bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regret and self-peer-brand frustration in masstige collaborations: the case of missed purchases because of stock-out
Authors: Mendini Monica
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Partnerships between luxury brands and mass-market retailers, termed masstige collaborations, are the last frontier of promoting brand popularity. The new products launched during these partnerships are offered at premium prices and characterized by limited duration and supply, and hence rapid stock-out. Given the importance of this practice and the predominant focus in the literature on the managerial aspects, this study aims to investigate consumer reactions to masstige collaborations, especially in the case of missed purchases because of stock-out.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyzes how consumers evaluate masstige collaborations in the fashion industry using a mixed-method research design, triangulating data from different sources, analyzing Twitter comments and press articles, and then conducting different experiments to replicate the main findings.

Findings

Results reveal that missed purchases of masstige collaboration products lead to feelings of frustration (vs regret). In addition, they show that these reactions are stronger in the case of masstige (vs non-masstige) collaborations, especially when consumers experience stock-out. Different themes emerge that trigger regret and/or frustration, suggesting some frustration recovery strategies.

Originality/value

This work provides a new consumer perspective on the masstige collaboration branding practice, especially after missed purchases. The study offers insights on the critical pitfalls of this practice to help managers leverage this popular form of alliance.
Does hiring a manager improve efficiency – owner vs. non-owner management control of rice mills
Authors: Majiwa Eucabeth , Lee Boon , Månsson Jonas , Wilson Clevo
Published: July 2022

Purpose

In this study, the impact of owner-operator and non-owner operator rice mills on productive efficiency is investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data collected from a survey of 111 rice mills in the Mwea region of Kenya are used. A metafrontier approach is employed to measure overall technical efficiency which is decomposed into managerial and organisational efficiency.

Findings

The results reveal no significant difference in overall technical and managerial efficiency between owner and non-owner operated mills. However, a significant difference exists in organisational efficiency of mills: non-owner operated mills were found to be performing significantly better than owner-operated.

Practical implications

The authors provide supporting evidence to the study and discuss some of the significant policy implications stemming from the study.

Originality/value

It is recognised that for owners to take the risk of divesting control to a hired manager rather than manage the firm themselves can have major strategic, financial and often emotional consequences. However, there is little empirical evidence on how production efficiency will develop as a result of hiring a manager with the underlying economic theory providing ambiguous guidance. Standard economic theory assumes that firms behave as profit maximisers, which can be achieved by operating efficiently. However, this may not always be the case and as the literature indicates, this may especially be so for small businesses in low- and middle-income countries.
Analyzing the international connectivity of the major container ports in Northeast Asia
Authors: Nguyen Phong Nha , Kim Hwayoung
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aims to identify the characteristics of the maritime shipping network in Northeast Asia as well as compare the level of port connectivity among these container ports in the region. In addition, this study analyses the change in role and position of 20 ports in the region by clustering these ports based on connectivity index and container throughput and route index.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs Social Network Analysis (SNA) to delineate the international connectivity of major container ports in Northeast Asia. Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is used to identify each port's connectivity index and container throughput index, and the resulting indexes are employed as the basis to cluster 20 major ports by fuzzy C-mean (FCM).

Findings

The results revealed that Northeast Asia is a highly connected maritime shipping network with the domination of Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Busan. Furthermore, both container throughput and connectivity in almost all container ports in the region have decreased significantly due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The rapid growth of Shenzhen and Ningbo has allowed them to join Cluster 1 with Shanghai while maintaining high connectivity, yet decreasing container throughput has pushed Busan down to Cluster 2.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is to combine indexes of SNA into connectivity index reflecting characteristics of the maritime shipping network in Northeast Asia and categorize 20 major ports by FCM.
Does herding behavior explain the contagion of the COVID-19 crisis?
Authors: Ghorbel Achraf , Snene Yasmine , Frikha Wajdi
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to investigate the pandemic’s function as a driver of investor herding in international stock markets, given that the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis has caused a large rise in uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper investigates the presence of herding behavior among the developed and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) stock market indices during the COVID-19 crisis, by using a modified Cross-Sectional Absolute Deviation (CSAD) measure which is considered a proxy for herding and the wavelet coherence (WC) analysis between CSAD that captures the different inter-linkages between stock markets.

Findings

Using the CSAD model, the authors' findings indicate that the herding behavior of investors is present in stock markets during the four waves of COVID-19 crisis. The results also demonstrate that the transaction volume improve the herding behavior in the stock markets. As for the news concerning the number of cases caused by the pandemic, the results show that the pandemic does not stimulate herding; however, the number of deaths caused by this pandemic turns out to be a great stimulator of herding. By using the WC analysis, the authors' findings indicate the presence of herding behavior between the Chinese and stock markets (developed and emerging), especially during the first wave of the crisis and the presence of herding behavior between the Indian and stock markets (developed and emerging) in the medium and long run, especially during the third wave of the COVID-19 crisis.

