bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential effects of online signals on sales performance of local brand clothing products
Authors: Srivastava Praveen Ranjan , Sharma Dheeraj , Kaur Inderjeet
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Businesses need to make quick decisions and adjustments to fulfill the growing online demand. Previous studies examined various factors affecting the online sales performance of products such as books, electronics and movies; however, they paid limited attention toward the local brand clothing products. The current study investigates the importance of different kinds of seller-generated and consumer-generated signals such as price, discount, product ratings, review volume, review sentiment, number of questions and interaction between some of these factors for predicting the sales performance of clothing products.

Design/methodology/approach

The multiple linear regressions has been employed to investigate the influence of various predictor variables on sales performance. The study also examines the importance of these predictor variables by using different machine learning models, including random forest (RF), neural networks and support vector regression (SVR).

Findings

The findings of the study emphasize the importance of price and discount rates offered on the product. The quantitative characteristics of reviews, such as review volume and average rating, have been found to be more important predictors than sentiment strengths. However, the sentiment strength of reviews with higher helpfulness scores plays a significant role in predicting sales performance.

Originality/value

The study highlights the varying importance of seller-based and consumer-based signals in predicting sales performance. It also investigates the interaction effect of these two kinds of signals. The consumer-generated signals have been further divided into two components based on social influence theory, and the interaction effects of these components have also been examined.
The idiosyncratic characteristics of Turkish REITs: evidence from financial ratios
Authors: Çelik Emre , Arslanli Kerem Yavuz
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the specific financial ratio's effects on market value and return of assets for Turkish real estate investment trusts (REITs) traded at Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE). The paper intends to define liquidity ratios, financial structure ratios, return ratios and stock performance ratios related to market value and return of asset.

Design/methodology/approach

The study includes 17 REITs traded in ISE. The period of study is specified as the year from 2009 to 2018. Panel data analysis is applied in this study. Dependent variables are current market value and return of assets, independent variables are 12 financial ratios, which are considered to explain the model significantly. These ratios will be calculated from audited year-end balance sheets for specific periods throughout at least ten years as time series. Two different models and hypotheses have been established to identify the financial ratios that affect the market value and return of assets for REITs.

Findings

According to the results, long-term financial loans/total assets, return of equity and working capital ratio are negatively correlated with market value, while market value/book value and total assets are correlated positively. On the other hand, market value/book value ratio, price/earning ratio, long-term financial loans/total assets and earnings per share are correlated with return of assets. REITs have high levels of financial leverage, especially in foreign currency. The striking point is that REITs hardly ever do not use financial derivatives to hedge their position again currency and interest rate risk. This approach makes the financial structures of REITs vulnerable and fragile against market volatility.

Originality/value

In Turkey, as an example of an emerging market, financial borrowing does not increase the return rates and market value for REITs due to market's idiosyncratic properties. This finding provides substantial insight into how the debt and equity allocation of Turkish REITs should be structured. Also, it has been observed that forward-looking expectations are considered more than the current situation in the market.
Virtue ethics, situationism and casuistry: toward a digital ethics beyond exemplars
Authors: Vanacker Bastiaan
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to propose an ethical approach best suited to dealing with the issues of digital ethics in general and internet research ethics in particular.

Design/methodology/approach

This article engages with the existing literature on virtue ethics, situationism and digital (research) ethics.

Findings

A virtue-based casuistic method could be well-suited to deal with issues relating to digital ethics in general and internet research ethics in particular as long as it can take place in communities with shared practices and traditions.

Originality/value

These insights could add and further deepen the rich debate about research ethics that is already ongoing within the internet research community.
Hierarchy of customer goals: conceptual framework and new insights
Authors: Tabaei Aghdaei Zahra , McColl-Kennedy Janet R. , Coote Leonard V.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to: (1) better understand the structure (hierarchy) of customer goals providing conceptual clarity; and (2) propose a hierarchy of customer goals conceptual framework that explicates how healthcare customer goals are linked to drivers and outcomes, thus building theory and informing practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The research draws on 21 in-depth interviews of patients with a chronic disease. Drawing principally on construal-level theory and using manual thematic analysis and Leximancer, this article provides new insights into customer goals.

Findings

In a first, the authors identify a two-dimensional structure for each of the three main goal types, which previously had been viewed as unidimensional. The authors develop a conceptual framework linking drivers of goal setting (promotion/prevention focus world view and perceived role) with goal type (life goals, focal goals and action plan goals and their respective subgoals) and outcomes (four forms of subjective well-being). Visual concept maps illustrate the relative importance of certain health-related goals over others.

Research limitations/implications

The usefulness of the authors’ conceptual framework is demonstrated through the application of their framework to goal setting among healthcare customers, showing links between the structure of goals (life goals, focal goals and action plan goals) to drivers (promotion/prevention focus world view and perceived role) and outcomes (subjective well-being) and the framework's potential application to other service settings.

