Essential shape: The role of essentialist beliefs in preferences for misshapen produce.

Understanding the reasons behind consumer rejection of misshapen produce is important because of its dramatic consequences on food waste. Drawing on psychological essentialism, we conduct seven studies to investigate the role of produce shape-related essentialist beliefs (i.e., the belief that produce shape is determined by an underlying and unobservable essence) in consumers' evaluations of misshapen produce. Our findings show that essentialist beliefs about produce shape are divided into four distinct dimensions (i.e., biological basis, discreteness, informativeness, and immutability). We find that endorsing discreteness beliefs decreases preferences for misshapen produce. Immutability beliefs produce the opposite effect, whereas informativeness and biological basis have little to no effect. These effects operate through typicality judgments. These findings suggest that considering essentialist beliefs have the potential to help enhance the acceptance of edible albeit misshapen produce.

The Process Model of Stigmatized Loss: Identity-Threatened Experiences of Bereaved Mothers.

Despite almost one-third of women suffering from the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, it is surprising how little research examines how such loss affects the identity and stigmas experienced by these individuals. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with bereaved mothers (in particular, mothers who lost a baby during pregnancy or within one year after birth), this research sheds light on the bereaved mother's experiences after loss. Specifically, this research applies the identity-threat model of stigma to showcase the process of stigmatized loss. Based on our findings, we also introduce the process model of stigmatized loss that can apply to all types of stigmatized loss. Key themes emerged as we explored stigmatized loss discourses. These include situational cues that trigger stigma, identity-based responses that aim to preserve both a baby's and mother's identity, as well as nonvolitional and volitional responses that help restore control and reconstruct identity. Additionally, other themes revolve around positive and negative outcomes stemming from avoiding stigmatized identity activation and identification of triggers that initiate a recursive process through stigmatized baby loss. Importantly, stigma can be perceived as both an identity threat (negative) and an identity confirmation (positive). Findings inform theory and practice alike.

Advice from Bereaved Parents on Strategies to Heal After Baby Loss.

With close to one in three babies dying between conception and infancy, research examining how to assist bereaved parents after loss is critical. Prior research focuses primarily on a general understanding of the journey post-loss or on a specific strategy that can be pursued to assist in healing but does not adequately provide a holistic examination of post-loss strategies nor is it from firsthand recommendations of bereaved parents. Our research addresses this gap in the literature by identifying the post-loss healing strategies recommended by bereaved parents themselves, thereby informing coping post-loss. To do this, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with bereaved mothers. Four themes emerged from our findings: (1) honor the deceased baby, (2) engage in helpful practices, (3) pursue healing now, and (4) embrace the post-loss journey as unique.

Pandemics and consumers' mental well-being.

This article presents the immense impact that pandemics can have specifically on consumers' mental well-being, extending many of the well-being topics examined in this special issue on pandemics and consumer well-being. Avenues for future research in the area are suggested, with expanded discussion and future research suggestions related to four consumer characteristics including three areas associated with negative mental well-being (parenthood, suffering with chronic illness, aging, and family) as well as another characteristic associated with positive mental well-being (religion). The article concludes with a pressing call to action for academics and others to step up to the purpose in their careers and make a difference in the world for good in relation to consumers' mental well-being.

Religiosity's influence on stability-seeking consumption during times of great uncertainty: the case of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prior research shows that highly religious consumers are more stable through times of uncertainty, in part due to religious support networks. However, several situations (e.g., pandemics, epidemics, natural disasters, mass shootings) represent unique changes where routine large gatherings are restricted due to uncertainty. In such situations, highly religious consumers may experience the greatest disruption to life, potentially resulting in stability-seeking consumption behaviors. Three studies test and confirm this relationship in the coronavirus pandemic context. Specifically, study 1 shows that priming awareness of restricted in-person religious gatherings increases consumption in comparison to a general religious prime or control condition. Study 2 confirms that consumers with higher (lower) levels of religiosity are the most (least) likely to increase consumption, and that situational concern and stability found through purchasing sequentially mediate this relationship. Study 3 provides practical implications revealing that stability-based messaging reduces consumption in comparison to standard social distancing messaging.

African trypanosomiasis in a British soldier.

BACKGROUND: Sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis) is a parasitic infection transmitted by day-biting tsetse flies. The diagnostic standard is microscopy of blood, lymph node aspirates, or cerebrospinal fluid. The disease is invariably fatal if not treated. There are >300,000 new cases of sleeping sickness each year and approximately 100,000 deaths. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a British soldier who acquired sleeping sickness in Malawi. He gave no history of a painful insect bite but presented with classic early signs of sleeping sickness (a primary chancre, regional lymphadenopathy, circinate erythema, and a cyclical fever pattern). His condition worsened in the next week, and trypanosomes were observed in a blood sample. The patient was aeromedically evacuated to Johannesburg, where stage 1 Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection was confirmed; he also had renal and liver failure, pancytopenia, and heart block. He was treated with intravenously administered suramin, and he recovered fully over the next 5 months. RECOMMENDATIONS: Medical officers deploying to eastern and southeastern Africa must be familiar with the common presenting signs and symptoms of T. b. rhodesiense sleeping sickness and should have 24-hour access to a reliable, local, clinical microscopy service. Confirmed sleeping sickness requires immediate transfer to a tertiary diagnostic and treatment center, where suramin (for T. b. rhodesiense infection), pentamidine (for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection), and melarsoprol (for stage 2 disease) must be immediately available.

Clearance of hepatitis C virus is not associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL-1, -6, or -10 genes.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) commonly causes a chronic infection, but a minority of patients are able to clear the virus and do not run the risk of developing HCV-induced organ damage. Genetic associations between immunoregulatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1, -6, and -10 with clinical features of HCV, including virus clearance, have been inconsistent. We determined cytokine genotypes in 606 patients who had serologic evidence of HCV exposure, 190 (18%) of whom were consistently negative for HCV RNA, indicating successful virus clearance. There was no significant difference in genotype frequencies between HCV clearance and nonclearance groups for IL-1B (-511 and +3954), IL-1A (+4845), IL-1RN (+2018), IL-6 (-174), or IL-10 (-1082). We conclude that these single nucleotide polymorphisms are unlikely to play an important, if any, role in determining the likelihood of clearing HCV infection.