bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sexual (in)equality? A meta‐analysis of sex differences in thermal acclimation capacity across ectotherms
Authors: Pottier Patrice , Burke Samantha , Drobniak Szymon M. , Lagisz Malgorzata , Nakagawa Shinichi
Published: August 2021

Climate change is putting the fate of ectothermic animals at stake because their body temperature closely tracks environmental temperatures. The ability to adjust thermal limits and preference through acclimation (i.e. acclimation capacity) may compensate for temperature changes. However, although necessary for forecasting the future of ectotherms in a changing climate, knowledge on the factors modulating these plastic responses is fragmentary. For instance, the influence of an animal's sex in driving acclimation capacity has been underappreciated.

Here, we present the first systematic review and meta‐analysis on sex differences in thermal acclimation capacity. Using 239 effect sizes from 37 studies and 44 species, we revealed that males and females did not differ significantly in their overall capacity to acclimate their thermal limits and preference. However, in some instances, females expressed significantly greater plastic responses than males.

In wild animals, females had a greater heat tolerance plasticity than males. In addition, females had a greater cold tolerance plasticity in terrestrial habitats, but the strength and direction of this sexual dimorphism was associated with the duration of acclimation. We also found a negative correlation between body mass and plasticity. Finally, we demonstrated that the capacity for each sex to adjust their thermal tolerance and preference was remarkably limited.

It is important to acknowledge that the above effects were weak and heterogeneous. Hence, in the species we investigated, minor differences in acclimation capacity may not translate into major ecological mismatch between sexes with climate change.

Our systematic review also revealed that over 75% of the studies we identified either did not report or confounded the sex of the animals. This under‐reporting may cause to overlook ecologically relevant sex differences in plasticity in ectothermic taxa. We stress the need for further research on sex‐based responses to temperatures.

Our synthesis provides additional evidence that the capacity for ectotherms to acclimate to temperatures is limited, and likely insufficient to compensate for the impacts of climate change.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Nimodipine reduces delayed cerebral vasospasm after intracranial tumour surgery: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Yu Ying , Li Yunqian , Jin Zheng , Zhao Shuai , Xie Xuan , Chen Fan
Published: August 2021

Cerebral vasospasm (CVS) is a frequent and serious neurosurgical complication, without sufficient therapy. This retrospective study was performed to analyze if nimodipine can improve prognosis and reduce ischaemia secondary to delayed CVS after intracranial tumour surgery. A retrospective review was performed over the years 2011 to 2012 for patients with an anterior cranial fossa tumour and underwent intracranial tumour surgery. The surgical field was soaked with nimodipine solution or normal saline. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was used to measure velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and the distal extracranial internal carotid artery (eICA). Follow‐up was performed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) after discharge. There were 94 patients that met the inclusion criteria. They included 50 males and 44 females, with a mean age of 49.6 years. In the nimodipine group, CVS occurred in 13 patients; 9 patients had CVS between 4 and 7 days, and 4 had CVS between 8 and 14 days. In the normal saline group, 19 patients had CVS, 3 presented with CVS within 3 days, 11 between 4–7 days and 5 between 8–14 days. A significant difference in the occurrence of CVS was observed between the two groups. Preoperative and postoperative the MCA velocities were compared, revealing a significant change in the normal saline group but not in the nimodipine group. Nimodipine markedly improves prognosis and significantly reduces ischaemia secondary to delayed CVS after intracranial tumour surgery, as well as the risks of mortality and morbidity.
The effects of mirabegron on obesity‐induced inflammation and insulin resistance are associated with brown adipose tissue activation but not beiging in the subcutaneous white adipose tissue
Authors: Peres Valgas da Silva Carmem , Calmasini Fabiano , Alexandre Eduardo Costa , Raposo Helena Fonseca , Delbin Maria Andreia , Monica Fabiola Zakia , Zanesco Angelina
Published: August 2021

Mirabegron is a selective β₃‐adrenergic receptors agonist, which has been recently shown to improve metabolic health in rodents and humans. In this study, we investigated the effects of 2‐week mirabegron treatment on the metabolic parameters of mice with a diet‐induced obesity (DIO). C57BL/6JUnib mice were divided into control (CTR) and obese (OB) groups treated with vehicle, and an OB group treated with mirabegron (OB + MIRA). The obese groups were fed a high‐fat diet for 12 weeks. Mirabegron (10 mg/kg/day) was administrated orally by gavage from weeks 10–12. After 2 weeks of mirabegron treatment, the energy expenditure was assessed with indirect calorimetry. Blood glucose, insulin, glycerol, free fatty acids (FFA), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBAR), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α levels were also assessed, and the HOMA index was determined. Liver tissue, brown adipose tissue (BAT), and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) samples were collected for histological examination. The protein expressions of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) were assessed using western blotting of the BAT and iWAT samples. In this study, mirabegron increased the energy expenditure and decreased adiposity in OB + MIRA. Increased UCP1 expression in BAT without changes in iWAT was also found. Mirabegron decreased circulating levels of FFA, glycerol, insulin, TNF‐α, TBARS and HOMA index. DIO significantly increased the lipid deposits in the liver and BAT, but mirabegron partially reversed this change. Our findings indicate that treatment with mirabegron decreased inflammation and improved metabolism in obese mice. This effect was associated with increased BAT‐mediated energy expenditure, but not iWAT beiging, which suggests that mirabegron might be useful for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Heterogeneous impacts of information technology adoption on pesticide and fertiliser expenditures: Evidence from wheat farmers in China*
Authors: Ma Wanglin , Zheng Hongyun
Published: August 2021