Originality/value

The authors' study is among the first that examines the influence of the recent COVID-19 pandemic as a stimulator of herding behavior between stock markets. The study also uses the WC analysis next to the CSAD model to obtain robust results. The authors' results are consistent with the mental bias of behavioral finance where herding behavior is considered effective in volatility predictions and decision-making for international investors, specifically during the COVID-19 crisis.
The impact of special events and fan–player bonding on identified fan consumption – a study of professional soccer in the USA
Authors: Gutierrez Diego , Zboja James J. , Briggs Kristie , Sheehan Kathleen M.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study is to examine how fan attendance at team special events and player appearances impact fan consumption (as measured by merchandise sales). Insights obtained could shed light on opportunities for professional soccer teams to expand revenues through enhanced fan consumption of goods and services.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 499 season ticket holders were used to assess fan consumption by measuring merchandise sales. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions were run for merchandise sales as the dependent variable of fan consumption. The control variables were age, gender (male = 1, 0 otherwise), and whether an individual has children.

Findings

The key independent variables of attending special events and fan–player bonding were both found to have a statistically significant impact on merchandise sales. Results show that each additional special event attended generates up to $33.71 in merchandise sales for the club. Similarly, each fan–player bonding experience attended also has a direct impact, increasing merchandise consumption by $23.00.

Social implications

The results of this study provide insights that can help fan consumption grow within the professional United States soccer industry and better allow team managers to make decisions about the possible benefits of holding more special events and fan–player bonding experiences. The findings also confirm the impact personal relationships with fans can have on the bottom line of sport franchises.

Originality/value

Though this study adds to the body of literature by expanding previous work on fan consumption, there are limited studies on the social aspects of consumption which are examined and analyzed within this study, particularly of note is the study of merchandise sales as proxy for fan consumption.
The influence of sellers’ ethical behaviour on customer’s loyalty, satisfaction and trust
Authors: Mansouri Hossein , Sadeghi Boroujerdi Saeed , Md Husin Maizaitulaidawati
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between sellers’ ethical behaviour and customer loyalty. The mediating effect of trust and satisfaction in the relationship between ethical behaviour and loyalty was also assessed in the sportswear industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 265 consumers. Ten hypotheses were developed and tested by applying structural equation modelling.

Findings

There is a significant influence between sellers’ ethical behaviour and consumers’ loyalty. Also, satisfaction and trust mediate the relationship between sellers’ ethical behaviour and consumers’ loyalty. Trust is also found as the most proximal antecedent to customer loyalty.

Originality/value

This study empirically justifies the relationship between sellers’ ethical behaviour towards customer satisfaction and trust. This study also provides insight into the relationships between customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty in an integrated model.
Flower colour and flowering phenology mediate plant–pollinator interaction assembly in a diverse co‐flowering community
Authors: Albor Cristopher , Ashman Tia‐Lynn , Stanley Aiden M. , Martel Carlos , Arceo‐Gómez Gerardo
Published: July 2022

Uncovering the role of competition and facilitation in community assembly is central for developing a predictive understanding of the forces that organize biodiversity. Standard trait‐based approaches however rely on detection of only one assembly mechanism (competition or facilitation) along a single trait even though pollinator‐mediated plant–plant interactions can be structured along multiple phenotypic, phenological and ecological traits.

We evaluated plant species distribution along multiple phenotypic and ecological traits (flower colour, flowering time, pollinator sharing) and described an entire co‐flowering community as a set of modules with unique patterns of assembly, to test predictions regarding the relative contribution of competition and facilitation to the assembly of a diverse co‐flowering community.

We show a modular pattern of flower colour assembly. Flower colour modules differ in their spectral reflectance patterns including colour hue and saturation. Within modules, however, species are differentially assembled along phenological and ecological traits (pollinator sharing) depending on the main pollinator group visiting plant species within each module. Results suggest different trait assembly patterns within individual trait‐modules in the same co‐flowering community and that different trait‐patterns can result from the same type of ecological interaction.

This study reveals empirical evidence of community assembly along multiple axes of trait differentiation and raises caution when interpreting assembly patterns based on a single trait.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Macronutrient balance has opposing effects on cognition and survival in honey bees
Authors: Bouchebti Sofia , Wright Geraldine A. , Shafir Sharoni
Published: July 2022

Malnutrition in vertebrates, including humans, is known to affect brain development. Protein deprivation in the early stages of life dramatically impairs cognitive abilities. In insects, dietary protein deficiency influences several physiological and behavioural traits, but it is unknown how protein to carbohydrate (P:C) ratio simultaneously affects survival and cognitive performance.

We used the geometric framework approach to examine the effects of P:C ratio in the diet of newly emerged honey bees on their survival, sucrose sensitivity, and learning and memory by conditioning of the proboscis extension response.

