bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Species stress tolerance and community competitive effects drive differences in species composition between calcareous and siliceous plant communities
Authors: Nemer David , Liancourt Pierre , Delerue Florian , Randé Hugo , Michalet Richard
Published: September 2021

Both chemical and physical properties of soils have been used for two centuries for explaining differences in species composition and diversity between plant communities from calcareous and siliceous soils. Here, we examine the prediction from the ‘physical hypothesis’, which proposes that species from siliceous soils are absent from calcareous soils because of high drought stress, while species from calcareous soils are absent from siliceous soils because of high competition due to higher water availability. This hypothesis therefore predicts a trade‐off between stress tolerance and competitive response that allows calcareous and siliceous species to dominate their respective communities. There has been no attempt to experimentally assess these predictions.

We cross‐transplanted with and without neighbours using a removal experiment, two dominant species from calcareous soils (Bromus erectus and Brachypodium sylvaticum) and two species from siliceous soils (Pseudarrhenatherum longifolium and Deschampsia flexuosa) in herbaceous communities from the two soils types. We repeated the experiment 4 years, taking advantage of inter‐annual climatic variability to test the interplay between year quality (dry vs. wet years) and soil types on survival responses with and without neighbours. We quantified species stress tolerances, their competitive responses and the competitive effect of the two community types.

In the absence of neighbours, species from siliceous soils had much lower survival than species from calcareous soils during dry years, in particular on calcareous soils. It indicates a lower stress tolerance of siliceous species and a higher level of stress occurring on calcareous soils. Competition strongly reduced the survival of calcareous but not siliceous species, indicating a greater competitive response of the latter and competition was more important on siliceous soils than on calcareous soils during wet years. However, we found that species stress tolerances were more important than competitive effect of neighbours in driving differences in species composition.

Synthesis. The contrasting responses found for dominant species from calcareous and siliceous soils support the trade‐off between stress tolerance and competitive response proposed by the physical hypothesis. Our results bring additional evidence that differences in water availability and stress between the two soil types are driving species responses to bedrock types.
Fluctuating formality: homeownership, inheritance, and the official economy in urban South Africa★
Authors: Bolt Maxim
Published: September 2021

One of Malinowski's legacies was a sensitivity to the ways institutions unevenly shape lives and relationships. Taking his lead, this article develops an approach to the formal economy, combining, sharpening, and extending theories of state and market infrastructures in political and economic anthropology. Focusing on urban South Africa, it examines property inheritance among the black majority previously excluded from property rights. As a lens on the formal economy, this moves beyond production to consider how social reproduction – passing on property – weaves through disjointed state processes. The article argues that the formal economy is sustained by particular performances of its scripts: different actors connect fragments of process in their own projects, with little commitment to the official logics that notionally make systems. In a setting where state responsibility over inheritance has expanded, formality's advancing frontiers throw its fluctuating character into relief: institutions’ apparently coherent abstractions are given force in piecemeal fashion.
MAKING PROPERTY OUTLAWS: Law and Relegation
Authors: Blomley Nicholas ,   The Right to Remain Collective
Published: September 2021

Drawing from community‐based research in the Downtown Eastside, the poorest part of Vancouver, Canada, a neighbourhood long demonized as an ‘outlaw zone’, we suggest that what may appear to be illegal property practices in the area's infamous Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels are, in fact, harder to detach from formal legality than supposed. We characterize the state's withdrawal of tenancy law from SRO in the 1970s as productive of property outlaws. A form of legal relegation, outlawry places SRO residents in a space of lesser protection, stripping them of rights. A space of decades of systematic legal relegation, the outlaw zone is a product of law, not its antithesis, predicated on organized forms of devaluation and discrimination.
Hysterectomy and ovarian cancer: further research is needed to inform clinical decision making
Authors: Wilson LF , Jordan SJ
Published: September 2021

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on JA Taylor et al., pp. 110–118 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471‐0528.16943
Using data to drive obstetric practice policies
Authors: Varner M
Published: September 2021

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on Y Zhang et al., pp. 138–147 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471‐0528.16951
Computer use and pay for performance
Authors: Bayo‐Moriones Alberto , Erro‐Garcés Amaya , Lera‐López Fernando
Published: September 2021

Workplace digitalisation is a pervasive phenomenon associated to an increase in wage differentials between occupations. This paper analyses the relationship between computer use and pay for performance, whose incidence has also followed a positive growth pattern. More concretely, we examined three pay‐for‐performance schemes: productivity/piece rate, team and firm pay for performance. We also investigated the mediating role of job design in this relationship. The complementarity framework perspective and the economic theory of incentives were the theoretical approaches applied in the development of hypotheses. Data from four waves of the European Working Conditions Survey were used in the empirical analyses. A positive association was found between computer use and the three pay for performance schemes considered, particularly team and firm pay for performance. The results also indicated that this relationship was partially explained by changes in job design due to computerisation, such as higher job complexity, on‐the‐job training and teamwork.
Elevated serum CYFRA 21‐1 level as a diagnostic marker for thymic carcinoma
Authors: Shiiya Haruhiko , Ujiie Hideki , Hida Yasuhiro , Kato Tatsuya , Kaga Kichizo , Wakasa Satoru , Kikuchi Eiki , Shinagawa Naofumi , Okada Kazufumi , Ito Yoichi M. , Matsuno Yoshihiro
Published: September 2021

