bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential DNA methylation in Pacific oyster reproductive tissue in response to ocean acidification
Authors: Venkataraman Yaamini R. , White Samuel J. , Roberts Steven B.
Published: March 2022

Background

There is a need to investigate mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity in marine invertebrates as negative effects of climate change, like ocean acidification, are experienced by coastal ecosystems. Environmentally-induced changes to the methylome may regulate gene expression, but methylome responses can be species- and tissue-specific. Tissue-specificity has implications for gonad tissue, as gonad-specific methylation patterns may be inherited by offspring. We used the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) — a model for understanding pH impacts on bivalve molecular physiology due to its genomic resources and importance in global aquaculture— to assess how low pH could impact the gonad methylome. Oysters were exposed to either low pH (7.31 ± 0.02) or ambient pH (7.82 ± 0.02) conditions for seven weeks. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing was used to identify methylated regions in female oyster gonad samples. C->T single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified and removed to ensure accurate methylation characterization.

Results

Analysis of gonad methylomes revealed a total of 1,284 differentially methylated loci (DML) found primarily in genes, with several genes containing multiple DML. Gene ontologies for genes containing DML were involved in development and stress response, suggesting methylation may promote gonad growth homeostasis in low pH conditions. Additionally, several of these genes were associated with cytoskeletal structure regulation, metabolism, and protein ubiquitination — commonly-observed responses to ocean acidification. Comparison of these DML with other Crassostrea spp. exposed to ocean acidification demonstrates that similar pathways, but not identical genes, are impacted by methylation.

Conclusions

Our work suggests DNA methylation may have a regulatory role in gonad and larval development, which would shape adult and offspring responses to low pH stress. Combined with existing molluscan methylome research, our work further supports the need for tissue- and species-specific studies to understand the potential regulatory role of DNA methylation.
Effect of manufacturer's flexible returns policy in a duopolistic competition
Authors: Yamini S. , Gajanand M.S.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Flexible return policies are offered by the manufacturers to encourage the retailers announcing a lenient returns scheme to their customers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study considers the distribution of durable products in a supply chain where the demand is sensitive to sales effort and retail price. Using a game theoretic framework, the paper presents an assessment of the strategic effect of flexible returns policy announced by the manufacturer under retail competition and highlights its implications on profitability.

Findings

Comparative analysis of monopolistic and duopolistic competition provides a better understanding about the repercussions and related facts on offering a flexible returns policy in these environments. It is profitable for the manufacturer to offer a flexible returns policy when there is retail competition than under monopolistic condition.

Practical implications

Practitioners view returns policy offered as an insurance given to the buyers and they infer it to be a better mechanism for doing business. Lenient returns policy promotes the sales by increasing the trust on the retailer and boosts up the perception of quality about the product by lowering the perceived risk for customers.

Originality/value

Effective product return strategies such as being lenient in terms of time, money, effort, scope and exchange can result in increased revenues, lower cost and improved profitability to the manufacturer and retailer, at the same time offering an enhanced level of customer service.
“Jute Cottage” at crossroads: succession dilemma
Authors: Arjunan Satyanandini , Zachariah Minu , Bhat K. Prathima
Published: March 2022

Learning outcomes

After reading this case, the students will be able to comprehend the conceptual framework of entrepreneurial learning to tap business opportunities; identify the challenges of small businesses; understand the structure of the franchise business model; and recognise the need for succession planning for business sustainability and evaluate various options for succession.

Case overview/synopsis

“Jute Cottage”, the two-decade-old brand, was operating through its own stores and franchise outlets. The brain behind the brand was Nasreen and her husband Bilal. Dire times led the duo, venture into this business. It was in 1992, the family had relocated from Kolkata and was trying to make a living in Bangalore. Nasreen joined as a teacher and her husband focused on his existing trading business in jute packaging material. This was when Nasreen tried selling jute bags from home that were bought from Kolkata. After a few years, when Bilal’s business had a setback, Nasreen thought of giving a push to her home business. This was how a business that was started at a small level grew slowly and steadily under Nasreen’s leadership to become a brand and reach the current level of owning four stores and 10 franchise outlets across South India. As Nasreen and Bilal were growing old and wanted to retire, they expected their only son, Ataullah, to take over the reins of their business. But to their dismay, he was not interested, as his focus was on movie-making and designing.

Complexity academic level

The case can be taught to MBA/PGDM students to give them experiential learning in the courses on Entrepreneurship and Strategy. It gives insight on how to tap the business opportunities, grow and sustain. The case also highlights the need for succession planning for business continuity.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Bajaj Auto (B): challenges in LATAM and Southeast Asian (SEA) markets
Authors: Gupta Nitin
Published: March 2022

Learning outcomes

After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to critically analyze a firm's international partnership strategies for its export market; assess international markets and a firm's entry strategies in them; identify various problems that a firm can face in international markets; and recommend strategies for growth in international markets.

