bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery: learning from the past to make advances in the future
Authors: Jegatheeswaran Anusha , Brothers Julie A.
Published: August 2021

Purpose of review

To review anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) anatomy, prevalence, mechanism and risk of ischemia, presentation, evaluation, management, and future directions.

Recent findings

Although most anatomic variants of AAOCA are benign, a small number are associated with increased risk of sudden death. A complete evaluation, including the use of advanced noninvasive imaging and provocative testing should be performed on nearly every patient with AAOCA. On the basis of recent studies, the ischemic risk appears to be greatest with a left anomalous coronary artery but an anomalous right coronary artery is not benign. Other risk factors include: a left anomalous coronary with an intramural course, high take-off, or slit-like orifice, and a right anomalous coronary with a longer intramural course. Exercise restriction is rarely recommended. Management primarily consists of nonoperative care, or surgical repair in those who are symptomatic or who have high-risk variants. Surgery itself continues to evolve; however, it is not benign, with a higher than expected chance of morbidity.

Advances have been made over the past decade regarding management of patients with AAOCA; however, the mechanism of ischemia and ability to predict risk is still incompletely understood. Management decisions should be based on anatomy, results of investigations, and shared decision-making with patients and their families. Surgery may be recommended for those at higher risk and should be done at centers experienced in AAOCA surgery. Future research should be collaborative in order to share experiences and insights to help advance our understanding of risk and ultimately to improve patient management.
Effects of vitamin D-related gene polymorphisms on attempted suicide
Authors: Wei Yan-Xin , Liu Bao-Peng , Qiu Hui-Min , Zhang Ji-Yu , Wang Xin-Ting , Jia Cun-Xian
Published: August 2021

Objective

Emerging evidence suggests that vitamin D might protect from attempted suicide. The study aimed to investigate the associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to vitamin D levels identified in a large genome-wide association study and attempted suicide in rural China.

Methods

This 1:1 matched case–control study included altogether 510 suicide attempters and 510 community controls. Genotypes of four target SNPs (DHCR7-rs12785878, CYP2R1-rs10741657, GC-rs2282679, and CYP24A1-rs6013897) were determined, and a genetic risk score (GRS) was constructed to evaluate the combined effect of them. Demographic and psychological information was acquired through face-to-face interviews.

Results

The A allele of CYP24A1-rs6013897 was significantly associated with attempted suicide (OR = 1.27, 95% CI, 1.03–1.58, P = 0.029), even after adjusting for demographic and psychological confounders (adjusted OR = 1.53, 95% CI, 1.01–2.30, P = 0.043). The GRS analyses revealed a significantly higher risk of attempted suicide with a greater number of low vitamin D alleles (adjusted OR = 1.33, 95% CI, 1.13–1.58, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses stratified by sex indicated that the genetic associations were only significant among males with adjusted ORs of 3.77 (95% CI, 1.56–9.10) for the A allele of rs6013897 and 2.04 (95% CI, 1.32–3.17) for GRS.

Conclusions

Our findings identity CYP24A1-rs6013897 as a potential biomarker for attempted suicide and indicate that a genetic predisposition to lower vitamin D levels may contribute to attempted suicide. It suggests the possibility that vitamin D may have the preventive potential for attempted suicide.
Do Covid-19 patients needing ICU admission have worse 6 months follow up outcomes when compared with hospitalized non-ICU patients? A prospective cohort study
Authors: Yıldırım Süleyman , Susam Seher , Cimen Pınar , Yapicioglu Sena , Sunecli Onur , Ediboglu Özlem , Kirakli Cenk
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Studies focus on pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and complications during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Long-term outcomes of COVID-19 patients who discharge intensive care unit (ICU) are unclear.

Objectives

We investigated the effect of COVID-19 on lung structure, pulmonary functional, exercise capacity and quality of life in patients discharge from ICU and medical ward.

Methods

A prospective single-centre study conducted in PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients who has been discharged from University of Health Sciences, Dr. Suat Seren Chest Disease and Thoracic Surgery Teaching and Research Hospital between 15 January and 5 March 2021. Patients who followed up for more than 48 hours in ICU and more than 72 hours in medical ward were included the study. Computed tomography scores, pulmonary functional tests (PFT), 6-min walking distance and health related quality of life by SF-36 were compared between ICU and medical ward patients at 6 months after discharge.

Results

Seventy patients were included final analyses and 31 of them discharged from ICU. ICU patients had higher CT scores than non-ICU patients at admission (17 vs 11) and follow up visit (6 vs 0). Two-three of ICU patients had at least one abnormal finding at control CT. Advanced age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.15) and higher CT score at admission (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.27) were risk factors for having radiological abnormalities at control CT.