Originality/value

This study contributes to healthcare marketing and service management literature by providing new insights into goal setting and proposing a novel hierarchy of customer goals conceptual framework linking drivers, goal types and outcomes.
Advertising and pricing strategies for the manufacturer in the presence of brown and green products
Authors: Shi Dan , Zhang Weijia , Zou Guangyu , Ping Jinkun
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the operation strategies of a manufacturer who produces brown and green product simultaneously.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors establish three models to examine the joint decisions of pricing and advertising. Three advertising strategies are: non-advertising investment (NA), advertising investment for brown product (BA) and advertising investment for green product (GA).

Findings

The theoretical analysis shows that advertising investment can substantially increase the product greening level and manufacturer's profit. More importantly, we find that the GA strategy is more likely to be the best strategy as the advertising investment efficiency increases. The BA strategy is more likely to be preferred as the R&D cost increases. Finally, the modeling results are verified by numerical experiments, and more insights are obtained.

Research limitations/implications

This paper considers the case in which a single manufacturer produces the brown and green product simultaneously. In fact, many manufacturers in the market produce brown and green product at the same time. Furthermore, in addition to advertising investment for brown product and green product, manufacturers can also invest in advertising for brands.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the investigations on green production and advertising decisions of a manufacturer who produces brown and green products simultaneously.
Developing a diversification strategy of non-agricultural activities on farms using system dynamics modelling: a case study of Slovenia
Authors: Žibert Maja , Prevolšek Boris , Pažek Karmen , Rozman Črtomir , Škraba Andrej
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the main variables and causal relationships in the system structure of the diversification of non-agricultural activities on agricultural holdings using system dynamics (SD) modelling. The SD model aims to simulate depictions of the behaviour of the real system while testing the effects of alternative decisions over time.

Design/methodology/approach

An SD methodology was chosen to model diversification in farm tourism.

Findings

A system approach increases the authors’ understanding of the transition of agricultural holdings to farm tourism. The results indicate that the transition to farm tourism depends on the level of tourism development in a certain area. The system is influenced by subsidies allocated by authorities to expand primary agricultural activities. The model describes a situation in which the tourism and agricultural industries have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited by the small set of available data due to the limited number of farms in Slovenia. One major problem is the difference in statistical data on the same activity collected from different institutions in Slovenia.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for understanding the transition process to farm tourism, allowing policymakers to experiment with subsidies and promotion to explore the efficacy and efficiency of proposed policies.

Originality/value

This study provides a structured, systemic view of the diversification of non-agricultural activities on agricultural holdings, where the simulation results are a reliable reflection of the behaviour of the actual system being modelled.
The interrelationship between ocean, rail, truck and air freight rates
Authors: Shackman Joshua , Dai Quinton , Schumacher-Dowell Baxter , Tobin Joshua
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the long-term cointegrating relationship between ocean, rail, truck and air cargo freight rates, as well as the short-term dynamics between these four series. The authors also test the predictive ability of these freight rates on major economic indicators.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ a vector error-correction model using 16 years of monthly time series data on freight rate data in the ocean, truck, rail and air cargo sectors to examine the interrelationship between these series as well as their interrelationship with major economic indicators.

Findings

The authors find that truck freight rates and as well as dry bulk freight rates have the strongest predictive power over other transportation freight rates as well as for the four major economic indicators used in this study. The authors find that dry bulk freight rates lead other freight rates in the short-run but lag other freight rates in the long run.

Originality/value

While ocean freight rate time series have been examined in a large number of studies, little research has been done on the interrelationship between ocean freight rates and the freight rates of other modes of transportation. Through the use of data on five different freight rate series, the authors are able to assess which rates lead and which rates lag each other and thus assist future researchers and practitioners forecast freight rates. The authors are also one of the few studies to assess the predictive power of non-ocean freight rates on major economic indicators.
Asset market bubbles in an experiment with sequential information releases
Authors: Kluger Brian D.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Much of the author’s understanding of experimental asset market bubbles is based on the Smith, Suchanek and Williams (SSW) design. The purpose of this paper is to find alternative bubble-producing designs, which is a promising path for new insights.

Design/methodology/approach

The Smith et al. (1988) experimental design has been widely used to study bubbles. This paper introduces a novel modification, where the asset has a binary liquidation value and no dividends. Dividends are replaced by the events affecting the liquidation value probability distribution.

Findings

Overpricing is common and consistent with subject optimism concerning the random liquidation value. Bubbles are also observed, as the degree of overpricing often rises and then fall during the experiments. However, crashes where the asset price drops below fundamental values are not observed.

