Molecular classification and comparative phylogeographic study of insectivorous bat species (Pipisitrellus coromandra) from Punjab, Pakistan

Molecular based identification of bat fauna in Pakistan has been relatively less explored. The current study was therefore planned to report for the first time the molecular classification of insectivorous bats (Pipistrellus coromandra) based on mitochondrion gene (COI) from Punjab, Pakistan. Specimens were collected from five different locations followed by DNA extraction with subsequent gene amplification and sequencing. All samples in the study had shown close identity matches with species (Pipistrellus coromandra) from India and (Pipistrellus tenuis) from Vietnam with percentage identity score of 96.11 and 95.58 respectively except one sequence which only revealed 86.78% identity match on Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) and could only be assigned to genus level Pipistrellus sp. The results indicated negligible intra-population genetic distance among collected samples whereas the comparison with species from other countries had shown high intraspecific (P. coromandra) and interspecific (P. tenuis) mean genetic distances. The current study hence successfully proved the efficiency of COI gene as a molecular marker for species identification and in analyzing the patterns of genetic variation with species from other countries.

Where, When, and Who: Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand Value—A Global Panel Study

According to surveys of companies, branding is one of the main objectives of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). With advantageous data from Brand Finance, we address three contextual factors that may condition the relationship between CSR and brand value. First, we hypothesize that the relationship between CSR and brand value obtains across major world regions and industrial sectors (“the convergence thesis”). Second, we hypothesize that the relationship has weakened with time, as companies have had increasing difficulty using CSR to differentiate their brands in a sea of CSR-espousing competitors (“the crowding out thesis”). Third, we hypothesize that the relationship between CSR and brand value is weaker where a brand’s identity is different from that of its corporate owner, which may make it difficult for observers to readily link (corporate-level) CSR with its potential (lower level) brand beneficiaries (“the identity-match thesis”). We support these hypotheses with random-effects, fixed-effects, and instrumental-variable regressions before ending with contributions, limitations, implications, and potential next steps.

Nanopore sequencing of tomato mottle leaf distortion virus, a new bipartite begomovirus infecting tomato in Brazil

During a survey in a tomato field in Luziânia (Goiás State, Brazil), a plant showing mottling, chlorotic spots, and leaf distortion was found. A new bipartite begomovirus was found by Nanopore sequencing, and the full DNA-A sequence was confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The highest nucleotide identity match of this DNA-A genome (2596 bases) was 81.65% with tomato golden leaf deformation virus (HM357456). Due to the current species demarcation criterion of 91% of nucleotide identity (DNA-A), we propose it as a new member of the genus Begomovirus, named Tomato mottle leaf distortion virus.

Body Language Influences on Facial Identification at Passport Control: An Exploration in Virtual Reality

Person identification at airports requires the matching of a passport photograph to its bearer. One aim of this process is to find identity impostors, who use valid identity documents of similar-looking people to avoid detection. In psychology, this process has been studied extensively with static pairs of face photographs that require identity match (same person shown) versus mismatch (two different people) decisions. However, this approach provides a limited proxy for studying how other factors, such as nonverbal behaviour, affect this task. The current study investigated the influence of body language on facial identity matching within a virtual reality airport environment, by manipulating activity levels of person avatars queueing at passport control. In a series of six experiments, detection of identity mismatches was unaffected when observers were not instructed to utilise body language. By contrast, under explicit instruction to look out for unusual body language, these cues enhanced detection of mismatches but also increased false classification of matches. This effect was driven by increased activity levels rather than body language that simply differed from the behaviour of the majority of passengers. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Says who? How the match between the social identity of organizations and their audiences increases perceptions of organizational authenticity

Research shows that people systematically prefer “authentic” organizations above organizations that are not deemed authentic. Yet, people who desire authenticity may also be unable to detect what is authentic. We propose that endorsement by audiences that match the organization’s identity may provide a useful cue for authenticity. Using an experimental approach, we test for audience effects in the context of online reviews about a restaurant’s authenticity and find that reviewers whose ethnic identity match the restaurant’s cuisine are more influential on third-party perceptions of authenticity and subsequent liking of the restaurant. These experiments demonstrate that the effect works through a stereotype-based inferred expertise mechanism, but do not provide support to the “mere presence” and “ingroup-homophily” mechanisms. We discuss the scope conditions of our theory and explore how our general theory of audience-organization identity match applies to organizations besides restaurants, to audience characteristic besides ethnicity, and to organizational characteristics beside authenticity.

