bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterisation of an Escherichia coli line that completely lacks ribonucleotide reduction yields insights into the evolution of obligate intracellularity
Authors: Arras Samantha D. M. , Sibaeva Nellie , Catchpole Ryan J. , Horinouchi Nobuyuki , Si Dayong , Rickerby Alannah M. , Deguchi Kengo , Hibi Makoto , Tanaka Koichi , Takeuchi Michiki , Ogawa Jun , Poole Anthony M.
Published: September 2022

All life requires ribonucleotide reduction for de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides. A handful of obligate intracellular species are known to lack ribonucleotide reduction and are instead dependent on their host for deoxyribonucleotide synthesis. As ribonucleotide reduction has on occasion been lost in obligate intracellular parasites and endosymbionts, we reasoned that it should in principle be possible to knock this process out entirely under conditions where deoxyribonucleotides are present in the growth media. We report here the creation of a strain of E. coli where all three ribonucleotide reductase operons have been fully deleted. Our strain is able to grow in the presence of deoxyribonucleosides and shows slowed but substantial growth. Under limiting deoxyribonucleoside levels, we observe a distinctive filamentous cell morphology, where cells grow but do not appear to divide regularly. Finally, we examined whether our lines are able to adapt to limited supplies of deoxyribonucleosides, as might occur in the evolutionary switch from de novo synthesis to dependence on host production during the evolution of parasitism or endosymbiosis. Over the course of an evolution experiment, we observe a 25-fold reduction in the minimum concentration of exogenous deoxyribonucleosides necessary for growth. Genome analysis of replicate lines reveals that several lines carry mutations in deoB and cdd. deoB codes for phosphopentomutase, a key part of the deoxyriboaldolase pathway, which has been hypothesised as an alternative to ribonucleotide reduction for deoxyribonucleotide synthesis. Rather than synthesis via this pathway complementing the loss of ribonucleotide reduction, our experiments reveal that mutations appear that reduce or eliminate the capacity for this pathway to catabolise deoxyribonucleotides, thus preventing their loss via central metabolism. Mutational inactivation of both deoB and cdd is also observed in a number of obligate intracellular bacteria that have lost ribonucleotide reduction. We conclude that our experiments recapitulate key evolutionary steps in the adaptation to intracellular life without ribonucleotide reduction.
Late-life onset psychotic symptoms and incident cognitive impairment in people without dementia: modification by genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Creese Byron , Arathimos Ryan , Aarsland Dag , Ballard Clive , Corbett Anne , Ismail Zahinoor
Published: September 2022

INTRODUCTION

Late-life onset psychosis is associated with faster progression to dementia in cognitively normal people, but little is known about its relationship to cognitive impairment in advance of dementia.

METHODS

Clinical and genetic data from 2,750 people over 50 without dementia were analyzed. Incident cognitive impairment was operationalized using the IQCODE and psychosis (MBI-psychosis) was rated using the Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist. The whole sample was analyzed before stratification on APOE-ε4 status.

RESULTS

In Cox proportional hazards models, MBI-psychosis had a higher hazard rate (HR) for cognitive impairment relative to the No Psychosis group (HR:3.6, 95% CI:2.2-6, p<0.0001). The HR for MBI-psychosis was higher in APOE-ε4 carriers and there was an interaction between the two (HR for interaction: 3.4, 95% CI:1.2-9.8, p=0.02).

DISCUSSION

Psychosis assessment in the MBI framework is associated with incident cognitive impairment in advance of dementia, these symptoms may be particularly important in the context of APOE genotype.
OVERVIEW OF RENAL OSTEODYSTROPHY IN BRAZIL: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: Carbonara Cinthia E. M. , Roza Noemi A. V. , dos Reis Luciene M. , Carvalho Aluízio B. , Jorgetti Vanda , de Oliveira Rodrigo Bueno
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Epidemiologic profile of renal osteodystrophy (ROD) is changing over time and cross-sectional studies provide essential information to improve care and health policies. The Brazilian Registry of Bone Biopsy (REBRABO) is a prospective, national-multicenter cohort that aims to provide clinical information on ROD.

Methods

From Aug/2015-Dec/2021, clinical-demographic, laboratory and ROD information were included.

