bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How the “invisible diaspora hand” moves brands and places
Authors: Cova Bernard
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the notion of displacement, which refers on the one hand to the displacement faced by a diaspora and on the other hand to the diaspora’s hijacking of brands from their home country.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper supported by empirical evidence in the form of three case vignettes of brand hijacks by diasporas or reverse diasporas.

Findings

The three case vignettes show how the displacement does not only exist on the side of the brands; it is also found in the culture of the host country or the country of origin which is changed by the appropriation of the brand made by the (reverse) diaspora.

Practical implications

This paper argues why it is important for both consumer culture studies and brand culture research to pay more attention to the role of the “invisible diaspora hand.” Although sustained by some qualitative evidence, the paper is a theoretical construction that needs to be discussed and challenged.

Originality/value

This paper answers calls to go beyond space and place when it comes to market spatiality and to introduce other geographical concepts like diaspora.
Development of wearable system for carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Iftikhar Fatima , Anis Suleman , Asad Umar Bin , Riaz Shagufta , Rafiq Muntaha , Naeem Salman
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a hand disease caused by the pressing of the median nerve present in the palmar side of the wrist. It causes severe pain in the wrist, triggering disturbance during sleep. Different products like splints, braces and gloves are available in the market to alleviate this disease but there was still a need to improve the wearability, comfort and cost of the product. This study was about designing a comfortable and cost-effective wearable system for mild-to-moderate CTS. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy has been used to reduce the pain in the wrist.

Design/methodology/approach

After simulation by using Proteus software (which allowed the researchers to draw and simulate electrical circuits using ISIS, ARES and PCB design tools virtually), the circuit with optimum frequency, i.e. 33 Hz was selected, and the circuit was developed on a printed circuit board (PCB). The developed circuit was integrated successfully into the half glove structure.

Findings

The developed product had good thermophysiological comfort and hand properties as compared to the commercially available product of the same kind. In vivo testing (It involves the testing with living subjects like animals, plants or human beings) was performed which resulted in 85% confirmed viability of the product against CTS. A glove with an integrated circuit was developed successfully to accommodate various sizes without any sex specifications in a cost-effective way to mitigate the issue of CTS.

Research limitations/implications

Industrial workers, individuals frequently using their hands or those diagnosed with CTS may wish to use this product as therapy. The attention could not be paid to the aesthetic or visual appeal of the developed product.

Originality/value

A very comfortable glove with integrated TENS electrodes was developed successfully to accommodate various sizes without any sex specifications in a cost-effective way to mitigate the issues of CTS.
Perceived neighborhood crime and health: a multilevel analysis for Turkey
Authors: Kose Tekin , Orak Nur
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Crime has notable impacts on health outcomes of individuals through various pathways. This study aims to explore relationships between perceived neighborhood crime and health statuses of individuals in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combines individual- and household-level data from a national household survey and regional-level data for empirical analyses. A multilevel estimation framework is used for quantification of associations between a perceived neighborhood crime indicator and an individual-level health status index.

Findings

Empirical findings indicate that perceived neighborhood crime level has a negative relationship with health indexes of Turkish individuals. Additionally, health index is significantly associated with individual- and household-level covariates.

Practical implications

Public policies for health and safety improvements should consider heterogeneities in characteristics of individuals and households in developing regions of the world.

Originality/value

Earlier findings on associations of crime and health measures mostly rely on evidence from developed regions of the world. This research complements the related literature by providing empirical analysis of associations between perceived neighborhood crime and health outcomes for a developing country, Turkey.
How corporate social responsibility explains salespeople’s job performance: the influence of responsible leadership
Authors: Castro-González Sandra , Bande Belén , Vila-Vázquez Guadalupe
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is understanding how companies can improve sales force performance is a key issue. Despite this, the study of the impact that corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices might have on salespeople’s performance has been neglected in the sales literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data provided by 176 salesperson–supervisor dyads and through structural equation modeling and conditional process analysis, empirical evidence confirms the hypotheses.

Findings

Certainly, the findings confirm that salespeople’s performance is influenced by their CSR perception, not directly but through their pride and organizational commitment. Furthermore, the results improve when considering the intervention of a responsible leader. The paper also identifies the management implications and makes some recommendations for upcoming studies.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to fill this gap by examining the effect of salespeople’s CSR perception on their job performance through organizational pride and organizational commitment. Additionally, it is suggested that the exercise of responsible leadership by the supervisor strengthens the previous indirect relationship, moderating the influence of salesperson’s organizational pride on their commitment.
Deconstructing insider–outsider researcher positionality
Authors: Bukamal Hanin
Published: July 2022