The P:C ratio in the diet did not affect sucrose sensitivity, whereas it affected lifespan and cognition differently. While lifespan peaked at P:C ratio of 1:19, learning and short‐term memory peaked at P:C ratios of 1:9 and 1:4. Protein deprivation slightly reduced bee lifespan but highly impaired learning and short‐term memory. On the other hand, an excess of protein dramatically reduced bee lifespan with lesser effects on learning and short‐term memory.

Bees were only able to form an early long‐term memory when they had been eating a protein diet (P:C ratio of 1:9) during 24 hr before the test, regardless of the diet eaten previously.

Our study shows that nutrition affects honey bee cognitive abilities, but that these effects, unlike in vertebrates, can be quickly reversed with an appropriate diet.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Natural and experimental cold exposure in adulthood increase the sensitivity to future stressors in a free‐living songbird
Authors: Vitousek Maren N. , Houtz Jennifer L. , Pipkin Monique A. , Chang van Oordt David A. , Hallinger Kelly K. , Uehling Jennifer J. , Zimmer Cedric , Taff Conor C.
Published: July 2022

As the global climate shifts, many species are imperilled by changing thermal regimes. Despite rising global temperatures, some populations must contend with more frequent or extreme cold. In these populations, the ability to cope with cold may be an important determinant of fitness.

Experiments in captive animals have shown that extreme cold or rapid temperature declines typically elicit an increase in glucocorticoid hormones (mediators of the stress response); however, it is not known whether free‐living adults, which may be better at buffering the effects of cold, show a similar response to ecologically relevant thermal challenges. The effects of cold on the sensitivity to future challenges are also poorly understood.

Using targeted manipulations of nest temperature in free‐living tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor and a long‐term dataset (2,888 samples; 8 years), we tested the relationship between cold exposure and glucocorticoid levels in adults.

Both natural and experimental cold exposure altered glucocorticoid regulation. This manifested primarily in terms of an upregulation in the sensitivity to future challenges (stress‐induced levels). Experimental cold exposure also increased the initial speed and duration of the acute stress response. Analyses of the long‐term dataset found that baseline glucocorticoids were higher in cold conditions; however, the magnitude of this effect was weak. A sliding window analysis revealed differences in the timeline over which temperature best predicted baseline and stress‐induced glucocorticoids.

Although unpredictability is often regarded as a defining factor of stressors, we found that recent ambient temperatures better predicted circulating corticosterone than measures of thermal unpredictability, including the degree of recent temperature change and negative prediction error (the difference between experienced temperatures and long‐term averages).

Together, these results suggest that thermally induced increases in the sensitivity to future challenges may prime individuals to respond more strongly or rapidly to worsening conditions, or to subsequent challenges of a different type, without incurring the costs that can result from substantial elevations in baseline glucocorticoids. This kind of preparatory response could be adaptive; however, an increased sensitivity to other challenges could also represent an overlooked cost of changing thermal regimes.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Applied autoethnography: A method for reporting best practice in ecological and environmental research
Authors: Murphy Kilian J. , Griffin Laura L. , Nolan Grace , Haigh Amy , Hochstrasser Tamara , Ciuti Simone , Kane Adam
Published: July 2022

Applied research involves interactions between different organisations—academia, industry, government. Breakdowns in communication can occur during these interactions which alter a project's outcome. We omit how we encounter and overcome these problems from scientific manuscripts which mask the social and cultural considerations that are critical to a project's success.

Autoethnography is a form of structured reflection whereby researchers use personal experience to contribute to understanding collaborative processes. We propose an applied form of autoethnography as a repeatable protocol to describe inter‐organisational interactions during the research process in ecology and environmental research. We demonstrate the use of this protocol with five case studies from a diversity of wildlife research across a wide variety of experience levels and scales from small mammals, large herbivores and predators to digital ecology.

Our applied autoethnography protocol would ensure that specific biases and context are adequately described and that problems encountered and lessons learned from the experience are reflected upon.

These reports can be presented as stand‐alone publications where appropriate, that is, to communicate an effective solution for a novel problem, or within the methods or supplementary material of manuscripts to further explain how the project developed from initial idea to final publication. Furthermore, this protocol can be used by practitioners to evaluate the trajectory of management decisions and policy implications in their jurisdiction to promote transparency and improve communication with stakeholders.

