bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-cell transcriptomic profiling in inherited retinal degeneration reveals distinct metabolic pathways in rod and cone photoreceptors
Authors: Chen Yiyi , Dong Yujie , Yan Jie , Wang Lan , Yu Shirley , Jiao Kangwei , Paquet-Durand François
Published: August 2022

The cellular mechanisms underlying hereditary photoreceptor degeneration are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to systematically map the transcriptional changes that occur in the degenerating mouse retina at the single cell level. To this end, we employed single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and retinal degeneration-1 (rd1) mice to profile the impact of the disease mutation on the diverse retinal cell types during early post-natal development. The transcriptome data allowed to annotate 43,979 individual cells grouped into 20 distinct retinal cell types. We further characterized cluster-specific metabolic and biological changes in individual cell types. Our results highlight Ca2+-signaling as relevant to hereditary photoreceptor degeneration. Though metabolic reprogramming in retina, known as ‘Warburg effect’, has been documented, further metabolic changes were noticed in rd1 mice. Such metabolic changes in rd1 mutation was likely regulated through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. By combining single-cell transcriptomes and immunofluorescence staining, our study revealed cell type-specific changes in gene expression, as well as interplay between Ca2+ induced cell death and metabolic pathways.
Multiple polarity kinases inhibit phase separation of F-BAR protein Cdc15 and antagonize cytokinetic ring assembly in fission yeast
Authors: Bhattacharjee Rahul , Hall Aaron , Mangione MariaSanta C. , Igarashi Maya G. , Roberts-Galbraith Rachel H. , Chen Jun-Song , Vavylonis Dimitrios , Gould Kathleen L.
Published: August 2022

The F-BAR protein Cdc15 is essential for cytokinesis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and it plays a key role in attaching the cytokinetic ring (CR) to the plasma membrane. Cdc15’s abilities to bind to the membrane and oligomerize via its F-BAR domain are inhibited by phosphorylation of its intrinsically disordered region (IDR). Multiple cell polarity kinases regulate Cdc15 IDR phosphostate, and of these the DYRK kinase Pom1 phosphorylation sites on Cdc15 have been shown in vivo to prevent CR formation at cell tips. Here, we compared the ability of Pom1 to control of Cdc15 phosphostate and cortical localization to that of other Cdc15 kinases: Kin1, Pck1, and Shk1. We identified distinct but overlapping cohorts of Cdc15 phosphorylation sites targeted by each kinase, and the number of sites correlated with each kinases’ abilities to influence Cdc15 PM localization. Coarse-grained simulations predicted that cumulative IDR phosphorylation moves the IDRs of a dimer apart and toward the F-BAR tips. Further, simulations indicated that the overall negative charge of phosphorylation masks positively charged amino acids necessary for F-BAR oligomerization and membrane interaction. Finally, simulations suggested that dephosphorylated Cdc15 undergoes phase separation driven by IDR interactions. Indeed, dephosphorylated but not phosphorylated Cdc15 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation to form droplets in vitro that recruit Cdc15 binding partners. In cells, Cdc15 phosphomutants also formed PM-bound condensates that recruit other CR components. Together, we propose that a threshold of Cdc15 phosphorylation by assorted kinases prevents Cdc15 condensation on the PM and antagonizes CR assembly.
The exploration in the size of scientific collaboration team using kernel density estimation
Authors: An Ran , Shan Wei
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Scientific collaboration is becoming a common pattern in the social organization of knowledge production. The paper tries to figure out the relationship between scientific collaboration team size and scientific output.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on ESI database from year 2009–2019, the paper describes changes of collaboration team size from one author to more than 10 authors in 22 disciplines. Kernel density estimation and multidimensional kernel density estimation method are used to calculate optimal collaboration team size and appropriate collaboration team size in 22 disciplines. As bandwidth is one of the major issues in construction of kernel density estimation, the paper uses five different algorithms to calculate bandwidth. The method with the lowest mean absolute percentage error is chosen. Robustness test is conducted based on different sets of data.

Findings

The results show that scientific collaboration becomes more widely and deeply. As time goes by, collaboration team size is becoming larger and larger. Natural science disciplines have larger collaboration team size and faster growth rate than social science disciplines. Considering both qualitative and quantitative measures, the paper proves the universality of optimal and appropriate scientific collaboration team size among 22 disciplines and calculates the specific number.

