bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MHD flows on irregular boundary over a diverging channel with viscous dissipation effect
Authors: G. Iyyappan , Singh Abhishek Kumar
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the force convection laminar boundary layer flow on irregular boundary in diverging channel with the presence of magnetic field effects. Effects of various fluid parameters such as suction/injection, viscous dissipation, magnetic parameter and heat source/sink on velocity and temperature profiles are numerically analyzed. Moreover, numerically investigated on skin-friction and heat transfer coefficients when suction/injection occur.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing coupled partial differential equations are transformed to dimensionless form using non-similarity transformations. The non-dimensional partial differential equations are linearized by quasi-linearization technique and solved by varga's algorithm with numerical finite difference scheme on a non-uniform mesh.

Findings

The computation results are presented in terms of temperature, heat transfer and skin friction coefficients; these are useful for determining surface heat requirements. It was found that, in finite difference scheme for non-uniform mesh with quasi-linearization technique method gives smoothness of solution compared to finite difference scheme for uniform mesh, and this evidence is graphically represented in Figure 2.

Originality/value

The impacts of viscous dissipation (Ec) and magnetic parameter (Ha) on temperature profiles, skin friction and heat transfer are analyzed, which determine the heat generation/absorption to ensure the MHD flow of the laminar boundary layer on irregular boundary over a diverging channel.
A comparative study of urban resilience in coping with the crisis in the metropolises of Tehran and Mashhad
Authors: Nedaei Amin , Seyednaghavi Mirali , Firouzfar Marzieh , Zamani Nahid
Published: March 2021

Purpose

In recent years, cities have been facing economic, social and environmental crises that need to be prevented and dealt with. The new subject that has been brought up to improve city resistance to crises is urban resilience. The purpose of this study is to compare the resilience of Tehran and Mashhad to identify the strengths and weaknesses of these two cities for better planning in critical situations.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology is a comparative survey. The importance of the subject was manifested through a literature review. A questionnaire is designed using “the Rockefeller Foundation and ARUP’s model” and the Delphi method for testing 21 research hypotheses to evaluate resilience in the two cities (12 Delphi questionnaires and 232 urban resilience questionnaires). The data is analyzed using independent samplest-test by SPSS software.

Findings

The results show that both the cities are weak in terms of resilience indicators and sub-indicators, but Mashhad is more resilient than Tehran.

Originality/value

This paper compares urban resilience in Iran for the first time through a comparative study between two metropolises in the country. The Delphi method also is used for the first time (in Iranian case studies) to obtain the dimensions of urban resilience. By comparing the two cities, we can better understand their strengths and weaknesses.
Dynamic framework of performance assessment for startups
Authors: Antunes Luiz Guilherme Rodrigues , Vasconcelos Fernando Freire , Oliveira Camila Maria de , Corrêa Hamilton Luiz
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a performance evaluation framework designed exclusively to look at startups' reality.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is exclusively theoretical, however, with the application of the Delphi method. For the application of this method, the framework was transformed in a questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions, which is applied to 12 experts in this theme. A pre-test of the instrument was carried out, and the analysis was developed by sum.

Findings

As a result, the framework presents a cyclic format, encompassing the strategy, goal, modules, indicators, actions and evaluation of the performance assessment method, using a spiral format, and assigning the time variable.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes for the advance of performance assessment methods that consider organizations' life cycle and for the assessment of startups, for presenting an exclusive tool in this context.

Practical implications

The results can contribute as a potential management tool with an integrative, recursive and continuous character. It has the potential to imply the behavior and capabilities of managers, given their difficulties in managing their business.

Originality/value

As originality of the work, the use of the organization life cycle stands out to compose a performance evaluation process, which has not yet been addressed in the performance literature.
A sustainability internship program: strategies for creating student stewards for sustainability
Authors: Miller Hongor , Miller Jr Byron Ronald , Spoelstra Jeffrey
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategies and an effective model for creating and implementing a sustainability internship program at a university campus.

Design/methodology/approach

This study assessed Western Michigan University’s sustainability program’s interns’ gain of environmental knowledge on sustainability topics via pre- and post-test assessments. A sample of 50 interns between fall 2016 and spring 2019 comprising six cohorts participated in this study. Data were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences to calculate descriptive statistics and sign tests.

Findings

The sign tests of the accumulative internship pre- and post-test assessment scores significantly increased for all 14 sustainability knowledge dimensions.

Research limitations/implications

The pre- and post-test assessments of the internship program are unable to track and predict the long-term behavior changes of the interns after the completion of the program. Therefore, a future longitudinal study is needed.

Practical implications

This sustainability internship program’s content and experiential learning model has been proven to be effective in increasing interns’ knowledge of sustainability issues and creating sustainability stewards. Institutions and universities should consider creating their own sustainability internship program based on Western Michigan University's program using pre- and post-test assessments as a method of evaluation.