Background

No useful tumor markers have been identified for the diagnosis of thymic carcinomas. Serum cytokeratin 19 fragment, measured using the CYFRA 21‐1 immunoassay, is used as a tumor marker for squamous cell carcinomas in various malignant tumors. Here, we evaluated the value of CYFRA 21‐1 in diagnosing thymic carcinoma.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 94 patients with pathological diagnoses of thymic carcinoma or thymoma (32 and 62 patients, respectively) who were referred to our departments between January 2000 and March 2019. Primary outcomes included tumor marker levels and their diagnostic accuracy.

Results

Patients with thymic carcinoma were significantly more likely to be male (thymic carcinoma, 68.8%; thymoma, 40.3%; p = 0.02), have an advanced TNM stage (p < 0.01), and a significantly higher CYFRA 21‐1 level than those with thymoma (thymic carcinoma: median = 4.2 ng/ml; interquartile range [IQR] = 2.1–6.1 ng/ml vs. thymoma: median = 1.2 ng/ml; IQR = 0.9–1.7 ng/ml; p < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that the area under the curve for CYFRA 21‐1 to distinguish thymic carcinoma from thymoma was 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74–0.93; cutoff = 2.7 ng/ml; sensitivity = 68.8%; specificity = 95.2%). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that CYFRA 21‐1 (odds ratio = 25.6; 95% CI: 4.6–141.6; p < 0.01) was an independent predictor for thymic carcinoma after adjusting for TNM stage.

Conclusions

Serum CYFRA 21‐1 level may help in diagnosing thymic carcinoma.
Programmed, intermittent boluses versus continuous infusion to the sciatic nerve – a non‐inferiority randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Behrend Christiansen Claus , Herold Madsen Mikkel , Rothe Christian , Bretlau Claus , Lundstrøm Lars Hyldborg , Lange Kai H. W.
Published: September 2021

Background

Trials comparing programmed, intermittent boluses (PIB) and continuous infusion in catheter‐based nerve blocks found no analgesic differences. However, as these trials used equal doses of local anesthetic (LA), the time of action of each bolus was not accounted for. Therefore, the dose‐sparing benefits of PIB may have been overlooked. We compared the analgesic effect of boluses administered in intervals resembling the time of action of each bolus with continuous infusion. We hypothesized that PIB provided non‐inferior analgesia despite consuming less LA.

Methods

Eighty‐one patients undergoing fore‐ and midfoot surgery receiving a catheter‐based sciatic nerve block were randomized to ropivacaine 0.2% as PIB of 10 ml every 8th hour or as continuous infusion, 6 ml h−1. All participants could also receive boluses of 10 ml every 4th hour as needed. A non‐inferiority randomized controlled design was used. Primary outcome was pain (VAS, 0–100 mm) for 72 h using area under curve (AUC) calculation. We assumed a linear relationship between mean VAS and AUC‐VAS and used a non‐inferiority margin of VAS = 20 mm, corresponding to AUC‐VAS = 1440 mm h.

Results

Mean difference in AUC‐VAS was −416 mm h (95% CI −1076 to 244; p = .217) between continuous infusion (mean AUC‐VAS 1206 mm h) and PIB (mean AUC‐VAS 1621 mm h), establishing non‐inferiority. Mean total LA consumption was significantly larger for continuous infusion compared to PIB ((468 ml (95% CI 458 to 478) vs. 136 ml (95% CI 123 to 148); p < 0.0001)).

Conclusions

PIB provided non‐inferior analgesia compared to continuous infusion for 72 postoperative hours despite using significantly less LA.
Caregiver burden and emotional wellbeing in informal caregivers to ICU survivors—A prospective cohort study
Authors: Milton Anna , Schandl Anna , Larsson Ing‐Marie , Wallin Ewa , Savilampi Johanna , Meijers Katarina , Joelsson‐Alm Eva , Bottai Matteo , Sackey Peter
Published: September 2021

Background

Informal caregivers to intensive care unit (ICU) survivors may develop post‐intensive care syndrome family (PICS‐F), including depression, anxiety and post‐traumatic stress (PTS). Our primary aim was to investigate associations between caregiver burden in informal caregivers cohabiting with ICU survivors and patients’ physical and psychological outcomes.

Methods

A prospective, multicentre cohort study in four ICUs in Sweden. Adults cohabiting with ICU patients included in a previous study were eligible for inclusion. Three months post‐ICU, informal caregivers received questionnaires assessing caregiver burden, health‐related quality of life (HRQL) and symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTS. In parallel, patients reported their three‐month physical and psychological status via validated questionnaires. The primary outcome of this study was to compare caregiver burden in informal caregivers to patients with and without adverse physical and psychological outcomes 3 months post‐ICU. Secondary outcomes were correlations between caregiver burden and informal caregivers’ mental HRQL.