Research limitations/implications

Subject over optimism, speculation and/or subject confusion are possible bubble ingredients. More research is needed to determine how much the factors responsible for these bubbles differ from the factors responsible for the SSW design. However, it seems likely that there are at least some common factors given the structural similarities between the two designs.

Originality/value

The present design is novel and may provide a means to better generalize results from previous experiments based on the SSW design.
A case study of the German archives’ labor market in 2019
Authors: Schmerbauch Maik
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the German labor market situation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is focusing on the German archive labor market for the year 2019 and examines the job postings.

Findings

Many postings in 2019; problems in posts such as different salaries and quality of tasks.

Originality/value

This is an original source-based study.
The influence of process parameters on the impact resistance of 3D printed PLA specimens under water-absorption and heat-treated conditions
Authors: Kumar Mishra Pradeep , Ponnusamy Senthil , Reddy Nallamilli Mohan Satyanarayana
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of water absorption and heat treatment on the impact strength of three-dimensional (3D) printed Izod specimens. A low-cost post-processing technique is proposed to improve the impact strength of 3D printed parts substantially.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present work, the effect of water absorption and the heat-treatment on the impact resistance of 3D printed poly-lactic acid parts possessing different layer-height, build-orientation and raster-orientation was studied. Water absorption tests were conducted in distilled water and it was observed that the water- absorption in specimens follows the Fickian diffusion mechanism. A set of specimens was heat-treated at 120°C for 1 h using an induction furnace. Post water absorption and heat-treatment a significant increase in the impact resistance is noticed and especially a steep increase in impact resistance is observed in heat-treated specimens.

Findings

Experimental findings show that raster orientation played a major role in the impact resistance of a 3D printed structure in comparison to other process parameters. The order of influence of process parameters on the impact strength of specimens was disclosed by the mean effect plots. In terms of processing time and cost, the post-processing heat-treatment approach was found to be convenient compared to the water absorption technique.

Originality/value

This paper presents a new set of low-cost post-processing techniques (water-absorption and heat-treatment) for improving the impact strength of 3D printed specimens.
Librarians, step out of the classroom!: how improved faculty-led IL instruction improves student learning
Authors: Lacy Meagan , Hamlett Alexandra
Published: June 2021

Purpose

In most higher education institutions, information literacy (IL) instruction is usually considered the purview of librarians, not disciplinary faculty. However, a small but growing body of research indicates that students learn the research process best when these skills are taught in the context of a course or a discipline. For this reason, teaching faculty should share ownership of IL instruction — but how? In this case study, community college librarians explain how they successfully trained faculty to integrate IL into their English Composition courses and teach IL independently.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multimethods approach, the investigators draw on faculty interviews, student surveys, and content analysis of student essays to evaluate the impact of faculty-led IL instruction on student learning after one semester.

Findings

Faculty reported that their instruction of IL was improved, and students work better as a result of their collaboration with the librarians. Compared to previous semesters, faculty perceived gains in terms of students’ ability to synthesize and cite evidence in their writing. Student survey results indicate perceived gains in their IL skills, but an assessment of their written work reveals a discrepancy between this perception and the actual application of these skills.

Research limitations/implications

Because there is no control group, no conclusions can be drawn as to whether faculty-led IL instruction is as effective as librarian-led IL instruction or whether students’ academic performance improves due to faculty teaching IL. However, the purpose of this study is primarily descriptive. It addresses how other libraries may create a culture of shared ownership of IL instruction on their campuses.

Practical implications

This study offers an alternative model to library instruction and suggests ways instruction librarians can prioritize their outreach and instructional efforts to maximize impact on student learning.

Originality/value

While much has been written about how librarians can improve IL instruction, few studies mention the role of faculty. This case study starts the conversation.
The partial mediating role of supply chain integration between Industry 4.0 and supply chain performance
Authors: Erboz Gizem , Yumurtacı Hüseyinoğlu Işık Özge , Szegedi Zoltan
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Industry 4.0 not only impacts the manufacturing industry but also supply chain practices. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV), the purpose of this paper is to examine how Industry 4.0 affects supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP).

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 212 respondents in manufacturing companies. The partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses of this study.

Findings

The findings reveal that Industry 4.0 has a positive impact on SCI and SCP, and SCI has a positive impact on SCP. In addition, a partial mediating role of SCI has been found between Industry 4.0 and SCP.

Practical implications

This study reveals the role of Industry 4.0 on supply chain practices and draws attention to SCI in the linkage between Industry 4.0 and SCP. The findings emphasise the need for Industry 4.0 and SCI to enhance SCP.