Conclusion

A number of COVID-19 survivors especially with severe disease could not fully recover after 6 months of hospital discharge.
Drosophila Filamin exhibits a mechano-protective role during nephrocyte injury via induction of hypertrophic growth
Authors: Koehler Sybille , Denholm Barry
Published: August 2021

Podocytes are highly specialized epithelial cells of the kidney glomerulus and are an essential part of the filtration barrier. Due to their position and function in the kidney, they are exposed to constant biomechanical forces such as shear stress and hydrostatic pressure. These forces increase during disease, resulting in podocyte injury and loss. The mechanism by which biomechanical forces are sensed and transduced to elicit an adaptive and protective response remains largely unknown. Here we show, using the Drosophila nephrocyte model, that the mechanosensor Cheerio (dFilamin) is central to this ‘mechano-protective’ mechanism. We found expression of an activated mechanosensitive variant of Cheerio induced hypertrophy and rescued filtration function in injured nephrocytes. Additional analysis with human Filamin B confirmed this mechano-protective role. We delineated the mechano-protective pathway downstream of Cheerio and found activation of TOR and Yorkie induce nephrocyte hypertrophy, whereas their repression reversed the Cheerio-mediated hypertrophy. Although Cheerio/Filamin B pathway mediates a mechano-protective role in the face of injury, we found excessive activity resulted in a pathological phenotype, indicating activity levels must be tightly controlled. Taken together, our data suggest that Cheerio acts via the TOR and YAP pathway to induce hypertrophic growth, as a mechano-protective response to nephrocyte injury.
Neurons undergo pathogenic metabolic reprograming in models of familial ALS
Authors: Riechers Sean-Patrick , Mojsilovic-Petrovic Jelena , Garjani Mehraveh , Medvedeva Valentina , Dalton Casey , Dienel Gerald , Kalb Robert G.
Published: August 2021

Normal cellular function requires a rate of ATP production sufficient to meet demand. In most neurodegenerative diseases (including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS), mitochondrial dysfunction is postulated raising the possibility of impaired ATP production and a need for compensatory maneuvers to sustain the ATP production/demand balance. We find in our rodent models of familial ALS (fALS), impairment in neuronal glycolytic flux with maintained or enhanced activity of the citric acid cycle. This rewiring of metabolism is associated with normal ATP levels and redox status, supporting the notion that mitochondrial function is not compromised in neurons expressing fALS genes. Genetic loss-of-function manipulation of individual steps in the glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway blunt the negative phenotypes seen in various fALS models. We propose that neurons adjust fuel utilization in the setting of neurodegenerative disease-associated mitochondrial dysfunction in a baleful manner and targeting this process can be healthful.
Organizational communication and social marketing strategies targeting Spanish consumers of fashion. Sustainability as a form of happiness management
Authors: Jiménez-Marín Gloria , Galiano-Coronil Araceli , Tobar-Pesántez Luis Bayardo
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand the perception and purchase intentions of Spanish consumers towards sustainable fashion and to see if this can guide the marketing strategy for sustainable fashion.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methodology has been designed to test the categories: knowledge, environmental concern, product-related features and social influence.

Findings

The results of this study suggest that some implications and advice on sustainability marketing strategy could help companies to develop sustainable fashion for Spanish consumers.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in the focus on sustainability to achieve happiness and satisfaction of people as a form of governance from a social point of view.
The interpersonal effects of emotion on rejection of severely unfair ultimatum proposal
Authors: Pietroni Davide , Hughes Verdi Sibylla , Giuliani Felice , Rosa Angelo , Missier Fabio Del , Palumbo Riccardo
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the emotion expressed by a fictitious proposer influences the responder’s decision to accept or reject a severely unfair deal, represented by the splitting of a predetermined sum of money between the two players during an ultimatum game (UG). Rejection leads both parts to dissipate that sum. Critically the authors consider the situation in which both players have the best alternative to negotiation agreement (BATNA), which simulates a backup plan to rely on in case of no agreement.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants played a UG and, to foster the ecological validity of the paradigm, the parts could both rely on a more or less generous BATNA. The critical manipulation was the emotion expressed by the proposer while their BATNA was either hidden (Exp. 1) or communicated (Exp. 2).

Findings

The proposer’s emotions influenced participants’ own emotions, affected their social evaluations about the proposer, the desire for future interactions with the proposer and were used to infer the proposer’s BATNA when it was unknown. In this latter case, proposers’ emotions and in particular his/her happiness, decreased dramatically the participants’ tendency to reject even severely unfair offers.