Results

Among 62 included informal caregivers, 55 (89%) responded to the follow‐up questionnaires. Caregiver burden was higher among informal caregivers to patients with an adverse outcome, compared to informal caregivers to patients without an adverse outcome, caregiver burden scale score mean (±standard deviation) 52 (11) and 41 (13) respectively (p = 0.003). There was strong negative correlation between caregiver burden and informal caregivers’ mental HRQL (rs −0.74, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Informal caregivers to ICU survivors with adverse physical or psychological outcome experience a higher caregiver burden. A higher caregiver burden correlates with worse caregiver mental HRQL. ICU follow‐up programs should consider screening and follow‐up of informal caregivers for mental health problems.
Anatomical human fitting of the BiVACOR total artificial heart
Authors: Emmanuel Sam , Jansz Paul , McGiffin David , Kure Christina , Watson Alasdair , Connellan Mark , Granger Emily , Iyer Arjun , Timms Daniel , Hayward Christopher
Published: September 2021

Background

BiVACOR is a novel total artificial heart (TAH) utilizing a single centrifugal magnetically levitated rotor with the ability to modulate pulsatile flow. The device has been successfully tested in a bovine model. We undertook a multicenter anatomical and virtual fitting study of the BiVACOR in patients undergoing heart transplantation.

Methods

10 patients were recruited across two heart transplant centers. A sterilized 1:1 titanium model of the device was inserted into the patient’s chest post heart explant, prior to implantation of the donor heart. Measurements were recorded in situ. The device was then removed. Following this, retrospective 3D reconstructions were created from computed tomography chest scans to simulate a virtual fitting.

Results

Mean age was 53 years (range 38–67). Mean BMI was 28 (range 20–37). Heart failure etiology was varied—with ischemic cardiomyopathy being the most common. Mean spine‐to‐sternum distance at the tenth thoracic vertebrae (T10) was 14 cm (range 11–18). Mean aorta to aortic Port distance was 0.2 cm (range 0–0.5). Mean pulmonary artery to pulmonary artery port distance was 4.2 cm (range 1–7). The device fitted suitably in all patients without gross distortion to the geometry between native vessel/chamber and port.

Conclusions

This study described the anatomical and virtual fitting of the BiVACOR TAH. The device fit well within the chest cavities of all 10 patients, who represented a variety of body morphologies and heart failure etiology.
ACE2 function in the pancreatic islet: Implications for relationship between SARS‐CoV‐2 and diabetes
Authors: Memon Bushra , Abdelalim Essam M.
Published: September 2021

The molecular link between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and susceptibility is not well understood. Nonetheless, a bi‐directional relationship between SARS‐CoV‐2 and diabetes has been proposed. The angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is considered as the primary protein facilitating SARS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2 attachment and entry into the host cells. Studies suggested that ACE2 is expressed in the endocrine cells of the pancreas including beta cells, in addition to the lungs and other organs; however, its expression in the islets, particularly beta cells, has been met with some contradiction. Importantly, ACE2 plays a crucial role in glucose homoeostasis and insulin secretion by regulating beta cell physiology. Given the ability of SARS‐CoV‐2 to infect human pluripotent stem cell‐derived pancreatic cells in vitro and the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in pancreatic samples from COVID‐19 patients strongly hints that SARS‐CoV‐2 can invade the pancreas and directly cause pancreatic injury and diabetes. However, more studies are required to dissect the underpinning molecular mechanisms triggered in SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected islets that lead to aggravation of diabetes. Regardless, it is important to understand the function of ACE2 in the pancreatic islets to design relevant therapeutic interventions in combatting the effects of SARS‐CoV‐2 on diabetes pathophysiology. Herein, we detail the function of ACE2 in pancreatic beta cells crucial for regulating insulin sensitivity, secretion, and glucose metabolism. Also, we discuss the potential role played by ACE2 in aiding SARS‐COV‐2 entry into the pancreas and the possibility of ACE2 cooperation with alternative entry factors as well as how that may be linked to diabetes pathogenesis.
Novel human in vitro vegetation simulation model for infective endocarditis
Authors: Schwartz Franziska A. , Christophersen Lars , Laulund Anne Sofie , Lundquist Rasmus , Lerche Christian , Rude Nielsen Pia , Bundgaard Henning , Høiby Niels , Moser Claus
Published: September 2021