Originality/value

The paper tries to investigate the law of scientific collaboration team size variation and provide a full picture of evolution of collaboration team size among 22 disciplines in 10 years. The paper first applies distribution method to figure out the relationship between scientific collaboration team size and scientific output and provides optimal collaboration team size and appropriate collaboration team size.
Disparate changes of living standard in China: perspective from Engel's coefficient
Authors: Xie Qingxin , Yi Fujin , Tian Xu
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the changes in living standard among families with different socio-economic status in China with the use of Engel's Coefficient. The authors develop a decomposition methodology to figure out the driving forces behind changes in Engel's Coefficient, and investigate how dramatic economic growth, volatile food price and rapid nutrition transition affect living standard among different families.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a statistical method to decompose the changes in living standard measured by Engel's Coefficient into structure effect, price effect, quantity effect and income effect. Using the China Health and Nutrition Survey data between 2000 and 2011, the authors estimate these four effects by employing a decomposition method.

Findings

Results show that Engel's Coefficient in China decreased by 8.7 percentage points (hereafter “pp”) during 2000–2011, where structure effect leads to 0.2 pp increase, price effect results in 17.7 pp increase, quantity effect brings about 12.4 pp decline and income effect contributes to 14.2 pp decline. Results indicate that rising food prices are the main obstacle to improve households' living standard. Typically, poor and rural families' living standard is more vulnerable to the rise in food prices, and they benefit less from income growth.

Originality/value

This study proposes a decomposition method to investigate the determinants of change in Engel's Coefficient, which provides a deeper understanding of how economic growth, food price change and nutrition transition affect people's living standard in different socio-economic groups in developing countries. This study also provides valuable insights on how to achieve common prosperity from the perspective of consumption upgrading.
The intermittent institutional innovation and China's economic fluctuations: a calibrated model and a dynamic analysis
Authors: Sun Ninghua , Zeng Lei
Published: August 2022

Purpose

China's economic transition is essentially the process of China's institutional changes. During the changes, the appearance of institutional innovation is not regular; instead, it is intermittent and random. The purpose of this paper is to show that the fitful appearance of institutional innovation is the root of China's economic growth and fluctuations.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper constructs a real business cycle (RBC) model introducing the institutional factor expressed in the quantitative form under the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) framework by measuring China's institutional changes quantitatively.

Findings

By comparing the characteristics of the actual economic data with those of the simulated economic data, we find that this RBC model can explain 94.44%, 66.07%, 23.46%, 21.03% and 15.45% of the cyclical fluctuations in output, investment, labor, consumption and capital, respectively.

Originality/value

The impulse response analysis finds that the institutional shocks have a relatively long duration, lasting about 30 years, and decline slowly over time, while technological shocks decline relatively fast, lasting approximately ten years.
“Getting stuck in”: body work and physical capital in non-traditional occupations
Authors: Murphy Caroline , O'Meara Aoife
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Drawing on Bourdieu's conceptualisation of physical capital, this article explores the experiences of male and female employees in non-traditional occupations where body work is an integral part of the role. Specifically, the authors examine how being an underrepresented gender in this context impacts the experience of work, including challenges faced and perceptions for future opportunities in the role.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on two in-depth case studies undertaken in the social care and security/door work sector. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with male social care workers and female security workers in the night-time hospitality sector. Management representatives were also interviewed in each case. The interviews examined how the nature of the work in these roles impacted on the underrepresented gender's perceptions of various aspects of their working lives.

Findings

The findings illustrate how many of the challenges associated with non-traditional occupations are experienced differently in body work roles, either being amplified or instead presenting opportunities for the role holder with implications for the day-to-day and longer-term experience of work. The findings illustrate how the actions and behaviour of management and colleagues can exacerbate the extent to which underrepresented gender feel accepted within their role and organisation.

Practical implications

Organisational decision makers need to be aware of the importance of reviewing practices regarding hiring, promotion and the allocation of tasks and duties for non-traditional role holders engaged in body work.

Originality/value

The article contributes to understandings of “body work” and physical capital in non-traditional occupations, illustrating how gender-based assumptions can restrict individuals in these roles to a greater extent than in other forms of work where the body is salient to the performance of the role.
Narrative-based learning using mobile devices
Authors: Sánchez-Rivas Enrique , Ramos Núñez Manuel Fernando , Ramos Navas-Parejo Magdalena , De La Cruz-Campos Juan Carlos
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore whether the use of an active learning methodology implemented through a mobile phone can help future teachers to develop more effective reading promotion activities than those based on traditional learning methodologies.

Design/methodology/approach

A study was conducted based on the comparison of perceptions of two groups of teacher training students. The experimental group was trained in an active methodology to promote reading on mobile phones, whilst the control group was trained in a classical methodology also using the same devices. Variables were observed using a self-administered questionnaire, and the scores obtained were analysed from their descriptive statistics of the comparison of means of Kruskal–Wallis H test.