Case overview/synopsis

Bajaj Auto's (BA) strategy to be a global motorcycle manufacturer had enabled it to hold its ground in the difficult times posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time, two-wheeler exports from India between January and May 2021 were equivalent to domestic sales showing increased exports and decreased domestic sales. This reinforced BA's belief in its global expansion strategies. Rakesh Sharma (Sharma), the Executive Director at BA, was increasingly buoyant of BA's ambitious plans to enter new markets in Latin America (LATAM) and South-East Asian (SEA) Market.Sharma knew very well that though the LATAM and SEA markets were up-and-coming and lucrative, there were innumerable challenging factors pertaining to Indian and foreign competitors, domestic and international economic and business environment, supply chain and logistical issues, as well as uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 pandemic that BA had to face before tasting success in these markets. Was BA moving in the right direction with its global business expansion strategies? Would Sharma be able to handle the challenges and successfully take BA toward its goal?

Complexity academic level

The case can be taught in advanced undergraduate, MBA or executive-level programs.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 5: International Business.
Options trading prior to takeover rumors
Authors: Khadivar Hamed , Davis Frederick , Walker Thomas
Published: March 2022

Purpose

In this paper, the authors examine options trading in firms that soon become rumored takeover targets. This study also examines whether measures of informed trading can predict target returns (upon rumor announcement and over the post-rumor period) and/or predict which rumors lead to bids. The authors further assess whether the informed trading they observe is more prevalent in the options market or the equity market.

Design/methodology/approach

This study calculates abnormal options volume using a market-model approach that accounts for different attributes of options trading. The authors construct a control sample and compare equity options trading of firms in their sample with that of the control sample. In addition, the authors fit a series of regressions to examine whether pre-rumor abnormal options trading can predict rumor accuracy in a multivariate setting.

Findings

The authors find that the volume of options traded is abnormally high over the pre-rumor period while the direction of option trades (abnormal call volume minus abnormal put volume) prior to takeover rumors predicts forthcoming takeover announcements, rumor date target firm returns and post-rumor target firm returns. The results are robust when controlling for publicly available information, when using a control sample, and when using alternative measures of informed trading.

Originality/value

This study is the first to provide evidence of informed options trading prior to a broad sample of takeover rumors. In addition, this study contributes to the literature on takeover predictability and profitability by showing that various pre-rumor measures of informed options trading significantly predict bid announcements. The authors also contributes to the literature on price discovery by providing evidence that informed investors are more likely to trade in the options market than in the equity market during the pre-event period.
Guest editorial: Old and New Challenges for Welfare Regimes – A Global Perspective
Authors: Cruz-Martinez Gibran , Bernales-Baksai Pamela
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to present an introduction to the special issue titled “Old and New Challenges for Welfare Regimes: A Global Perspective.”

Design/methodology/approach

The authors of the special issue combine case studies and comparative analysis across America, Asia, Africa and Europe. The authors were invited to develop the authors'ir studies with a focus on one or more of three axes: (1) institutional and governance challenges surrounding the implementation and expansion of social welfare programs,; (2) state of the art and diversity across emerging welfare states and; (3) challenges associated with migration and demographic pressures.

Findings

Articles in this special issue contribute to the authors' understanding of recent challenges and transformations of welfare regimes, with special attention to the following policy areas: youth emancipation, the reduction of poverty and income inequality, social protection and taxation, the role of historical institutionalism to better understand social policy implementation and expansion, the lack of transformative social protection in “’New Right’” governments, determinants of social equality and the transformative effect of migration into welfare states.

Originality

To the authors' knowledge, the existing publications on transformations and challenges of welfare regimes are still very much centered on a Western European context. The global perspective and diversity of policy areas covered aims to shed light on the important lessons and policy implications from less traditional welfare states.
Design and study on the leveling mechanism of the tractor body in hilly and mountainous areas
Authors: Lü X.R. , Liu Z. , Lü X.L. , Wang X.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to improve the automatic leveling performance of tractor body in hilly and mountainous areas by designing a kind of controllable and adaptive leveling mechanism of tractor body.

Design/methodology/approach

The mechanism is mainly composed of longitudinal slope leveling mechanism, transverse slope leveling mechanism and control components. According to the tractor body attitude in operation, the longitudinal slope leveling and lateral slope leveling can coordinate to realize the adaptive adjustment of tractor body. For this mechanism, the support mode of the linear three-point support and plane positioning combining is designed, and the leveling method of electromechanical combination is designed. The servo motor controls the longitudinal slope leveling mechanism through the reducer with self-locking function to realize the longitudinal leveling, and the servo driver controls the expansion and contraction of electric cylinder to realize lateral leveling. The designed mode can realize the relative independence and coordination of leveling in different directions.