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a heart valve infection with high mortality rates. IE results from epithelial lesions, inducing sterile healing vegetations consisting of platelets, leucocytes, and fibrin that are susceptible for colonization by temporary bacteremia. Clinical testing of new treatments for IE is difficult and fast models sparse. The present study aimed at establishing an in vitro vegetation simulation IE model for fast screening of novel treatment strategies. A healing promoting platelet and leucocyte‐rich fibrin patch was used to establish an IE organoid‐like model by colonization with IE‐associated bacterial isolates Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp (S. mitis group), and Enterococcus faecalis. The patch was subsequently exposed to tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, or penicillin. Bacterial colonization was evaluated by microscopy and quantitative bacteriology. We achieved stable bacterial colonization on the patch, comparable to clinical IE vegetations. Microscopy revealed uneven, biofilm‐like colonization of the patch. The surface‐associated bacteria displayed increased tolerance to antibiotics compared to planktonic bacteria. The present study succeeded in establishing an IE simulation model with the relevant pathogens S. aureus, S. mitis group, and E. faecalis. The findings indicate that the IE model mirrors the natural IE process and has the potential for fast screening of treatment candidates.
The influence of issues on moral judgment: A comparison of college students and business practitioners in the Republic of Croatia
Authors: Gonan Božac Marli , Smith Charles G. , Pauliši Morena
Published: September 2021

Given recent lapses in business decision making the development of business moral judgment has become a central issue in the United States and around the world. Our paper surveyed 171 students and 59 business practitioners in the Republic of Croatia to identify the influence that an issue's contours have on Rest's second psychological construct, Moral Judgment. Issue context—business or student sample—found that business practitioners demonstrated superior moral reasoning. Issue content—specific nature of the issue at hand—showed richness of moral reasoning varied with the specific subject of the issue for both students and business practitioners. And stability across issues—consistency in moral judgment—found students far more uniform in their reasoning than business practitioners. It follows that (1) lessons learned in the business community may better inform instruction at the collegiate level, (2) cultural peculiarities impact moral reasoning, and (3) transitioning economies offer challenges. Future researchers may wish to explore the decline in moral judgment exhibited by Millennials, possible bifurcated reasoning in other social groupings, and public policies needed to improve moral judgment.
Individual susceptibility has a major impact on strong association between oxidative stress, defence systems and Parkinson's disease
Authors: Karahalil Bensu , Miser Salihoğlu Ece , Elkama Aylin , Orhan Gürdal , Saygın Evrim , Yardim Akaydin Sevgi
Published: September 2021

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, which causes Parkinson's disease (PD). Oxidative stress products, antioxidant and their balance have important roles in the development of oxidative stress‐based PD. The impact of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and defence systems can be altered by genetic polymorphisms, and thus the risk of PD may also be affected. We aimed to investigate the possible association of individual susceptibility with the development of oxidative stress‐based PD. For this purpose, we measured serum levels of folic acid, homocysteine, Vitamin B6 and B12 that play roles in folate‐dependent one‐carbon pathway, oxidant or antioxidant enzymes (NADPH oxidase, MnSOD, GPX), 8‐OHdG and repair enzymes (OGG1, XRCC1 and MTH1) by ELISA, and analysed related gene polymorphisms by PCR‐RFLP. XRCC1, ROS, NADPH and folic acid levels were found to be statistically higher in patients than controls. XRCC1, MnSOD and GPX activities were increased. We observed higher levels of 8‐OHdG in patients with MnSOD and XRCC1 mutant genotypes and higher XRCC1 levels in patients with NOX p22 fox mutant genotypes rather than controls. We suggest that routinely clinical validation of major oxidative stress‐related biomarkers will be a good approach to manage detrimental effects of PD.
Climate response to drastically modified PDO, PNA and NAM in the superinterglacial MIS 31
Authors: Justino Flávio , Gurjão Carlos , Lindemann Douglas
Published: September 2021

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), the Pacific‐North American Pattern (PNA) and the Northern Annular Mode (NAM) influence the Northern Hemisphere climate over all sorts of time scales, from days to decades. This study evaluates these climate modes under drastically modified conditions. It is found that in Marine Isotope Stage 31 (MIS 31), an interglacial with enhanced seasonal amplitude, the PDO, PNA and NAM are completely different in their temporal and spatial patterns with respect to current conditions. Moreover, the MIS 31 boundary conditions induce an amplification of the interannual variability, but a suppression of the decadal peak. It is found that changes in the air–sea interaction in the NH, in particular due to a weaker Aleutian low, are responsible for the absence of the decadal periodicity. However, no large changes are verified in terms of explained variance of those modes with respect to CTR. However, the amplitude of response related to the PDO, NAM and PNA is weaker in the MIS 31 experiment, very likely due to a reduced meridional thermal gradient. The results presented here are useful for palaeoreconstruction interpretation because proxies may reproduce dominant characteristics of temperature and precipitation related to the persistence of those modes of variability. Thus, their ability to reproduce long‐term environmental conditions in some situations can be related to a preferential phase of the PDO, PNA and NAM.
Notch‐1 signaling promotes reattachment of suspended cancer cells by cdc42‐dependent microtentacles formation
Authors: Li Ping , Chen Yu , Peng Yueting , Zhang Yixi , Zhou Hanying , Chen Xiangyan , Li Tingting , Li Shun , Yang Hong , Wu Chunhui , Zheng Chuan , Zhu Jie , You Fengming , Li Li , Qin Xiang , Liu Yiyao
Published: September 2021