Results

Data from 386 individuals were considered. Age was 52 (42–60) years; 198 (51%) were male; 315 (82%) were on hemodialysis; osteitis fibrosa (OF) [163 (42%)] and adynamic bone disease (ABD) [96 (25%)] were the most prevalent forms of ROD; 190 (49%) had the diagnosis of osteoporosis, 82 (56%) vascular calcification; 138 (36%) bone aluminum accumulation and 137 (36%) iron intoxication; patients with high turnover were prone to present a higher prevalence of symptoms.

Conclusions

Elevated proportion of patients were diagnosed with OF and ABD, as well as osteoporosis, vascular calcification and clinical symptoms.
Multiomics reveal that silk fibroin and sericin differentially potentiate the paracrine functions of mesenchymal stem cells and enhance tissue regeneration
Authors: Zhang Yanan , Sheng Renwang , Chen Jialin , Wang Hongmei , Zhu Yue , Cao Zhicheng , Zhao Xinyi , Wang Zhimei , Liu Chuanquan , Chen Zhixuan , Zhang Po , Kuang Baian , Zheng Haotian , Yao Qingqiang , Zhang Wei
Published: September 2022

Silk fibroin (SF) and sericin (SS), the two major proteins of silk, are attractive biomaterials that show great potential in regenerative medicine. However, their biochemical interactions with stem cells were not fully understood. Here, we employed multiomics to obtain a global view of the triggered cellular processes and pathways of MSCs by SF and SS. Integrated RNA-seq and proteomics revealed that SF and SS strongly enhanced the paracrine activity of MSCs through differentially activating integrin and glycolytic pathways, rather than directly regulating stem cell fate to initiate multiple but distinct biological processes in MSCs. Those specific paracrine signals of MSCs stimulated by SF and SS effectively promoted skin wound healing by influencing the behaviors of multiple resident cells in skin wound microenvironments. This study provides comprehensive and reliable insights into the cellular interactions with SF and SS, enabling future development of silk-based therapeutics for tissue engineering and stem cell therapy.
Automated STED nanoscopy for high-throughput imaging of cellular structures
Authors: Mol Frank N. , Vlijm Rifka
Published: September 2022

STimulated Emission Depletion (STED) nanoscopy uniquely combines a high spatial resolution (20-50nm in cells) with relatively fast imaging (frame rate of ∼1-30Hz), straightforward sample preparation and direct image output (no postprocessing required). Although these characteristics in principle make STED very suitable for high-throughput imaging, only few steps towards automation have been made. Here, we have developed fully automated STED imaging, eliminating all manual steps including the selection and characterisation of the relevant (cellular) regions, sample focusing and positioning, and microscope adjustments. This automatic STED image acquisition increases the data output by roughly two orders of magnitude, resulting in a more efficient use of the high-end microscope, and the ability to detect and characterise objects that are only present in a small subset of the sample.
Exploring dose-response relationships inAedes aegyptisurvival upon bacteria and arbovirus infection
Authors: Rocha Mariana M. , Talyuli Octávio A. C. , Luíza Rulff da Costa Clara , Granella Lucilene W. , Mansur Daniel S. , Oliveira Pedro L. , Oliveira José Henrique M.
Published: September 2022

A detailed understanding of host fitness changes upon variation in microbe density is a central aim of infection biology. Here, we applied dose-response curves to studyAedes aegyptisurvival upon exposure to different microbes. We challenged female mosquitoes withListeria monocytogenes, a model bacterial pathogen, Dengue 4 virus and Zika virus, two medically relevant arboviruses, to understand the distribution of mosquito susceptibility and net fitness (survival) following microbe exposure. By correlating microbe loads and host health, we found that a blood meal promotes survival in our systemic bacterial infection model and that mosquitoes orally infected with bacteria had an enhanced defensive capacity than insects infected through injection. We also showed thatAedes aegyptihas a higher survival profile upon arbovirus infection but, under the conditions tested, was more susceptible to Zika virus when compared to Dengue virus. Here, we applied a framework for the study of microbe-induced mosquito mortality detailing howAedes aegyptilifespan varies upon different inoculum sizes of bacteria and arboviruses.
Unraveling the intricate microtubule inner protein networks that reinforce mammalian sperm flagella
Authors: Leung Miguel Ricardo , Roelofs Marc C. , Chiozzi Riccardo Zenezini , Hevler Johannes F. , Heck Albert J. R. , Zeev-Ben-Mordehai Tzviya
Published: September 2022