Reflexivity involves the researcher's attentiveness to cultural aspects of the research context. In this article, I deconstruct scenarios from a reflexive diary and interpret how these scenarios respond to an insider–outsider positionality that is determined by my cultural identity, profession, gender and educational background. I examine reflexive dialogue as pertaining to several factors: the influence of my background on the research topic; the changing nature of positionality in different cultural locations; methodological decisions that are based on my positionality and the research context; preparation to conduct fieldwork in two distinct cultural contexts; and ways to establish rapport, approachability and cultural credibility. I conclude by acknowledging the value of reflexive practice, and by determining my ambivalent insider–outsider positionality in different cultural locations.
Common mineral nutrients in ankylosing spondylitis: A 2‐sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Sun Xiaoya , Deng Yujie , Ma Yubo , Shao Ming , Ni Man , Zhang Tao , Wang Xinqi , Xu Shanshan , Chen Yuting , Xu Shengqian , Pan Faming
Published: July 2022

Objective

The causal relationship between common mineral nutrients and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has not been studied. So this Mendelian randomization (MR) study aims to investigate the causal association of varying levels of calcium, zinc, copper, and selenium on AS.

Design

We selected 4 elements potentially associated with the onset and development of AS as exposure factors, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables, and these SNPs are independent of each other(r2 < 0.05) and highly correlated with each of the 4 elements (P < 5 × 10−8). The 2‐sample MR method takes Inverse‐variance weighted (IVW) and MR‐Egger as the main method and Simple mode (SM), Weighted median (WM1), and Weighted mode (WM2) as supplementary methods to evaluate the causal effect of mineral levels on AS.

Results

The IVW analysis does not provide convincing evidence to support a causal association between calcium (odds ratio [OR] = 1.000, 95% CI = 0.994, 1.005,P = .875), copper (OR = 1.000, 95% CI = 1.000, 1.001,P = .533) and selenium (OR = 0.999, 95% CI = 0.998, 1.000,P = .229) and AS. The IVW (OR = 1.001, 95% CI = 1.000, 1.002,P = .029) and WM1(OR = 1.001, 95% CI = 1.000, 1.002,P = .011) results of zinc show that per standard deviation increment in zinc is a suggestive association with risks of AS, and MR‐Egger (OR = 1.004, 95% CI = 0.996, 1.013,P = .265) and other supplementary methods indicate that zinc is not causally associated with AS. All MR‐Egger intercept parameters and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier tests demonstrated the absence of horizontal pleiotropy.

Conclusions

This study does not provide convincing evidence to support a causal correlation between calcium, zinc, copper, and selenium with AS.
Predicting severe alcohol use disorders in primary care using number of heavy drinking days
Authors: Metz Verena E. , Palzes Vanessa A. , Kline‐Simon Andrea H. , Chi Felicia W. , Weisner Constance M. , Sterling Stacy A.
Published: July 2022

Background and Aims

Although screening for unhealthy alcohol use is becoming more common, severe alcohol use disorders (AUDs) associated with the most severe medical and socio‐economic sequelae still often go unidentified in primary care. To improve identification of severe AUDs and aid clinical decision‐making, we aimed to identify a threshold of heavy drinking days (HDDs) associated with severe AUDs.

Design, Setting and Cases

This cohort study analyzed electronic health record data of 138 765 adults who reported ≥ 1 HDD (4+ drinks/occasion for women and men aged ≥ 65 years, 5+ for men aged 18–64 years) during a 3‐month period at a routine alcohol screening in primary care in a large Northern California, USA health‐care system from 2014 to 2017. Our sample was 66.5% male, 59.7% white, 11.0% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5.0% black, 17.4% Latino/Hispanic and 7.0% other/unknown race/ethnicity; the mean age was 40.6 years (standard deviation = 15.2).

Measurements

We compared sensitivity and specificity of different thresholds of the reported number of HDDs during a 3‐month period for predicting severe AUD diagnoses in the following year, in the full sample and by sex and age.

Findings

The prevalence of severe AUD diagnoses in the year after the screening was 0.6%. The optimal threshold predicting future severe AUD diagnoses in the full sample was ≥ 5 HDDs during a 3‐month period [sensitivity = 68.9%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 65.9, 72.0; specificity = 63.2%, 95% CI = 62.9, 63.4], but varied by sex and age. Women had a lower threshold than men (4 versus 6 HDDs), which decreased as women aged (from 5 HDDs among 18–24 years to 4 HDDs ≥ 25 years), but increased as men aged (from 5 HDDs among 18–24 years to 6 HDDs among 25–64 years, to 7 HDDs ≥ 65 years).