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with a higher risk of metastasis in tumor patients. The adhesion and arrest of CTCs at a secondary site is an essential prerequisite for the occurrence of tumor metastasis. CTC reattachment has shown to be dependent on microtentacle (McTN) formation in vivo. However, the specific molecular mechanism of McTN formation in suspended cancer cells remains largely unclear. Here, we demonstrated that the activation of Notch‐1 signaling triggers McTN formation to facilitate cell reattachment in suspended cell culture conditions. Moreover, molecular mechanistic studies revealed that McTN formation is governed by the balance between microtubule‐driven outgrowth and actomyosin‐driven cell contractility. The activation of Notch‐1 downregulates the acetylation level of microtubules via the Cdc42/HDAC6 pathway, which contributes to microtubule polymerization. Simultaneously, Notch‐1 signaling‐induced Cdc42 activation also reduced phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain, leading to cell contractility attenuation. Altogether, these results defined a novel mechanism by which Notch‐1 signaling disturbs the balance between the expansion of microtubules and contraction of the cortical actin, which promotes McTN formation and cell reattachment. Our findings provide a new perspective on the effective therapeutic target to prevent CTC reattachment.
Recent progress in materials development and biological properties of GTR membranes for periodontal regeneration
Authors: Ul Hassan Sadaf , Bilal Bushra , Nazir Muhammad Shahid , Naqvi Syed Ali Raza , Ali Zufiqar , Nadeem Sohail , Muhammad Nawshad , Palvasha Bushra Anees , Mohyuddin Aysha
Published: September 2021

Chronic periodontal is a very common infection that instigates the destruction of oral tissue, and for its treatment, it is necessary to minimize the infection and the defects regeneration. Periodontium consists of four types of tissues: (a) cementum, (b) periodontal ligament, (c) gingiva, and 4) alveolar bone. In separated cavities, regenerative process also allows various cell proliferations. Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) is a potential procedure that favors periodontal regrowth; however, some limitations (such as ineffective hemostatic property, poor mechanical property, and improper biodegradation) are also associated with it. This review mainly emphasizes on the following areas: (a) a summarized overview of the periodontium and its immunological situations, (b) recently utilized treatments for regeneration of distinctive periodontal tissues; (c) an overview of GTR membranes available commercially, and the latest developments on the characterization and processing of GTR membrane material; and 4) the function of the different non‐polymeric/polymeric materials, which are acting as drug carriers, antibacterial agents, nanoparticles, and periodontal barrier membranes to prevent periodontal inflammation and to improve the strength of the GTR membrane.
Intravenous immunoglobulin and the current risk of moderate and severe anaphylactic events, a cohort study
Authors: Martinez Carlos , Wallenhorst Christopher , van Nunen Sheryl
Published: September 2021

This large cohort study from the US Premier Healthcare Database evaluated the risk and predictors of anaphylaxis in association with intravenous immunoglobulin (IvIg) therapy in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Data were collected retrospectively (January 2009–December 2018) from 24 919 patients administered IgPro10 IvIg, median age 54 years. Immunoglobulins of interest were IgPro10 and other IvIg given before or after IgPro10. Moderate and severe anaphylaxis was identified from same-day parenteral epinephrine and IvIg use and reviews of patient record summaries. Predictors for first anaphylactic reactions associated with IvIg administration were derived from adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) using Poisson regression. Moderate anaphylaxis in IvIg use was rare and severe anaphylaxis very rare based on a total of 124 moderate and four non-fatal severe first anaphylactic events, incidence rate of 7.11 and 0.23/10 000 IvIg administrations, respectively. Age under 18 years was an independent predictor of moderate or severe anaphylactic events [adjusted incidence rate ratio = 2.94, 0.95 confidence interval  = 1.91–4.52] compared with those aged 18 years and older. First IvIg administration was a strong predictor of anaphylaxis. The IRR in those with a subsequent IvIg administration in the preceding 42 days decreased to 0.27 (0.17–0.42) and in those effectively IvIg-naive (no IvIg for > 42 days) to 0.76 (0.44–1.32) compared with first IvIg use. The key conclusions from this study are that the risk of anaphylaxis has progressively reduced over the last decade, from 14.87 of 10 000 in 2009–10 to 4.39 of 10 000 IvIg administrations in 2017–18 and is rare overall, and that the risk of anaphylaxis is increased in those aged under 18 years.
More than an academic exercise: Structuring international partnerships to build research and professional capacity for conservation impact
Authors: Johnson Arlyne , Saypanya Santi , Hansel Troy , Rao Madhu
Published: September 2021

Partnerships between researchers and conservation practitioners are essential for gathering the information needed to diagnose conservation problems and to determine what actions are most likely to be effective to achieve desired conservation outcomes. In developing countries where conservation capacity is limited, it is critical that partnerships between international and local research and practitioner communities also strengthen local capacity to lead in the conservation of their own regions. To achieve this means avoiding the pitfalls of “parachute science,” a phenomenon where foreign researchers engage in a project in a developing country without appropriately integrating or acknowledging local researchers and without investing in the professional capacity of a country's individuals or institutions. Using the authors' experience, we describe four approaches used to structure international research partnerships with conservation and academic institutions in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, where government policies oblige foreign researchers to partner with national institutions and students. We describe the impact of these partnerships on strengthening national capacity for conservation science and practice over time.
Applying remotely sensed habitat descriptors to assist reintroduction programs: A case study in the hazel dormouse
Authors: Cartledge Emma L. , Baker Melanie , White Ian , Powell Andrea , Gregory Ben , Varley Martin , Hurst Jane L. , Stockley Paula
Published: September 2021