Originality/value

Past research on UG has been predominantly aimed to investigate the effect of responders’ emotions or the effects of responders’ emotions on the proposer, devoting little attention to how the critical responder’s acceptance/rejection decision might be affected by the proposer’s emotion. Especially in the ecological situation where the parts have a BATNA in case of non-agreement.
The power of nudging: how adaptations in reverse logistics systems can improve end-consumer recycling behavior
Authors: Flygansvær Bente , Samuelsen Asta Gjetø , Støyle Rebecka Våge
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Research shows a recycling behavior gap where end consumers are positive towards recycling but do not act in accordance with their intentions. Such a gap creates challenges for reverse logistics systems. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how adaptations in reverse logistics systems towards end consumers-turned-suppliers can improve recycling behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A framework with three propositions is developed and evaluated empirically using a two-group dependent post-test quasi-experimental design. The empirical setting is recycling of household waste. Three interventions are evaluated as: (1) the social norms nudge, (2) the distance nudge and (3) the availability nudge.

Findings

The results show that nudging improved recycling action behavior for the experimental group. Control group behavior remained constant.

Research limitations/implications

This paper suggests that the end-consumer’s role as suppliers needs to be included more actively into reverse logistics systems for products to enter the preferred loops of recycling in the circular economy.

Originality/value

A new field of climate psychology is used to explain challenges in reverse logistics systems and nudging is demonstrated as a tool with which to deal with them. The study also shows how quasi-experiments can be applied in logistics research.
Investigating the causal relationships among failure modes, effects and causes: a system dynamics approach
Authors: Shaker Fatemeh , Shahin Arash , Jahanyan Saeed
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a system dynamics (SD) model to identify causal relationships among the elements of failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), i.e. failure modes, effects and causes.

Design/methodology/approach

A causal loop diagram (CLD) has been developed based on the results obtained from interdependencies and correlations analysis among the FMEA elements through applying the integrated approach of FMEA-quality function deployment (QFD) developed by Shaker et al. (2019). The proposed model was examined in a steel manufacturing company to identify and model the causes and effects relationships among failure modes, effects and causes of a roller-transmission system.

Findings

Findings indicated interactions among the most significant failure modes, effects and causes. Moreover, corrective actions defined to eliminate or relieve critical failure causes. Consequently, production costs decreased, and the production rate increased due to eliminated/decreased failure modes.

Practical implications

The application of CLD illustrates causal relationships among FMEA elements in a more effective way and results in a more precise recognition of the root causes of the potential failure modes and their easy elimination/decrease. Therefore, applying the proposed approach leads to a better analysis of the interactions among FMEA elements, decreased system's failure rate and increased system availability.

Originality/value

The literature review indicated a few studies on the application of SD methodology in the maintenance area, and no study was performed on the causal interactions among FMEA elements through an FMEA-QFD based SD approach. Although the interactions of these elements are significant and helpful in risks ranking, researchers fail to investigate them sufficiently.
Does causal reasoning lead to moral reasoning? Consumers' responses to scandalized athletes and endorsements
Authors: Kim Daehwan , Lee Joon Sung , Jang Wonseok (Eric) , Ko Yong Jae
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Marketers and brand managers are subject to reputational crises when their endorsers are involved in scandals. To effectively manage such crises, it is imperative to understand (1) the underlying mechanisms through which consumers process negative information surrounding morally tainted endorsers, and (2) how these mechanisms affect consumer behavior in the context of athlete scandals.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on attribution theory and the moral reasoning strategy framework, we investigate the impact of attribution on moral reasoning strategies, and the impact of such strategies on consumers' responses to scandalized athletes and endorsements.

Findings

Overall, our results demonstrate that the same scandal can be evaluated differently, depending on its information, including the consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency of the scandal. The results of Study 1 show that in the context of an on-field scandal, individuals engage in a sequential cognitive process in which they go through attribution, the choice of a moral reasoning strategy, and ultimately a response. The results of Study 2 reveal that in the context of an off-field scandal, attribution directly influences consumers' responses.

Originality/value

We extend the existing literature on the moral reasoning of athlete scandals by suggesting that attribution is a determinant of moral reasoning choice in the context of on-field scandals. We also extend the sports marketing and consumer behavior literature by suggesting that consumers' diverse reactions to athlete scandals depend on their attribution patterns and moral reasoning choices.
Modern architectural tourism in Singapore
Authors: Tan Keith Kay Hin , Kusumo Camelia May Li
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Existing tourism studies focusing on Southeast Asia often emphasize the culture, history and heritage of the region or its natural beauty and cuisine, most of which are often viewed as exotic through a Western lens. By contrast, this interdisciplinary study looks at the untapped potential for modern architectural tourism in Singapore as a fascinating and increasingly authentic way of understanding how the next generation of Singaporean residents will live in their land-scarce city-state. This study aims to highlight the importance of modern architecture as a tourism product in a globalized Asian city.