Conclusions

Five or more heavy drinking days in a 3‐month period may indicate heightened risk of future severe alcohol use disorder in an adult primary care population. The optimal thresholds are lower for women than for men, and thresholds decrease as women age but increase as men age.
JOKR: Joint Keypoint Representation for Unsupervised Video Retargeting
Authors: Mokady R. , Tzaban R. , Benaim S. , Bermano A.H. , Cohen‐Or D.
Published: July 2022

In unsupervised video retargeting, content is transferred from one video to another while preserving the original appearance and style, without any additional annotations. While this challenge has seen substantial advancements through the use of deep neural networks, current methods struggle when the source and target videos are of shapes that are different in limb lengths or other body proportions. In this work, we consider this task for the case of objects of different shapes and appearances, that consist of similar skeleton connectivity and depict similar motion. We introduce JOKR—a JOint Keypoint Representation that captures the geometry common to both videos, while being disentangled from their unique styles. Our model first extracts unsupervised keypoints from the given videos. From this representation, two decoders reconstruct geometry and appearance, one for each of the input sequences. By employing an affine‐invariant domain confusion term over the keypoints bottleneck, we enforce the unsupervised keypoint representations of both videos to be indistinguishable. This encourages the aforementioned disentanglement between motion and appearance, mapping similar poses from both domains to the same representation. This allows yielding a sequence with the appearance and style of one video, but the content of the other. Our applicability is demonstrated through challenging video pairs compared to state‐of‐the‐art methods. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this geometry‐driven representation enables intuitive control, such as temporal coherence and manual pose editing. Videos can be viewed in the supplement HTML.
Fibroblast growth factor 10 protects against UVB‐induced skin injury by activating the ERK/YAP signalling pathway
Authors: Wang Nan , Dong Yetong , Xu Xiejun , Shen Yingjie , Huang Zhiyuan , Yu Yin , Liu Zhili , Gong Wenjie , Zhang Siyi , Zheng Yeyi , Song Yonghuan , Zhu Zhongxin , Jin Litai , Cong Weitao
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Ultraviolet light B (UVB) irradiation can induce skin injury and result in keratinocytes proliferation inhibition. However, the molecular understanding of the repair during UVB‐induced cell proliferation inhibition remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the role and potential mechanism of FGF10 in promoting keratinocytes cell cycle and proliferation after UVB injury.

Materials and Methods

Expression of FGF10 protein was analysed in skin treated with UVB radiation by immunohistochemistry. The proliferation potential was examined by Immunofluorescence, Western Blot and RT‐PCR under UVB radiation, treated with FGF10 protein or overexpression of FGF10 using adeno‐associated virus. CCK8 kit was used to further detect cell proliferation ability.

Results

We found that FGF10 is highly expressed in skin treated with UVB. Overexpression of FGF10 has a protective effect against UVB‐induced skin damage by balancing epidermal thickness and enhancing epidermal keratinocytes proliferation. Importantly, FGF10 is found to alleviate UVB‐induced downregulation of YAP activity, then promoting keratinocytes proliferation. Disruption of YAP function, either with the small molecule YAP inhibitor Verteporfin (VP) or YAP small‐interfering RNA (siRNA), largely abolishes the protective activity of FGF10 on epidermal keratinocytes proliferation. Meanwhile, disruption of ERK kinase (MEK) activity with U0126 or ERK siRNA hinder the positive influence of FGF10 on UVB‐induced skin injury.

Conclusion

FGF10 promotes epidermal keratinocytes proliferation during UVB‐induced skin injury in an ERK/YAP‐dependent manner.
Subways and the Diffusion of Knowledge: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Qiao , Liu Xiuyan , Zhang Fan , Hu Tao
Published: July 2022

This paper aims to examine the role of the subway network, a typical form of transportation within urban areas, on innovation and knowledge diffusion. Applying the difference‐in‐differences strategy and spatial analysis, we used 1,332 newly opened stations in China from 2000 to 2013 as a quasi‐experiment to identify the local effects of subway expansions. Results suggested that by reducing communication costs and increasing opportunities for interaction, subway construction would bring growth at the district level. Knowledge dissemination would become more active after new stations open. Micro‐level results showed that these positive impacts were highly localized; that is, only those firms located within 1km around stations benefited from the new subway. Moreover, new subways facilitated the flow of knowledge from station to station and assisted firms in acquiring knowledge from more distant technology clusters conveniently.
Government Land Regulations and Housing Supply Elasticity in Urban China
Authors: Huang Wenbin
Published: July 2022

This paper studies the effects of government land regulations (GLR) on housing supply elasticity in urban China. We first extend the theoretical framework of Saiz (2010), then use land transaction microdata, satellite‐generated data, and the construction of instrumental variables to analyze the marginal effect of GLR, and finally calculate the housing supply elasticity caused by GLR. Our analysis finds that GLR is an important reason for the overall inelasticity of housing supply in 272 Chinese cities, which reduces housing supply elasticity from 1.457 (elastic) to 0.872 (inelastic). Housing supply elasticity caused by GLR has declined the most in first‐tier cities and the eastern regions. The marginal effect of land use regulation is greater than that of land allocation and supply regulations. The initial development level and natural geographic constraint of each city also matter in China's housing supply market.
High‐Speed Rail Service and the Issuance of Municipal Corporate Bonds
Authors: Zheng Liansheng , Li Juncheng , Zhao Zhihua
Published: July 2022