Synthesis and Applications: Applied science will continue to intersect with organisations that help or hinder research efforts depending on cultural contexts and biases. Using adequate reflection on case studies to record these experiences and disseminate lessons to the wider community will improve how we approach problems in research, help us to avoid repeating mistakes and ultimately save time and resources. Outside of research, case studies derived from this protocol allow practitioners to holistically understand the methods, biases and challenges of the research from a new perspective, thus providing a novel knowledge brokering function between academia and practitioners in applied ecology.
Golgi‐localized calcium/manganese transporters FgGdt1 and FgPmr1 regulate fungal development and virulence by maintaining Ca2+ and Mn2+ homeostasis in Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Wu Congxian , Guo Zhongkun , Zhang Meiru , Chen Huilin , Peng Minghui , Abubakar Yakubu Saddeeq , Zheng Huawei , Yun Yingzi , Zheng Wenhui , Wang Zonghua , Zhou Jie
Published: July 2022

Calcium and manganese transporters play important roles in regulating Ca2+ and Mn2+ homeostasis in cells, which is necessary for the normal physiological activities of eukaryotes. Gdt1 and Pmr1 function as calcium/manganese transporters in the Golgi apparatus. However, the functions of Gdt1 and Pmr1 have not been previously characterized in the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. Here, we identified and characterized the biological functions of FgGdt1 and FgPmr1 in F. graminearum. Our study shows that FgGdt1 and FgPmr1 are both localized to the cis‐ and medial‐Golgi. Disruption of FgGdt1 or FgPmr1 in F. graminearum caused serious defects in vegetative growth, conidiation, sexual development and significantly decreased virulence in wheat but increased deoxynivalenol (DON) production. Importantly, FgGdt1 is involved in Ca2+ and Mn2+ homeostasis and the severe phenotypic defects of the ΔFggdt1 mutant were largely due to loss of FgGdt1 function in Mn2+ transportation. FgGdt1‐mCherry colocalizes with FgPmr1‐GFP at the Golgi, and FgGDT1 exerts its biological function upstream of FgPMR1. Taken together, our results collectively demonstrate that the cis‐ and medial‐Golgi‐localized proteins FgGdt1 and FgPmr1 regulate Ca2+ and Mn2+ homeostasis of the Golgi apparatus, and this function is important in modulating the growth, development, DON biosynthesis and pathogenicity of F. graminearum.
Infection‐competent monkeypox virus contamination identified in domestic settings following an imported case of monkeypox into the UK
Authors: Atkinson Barry , Burton Christopher , Pottage Thomas , Thompson Katy‐Anne , Ngabo Didier , Crook Ant , Pitman James , Summers Sian , Lewandowski Kuiama , Furneaux Jenna , Davies Katherine , Brooks Timothy , Bennett Allan M. , Richards Kevin S.
Published: July 2022

An imported case of monkeypox was diagnosed in December 2019 in a traveller returning from Nigeria to the UK. Subsequently, environmental sampling was performed at two adjoining single‐room residences occupied by the patient and their sibling. Monkeypox virus DNA was identified in multiple locations throughout both properties, and monkeypox virus was isolated from several samples 3 days after the patient was last in these locations. Positive samples were identified following the use of both vacuum and surface sampling techniques; these methodologies allowed for environmental analysis of potentially contaminated porous and non‐porous surfaces via real‐time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis in addition to viral isolation to confirm the presence of infection‐competent virus. This report confirms the potential for infection‐competent monkeypox virus to be recovered in environmental settings associated with known positive cases and the necessity for rapid environmental assessment to reduce potential exposure to close contacts and the general public. The methods adopted in this investigation may be used for future confirmed cases of monkeypox in order to establish levels of contamination, confirm the presence of infection‐competent material and to identify locations requiring additional cleaning.
Hidden fairy rings and males—Genetic patterns of natural Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) populations reveal new insights into its life cycle
Authors: Staubli Florian , Imola Lea , Dauphin Benjamin , Molinier Virginie , Pfister Stephanie , Piñuela Yasmine , Schürz Laura , Sproll Ludger , Steidinger Brian S. , Stobbe Uli , Tegel Willy , Büntgen Ulf , Egli Simon , Peter Martina
Published: July 2022

Burgundy truffles are heterothallic ascomycetes that grow in symbiosis with trees. Despite their esteemed belowground fruitbodies, the species' complex lifecycle is still not fully understood. Here, we present the genetic patterns in three natural Burgundy truffle populations based on genotyped fruitbodies, ascospore extracts and ectomycorrhizal root tips using microsatellites and the mating‐type locus. Distinct genetic structures with high relatedness in close vicinity were found for females (forming the fruitbodies) and males (fertilizing partner as inferred from ascospore extracts), with high genotypic diversity and annual turnover of males, suggesting that ephemeral male mating partners are germinating ascospores from decaying fruitbodies. The presence of hermaphrodites and the interannual persistence of a few males suggest that persistent mycelia may sporadically also act as males. Only female or hermaphroditic individuals were detected on root tips. At one site, fruitbodies grew in a fairy ring formed by a large female individual that showed an outward growth rate of 30 cm per year, with the mycelium decaying within the ring and being fertilized by over 50 male individuals. While fairy ring structures have never been shown for truffles, the genetics of Burgundy truffle populations support a similar reproductive biology as those of other highly prized truffles.
The Future of Northern Ireland: the Role of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement Institutions
Authors: Kelly Conor J. , Tannam Etain
Published: July 2022