Originality/value

There is limited research on the impacts of Industry 4.0 on SCI and SCP. This research finds empirical evidence for these impacts and enhances knowledge of Industry 4.0 by using a sample from an emerging country.
Comparing the impact onCOVID‐19 mortality of self‐imposed behavior change and of government regulations across 13 countries
Authors: Jamison Julian C. , Bundy Donald , Jamison Dean T. , Spitz Jacob , Verguet Stéphane
Published: June 2021

Objective

Countries have adopted different approaches, at different times, to reduce the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Cross‐country comparison could indicate the relative efficacy of these approaches. We assess various nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), comparing the effects of voluntary behavior change and of changes enforced via official regulations, by examining their impacts on subsequent death rates.

Data Sources

Secondary data on COVID‐19 deaths from 13 European countries, over March–May 2020.

Study Design

We examine two types of NPI: the introduction of government‐enforced closure policies and self‐imposed alteration of individual behaviors in the period prior to regulations. Our proxy for the latter is Google mobility data, which captures voluntary behavior change when disease salience is sufficiently high. The primary outcome variable is the rate of change in COVID‐19 fatalities per day, 16–20 days after interventions take place. Linear multivariate regression analysis is used to evaluate impacts.

Data collection/extraction methods: publicly available.

Principal Findings

Voluntarily reduced mobility, occurring prior to government policies, decreases the percent change in deaths per day by 9.2 percentage points (pp) (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.5–14.0 pp). Government closure policies decrease the percent change in deaths per day by 14.0 pp (95% CI 10.8–17.2 pp). Disaggregating government policies, the most beneficial for reducing fatality, are intercity travel restrictions, canceling public events, requiring face masks in some situations, and closing nonessential workplaces. Other sub‐components, such as closing schools and imposing stay‐at‐home rules, show smaller and statistically insignificant impacts.

Conclusions

NPIs have substantially reduced fatalities arising from COVID‐19. Importantly, the effect of voluntary behavior change is of the same order of magnitude as government‐mandated regulations. These findings, including the substantial variation across dimensions of closure, have implications for the optimal targeted mix of government policies as the pandemic waxes and wanes, especially given the economic and human welfare consequences of strict regulations.
Novel quality metrics allow identifying and generating high‐quality assemblies of piRNA clusters
Authors: Wierzbicki Filip , Schwarz Florian , Cannalonga Odontsetseg , Kofler Robert
Published: June 2021

In most animals, it is thought that the proliferation of a transposable element (TE) is stopped when the TE jumps into a piRNA cluster. Despite this central importance, little is known about the composition and the evolutionary dynamics of piRNA clusters. This is largely because piRNA clusters are notoriously difficult to assemble as they are frequently composed of highly repetitive DNA. With long reads, we may finally be able to obtain reliable assemblies of piRNA clusters. Unfortunately, it is unclear how to generate and identify the best assemblies, as many assembly strategies exist and standard quality metrics are ignorant of TEs. To address these problems, we introduce several novel quality metrics that assess: (a) the fraction of completely assembled piRNA clusters, (b) the quality of the assembled clusters and (c) whether an assembly captures the overall TE landscape of an organisms (i.e. the abundance, the number of SNPs and internal deletions of all TE families). The requirements for computing these metrics vary, ranging from annotations of piRNA clusters to consensus sequences of TEs and genomic sequencing data. Using these novel metrics, we evaluate the effect of assembly algorithm, polishing, read length, coverage, residual polymorphisms and finally identify strategies that yield reliable assemblies of piRNA clusters. Based on an optimized approach, we provide assemblies for the two Drosophila melanogaster strains Canton‐S and Pi2. About 80% of known piRNA clusters were assembled in both strains. Finally, we demonstrate the generality of our approach by extending our metrics to humans and Arabidopsis thaliana.
Mobile ECMO retrieval of patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Widmeier Eugen , Duerschmied Daniel , Benk Christoph , Staudacher Dawid , Wengenmayer Tobias , Supady Alexander
Published: June 2021

ECMO support is particularly resource‐intensive and should be provided in highly specialized centers. Occasionally, ECMO needs to be initiated in non‐ECMO centers by mobile ECMO retrieval teams. Subsequently, patients must be transferred on ECMO to the ECMO center. We report single‐center data from out‐of‐center initiations of ECMO during the COVID‐19 pandemic. From March 2020 through February 2021, nine patients were connected to ECMO before transfer to our center. Median travel distance (IQR) from the referring hospital to our center was 66 km (20‐92), median land travel time (IQR) was 51 minutes (26‐92). Personal protective equipment was available for all team members and used throughout the missions. No infections of team members with SARS‐CoV‐2 occurred. Three patients survived until hospital discharge. Median duration of ECMO (IQR) was 18 days (2‐78) in survivors and 19 days (9‐42) in non‐survivors, respectively. Out‐of‐center initiation of ECMO during the COVID‐19 pandemic was feasible and safe for patients and staff.
Internal medicine hospitalisations and liver disease: a comparative disease burden analysis of a multicentre cohort
Authors: Roberts Surain B. , Hansen Bettina E. , Shin Saeha , Abrahamyan Lusine , Lapointe‐Shaw Lauren , Janssen Harry L. A. , Razak Fahad , Verma Amol A. , Hirschfield Gideon M.
Published: June 2021

Background

Liver disease is an increasing burden on population health globally.