Findings

The results showed that students perceived significant improvements associated with active learning methodology. The variables with the most remarkable results were those related to better use of the class, participation and satisfaction. However, the ubiquitous variable obtained the fewest differences, maybe because both learning methodologies were applied using mobile devices.

Originality/value

The conclusions of this study clearly suggest that combining active learning methodologies and the use of mobile phones to promote reading could lead to better results than applying traditional learning methodologies. The value of this study paves the way for future research to move forward in the discovery of effective teaching strategies based on active methods and mobile devices.
Does infrastructural development allure foreign direct investment? The role of Belt and Road Initiatives
Authors: Rehman Faheem Ur , Islam Md. Monirul , Sohag Kazi
Published: August 2022

Purpose

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the most ambitious investment strategy for infrastructural development belonging to the significant potential for stimulating regional economic growth in Asia, Europe and Africa. This study aims to investigate the impact of infrastructure on spurring inward foreign direct investment (FDI) within the purview of human capital, GDP per capita, foreign aid, trade, domestic investment, population and institutional quality in BRI countries.

Design/methodology/approach

In doing so, the authors analyze panel data from 2000 to 2019 within the framework of the system generalized method of movement (GMM) approach for 66 BRI countries from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Findings

The investigated results demonstrate that aggregate and disaggregate infrastructure indices, e.g. transport, telecommunications, financial and energy infrastructures, are the driving forces in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the BRI countries. In addition, control variables (i.e. institutional quality, human capital, trade, domestic investment, foreign aid and GDP per capita) play an essential role in spurring FDI inflows.

Originality/value

The authors’ study uniquely investigates both the pre- (2000–2012) and post- (2013–2019) BRI scenarios using the aggregate and disaggregate infrastructural components from the perspectives of full and clustered sample regions, such as Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The study provides several policy implications.
The role of prescriptive social norms on employees' cyberloafing: the moderating effect of power distance and co-workers' interdependency
Authors: Osei Hannah Vivian , Ampofo Isaac Atta Junior , Osei Angelina
Published: August 2022

Purpose

When pluralistic ignorance about cyberloafing is increased, individuals engage more in cyberloafing. Cyberloafing has become a great challenge in business organisations, and it is believed that many organisations do not complete their daily activities as a result of employee cyberloafing. Using the social norms theory as the main theoretical framework, the current study aims to assess the effects of prescriptive social norms on employee cyberloafing with the moderating effects of power distance and co-worker interdependency.

Design/methodology/approach

The data sample included 237 employees from six large organisations in the service sector. This study used a survey to collect data at different times and analysed the data using hierarchal regression and Hayes Process Macro.

Findings

Findings revealed that there exists a positive and significant impact of supervisors' approval of cyberloafing on employees' cyberloafing. Co-workers' approval of cyberloafing does not have any impact on employee cyberloafing. Power distance was found to moderate the relationship between supervisors' approval of cyberloafing and employees' cyberloafing. However, co-workers' interdependency did not moderate the relationship between co-workers' approval of cyberloafing and employees' cyberloafing.

Originality/value

This research examines employees' cyberloafing behaviours and highlights the adverse consequences of prescriptive social norms in a work environment characterised by co-workers' interdependence and power distance.
Analyzing the critical factors for innovation sustainability in the public sector: evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Pradana I Putu Yoga Bumi , Susanto Ely , Kumorotomo Wahyudi
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study examines the critical factors contributing to the different conditions of innovation sustainability after a change in local political leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a multiple case study approach and applied the critical incident technique (CIT) to collect and analyze data from four innovation cases in the two local governments of Indonesia.

Findings

The results highlight that the sustainability condition of each innovation after the political regime change is determined by multiple critical factors.

Research limitations/implications

First, the data collected through interviews may contain a memory bias. Second, this study was limited to local governments and did not consider innovation taxonomies.

Practical implications

The study implies that in order to sustain innovation, public leaders must support innovation legitimacy as a new organizational structure; thus, it can be more durable in the long term. In addition, public leaders need to minimize innovation politicization by authorizing bureaucrats to autonomously manage innovation operationalization.

Social implications

Public leaders need to pay careful attention to their innovation sustainability because a non-sustained policy can disappoint the individuals working for it, losing their trust and enthusiasm. This dissatisfaction could become a barrier to mobilizing support for the following policies.

Originality/value

Innovation sustainability is a new theme that is overlooked in the public sector innovation literature. Therefore, investigations using different methods and contexts are required, as this study offers. This study also demonstrated the value of CIT in identifying critical factors affecting innovation sustainability in the context of political leadership change.
Hospital security guard's well-being and repeated exposure to personal threats in the workplace: a qualitative study in an Australian hospital
Authors: Brown Janie Alison , Watson Elaine , Rogers Tamra
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to understand the effect of repeated exposure to personal threats on hospital security guards' well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

A single site, qualitative study using a convenience sampling approach to recruit hospital security guards who attend code black (staff, patient or visitor exposed to a personal threat) calls.