To find and fuse with the egg, mammalian sperm must complete an arduous voyage through the female reproductive tract. The sperm cell’s remarkable odyssey is powered by its flagellum, a microtubule-based molecular machine ornamented with accessory structures that stabilize the sperm tail in viscous media. Recently, cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) revealed that mammalian sperm flagella are further reinforced at the molecular scale with sperm-specific microtubule inner proteins (sperm-MIPs), but the identities of these sperm-MIPs are unknown. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy to resolve structures of native bovine sperm doublet microtubules, thus identifying most sperm-MIPs. In the A-tubule, several copies of testis-specific Tektin-5 contribute to an extended protein network spanning nearly the entire microtubule lumen. Different copies of Tektin-5 adopt a range of conformations and organizations based on their local interactions with other MIPs. The B-tubule is in turn stabilized by sperm-MIPs that bind longitudinally along and laterally across protofilaments. We further resolve structures of endpiece singlet microtubules, revealing MIPs shared between singlets and doublets. Our structures shed light on the molecular diversity of cilia across different cell types of the vertebrate body and provide a structural framework for understanding the molecular underpinnings of male infertility.
Transposon wave remodelled the epigenomic landscape in the rapid evolution of a novel X chromosome dosage compensation mechanism
Authors: Metzger David C.H. , Porter Imogen , Mobley Brendan , Sandkam Benjamin A. , Fong Lydia J.M. , Anderson Andrew P. , Mank Judith E.
Published: September 2022

Sex chromosome dosage compensation is a model to understand the coordinated regulation of transcription, however the advanced age of the sex chromosomes in model systems make it difficult to study how the complex regulatory mechanisms underlying chromosome-wide dosage compensation can evolve. The sex chromosomes ofPoecilia pictahave undergone recent and rapid divergence, resulting in widespread gene loss on the male Y, coupled with complete X chromosome dosage compensation, the first case reported in a fish. Thede novoorigin of a novel dosage compensation system presents a unique opportunity to discover new mechanisms of gene regulation and their evolutionary origins. By combining a new chromosome-level assembly ofP. pictawith whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and RNA-Seq data, we determine that the binding motif of Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is associated with male hypomethylated regions on the X, but not the autosomes. The male-specific hypomethylation of these motifs offers a putative model for male specific upregulation of genes on the X. These YY1 motifs are the result of a recent and rapid repetitive element expansion on theP. pictaX chromosome, which is absent in closely related species that lack dosage compensation. Taken together, our results present compelling support that a disruptive wave of repetitive element insertions carrying YY1 motifs resulted in the remodeling of the X chromosome epigenomic landscape and the de novo origin of a new dosage compensation mechanism.
Mycelial differentiation linked avermectin production in Streptomyces avermitilis studied with Raman imaging
Authors: Horii Shumpei , Samuel Ashok Zachariah , Nakashima Takuji , Take Akira , Matsumoto Atsuko , Takahashi Yoko , Ando Masahiro , Takeyama Haruko
Published: September 2022

Streptomyces avermitilis is a gram-positive bacterium that undergoes complex physiological and morphological differentiation during its life cycle, which has implications in secondary metabolites production. Avermectin, produced by S. avermitilis, is widely used as an anthelmintic and insecticidal agent. In this study, we have applied Raman microspectroscopic imaging to elucidate the correlation between production of avermectin and the morphological differentiation in S. avermitilis. We demonstrate distinctive variations in the localization of avermectin at various morphological stages, such as, substrate mycelium, spore-bearing mycelium, spiral spore chains under solid culture conditions. Under liquid culture condition, however, avermectin is detected only in mycelia after early MII stage of differentiation. Morphological differentiation was observed in liquid and solid cultures, but the chemical profiles of the mycelia were substantially different. Spherical bodies containing avermectin with characteristically different chemical composition to that of spores were also observed under solid culture, which suggests possible release of extracellular vesicles (EVs).