This study examines the impacts of mobile information technology adoption on agrochemical expenditures, using data collected from 551 wheat farmers in China. Unlike previous studies that analyse a homogeneous relationship between the adoption of information technologies and farm input use, in this study, an instrumental variable quantile regression approach is utilised to capture the heterogeneous impacts of smartphone use on pesticide and fertiliser expenditures. Findings reveal that smartphone use affects pesticide and fertiliser expenditures heterogeneously, and its impacts on pesticide expenditure are larger than those on fertiliser expenditure. Specifically, at the lowest 20th quantile, smartphone use significantly increases pesticide expenditure by 33 per cent and fertiliser expenditure by 18 per cent. However, at the higher 60th and 80th quantiles, smartphone use significantly decreases pesticide expenditure by 36–39 per cent and fertiliser expenditure by 14–19 per cent. Our findings suggest that guiding farmers’ agrochemical usage behaviours through smartphone‐based information intervention can be a practical strategy to help reduce the excessive usage of chemical pesticides and fertilisers and preserve the environment and human health.
Medicinal Cannabis Prescribing: A Study of Boundary Work and Medico‐Legal Risk
Authors: Case Paula
Published: August 2021

The prescription of ‘unlicensed’ cannabis‐based medicines was legalised in 2018. A ‘boundary work’ analysis of the post reform guidance issued for doctors reveals a discourse which frames the prescription of medicinal cannabis as a matter for clinical judgement, but also as fraught with medico‐legal hazard. The article highlights a triad of rhetorical devices comprising the ‘last resort’ principle, ‘personal responsibility’ and the randomised controlled trial as an exclusive measure of ‘safety and efficacy’. Having identified a pronounced signalling of medico‐legal risk which is likely to have a chilling effect on prescribing, this article explores how the Bolam‐Bolitho formulation of the legal standard of care in negligence litigation might respond to this new domain of prescribing. This article concludes with observations about the compatibility of innovative prescribing of unlicensed cannabis medicines with the standard of care in negligence law, notwithstanding the extreme caution inherent in the interim prescribing guidance.
Evaluation of distance‐based approaches for forensic comparison: Application to hand odor evidence
Authors: Rivals Isabelle , Sautier Cédric , Cognon Guillaume , Cuzuel Vincent
Published: August 2021

The issue of distinguishing between the same‐source and different‐source hypotheses based on various types of traces is a generic problem in forensic science. This problem is often tackled with Bayesian approaches, which are able to provide a likelihood ratio that quantifies the relative strengths of evidence supporting each of the two competing hypotheses. Here, we focus on distance‐based approaches, whose robustness and specifically whose capacity to deal with high‐dimensional evidence are very different, and need to be evaluated and optimized. A unified framework for direct methods based on estimating the likelihoods of the distance between traces under each of the two competing hypotheses, and indirect methods using logistic regression to discriminate between same‐source and different‐source distance distributions, is presented. Whilst direct methods are more flexible, indirect methods are more robust and quite natural in machine learning. Moreover, indirect methods also enable the use of a vectorial distance, thus preventing the severe information loss suffered by scalar distance approaches. Direct and indirect methods are compared in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and robustness, with and without dimensionality reduction, with and without feature selection, on the example of hand odor profiles, a novel and challenging type of evidence in the field of forensics. Empirical evaluations on a large panel of 534 subjects and their 1690 odor traces show the significant superiority of the indirect methods, especially without dimensionality reduction, be it with or without feature selection.
Dynamics of long‐term continuous culture of Limnospira indica in an air‐lift photobioreactor
Authors: Garcia‐Gragera David , Peiro Enrique , Arnau Carolina , Cornet Jean‐François , Dussap Claude‐Gilles , Godia Francesc
Published: August 2021