Social implications

The internship programs’ main strength is that it offers students from all academic backgrounds an opportunity to dig deep into sustainability issues, build new social networks, gain knowledge, develop leadership skills, become sustainability stewards and immediately apply what they have learned on campus and in their local community. On-campus internships are unique learning opportunities worthy of study and refinement.

Originality/value

This research paper is unique because it analyzes the combined pre- and post-test scores of six cohorts of interns’ across multiple knowledge dimensions of sustainability. This study empirically shows that the combined interns’ sustainability knowledge across all dimensions significantly increased from the pre- to post-test over the semester-long program.
Trialing or combining? Understanding consumer partial switching in mobile application usage from the variety seeking perspective
Authors: Hu Yingying , Zhao Ling , Luo Xin (Robert) , Gupta Sumeet , He Xiuhong
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to clarify what specific behaviors are involved in consumers' partial switching in mobile application (app) usage, and, second, to explore the common and differential motivations of these behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper specified two behaviors in consumers' partial switching in mobile app usage, trialing and combining behaviors, and conceptualized them as different types of variety seeking behaviors. A theoretical model contrasting intrinsic motivations and extrinsic motivations on the two behaviors was developed and tested with a sample of 561 mobile app users in China.

Findings

The findings showed that both trialing and combining behaviors could be motivated by intrinsic individual-related and extrinsic technology-related factors. Besides, intrinsic individual-related factors were more effective in motivating trialing behavior, whereas extrinsic technology-related factors were more effective in motivating combining behavior. All these findings are applicable and consistent in both hedonic and utilitarian apps.

Originality/value

This study extends and advances the literature on information technology switching by investigating consumer use behaviors from a new perspective of partial switching and multiple competing apps usage. This study also contributes to variety seeking literature by extending the understanding of variety seeking to the context of mobile app usage. Finally, by investigating the associations and distinctions of trialing and combining behavior, this study not only helps to fully understand the partial switching but also enriches the understanding of different types of variety seeking behaviors.
Individual-level absorptive capacity and multidimensional work behavior in tourism
Authors: Tsai Hung-Yu
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to advance the understanding of employees' individual-level absorptive capacity by examining the mechanisms of three dimensions of their work outcomes: contextual performance, citizenship behaviors toward customers and service sabotage. Drawing on the theory of psychological ownership, the author theorized and assessed how employees' individual-level absorptive capacity predicts different facets of employees' work outcomes through psychological ownership.

Design/methodology/approach

Multisource data were collected from 334 subordinates from the hospitality industry in Taiwan over two time periods. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling, the results of which indicated that employees' individual-level absorptive capacity was positively related to psychological ownership.

Findings

Psychological ownership positively predicted contextual performance and citizenship behaviors toward customers; however, it was negatively associated with service sabotage. Finally, it was found to mediate the effects of employees' individual-level absorptive capacity on contextual performance, citizenship behaviors toward customers and service sabotage.

Originality/value

This study contributed to understanding the relationship between individual-level absorptive capacity and shaping perceptions of service workers and provided several theoretical implications for absorptive capacity and tourism literature.
Differential effects of interpersonal relationships across functions on product and service innovation
Authors: Wang Feng , Cao Rong , Wu Siting , Chen Man
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The aim of the study was to investigate the differential effects of interpersonal relationships across functions on product and service innovation, and to examine the moderating role of market competition.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was based on a survey of senior and middle managers from 149 pharmaceutical firms in China.

Findings

Interpersonal relationships between employees across functions (IR-E) have a stronger impact on product innovation than do interpersonal relationships between managers across functions (IR-M), but IR-M have a stronger impact on service innovation. Market competition strengthens the effects of IR-M on both product and service innovation, but it attenuates the effect of IR-E on service innovation.

Originality/value

Although the effects of interpersonal relationships across functions are crucial to cross-functional interactions, these effects have received little attention in the literature. By identifying the potential “backfiring” effect of dual-level interpersonal relationships, this study contributes to knowledge of cross-functional relationships. It also deepens understanding of the relationship between cross-functional relationships and organizational innovation, especially in the service setting.
The battle over wastewater between Woonsocket and North Smithfield
Authors: Prosky Melissa S.
Published: March 2021

Research methodology

This case study draws on interviews conducted with officials from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), City of Woonsocket and Town of North Smithfield. Additionally, it pulls from relevant legal documents, recordings and minutes from meetings of the Woonsocket City Council and North Smithfield Town Council, City Council resolutions, state legislation and local press coverage.