Key points

Avermectin production is regulated during mycelial differentiation

Liquid and solid culture conditions affects mycelial differentiation

Raman microspectroscopic analysis reveals localization profiles of avermectin
Crystal structure of 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid from powder diffraction data
Authors: Vegetabile Joshua D. , Kaduk James A.
Published: September 2022

The crystal structure of anhydrous 2,5-dhydroxyterephthalic acid, C8H6O6, was solved and refined using laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. The published structure of 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid dihydrate was also optimized. The carboxylic acid groups form strong hydrogen bonds, which form centrosymmetric rings with graph set R
2
2(8). These hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains along [011]. There is an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group and the carbonyl group of the carboxylic acid. The hydrogen bonding in the dihydrate is very different. Although the intramolecular hydroxy/carboxylic acid hydrogen bond is present, the water molecule acts as an acceptor to the carboxylic acid and a donor to two other oxygen atoms. The carboxylic acid groups do not interact with each other directly.
Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of tert-butyl N-acetylcarbamate
Authors: El Mestehdi Aly Dawa , Abba Moctar , El Housseine Mohamed Lemine , Ould Hadou Abderrahmane , Barry Aliou Hamady , Ould Elemine Brahim , Jelsch Christian , Gaye Mohamed
Published: September 2022

This article reports a practical synthesis of tert-butyl acetylcarbamate, C7H13NO3, from N-Boc-thioacetamide and the study of its crystal structure. The reaction proceeds in the presence of natural phosphate as a catalyst, with excellent yield, simple workup and benign environment. The crystal structure was refined using a transferred multipolar atom model. In the crystal, symmetrical pairs of strong N—H...O hydrogen bonds connect the molecules into dimers with an R
2
2(8) ring motif. The interactions between neighbouring dimers are mostly van der Waals, between hydrophobic methyl groups. Hirshfeld surface analysis shows the major contributions to the crystal packing are from H...H (42.6%) and O...H (26.7%) contacts.
Examining strategic antecedents of the appointment of women to top management teams
Authors: Bonner Robert L. , Hyde Steven J. , Faile Kristen
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the organizational and environmental antecedents to the appointment of a woman to a non-CEO top management team (TMT) position.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a conditional fixed effects logistic regression model to analyze non-CEO TMT appointment data collected from the S&P 500 between 2008 and 2016.

Findings

Women were more likely to be appointed to non-CEO TMT positions when a firm was undergoing strategic change, had slack resources, and was in a less munificent environment.

Originality/value

This article contributes to the literature concerning the antecedents of the selection of women to executive leadership (e.g. the glass cliff) roles by examining organizational and environmental contexts at the non-CEO TMT unit of analysis.
An empirical analysis of freight mode choice factors amid the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Shardeo Vipulesh , Madaan Jitender , Chan Felix T.S.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The COVID-19 has affected the whole world and forced countries to impose lockdowns and restrict travel and transportation. This was followed by different countries formulating different policies, and when transportation resumed, there were some restrictions. Such strategies forced transporters to rethink mode choice decision making for freight transportation. The purpose of this study is to identify and rank the factors affecting freight transport mode choice decisions considering the spread of COVID-19 outbreak.

Design/methodology/approach

Initially, the factors affecting the mode choice decisions for freight transportation amid the COVID-19 outbreak have been extracted from a literature survey and group discussion with experts. Further, this paper employs the integration of grey-Decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) with fuzzy Best Worst Method to analyze the identified factors and their sub-factors. The model's robustness and feasibility were then tested using sensitivity analysis.

Findings

The findings of the study showed that Disaster Characteristics and Operations Factors are the most and least influential factors, respectively. Panic, Travel restrictions, Border restrictions, Severity, and Mortality rate are the top five ranked sub-factors. Panic, Compliance to Social distancing, and Passenger and Freight integration are among the new sub-factors proposed. In the current circumstances, these sub-factors are crucial and relevant. In addition, various recommendations are offered to improve transportation services while guaranteeing safety, such as promoting passenger and freight integration, lowering the panic level, developing dynamic rules based on region characteristics, and so on. The study's findings will help practitioners and politicians reformulate the existing transportation infrastructure in the event of disease outbreaks.

Research limitations/implications

The demographic context of experts, is one of the study's limitations. Only experts from the Indian subcontinent were considered in this study. In addition, future study work can be based on a comparison of the outcomes from various Multi-Criteria Decision Making techniques.