Findings

Five interviews were held with eight hospital security guards. Seven of the eight participants were male. Seven were Caucasian. All had extensive experience in the industry. Six consistent themes emerged from the data covering well-being, coping and support; concerns about physical safety; compassion and compassion fatigue; effective communication is crucial; role/s; and training and equipment.

Research limitations/implications

This study used a convenient sampling approach to recruit security guards from one acute hospital in Australia, limiting the applicability of the findings to other contexts. Although the majority of hospital security guards were interviewed, the format of interviews varied between one-to-one interviews and focus groups, based on the availability of guards to participate and attend.

Practical implications

We recommend that the role of the hospital security guard in Code black situations is documented in policy and practice documents, and articulated in multidisciplinary aggression management training. There should be clear statements on the importance of strong communication and clinical leadership in code black situations. Hospital security guards should attend Mental Health First Aid training, which teaches on and off the job coping strategies. There is a need for debriefing and consideration should be given to supporting “time-out”. Hospital security guards require education on infection control and the risks associated with blood and body fluids.

Originality/value

Hospital security guards play an important role in the safety of patients and staff in code black situations. When they are well supported, they experience high levels of job satisfaction and are able to maintain their compassion towards people who are aggressive and violent towards them. However, repeated exposure to code black situations has the potential to erode the well-being of hospital security guards.
The international business landscape: a look at paradigms, research gaps and new realities
Authors: Ntara Caroline
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse international business (IB) scholarship and present current gaps and new realities to enhance scholarly discourse.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper divides the scholarship into three distinct sections. First, it interrogates the changing definitions of the field from the 1880s to date. Secondly, IB paradigms are cross-examined while highlighting the understudied emerging interaction paradigm. Lastly, literature gaps, methodological gaps and new realities in IB are presented.

Findings

This research shows that IB inquiry has concentrated on firm-level paradigms, leaving the emerging interaction paradigm understudied. As a result, there is a deficit of novel ideas and limited research on critical emerging issues affecting IB. Further, simplistic methodologies are prevalent, making IB scholarship weak. Additionally, a majority of studies concentrate on the Americas, Europe and Asia, leaving Africa understudied.

Originality/value

This research augments the need for scholars to cross-examine the best approach to apply in IB discourse and presents gaps calling for new insights and future research directions.
Multilingual and multicultural education need a good economist
Authors: Giambo Debra A.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The prioritization of multilingual and multicultural education (MME) must spread beyond educators and researchers, who have long known the benefits, to the politicians and policymakers and to the general public. This paper aims to propose that the MME field needs a good economist who can explain MME benefits in terms of the language of economy, clarifying that economic advantages extend beyond diverse individuals, including those who may be ideologically opposed, via increased economic output to potentially benefit all.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a conceptual framework, connections are demonstrated between MME and increased cultural and linguistic sensitivity as well as between the effects of increased sensitivity on the potential for economic benefits. These connections can be logically extended to consider the effects of MME on economic output.

Findings

Research indicates that MME can increase cultural and linguistic sensitivity and that increased sensitivity to cultural and linguistic diversity can affect economic output. A logical bridge between the two fields of research is illustrated.

Originality/value

This paper uses a practical approach to support the flourishing of MME. If MME is, ultimately, to result in benefits that all can appreciate, it is imperative to get groups with various purposes on board. Then, maybe we can look forward to the effective and pervasive implementation of MME. The challenge remains that this message has not been reaching the general public, and a good economist’s communication could be the key.
The relationship between self-leadership and employee engagement in Lebanon and the UAE: the moderating role of perceived organizational support
Authors: Malaeb Mazen , Dagher Grace K. , Canaan Messarra Leila
Published: August 2022

Purpose

As the work context is dynamically changing, enhancing employee engagement through personal and organizational means is still capturing the attention of organizations as well as human resources researchers and practitioners. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between self-leadership, employee engagement, and perceived organizational support and to test the moderating effect of perceived organizational support.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through an online self-reporting questionnaire, with a total of 225 employees from Lebanon and 251 employees from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Moderating analysis was conducted using Process v3.3 on both samples.

Findings

Results have shown that self-leadership and perceived organizational support were positively related to employee engagement in both countries. However, perceived organizational support served to enhance self-leadership and employee engagement in the UAE, but not in Lebanon.

Practical implications

The findings of this study can be used to help organizations as well as human resources and regional managers operating in the Middle East in giving insights about investing in self-leadership strategies and positively influence employee perception of organizational support to strengthen employee engagement.