Findings

The performance test results of the leveling mechanism are shown: the mechanism can work normally; the leveling accuracy can reach within 1°; and the leveling accuracy and stability can meet the design requirements. The leveling accuracy and stability of longitudinal slope are higher than that of lateral slope, and the coordination leveling effect of longitudinal slope and lateral slope is better than that of the independent leveling.

Originality/value

This study provides a technical reference for the design of leveling device of agricultural machines and tools in hilly and mountainous areas.
What are the influencing factors of government’s trust decision-making on private sector in PPP projects: evidence from China?
Authors: Li Huimin , Xu Chenchen , Cao Yongchao , Zhang Chengyi
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it explores the influencing factors of the government’s trust decision-making in the private sector; second, it explores how these influencing factors affect the government’s trust decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model was established, and a questionnaire survey was conducted among 152 professionals. The collected datas were analyzed by the structural equation modeling (SEM) method.

Findings

The study identified four critical factors that influence the government’s decision to trust the private sector in public-private-partnership (PPP) projects. All the four factors have a positively correlated impact on the government’s trust decision-making. The structural equation path analysis shows that the most important factor affecting the government’s trust decision-making is the trustee’s (private sector) trustworthy characteristics, and the path coefficient is 0.92. The path coefficients of risk perception and the trustor’s trust tendency are 0.83 and 0.74, respectively. The influence of the legal system environment on government trust decision-making is moderate, with a path coefficient of 0.68.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature in two aspects. First, the factors influencing decision-making to government trust in the private sector in PPP projects have been identified. Second, a comprehensive view of the mechanism of government trust in the private sector in PPP projects has been theorized by the SEM method.
Consumer reactions to different robotic servers in theme parks
Authors: Milman Ady , Tasci Asli D.A.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to understand the theme park visitors’ perceived robotic qualities featured in four different robots, assess their robotic functions and consumers’ loyalty toward four different robotic server types.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured online survey of 399 respondents measured and compared consumer perceptions related to qualities and functions of robots in a theme park context and consumers’ behavioral intentions in four different robotic scenarios – anime, cartoon-like, human-like and animal-like robots in theme parks. Survey data were collected on an online platform and analyzed by SPSS.

Findings

The results showed some expected differences in robotic qualities among the different robot-type scenarios, but similar reactions overall. The findings also provided insight into the type of robots that consumers prefer and showed a little more preference toward human-like robotic servers.

Research limitations/implications

The study was restricted to several robotic scenarios in North American theme parks. Future qualitative and quantitative studies should look in more detail at theme park visitors’ participation in the robotic service delivery process, the robots’ mobility and interactions with fellow visitors.

Practical implications

The findings can guide practitioners on robots’ looks, qualities and functionalities to consider for introducing to their patrons to create more interactive environments and experiences.

Originality/value

The study revealed some new knowledge about consumer expectations for robotic servers in theme parks. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that compares different robot types on their perceived appearance, qualities and functionality, or consumers’ behavioral tendencies in the context of theme parks.
Perceived overqualification? Examining its nexus with cyberloafing and knowledge hiding behaviour: harmonious passion as a moderator
Authors: Khan Jawad , Saeed Imran , Fayaz Muhammad , Zada Muhammad , Jan Dawood
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to assess the nexus between perceived overqualification (POQ), anger, knowledge hiding, cyberloafing and harmonious passion (HP).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors obtained 264 responses from two public traded firms in Pakistan using a supervisor-subordinated nested design and a multi-time data collecting strategy using convenience sampling.

Findings

The study results indicate that POQ positively affects knowledge hiding and cyberloafing. The authors also found anger as a potential mediator in the direct association between POQ and cyberloafing. In addition, the findings suggest that the association between POQ, knowledge hiding and cyberloafing will be weak when individuals exhibit HP towards their job roles. The results of this research, when considered as a whole, provided support for all of the hypothesised direct and indirect linkages, which has important ramifications for both theory and practise.

Research limitations/implications

This study has both theoretical and practical implications. Grounded on equity theory and relative deprivation theory, this paper asserts that HP should be used to decrease POQ affect. According to the authors, pro-environment employee actions may help build a pro-environment workplace culture as well as a pro-environment sense of responsibility, both of which can help to achieve significant pro-environment results.

Originality/value

This study builds on and fills in the gaps left by earlier research to better aid organisational researchers, practitioners and stakeholders in understanding how POQ, rage, information concealing, cyberloafing and harmonic passion interact with one another.
Self-managed action learning and assessors of newly qualified social workers in multiple organisations in England: a facilitator's perspective
Authors: Brook Cheryl , Abbott Christine
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore a self-managed action learning (SMAL) initiative undertaken by social work assessors in England, which led to insights into the practice of SMAL.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws upon the experience of the authors in relation to an actual SMAL intervention in a social care context in England.