For reintroduction programs to succeed, it is vital to identify suitable release sites. This is especially true for low dispersing habitat specialists, which are at particular risk from habitat fragmentation. The habitat specialist Muscardinus avellanarius (hazel dormouse) is part of a large‐scale reintroduction program in the UK. The program began in 1993 and has so far had varying levels of long‐term success across 24 sites. Although the causes of population persistence at reintroduction sites are not well understood, continued habitat suitability is hypothesized to play an important role. Here, we establish broad‐scale habitat descriptors associated with the current distribution of natural hazel dormouse populations in England, using ecological niche factor analysis and remotely sensed, open‐source maps. We also apply generalized linear mixed effects models to long‐term monitoring data for reintroduced hazel dormouse populations, revealing that broad‐scale habitat factors strongly influence the number of animals present in nest boxes. To aid conservation practitioners in future site selection, we illustrate the practical application of habitat suitability mapping to help prioritize the most appropriate woodlands for future hazel dormouse reintroductions, using the county of Cheshire as an example. Although demonstrated here for the hazel dormouse, this approach to reintroduction site selection could be beneficial to a broad range of species.
Utilization of physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic model to assess disease‐mediated therapeutic protein‐disease‐drug interaction in immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases
Authors: Wang Lujing , Chen Yang , Zhou Wangda , Miao Xin , Zhou Honghui
Published: September 2021

It is known that interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) can significantly modulate some key drug‐metabolizing enzymes, such as phase I cytochrome P450s (CYPs). In this study, a physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed to assess CYPs mediated therapeutic protein drug interactions (TP‐DIs) in patients with immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) with elevated systemic IL‐6 levels when treated by anti‐IL‐6 therapies. Literature data of IL‐6 levels in various diseases were incorporated in SimCYP to construct respective virtual patient populations. The modulation effects of systemic IL‐6 level and local IL‐6 level in the gastrointestinal tract (GI) on CYPs activities were assessed. Upon blockade of the IL‐6 signaling pathway by an anti‐IL‐6 treatment, the area under plasma concentration versus time curves (AUCs) of S‐warfarin, omeprazole, and midazolam were predicted to decrease by up to 40%, 42%, and 46%, respectively. In patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis treated with an anti‐IL‐6 therapy, the lowering of the elevated IL‐6 levels in the local GI tissue were predicted to result in further decreases in AUCs of those CYP substrates. The propensity of TP‐DIs under comorbidity conditions, such as in patients with cancer with IMID, were also explored. With further validation with relevant clinical data, this PBPK model may provide an in silico way to quantify the magnitude of potential TP‐DI in patients with elevated IL‐6 levels when an anti‐IL‐6 therapeutic is used with concomitant small‐molecule drugs. This model may be further adapted to evaluate the CYP modulation effect by other therapeutic modalities, which would significantly alter levels of proinflammatory cytokines during the treatment period.
Did the Labor Contract Law Affect the Capital Deepening and Efficiency of Chinese Private Firms?
Authors: Ding Jian , Zhou Yixiao
Published: September 2021

Since the implementation of the Labor Contract Law (LCL) in 2010, a significant increase in the capital/labor ratio, known as capital deepening, has occurred in private firms in China. However, the cause and impact of the capital deepening is still in question, as either technological change or a higher cost of labor might cause it. Using data from the Chinese Private Enterprise Survey in 2008 and 2012, two critical findings are reported in this study. First, pension coverage significantly affected the capital/labor ratio in private firms after 2010. Second, large private firms are able to generate higher total factor productivity after the implementation of the LCL because they can adjust their production function more easily than smaller competitors. These findings have policy implications for reforms in the Chinese labor market.
Adipose tissue and blood leukocytes ACE2 DNA methylation in obesity and after weight loss
Authors: Izquierdo Andrea G. , Carreira Marcos C. , Boughanem Hatim , Moreno‐Navarrete Jose M. , Nicoletti Carolina F. , Oliver Paula , de Luis Daniel , Nonino Carla B. , Portillo Maria P. , Martinez‐Olmos Miguel A. , Fernandez‐Real Jose M. , Tinahones Francisco J. , Martinez J. Alfredo , Macias‐González Manuel , Casanueva Felipe F. , Crujeiras Ana B.
Published: September 2021

Background

Obesity was consistently associated with a poor prognosis in patients with COVID‐19. Epigenetic mechanisms were proposed as the link between obesity and comorbidities risk.

Aim

To evaluate the methylation levels of angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene, the main entry receptor of SARS‐CoV‐2, in different depots of adipose tissue (AT) and leukocytes (PBMCs) in obesity and after weight loss therapy based on a very‐low‐calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD), a balanced hypocaloric diet (HCD) or bariatric surgery (BS).