Aims

To characterise burden of liver disease among general internal medicine inpatients at seven Toronto‐area hospitals and compare it to other common medical conditions.

Methods

Data from April 2010 to October 2017 were obtained from hospitals participating in the GEMINI collaborative. Using these cohort data from hospital information systems linked to administrative data, we defined liver disease admissions using most responsible discharge diagnoses categorised according to international classification of diseases, 10th Revision—enhanced Canadian version (ICD‐10‐CA). We identified admissions for heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia as comparators. We calculated standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) as the ratio of observed to expected deaths.

Results

Among 239 018 discharges, liver disease accounted for 1.7% of most responsible discharge diagnoses. Liver disease was associated with marked premature mortality, with SMR of 8.84 (95% CI 8.06‐9.67) compared to 1.06 (95% CI 0.99‐1.12) for heart failure, 1.05 (95% CI 0.96‐1.15) for COPD and 1.28 (95% CI 1.20‐1.37) for pneumonia. The majority of deaths were among patients younger than 65 years (57.7%) compared to 3.3% in heart failure, 5.6% in COPD and 10.7% in pneumonia. Liver disease patients presented with worse Laboratory‐Based Acute Physiology Scores, were more frequently admitted to the intensive care unit (14.4%), incurred higher average total costs (median $6723 CAD), had higher in‐hospital mortality (11.4%), and were more likely to be a readmission from 30 days prior (19.8%). Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease admissions increased from 120 in 2011‐2012 to 215 in 2016‐2017 (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

In Canada's largest urban centre, liver disease admissions resulted in premature morbidity and mortality with higher resource use compared to common cardio‐respiratory conditions. Re‐evaluation of approaches to caring for inpatients with liver disease is timely and justified.
A Late Pleistocene channelized subglacial meltwater system on the Atlantic continental shelf south of Ireland
Authors: Giglio Cristiana , Benetti Sara , Sacchetti Fabio , Lockhart Edward , Hughes Clarke John , Plets Ruth , Van Landeghem Katrien , Ó Cofaigh Colm , Scourse James , Dunlop Paul
Published: June 2021

The study of palaeo‐glacial landforms and sediments can give insights into the nature and dynamics of ice sheets. This is particularly the case with regards to the subglacial record, which is challenging to observe in contemporary glaciated settings and hence remains only partially understood. The subglacial hydrological system is an essential component of ice dynamics, where increased water pressure enhances ice motion and sediment deformation, thus reducing ice‐bed contact. Tunnel valleys are large, sinuous, steep‐sided incisions that, together with smaller scale meltwater channels, indicate subglacial meltwater discharge beneath large ice sheets. Through the use of high‐resolution marine geophysical data, a system of buried and exposed tunnel valleys, possible subglacial or proglacial meltwater channels and palaeo‐fluvial valleys have been identified across the shelf of the Celtic Sea between Ireland and Britain. The presence of steep‐sided and overdeepened tunnel valleys is indicative of a large channelized meltwater drainage system beneath the former Irish Sea Ice Stream, the most extensive ice stream to drain the last British–Irish Ice Sheet. After the rapid ice expansion across the Celtic Sea shelf around 28–26 ka, the tunnel valleys were carved into both bedrock and glacigenic sediments and are associated with rapid ice stream retreat northwards into the Irish Sea Basin between 25.6 and 24.3 ka. The presence of a major subglacial meltwater system on the relatively shallow shelf suggests that significant erosive meltwater discharge occurred during the last deglaciation and highlights the important contribution of meltwater to the retreat of the British–Irish Ice Sheet on the continental shelf.
Insights into the functional ecology of páramo plants in Colombia
Authors: Cruz Marisol , Lasso Eloisa
Published: June 2021

Páramos are exceptionally species‐rich tropical alpine ecosystems that provide several important ecosystem services, including carbon storage and water provision. The responses of páramo plant species to climatic change are largely unknown, but classifying species by functional type and ecological strategy can help reduce complexity for modeling and conservation efforts. We measured 22 traits in 42 plant species with various growth forms in the Colombian Andes. We classified plant ecological strategies using CSR (C: competitor, S: stress tolerator, and R: ruderal) analysis and identified plant functional types (PFTs) using hierarchical clustering of principal components. Additionally, we calculated the functional originality of each species to identify species with unique trait combinations. We identified a high degree of convergence among traits and strategies, with most species characterized by the S and SC strategies. Considering the full set of traits, only three PFTs were identified: one composed of forbs and shrubs with tender leaves (PFT1), another composed only of species with rosettes form (PFT2), and a third composed of shrubs with tough leaves (PFT3). Values of functional originality were generally low, suggesting high redundancy in plant traits. PFT2 species, mostly rosettes, exhibited the highest functional originality of all the groups. Our results imply the existence of a limited set of ecophysiological strategies in the páramos, likely driven by the extremely stressful conditions in these systems. This functional redundancy may indicate heightened vulnerability to environmental changes; however, the presence of multiple species with shared functional traits could provide some resilience to disturbance.

Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Functional traits predict tree‐level phenological strategies in a mesic Indian savanna
Authors: Ongole Shasank , Teegalapalli Karthik , Byrapoghu Venkateshwarlu , Ratnam Jayashree , Sankaran Mahesh
Published: June 2021

Leaf phenology influences terrestrial primary production by determining the period of carbon uptake. While dominant leaf habit (evergreen/deciduous) is predictable at large scales based on environmental factors, there is substantial variability in the timing of key events such as leaf flush and senescence at smaller site‐level scales. How much of this variability is explained by species functional traits related to a plant's carbon economy? We monitored leaf phenology for 113 individual trees of eleven dominant species in an Indian mesic savanna. Specifically, we related leaf functional traits and wood density to the (i) timing of leaf flush, leaf maturity, peak canopy, and senescence, (ii) duration of leaf deployment, (iii) duration from start of senescence to leaflessness, and (iv) time to attainment of peak mature canopy following leaf flush. We expected species that use resources conservatively (low specific leaf area (SLA), high leaf dry matter content, low leaf nitrogen, and high wood density) to senesce later and retain their leaves longer. For all species, leaflessness was most pronounced in early dry season and leaf flushing occurred in the late dry season. Species with high leaf carbon and dry matter content showed earlier leaf maturation, attained peak mature canopies sooner, and deployed leaves longer. Species with high SLA, leaf nitrogen, and low wood density showed earlier senescence but relationships were weak. In this savanna, phenology at fine scales was indeed associated with species functional traits relating to carbon investment, but these relationships were strong only when intra‐specific variation in phenology was low.
Variation in trunk taper of buttressed trees within and among five lowland tropical forests
Authors: Cushman K. C. , Bunyavejchewin Sarayudh , Cárdenas Dairon , Condit Richard , Davies Stuart J. , Duque Álvaro , Hubbell Stephen P. , Kiratiprayoon Somboon , Lum Shawn K. Y. , Muller‐Landau Helene C.
Published: June 2021

Accurately projecting global carbon dynamics requires understanding controls over temporal and spatial tropical forest biomass variation. Changes in tropical forest aboveground biomass per area are most commonly estimated using repeat forest plot censuses, but errors in these estimates can be relatively large, limiting our ability to detect real changes in forest carbon. One source of error is nonstandard heights of diameter measurement, which are common in tropical forests because buttressed trees are usually measured above buttresses. Nonstandard and temporally variable measurement heights affect biomass change estimates because tree trunks taper—higher measurements result in smaller diameters and, thus, smaller estimated biomass. Modeling trunk taper is a potential way to correct for biases associated with nonstandard and changing measurement heights. We measured trunk taper for 260 buttressed trees in five lowland tropical forests to assess variation in taper within and among sites. Trunks taper more slowly in trees with larger diameters above buttress, taller buttresses, and higher wood density; these variables together explain 29% of taper variation. We also used plot data to quantify the distribution of measurement heights—and potential for bias in biomass estimates. We found significant variation in measurement heights among plots, and over time within plots. At the site level, our general taper model (taper predicted from diameter above buttress, buttress height, and wood density) produced site‐level biomass estimates within 3.4%, on average, of estimates from measured taper. We recommend using this model to reduce bias from nonstandard measurement heights in studies of tropical forest biomass variation.

Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
Atypical Developmental Trajectories of Early Perception Among School‐Age Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder During a Visual Search Task
Authors: Luo Xiangsheng , Guo Jialiang , Li Dongwei , Liu Lu , Chen Yanbo , Zhu Yu , Johnstone Stuart J. , Wang Yufeng , Song Yan , Sun Li
Published: June 2021

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by cognitive deficits associated with attention. Prior studies have revealed the potential impact of ADHD on basic perception and cognitive ability in patients with ADHD. In this study, bilateral posterior P1 and N1 were measured in 122 Chinese children aged 7–12 years (64 with ADHD) to investigate the developmental characteristics of early perception during visual processing in school‐age children with ADHD. For children with ADHD, a larger P1 activity with an atypical developmental pattern was evoked and observed for the visual search performance. These findings offer new insights into the mechanisms of cognitive developmental deficits and intervention techniques in children with ADHD.
Impact of SIRPα polymorphism on transplant outcomes in HLA‐identical living donor kidney transplantation
Authors: Garcia‐Sanchez Cynthia , Casillas‐Abundis M. Aurora , Pinelli David F. , Tambur Anat R. , Hod‐Dvorai Reut
Published: June 2021

Signal‐regulatory protein α (SIRPα), a polymorphic inhibitory membrane‐bound receptor, and its ligand CD47 have recently been implicated in the modulation of innate immune allorecognition in murine models.