MELiSSA (Microecological Life Support System Alternative) is a developing technology for regenerative life support to enable long‐term human missions in Space and has developed a demonstration Pilot Plant. One of the components of the MELiSSA Pilot Plant system is an 83L external loop air‐lift photobioreactor (PBR) where Limnospira indica (previously named Arthrospira sp. PC8005) is axenically cultivated in a continuous operation mode for long‐periods. Its mission is to provide O2 and consume CO2 while producing edible material. Biological and process characterization of this PBR is performed by analysing the effect of two main variables, dilution rate (D) and PFD (Photon Flux Density) illumination. A maximum oxygen productivity () of 1.35 mmol l−1 h−1 is obtained at a D of 0.025 h−1 and PFD of 930 µmol m−2 s−1. Photoinhibition can occur when a 1 g l−1 cell density culture is exposed to PFD higher than 1700 µmol m−2 s−1. This process is reversible if the illumination is returned to dim light (150 µmol m−2 s−1), proving the cell adaptability and capacity to respond at different illumination conditions. Influence of light intensity in cell composition is also described. Specific photon flux density (qPFD) has a direct effect on phycobiliproteins and chlorophyll content causing a decrease of 62.5% and 47.8%, respectively, when qPFD increases from 6.1 to 19.2 µmol g−1 s−1. The same trend is observed for proteins and the opposite for carbohydrate content. Morphological and spiral structural features of L. indica are studied by confocal microscopy, and size distribution parameters are quantified. A direct effect between trichome width and CDW/OD ratio is observed. Changes in size distribution are not correlated with environmental factors, further confirms the adaptation capacity of the cells. The systematic analysis performed provides valuable insights to understand the key performance criteria of continuous culture in air‐lift PBRs.
Brazil and BRICS Multilateralism à la Carte: From Bilateralism to Community Interest
Authors: Vazquez Karin Costa
Published: August 2021

As BRICS advances into its second decade of existence, it transitions from a multilateral alignment to bilateral arrangements among the five members. This ‘bi‐lateralization’ of BRICS expands the ‘menu’ of the BRICS ‘multilateralism à la carte’ by allowing members to limit cooperation when their interests diverge and to benefit from collective action through BRICS when their interests converge. This paper argues that, from the standpoint of countries like Brazil, the India–China border dispute and broader competition in the Indo‐Pacific demonstrate the ‘bi‐lateralization’ of intra‐BRICS relations as they thwart the development of a common narrative on issues like global health, security and trade. Contrarily, the bi‐lateralization of BRICS also gives members more flexibility as they manage various domestic and international challenges, which is crucial for the grouping’s survival. The experience of the BRICS‐led New Development Bank (NDB) illustrates how the five countries can still cooperate as a coalition in pursuit of common objectives such as sustainable development and infrastructure. The lack of robust mechanisms to realize these objectives, however, raises questions about NDB’s capacity to help BRICS to cooperate more like a community.
ESRP1 as a prognostic factor of non‐small‐cell lung cancer is related to the EMT transcription factor of Twist
Authors: Cui Jieda , Ren Peng , Li Yan , Ma Yunfan , Wang Jingdi , Lin Chutong , Jing Liang , Tong Xuexia , Ma Shaohua , Chen Juan
Published: August 2021

Objective

Non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common fatal cancers in the world. Although the treatment of NSCLC has been significantly improved, there is still an unmet need to identify novel targets for developing therapeutic agents and diagnostic/prognostic markers. The aim of this study is explore the role and underlying mechanism of the epithelial splicing regulatory protein (ESRP1) in the development and progression of NSCLC.

Methods

A total of 115 participants, 65 cases of NSCLC, 20 cases of precancerous lesions, and 30 cases of benign lung nodules, were included in this study. The expressions of ESRP1 and related transcription factor Twist in enrolled lung tissues were evaluated by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry assay. The survival analysis and related prognosis factors were evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier curve and Cox regression. In addition, the expression of ESRP1 and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT)related transcription factor Twist and EMT markers E‐cadherin and N‐cadherin were ascertained by immunohistochemical and immunoblotting assay on A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines that were exposed to transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1).

Results

Compared with normal lung tissues, the abundance of ESRP1 protein was significantly increased in precancerous lesions and lung cancer. Correlation analysis demonstrated that ESRP1 was an independent prognostic factor in NSCLC. The expression of ESRP1 and Twist was positively correlated in lung tissues (r = 0.285, p < 0.001). In vitro analysis further showed that TGFβ1 could upregulate the expression of EMT transcription factor Twist while downregulating ESRP1.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the aberrant expression of ESRP1 is an early event in the development of NSCLC. The ESRP1 could serve as a prognostic biomarker for NSCLC, particularly when combined with Twist. The Twist negatively regulated the expression of ESRP1, emphasizing the role of the TGFβ/ESRP1 pathway in the development of NSCLC, which warrants further investigation.
Drinking reduction during cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder is associated with a reduction in anterior insula‐bed nucleus of the stria terminalis resting‐state functional connectivity
Authors: Srivastava A. Benjamin , Sanchez‐Peña Juan , Levin Frances R. , Mariani John J. , Patel Gaurav H. , Naqvi Nasir H.
Published: August 2021

Background

Connectivity between the anterior insula (AI) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) may play a role in negative emotions that drive compulsive drinking in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). We hypothesized that reductions in drinking during cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an effective treatment that teaches regulation (coping) skills for managing negative emotions during abstinence, would be associated with reductions in resting‐state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the AI and the BNST.