This study uses the difference‐in‐differences method to test the impact of a high‐speed rail (HSR) service on the issuance of municipal corporate bonds (MCB) based on panel data for prefecture‐level cities in China from 2003 to 2016. The study has three findings. First, HSR increased the scale of the issuance of MCB significantly. After conducting a series of robustness tests, the above conclusion remained robust. Second, HSR affected the issuance of MCB by increasing the city's financing demands and improving the c ity's financing capacity. Third, the effect of HSR on the issuance of MCB varied from city to city. Specifically, the promotion of the opening of HSR to the issuance of MCB was concentrated in remote and fast growing cities. High‐speed rail can also effectively reduce the cost and shrink credit spreads of the MCB. This paper shows that it is necessary to further optimize the layout of HSR, release and exploit the financial resource reallocation effect of HSR, and provide financial support to the high‐quality development of cities.
Infection and immunity: ‘There Are Things Out There You (Don't) Need To Know About’
Authors: Afonina Inna S. , Hoffmann Eik
Published: July 2022

This Special Issue of The FEBS Journal consists of 20 reviews covering various aspects and new developments in ‘Infection and Immunity’. The issue includes expert views on the role of different immune cell populations, on the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, and novel concepts in host defence and inflammatory signalling. Many reviews in this issue also highlight potential targets for future therapeutic interventions that aim to tackle inflammatory and immune responses in health and disease
Mismatch of N release from the permafrost and vegetative uptake opens pathways of increasing nitrous oxide emissions in the high Arctic
Authors: Lacroix Fabrice , Zaehle Sönke , Caldararu Silvia , Schaller Jörg , Stimmler Peter , Holl David , Kutzbach Lars , Göckede Mathias
Published: July 2022

Biogeochemical cycling in permafrost‐affected ecosystems remains associated with large uncertainties, which could impact the Earth's greenhouse gas budget and future climate policies. In particular, increased nutrient availability following permafrost thaw could perturb the greenhouse gas exchange in these systems, an effect largely unexplored until now. Here, we enhance the terrestrial ecosystem model QUINCY (QUantifying Interactions between terrestrial Nutrient CYcles and the climate system), which simulates fully coupled carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles in vegetation and soil, with processes relevant in high latitudes (e.g., soil freezing and snow dynamics). In combination with site‐level and satellite‐based observations, we use the model to investigate impacts of increased nutrient availability from permafrost thawing in comparison to other climate‐induced effects and CO2 fertilization over 1960 to 2018 across the high Arctic. Our simulations show that enhanced availability of nutrients following permafrost thaw account for less than 15% of the total Gross primary productivity increase over the time period, despite simulated N limitation over the high Arctic scale. As an explanation for this weak fertilization effect, observational and model data indicate a mismatch between the timing of peak vegetative growth (week 26–27 of the year, corresponding to the beginning of July) and peak thaw depth (week 32–35, mid‐to‐late August), resulting in incomplete plant use of nutrients near the permafrost table. The resulting increasing N availability approaching the permafrost table enhances N loss pathways, which leads to rising nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in our model. Site‐level emission trends of 2 mg N m−2 year−1 on average over the historical time period could therefore predict an emerging increasing source of N2O emissions following future permafrost thaw in the high Arctic.
Effects of sex and sampling site on the relative proportion of pesticides in uropygial gland secretions of European Blackbirds (Turdus merula)
Authors: Díez‐Fernández Alazne , Martín José , Martínez‐de la Puente Josué , Gangoso Laura , López Pilar , Soriguer Ramón , Figuerola Jordi
Published: July 2022

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is a pesticide that was commonly used for decades worldwide. The use of DDT was banned in the 1970s and 1980s in Europe because of its high toxicity and persistence in the environment, bioaccumulation in living organisms and biomagnification through food webs. However, monitoring using both invasive and non‐invasive methods has routinely reported the occurrence of DDT metabolites such as dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) in wild birds, providing valuable information about the exposure to pesticides and potential differences between species and over time. Here, we analysed the relative proportion of DDE in the uropygial gland secretions of European Blackbirds Turdus merula from two localities in southern Spain. Given the negative effects of this pollutant on animal immunity, we also tested for associations between the prevalence of haemosporidians and the relative proportion of DDE in their secretions. Relative proportions of DDE varied between sampling sites and were higher in females than in males, regardless of their age. In spite of the potential immunosuppressive effect of DDE, haemosporidian infection was not associated with DDE presence.
Comparative evaluation of the antibacterial effect ofAllium sativum, calcium hydroxide and their combination as intracanal medicaments in infected mature anterior teeth: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Mahfouz Omer Shaimaa Mohamed , Mohamed Dalia Abd‐Allah , Ali Abdel Latif Reham Mohamed
Published: July 2022

Aim

The purpose of this study was to compare the antibacterial effects ofAllium sativum(garlic extract), calcium hydroxide (Ca [OH]2) and their combination as intracanal medicaments in infected mature anterior teeth using real‐time PCR.