Originality/value

This study is unique in exploring the moderating role of perceived organizational support on the relationship between self-leadership and engagement, and original in theoretically proposing and empirically examining the interaction between perceived organizational support and self-leadership. The context of the study in which the proposed relationships were tested for the first time in Lebanon and the UAE, is also novel as both countries are distinguished from other Middle Eastern countries.
Examining racial discrimination in fantasy team selection: the case of Czech soccer fans
Authors: Kotrba Vojtech , Dwyer Brendan
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Recently, efforts to fight discriminatory behaviour in many sports and to eliminate racial preferences among fans have intensified. However, uncovering discriminatory preferences may not be easy as they may be deeply rooted and even unconscious. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Unfortunately, professional soccer and fantasy sports participation serves as a vehicle for explicit racial discrimination at a micro-level, but does it translate to the macro-level through fantasy team selection? The current study explored the potential of implicit racial discrimination in Czech participants in the English Premier League.

Findings

Discriminatory behaviour in this context is defined by a consumer demonstrating preference for a white player over a non-white player in the fantasy soccer labour market when both players are performing at equal levels. Controlling for additional factors such as nationality and historically dominant team biases and accessing a more homogenous sample, the results confirmed previous research that racial discrimination cannot be found in team selection decisions among fantasy soccer participants in the Czech Republic. The manifestations of racism are still present at Czech stadiums and among Czech athletes. This contradiction is the major finding of this paper.

Originality/value

Previous research found no evidence of racial discrimination among participants controlling for some game factors. However, the study had many limitations including a heterogeneous sample and not controlling for additional factors of participant bias. Given those concerns, the current study analysed line-up decisions of English Premier League participants, but did so with participants solely within the Czech Republic, a more homogenous sample, controlling for additional important factors that could impact racial discrimination among fantasy participants.
Introduction: how could the Republic of Cyprus reduce the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development?
Authors: Berjozkina Galina , Garanti Zanete
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper provides an overview and explains the context of the theme issue. The paper outlines the approach and profiles the articles written in response to the strategic question as to how the Republic of Cyprus could reduce the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper outlines the approach to exploring ways of reducing the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development in Cyprus. The strategic question is tackled in articles containing literature reviews, data and evidence reviews, interactions with practitioners and practical solutions.

Findings

The findings of the theme issue focus on long-term sustainable development and the alleviation of seasonality in Cyprus. The issue provides insights into the history, current state of development and progress made by the impact of seasonal tourism and sustainable development on the tourism and hospitality industry.

Originality/value

This theme issue outlines the causes and effects of seasonality in the tourism industry in a small island developing state (SIDS) that is highly dependent on income generated by tourism activity. In SIDS, where seasonality is a threatening factor for tourism development, it is essential to understand what measures can be taken to lower seasonality. The articles in this theme issue provide insights into the causes and effects of tourism seasonality, climate change, alternative and special interest tourism, future destinations and young travellers' behaviour, air transportation, the remedy to seasonality and gastro tourism.
Spatial turnover of fungi and partner choice shape mycorrhizal networks in epiphytic orchids
Authors: Petrolli Rémi , Zinger Lucie , Perez‐Lamarque Benoît , Collobert Géromine , Griveau Chantal , Pailler Thierry , Selosse Marc‐André , Martos Florent
Published: August 2022

In soils, plants and fungi can form complex mycorrhizal networks allowing nutrient transfers between plant individuals and species. It is less clear, however, whether such networks exist on the bark of trees where epiphytic plant communities thrive in rainforests. Previous work showed that tropical epiphytic orchids especially, harbour symbiotic fungi in their roots, but the structure and determinants of the resulting networks remain unknown at the tree scale.

We tested the hypothesis that epiphytic orchids rooted in the same area on the bark share mycorrhizal fungi, regardless of their species (i.e. spatial determinant). For this purpose, we selected the trunk of six trees of two common species in a rainforest and sampled orchid roots, protocorms and surrounding bark. We identified mycorrhizal fungi including Tulasnellaceae using high‐throughput sequencing of the ITS2 marker, and reconstructed orchid–fungus bipartite networks for each tree to analyse their structure and the spatial turnover of this symbiosis.

We found that epiphytic orchid communities form antinested and highly modular networks with mycorrhizal fungi spread on the bark. As expected, modules of interactions are explained by their spatial structure, with nearby roots sharing fungi, but also by the orchid species involved. These results reveal the presence of shared mycelial networks in epiphytic habitats, whose roles in the resilience and facilitation of epiphytic plant communities need to be assessed.