Methods

We included 18 patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition diagnosis of AUD who were (1) seeking treatment and (2) drinking heavily at baseline. We measured RSFC as Pearson's correlation between the BNST and multiple regions of interest in the insula at baseline and after completion of 12 weeks of a single‐arm clinical trial of outpatient CBT. We also assessed the number of heavy drinking days over the previous 28 days (NHDD) at both time points. We used 1‐sample t‐tests to evaluate AI‐BNST RSFC at baseline, paired t‐tests to evaluate changes in AI‐BNST RSFC from pre‐CBT to post‐CBT, and linear regression to evaluate the relationship between changes in AI‐BNST RSFC and NHDD.

Results

We found a significant positive RSFC between the AI and the BNST at baseline (p = 0.0015). While there were no significant changes in AI‐BNST RSFC from pre‐ to post‐CBT at the group level (p = 0.42), we found that individual differences in reductions in AI‐BNST RSFC from pre‐ to post‐CBT were directly related to reductions in NHDD from pre‐ to post‐CBT (r = 0.73, p = 0.0008).

Conclusions

These findings provide preliminary evidence that reduced AI‐BNST RSFC may be a mechanism of drinking reduction in AUD and that AI‐BNST RSFC may be a target for CBT and possibly other treatments.
Social decision making in severe alcohol use disorder: Scoping review and experimental perspectives
Authors: Gautier Mado , Pabst Arthur , Maurage Pierre
Published: August 2021

Background

Patients with severe alcohol use disorder (SAUD) demonstrate multifaceted impairments in social cognition abilities, including emotional decoding or Theory of Mind. Such impairments are associated with real‐life interpersonal difficulties, which in turn could contribute to the persistence of SAUD. However, little is known regarding how patients with SAUD make decisions in a social context and this literature has not been comprehensively reviewed.

Objectives

The main aim of this paper was to conduct the first review specifically focusing on social decision‐making abilities in SAUD. Following PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews, we describe existing knowledge regarding the difficulties experienced by patients with SAUD during social interactions. Our second objective was to propose perspectives for future research, based on the shortcomings identified in the available literature.

Design

We searched three online databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus) and identified 14 papers using behavioral tasks to assess social decision making in patients with SAUD.

Results

Included studies assessed social decision making through three paradigms: (1) economic games (four papers), (2) moral dilemmas (four papers), and (3) interpersonal problem‐solving (six papers). Results indicated that patients with SAUD behave differently from controls in all three paradigms.

Conclusions

Previous studies suggested large‐scale social decision‐making impairments or biases in SAUD. However, in light of the limited number of studies available and of the restricted set of processes measured, we call for the extension of this field through more ecologically relevant and model‐based paradigms in order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these effects.
The effect of alcohol on mood among males drinking with a platonic friend
Authors: Bowdring Molly A. , Sayette Michael A.
Published: August 2021

Background

Despite the social nature of most drinking experiences, prior work has largely failed to incorporate social context into the study of alcohol's effects on emotion. The present study provides an initial test of the effect of alcohol on mood among platonic friends drinking together in a non‐stress setting. We hypothesized that subjects would report more positive postdrink mood after consuming alcohol than after consuming a nonalcoholic control beverage.

Methods

Dyads of platonic male friends (n = 36; 55.55% White, 38.88% Asian, 5.55% Black) attended two laboratory‐based experimental sessions, wherein their drink conditions (alcohol vs. no alcohol control) were randomized by dyad and counter‐balanced across sessions. They reported their mood before and after consuming their beverages together, using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and an 8‐item mood measure.

Results

As hypothesized, alcohol enhanced positive mood ( = 0.26, p < 0.01). Although in the expected direction, the effect of alcohol on negative mood was not significant ( = −0.12, p = 0.17). Post hoc analyses revealed that alcohol yielded greater increases in both stimulation (, p = 0.00) and sedation (, p = 0.00) as compared to the control condition.

Conclusion

This study highlights the positive mood‐enhancing and broader subjective effects of alcohol when drinking with a platonic friend and encourages further consideration of friendship contexts in the examination of alcohol's effects when developing models of the etiology of alcohol use disorder.
Predicting disordered gambling across adolescence and young adulthood from polygenic contributions to Big 5 personality traits in a UK birth cohort
Authors: Spychala Kellyn M. , Gizer Ian R. , Davis Christal N. , Dash Genevieve F. , Piasecki Thomas M. , Slutske Wendy S.
Published: August 2021

Background and Aims

Previous research has demonstrated phenotypical associations between disordered gambling (DG) and Big 5 personality traits, and a twin study suggested that shared genetic influences accounted for a substantial portion of this relation. The present study examined associations between DG and polygenic scores (PSs) for Big 5 traits to measure the shared genetic underpinnings of Big 5 personality traits and DG.