Findings

The paper suggests that, in contrast to extant literature, it is not the absence of an “expert” facilitator, which has proved to be most challenging but rather dealing with the practicalities of managing inter-organisational sets online. Specific individual and inter-organisational learning came about as a result of the SMAL initiative, including the implementation of inter-organisational networking to support isolated assessors.

Research limitations/implications

The ideas and perspectives discussed in this paper will be explored through further empirical research.

Practical implications

The paper illustrates how SMAL can be implemented and suggests how it can facilitate organisational and individual learning.

Social implications

The paper discusses an initiative with the aim of better supporting assessors of newly qualified social workers; a task of enormous importance to the future of social work practice in England.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to a limited literature on the practice of SMAL. The uniqueness comes from both the multi-organisational aspect of the programme, that it is self-managed and delivered virtually.
Women as Common Scolds in Law and Popular Culture: Pennsylvania, 1824–1972
Authors: Kielbowicz Richard
Published: March 2022

Women faced prosecution as common scolds for their unruly speech in US jurisdictions until 1972, with Pennsylvania playing an outsized role in this history. Pennsylvania's treatment of common scolds reveals how the interplay of the law and the press perpetuated a construct of women's speech as gossipy, quarrelsome and disruptive of social order. Prosecutions occurred so frequently and continued for so long in Pennsylvania because of English common law's grip on the state's jurisprudence, reinforced by popular culture representations that stigmatised women's speech. Common law furnished formal legal precedents, while the press, driven by its own imperatives, readily propagated, amplified and validated the law's characterisation of scolds. Reports about scold cases, which fit easily into journalistic and cultural frames, often appeared as humorous vignettes that served as illustrations – if not warnings – about women's transgressive speech. Judges wondering about the continued legitimacy of this gender‐specific offense could take comfort from stories about prosecutions of scolds across the state and around the nation. The ordinariness of common scold cases also sheds light on community rules that regulated women's everyday speech – evidence about a fleeting activity nearly invisible to scholars before the digitisation of newspapers and obscure legal texts.
Longitudinal analysis of the prevalence and correlates of heavy episodic drinking and self‐reported opioid use among a national cohort of patients with HIV
Authors: Oldfield Benjamin J. , Li Yu , Vickers‐Smith Rachel , Barry Declan T. , Crystal Stephen , Gordon Kirsha S. , Kerns Robert D. , Williams Emily C. , Marshall Brandon D. L. , Edelman E. Jennifer
Published: March 2022

Background

Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is a risk factor for opioid‐related overdose and negatively impacts HIV disease progression. Among a national cohort of patients with HIV (PWH), we examined sociodemographic and clinical correlates of concomitant HED and self‐reported opioid use.

Methods

We used data collected from 2002 through 2018 from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, a prospective cohort including PWH in care at eight US Veterans Health Administration sites. HED was defined as consuming six or more drinks at least once in the year prior to survey collection. We examined the relationship between HED and self‐reported opioid use and created a 4‐level composite variable of HED and opioid use. We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate odds of reporting concomitant HED and self‐reported opioid use.

Results

Among 3702 PWH, 1458 (39.4%) reported HED during the study period and 350 (9.5%) reported opioid use. In the multinomial model, compared to reporting neither HED nor opioid use, lifetime housing instability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 2.35), Veterans Aging Cohort Study Index 2.0 (a measure of disease severity; aOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.28), depressive symptoms (aOR 2.27, 95% CI 1.42 to 3.62), past‐year cigarette smoking (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.53 to 6.14), cannabis use (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.62), and cocaine/stimulant use (aOR 11.54, 95% CI 7.40 to 17.99) were independently associated with greater odds of concomitant HED and self‐reported opioid use. Compared to having attended no college, having some college or more (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.59) was associated with lower odds of concomitant HED and self‐reported opioid use.