Methodology

This prospective double‐blind, controlled, parallel, superiority, randomized clinical trial was carried out on 66 permanent, necrotic incisors associated with asymptomatic apical periodontitis in 66 male patients. Patients were randomly divided into three groups (n = 22) according to the intracanal medications used. After access preparation, four microbiological samples (S) were taken using sterile absorbent paper points as follows: S1: before canal instrumentation and S2: after cleaning and shaping. The third sample (S3) and fourth sample (S4) were taken after the placement of the tested intracanal medications into their corresponding canals for 7 and 14 days, respectively. Total DNA was extracted from microbiological samples and relative quantitative real‐time PCRs were done to quantify the relative gene expression fold change (FC) forEnterococcus faecalisandStreptococcusspecies. At significance levelp ≤ .05, the data were statistically analysed in SPSS software using Kruskal–Wallis and Freidman's tests, followed by Dunn–Bonferronipost hoctest for pairwise comparisons.

Results

Both bacterial mean FC decreased significantly after mechanical instrumentation (S1 to S2) in all groups. However, no statistically significant differences were found after intracanal medicament placement (from S2 to S3 and from S3 to S4) except in the garlic group. Garlic significantly reducedEnterococcus faecalisFC in S3 and S4 when compared to Ca (OH)2and Ca (OH)2+ garlic combination. However, garlic and Ca (OH)2reducedStreptococcusbacteria in S3 similarly. Whilst in S4, garlic showed significantly more reduction than Ca (OH)2. The combination of Ca (OH)2with garlic extract showed the least significant bacterial reduction.

Conclusion

Within the study limitations, garlic intracanal medicament has a comparable anti‐Streptococcusefficiency to Ca (OH)2, whilst it is more effective againstEnterococcus faecalisspecies. When Ca (OH)2and garlic are combined, their antibacterial effectiveness is reduced. Increasing the time of application for tested intracanal medicaments by more than one week has no additional antibacterial effectiveness.
The dark side of business model innovation
Authors: Sabaruddin La Ode , MacBryde Jillian , D'Ippolito Beatrice
Published: July 2022

Existing literature has tended to focus on the positive benefits and outcomes of business model innovation (BMI), despite emerging evidence that BMI can also have a dark side, with negative consequences. We systematically review the existing BMI literature, articulating it around three clusters of negative consequences: those affecting the firm as an entity; those affecting the firm's stakeholders; and those that are specific or context‐dependent. In a similar fashion, we identify the driving factors and circumstances leading to these negative consequences and group them into four clusters: (1) managerial choices and processes, and three underpinning circumstances that influence such choices or processes; (2) trade‐offs between the new and current business models; (3) managers’ ability to manage BMI; and (4) context within which BMI is situated. The paper provides the first attempt to gather prior research on the phenomenon and thereby develop a conceptual understanding of the dark side of BMI. Furthermore, by proposing a model that explains how the dark side of BMI may occur, we inform ongoing debates on the theorization of the consequences that may derive from BMI and how these can be managed to support firms’ innovative growth, arguing how the disruptive innovation literature can only partially explain the phenomenon. Second, our model provides important foundations to further distil the complex link between BMI and performance. Finally, we suggest a number of future research avenues, accounting for different dimensions of the phenomenon.
Measurement of Individual Differences
Authors: Uttl Bob
Published: July 2022

An examination of test manuals and published research indicates that widely used memory tests (e.g., Verbal Paired Associates and Word List tests of the Wechsler Memory Scale, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and California Verbal Learning Test) are afflicted by severe ceiling effects. In the present study, the true extent of memory ability in healthy young adults was tested by giving 208 college undergraduates verbal paired-associate and verbal learning tests of various lengths; the findings demonstrate that healthy adults can remember much more than is suggested by the normative data for the memory tests just mentioned. The findings highlight the adverse effects of low ceilings in memory assessment and underscore the severe consequences of ceiling effects on score distributions, means, standard deviations, and all variability-dependent indices, such as reliability, validity, and correlations with other tests. The article discusses the optimal test lengths for verbal paired-associate and verbal list-learning tests, shows how to identify ceiling-afflicted data in published research, and explains how proper attention to this phenomenon can improve future research and clinical practice.
The Distribution and Development of Handedness for Manual Gestures in Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Authors: Hopkins William D. , Russell Jamie , Freeman Hani , Buehler Nicole , Reynolds Elizabeth , Schapiro Steven J.
Published: July 2022

This article describes the distribution and development of handedness for manual gestures in captive chimpanzees. Data on handedness for unimanual gestures were collected in a sample of 227 captive chimpanzees. Handedness for these gestures was compared with handedness for three other measures of hand use: tool use, reaching, and coordinated bimanual actions. Chimpanzees were significantly more right-handed for gestures than for all other measures of hand use. Hand use for simple reaching at 3 to 4 years of age predicted hand use for gestures 10 years later. Use of the right hand for gestures was significantly higher when gestures were accompanied by a vocalization than when they were not. The collective results suggest that left-hemisphere specialization for language may have evolved initially from asymmetries in manual gestures in the common ancestor of chimpanzees and humans, rather than from hand use associated with other, noncommunicative motor actions, including tool use and coordinated bimanual actions, as has been previously suggested in the literature.
Revisiting the number of self‐incompatibility alleles in finite populations: From old models to new results
Authors: Czuppon Peter , Billiard Sylvain
Published: July 2022