Materials and Methods

DNA methylation levels of ACE2 were extracted from our data sets generated by the hybridization of subcutaneous (SAT) (n = 32) or visceral (VAT; n = 32) adipose tissue, and PBMCs (n = 34) samples in Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChips. Data were compared based on the degree of obesity and after 4–6 months of weight loss either by following a nutritional or surgical treatment and correlated with ACE2 transcript levels.

Results

As compared with normal weight, VAT from patients with obesity showed higher ACE2 methylation levels. These differences were mirrored in PBMCs but not in SAT. The observed obesity‐associated methylation of ACE2 was reversed after VLCKD and HCD but not after BS. Among the studied CpG sites, cg16734967 and cg21598868, located at the promoter, were the most affected and correlated with BMI. The observed DNA methylation pattern was inversely correlated with ACE2 expression.

Conclusion

Obesity‐related VAT shows hypermethylation and downregulation of the ACE2 gene that is mirrored in PBMCs and is restored after nutritional weight reduction therapy. The results warrant the necessity to further evaluate its implication for COVID‐19 pathogenesis.
Human capital transfer of German‐speaking migrants in eastern Europe, 1780s–1820s
Authors: Blum Matthias , Krauss Karl‐Peter , Myeshkov Dmytro
Published: September 2021

Prior to the ‘Age of Mass Migration’, Germans left central Europe to settle primarily in modern‐day Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Ukraine, and Russia. Despite the harsh conditions that the first generation of settlers had to endure, their descendants often fared better, rather than worse, compared to native population groups. This study offers a possible explanation for this surprising outcome. It makes use of data on approximately 11 500 individuals to estimate and compare the basic numeracy scores of German settlers and other population groups in target regions. The findings show that German settlers generally had superior basic numeracy levels, which suggests that these settlers must have contributed positively to the human capital endowment in their target regions. The numeracy of Germans was somewhat higher than the numeracy of Hungarians and substantially higher than that of Russians, Ukrainians, and Serbs. No noteworthy differences are found in terms of numeracy between German emigrants and the population they left behind, which suggests the absence of substantial migrant selection.
Neural signatures of heterogeneity in risk‐taking and strategic consistency
Authors: Leota Josh , Kleinert Tobias , Tran Alex , Nash Kyle
Published: September 2021

People display a high degree of heterogeneity in risk‐taking behaviour, but this heterogeneity remains poorly understood. Here, we use a neural trait approach to examine if task‐independent, brain‐based differences can help uncover the sources of heterogeneity in risky decision‐making. We extend prior research in two key ways. First, we disentangled risk‐taking and strategic consistency using novel measures afforded by the Balloon Analogue Risk Task. Second, we applied a personality neuroscience framework to explore why personality traits are typically only weakly related to risk‐taking behaviour. We regressed participants' (N = 104) source localized resting‐state electroencephalographic activity on risk‐taking and strategic consistency. Results revealed that higher levels of resting‐state delta‐band current density (reflecting reduced cortical activation) in the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were associated with increased risk‐taking and decreased strategic consistency, respectively. These results suggest that heterogeneity in risk‐taking behaviour is associated with neural dispositions related to sensitivity to the risk of loss, whereas heterogeneity in strategic consistency is associated with neural dispositions related to strategic decision‐making. Finally, extraversion, neuroticism, openness, and self‐control were broadly associated with both of the identified neural traits, which in turn mediated indirect associations between personality traits and behavioural measures. These results provide an explanation for the weak direct relationships between personality traits and risk‐taking behaviour, supporting a personality neuroscience framework of traits and decision‐making.
Internationalization and capability building in emerging markets: What comes after success?
Authors: Velez‐Ocampo Juan , Gonzalez‐Perez Maria Alejandra
Published: September 2021

Existing literature on emerging‐market multinational enterprises (EMNEs) often acknowledges their competitive weaknesses, latecomer disadvantages, poor governance structures, technological deficiencies, and dependence on local resources. Despite these structural disadvantages, some EMNEs have succeeded in becoming global and regional leaders in their respective industries. Many studies explore how EMNEs are internationalizing. However, the discussion of what to expect from a successful overseas expansion remains very limited, especially when considering fast‐changing industries in unpredictable markets. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how and why an EMNE competing in a changing industry in turbulent geographies builds capabilities to remain competitive locally and internationally. Using a qualitative case study approach, we identify the company's responses to reconfiguration forces related to the entry of new competitors, difficulties in protecting knowledge, technological change, and sophistication. Our study highlights re‐invention, re‐pioneering, and re‐signaling as new capabilities that emerge as a result of adapting to a fast‐changing industry in unpredictable environments.
How does spawning frequency scale with body size in marine fishes?
Authors: Marshall Dustin J , Barneche Diego R , White Craig R
Published: September 2021