Conclusions

Among PWH, concomitant HED and self‐reported opioid use are more common among individuals with depressive symptoms and substance use, structural vulnerabilities, and greater illness severity. Efforts to minimize opioid‐related risk should address high‐risk drinking as a modifiable risk factor for harm among these groups.
Effects of different moist orange pulp inclusions in the corn grain rehydration for silage production on chemical composition, fermentation, aerobic stability, microbiological profile, and losses
Authors: Menezes Guilherme Lobato , de Oliveira Alan Figueiredo , Lana Ângela Maria Quintão , Pires Frederico Patrus Ananias de Assis , de Menezes Rafael Araújo , de Sousa Pamella Grossi , de Oliveira Eduarda Chaves , Monteiro Rafael Geraldo de Almeida , Martins Gabriel Gonçalves , de Souza Rafahel Carvalho , Gonçalves Lúcio Carlos , Jayme Diogo Gonzaga
Published: March 2022

This study evaluated the effects of different moist orange pulp (MOP) inclusions in corn grain rehydration for silage production as a strategy to store and use MOP and whether these inclusions result in adequate fermentation and aerobic stability (AE) and acceptable losses. Ground corn grain and MOP were weighed separately and mixed to obtain MOP inclusions of 21%, 34%, or 42%. The control treatment was obtained with corn rehydrated with distilled water and MOP inclusion of 0%, with five laboratory silos (15‐L buckets) per treatment. Acid detergent fiber, acid detergent insoluble protein, acid detergent lignin, lactic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol contents increased linearly with increasing MOP inclusion, whereas starch, in vitro dry matter (DM) digestibility and butyric acid contents and pH decreased linearly. NH3‐N/TN content reduced quadratically and was minimal with 8.34 g/kg DM at 14% MOP inclusion. Total DM losses increased quadratically with maximal losses of 4.26% DM at 25% MOP inclusion. AE reduced by 2.8 h for each 1% increase in MOP inclusion. Rehydration of corn grain with MOP results in an adequate fermentation process. The inclusion of 34% MOP was the best because DM losses were lower and AE was not drastically reduced.
Ascorbic acid protects the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 on yak oocyte maturation
Authors: Li Qin , Zhao Tian , He Honghong , Robert Niayale , Ding Tianyi , Hu Xuequan , Zhang Tongxiang , Pan Yangyang , Cui Yan , Yu Sijiu
Published: March 2022

High‐quality oocytes are a prerequisite for successful fertilization. Mammals feeding on aflatoxin‐contaminated feed can cause reproductive toxicity, including follicular atresia, poor oocyte development and maturation, and aberrant epigenetic modifications of oocytes. In addition, the important role of ascorbic acid (AA) in reproductive biology has been confirmed, and AA is widely used as an antioxidant in cell culture. However, the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on yak oocytes and whether AA has protective effects remain unknown. In this study, we found that exposure to AFB1 impedes meiotic maturation of oocytes, promotes apoptosis by triggering high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and disrupts mitochondrial distribution and actin integrity, resulting in a decrease in the fertilization ability and parthenogenetic development ability of oocytes. In addition, these injuries changed the DNA methylation transferase transcription level of mature oocytes. After adding 50 μg/ml AA, the indices recovered to levels close to those of the control group. The results showed that AA could protect yak oocytes from the toxic effects of AFB1 and improve the quality of oocytes.
The Persistent Influence of December 2001: Collective Action in 21st‐Century Argentina
Authors: Pérez Marcos Emilio , Sobering Katherine
Published: March 2022

The protests of December 2001 in Argentina were the most visible manifestation of a larger cycle of contention, which continues to have a substantial influence on the forms, tactics and goals of social movements throughout the country. This paper provides a critical overview of these lasting effects. In particular, we focus on three areas where the consequences of the crisis for collective action have been particularly strong: performative politics, coalition‐building, and institutional support for grassroots networks. We conclude by reflecting on the implications for participatory democracy and the consolidation of a highly engaged civil society.
Ants mediate community composition of root‐associated fungi in an ant‐plant mutualism
Authors: Leroy Céline , Maes Arthur QuyManh , Louisanna Eliane , Carrias Jean‐François , Céréghino Régis , Corbara Bruno , Séjalon‐Delmas Nathalie
Published: March 2022

Cross‐kingdom interactions with plants were frequently related to microbial pathogens and herbivores. Yet, mutualistic interactions that involve multiple partners can confer cross‐kingdom functional benefits, which have been understudied. Ant gardens (AGs) are recognized as one of the most sophisticated of all symbioses between ants and flowering plants, forming good models to study cross‐kingdom interactions. The aim of this study was to examine whether ant‐plant interactions can influence the community composition of root‐associated fungi. We assessed whether two AG ant species, Camponotus femoratus and Neoponera goeldii, confer different physico‐chemical properties to their nests, and affect root fungal community composition and fungal functional guilds in the bromeliad Aechmea mertensii. The diversity and community composition of root‐associated fungi depended on ant species identity. The two ants had a contrasting influence on the structure and chemistry of the nest, and on the floristic diversity of the AGs. Multiple drivers may therefore determine the root‐associated fungal communities. As the outcome of the ant‐bromeliad interaction depends on the ant species, and because the plants are also involved in interactions with root‐associated symbionts, this study provided evidence that ecologically relevant symbioses can be mediated by cross‐kingdom interactions.