Case overview/synopsis

From 2012–2017, the communities of Woonsocket and North Smithfield engaged in a protracted dispute concerning wastewater disposal. For 30 years, the two jurisdictions had maintained a signed service agreement. Following its expiration; however, Woonsocket imposed a new host fee on North Smithfield. Woonsocket needed to upgrade the facility to comply with mandates from the RI DEM. Over the next five years, leaders from both jurisdictions vociferously fought over the new fee. At the same time, leaders within communities experienced their own divisions. This case study highlights the challenges that decision-makers faced in both communities.

Complexity academic level

This case is appropriate for graduate and executive level courses in environmental policy, communication and leadership.
Managing the COVID-19 pandemic: does social infrastructure matter? Evidence from India
Authors: Nandy Amarendu , Tiwari Chhavi , Kundu Sayantan
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic educed extraordinary policy responses globally, including in India, to flatten the infection-growth curve. The trajectories of infections, recovery, and deaths vastly differed across Indian states. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether persistent investments by states in critical social sectors, such as health and education, explain their preparedness and hence better management of the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses secondary data on the number of infected, recovered and deceased due to COVID-19, along with data on population and income across 302 districts in 11 major states in India. Data on health and education indices are collected at the state-level. Linear regression models that also control for heteroskedasticity are applied.

Findings

This study finds that higher investments in health care and education reduce the propensity of the infection spread. Further, states with persistent investments in health care and education exhibit a higher rate of recovery. This study also finds that death rates are significantly lower in states with higher investments in education.

Research limitations/implications

The findings support the conjecture that states that have consistently invested in social sectors benefited from the associated positive externalities during the crisis that helped them manage the pandemic better.

Originality/value

This study will help policymakers understand the underlying social forces critical to the success in the fight against pandemics. Apart from improving preparedness for future pandemics, the evidence provided in the paper may help give better direction and purpose to tax-financed public spending in states where social sector development has hitherto received low priority.
Conclusion − tourism: how to achieve the sustainable development goals?
Authors: Seraphin Hugues , Gowreesunkar Vanessa G.B.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This concluding paper filters out the main points relating to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) arising from the theme issue. The aim is to provide an insight as to how the hospitality and tourism industry is aligning its actions with the SDGs given the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent issues such as overtourism.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is based on evidence and findings derived from the case studies featured in this issue presented by practitioners and academics.

Findings

The overall findings show destinations along with the hospitality and tourism industry are engineering a variety of strategies to make the industry sustainable. The practical solutions recommended by contributors are helpful in terms of sharing good practices and identifying potential barriers to the execution of those practices.

Originality/value

The articles in this theme issue address a theoretical and practical gap while proposing innovative sustainable tourism strategies directed towards the implementation of the United Nations SDGs. The value of this paper lies in the fact that it draws from a variety of original case studies, each unique in their own right and proposes innovative ideas on how the tourism and hospitality industry may implement the SDGs in their businesses while safeguarding the interest of the economy, society and the environment.
The sustainability of French event companies: an exploratory study
Authors: Dornier Raphaël
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and discuss the involvement in sustainable development of French event companies, mostly by identifying facilitators and barriers to their sustainability strategy. Based on the results, some recommendations are provided, which aim at increasing the sustainability of French event companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on face-to-face and semi-structured interviews with six directors and top managers of French event companies and a consultant in sustainable tourism. The data collected were analysed through a content analysis.

Findings

This paper identified different motivations and barriers regarding the involvement of French event companies in sustainability. The main motivations are personal conviction, a greater satisfaction for clients and a cost similar to the one of non-sustainable events. The main barriers are a difficulty in comparing the cost of sustainable and non-sustainable events, a low demand for sustainable events, a lower quality of materials and greenwashing, the issue of measuring sustainability and a profusion of labels.

Practical implications

As the directors of French event companies interviews do believe in the value of sustainability, they should educate their clients and employees towards sustainability. They should also find ways to demonstrate that the price of a sustainable event is not higher than a non-sustainable one.

Originality/value

This paper focusses on the sustainability of event companies in France, comparing companies that are highly involved in sustainability and others that are not involved. In the field of events research, most studies focussed on the degree of sustainability of specific events, whereas this study deals with the sustainability of corporate events companies.
Sustainable consumption and production of wildlife tourism in Indian tiger reserves: a critical analysis
Authors: Gavinolla Mahender Reddy , Kaushal Vikrant , Livina Agita , Swain Sampada Kumar , Kumar Hemant
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to review the existing landscape of consumption and production in wildlife tourism and, more precisely, discuss how tiger tourism is packaged and produced as a product or commodity for the consumption of wildlife tourists. In doing so, the study explores the issues and challenges for responsible consumption and production (SCP) of wildlife tourism in the context of progress toward sustainable development goal (SDG12) responsible consumption and production.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper combines an analysis of existing literature and insights from the tiger reserve stakeholders. Qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews and participant observation methods are used to derive insights.