Since the 2016 Brexit referendum a series of crises has gripped Northern Ireland's politics. This has had a destabilising effect across society, which has arguably been felt most acutely by political unionism. The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (B/GFA) of 1998 created a series of institutions to deal with political conflict in Northern Ireland, manage cross‐border cooperation and normalise relations between the UK and Ireland. However, many aspects of it have been sparingly and ineffectually deployed, most notably the second and third strands dealing with north/south and east/west relations respectively. In this article, the authors argue that regular use of the institutional arrangements created by the Agreement would help to deal with the challenges currently facing Northern Ireland and help address unionist anxieties over the Protocol. Use of the North‐South Ministerial Council (NSMC), the British Irish Council (BIC) and the British‐Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) should be prioritised. The unresolved issues arising from Brexit require a recommitment to the intergovernmental logic at the heart of the 1998 Agreement, despite the obstacles.
A Four‐Day Working Week: its Role in a Politics of Work
Authors: Spencer David A.
Published: July 2022

From a fringe idea with limited wider support, the goal of a four‐day working week has moved into the spotlight in contemporary policy debates. Indeed, a growing number of businesses have agreed to pilot a four‐day working week. This article examines what the turn to this goal means for a politics of work. It argues that its adoption by business interests can dilute its impacts, while its stress in some radical circles can distract from other pressing goals such as higher wages and improvement in work's quality. The article is sceptical that a four‐day working week, as currently conceived, would necessarily transform work for the better. Building on a different politics, it proposes an alternative agenda that would allow for fewer work hours alongside higher quality work. The barriers to the realisation of this agenda reinforce the fact that radical change in society requires deeper institutional reform, including within workplaces.
Privileged Injuries: Defining Disability Among Veterans Of The Irish Revolution (1916–1923)
Authors: COLEMAN MARIE
Published: July 2022

Following its War of Independence from Britain (1919–21) and subsequent Civil War (1922–3), the Irish Free State government introduced disability pension legislation to compensate revolutionaries and soldiers who had been wounded and the dependants of those who had died in the conflicts. The legislation was initially limited only to physical wounds, but this remit was extended in 1927 to cover mental illness and disease contracted during active service. In expanding eligibility in this way, the Irish Free State went against the trend internationally among the belligerent nations of the First World War, where disability pension eligibility was circumscribed considerably during the 1920s, with psychiatric cases often being downgraded or excluded entirely. This article explores the evolution of the opposite trend in independent Ireland, exploring the reasons for the initial privileging of physical wounds and locating the decision to expand eligibility in the variables governing veteran privilege identified in the work of Martin Crotty, Neil Diamant and Mark Edele.
Switchgrass extractives to mitigate Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium contamination of romaine lettuce at pre‐ and postharvest
Authors: Camfield Emily , Bowman Alex , Choi Joseph , Gwinn Kimberly , Labbe Nicole , Rajan Kalavathy , Ownley Bonnie , Moustaid‐Moussa Naima , D'Souza Doris Helen
Published: July 2022

The antimicrobial potential of switchgrass extractives (SE) was evaluated on cut lettuce leaves and romaine lettuce in planta, using rifampicin‐resistant Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium strain LT2 as model pathogens. Cut lettuce leaves were swabbed with E. coli O157:H7 or S. Typhimurium followed by surface treatment with 0.8% SE, 0.6% sodium hypochlorite, or water for 1 to 45 min. For in planta studies, SE was swabbed on demarcated leaf surfaces either prior to or after inoculation of greenhouse‐grown lettuce with E. coli O157:H7 or S. Typhimurium; the leaf samples were collected after 0, 24, and 48 h of treatment. Bacteria from inoculated leaves were enumerated on tryptic soy agar plates (and also on MacConkey's and XLT4 agar plates), and the recovered counts were statistically analyzed. Cut lettuce leaves showed E. coli O157:H7 reduction between 3.25 and 6.17 log CFU/leaf, whereas S. Typhimurium reductions were between 2.94 log CFU/leaf and 5.47 log CFU/leaf depending on the SE treatment durations, from initial levels of ∼7 log CFU/leaf. SE treatment of lettuce in planta, before bacterial inoculation, reduced E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium populations by 1.88 and 2.49 log CFU after 24 h and 3 h, respectively. However, SE treatment after bacterial inoculation of lettuce plants decreased E. coli O157:H7 populations by 3.04 log CFU (after 0 h) with negligible reduction of S. Typhimurium populations. Our findings demonstrate the potential of SE as a plant‐based method for decontaminating E. coli O157:H7 on lettuce during pre‐ and postharvest stages in hurdle approaches.
Uniting genetic and geographic databases to understand the relationship between latitude and population demography
Authors: Burbrink Frank T.
Published: July 2022