Design/methodology/approach

It engages with visiting architects and their local facilitator to examine the touristic potential energy of cutting-edge residential buildings in Singapore from an intra-Asian viewpoint. By also identifying practical design solutions to promote modern architectural tourism that will have a positive impact on city branding, this study opens the door for future research regarding Southeast Asia’s rapidly changing modern architecture and urban landscape, and how these can be made attractive for its important tourism industry.

Findings

The findings suggest that just as Singapore’s cultural diversity has long been viewed as a touristic asset, its authentic, escapist, exotic and spectacular contemporary residential architecture, if well managed, presented and designed, can provide a unique place for sustainable community interactions between locals and visitors, which will help Singapore develop a unique city brand attractive to architectural tourists and even repeat visitors, through a new concept for authenticity in a global city.

Originality/value

This cross-disciplinary study linking tourism and architecture explores modern architectural tourism in Singapore, specifically in relation to residential buildings where locals and visitors can interact.
Libraries, museums and cultural centers in foreign policy and cultural diplomacy: a scoping review
Authors: Mariano Randolf , Vårheim Andreas
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Libraries, museums and cultural centers have long served as cultural ambassadors and foreign policy instruments, bridging diplomatic relationships among nation-states and institutions. The purpose of this scoping review is to ascertain and understand the emerging areas of research on libraries, museums and cultural centers in foreign policy and cultural diplomacy within broader research paradigms of international relations, social sciences, education and library and information studies by systematically mapping key concepts and identifying the types of studies and knowledge gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis, relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, books and book chapters that were published over a wide time period in any language from various databases were systematically examined. Two reviewers worked independently to extract the data and reached a consensus regarding the inclusion criteria using the JBI’s data charting template.

Findings

In total, 6,436 citations were screened, and 57 documents were identified as eligible for inclusion. The following sequences were reviewed and explored: study characteristics, theoretical approaches and research themes. The research themes were grouped into broader ones that included goals, actors, strategies and instruments. Finally, the concentration and clusters of ideas and gaps that emerged in the identified studies were investigated, resulting in a discussion of the recommendations and directions for future research.

Originality/value

This first scoping review is a useful tool for investigating the changing and novel roles of libraries, museums and cultural centers in cultural diplomacy and foreign policy. Although substantial work exists on the topic, the potential remains for interdisciplinary research to challenge and extend the current knowledge about cultural diplomacy practices in libraries, museums and cultural centers.
Understanding knowledge hiding under technological turbulence caused by artificial intelligence and robotics
Authors: Arias-Pérez José , Vélez-Jaramillo Juan
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be performing 52% of the tasks in companies by 2025. The increasing adoption of AI is generating technological turbulence in the business environment. Previous studies have also shown that employees are aware of the high risk of losing their jobs when being replaced by AI. The risk of employees engaging in opportunistic behaviors, such as knowledge hiding, is thus fairly high. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze the mediating effect of employee’s AI awareness on the relationship between technological turbulence generated by AI and the three types of knowledge hiding: evasive hiding, playing dumb and rationalized hiding.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equations by the partial least squares method were used to test the proposed research model.

Findings

The most interesting finding is that employee’s AI and robotics awareness fulfills almost all mediating functions in the relationship between technological turbulence generated by AI and the three types of knowledge hiding.

Originality/value

The results show that knowledge hiding in the digital age is first and foremost a strategy by employees to sabotage and induce failure in process automation, to reduce the risk of being replaced in the workplace by AI. This study indicates that employees are willing to hide knowledge in all possible ways when perception that AI is a threat to their job increases. In other words, technological turbulence generated by AI and employee’s AI awareness are the two great new triggers of knowledge hiding in the digital age.
When does daily job performance motivate learning behavior? The stimulation of high turnover rate
Authors: Pu Xiaoping , Zhang Guanglei , Tse Chi-Shing , Feng Jiaojiao , Tang Yipeng , Fan Wei
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether and how a high turnover rate stimulates employees to engage more in learning behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on self-regulation theory, the authors suggest that the motive for employees to engage in learning behavior is to improve themselves. Such a need can be activated when they reflect on themselves and realize the discrepancy between their current selves and desired future selves. The authors argue that the employees’ perceived poor performance at daily work may induce their desire for self-improvement via making the future work selves salient, and in turn engage more in learning behavior. This is particularly so when turnover rate is high because employees may be alert of and concerned more about their own poor performance. In an experience sampling study, the authors obtained evidence for these hypotheses.

Findings

When turnover rate was high, employees’ poor performance increased salience of future work selves, which in turn facilitated their learning behavior. This relationship was not significant when turnover rate was low.