Abstract in French is available with online material.
Impoverished woody seedling assemblages and the regeneration of Caatinga dry forest in a human‐modified landscape
Authors: Vanderlei Renato Soares , Barros Maria Fabíola , Leal Inara R. , Tabarelli Marcelo
Published: March 2022

Seedling recruitment, community assembly, and forest regeneration, while receiving substantial attention in tropical rain forests, have received little attention in tropical dry forests. Here, we examine the structure, composition, and diversity of woody seedling assemblages across 19 forest stands in a human‐modified landscape of Caatinga dry forest, assessing the role played by rainfall, aboveground biomass, and chronic anthropogenic disturbances (i.e., livestock grazing pressure and wood extraction) as assembly forces. We quantified a large set of community‐level attributes including functional traits related to water availability, physical protection, and survival success. We recorded a total of 544 seedlings from 59 species, giving a mean density of 28.6 ± 15.8 (mean ± SD) seedlings and 7.42 ± 4.35 species per 1000 m2. The 10 most abundant species accounted for almost 80% of all individuals, whereas nearly half of the species were considered rare (i.e., less than two individuals across the 19 forest stands). Seedling assemblages differed structurally and taxonomically from adult assemblages, exhibiting lower abundance, species richness, and divergent dominant species. Moreover, the dominant species of seedlings exhibited low adult‐to‐offspring ratios. Seedling species and assemblages were functionally diverse, with community‐level attributes mostly affected by rainfall. Our results suggest that the Caatinga dry forest in sandy soils support seedling assemblages, to some extent, structured along environmental gradients, with rainfall and wood extraction acting as key community assembly forces. Although seedling assemblages are functionally diverse, they are relatively low density and taxonomically impoverished at local and landscape scales, potentially impacting successional trajectory and long‐term forest dynamics.

Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
What is the optimal antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent postoperative infectious complications after liver transplantation? A systematic review of the literature and expert panel recommendations
Authors: Campos‐Varela Isabel , Blumberg Emily A. , Giorgio Patricia , Kotton Camille N. , Saliba Fauzi , Wey Emmanuel Q , Spiro Michael , Raptis Dimitri Aristotle , Villamil Federico ,   the ERAS4OLT.org Working Group
Published: March 2022

Background

Antimicrobial prophylaxis is well‐accepted in the liver transplant (LT) setting. Nevertheless, optimal regimens to prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal infections are not defined.

Objectives

To identify the optimal antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent post‐LT bacterial, fungal, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, to improve short‐term outcomes, and to provide international expert panel recommendations.

Data sources

Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Central.

Methods

Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines and recommendations using the GRADE approach derived from an international expert panel. PROSPERO ID: CRD42021244976.

Results

Of 1853 studies screened, 34 were included for this review. Bacterial, CMV, and fungal antimicrobial prophylaxis were evaluated separately. Pneumocystis jiroveccii pneumonia (PJP) antimicrobial prophylaxis was analyzed separately from other fungal infections. Overall, eight randomized controlled trials, 21 comparative studies, and five observational noncomparative studies were included.

Conclusions

Antimicrobial prophylaxis is recommended to prevent bacterial, CMV, and fungal infection to improve outcomes after LT.

Universal antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended to prevent postoperative bacterial infections. The choice of antibiotics should be individualized and length of therapy should not exceed 24 hours (Quality of Evidence; Low | Grade of Recommendation; Strong).

Both universal prophylaxis and preemptive therapy are strongly recommended for CMV prevention following LT. The choice of one or the other strategy will depend on individual program resources and experiences, as well as donor and recipient serostatus. (Quality of Evidence; Low | Grade of Recommendation; Strong).

Antifungal prophylaxis is strongly recommended for LT recipients at high risk of developing invasive fungal infections. The drug of choice remains controversial. (Quality of Evidence; High | Grade of Recommendation; Strong).

PJP prophylaxis is strongly recommended. Length of prophylaxis remains controversial. (Quality of Evidence; Very Low | Grade of Recommendation; Strong).
Optimal surgical workup to ensure safe recovery of the donor after living liver donation – A systematic review of the literature and expert panel recommendations
Authors: Testa Giuliano , Nadalin Silvio , Klair Tarunjeet , Florman Sander , Balci Deniz , Frola Carlo , Spiro Michael , Raptis Dimitri Aristotle , Selzner Markus ,   the ERAS4OLT.org working group
Published: March 2022

Background

The essential premise of living donor liver transplantation is the assurance that the donors will have a complication‐free perioperative course and a prompt recovery. Selection of appropriate donors is the first step to support this premise and is based on tests that constitute the donor workup. The exclusion of liver pathologies and assessment of liver anatomy and volume in the donor candidate are the most important elements in the selection of the appropriate candidate.