Findings

This paper explores the status of SCP of wildlife tourism, particularly tiger tourism in Indian national parks. The paper then discusses the implications of SCP for various stakeholders in wildlife tourism.

Originality/value

This paper explores the perspective of SCP in wildlife tourism, and it provides innovative approaches that stakeholders should adopt.
Assessing the suitability of a single brand of MSMEs in the hospitality sector to boost sustainable development: the case of Mauritius
Authors: Pompeia Michael Louis Fabien
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the suitability of a single brand for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the hospitality sector to boost sustainable development in Mauritius.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design focuses on a literature review, face-to-face interviews and focus groups. The focus group method was used to consult 24 MSMEs and to gather their opinions on the value of a single brand for the hospitality sector. Other stakeholders were interviewed via face-to-face unstructured interviews, including at least one representative from the government, intergovernmental agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Findings

The findings demonstrated that MSMEs in the accommodation sector have yet to realize the importance of effective brand management. Currently, they are focusing on short-term business strategies that could jeopardize their survival. Meanwhile, some businesses have noted a change in the profile of tourists and that more of them are looking for an authentic tourism experience. Respondents feel that the process of becoming certified is tedious and for a family business, and time consuming but perhaps necessary in the medium term. The survey also revealed that MSMEs involved in the hospitality sector in Mauritius are turning toward the digitalization of their offering. Respondents felt that this will help them to deliver a better service to the customers and provide a worthy experience.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this study is the modest sample size. Emphasis was placed on targeting key respondents to provide expert opinions on the topic.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first study of its kind in Mauritius to analyze the suitability of an existing ecosystem for a single branding approach that integrates with the sustainable development goals in a practical way.
Compilation of real‐time PCR conditions toward the standardization of environmental DNA methods
Authors: Doi Hideyuki , Minamoto Toshifumi , Takahara Teruhiko , Tsuji Satsuki , Uchii Kimiko , Yamamoto Satoshi , Katano Izumi , Yamanaka Hiroki
Published: March 2021

The recent development of the environmental DNA (eDNA) technique has dramatically facilitated investigations of the distribution and abundance of macroorganisms in the natural environment. Various real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based methods have been proposed for the detection and quantification of eDNA by independent researchers or groups. Although several eDNA reviews have outlined the critical requirements for experimental processes and provided guidelines for best practice, clear standardization of eDNA protocols is lacking. Here, we collected the PCR conditions of previous eDNA studies using real‐time PCR (n = 190), that is, the volume of the DNA template, PCR cycles, number of PCR replicates and PCR inhibition tests. Then, we synthesized the current development of real‐time PCR techniques for eDNA studies. Our synthesis has identified the critical issues that need to be addressed to design standardized protocols for eDNA monitoring that will enable broader uptake of eDNA technology.
The Overpaid Tax Litigation: Roadblocked
Authors: Beswick Samuel
Published: March 2021

Over the past two decades, English courts have construed section 32(1)(c) of
the Limitation Act 1980 to extend the time for pleading a cause of
action in mistake of law until a decision of a final court
authoritatively resolves the point of law at issue. The Supreme Court in
Test Claimants in the Franked Investment Income Group Litigation v Revenue and Customs Comrs held that this interpretation was illogical and erroneous. In construing section 32(1)(c), the focus of attention should not be on judicial
decisions, but on the claimant's ability to discover that they had a
worthwhile claim. Limitation begins to run once a reasonably diligent
person in the position of the claimant could have known that there was a
real possibility that a mistake of law had been made. This welcome
reinterpretation obviates the former mischief of judicial developments
of the law extending causes of action for an indefinite period of time.
Association of serum CCL20 levels with pulmonary vascular involvement and primary biliary cholangitis in patients with systemic sclerosis
Authors: Ikawa Tetsuya , Miyagawa Takuya , Fukui Yuki , Minatsuki Shun , Maki Hisataka , Inaba Toshiro , Hatano Masaru , Toyama Satoshi , Omatsu Jun , Awaji Kentaro , Norimatsu Yuta , Watanabe Yusuke , Yoshizaki Ayumi , Sato Shinichi , Asano Yoshihide
Published: March 2021

Aim

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease resulting in vasculopathy and fibrosis of the skin and major internal organs. Especially, interstitial lung disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension are the leading causes of mortality. C‐C motif ligand 20 (CCL20) is known as a homeostatic and inflammatory chemokine, which is associated with fibrosis and angiogenesis and constantly expressed in organs involved in SSc. Therefore, we investigated the potential contribution of CCL20 to the development of SSc.