Here, we investigate the potential impact of SIRPα donor‐recipient mismatches on graft outcomes in human kidney transplantation. To eliminate the specific role of HLA‐matching in alloresponse, we genotyped the two most common variants of SIRPα in a cohort of 55 HLA‐identical, biologically‐related, donor‐recipient pairs. 69% of pairs were SIRPα identical. No significant differences were found between donor‐recipient SIRPα‐mismatch status and T cell‐mediated rejection/borderline changes (25.8% vs. 25%) or slow graft function (15.8% vs. 17.6%). A trend towards more graft failure (GF) (23.5% vs. 5.3%, P = .06), interstitial inflammation (50% vs. 23%, P = .06) and significant changes in peritubular capillaritis (ptc) (25% vs. 0%, P = .02) were observed in the SIRPα‐mismatched group. Unexpectedly, graft‐versus‐host (GVH) SIRPα‐mismatched pairs exhibited higher rates of GF and tubulitis (38% vs. 5%, P = .031 and .61 ± .88 vs. 0, P = .019; respectively).

Whether the higher prevalence of ptc in SIRPα‐mismatched recipients and the higher rates of GF in GVH SIRPα‐mismatched pairs represent a potential role for SIRPα in linking innate immunity and alloimmune rejection requires further investigation in larger cohorts.
Cervical glandular neoplasia referrals and the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma in situ: Correlating cytology, colposcopy findings, and clinical outcomes
Authors: Nikolopoulos Manolis , Athanasias Pandelis , Godfrey Michelle A. L. , Nikolopoulos Kostis , Maheshwari Manish K.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To determine the clinical outcomes of women with possible glandular neoplasia of endocervical type on cervical cytology, and review all diagnoses of cervical adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) over a 5 year period at our institution.

Study design

A retrospective case‐note review was conducted of all women referred to colposcopy with possible glandular neoplasia of endocervical type on cervical cytology or diagnosed with cervical AIS after biopsy or excision, from January 2014 until December 2018 in a London district hospital.

Results

Of 55 women referred with possible glandular neoplasia of endocervical type, 47 (85.4%) had a significant pathology on histopathological analysis: AIS (n = 22); invasive cancer (n = 7); high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (n = 18). Women with a history of borderline abnormality on cervical cytology within the last 5 years were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with AIS or invasive cancer (P < .05). For the same period 49 women had histologically proven AIS. Among these 22 (44.8%) were referred as possible cervical glandular intraepithelial neoplasia. Other reasons for referral were the following indications: borderline dyskaryosis (n = 13); high‐grade dyskaryosis (n = 8); low‐grade dyskaryosis (n = 4); postcoital bleeding (n = 2).

Conclusion

Due to the raised risk of significant gynaecological pathology in women with possible glandular neoplasia of endocervical type on cervical cytology, excisional biopsy is essential. Colposcopic impression varies significantly and complete excision of the abnormal lesions should be achieved. AIS is a histological diagnosis and should always be considered during colposcopical and cytopathological assessment.
Possible involvement of type 2 cytokines in alloknesis in mouse models of menopause and dry skin
Authors: Ichimasu Nao , Chen Yue , Kobayashi Keisuke , Suzuki So , Chikazawa Sakiko , Shimura Sakiko , Katagiri Kazumoto
Published: June 2021

Alloknesis, an abnormal itch sensation induced by innocuous stimuli, is a key phenomenon in the vicious itch‐scratch cycle in patients with atopic dermatitis. Dry skin and pruritus, including alloknesis, are major health problems in peri‐ and post‐menopausal women. We recently reported permeability barrier dysfunction in ovariectomized (OVX) mice—a model of menopause—and found that the dysfunction was related to dry skin. However, the mechanism of the itch remains unknown. Therefore, we examined touch‐ and pruritogen‐evoked alloknesis and epidermal innervation in OVX mice and acetone, diethyl ether and water (AEW)‐treated mice, for the experimental dry skin model. Both alloknesis and epidermal innervation were comparable in OVX and AEW mice. Neutralizing antibodies against IL‐4 and IL‐13 inhibited alloknesis in both OVX and AEW mice as early as 30 min after intradermal administration. Comparable values close to the measurement limit of IL‐4 were found in the skin of HRT and Sham mice as well as AEW and the control mice, but the levels of IL‐4 were within the measurement limit in OVX mice. We could not detect mRNAs of IL‐4 or IL‐13 in any groups of mice. On the other hand, the number of eosinophils and basophils was increased in OVX and AEW mice. These results suggest that impaired barrier function in cooperation with type 2 cytokines derived from eosinophils and basophils in the skin or with endogenous type 2 cytokine may trigger the development of alloknesis, and thus, these cytokines could be a therapeutic target for sensitive skin.
Structure and function of Shark Bay microbial communities following tropical cyclone Olwyn: A metatranscriptomic and organic geochemical perspective
Authors: Campbell Matthew A. , Coolen Marco J.L. , Visscher Pieter T. , Morris Therese , Grice Kliti
Published: June 2021