Originality/value

Contrary to the typical view that high turnover rate leads to knowledge loss for the companies, the present study findings suggest that it could also serve as a motivational factor facilitating employees’ learning behavior, which is an important way to increase knowledge pool of the companies.
The conditions of opportunity recognition in schools: an investigation of how entrepreneurial teachers discover new educational opportunities
Authors: Ho Chun Sing Maxwell , Man Thomas Wing Yan
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This study investigates teachers' perceptions of how school conditions influence their motivation for opportunity recognition. It uses discovery theory as a theoretical lens to understand the dynamics of entrepreneurial teachers' knowledge and alertness in responding to school conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multi-case study approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with participants in three schools highlighting similarities and differences in their conditions of empowering entrepreneurial teachers to discover opportunities.

Findings

The results indicate that four school conditions facilitate entrepreneurial teachers to discover opportunities, namely, a rigorous working environment, a trusting and opened culture, extensive communication networks and rewarding work conditions.

Originality/value

These findings further underscore the use of discovery theory in educational contexts showing that entrepreneurial teachers are in an active mode of searching for opportunities. Specific ways through which teachers can better recognize opportunities for school improvement are included.
Case study of the additive manufacturing application in the supersonic flow researches
Authors: da Silva Guimarães Jefte , Serrano Faillace Oliveira Leite Valéria , Antonio Sala Minucci Marco , Carinhana Dermeval
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the aerodynamic behavior of a supersonic combustion test bench (SCTB) components, as the transition piece and the combustor of a scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet), manufactured by 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM).

Design/methodology/approach

For the dimensional and structural analysis of the manufactured models, a portable 3D scanner was used to generate the mesh of its dimensions, and to compare them before and after the experiments, a roughness measuring system was also used to verify the roughness inside the models before and after the tests, as roughness is an important parameter because it directly affects the boundary layer. For the visualization of the flow, the non-intrusive schlieren optical technique was used.

Findings

The experiments were carried out on the SCBT for Mach 2 flows, using the manufactured prototypes and showed that there was no structural and dimensional change of the model after the test batteries. It was found that the roughness presented by the material did not affect the quality of the flow generated. This shows that the investigated material can also be applied in experiments with supersonic flow.

Originality/value

This paper presents that it is possible to use in ground test facilities, for the studies of supersonic flow (in cold condition), pieces and models manufactured by 3D printing without affecting the quality of the flow generated during the experiments. This study presents a new perspective to approach AM applied in the studies of supersonic flows.
Exploring relationship between sustainability and firm performance in travel and tourism industry: a global evidence
Authors: Bodhanwala Shernaz , Bodhanwala Ruzbeh
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the relationship between aggregate and individual dimensions of sustainability and financial and stock market performances of the firms in the travel and tourism industry (TTI) across different geographies.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample under study consists of 146 firms belonging to TTI that have consistently obtained environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating over the period 2011–2017 as a part of Thomson Reuters Asset 4 ESG database. An empirical multivariate panel data model is developed to analyse the impact of sustainability (ESG) on firm profitability and market value within three tourism-related industries (transportation, hotel and leisure).

Findings

The study extends the existing literature by investigating the impact of each of the vital dimensions of sustainability performance – ESG – and examines how each dimension would affect financial performance and market value among firms within three tourism-related industries (transportation, hotel and leisure). Among the three tourism industries, hotel industry is observed to have the highest ESG compliance, followed by the transportation industry. Based on the agency and stakeholder theory, the authors hypothesized all ESG components to have significant positive effect on the financial and stock market performance; however, the results reveal that each dimension has different impact on financial performance and market value of firms in the tourism industry.

Research limitations/implications

The study could help firms in the travel and tourism industries to understand which of the dimension of ESG activities is significantly important for their financial and stock market performance.

Originality/value

The unique contribution of this study is that it considers wider definition of the term “Sustainability” and examines the relationship between financial and stock market performances of the firms and each component of ESG. This is one of the few studies at the global level that provides much needed evidence in the area of sustainability performance by the travel and tourism firms.
Social network sites (SNS) for knowledge-sharing behavior among students
Authors: Suti Marsus , Sari Harmita
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how social capital (e.g. structural, cognitive and relational) influences trust (e.g. cognitive-/affective-based trust), which includes influencing knowledge-sharing behavior for Indonesian Facebook users in the context of social networking sites.

Design/methodology/approach

Indonesian students were recruited for an online survey study. Structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

Social capital has a crucial role in increasing cognitive-based trust and affective-based trust. Furthermore, affective-based trust is a partial mediator between social capital and knowledge-sharing behavior, whereas cognitive-based trust is a full mediator between social capital and knowledge-sharing behavior.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to Indonesian Facebook users. Future research needs to examine specific conditions, situational contexts and sub-cultures that may influence social capital, trust and knowledge-sharing behaviors of Facebook users in other parts of the world.