Method

We conducted cross‐sectional analyses of 67 SSc patients and 20 healthy controls recruited in a single center for 9 years. Serum CCL20 levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analyses were performed with the Mann‐Whitney U test, the Kruskal‐Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison test, Fisher's exact probability test and the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

Results

SSc patients had significantly higher serum CCL20 levels than healthy controls. In SSc patients, serum CCL20 levels correlated inversely with the percentage of predicated diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide and positively with mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP). In addition, SSc patients with increased serum CCL20 levels had anti‐mitochondrial antibody M2 titer significantly elevated relative to those with normal levels, and SSc patients with asymptomatic primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) possessed higher serum CCL20 levels than those without. Importantly, serum CCL20 levels were associated positively with mPAP values and PBC presence by multivariate regression analysis.

Conclusion

Serum CCL20 levels may be involved in the development of pulmonary vascular involvement leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension and asymptomatic PBC in SSc patients.
Tissue eosinophil levels as a marker of disease severity in bullous pemphigoid
Authors: Gore Karaali Muge , Koku Aksu Ayse Esra , Cin Merve , Leblebici Cem , Kara Polat Asude , Gurel Mehmet Salih
Published: March 2021

Background

Eosinophils play an important role in bullous pemphigoid (BP) pathogenesis. Although tissue infiltration with eosinophils has been known for a long time, there is a lack of knowledge about the relationship between tissue eosinophil levels and disease severity and clinical characteristics of the patients.

Methods

Fifty‐nine patients diagnosed with BP between January 2008 and December 2018 were reviewed. Haematoxylin–Eosin (H&E)‐stained preparations were re‐evaluated in terms of tissue eosinophil levels. For disease severity, Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI) was used. The relationship between tissue eosinophil levels and disease severity and clinical features were evaluated.

Results

Erosion/blister and urticaria/erythema BPDAI scores were higher in the group with high tissue eosinophil level than the group with low tissue eosinophil level. Tissue and peripheral blood eosinophil count were correlated with total urticaria/erythema BPDAI scores. There was no correlation between blood and tissue eosinophil count. The mortality rate was 64.7% vs 44.0% in the high vs low tissue eosinophil groups. Tissue eosinophil levels were high in patients with BP accompanying neurological disease.

Conclusions

Tissue eosinophil count and peripheral blood eosinophil count were correlated with disease severity in BP. Tissue eosinophil levels were also high in patients with BP accompanying neurological disease.
Gene therapy for a murine model of eosinophilic esophagitis
Authors: Camilleri Anna E. , Nag Saparja , Russo Anthony R. , Stiles Katie M. , Crystal Ronald G. , Pagovich Odelya E.
Published: March 2021

Background

Eosinophils are specialized granulocytic effector cells that store and release highly active mediators used in immune defense. Eosinophils are also implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic disorders, including eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a chronic disorder characterized by infiltration of eosinophils into the esophagus and release of mediators that damage tissue, resulting in gastrointestinal morbidity, food impaction, and dysphagia. Treatment with elimination diets and/or topical corticosteroid therapy slow disease progression, but are complicated by adverse effects, limited compliance, and loss of response to therapy. We hypothesized that a single administration of an adeno‐associated virus (AAV) coding for an anti‐eosinophil monoclonal antibody that induces eosinophil clearance (anti‐Siglec‐F) would treat on a persistent basis a murine model of EoE.

Methods

A mouse model of peanut‐induced EoE that mimics the human disease was established by sensitization and challenge with peanut extract. After challenge, these mice exhibited an EoE phenotype demonstrated by elevated levels of blood eosinophils, infiltration of eosinophils in the esophagus with associated esophageal remodeling and food impaction.

Results

The mice were treated with a single intravenous administration (1011 genome copies) of AAVrh.10mAnti‐Eos, a serotype rh.10 AAV vector coding for an anti‐Siglec‐F monoclonal antibody. Vector administration resulted in persistent, high levels of anti‐Siglec‐F antibody expression. Administration of AAVrh.10mAnti‐Eos to the mouse model of EoE reduced blood (P < 0.02) and esophageal eosinophil numbers (P < 0.002) protected from esophageal tissue remodeling and minimized food impaction.

Conclusion

These results suggest that a single treatment with AAVrh.10mAnti‐Eos has the potential to provide persistent therapeutic benefit to patients with EoE.
Generation Pep Study: A population‐based survey on diet and physical activity in 12,000 Swedish children and adolescents
Authors: Rosell Magdalena , Carlander Anders , Cassel Sophie , Henriksson Pontus , J‐son Höök Malin , Löf Marie
Published: March 2021

Aim

This study presents dietary intake and physical activity in a large nationally representative sample of children and adolescents in Sweden. It also reports the study protocol for the Generation Pep Study that will be used for yearly repeated measurements.

Methods

A random sample of children and adolescents aged 4–17 years living in Sweden was invited to fill in a Web‐based questionnaire on dietary intake and physical activity. For participants aged <12 years, the parents were asked to fill in the questionnaire together with their child. Information on socio‐economic background was collected from the parents.