Synthesis. Tropical tree barks are densely colonized by certain mycorrhizal fungi that can form symbioses in nearby adult and young orchids simultaneously. These mycorrhizal networks may allow water and nutrient transfers to alleviate the stressful conditions of the epiphytic habitats.
White as milk: Biocentric bias in the framing of lactose intolerance and lactase persistence
Authors: Kaufman Eli J. , Tan Catherine
Published: August 2022

The majority of the world population is lactose intolerant, as 65%–70% of people lose the enzymes to digest lactose after infancy. Yet, in the United States, where lactose intolerance is predicted to affect only 36% of people, this phenomenon is often framed as a deficiency as opposed to the norm. This is because the United States has a higher prevalence of people who are lactase persistent. Lactase persistence is a genetic trait most common among Europeans and some African, Middle Eastern and southern Asian groups with a history of animal domestication and milk consumption. In this study, we take the case of lactose intolerance to examine how popular media maintains biocentric biases. Analysing relevant articles published in The New York Times and Scientific American between 1971 and 2020, we document how ideas about milk, health and race evolve over time. Over this fifty‐year period, writers shifted from framing lactose intolerance as racial difference to lactase persistence as evolutionary genetics. Yet, articles on the osteoporosis ‘epidemic’ and vitamin D deficiency worked to perpetuate lactose intolerance as a health concern and standardise the dairy‐heavy American diet. Studying media portrayals of lactose intolerance and lactase persistence, we argue that popular discourses normalise biocentric biases through messages about eating behaviours and health.
A Pyrrhic Victory for Unjust Enrichment in Singapore? Esben Finance Ltd v Wong Hou‐Lianq Neil
Authors: Leow Rachel , Liau Timothy
Published: August 2022

In Esben Finance Ltd v Wong Hou‐Lianq Neil (Esben) the Singapore Court of Appeal handed down a momentous judgment, holding that, unlike in England and Wales, unjust enrichment claims in Singapore could not be time‐barred under the Limitation Act, laches would not apply, and ‘lack of consent’ should be accepted as an unjust factor, subject to circumscribed limits. These are novel stances, unheard of anywhere else in the common law world. We suggest, moreover, that Esben is of potentially greater significance: it is important evidence that Singapore has adopted a distinctive approach towards unjust enrichment. Under this gradually crystallising vision, unjust enrichment is characterised as a new area of law, with independent status but only an interstitial role. This vision, which draws a sharp divide between common law and equity and places unjust enrichment under the common law umbrella, is likely to have far‐reaching consequences for the subject's future development.
Geographical Indications and Public Good Relationships: Evidence and Policy Implications
Authors: Mancini Maria Cecilia , Guareschi Marianna , Bellassen Valentin , Arfini Filippo
Published: August 2022

In the European context, geographical indications (GIs) are tools that contribute to the achievement of rural development policy objectives. In this article, we propose that GI value chains produce positive environmental, social and economic benefits, defined as Public Goods (PGs), resulting from the rules defined in the Code of Specifications (CoS). This article reports the main results of the Strength2food H2020 project, designed to assessing the impact of GIs (through their CoSs) on agri‐food system sustainability. Specifically, this report highlights that GI CoSs may generate PGs through the rules codified in CoSs presented as good practices in the production of PGs for other GI systems. Some final recommendations are proposed from the analysis of those good practices which contribute to the generation of PGs and, consequently, to the improvement of a sustainable rural development process. Case studies analysed show that generation of PGs requires both an internal and external intervention. The former intervention implies governance strategies for GI territorial systems and value chains that can improve the production of PGs. The latter intervention entails consumers and other stakeholder communication strategies to raise awareness regarding PG generation. These interventions will ultimately increase the social value of GIs.
Ankle and foot pathologies in early rheumatoid arthritis, what can ultrasound tell us?
Authors: Abdelzaher Mohamed Gamal , Finzel Stephanie , Abdelsalam Adel , Enein Asmaa Farouk , Abdelsalam Noha
Published: August 2022

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune polyarticular disease. Despite being commonly affected in RA, the ankle and foot do not receive much attention, particularly in early disease. The precise diagnosis of their involvement and its impact on health is a clinical challenge that requires accurate assessment.

Aim

To determine the role of ultrasound in evaluation of ankle and foot pathologies and assess its impact on functional activity in newly diagnosed RA patients.

Methods

The study was conducted on 152 RA patients and 52 healthy controls. Patients were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and ultrasound scan. Impact on health was measured by health assessment questionnaire, as well as foot function index.