Under gametophytic self‐incompatibility (GSI), plants are heterozygous at the self‐incompatibility locus (S‐locus) and can only be fertilized by pollen with a different allele at that locus. The last century has seen a heated debate about the correct way of modelling the allele diversity in a GSI population that was never formally resolved. Starting from an individual‐based model, we derive the deterministic dynamics as proposed by Fisher (The genetical theory of natural selection ‐ A complete, Variorum edition, Oxford University Press, 1958) and compute the stationary S‐allele frequency distribution. We find that the stationary distribution proposed by Wright (Evolution, 18, 609, 1964) is close to our theoretical prediction, in line with earlier numerical confirmation. Additionally, we approximate the invasion probability of a new S‐allele, which scales inversely with the number of resident S‐alleles. Lastly, we use the stationary allele frequency distribution to estimate the population size of a plant population from an empirically obtained allele frequency spectrum, which complements the existing estimator of the number of S‐alleles. Our expression of the stationary distribution resolves the long‐standing debate about the correct approximation of the number of S‐alleles and paves the way for new statistical developments for the estimation of the plant population size based on S‐allele frequencies.
Exploratory stock identification through morphometric trait analysis of the estuarine round herring,Gilchristella aestuaria(Pisces: Clupeidae)
Authors: Zvavahera Munetsi , Hugo Sanet , Vine Niall G. , Weyl Olaf L.F.
Published: July 2022

As a first step in stock identification of estuarine round herringGilchristella aestuaria, a morphometric analysis of multiple standardised traits and body condition was conducted on samples from sites across the distribution range of the species, including freshwater and estuarine populations. Multivariate analyses, including a principal component analysis (PCA), revealed that sites on the same river system and sites in close geographic proximity tend to share morphometric traits. Most of the variation in PCA was due to caudal fin length (CFL). Single traits were analysed with generalised additive models with river system location as the smooth term. CFL was strongly related to river systems, and to a lesser extent salinity and turbidity. Unlike previous local‐scale studies, this broad‐scale study did not support the notion of ecotypes based on eye diameter. Condition indices like body depth and relative weight were related to climatic conditions, salinity and turbidity, more than to river system. The findings agree with previous studies on phylogenetic history and limited gene flow inG. aestuaria, and suggest variation in environmental productivity that affects body condition in different populations. Subsequent research should examine temporal changes in traits like CFL and body condition based on long‐term seasonal sampling. Safeguarding this potential resource may be enabled by adopting appropriate management methods based on delineation of stocks with different levels of productivity and connectivity, before widespread fishing of this species is promoted.
Towards super‐resolved terahertz microscopy for cellular imaging
Authors: D'Antuono Rocco , Bowen John W.
Published: July 2022

Biomedical imaging includes the use of a variety of techniques to study organs and tissues. Some of the possible imaging modalities are more spread at clinical level (CT, MRI, PET), while others, such as light and electron microscopy are preferred in life sciences research. The choice of the imaging modalities can be based on the capability to study functional aspects of an organism, the delivered radiation dose to the patient, and the achievable resolution.

In the last few decades, spectroscopists and imaging scientists have been interested in the use of terahertz (THz) frequencies (30 μm to 3 mm wavelength) due to the low photon energy associated (E∼1 meV, not causing breaking of the molecular bonds but still interacting with some vibrational modes) and the high penetration depth that is achievable. THz has been already adopted in security, quality control and material sciences. However, the adoption of THz frequencies for biological and clinical imaging means to face, as a major limitation, the very scarce resolution associated with the use of such long wavelengths. To address this aspect and reconcile the benefit of minimal harmfulness for bioimaging with the achievable resolving power, many attempts have been made. This review summarises the state‐of‐the‐art of THz imaging applications aimed at achieving super‐resolution, describing how practical aspects of optics and quasi‐optics may be treated to efficaciously implement the use of THz as a new low‐dose and versatile modality in biomedical imaging and clinical research.
A comparative study assessing the precision and trueness of digital and printed casts produced from several intraoral and extraoral scanners in full arch and short span (3‐unit FPD) scanning: An in vitro study
Authors: Ellakany Passent , Aly Nourhan M. , Al‐Harbi Fahad
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To compare precision and trueness of digital and printed casts produced from several intraoral and extraoral scanners in full arch and short span scanning.