Results

A total number of 12,441 children and adolescents participated in the study (participation rate 43%). The results indicate that 13‐ to 17‐year‐olds have notably less healthy dietary intake and lower physical activity compared with younger age groups. In general, the dietary intake was most healthy among 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds. A socio‐economic gradient was seen for many of the studied variables.

Conclusion

Participants of a high socio‐economic status and younger age generally had healthier dietary intake and higher physical activity. The study provides novel national data as it includes a wide age of children and adolescents (4–17 years).
How does GVC reconstruction affect economic growth and employment? Analysis of USA–China decoupling
Authors: Wu Jie , Wood Jacob , Huang Xianhai
Published: March 2021

The state of USA–China relations has become increasingly strained. The term ‘decoupling’ has been frequently used within the narrative of USA–China relations to describe the possible outcome of the relationship. A ‘decoupling’ of the USA and Chinese economies would trigger the restructuring of existing Global Value Chains (GVCs). Given this possibility, we use the 2014 World Input–Output Database (WIOD) and the hypothesis extraction method to simulate several scenarios of GVC reconstruction on economic growth and employment. From the analysis, we find that: (1) GVC reconstructions caused by USA–China decoupling would have a greater impact on China than on the USA. If USA–China bilateral trade is replaced by the surrounding economies, China's GDP and employment would fall by 2.57% and 2.34%, respectively. (2) The effects on regional economies are synergistic, with the countries directly surrounding China and the USA being more affected than India and most European countries. (3) USA manufacturing may benefit from the manufacturing repatriation policy, but the overall impact on economic growth would be limited. (4) In all reconstruction scenarios, global GDP figures are lower than they are today, demonstrating the importance of maintaining existing GVCs.
A retrospective descriptive analysis of race‐day injuries of greyhounds in New Zealand
Authors: Palmer AL , Rogers CW , Stafford KJ , Gal A , Bolwell CF
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To describe the distribution, and determine the incidence, of veterinary reported injuries experienced by greyhounds during racing in New Zealand.

Materials and methods

This retrospective cohort study utilised data obtained on all greyhound race starts and all racing injuries sustained in New Zealand between 10 September 2014 and 19 June 2019. Greyhound injuries were described by the number and percentage of the type, location, and presumed cause of injuries. The overall incidence of injuries per 1000 racing starts was calculated and stratified incidence rates were calculated for race year, racetrack, race number, sex of the greyhound, country of origin of the greyhound, starting box number, race type, race class and race distance. Poisson regression was used to calculate incidence rate ratios for the outcome of injury and race exposure variables.

Results

There were 213,630 race starts and 4100 injuries. The incidence of injury was 19.2 per 1000 starts, while the number of fatalities at the track was 1.3 per 1000 race starts. Most injuries experienced by greyhounds on race‐day were minor (soft‐tissue). Most injuries affected the limbs of the greyhounds (82.8%, n = 3393/4100). The rate of injuries was higher in Australian dogs compared with New Zealand dogs, the incidence rate of injury increased with advancing age group and the incidence rate varied among racetracks.

Conclusion

The injury rates were similar to those previously reported for racing greyhounds in New Zealand. This study highlighted the need for greater uniformity and conciseness around the classification of injuries to permit comparisons across jurisdictions.
From scientific exploitation to individual memorialization: Evolving attitudes towards research on Nazi victims’ bodies
Authors: Czech Herwig , Weindling Paul , Druml Christiane
Published: March 2021

During the Third Reich, state‐sponsored violence was linked to scientific research on many levels. Prisoners were used as involuntary subjects for medical experiments, and body parts from victims were used in anatomy and neuropathology on a massive scale. In many cases, such specimens remained in scientific collections and were used until long after the war. International bioethics, for a long time, had little to say on the issue. Since the late 1980s, with a renewed interest in the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes, a consensus has increasingly taken hold that research on human tissues and body parts from the Nazi era is inadmissible, and that such specimens should be removed from scientific collections and buried. The question of what to do with scientific data obtained from these sources has not received adequate attention, however, and remains unsolved. This paper traces the history of debates about the ethical implications of using human tissue or body parts from the Nazi period for scientific purposes, primarily in the fields of anatomy and neuropathology. It also examines how this issue, from after the war until today, influenced the establishment of legal and bioethical norms on the use of human remains from morally tainted sources, with a particular emphasis on Germany and Austria. It is argued that the use of such specimens and of data derived from them is unethical not only because of potential harms to posthumous rights of the victims, but also because such use constitutes a moral harm to society at large.
The Value of Multiple‐Generation Cohorts for Studying Parenting and Child Development
Authors: Kretschmer Tina
Published: March 2021