Results

In a cohort of patients with early RA with median duration of 1 month, tibialis posterior (TP) tenosynovitis (45.4%) was the most common pathology, followed by tibiotalar (TTJ) synovitis (39.8%), and peroneal tenosynovitis (39.1%). In terms of disease duration, TTJ (P = .001) foot pathologies were less common in early RA and tended to worsen over time, whereas TP (P = .048) and peroneal tenosynovitis (P = .011) were more common in early RA. In multivariate analysis TTJ, subtalar synovitis, forefoot pathologies, TP tenosynovitis, and Achilles enthesitis were found to be significant predictors of functional disability. The most important predictors of ankle pain were TTJ synovitis, TP tenosynovitis, peroneal tenosynovitis, and plantar fasciitis.

Conclusion

Ankle and foot involvement is a common issue of early RA, and it has a significant impact on quality of life. Ultrasound is a reliable tool for evaluating various abnormalities in this complex area, allowing for better management.
ECA’s roles to foster green and energy transition in emerging and developing countries
Authors: Akita Yuichiro
Published: August 2022

There are many challenges to foster green and energy transition in emerging and developing countries, and the roles for export credit agencies (ECAs) range over from updating the underwriting policy or way of business, to developing a new program. The COVID‐19 pandemic and the Russian War against Ukraine heightened political risks of global infrastructure development, including renewable energy in those countries. ECAs are expected to offer a risk mitigation or management tool, such as investment insurance, to enhance the investability of the project. The pathways to carbon neutrality in different countries are varied. Therefore, it would be necessary for ECAs to underwrite a transaction based on regional and country‐specific circumstances while confirming alignment with the Paris Agreement by each project. Furthermore, it is also critical for ECAs, particularly through insurance or guarantee programs to play their roles as catalysts to mobilize private capital to fill the funding gap of energy transition. The key would be for ECAs to be more innovative for all aspects of their own business model to realize the challenges.
Managerial Myopia, Earnings Guidance, and Investment*
Authors: Aghamolla Cyrus , Hashimoto Tadashi
Published: August 2022

This study investigates the real effects of management communication, specifically of forecasts or earnings guidance, on investment. Managers can signal the strength of their projects through accuracy in their earnings guidance. This leads less accurate managers to distort their investments; the equilibrium investment strategy involves over‐investment when earnings exceed the forecast and under‐investment when earnings fall short. Moreover, we find that managers are pessimistic in their forecasts, which helps to explain the corresponding well‐documented empirical regularity. This downward bias increases the likelihood of investment manipulation but decreases the real loss from distortion. Interestingly, the over‐investment induced by earnings guidance helps to mitigate the classic under‐investment problem for a myopic manager with unobservable investment. Earnings guidance can therefore be value‐increasing when managerial myopia is severe.
Dolichozeliagen. nov., a new genus of Dexiini (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Brazil
Authors: Santis Marcelo D
Published: August 2022

Dolichozeliagen. nov.and its type speciesDolichozelia caetegen. et sp. nov.from the subfamily Dexiinae are described from São Paulo (Brazil). The description ofNeozelia aliniGuimarães, 1975 was the last description of a new genus of Neotropical Dexiini; and after almost 50 years, the description ofDolichozeliagen. nov.constitutes the first new genus of Dexiini from the Neotropical region since Guimarães’ contribution. Prior to this study, 64 genera of Dexiini were known from the Neotropics, the larger tribe of Dexiinae. Herein, a diagnostic key for theZeliagroup of genera is given, with the inclusion ofDolichozeliagen. nov.In addition, a brief systematic discussion on dexiines is given in order to further discuss the systematic position ofDolichozeliagen. nov.in the tribe Dexiini. The new genus can be easily distinguished from the other genera in the tribe, mainly by the following combination of characters: legs very elongate, about 3× the length of the abdomen; abdomen about 3× the length of the thorax; syntergite 1 + 2 with a pair of marginal median setae and tergite 3 with two to three equal sized pairs of discal setae; tergite 5 elongate, ending in conical structure. Finally, a description and illustration of the male terminalia is provided for the new genus and species.
Neocaledonidiplosis Elsayed, gen. nov., a new genus of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) endemic to New Caledonia, with description of a new species forming leaf galls on Neoarytera chartacea (Sapindaceae)
Authors: Elsayed Ayman Khamis , Mille Christian Gilbert
Published: August 2022

New Caledonia is a biodiversity hotspot, but its gall midge fauna remains poorly known. In this study, we describe a gall midge Neocaledonidiplosis neoaryterae Elsayed, gen. et sp. nov. (Cecidomyiinae: Cecidomyiini) inducing leaf galls on Neoarytera chartacea (Sapindaceae) in Noumea, New Caledonia. The new genus is closely related to the catch‐all genus Contarinia, but distinguishable by the shorter ovipositor, longer aedeagus that bears sensoria and presence of the occipital protuberance. Molecular phylogenetic analysis was conducted and supported the close relationship of the new genus with Contarinia. This is the first example of a gall midge belonging to the tribe Cecidomyiini to be reported on Sapindaceae.
Simultaneous Cluster Structure Learning and Estimation of Heterogeneous Graphs for Matrix-Variate fMRI Data
Authors: Liu Dong , Zhao Changwei , He Yong , Liu Lei , Guo Ying , Zhang Xinsheng
Published: August 2022