Practical implications

The education stakeholders can identify the user objectives and rational concerns to improve their social capital and trust and support their valuable and unique experiences to share knowledge.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on virtual communities. Specifically, it considers how social capital influences trust, which subsequently affects knowledge-sharing behavior based on the uses and gratifications theory among Facebook users.
Microbes to‐go: slugs as source for Caenorhabditis elegans microbiota acquisition
Authors: Pees Barbara , Johnke Julia , Möhl Michelle , Hamerich Inga K. , Leippe Matthias , Petersen Carola
Published: August 2021

Research on the Caenorhabditis elegans microbiota only recently started, with little known about how C. elegans acquires its microbiota. Slugs live in the same habitat as C. elegans and are known vectors for the worm. Hence, we wondered how the passage through a slug affects the C. elegans gut microbiota and whether worms can acquire bacteria from the slug. Using fluorescently labelled microbiota and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we evaluated microbiota persistence and acquisition in C. elegans after slug passage. We compared C. elegans gut microbiomes isolated from wild‐caught slugs to the microbiomes of worms after experimental slug passage to compare similarities and differences in microbiome composition. We found that microbiota persists in C. elegans while passing the slug gut and that worms simultaneously acquire additional bacteria species from the slug. Although the amplicon sequencing variant (ASV) richness of worms from the experiment did not exceed the richness of worms that naturally occur in slugs, we found a high number of shared ASVs indicating the importance of commonly associated microbiota. We demonstrate that C. elegans can take advantage of its passage through the slug by acquiring new potential microbiota without losing its native microbiota.
Potentials of the African Continental Free Trade Area: A combined partial and general equilibrium modeling assessment for Central Africa
Authors: Fouda Ekobena Simon Yannick , Coulibaly Adama Ekberg , Keita Mama , Pedro Antonio
Published: August 2021

This study evaluates the potential impacts of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area's (AfCFTA) tariff modalities on tax revenues, industrial production, trade flows, welfare and consumption for seven central African countries. Drawing on data from member states and the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) database, two methodologies are applied in the study. Computable general equilibrium (CGE) and partial equilibrium (PE) are used to evaluate the long‐ and short‐term effects respectively. The results show that the reduction in tariff barriers provided by the AfCFTA will lead to a decrease in tariff revenue in some Central African countries in the short term. However, in the long term, these losses remain largely offset by the socio‐economic benefit issues generated by the implementation of the agreement, particularly in terms of economic growth and the well‐being of the region's population. To cub these revenue deficits, this paper encourages Central African countries to ratify and implement the AfCFTA. Also, they should diligently adopt all necessary reforms that could help reap the potential long‐term gains.
Private Body and Social Order: Problems of Sex among Pre‐Modern Middle Eastern Jews
Authors: Buskila Tali
Published: August 2021

This article centres on a case that was brought to the Jewish court in Egypt around the middle of the seventeenth century. The protagonist was a man who was diagnosed with melancholy. The proposed cure, coitus, led the arbiter, Rabbi Mordechai Halevi, to discuss the ethical dilemma concerning its realisation, because the man's wife lived in Istanbul. The article contains two inter‐related parts. The first analyses the legal case as a meeting of complementary interests. The second discusses the aetiology and the prevalence of two parallel diseases that were mentioned in the case: sperm‐retention melancholy and suffocation of the womb. The article examines the social functions of these diseases, against the background of cultural perceptions of sexuality and gender in the Jewish communities of the pre‐modern Middle East, thus shedding new light on patients as historical agents.
The measurement and health risk assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls in butter samples using the QuEChERS/GC‐MS method
Authors: Yaminifar Somaye , Aeenehvand Saeed , Ghelichkhani Gilda , Ahmadloo Mahsa , Arabameri Majid , Moazzen Mojtaba , Shariatifar Nabi
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate non‐dioxin‐like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL‐PCBs) and the health risk from butter samples using the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) modified method and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). A total of 60 traditional and industrial butter samples were collected from the local markets of Tehran, Iran, and were subjected to GC‐MS. The results showed that the mean concentration of total NDL‐PCBs in samples was 21.701 ± 9.02 ng/g fat. The amounts of PCBs in traditional butter samples were higher than in the industrial samples. PCB concentrations in all samples were lower than the European Union standard (40 ng/g fat). The 95th percentile incremental lifetime cancer risk of total NDL‐PCBs for children (1.79E−5) and adults (3.80E−6) was less than the acceptable risk level (10−4).
Venous air embolism in CT coronary angiography
Authors: Davies Alexander , Mathur Namit , Lau Theodore , Crossett Marcus , Lau Kenneth K
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Venous air embolization (VAE) from IV lines is a risk with IV contrast administration. The incidence of VAE ranges from 7% to 23%. While life‐threatening VAE is rare, there is the potential risk of serious cerebrovascular events from paradoxical systemic air embolization (SAE) in patients with congenital intracardiac shunts. CT coronary angiogram (CTCA) hypothetically carries a higher risk of VAE as it requires dual injections as compared to single bolus dose contrast used in CT chest (CTC). The aim of this study was to assess the risk of VAE using CTCA as compared to conventional CTC. The incidence of cardiac shunts and their association with paradoxical SAE were also investigated.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital. Adult patients undergoing CTCA and CTC over a 6‐month period in 2017 were included. Images were reviewed on PACS for the presence of VAE. Electronic medical records were interrogated for evidence of neurological sequelae or requiring neurological imaging (CTB/MRIB) within 1 month of the initial imaging.