Design

Zero‐inflated negative binomial regression models estimated associations between Big 5 PSs and past‐year and life‐time assessments of DG in a longitudinally assessed population‐based birth cohort.

Setting

United Kingdom.

Participants

A total of 4729 unrelated children of European ancestry from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) with both phenotypical and genetic data.

Measurements

Phenotypical outcomes included past‐year assessment of DG using the problem gambling severity index (PGSI) and life‐time assessment of DSM‐IV pathological gambling symptoms (DPG) across the ages of 17, 20 and 24 years. Polygenic scores were derived for the Big 5 personality traits of agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism using summary statistics from genome‐wide association studies (GWAS).

Findings

PSs for agreeableness [β= − 0.25, standard error (SE) = 0.054, P = 3.031e‐6, ΔR2 = 0.008] and neuroticism (β=0.14, SE = 0.046, P = 0.0017, ΔR2 = 0.002) significantly predicted PGSI scores over and above included covariates (i.e. sex and first five ancestral principal components). PSs for agreeableness (β= − 0.20, SE = 0.056, P = 0.00036, ΔR2 = 0.003) and neuroticism, when interactions with age were taken into account (β = 0.29, SE = 0.090, P = 0.002, ΔR2 = 0.004), also predicted DPG scores.

Conclusions

Polygenic contributions to low agreeableness and high neuroticism appear to predict two measures of disordered gambling (problem gambling severity index and life‐time assessment of DSM‐IV pathological gambling symptoms). Polygenic scores for neuroticism interact with age to suggest that the positive association becomes stronger from adolescence through young adulthood.
Standing out in a crowd: Intraspecific variability in dorsal patterning allows for photo‐identification of a threatened anuran
Authors: Gould John , Callen Alex , Maynard Cassandra , Knibb Gregory , Mcgregor Jessica , Gill Lucy , Sanders Samantha , Davies Bryce , Schmahl Kate , Donelly Rachael , Turner Aaron , Mchenry Colin
Published: August 2021

Individuals within amphibian populations are commonly identified using artificial marking techniques, such as toe clipping and microchipping. However, many species in this group may be strong candidates for visual identification from photographs given intraspecific variability in skin features. We investigated the potential for dorsal skin patterns to be used as natural markers for the photo‐identification of both juveniles and adults of the green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea). This is a threatened species that has come under intense population monitoring using capture‐mark‐recapture procedures primarily involving the use of artificial markers, with no apparent investigation of the potential for natural markers to be used instead. We collected photographs of marked individuals to determine the level of intraspecific variability in dorsal patterning within a population. This photo‐database was subsequently used to create an online survey in which participants were asked to match separate images of query frogs from small image pools by comparing dorsal patterns. Photographs were taken on a smartphone device under field conditions to test whether this technique could be applied to the study of wild populations with little cost or expertise required. We showed that dorsal patterns are clear and distinct among L. aurea individuals and easily visualised from field‐acquired images to detect recapture events by eye with a low error rate. While an overwhelming majority of adults possessed dorsal patterning that can be easily distinguished by eye, juveniles often showed a complete absence of patterning, suggesting that photo‐identification may be more effective for adult stages. Nevertheless, we highlight the feasibility of collecting visual information on the natural markings of a threatened anuran, providing evidence that it may be used as a supplementary form of identification alongside more traditional techniques, highlighting a potential direction for the future monitoring of this species.
Clinical pathways for the evidence‐based management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in a residential aged care facility: A rapid review
Authors: Kennedy Kate J , Forsythe Deborah , Wagner Joanne , Eckert Marion
Published: August 2021

Objectives

We aimed to identify a clinical pathway, or practice guidelines to inform a clinical pathway, for the management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in residential aged care facilities (RACFs).

Methods

Fifteen evidence sources were searched, and publications were appraised for methodological quality.

Results

Seven publications met the inclusion criteria, but no clinical pathways were found. These publications emphasised prevention via respectful, person‐centred care; non‐pharmacological interventions prioritised; and potential dangers of antipsychotic use. Pharmacological management was only recommended: when there is a high risk of harm; as a short‐term option, to be regularly monitored and discontinued as soon as possible; and used in conjunction with investigation into the causes of BPSD and the introduction of non‐pharmacological therapies.