It was not known that phylogenetic analysis of population genetic data would show geographic structure when Avise et al. (1979) introduced the unnamed field of phylogeography. Since then, the field has grown from using single gene fragments to whole genomes resulting in more than 22,000 publications. This seemingly simple relationship between geography and genetic variation has provided the foundation for studying speciation, species delimitation, hybrid zone dynamics, adaptation, conservation genetics, community assembly, and historical demography to name a few (see Burbrink & Ruane, 2021; Edwards et al., 2016). As with many burgeoning fields, there is often little consideration of how to make data sets accessible for future researchers addressing more comprehensive questions under a common framework. For example, it is important in biogeography to examine how shared environments or barriers affect population structure across communities of species, or test if range size or latitude are correlated with genetic diversity across taxa (Myers et al., 2019; Smith et al., 2017). However, addressing these types of questions using existing data requires researchers to assemble large databases manually. Genetic and geographic databases used to store this information like NCBI Genbank (National Center for Biotechnology Information) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) are disconnected, and often of limited general use for conducting multitaxon studies. In this issue of Molecular Ecology Resources, Pelletier et al. (2022) have automated the process of connecting geography to DNA sequences via the phylogatR (phylogeographic data aggregation and repurposing) database.
Clinical practice guidelines with recommendations for peripartum depression: A European systematic review
Authors: Motrico Emma , Moreno‐Peral Patricia , Uriko Kristiina , Hancheva Camellia , Brekalo Maja , Ajaz Erilda , Apter Gisele , Bramante Alessandra , Conejo‐Cerón Sonia , Christoforou Andri , Dikmen‐Yildiz Pelin , Evagorou Olympia , Fonseca Ana , Lupattelli Angela , Radoš Sandra Nakić , al Maach Nadia , Rodriguez‐Muñoz María F. , Žutić Maja , Lambregtse ‐ van den Berg Mijke P.
Published: July 2022

Objective

This study aims to systematically review all Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) with recommendations for peripartum depression in European countries.

Methods

A systematic review according to the PRISMA statement was conducted. CPGs focussing on peripartum depression or with at least one specific recommendation for peripartum depression from European countries were selected. Searching was conducted in electronic databases (MEDLINE and PsycINFO), and by contacting professional societies and international experts until November 24th, 2021. Characteristics of the included CPGs and their recommendations were extracted. A methodological quality assessment was conducted using the AGREE‐II tool.

Results

A total of 239 records were identified after duplicate removal. Of these, 54 were examined for full‐text inspection. The final selection yielded 14 CPGs from 11 European countries in 10 languages. Of them, 11 provided recommendations on pharmacological treatments, 10 on psychological treatment (e.g., cognitive‐behavioural therapy), 10 on screening, 8 on diagnosis, 6 on other treatments (e.g., physical exercise), 5 on prevention, and 5 other recommendations (e.g., provide information). Regarding the overall methodological quality, only five (35.7%) guidelines were rated as of adequate quality, reaching a score ≥ 70% in the overall assessment of the AGREE‐II instrument. Of the six AGREE‐II domains, applicability scored the lowest and clarity of presentation scored the highest.

Conclusion

The absence of CPGs in most European countries, the discrepancy in recommendations and the low methodological quality of the guidelines may lead to disparities and inequalities in peripartum depression management in Europe. The COST Action Riseup‐PPD highlights key considerations for future guideline developers.
Electrocardiographic findings in pregnant women in Angola
Authors: Gonçalves Mauer A. A. , Pedro João Mário , Silva Carina , Magalhães Pedro , Brito Miguel
Published: July 2022

Background

Studies on the electrocardiogram findings in African pregnant women are limited. There is no information available in the literature on the electrocardiographic parameters of pregnant Angolan women.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to describe electrocardiographic findings in women with normal pregnancies in Bengo Province, Angola.

Methods

This is a community‐based study with a cross‐sectional design conducted between September 2013 and March 2014 in Bengo. The study involved 114 black pregnant women, compared with a paired control group comprising of 120 black non‐pregnant women, aged 15 to 42 years. A 12‐lead electrocardiogram and a rhythm strip were recorded for all participants.

Results

In this study, the mean age was 26.2 ± 7.3 years. Comparing pregnant women vs. non‐pregnant, we found the following mean values: Heart rate (83 bpm vs. 74 bpm,p < .001), PR interval (146 ms vs. 151 ms,p = .034), QT interval (360 ms vs. 378 ms,p < .001), QTIc Fridericia (398 ms vs. 403,p = .017), QTIc Framingham (399 ms vs. 404 ms,p = .013) and T‐wave axis (340vs. 410,p = .001).The main electrocardiographic changes found were: Sinus tachycardia (4.4% vs. 2.5%), T‐wave inversion (14.9% vs. 1.7%), Minor ST segment depression (4.5% vs. 0%) and left ventricular hypertrophy (11.4% vs. 11.7%,p = .726).