Participants in longitudinal studies that followed children into adulthood now have children of their own, which has enabled researchers to establish multiple‐generation cohorts. In this article, I illustrate the benefits of multiple‐generation cohort studies for developmental researchers, including: (a) the impact of child and adolescent characteristics (i.e., preconception factors) on parenthood can be studied from a developmental perspective and without having to rely on retrospective reports, (b) intergenerational continuity and transmission can be examined for psychological, behavioral, and social development, and by comparing parent and offspring generations for the same developmental period, and (c) the interplay of genetic and environmental influences on parenting and child development can be disentangled. Even though multiple‐generation studies pose unique logistical and methodological challenges, such cohorts are indispensable for rigorous research into parenting and the origins of child development.
Studying Peers in Research on Social Withdrawal: Why Broader Assessments of Peers are Needed
Authors: Bowker Julie C. , White Hope I.
Published: March 2021

It has long been assumed that children and adolescents want to be with their peers and therefore make active efforts to engage with them. However, a sizable minority of youth avoid peers for internal reasons (e.g., anxiety, preferences for solitude) or because they are socially withdrawn. Although by definition, withdrawn youth tend to stay away from peers, they do interact and form relationships with peers. Yet most research assesses peers narrowly, focusing almost exclusively on youth who share the same gender and grade/school, leaving unanswered questions about which peers matter most. In this article, we highlight research findings that illustrate the very influential peer experiences of withdrawn children and adolescents, and we discuss emerging research on less frequently studied peers. By assessing peers more broadly, we contend, knowledge about the importance of peers to withdrawn youth will extend from same‐gender and same‐school contexts to the larger social milieus they inhabit.
Third case of Bardet‐Biedl syndrome caused by a biallelic variant predicted to affect splicing of IFT74
Authors: Mardy Anne H. , Hodoglugil Ugur , Yip Tiffany , Slavotinek Anne M.
Published: March 2021

Bardet‐Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare ciliopathy characterized by rod‐cone dystrophy, postaxial polydactyly, truncal obesity and renal anomalies with autosomal recessive inheritance. We describe a 6‐year‐old male with early onset retinal dystrophy, postaxial polydactyly, truncal obesity and motor delays. Exome sequencing revealed a homozygous variant predicted to affect splicing of the IFT74 gene, c.1685‐1G > T. This is the third patient with BBS due to variants predicting loss of function in IFT74. All three patients have had retinal dystrophy, polydactyly, obesity, developmental differences, and a notable lack of renal anomalies. We recommend that IFT74 is added to gene panels for the diagnosis of BBS.
Osseointegration of different implant surfaces in areas grafted with deproteinized bovine bone associated or not with fresh bone marrow—Preclinical study in rabbits
Authors: Leocádio Amanda de Carvalho Silva , Silva Matusalém , de Oliveira Guilherme José Pimentel Lopes , Marcantonio Élcio
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To assess the influence of two different implant surfaces on osseointegration in maxillary sinuses of rabbits previously grafted with deproteinized bovine bone (DBB) associated or not with fresh bone marrow (BM).

Material and methods

Sixteen New Zealand albino rabbits (males, 3.5/4.5 kg and 9–12 months old) were randomly divided into two groups with 8 rabbits each, according to the type of association of biomaterials used to fill the animals’ maxillary sinuses: DBB (Deproteinized Bovine Bone) and DBB/BM (Deproteinized bovine bone associated with fresh autologous bone marrow). Ninety (90) days following the grafting procedure, the animals received implants in the area with two different microstructures (SA‐Sandblasting + acid attack and SA‐H‐Sandblasting + acid attack + immersion in 0.9% sodium chloride isotonic solution). All rabbits were euthanized 90 days after implant placement. The microtomographic analysis was performed to verify the number of mineralized tissues around the implants throughout their length (%BV/TV), while the histomorphometric analysis was performed to verify the percentage of bone‐implant contact around the implants throughout their length (%BIC).

Results

We observed no differences in the quantity for %BV/TV (DBB‐SA:33.25 ± 19.67; DBB‐SA‐H:35.15 ± 22.17; DBB/BM‐SA:39.71 ± 24.21; DBB/BM‐SA‐H:36.40 ± 23.07) and %BIC (DBB‐SA:58.94 ± 24.37; DBB‐SA‐H:52.52 ± 24.36; DBB/BM‐SA: 61.66 ± 14.60; DBB/BM‐SA‐H: 64.06 ± 23.30) between the groups assessed.