Conclusion

This rapid review provided high‐quality, current guidelines and recommendations on the prevention and management of BPSD that can inform the development of an evidence‐based clinical pathway for use in Australian RACFs.
Analyst Coverage and the Market Valuation of Capitalized versus Expensed R&D*
Authors: Kim Yewon , Cho Hyungjin , Yang Seunghee
Published: August 2021

We investigate the information benefits from R&D capitalization by focusing on the role of financial analysts in mitigating information asymmetry. Using a large sample of Korean firms, we find a positive association between analyst coverage and the market valuation of expensed R&D indicating that an analyst's activities can help investors to understand the implications of R&D investments. In contrast, analyst coverage does not significantly improve the valuation of capitalized R&D, suggesting that capitalization itself mitigates information asymmetry between firms and investors. We also find that our results are relevant only for firms with fewer alternative sources of information and firms unaffiliated with business groups.
We are (not) monkeys
Authors: CHAO SOPHIE
Published: August 2021

In 2019 anti‐racism protests erupted across the Indonesian‐controlled region of West Papua. Organized largely by Papuan students, the protests expressed Papuans’ frustration with their oppression at the hands of the Indonesian state. During the protests, Papuan demonstrators repurposed the racialized figure of the monkey—a species routinely deployed in Indonesian discourse to deprecate Papuans as primitive and backward. In doing so, they harnessed the monkey's animality to support their demands for emancipation from Indonesian rule and to redeem nonhuman beings as consequential and meaningful entities in their own right. In this context, the monkey as political symbol undermined, legitimized, and enabled processes of collective identification among Indigenous activists. The animal's symbolic mobilization in turn foregrounded the more‐than‐human dimensions of Papuans’ struggle for sovereignty—one in which humans and nonhumans sit in alternately indexical or antithetical relation to each other as contested cosmopolitical actors and world makers. [racism, political symbols, monkeys, cosmopolitics, sovereignty, West Papua, Indonesia]
Highly sensitive duplex MSI test and BAT40 germline polymorphism
Authors: Kang So Young , Kim Kyoung‐Mee
Published: August 2021

Tumors exhibiting DNA mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency and microsatellite instability (MSI) are responsive to immune checkpoint blockade. MSI is frequently diagnosed using five quasimonomorphic mononucleotide (pentaplex) markers; however, the assays have several technical limitations, including the lack of sensitivity of some of the markers. Although markers with increased sensitivity, such as CAT25 and BAT40, have been introduced, the majority of multiplex MSI tests have only been studied in Western populations and require further evaluation in an Asian cohort.

This study tested the efficacy of BAT26, CAT25, and BAT40 mononucleotide MSI markers via triplex PCR on 300 samples from patients with advanced cancers from a Korean clinical population. The results were directly compared with those of a pentaplex MSI test and tumor mutation burden (TMB) status, and an additional 60 MSI‐H cancers were used for further validation.

Four (1.3%) out of 300 advanced tumors were MSI‐high (MSI‐H). In the pentaplex PCR assay, two colorectal cancers (0.7%) exhibited instability only with the BAT25 mononucleotide marker and were interpreted as MSI‐low (MSI‐L). In the triplex PCR assay, BAT40 was unstable in 64 cases (21%) and the results did not overlap with those of MSI‐L from pentaplex. Given the high frequency of isolated BAT40 instability, we performed the same triplex PCR with DNA obtained from normal controls and found BAT40 polymorphisms in 37 cases (90%). Interestingly, the median TMB of the cases with BAT40 polymorphism was significantly higher (7.0 mt/Mb) than that of BAT40 wild‐type cases (5.5 mt/Mb) (p = 0.003). The triplex PCR results from 60 additional MSI‐H cancers correlated perfectly (100%) with those of pentaplex PCR, and the results were consistent for two (BAT26 and CAT25) markers.

BAT40 germline polymorphism is common in the Korean population and is associated with higher TMB values. The simple duplex (BAT26 and CAT25) MSI test provided the same sensitivity and specificity as pentaplex PCR tests.
In‐ovo imaging using ostrich eggs—Evaluation of physiological embryonal development on computed tomography
Authors: Winkens Thomas , Christl Anna , Kuehnel Christian , Ndum Ferdinand , Seifert Philipp , Greiser Julia , Freesmeyer Martin
Published: August 2021

In‐ovo imaging using ostrich eggs has been described as a potential alternative to common animal testing. This approach is independent from small animal imaging devices as ostrich eggs provide good image quality on computed tomography (CT), MRI or PET scanners used in clinical routine examinations. However, questions regarding physiological development and systematic evaluation of image quality are open. This study aims at describing physiological development of ostrich embryos on serial CT scans. One hundred eggs (63 fertilized and 37 non‐fertilized) were artificially incubated for 37 days. On developmental days (DD) 0, 10, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34 and 37, CT scans were performed using a Siemens Biograph mCT40. Density of yolk, albumen and shell as well as volumes of air cell, egg content and egg shell were determined. In fertilized eggs, the size of different osseous structures was investigated. Detection of embryonal development was technically successful in 100%. Distinguishing of fertilized and non‐fertilized eggs is achieved as early as DD 22. After that, continuous development is depicted and osseous structures become visible on DD 25. Ostrich eggs might open the door for preclinical imaging studies if small animal imaging devices are not available. This study contributes to the implementation of ostrich eggs as an alternative to common animal testing.
Drug tolerability: How much ambiguity can be tolerated? A systematic review of the assessment of tolerability in clinical studies
Authors: Stanulović Vid , Hodolic Marina , Mitsikostas Dimos D. , Papadopoulos Dimitrios
Published: August 2021

Aims

Drug tolerability refers to the degree to which drugs' overt adverse effects can be tolerated by patients. The tolerability profile is of comparative importance to its efficacy and safety, as it largely determines adherence to treatment and ultimately treatment success or failure. However, the term is frequently used imprecisely, and it is unclear if tolerability is limited to subjective patient‐reported symptoms or also covers certain objective signs and findings. The aim of this systematic review was to assess how clinical studies define, evaluate and present drug tolerability.