Results

508 patients were included, 408 underwent CTCA and 100 underwent CTC. The VAE incidence in CTCA was 24% (94 patients) and 10% in the CTC (10 patients). This was statistically significant. Among the CTCA group, 36% (108 patients) had an intracardiac shunt. No statistically significant difference in VAE incidence was identified in CTCA patients with shunts vs without shunts. There was no incidence of SAE in both groups.

Conclusion

VAE is more common with CTCA than conventional CTC. There were no cases of paradoxical SAE found.
Complete spontaneous remission of small cell lung cancer in the absence of specific treatment: A case report
Authors: Song Sung Heon , Ha Chang Won , Kim Changhwan , Seong Gil Myeong
Published: August 2021

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a unique tumor that has a distinct clinical behavior and dismal prognosis. If untreated, it can become aggressively malignant, and life expectancy could be limited to weeks. Spontaneous regression of lung cancer has rarely been reported, and among them SCLC is even rarer. The underlying mechanisms of spontaneous regression are poorly understood. Here, we report a case of complete spontaneous SCLC remission in an elderly patient.
Endemic New Zealand aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) parasitised by native Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), not biological control parasitoids
Authors: Bulman Simon , Drayton Gabrielle M , Cameron Peter J , Teulon David A J , Walker Graham P
Published: August 2021

Almost all known Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitoid species in New Zealand have been introduced as biological control agents (BCAs) for introduced aphids or have self‐introduced. The New Zealand endemic aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) fauna consists of a small number of species that are parasitised, on occasion, by Aphidiinae that remain unidentified. A persistent concern has been that introduced BCAs are among the parasitoids attacking the rare endemic aphids. After 14 years of collection, 66 cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequences were obtained from emerged parasitoids, mummies or by specific PCR from parasitised New Zealand aphids. Parasitoid samples were from 13 aphid species (eight endemic, plus five introduced species feeding on native plants) at 20 locations. The Aphidiinae COI sequences comprised two new clades of native New Zealand parasitoids. One species‐rich clade appeared to represent a radiation after dispersal to New Zealand, whereas the second clade consisted only of parasitoids from a single endemic host. The patterns of aphid/parasitoid associations were strongly suggestive of host specificity towards the endemic aphids, while a subgroup of the newly discovered native Aphidiinae was found parasitising four introduced aphid species, despite the short time period these aphids are assumed to have been in New Zealand. We found no evidence for attack of endemic aphids by introduced BCAs or other introduced aphidiines. On the rare occasions that parasitism was detected in the most common endemic Aphidinae aphid, Aphis cottieri Carver, 1999, it was by a native Aphidiinae lineage, not by Aphidius ervi Haliday, 1834.
Drugs and bugs: Negative affect, psychostimulant use and withdrawal, and the microbiome
Authors: Forouzan Shadab , McGrew Keely , Kosten Therese A.
Published: August 2021

Background and Objectives

A growing body of literature demonstrates that the human microbiota plays a crucial role in health and disease states, as well as in the body's response to stress. In addition, the microbiome plays a role in psychological well‐being and regulating negative affect. Regulation of negative affect is a factor in psychostimulant abuse disorders. We propose a risk chain in which stress leads to negative affect that places an individual at risk to develop or relapse to psychostimulant abuse disorder. Stress, negative affect, and psychostimulant use all alter the gut microbiome.

Methods

This review brings together the literature on affective disorders, stress, and psychostimulant abuse disorders to assess possible modulatory actions of the gut–brain axis to regulate these conditions.

Results

Studies reviewed across the various disciplines suggest that the dysbiosis resulting from drug use, drug withdrawal, or stress may cause an individual to be more susceptible to addiction and relapse. Probiotics and prebiotics reduce stress and negative affect.