Conclusions

The addition of BM and the type of surface did not influence the osseointegration of implants installed in areas grafted with sintered deproteinized bovine bone at high temperatures in the late period assessed.
Percutaneous cholangioscopy with short Spyscope combined with endoscopic retrograde cholangiography in case of difficult intrahepatic bile duct stone
Authors: Monino Laurent , Deprez Pierre H. , Moreels Tom G.
Published: March 2021

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Protocol of guided antipsychotic reduction to reach minimum effective dose (GARMED) in patients with remitted psychosis based on pragmatic design
Authors: Liu Chen‐Chung , Hsieh Ming H. , Chien Yi‐Ling , Liu Chih‐Min , Lin Yi‐Ting , Hwang Tzung‐Jeng , Hwu Hai‐Gwo
Published: March 2021

Aims

Patients with psychosis intend to discontinue antipsychotic treatment for various reasons. As antipsychotic discontinuation involves a high risk of relapse, maintenance treatment is recommended by mainstream opinion even when remission is attained. To optimize the risk‐to‐benefit ratio of long‐term antipsychotic treatment, we proposed an operationalized guided dose‐reduction algorithm to serve as an intermediate approach as to achieve the lowest effective antipsychotic dose and better functioning for patients with remitted psychosis.

Methods

Outpatients with a history of schizophrenia‐related psychotic disorders currently under stable medications and symptoms are eligible to register in this protocol. Patients intending for dose reduction are randomized into 2:1, guided dose reduction group (GDR) versus maintenance treatment group (MTG1). Eligible patients who do not intend to reduce antipsychotics serve as naturalistic maintenance controls (MTG2). The GDR patients reduce no more than 25% of their baseline antipsychotic dose, with at least a 6‐month stabilization period before reducing another 25% of their last dose. The timing of the next dose reduction will be determined by shared decision‐making with the patient. Following a dose reduction, the patients will receive three consecutive monthly monitoring; otherwise, they receive treatment as usual.

Discussion

By employing this pragmatic‐based protocol, patients are empowered to evaluate their readiness for next dose reduction attempt. We would like to test in real‐world situations if stable patients can reduce antipsychotics not at the expense of an increased risk of relapse, so as to optimize the balance between risk‐to‐benefit ratios of long‐term antipsychotic treatment.
Changes in organic carbon fractions and sources in deltaic topsoil and subsoil layers: autochthonous and allochthonous inputs
Authors: Li Yuan , Fu Chuancheng , Zeng Lin , Zhou Qian , Zhang Haibo , Tu Chen , Li Lianzhen , Luo Yongming
Published: March 2021

River deltas are often considered as hotspots of atmospheric carbon regulation, but few studies have paid attention to the differences between topsoil and subsoil for carbon sequestration. Here physical and chemical stabilization mechanisms and sources of soil organic carbon (OC) accumulation in different soil layers of a major river delta (Yellow River delta) were studied by fractionation and isotopic analysis. We found that in topsoil, conversion from tidal flat to wetland substantially increases OC by 84%, whereas cotton cultivation decreases OC by 66%. Wetland with a high soil OC content is characterized by substantial accumulation of plant‐derived OC and OC in mineral fractions. In subsoil, the OC variation is controlled by the yellow silt layer (YSL)–red clay layer (RCL) sequence. Although the weathering intensity of the RCL is much higher than that of the YSL, the OC age is younger in the RCL, indicating that the highly reactive, secondary minerals and iron oxides are capable of stabilizing younger organic carbon in transportation, deposition and post‐pedogenic alteration. 14C activity demonstrates that modern autochthonous OC is the main component of OC in wetland topsoil. In contrast, millennia‐old allochthonous OC is the main component of OC in the subsoil layers, contributing 4–24% of total bulk soil OC. The higher δ13C values of carbon fractions (−24.3 to −21.4‰ for the intra‐aggregate particulate organic matter fraction, intra‐microaggregate silt and clay fraction, and free silt and clay faction) and bulk samples (~ −22‰) are likely to imply the contribution of aged OC in the Yellow River delta. This study offers direct confirmation that soil OC fractions and sources are influenced by different land‐use types and pedological properties in characteristic soil layers. These findings suggest that biogeochemical alteration of the soil matrix controls OC stabilization mechanisms in the river sediment–tidal flat–wetland–farmland continuum.

Highlights

Land‐use types and pedological features control OC storage in topsoil and subsoil, respectively.

Reclamation strongly decreases content of all OC fractions and the proportion of fSC and rOC.

Soil layers with distinct texture and mineral compositions lead to OC stratification in subsoil.

The red clay layer in subsoil is capable of stabilizing both fresh and aged OC.
Refining analyses of existing data sets is valuable for macrogenetics: a response to Paz‐Vinas, Jensen et al., (2021)
Authors: Millette Katie L. , Fugère Vincent , Debyser Chloé , Greiner Ariel , Chain Frédéric J. J. , Gonzalez Andrew
Published: March 2021

Paz‐Vinas, Jensen et al. (2021) comment on data and methodological limits of Millette, Fugère, Debyser et al. (2020)—some affect a small proportion of our data sets and analyses and others need to be tackled more generally. These points do not refute our main conclusion of no strong signal of human impacts on COI variation globally.