Methods

The study consisted of a systematic review of clinical studies in PubMed® reporting the term “tolerability”.

Results

Eighty clinical studies were screened and 56 studies reporting drug tolerability were retained. None of the retained studies defined events encompassed by the term tolerability by making a distinction between safety and tolerability. Twenty‐five studies claimed to evaluate tolerability, but none of them described how to evaluate tolerability from the patient perspective. Most studies (54 out of 56) concluded that the treatment was well tolerated, apparently implying favourable safety. However, none of them actually presented tolerability in terms of a contrast between safety and tolerability.

Conclusions

Tolerability is used frequently, albeit incorrectly, to refer to a drug's favourable safety profile. Focused evaluation of drug tolerability (i.e., the patient perspective of adverse drug reactions) should become routine. Presentation in regulatory documents, such as risk management plan summaries, product information and patient leaflets should be a continuation of the process of patient‐centred healthcare.
Joint association and classification analysis of multi‐view data
Authors: Zhang Yunfeng , Gaynanova Irina
Published: August 2021

Multi‐view data, which is matched sets of measurements on the same subjects, have become increasingly common with advances in multi‐omics technology. Often, it is of interest to find associations between the views that are related to the intrinsic class memberships. Existing association methods cannot directly incorporate class information, while existing classification methods do not take into account between‐views associations. In this work, we propose a framework for Joint Association and Classification Analysis of multi‐view data (JACA). Our goal is not to merely improve the misclassification rates, but to provide a latent representation of high‐dimensional data that is both relevant for the subtype discrimination and coherent across the views. We motivate the methodology by establishing a connection between canonical correlation analysis and discriminant analysis. We also establish the estimation consistency of JACA in high‐dimensional settings. A distinct advantage of JACA is that it can be applied to the multi‐view data with block‐missing structure, that is to cases where a subset of views or class labels is missing for some subjects. The application of JACA to quantify the associations between RNAseq and miRNA views with respect to consensus molecular subtypes in colorectal cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas project leads to improved misclassification rates and stronger found associations compared to existing methods.
Cultural Moderation of the Effects of Parenting: Answered and Unanswered Questions
Authors: Davidov Maayan
Published: August 2021

In this article, I address the cultural moderation of the links between parenting and children's adjustment, and highlight avenues for research. First, I address whether cultural moderation effects occur. I review an inconsistent pattern of results, suggesting that cultural moderation effects are not robust in nature and raising the need to systematically uncover their parameters. Then, I consider the underlying mechanism of cultural moderation effects. Researchers agree that such effects stem from differential meanings of the same parenting behavior across cultures, but we still need direct evidence of how meaning variables account for cultural moderation effects. Such evidence can come from studies that incorporate four components: parents' behavior, children's adjustment, cultural variables, and meaning variables. Finally, I propose a theoretical model that outlines how different elements create and convey the meaning of parental behavior across three temporal stages: before, during, and after the behavior occurs.
Cultural Pathways and Outcomes of Autobiographical Memory Development
Authors: Wang Qi
Published: August 2021

The development of autobiographical memory is a culturally constructive process in which children learn to remember and share their personal experiences in culture‐specific ways. In this article, I present a theoretical model that situates children’s independent recall and joint reminiscing with parents in the cultural context. Built on cross‐cultural research, the model specifies various pathways—self‐goals, language, emotion knowledge, and perceptual styles—through which culture shapes autobiographical memory development. The model also demonstrates the role of culture in moderating the psychosocial outcomes of remembering, so the content, form, and stance of memory serve functions specific to the cultural ecology. I conclude that the development of autobiographical memory occurs in response to children’s diverse cultural experiences, and outline directions for research.
Evidence for a YETI? A Cautionary Tale from South Africa's Youth Employment Tax Incentive
Authors: Muller Seán M.
Published: August 2021