Conclusions

Pregnant Angolan women compared with controls, had several significantly higher values for heart rate, and significantly lower values of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, PR interval, QT interval, QTc interval by Fridericia and Framingham and T‐wave axis. Sinus tachycardia, T‐wave inversion, and left ventricular hypertrophy, were the main electrocardiographic changes found.
Spread of Covid‐19 in hemodialysis centres; the effects of ventilation and communal transport
Authors: Goodlad Cate , Collier Sophie , Davenport Andrew
Published: July 2022

Aims

Hemodialysis (HD) patients are at increased risk of respiratory infections, due to increased use of communal travel, waiting areas, close proximity to others when dialysing, and contact with healthcare personnel. We wished to determine the major factors associated with transmission of COVID‐19 within dialysis centres.

Methods

We compared the differences in the number of COVID‐19 infections in patients and staff in 5 dialysis centres during the 1st COVID‐19 pandemic between March and June 2020, and analyzed differences between centres. Isolation policies and infection control practices were identical between centres.

Results

224 (30.3%) patients tested positive for COVID‐19, by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, ranging from 4.8% (centre 1 size 55 patients) to 41.5% (centre 5–248 patients) p = 0.007. Communal transport had a significant effect; with 160 of 452 (35.4%) patients using communal testing positive compared to 22.2% of those not using communal transport (X214.5, p < 0.001). Staff sickness varied; 35 of 36 (97.3% centre 5) dialysis staff contracting COVID‐19, compared to 60% from centre 4 (189 patients 30 staff) (p < 0.001). Whereas centre 5 had no natural ventilation, and fan assisted ventilation did not meet standards for air changes and air circulation, centre 4 met ventilation standards.

Conclusions

Although there are many potential risk factors accounting for the increased risk of COVID‐19 infection in hemodialysis patients, we found that differences in communal transport for patients and ventilation between centres was a major contributor accounting for the differences in patients testing positive for COVID‐19 and staff sickness rates. This has important practical applications for designing kidney dialysis centres.
Asking parents about babbling at 10 months produced valid answers but did not predict language screening result 2 years later
Authors: Lieberman Marion , Sand Anders , Lohmander Anette , Miniscalco Carmela
Published: July 2022

Aim

We evaluated the concurrent and predictive validity of questions to parents of 10‐month‐old children about babbling.

Methods

Children with at least one native Swedish‐speaking parent were eligible for inclusion in this prospective longitudinal study. The parents were asked three questions about babbling at a routine healthcare visit. If parents reported a lack of canonical babbling (CB), children were assessed by a speech and language pathologist to evaluate the questions' concurrent validity. We then examined whether the babbling questions predicted which children would fail the routine language screening at 2.5/3 years.

Results

Fifteen of the 1126 children lacked CB according to the parent responses and the expert assessment confirmed 12 of these cases, providing a concurrent validity of 80%. The sensitivity to predict routine language screening was 8% (95% confidence interval 3–17), and the positive predictive value was 40% (95% confidence interval 20%–65%). However, only six of the children lacking CB at 10 months were among the 71 children who failed later language screening.

Conclusion

This study suggests that the babbling questions could be included in the 10‐month surveillance at the child health services as valid measures of babbling development, but they cannot predict language screening result at 2.5/3 years.
Value capture by companies of different ownership, tier, size, and distance to market: A cross‐sectoral analysis
Authors: Blažek Jiří , Holická Zuzana
Published: July 2022

This paper investigates a widespread assumption in the upgrading literature that lead firms and higher‐tier suppliers perform better and capture a larger value than lower‐tier suppliers. In contrast to other studies, this analysis is based on a detailed examination of a cross‐sectoral sample of 251 companies (including companies outside production networks) nested in a small economy (Czechia). Our results indicate that the economic performance of companies varies profoundly according to a number of characteristics. Generally, domestic firms tend to capture larger value, that is, they spend more on capital investments, research and development (R&D), and personnel costs. Surprisingly, lead firms tend to spend significantly less on personnel costs, taxes and R&D than first‐tier suppliers. The highest value capture is by firms operating outside production networks. The results warn against overgeneralisations and indicate the need for a careful context‐sensitive analysis before the design of supportive policies.
AgriWeedClim database: A repository of vegetation plot data from Central European arable habitats over 100 years
Authors: Glaser Michael , Berg Christian , Buldrini Fabrizio , Buholzer Serge , Bürger Jana , Chiarucci Alessandro , Chytrý Milan , Dřevojan Pavel , Follak Swen , Küzmič Filip , Lososová Zdeňka , Meyer Stefan , Moser Dietmar , Pyšek Petr , Richner Nina , Šilc Urban , Wietzke Alexander , Dullinger Stefan , Essl Franz
Published: July 2022

Aims

Arable habitats (i.e. fields, orchards, vineyards, and their fallows) were created by humans and have been essential elements in Central European landscapes for several millennia. In recent decades, these habitats have been drastically altered by changes in land use as well as agricultural practices and, more recently, by climate change. These changes have precipitated substantial changes in vegetation and their spatial and temporal trajectories have not yet been exhaustively studied. Here, we present the AgriWeedClim database — a new resource of vegetation plot (relevé) data of arable habitats in Central Europe.

