in this population. Despite the high heritability of telomere length, its evolvability, which scales the additive genetic variance by mean telomere length, was on average 0.48%. Hence, evolutionary change of telomere length due to selection is likely to be slow.
Ectomycorrhizal fungal decay traits along a soil nitrogen gradient
Authors: Pellitier Peter T. , Zak Donald R.
Published: September 2021

The extent to which ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi decay soil organic matter (SOM) has implications for accurately predicting forest ecosystem response to climate change. Investigating the distribution of gene traits associated with SOM decay among ectomycorrhizal fungal communities could improve understanding of SOM dynamics and plant nutrition. We hypothesized that soil inorganic nitrogen (N) availability structures the distribution of ECM fungal genes associated with SOM decay and, specifically, that ECM fungal communities occurring in inorganic N‐poor soils have greater SOM decay potential.

To test this hypothesis, we paired amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing of 60 ECM fungal communities associating withQuercus rubraalong a natural soil inorganic N gradient.

Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities occurring in low inorganic N soils were enriched in gene families involved in the decay of lignin, cellulose, and chitin. Ectomycorrhizal fungal community composition was the strongest driver of shifts in metagenomic estimates of fungal decay potential. Our study simultaneously illuminates the identity of key ECM fungal taxa and gene families potentially involved in the decay of SOM, and we link rhizomorphic and medium‐distance hyphal morphologies with enhanced SOM decay potential.

Coupled shifts in ECM fungal community composition and community‐level decay gene frequencies are consistent with outcomes of trait‐mediated community assembly processes.
Time‐Varying Dynamics of the German Business Cycle: A Comprehensive Investigation*
Authors: Reif Magnus
Published: September 2021

This paper provides insights into the time‐varying dynamics of the German business cycle over the last five decades. To do so, I employ an open‐economy time‐varying parameter VAR with stochastic volatility, which I estimate by quasi‐Bayesian techniques. The reduced‐form analysis reveals substantial shifts in the variables’ long‐run growth rates and shock volatilities over time. German trend inflation has strongly decreased and settled at a historically low level. GDP growth volatility exhibits marked fluctuations over time and has dropped to historically low levels only after the global financial crisis. The structural analysis employs externally identified oil supply shocks along with a recursive identification scheme to identify key macroeconomic shocks. The analysis reveals strong fluctuations in both the impact responses of macroeconomic aggregates to these shocks and the shock propagation processes. Thus, I conclude that business cycle stabilization in Germany is driven by both good policy and good luck.
Leaf trait variation during ontogeny in the endangered Brazilian rosewood tree
Authors: Souza M. L. , Garcia L. E. , Lovato M. B. , Lemos‐Filho J. P.
Published: September 2021

Knowledge of plant responses to environmental heterogeneity during ontogeny is important to elucidate the changes that occur to promote resource capture in tropical forests. We tested the hypothesis that expression changes in leaf metamer traits of Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra), from seedlings to emergent canopy trees, occur as new microclimate environments are achieved. We also tested the hypothesis that increased light heterogeneity in the understorey leads to higher plasticity in leaf traits of seedlings and saplings than in sun‐exposed metamers of emergent trees subject to stressful conditions.

We compared leaf metamer traits of 53 individuals including seedlings, saplings and emergent trees. We also evaluated the light heterogeneity in vertical strata and the variations in leaf traits within individuals (among metamers of the same individual). These were associated with height of the individuals.

Compared to understorey plants, emergent trees presented larger metamers, with lower specific leaf area (SLA), lower investment in leaf area per total dry mass of metamer (LARm), lower specific petiole length (SPL) and lower specific internode length (SIL). Higher phenotypic variation within individuals was observed in seedlings, which decreased as the trees grew taller.

The results suggest the integration of ontogenetic changes in leaf traits under new microclimate conditions as the plants reach different vertical strata in the forest. Additionally, our results support the hypothesis that increased light heterogeneity in the understorey shaped higher phenotypic variation within individuals in juveniles and that stressful conditions in sun‐exposed leaf metamers of emergent trees led to increased phenotypic stability.
Evaluation of Potential Impacts of Free Chlorine during Washing of Fresh‐Cut Leafy Greens on Escherichia coli O157:H7 Cross‐Contamination and Risk of Illness
Authors: Mokhtari Amir , Pang Hao , Santillana Farakos Sofia , Davidson Gordon R. , Williams Elizabeth Noelia , Van Doren Jane M.
Published: September 2021

Addition of chlorine‐based antimicrobial substances to fresh‐cut leafy green wash water is done to minimize microbial cross‐contamination during processing. We developed the FDA Leafy Green Risk Assessment Model (FDA‐LGRAM) to quantify the impact of free chlorine concentration in wash water during fresh‐cut lettuce processing on the extent of water‐mediated cross‐contamination between shredded lettuce and the associated risk of illness due to exposure to Escherichia coli O157:H7. At different contamination prevalence and levels of E. coli O157:H7 on incoming lettuce heads, the model compared the predicted prevalence of contaminated fresh‐cut lettuce packages and the risk of illness per serving between: (1) a scenario where fresh‐cut lettuce was packaged without washing; and (2) scenarios involving washing fresh‐cut lettuce with different levels of free chlorine (0 ppm, 5 ppm, 10 ppm, 15 ppm, and 20 ppm) prior to packaging. Our results indicate that the free chlorine level in wash water has a substantial impact on the predicted prevalence of contaminated fresh‐cut lettuce packages and the risk of illness associated with E. coli O157:H7 in fresh‐cut lettuce. Results showed that the required level of free chlorine that can minimize water‐mediated cross‐contamination and reduce the corresponding risk of illness depended on contamination prevalence and levels of E. coli O157:H7 on incoming lettuce heads. Our model also indicated that the pathogen inactivation rate in wash water via free chlorine was a key model parameter that had a significant impact on the extent of cross‐contamination during washing and the predicted associated risk of illness.