Originality/value

The present research work differentiates itself through the analysis of mode choice factors considering the ongoing pandemic across the globe. The results emanated from the study can guide the concerned stakeholders to make better decisions.
The impact of social presence and facilitation factors on online consumers' impulse buying in live shopping – celebrity endorsement as a moderating factor
Authors: Li Lifu , Kang Kyeong , Zhao Anqi , Feng Yafei
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Although prior studies have studied the relationship between online consumers' attitudes and buying behaviour, the research focussing on online consumers' impulse buying behaviours and exploring the role of celebrity endorsement is limited. Drawing on the social presence and the social facilitation theory, this paper establishes a research model based on the stimuli–organism–response (S–O–R) model and the motivation theory. It explores how live streamers impact online consumers' impulse buying behaviours under specific social and cultural backgrounds, with celebrity endorsement as a moderating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the research model, the online questionnaire method has been conducted in this study. This paper utilises Chinese online consumers as samples and promotes an online survey. Using the variance-based structural equation modelling and partial least squares path modelling (SEM-PLS), 433 valid questionnaires have been analysed on SmartPLS.

Findings

First, live streamers' attractive appearance positively correlates with online consumers' hedonic attitude and positively impacts their utilitarian attitude to live shopping. Second, live streamers' real-time interaction positively affects consumers' utilitarian attitudes because of their professional marketing and communication skills. Third, their hedonic and utilitarian attitudes positively influence online consumers' impulse buying behaviours. Finally, this paper presents that celebrity endorsement negatively moderates the relationship between online consumers' hedonic attitudes and impulse buying during live shopping.

Originality/value

This research combines the S–O–R model and the motivation theory and analyses related social influencing factors to study online consumers' impulse buying behaviours. Meanwhile, it explores the celebrity endorsement factor as a moderate role and identifies the different effects between live streamers and celebrities in live shopping, which is of great significance to the strategy of live shopping marketing and the literature on online consumers' behaviours.
Evaluating a quality improvement collaborative: a hybrid approach
Authors: Williams Sharon J. , Caley Lynne , Davies Mandy , Bird Dominique , Hopkins Sian , Willson Alan
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Quality improvement collaboratives (QICs) are a popular approach to improving healthcare services and patient outcomes. This paper evaluates a QIC implemented by a large, integrated healthcare organisation in Wales in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

This evaluation study draws on two well-established evaluation frameworks: Kirkpatrick's approach to gather data on participant satisfaction and learning and Stake's approach to gather data and form judgements about the impact of the intervention. A mixed methods approach was taken which included documentary analysis, surveys, semi-structured interviews, and observation of the QIC programme.

Findings

Together the two frameworks provide a rounded interpretation of the extent to which the QIC intervention was fit-for-purpose. Broadly the evaluation of the QIC was positive with some areas of improvement identified.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to a QIC conducted within one organisation. Further testing of the hybrid framework is needed that extends to different designs of QICs.

Practical implications

A hybrid framework is provided to assist those charged with designing and evaluating QICs.

Originality/value

Evaluation studies are limited on QICs and if present tend to adopt one framework. Given the complexities of undertaking quality improvement within healthcare, this study uniquely takes a hybrid approach.
Human-robot collaborative assembly of movable airfoils using adaptive admittance control
Authors: Shen Ye , Li Bo , Tian Wei , Duan Jinjun , Liu Mingxuan
Published: September 2022

Purpose

With the increasing requirements for intelligence in the field of aviation manufacturing, manual assembly can hardly adapt to the trend of future production. The purpose of this study is to realize the semi-automatic assembly of the movable airfoil by proposing a human-robot collaborative assembly strategy based on adaptive admittance control.

Design/methodology/approach

A logical judgment system for operating intentions is introduced in terms of different situations of the movements; hence, a human cognition-based adaptive admittance control method is developed to curb the damage of inertia; then virtual limit walls are raised on the periphery of the control model to ensure safety; finally, simulated and experimental comparisons with other admittance control methods are conducted to validate the proposed method.

Findings

The proposed method can save at least 28.8% of the time in the stopping phase which effectively compensates for inertia during the assembly process and has high robustness concerning data disturbances.

Originality/value

Due to the human-robot collaboration to achieve compliant assembly of movable airfoils can preserve human subjectivity while overcoming the physical limits of humans, which is of great significance to the investigation of intelligent aircraft assembly, the proposed method that reflects the user's naturalness and intuitiveness can not only enhance the stability and the flexibility of the manipulation, but also contribute to applications of industrial robots in the field of human-robot collaboration.
The impact of mandated option expensing on CEO pay duration: evidence from FAS 123R
Authors: Welker Adam
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Prior studies show that accounting considerations related to executive compensation impact managerial incentives, which in turn can impact real investment. These studies, however, largely omit the role of one key incentive: the duration of executive compensation. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of accounting costs on duration. The findings have important implications not only for the determinants of duration but also the potential role duration plays in incentivizing corporate investment.