Location

Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Hungary, Northern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia.

Methods

Vegetation plot data were obtained from large repositories (e.g. European Vegetation Archive), specialized regional databases, colleagues and the literature. Data were then checked for completeness and standardized (e.g. taxonomy, nomenclature, crop types). Species were assigned native, archaeophyte (i.e. alien species introduced before c. 1492 CE) or neophyte (i.e. alien species introduced after c. 1492 CE) status.

Results

The AgriWeedClim database version 1.0 contains georeferenced data from 32,889 vegetation plots sampled from 1916 to 2019.

Conclusions

We provide an overview of this new resource and present example analyses to show its content and possible applications. We outline potential research questions including analysis of patterns and causes of vegetation changes in arable habitats from the early 20th century to the present.
α‐Lipoic acid up‐regulates gene expression but reduces protein levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 in HepG2 cells
Authors: Zhang Xiaochun , Zhao Yanyan , Liang Xiangyan , Zhang Lijun , Li Ke , Sun Zhuo , Zhao Yu‐Feng
Published: July 2022

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolism‐regulating hepatokine, and its expression is finely controlled by the nutrients and cellular stressors. α‐Lipoic acid (ALA) regulates fuel metabolism as a nutrient, but it also arouses mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as well as oxidative stress in hepatocytes. However, the role of cellular stress in ALA‐regulated FGF21 expression has not been demonstrated as yet. The present study found that ALA up‐regulated FGF21 gene expression while it reduced FGF21 protein levels in HepG2 cells, which was accompanied by mitochondrial damage that was shown by ATP reduction and ROS elevation. ALA led to mitochondrial stress and ER stress as shown by the increased expression of HSP60, ATF6 and ATF4. Inhibition of ER stress by 4‐PBA significantly attenuated ALA‐stimulated FGF21 gene expression while it did not influence the reduction of FGF21 protein levels. H2O2‐induced oxidative stress reduced FGF21 protein levels in HepG2 cells, and anti‐oxidation by Tempol blocked ALA‐induced reduction of FGF21 proteins. In conclusion, ALA up‐regulates FGF21 gene expression through the stimulation of mitochondrial and ER stress while it reduces FGF21 protein levels through the induction of oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the in vivo effect of ALA on hepatic FGF21 expression.
Research bystanders, justice, and the state: Reframing the debate on third‐party protections in health research
Authors: Murphy Nicholas , Weijer Charles
Published: July 2022

Research participants are afforded protections to ensure their rights and welfare are not unduly jeopardized by research activities. Yet people who do not meet the criteria for research participant status may likewise be impacted by research activities, and ethicists argue that protections should be afforded these “research bystanders.” The standard rationale for extending protections to research bystanders contends that they are sufficiently like research participants that the ethical principles governing health research ought to extend to them. In this article we argue that this analogical reasoning is mistaken. Salient moral differences mean that research ethics frameworks are not fit for purpose. We defend the research bystander category by articulating a novel foundation for this new class of stakeholder. Focusing on bystanders directly impacted by publicly funded health research, we argue that bystanders are sometimes owed protections—but neither because of their similarity to research participants nor because research ethics principles should extend to them. Instead, we reframe the issue as a question of justice. Building on the work of Douglas MacKay, we argue that bystanders to publicly funded health research are owed protections as citizens of liberal states to whom the state owes duties of justice. The state has duties to protect the interests of citizens and to conduct health research. When the means by which the state fulfils the latter duty comes into conflict with the means by which it fulfils the former, the state must ensure that those impacted, including research bystanders, are afforded protections.
Diversity in the bone marrow niche: Classic and novel strategies to uncover niche composition
Authors: Sánchez‐Lanzas Raúl , Kalampalika Foteini , Ganuza Miguel
Published: July 2022

Our view on the role and composition of the bone marrow (BM) has dramatically changed over time from a simple nutrient for the bone to a highly complex multicellular tissue that sustains haematopoiesis. Among these cells, multipotent haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are predominantly quiescent, possess unique self‐renewal capacity and multilineage differentiation potential and replenish all blood lineages to maintain lifelong haematopoiesis. Adult HSCs reside in specialised BM niches, which support their functions. Much effort has been put into deciphering HSC niches due to their potential clinical relevance. Multiple cell types have been implicated as HSC‐niche components including sinusoidal endothelium, perivascular stromal cells, macrophages, megakaryocytes, osteoblasts and sympathetic nerves. In this review we provide a historical perspective on how technical advances, from genetic mouse models to imaging and high‐throughput sequencing techniques, are unveiling the plethora of molecular cues and cellular components that shape the niche and regulate HSC functions.