Scientific Significance

Treatment during the withdrawal phase of psychostimulant abuse disorder, when the microbiome is altered, may ameliorate the symptoms of stress and negative affect leading to a reduced risk of relapse to psychostimulant use.
Examination of testicular lumicrine regulation of activins and immunoregulatory genes in the epididymal caput
Authors: Wijayarathna Rukmali , Genovese Rosemary , Meinhardt Andreas , Loveland Kate L , Groome Nigel P , Hinton Barry T , Hedger Mark P
Published: August 2021

Background

Immunoregulatory genes encoding activin A (Inhba) and B (Inhbb), and indolamine 2,3‐dioxygenase‐1 (Ido1) are highly expressed in the murine caput epididymidis, which also has a network of intraepithelial mononuclear phagocytes. This environment is postulated to promote immunological tolerance to epididymal sperm. The factors regulating the immunoregulatory agents in the epididymal caput are poorly understood.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the potential role of testicular lumicrine factors in regulating activin and other immune‐related genes in the caput epididymidis.

Materials and methods

The efferent ducts in adult C57/Bl6 mice were exposed and ligated bilaterally. Serum and tissues were collected seven days later. Animals with bilateral sham ligation and animals with no ligations (collectively referred to as the “intact” group) were used as controls.

Results

Pressure‐induced seminiferous epithelial damage due to intratubular fluid accumulation was observed in all ligated testes. Testicular inhibin was significantly increased and testosterone was elevated in some animals following bilateral ligation, but serum testosterone, serum LH, and serum inhibin were normal. Ligation caused epithelial regression in the initial segment, with similar but less severe effects in other caput segments. Activin A staining by immunohistochemistry in the epithelium was reduced in bilateral ligation, particularly in the initial segment, with moderately reduced staining intensity in the rest of the caput. Inhba expression within the caput was not significantly affected by bilateral ligation, but Inhbb was reduced by more than 60%. Transcripts encoding the macrophage‐specific receptor Cx3cr1 were significantly reduced following bilateral ligation, but other immune cell markers, Ido1, and inflammatory genes were unaffected.

Conclusion

These data indicate that testicular lumicrine secretion regulates several genes that are preferentially expressed in the initial segment, but has marginal effects on genes such as those encoding activin A and IDO1, which are expressed more widely in the caput.
To offer or request? Disclosing variants of uncertain significance in prenatal testing
Authors: Watts Gabriel , Newson Ainsley J.
Published: August 2021

The use of genomic testing in pregnancy is increasing, giving rise to questions over how the information that is generated should be offered and returned in clinical practice. While these tests provide important information for prenatal decision‐making, they can also generate information of uncertain significance. This paper critically examines three models for approaching the disclosure of variants of uncertain significance (VUS), which can arise from forms of genomic testing such as prenatal chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA). Contrary to prevailing arguments, we argue that respect for reproductive autonomy does not justify adopting a model on which an offer to disclose VUS is a routine part of genetic counselling. Instead, we contend that a commitment both to solidarity between healthcare providers and pregnant women and to the acceptance of a novel principle of caution under normative uncertainty means that we should instead adopt a model of VUS disclosure that imposes a strong presumption against offering to disclose VUS. The upshot of this is that it should be standard practice to only offer to disclose VUS when this is requested by the woman undergoing CMA. We defend our position against claims that arise from an alleged right to such information and that a presumption against an offer will lead to inequity.
Normative force of appeals to personhood in dementia care: A critical examination of Kitwood's account of personhood
Authors: Soofi Hojjat
Published: August 2021

In this paper, I critically examine Kitwood's account of personhood for people with dementia. His account has been influential in supporting appeals to personhood in both clinical and bioethical literature on dementia care. I demonstrate that Kitwood's account does not run into common objections against invoking personhood as a normative notion, namely, the objection of exclusionary implications and the objection of redundancy. I argue, however, that Kitwood's account suffers from two other major conceptual issues. These include (a) unreasonable social contingency, and thus, precariousness, of his notion of personhood for people with dementia; and (b) insufficient theoretical connection between his account of personhood and his proposed list of indicators of well‐being for people with dementia. Despite these issues, I do not agree with the following view: that, in the context of dementia care, scholars should refrain from appealing to personhood considerations. Instead, I defend the view that while Kitwood fails to offer a compelling theoretical account of personhood of people with dementia, his empirically driven list of indicators of well‐being and his notion of malignant social phycology seem to be sensitive to key ethical considerations relevant to dementia care. I propose that we pursue alternative ways of explaining what is morally (un) desirable about them without (explicit) appeal to personhood.