Materials and Methods

A fully dentate maxillary phantom cast was used to represent full arch scanning, and a mandibular phantom cast, including posterior 3‐unit fixed partial denture preparations to represent short span scanning. Reference casts (RCs) were fabricated and scanned 10 times by a reference extraoral scanner (Medit T510, Seoul, Korea) to provide reference digital casts. RC was then scanned 10 times by 5 scanners: 2 intraoral scanners (Trios 3shape [Trios 3] and Dental Wings [DW]), and 3 extraoral scanners (3shape E3 [E3], S600 ARTI [S600], and Ceramill Map 600 [M600]). Digital standard tessellation language (STL) files obtained from the 5 scanners were sent to a stereolithography 3D printer to fabricate printed casts. Trueness was obtained by comparing STL files of each digital/printed cast to the RC, while precision was obtained by comparing the digital/printed STL file of each scanner to the other files of same digital/printed group. The lower the precision and trueness values, the higher the accuracy of casts. Multivariate analysis of variance was performed to assess the association of precision and trueness with the type of scanner, type of cast, and scanning span.

Results

There was a significant difference in precision and trueness of casts produced from different scanners (p <0.001). The lowest precision and trueness were demonstrated by casts produced from DW. Digital casts showed significantly higher precision and trueness compared to 3D printed casts (p <0.001). Regarding the scanning span, full arch scanning showed significantly lower precision and trueness than short span scanning (p <0.001).

Conclusions

Extraoral scanners exhibited higher trueness and precision than intraoral scanners. Trios 3 showed comparable accuracy to that of the studied extraoral scanners in the case of short span scanning. DW was the least accurate scanner in all studied groups, while E3 showed the highest accuracy level among the mentioned scanners. Digital casts showed higher trueness and precision compared to 3D printed casts.
Mothers with justice‐involved sons: Socioeconomic impacts of COVID‐19 by neighborhood disorder in the United States
Authors: LaBerge Alyssa , Osuna Amanda Isabel , Cavanagh Caitlin , Cauffman Elizabeth
Published: July 2022

Women, particularly mothers, have faced disparate socioeconomic consequences throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic. Research has yet to examine whether the consequences of the pandemic vary based on the level of neighborhood disorder, which is associated with various health conditions, including COVID‐19 complications. The present study utilizes data from a diverse sample of 221 women with justice‐involved sons interviewed during the early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Negative binominal and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine whether perceived neighborhood social disorder is related to socioeconomic impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic, and whether the relation varies for mothers with and without children in their home during the pandemic. The results suggest that greater perceived neighborhood social disorder was associated with increased in COVID‐19‐related socioeconomic consequences. Neighborhood social disorder affected socioeconomic impacts above and beyond the effects of having a child living in the home. Additionally, Latinas experienced greater socioeconomic impacts than women of other races and ethnicities. The results indicate a key relationship between the neighborhood conditions a woman lives in and the extent of the socioeconomic consequences they faced during the early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Future directions and direct implications of the study findings are discussed.
Novel temperature‐controlled sleep system to improve sleep: a proof‐of‐concept study
Authors: Haghayegh Shahab , Khoshnevis Sepideh , Smolensky Michael H. , Hermida Ramon C. , Castriotta Richard J. , Schernhammer Eva , Diller Kenneth R.
Published: July 2022

The sleep–wake cycle is regulated by circadian Process C and homeostatic Process S. Selective thermal stimulation (STS) of the cervical spine region enhances glabrous skin blood flow (GSBF) and augments body heat dissipation to increase distal‐to‐proximal skin gradient (DPG) causing decrease of core body temperature (CBT), which can shorten sleep onset latency (SOL) and improve sleep quality. A total of 11 young healthy/normal sleeper males challenged to go to bed (lights‐off) 2 h earlier than usual were subjected in a randomised order to non‐consecutive treatment and control night‐time sleep sessions. The treatment night entailed activation of a dual‐temperature zone mattress with a cooler centre and warmer periphery plus STS pillow that applied mild heating to the cervical spinal skin for 30 min after lights‐off for sleep. During the first 30 min after lights‐off, GSBF (mean [standard error (SE)] Δ = 49.77 [19.13] perfusion units, p = 0.013) and DPG (mean [SE] Δ = 2.05 [0.62] °C, p = 0.005) were significantly higher and CBT (mean [SE] Δ = –0.15 [0.07] °C, p = 0.029) was significantly lower in the treatment than control night, while there was no significant difference in these variables during the 45 min prior to lights‐off (baseline). Moreover, SOL was significantly reduced (mean [SE] Δ = –48.6 [23.4] min, p = 0.032) and subjective sleep quality significantly better (p < 0.001) in the treatment than control night. In conclusion, the novel sleep facilitating system comprised of the STS pillow plus dual‐temperature zone mattress induced earlier increase in GSBF and DPG and earlier decline in CBT. This resulted in statistically significant shortened SOL and improved overall sleep quality, thereby reducing sleep pressure of Process S, even under the challenging investigative protocol requiring participants to go to sleep 2 h earlier than customary.
Association between clinical outcomes and restless legs syndrome in Japanese patients with ulcerative colitis
Authors: Kitakata Shogo , Furukawa Shinya , Miyake Teruki , Shiraishi Kana , Tange Kazuhiro , Hashimoto Yu , Yagi Sen , Ninomiya Tomoyuki , Suzuki Seiyuu , Shibata Naozumi , Murakami Hidehiro , Ohashi Katsuhisa , Tomida Hideomi , Yamamoto Yasunori , Takeshita Eiji , Ikeda Yoshio , Hiasa Yoichi
Published: July 2022