Design/methodology/approach

This study exploits a plausibly exogenous increase in the accounting cost of option compensation under accounting rule FAS 123R to determine the impact of accounting considerations on managerial incentives and particularly the duration of executive compensation. Heterogeneity in firm-level exposure to the rule is exploited under a difference-in-difference framework. The sample comprises S&P 500 firms for the years 2002–2008.

Findings

The analysis shows that under FAS 123R, which increased the accounting cost of option compensation, duration is impacted more for affected firms than are delta and vega, two other key incentives highlighted in the literature. While duration, delta and vega are all highly intertwined making disentangling the individual impact of each incentive difficult, cross-sectional evidence suggests changes in research and development (R&D) spending are more likely attributable to changes in duration rather than vega or delta.

Originality/value

The evidence in this study shows how accounting considerations shape managerial incentives, particularly duration, and provides new insights into the relationship between duration and R&D spending.
Library instruction and information literacy 2021
Authors: Caffrey Carolyn , Lee Hannah , Withorn Tessa , Clarke Maggie , Castañeda Amalia , Macomber Kendra , Jackson Kimberly M. , Eslami Jillian , Haas Aric , Philo Thomas , Galoozis Elizabeth , Vermeer Wendolyn , Andora Anthony , Kohn Katie Paris
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy. It provides an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various library types, study populations and research contexts. The selected bibliography is useful to efficiently keep up with trends in library instruction for busy practitioners, library science students and those wishing to learn about information literacy in other contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

This article annotates 424 English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, theses and reports on library instruction and information literacy published in 2021. The sources were selected from the EBSCO platform for Library, Information Science, and Technology Abstracts (LISTA), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and WorldCat, published in 2021 that included the terms “information literacy,” “library instruction,” or “information fluency” in the title, abstract or keywords. The sources were organized in Zotero. Annotations summarize the source, focusing on the findings or implications. Each source was categorized into one of seven pre-determined categories: K-12 Education, Children and Adolescents; Academic and Professional Programs; Everyday Life, Community, and the Workplace; Libraries and Health Information Literacy; Multiple Library Types; and Other Information Literacy Research and Theory.

Findings

The paper provides a brief description of 424 sources and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.

Originality/value

The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested as a quick and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy within 2021.
Fat shaming under neoliberalism and COVID‐19: Examining the UK’s Tackling Obesity campaign
Authors: Dolezal Luna , Spratt Tanisha
Published: September 2022

This article explores the dynamics between fat shaming, neoliberalism, ideological constructions of health and the ‘obesity epidemic’ within the UK, using the UK Government’s recent Tackling Obesity campaign in response to Covid‐19 as an illustration. We draw attention to how fat shaming as a practice that encourages open disdain for those living with excess weight operates as a moralising tool to regulate and manage those who are viewed as ‘bad’ citizens. In doing so, we begin by outlining how the ideological underpinnings of ‘health’ have been transformed under neoliberalism. We then consider the problematic use of fat shaming discourses that are often used as tools to promote ‘healthy’ lifestyle choices by those who view it as not only an acceptable way of communicating the health risks associated with obesity but also a productive way of motivating people with obesity to lose weight. Drawing on Graham Scambler’s theoretical framework regarding shame and blame (2020), we discuss how ‘heaping blame on shame’ has become a ‘wilful political strategy’ under neoliberalism, particularly as it relates to individuals with obesity, and how the Tackling Obesity campaign leverages concerns around ‘choices’ and ‘costs’ as a means through which to encourage normative models of self‐care and self‐discipline.
URBAN VISIONS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE FINANCE: Dispossessive Mechanisms of Futuring in the Making of Groy
Authors: Hilbrandt Hanna , Grafe Fritz‐Julius
Published: September 2022