Graphical models play an important role in neuroscience studies, particularly in brain connectivity analysis. Typically, observations/samples are from several heterogenous groups and the group membership of each observation/sample is unavailable, which poses a great challenge for graph structure learning. In this paper, we propose a method which can achieve Simultaneous Clustering and Estimation of Heterogeneous Graphs (briefly denoted as SCEHG) for matrix-variate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Unlike the conventional clustering methods which rely on the mean differences of various groups, the proposed SCEHG method fully exploits the group differences of conditional dependence relationships among brain regions for learning cluster structure. In essence, by constructing individual-level between-region network measures, we formulate clustering as penalized regression with grouping and sparsity pursuit, which transforms the unsupervised learning into supervised learning. A modified difference of convex programming with the alternating direction method of multipliers (DC-ADMM) algorithm is proposed to solve the corresponding optimization problem. We also propose a generalized criterion to specify the number of clusters. Extensive simulation studies illustrate the superiority of the SCEHG method over some state-of-the-art methods in terms of both clustering and graph recovery accuracy. We also apply the SCEHG procedure to analyze fMRI data associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which illustrates its empirical usefulness.
Event‐related brain potential correlates of the other‐race effect: A review
Authors: Tüttenberg Simone C. , Wiese Holger
Published: August 2022

People are better at remembering own‐race relative to other‐race faces. Here, we review event‐related brain potential (ERP) correlates of this so‐called other‐‘race’ effect (ORE) by discussing three critical aspects that characterize the neural signature of this phenomenon. First, difficulties with other‐race faces initially emerge during perceptual processing, which is indexed by an increased N170. Second, as evidenced by ‘difference due to subsequent memory’ effects, more effortful processing of other‐race faces is needed for successful encoding into long‐term memory. Third, ERP old/new effects reveal that a stronger engagement of processing resources is also required for successful retrieval of other‐race faces from memory. The ERP evidence available to date thus suggests widespread ethnicity‐related modulations during both perceptual and mnemonic processing stages. We further discuss how findings from the ORE compared with potentially related memory biases (e.g. other‐gender or other‐age effects) and how ERP findings inform the ongoing debate regarding the mechanisms underlying the ORE. Finally, we outline open questions and potential future directions with an emphasis on using multiple, ecologically more valid ‘ambient’ images for each face to assess the ORE in paradigms that capture identity rather than image recognition.
Internal governmental performance and accountability in Canada: Insights and lessons for post‐pandemic improvement
Authors: Shepherd Robert P.
Published: August 2022

This article summarizes and expands on the work of one of three dialogue study teams organized by the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS), Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), and the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA). The Internal Accountability Dialogue Study Team explored the rationale and effects of the performance management regime of the Canadian federal government starting the fall of 2021. In particular, the study team wanted to know whether and in what ways the performance management regime provided information and other support to decision‐makers during the pandemic, and in what ways the efficacy of the function post‐pandemic could be improved. It found that despite promises to bolster accountability and decision‐making, and to foster a learning culture within government, it was subject to a strong control orientation reminiscent of traditional public administration (TPA) that obstructed its potential to contribute in effective ways. If anything, practitioners indicated that performance reporting was something to be avoided rather than embraced raising concerns about the usefulness of the function. The article concludes that performance management ought to be revisited with a clear orientation to learning rather than control, which may restore confidence in its relevance for decision‐making.
Executive decision‐making during the COVID‐19 emergency period
Authors: Turnbull Lori , Bernier Luc
Published: August 2022

Beginning in March of 2020, the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID‐19 pandemic caused a shift in the ways in which governments, and all organizations, performed many of their functions, including the ways in which they make decisions. In Westminster parliamentary democracies, the executive branch—with the support of the public service—has the capacity to respond quickly and decisively to matters at hand, which can make the system particularly well suited to deal with emergencies. However, the expedited approach can come at some cost in the sense that a higher tolerance for risk earlier in the process can create an increased need for problem‐solving later on. This article explores how the Canadian government approached decision‐making during the COVID‐19 period, specifically within the period between March and August of 2020. Decision‐making processes were truncated and modified to meet the challenges of the time, and the federal public service was widely praised for its nimbleness and responsiveness.