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep disorder in the Western population. The prevalence of restless legs syndrome in the Japanese population is 4.6%. Inflammatory and/or immune alteration might be associated with the development of restless legs syndrome. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Evidence regarding the association between ulcerative colitis and the prevalence of restless legs syndrome is limited. Herein, we investigated the association between clinical outcomes and the prevalence of restless legs syndrome in Japanese patients with ulcerative colitis. This was a cross‐sectional study using baseline data from a prospective cohort study. Subjects in this study were 273 patients with ulcerative colitis. The definition of restless legs syndrome was achieved using a self‐administered questionnaire based on the diagnostic criteria for restless legs syndrome in an epidemiological study approved by the Executive Committee of the International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group in 2002. Clinical outcomes were clinical remission and mucosal healing. The association between clinical remission and mucosal healing and the prevalence of restless legs syndrome was assessed by multivariate logistic regression analyses. The percentage of clinical remission and mucosal healing was 58.4% and 63.1%, respectively. The prevalence of restless legs syndrome in this cohort was 4.7%. Clinical remission (adjusted odds ratio 0.23, 95% confidence interval 0.05–0.93) and mucosal healing (adjusted odds ratio 0.23, 95% confidence interval 0.05–0.90) were independently inversely associated with restless legs syndrome. No association between serum haemoglobin and restless legs syndrome was found. In conclusion, clinical remission and mucosal healing were independently and inversely associated with the prevalence of restless legs syndrome in Japanese patients with ulcerative colitis.
Performance evaluation of a brewery wastewater treatment plant in Ethiopia: Implications for wetland ecosystem management
Authors: Daba Chala , Atamo Amanuel , Dagne Mengesha , Gizeyatu Adinew , Adane Metadel , Embrandiri Asha , Gebrehiwot Mesfin
Published: July 2022

Brewery industries are a major surface water pollution source since they release their waste waters into receiving aquatic systems. The Brasserieset Group Industry (BGI) located at the town of Kombolcha (Ethiopia) discharges large quantities of organically laden waste water into the Borkena River, a tributary to the Cheffa Wetland, one of Ethiopia's largest wetlands. As the efficiency of the brewery's wastewater treatment plant has not been assessed, there is no existing evidence regarding the compliance of its effluent discharges with standard discharge limits. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to evaluate the efficiency of the brewery wastewater treatment plant, as well as to assess the status of the effluent discharge compliance for the stated guidelines. Time‐composite wastewater samples were collected from the treatment plant inlet and final outlet during February to March 2020. Pollutant removal efficiency was evaluated by determining the differences in the pollutant concentrations in the influent and effluent. The mean value of the treated brewery wastewater Biochemical Oxygen Demand was 23.3 ± 12.3 mg/L, Chemical Oxygen Demand was 111.9 ± 33.8 mg/L, total nitrogen (TN) was 92.4 ± 21 mg/L, total phosphorus (TP) was 12.8 ± 5.1 mg/L and nitrate nitrogen (NO3‐N) was 22.5 ± 5.2 mg/L. Although the brewery treatment plant removed large percentages of organic constituents such as BOD5 (98.6%) and COD (96.7%), only small quantities of TP (49.8%), TN (19.9%) and NO3‐N (9.3%) were removed. As the treatment plant discharges did not meet the Ethiopian permissible limit standards for the critical parameters, deterioration of the downstream wetland and its resources is of serious concern. To better manage and conserve the Cheffa Wetland and its important ecosystem services, it is recommended that the industry improves its wastewater treatment efficiency.
Multispecies environmental DNA metabarcoding sheds light on annual coral spawning events
Authors: Ip Yin Cheong Aden , Chang Jia Jin Marc , Tun Karenne Phyu Phyu , Meier Rudolf , Huang Danwei
Published: July 2022

Synchronous multispecific coral spawning generally occurs annually and forms an integral part of the coral life cycle. Apart from spawning times and species participation, however, much else remains unknown. Here, we applied environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to study two tropical reef sites of contrasting coral cover before, during and after coral spawning. Using coral‐ITS2 and vertebrate‐12S markers, we evaluated eDNA as an alternative monitoring tool by assessing its capabilities in detecting spawning species and tracking relative abundances of coral and fish eDNA. Over 3 years, elevated eDNA coral signals during the event (proportional read increase of up to five‐fold) were observed, detecting a total of 38 coral and 133 fish species with all but one of the coral species visually observed to be spawning. This is also the first demonstration that eDNA metabarcoding can be used to infer the diurnal partitioning of night‐ and day‐time spawning, spawning in coral species overlooked by visual surveys, and the associated changes in fish trophic structures as an indicator of spawning events. Our study paves the way for applied quantitative eDNA metabarcoding approaches to better study ephemeral and important biological events.