Discovery of the Leeward Blindsnake, Antillotyphlops geotomus (Thomas, 1966), on St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

The Leeward Blindsnake (Antillotyphlops geotomus) is a near threatened species according to the IUCN Red list (Powell et al., 2016), and was known only to occur on Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, and Nevis, where it is considered a native species (Thomas 1966). Here we report the discovery of A. geotomus on St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands. We obtained a DNA sequence of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene from a specimen collected on St. Eustatius in 2018 using the primers 16Sar (5’-CGCCTGTTTATCAAAAACAT-3’) and 16Sbr (5’-CCGGTCTGAACTCAGATCACGT-3’) (Palumbi 1996). The sequence was deposited in Genbank (MT256921). Blast analysis of the sequence resulted in 100% and 99.8% identity to sequences in Genbank of A. geotomus from Nevis (KF993199) and Antigua (AF366789) respectively. A 98.5% identity match was found with its nearest relative Antillotyphlops monastus (AF366708, KF993209). This species identification (A. geotomus) is consistent with the absence of pigment on the underside of the tail, a diagnostic trait of A. geotomus compared with A. monastus (Thomas 1966). The collected specimen had a total length of 125 mm, although they are known to reach lengths of up to 213 mm (Hedges et al. 2014). Furthermore, St. Eustatius is geographically in close proximity to St. Kitts & Nevis, which lie on the same shallow submarine bank only to be separated by the sea after the last ice age. Therefore, A. geotomus is likely native to St. Eustatius and not introduced. The other snake known from the island is the Red-bellied Racer (Alsophis rufiventris, native).

Occurrence of gastrointestinal protozoans in cats from Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

Protozoans are widely distributed, and several species may parasitize the digestive tracts of cats (Felis catus), and can be transmitted to humans. The present study aimed to evaluate the species and occurrence of gastrointestinal protozoans in cats in the city of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A total of 206 cat fecal samples were tested, of which 141 were from shelter animals, and 65 were from pets owned by local people. Samples were processed by parasitological techniques. Coproparasitological techniques (Willis, Faust and Ziehl-Neelsen) were performed for detection of protozoan parasites. Subsequently, all samples were processed by PCR protocols specific to Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia spp., and Cryptosporidium spp. PCR products from positive samples were selected for sequencing. No samples were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium spp. using the Ziehl-Neelsen technique. Using specific PCR protocols, 1/206 (0.48%) samples tested positive for Cryptosporidium spp. After purification, this one positive sample was sequenced, and it demonstrated a 100% identity match to Cryptosporidium muris. Using specific PCR protocols, 13/206 (9.22%) cat fecal samples tested, including 2/65 (3.08%) pet cat fecal samples, were positive for T. gondii. PCR analysis revealed that 37/206 (17.96%) of cat fecal samples were positive for Giardia spp., including 27/141 (19.15%) of shelter cat fecal samples, and 10/65 (15.38%) pet cat fecal samples (p = 0.5124). When sequenced, these positive samples showed a 100% identity match with Giardia duodenalis. This study demonstrated that infections with Cryptosporidium spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Giardia duodenalis are present in the population of both pet cats and shelter cats in the city of Londrina. This poses a risk to public health, because these parasites have a high zoonotic potential.

Phylogenetic analysis of canine parvoviruses from Turkey

Canine parvovirus (CPV) type 2 is the causative agent of acute hemorrhagic enteritis and high mortality in the affected dogs. Numerous studies have been done to understand the origin of the virus and to exhibit new variants and circulating strains. This report describes the detection and genomic characterization of CPV strains from indoor and outdoor dogs in Ankara, Turkey. Samples were sent to our laboratory due to clinical symptoms in puppies. We tested blood and swab samples to determine the presence of canine parvovirus (CPV) in three puppies and two adult dogs by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using VP2 (capsid protein) region primers of canine parvoviruses. Following that, to provide molecular characterization data Maximum Likelihood (ML) method was used for phylogenetic analyses. Constructed phylogenetic trees from the aligned nucleotide sequences revealed that our CPV strains demonstrated high genetic similarities, with 100% identity match on nucleotide alignments with each other and classified in CPV-2b genotypes.They have placed on a monophyletic clade as a sister branch with CPV VAC S quantum with 98.9% nucleotide homology. Our findings suggest that CPV-2b is actual and frequently seen variant in Turkey and shows high similarities with other CPV variants and a bit less with FPVs in Turkey and around the world. CPV causes high mortality and morbidity in dogs and to develop effective vaccines for protection of dogs in Turkey where there are few numbers of studies that have been done, field strains should be isolated and characterised.