Shark Bay, Western Australia, is episodically impacted by tropical cyclones. During 2015, the region was hit by a category 3 cyclone, “severe tropical cyclone Olywn,” leading to the formation of a black sludge in an intertidal zone harboring microbial mats and microbialites. Upon returning to the impacted site 12 months later, the black sludge deposit was still recognizable between the microbialite columns and mucilaginous cobbles near the shoreline in the impacted area. Metatranscriptomic and organic geochemical analyses were carried out on the cyclone‐derived materials and impacted microbial mat communities to unravel the structure, function, and potential preservation of these deposits following a tropical cyclone. It was found that samples derived from the black sludge contained low relative abundances of cyanobacteria but had higher proportions of heterotrophic and anaerobic microorganisms (e.g., methanogens and sulfate‐reducing bacteria). Increased metabolic activity by these microorganisms (e.g., sulfate reduction and organic matter degradation) is thought to drive calcium carbonate precipitation and helps in mat preservation. Comparison of the aliphatic biomarker by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) analyses showed that C25 highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) alkenes were significantly higher in the cyclone‐derived materials attributed to the relocation of subtidal sediments containing HBI‐producing diatom communities by the tropical cyclone. Raney nickel desulfurization of the polar fraction extracted from a mucilaginous cobble revealed sulfur‐bound hopanoids and a series of benzohopanes. The presence of these compounds could be indicative of microbial matter that has been influenced by the tropical cyclone which may have caused elevated levels of water column anoxia promoting increased sulfurization of the organic matter to occur.
Evaluation of five column‐based isolation kits and their ability to extract miRNA from human milk
Authors: Ahlberg Emelie , Jenmalm Maria C. , Tingö Lina
Published: June 2021

MicroRNA can be found in various body fluids, including breast milk. MicroRNA may be transferred from mother to infant via breast milk and potentially regulate the development of the infant's immune system on a post‐transcriptional level. This study aimed to determine the microRNA extraction efficiency of five RNA extraction kits from human skim milk samples. Their efficiency was determined by comparing microRNA concentrations, total RNA yield and purity. Furthermore, hsa‐miR‐148a‐3p expression and the recovery of an exogenous control, cel‐miR‐39‐3p, were quantified using qPCR. Each kit extracted different amounts of microRNA and total RNA, with one kit tending to isolate the highest amount of both RNA species. Based on these results, the extraction kit ReliaPrep™ miRNA Cell and Tissue Miniprep System from Promega was found to be the most appropriate kit for microRNA extraction from human skim milk. Moreover, further research is needed to establish a standardized protocol for microRNA extraction from breast milk.
Kakonein restores diabetes‐induced endothelial junction dysfunction via promoting autophagy‐mediated NLRP3 inflammasome degradation
Authors: Lian Dawei , Liu Jiaying , Han Ruifang , Jin Jiaqi , Zhu Li , Zhang Yanhong , Huang Yi , Wang Xiao , Xian Shaoxiang , Chen Yang
Published: June 2021

In diabetes‐induced complications, inflammatory‐mediated endothelial dysfunction is the core of disease progression. Evidence shows that kakonein, an isoflavone common in Pueraria, can effectively treat diabetes and its complications. Therefore, we explored whether kakonein protects cardiovascular endothelial function by inhibiting inflammatory responses. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were injected with streptozocin to establish a diabetes model and treated with kakonein or metformin for 7 days. The protective effect of kakonein on cardiovascular endothelial junctions and NLRP3 inflammasome activation was verified through immunofluorescence and ELISA assay. In addition, the regulation of autophagy on the NLRP3 inflammasome was investigated through Western blot, immunofluorescence and RT‐qPCR. Results showed that kakonein restored the function of endothelial junctions and inhibited the assembly and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Interestingly, kakonein decreased the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome protein by not reducing the transcriptional levels of NLRP3 and caspase‐1. Kakonein activated autophagy in an AMPK‐dependent manner, which reduced the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, kakonein inhibited both hyperglycaemia‐induced cardiovascular endothelial junction dysfunction and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, similar to autophagy agonist. Our findings indicated that kakonein exerts a protective effect on hyperglycaemia‐induced chronic vascular disease by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome through autophagy.