Of late, the trope of the green, smart and climate‐resilient city has dominated imaginations of urban futures across the globe. Less visible perhaps, but arguably of equal social impact, global climate finance (GCF) agendas have asserted themselves as the only imaginable pathway to do and undo such futures in effective ways. Based on a document analysis of recent GCF reports, this contribution unpicks the mechanisms of ‘futuring’ advanced in this process of agenda setting, and sketches its inherent imaginaries of a model future city. We borrow from John Berger's city of Troy and call this city Groy. Groy is a metaphor for green growth; it is the World Bank's fantasy project: a techno‐capitalist vision of prosperity, the bank's donor darling and its best practice case. In rendering this fantasy into a fictional city, we explore how future visions of urban GCF initiatives shape cities today to allow for a sustained critique of that future and, in consequence, a rethinking of present times. Our analysis builds on the work of futurists Ben Anderson and John Urry, and an emerging debate that seeks to postcolonialize climate finance, to demand thinking about definancialization beyond regulation as a sociopolitical process of opening up the future for other imaginations.
Evaluation of accessory mental foramen and accessory infraorbital foramen with cone‐beam computed tomography in Turkish population
Authors: Çelebi Adalet , Gülsün Belgin
Published: September 2022

It was aimed to evaluate the frequency of accessory mental foramen (AMF) and accessory infraorbital foramen (AIOF) and analyse the correlation between these two foramina using cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT). The retrospective study reviewed the CBCT images of 1020 patients. The rates of AMF and AIOF were evaluated according to sex and age distributions. Correlations between the localizations of AMF and AIOF in the right and left jaws and the correlations between the occurrences of these foramina were evaluated. In the CBCT images of the 1020 patients, AMFs were detected in 48 patients, among which 14 were in the right half jaw, and 34 were in the left half jaw. AIOFs were detected in 143 patients, among which 65 were in the right half jaw, and 78 were in the left half jaw. Recognising and detecting AMF and AIOF with CBCT is important in terms of preventing complications that may occur in surgical procedures.
Implementing a multi‐colour genetic marker analysis technique for embryology education
Authors: Yahya Imadeldin , Omer Elhady A. M. , Gellisch Morris , Brand‐Saberi Beate , Morosan‐Puopolo Gabriela
Published: September 2022

Embryology belongs to the basic sciences and is usually an integral part of the anatomy. The subject is traditionally taught by visual inspection of embryonic tissue slides stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) to expose the dynamics of tissue histology as development proceeds. While combining in situ hybridization for gene expression analysis and immunostaining for protein expression analysis is an established technique for embryology research, the implementation of this tool in embryology teaching has not been described. The present study was conducted to assess the use of an online multi‐colour gene expression analysis technique, alongside histological sections and diagrams, to improve students' understanding of embryology. The participants of this study were bachelor's students of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Khartoum. The method was also evaluated by distributing questionnaire items to Veterinary students via Google forms; subsequently, their responses were analysed qualitatively. The majority of students stated that the new technique was beneficial for their learning of embryology. The multi‐colour images proved a more effective means for learning embryology than the traditional H&E image. Results from the students strengthen the belief in applying the multi‐colour technique for better embryology course learning.
Diversity, distribution and regional conservation status of the Egyptian tree flora
Authors: Shaltout Kamal , Bedair Heba
Published: September 2022

The present study aims at determining the phytogeographical distribution and economic potential and documenting the degree of risk to the extinction of tree species, and the changes these species have undergone over the past 20 years. Field surveys were conducted at many locations in Egypt between January 2017 and March 2020. From each location, GPS coordinates were taken and the number of individuals was estimated. Also, specimens and seed samples for each species were collected from different habitats as can as possible. Other data were collected through herbaria visits and existing literature. The recorded taxa were arranged alphabetically according to Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system (APG IV). Evaluation of conservation status was based on IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. In the present study, we applied Criterion B that concerns the geographical range in the form of both B1 (extent of occurrence: EOO) and B2 (area of occupancy: AOO). Calculations of both AOO and EOO and the assessment process were assisted using the GeoCAT software. Fifty‐seven taxa were recorded, and most of them occur in Elbanian sector. Among them, five alien species were recorded. Many taxa offered economic goods such as medicinal, timber and fuel values; and environmental services as shaders and phytoremediators. Fifty taxa suffered from over‐collecting and over‐cutting. Among the 52 native trees in the present study, 31 taxa are evaluated as threatened with extinction; 10 taxa are Critically Endangered, 16 are Endangered and 5 are Vulnerable. There are two taxa assessed as Near Threatened and 15 as Least Concern. On the contrary, four taxa fall in the category of Data Deficient. There are 28 in situ conserved taxa in the protected areas. Also, 28 taxa are under ex situ conservation. In conclusion, land‐use patterns, climate change and human impact lead to put about 61% of the trees in Egypt under threat of extinction. Consequently, nature conservation organisations should take an action towards the conservation of these valuable taxa.
Clinical and laboratory features of patients diagnosed with alpha‐gal syndrome—2010–2019
Authors: Binder Alison M. , Cherry‐Brown Dena , Biggerstaff Brad J. , Jones Emma S. , Amelio Claire L. , Beard Charles B. , Petersen Lyle R. , Kersh Gilbert J. , Commins Scott P. , Armstrong Paige A.
Published: September 2022