How does fecundity scale with female size? Female size not only affects the number and size of offspring released in any one reproductive bout (i.e. batch fecundity) but also affects frequency of bouts that occur within a given spawning season (i.e. spawning frequency). Previous studies have noted contrasting effects of female size on spawning frequency such that the effect of female size on reproductive output and total egg production of a population remains unclear. If smaller females spawn more frequently, this could effectively nullify hyperallometry—the disproportionate contribution of larger females to batch fecundity. Here, we explore the relationship between female size and spawning frequency in marine fishes and test this relationship while controlling for phylogeny. Within all of the species considered, spawning frequency scaled positively with body size. Comparing across species, the smallest species showed steeper scaling than the largest. Considering only batch fecundity scaling probably underestimates the relationship between body size and absolute fecundity for many species; reproduction is likely to be more hyperallometric than is currently appreciated based on batch fecundity estimates. Second, an understanding of fecundity scaling depends on estimates of batch fecundity, spawning frequency and spawning duration—we have far more estimates of the first parameter than we do the others, and more studies are required.
Language ideologies among Japanese foreign language teachers: Keigo and L2 speakers
Authors: DiBello Takeuchi Jae
Published: September 2021

This study reports findings of a survey about keigo, Japanese honorifics, and L2‐Japanese speakers; survey respondents were teachers of Japanese as a foreign language (JFL). Researchers have studied keigo ideologies within Japanese society and documented approaches to keigo instruction and learners' efforts to master or resist keigo. However, researchers have not studied teachers' beliefs about keigo and neither the impact of keigo ideologies on classroom practice nor teachers' views of students as legitimate Japanese speakers have been studied. The survey examines JFL teachers' beliefs about keigo, approaches to teaching keigo, and beliefs about keigo's relevance for L2 speakers. Conducted within a qualitative framework, analysis of thematic coding and descriptive statistics demonstrate that respondents report different standards for L2 speakers that convey implicit native‐speaker bias. Findings underscore the importance of foreign language teachers reflecting on language ideologies that affect classroom practices and advocating for L2 speaker legitimacy.
Diet influences latitudinal gradients in life‐history traits, but not reproductive output, in ectotherms
Authors: Bansal Udita , Thaker Maria
Published: September 2021

Aim

Latitudinal gradients in life‐history traits are apparent in many taxa and are expected to be strong for ectotherms that have temperature‐driven constraints on performance and fitness. The strength of these gradients, however, should also be affected by diet. Because diet type (carnivory, omnivory, herbivory) influences accessibility to nutrition and assimilation efficiency, we aim to study how diet affects latitudinal gradients in lifetime reproductive output and the underlying life‐history traits in ectotherms.

Location

Global.

Time period

Recent.

Major taxa studied

Lizards (Reptilia, Squamata, Sauria).

Methods

We used empirical (352 species) and phylogenetically imputed data (563 species) to analyse the interactive effects of latitude and diet on life‐history traits (longevity, age at maturity, reproductive life span, hatchling mass, clutch/brood size, clutch/brood frequency, female mass) and lifetime reproductive output of lizards.

Results

Lifetime reproductive output does not significantly differ in lizards across diet types, and only carnivores exhibit a small increase at higher latitudes. Diet type, however, influences latitudinal patterns of individual life‐history traits. Carnivores exhibit a shift towards ‘slower‐paced’ life histories at higher latitudes for most traits (increased longevity, age at maturity, reproductive life span, and decreased clutch frequency). By contrast, herbivores either display ‘faster‐paced’ life histories (reduction in reproductive life span, hatchling mass, female mass) or no change (clutch frequency, clutch size, age at maturity) at higher latitudes. Omnivores exhibit intermediate and muted latitudinal patterns.

Main conclusions

We suggest that the nutritional challenges of herbivory, compounded by thermal constraints at higher latitudes, may explain differences in life‐history characteristics of herbivorous ectotherms. Intermediate patterns exhibited by omnivores highlight how flexibility in diet can buffer environmental challenges at higher latitudes. Our results indicate that lizards with different diet types display various trends in their life histories across latitudes, which eventually balance out to result in similar reproductive outputs throughout their lifetime, with little benefits to carnivory.
Land price control and employee wages: A bunching analysis of factor cost transfer
Authors: Cheng Ke‐wei , Feng Chen , Zhang Yao
Published: September 2021

To prevent local governments from transferring industrial land at low prices to attract investment, the central government of China enacted a land price control policy that stipulates a minimum price for land transfers. Using a sample of 235,803 land transactions in China from 2008 to 2015, we estimate the effects of this policy on local governments and companies. First, we find that local governments abide by the policy to some extent. However, owing to the constraints of local economic performance, there is a degree of motivation not to apply the policy, which is manifested in selective law enforcement. Second, for some companies, the policy pushes the land purchase cost above the minimum price, and the distribution of land costs across the sample shows a bunching effect in certain neighborhoods. Third, companies with rising land costs have a significant incentive to pass on their increased costs, which is manifested in a significant decline in their expenditure on employee wages, particularly in companies with poor liquidity ratios. However, there is no evidence that the increase in land costs has an impact on other company behaviors, such as investment or tax compliance.