In 2014 the South African government implemented a youth employment tax incentive (YETI) scheme to address the high rate of youth unemployment. Its adoption has been hailed as a success story for evidence‐based policy. This article critically assesses that claim, focusing on the randomized trial of a wage‐subsidy voucher that was used to justify the adoption of the policy and econometric analyses of the incentive's efficacy that were used to justify its renewal. That evidence is shown to be materially flawed. The design of the randomized trial meant that its relevance to the policy question was limited and critical issues pertaining to the estimated effect of the intervention, external validity and scale‐up were not addressed. The process was similarly flawed, with evidence only made public after critical legislative decisions had been taken. Analysis of that process shows how supposedly rigorous evidence was used to obscure the limitations and risks of the proposal in service of pre‐existing positions, vested interests and political imperatives. This implies a high opportunity cost for the tax expenditures incurred through the incentive. The South African YETI thereby serves as a cautionary tale on randomized trials and the political economy of evidence‐based policy, particularly in developing countries.
Jacques Rancière's account of justice
Authors: Hebblewhite William
Published: August 2021

In this paper, I explore the idea of justice in relation to Rancière's key theoretical insights – and ask whether Rancière has a concept of justice in his own work. The overarching concern that motivates this paper is whether Rancière does provide us with the tools to properly conceptualize the demands for justice that occur within contemporary social movements, or whether we must look elsewhere for such a conceptual framework.
Diffusion strategies for face swiping medical service using evolutionary game theory
Authors: Wang Xiaojia , Cheng Peiling , Zhu Keyu , Xu Sheng , Zhang Shanshan , Xu Weiqun , Guan Yuxiang
Published: August 2021

Face swiping is the action of registering facial recognition data with a biometric authentication application. Face swiping‐based medical services (FSMSs) is an emerging measurement technology underpinning modern intelligent medical services in China. In view of convenience in the delivery of medical services and the potential to reduce medical costs, FSMSs have become an important part of China's medical reform. However, modelling its eventual uses has not been fully explored in theory and practice, and this is hindering the take up of FSMSs in China. In this paper, we build an evolutionary game model to explore three stakeholders—policy makers, hospitals, and patients—and their dynamic interdependence of their decision‐making when adopting FSMS. Based on our game theoretic analysis, we develop a novel model to track the behaviour of these three stakeholders and analyse the corresponding payoff matrix to establish the replication dynamic equation (RDE) for the game. Further, we then use RDE to calculate the different stability points of players and determine the game's stable strategy. Finally, we validate the proposed model with a detailed simulation. Our observations may benefit not only FSMS participants but also several other forms of medical services and industries.
Estimating fine‐scale movement rates and habitat preferences using multiple data sources
Authors: Thorson James T. , Barbeaux Steven J. , Goethel Daniel R. , Kearney Kelly A. , Laman Edward A. , Nielsen Julie K. , Siskey Matthew R. , Siwicke Kevin , Thompson Grant G.
Published: August 2021

Fisheries scientists and managers must track rapid shifts in fish spatial distribution to mitigate stakeholder conflict and optimize survey designs, and these spatial shifts result in part from animal movement. Information regarding animal movement can be obtained from selection experiments, tagging studies, flux through movement gates (e.g. acoustic arrays), fishery catch‐per‐unit effort (CPUE), resource surveys and genetic/chemical markers. However, there are few accessible approaches to combine these data types while accounting for spatially correlated residual patterns. We therefore discuss a movement model involving diffusion (random movement), taxis (movement towards preferred habitat) and advection (passive drift following ocean currents). We specifically outline how these movement processes can be fitted to data while discretizing space and time and estimating non‐linear habitat preferences using environmental layers as well as spatial process errors. Finally, we introduce an R package, ATM, by fitting the model to bottom trawl survey, longline fishery and tagging data for Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus, Gadidae) in the Bering Sea during winter/summer seasons from 1982 to 2019. Combining data types predicts an increasing proportion of cod residing in the northern Bering Sea from 2013 to 2019, and estimates are informative in a recent stock assessment model. We fit sensitivity analyses by dropping tag, survey or fishery data, and this analysis shows that tagging data are necessary to identify diffusion rates, while survey data are informative about movement among biogeographic strata. This “hybrid” species distribution model can help explain poleward movement, project distributions under future climate conditions and evaluate alternative tag‐deployment scenarios to optimize tagging designs.
Editor Profile: Angela Gronenborn
Authors:   The FEBS Journal Editorial Team, Gronenborn Angela M.
Published: August 2021

In this special interview series, we profile members of The FEBS Journal editorial board to highlight their research focus, perspectives on the journal and future directions in their field and beyond. Angela M. Gronenborn is the UPMC Rosalind Franklin Professor and Chair of the Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine and Professor of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, USA. She has served as an editorial board member of The FEBS Journal since 2009.
Editor Profile: Brent Derry
Authors:   The FEBS Journal Editorial Team, Derry Brent
Published: August 2021

In this special interview series, we profile members of The FEBS Journal editorial board to highlight their research focus and perspectives on the journal and future directions in their field. Brent Derry is Professor at the Department of Molecular Genetics of University of Toronto and Senior Scientist of the Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Canada). He has served as an editorial board member of The FEBS Journal since 2017.