Objective

To determine whether there is evidence to define an optimal donor surgical workup that would improve short‐term outcomes of the donor after living liver donation.

Data sources

Ovid Medline, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Central.

Methods

Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines and recommendations using the GRADE approach derived from an international expert panel.

Results

Although a liver biopsy remains the only method to exactly determine the percentage and type of steatosis and to detect other liver pathologies, its routine use is not supported. Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) appear to be adequate for quantifying liver volume; the preference for one or the other is often based on center expertise. MRI is clearly a better technique to assess biliary anatomy, although aberrant biliary anatomy may not be clearly detected. MRI is also more accurate than CT in determining low grades of steatosis. CT angiography is the imaging test of choice to assess the vascular anatomy. There is no evidence of the need for catheter angiography in the modern evaluation of a living liver donor.

Conclusions

A donor liver biopsy is indicated if abnormalities are present in serological or imaging tests. Both MRI and CT imaging appear to be adequate methodologies. The routine use of catheter angiography is not supported in view of the adequacy of CT angiography in delineating liver vascular anatomy. No imaging modality available to quantify liver volume is superior to another. Biliary anatomy is better defined with MRI, although poor definition can be expected, particularly for abnormal ducts.
Eosinophilic homogeneous intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies: Unique viral cytopathic changes associated with epidermodysplasia verruciformis and human papillomavirus type 49
Authors: Bartley Brooke R. , Huen Auris , Rady Peter L. , Tyring Stephen K. , Nagarajan Priyadharsini , Aung Phyu P. , Curry Jonathan L. , Ivan Doina , Torres‐Cabala Carlos A. , Prieto Victor G. , Cho Woo Cheal
Published: March 2022

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EDV) is a rare genodermatosis that predisposes affected individuals to persistent infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly those that belong to the genus beta‐HPV, including HPV‐5 and HPV‐8, which carry high oncogenic potential. There are three main HPV‐related viral cytopathic changes in cutaneous verrucae in terms of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (ICBs), namely, granular, filamentous, and homogeneous type ICBs. To date, only HPV‐4, HPV‐60, and HPV‐65 have been found in association with homogeneous ICBs. We report a unique case of HPV‐49‐associated EDV in a 41‐year‐old woman with common variable immunodeficiency, mycosis fungoides, and multiple cutaneous malignancies, including squamous cell carcinoma and Merkel cell carcinoma who presented with multiple pink papules and hyperpigmented macules on the left upper extremity. One of the skin lesions histopathologically revealed keratinocytic nuclear enlargement with abundant blue–gray cytoplasm, accompanied by hypergranulosis, characteristic of EDV, along with peculiar bright eosinophilic and homogeneous ICBs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of EDV with detection of HPV‐49 by genotyping, which features eosinophilic homogeneous ICBs, like those seen in the setting of HPV‐4, HPV‐60, or HPV‐65 infection.
International bank credit, nonbank lenders, and access to external financing
Authors: Serena Jose Maria , Spaliara Marina‐Eliza , Tsoukas Serafeim
Published: March 2022

Using a cross‐country firm‐bank dataset, we examine how an unexpected increase in bank capital requirements by the European Banking Authority affects firms' financial choices. We find that the regulatory shock implies a reduction in the supply of bank credit, with US firms affected the most. Yet, US firms can tap into the public bond markets and secure credit lines from nonbank financial institutions. This has implications for their capital structure and their real outcomes. These results suggest that diversified domestic loan markets, in which banks and nonbank financial institutions lend to corporations, can help overcome reductions in cross‐border bank funding.
Unique and shared effects of local and catchment predictors over distribution of hyporheic organisms: does the valley rule the stream?
Authors: Mouron Samuel , Eme David , Bellec Arnaud , Bertrand Mélanie , Mammola Stefano , Liébault Frédéric , Douady Christophe J. , Malard Florian
Published: March 2022

Understanding and predicting the geographic distribution of taxa in hierarchical stream landscapes is a cornerstone of river ecology. A central issue is to tease apart the unique and shared effects of local and catchment predictors over species distributions. Here, we tested Hynes's influential hypothesis (1975, Baldi Memorial Lecture) that ‘In every respect, the valley rules the stream'. We predicted that if catchment features exert a major control on in‐stream local conditions, the shared effect of local and catchment predictors should largely surpass their unique effects. To test this prediction, we used logistic regression models and variation partitioning to quantify the unique and shared effects of local and catchment predictors on the distribution of two hyporheic crustacean taxa (Bogidiellidae, Amphipoda and Anthuridae, Isopoda) in streams of New Caledonia. We sampled the two taxa at 228 sites. At each site, we quantified nine local predictors related to habitat area and stability, sediment metabolism and water origin, and eight catchment predictors related to geology, area, primary productivity, land use and specific discharge. When analyzed separately, the two predictor types explained the same amount of model variation in occurrence in both taxa. When analyzed jointly, the shared effects of the two predictor types explained twice as much model variation as the unique effect of each. The overriding contribution of shared effects was notably due to controls exerted by catchment area and geology on local habitat size and sediment metabolism, respectively. For both taxa, a model with only these two catchment predictors provided occurrence distribution as reliable as models containing only local predictors or both predictor types. Our findings pave the way for predicting reliably from catchment predictors alone the geographic distribution in local occurrence of taxa in difficult‐to‐access habitats and landscapes, such as here the hyporheic zone of tropical streams.
The better, the choosier: A meta‐analysis on interindividual variation of male mate choice
Authors: Pollo Pietro , Nakagawa Shinichi , Kasumovic Michael M.
Published: March 2022

Male mate choice occurs in several animal species, but we know little about the factors that influence the expression of this behaviour. Males vary in their capacity to acquire mates (i.e. male quality), which could be crucial to male mate choice expression but it is often overlooked. Using a meta‐analytical approach, we explore interindividual variation in the expression of male mate choice by comparing the mating investment of males of different qualities and phenotypes to high‐ and low‐quality females. We used two datasets that together contained information from 60 empirical studies, comprising 52 species. We found that males of all qualities and phenotypes prefer high‐quality females, but differ in the strength of such preference. High‐ and medium‐quality males are choosier than low‐quality males. Similarly, males that are larger or in greater body condition are choosier than their counterparts. In contrast, male body mass and age are not associated with changes in male mate choice. We also show that experimental design may influence our understanding of male mating investment patterns, which may limit the generalisation of our findings. Nonetheless, we argue that male quality may be an important feature in the expression of male mate choice.
IFGAN: Information fusion generative adversarial network for knowledge base completion
Authors: Zhang Tianchen , Bi Zhongqin , Shan Meijing , Li Yongbin
Published: March 2022

Knowledge base completion (KBC) aims to predict missing information in a knowledge base. From a data governance perspective, KBC is an important task not only in knowledge management but also in downstream knowledge base applications. The prosperity of mobile applications and online systems enables devices to generate an enormous volume of data containing valuable knowledge. However, these data are vast and contain noise, so utilizing them in KBC requires particular skill. In this paper, we propose information fusion generative adversarial network (IFGAN) to handle heterogeneous data. We design a bidirectional learning architecture including a graph convolutional neural network and graph attention network to learn contextual embeddings that fuse knowledge from a knowledge base and data generated by an application. For efficient negative sampling, we employ different kinds of convolution structures, such as depthwise separable convolution and involution in the generator of the network. The convolution structure is known to be suitable for collaborative computing and promises great potential with the progress of technology since the structure is extensible. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model on KB4Rec dataset, the evaluation metrics MRR and H@10 were improved compared with previous models; the code is available at https://github.com/Tianchen627/IFGAN.
Application of natural hydroxyapatite in the treatment of polluted water: Utilization of dromedary bone as bioadsorbent
Authors: Ghedjemis Amina , Ayeche Riad , Kebaili Maya , Benouadah Ali , Gil Laurent Frédéric
Published: March 2022

In this study, the dromedary bone waste was valorized by the obtainment of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and its application to remove crystal violet (CV) dye from aqueous solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, elemental analysis X‐ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), particle size laser analysis, and the point of zero charge pH value (pHpzc) were realized to characterize the natural adsorbent. The capacity of HAp to adsorb CV was measured at different contact times, pH values, and initial dye concentrations. The results showed that the model that better described the experimental data of adsorption kinetics was the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model (PSO). Freundlich model well fitted the sorption isotherms. A maximum sorption capacity of 266.66 mg/g of CV dye on natural HAp was obtained. Hence, dromedary bone treated might be valorized as a natural adsorbent for water treatment with low environmental risks.
Inflation convergence over time: Sector‐level evidence within Europe
Authors: Yilmazkuday Hakan
Published: March 2022

This paper investigates inflation convergence among European countries by using sector‐level data for the period between 1997:M1 and 2019:M12. Panel unit root tests at the country‐sector level are conducted by using moving windows, which are useful for analyzing changes in inflation convergence and the corresponding speed of convergence over time. The results suggest that there is evidence for inflation convergence for the majority of sectors within Europe, although certain countries have experienced disruptions, especially during the 2008 financial crisis. Regarding the speed of inflation convergence, the average half‐life across European countries decreased from about 15 months to about 8 months during the sample period. Important sector‐level implications follow for European Union (EU) candidate countries and non‐euro EU member countries in regard to the Maastricht Treaty.