Background

Alpha‐gal syndrome (AGS) is an IgE‐mediated allergy to galactose‐alpha‐1,3‐galactose. Clinical presentation ranges from hives to anaphylaxis; episodes typically occur 2–6 h after exposure to alpha‐gal‐containing products. In the United States, lone star tick bites are associated with the development of AGS. To characterize features of AGS, we evaluated a cohort of patients presenting for care at the University of North Carolina, focusing on symptoms, severity, and identifying features unique to specific alpha‐gal‐containing product exposures.

Methods

We performed a chart review and descriptive analysis of 100 randomly selected patients with AGS during 2010–2019.

Results

Median age at onset was 53 years, 56% were female, 95% reported White race, 86% reported a history of tick bite, and 75% met the criteria for anaphylaxis based on the involvement of ≥2 organ systems. Those reporting dairy reactions were significantly less likely to report isolated mucocutaneous symptoms (3% vs. 24%; ratio [95% CI]: 0.1 [0.1, 0.3]) than those who tolerated dairy, and were more likely to report gastrointestinal symptoms (79% vs. 59%; ratio [95% CI]: 1.3 [0.7, 2.6]), although this difference was not statistically significant. Dairy‐tolerant patients demonstrated higher alpha‐gal sIgE titers (as a percentage of total IgE) than dairy‐reactive patients (GM 4.1 [95% CI: 2.7, 6.1] vs. GM 2.5 [95% CI: 1.3, 4.8], respectively; ratio −1.6 [95% CI: −1.0, 3.9]).

Conclusion

While tick exposure is common in the southern United States, nearly all AGS patients reported a tick bite. Gastrointestinal symptoms were prominent among those reporting reactions to dairy. Anaphylaxis was common, underscoring the severity and need to raise awareness of AGS among patients and providers.
Not just muddy and not always gleeful? Thinking about the physicality of fieldwork, mental health, and marginality
Authors: Tucker Faith , Waite Catherine , Horton John
Published: September 2022

This paper acknowledges that geographical fieldwork and fieldtrips can be deeply stressful, anxiety‐inducing, troubling, miserable, hard and exclusionary for many colleagues, students and pupils. Building on the critical insights of Bracken and Mawdsley's (Area, 36, 2004) ‘Muddy Glee’ we empirically extend disciplinary reflections on fieldwork, drawing on qualitative data from research with UK university‐based Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) academics who self‐identify as having mental health conditions which substantially affect their daily lives. These data prompt reflection on the nature and experience of fieldwork in two ways. First, they require acknowledgment of fieldwork as not just ‘muddy’, widening disciplinary imaginaries of fieldwork accessibility to encompass marginalities in/of Human Geography fieldwork practice. Second, contrary to pervasive disciplinary idealisations, these data demand recognition that fieldwork and fieldtrips are not necessarily gleeful but can be sites of intense latent anxiety and intersectional marginality. They evidence how fieldwork can often be experienced as sites of anxiety, isolation, marginalisation, and often silent or hidden distress. These data are not easy to read, and we argue that they require us to widen our disciplinary senses of what fieldwork is like. In conclusion we offer some prompts for reflection to think‐with this unease.
CYP2D6 and CYP2C8 pharmacogenetics and pharmacological interactions to predict imatinib plasmatic exposure in GIST patients
Authors: Dalle Fratte Chiara , Gagno Sara , Roncato Rossana , Polesel Jerry , Zanchetta Martina , Buzzo Mauro , Posocco Bianca , De Mattia Elena , Borsatti Rachele , Puglisi Fabio , Foltran Luisa , Guardascione Michela , Buonadonna Angela , Cecchin Erika , Toffoli Giuseppe
Published: September 2022

Aims

Patients on treatment with oral fixed dose imatinib are frequently under‐ or overexposed to the drug. We investigated the association between the gene activity score (GAS) of imatinib‐metabolizing cytochromes (CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2C8) and imatinib and nor‐imatinib exposure. We also investigated the impact of concurrent drug–drug‐interactions (DDIs) on the association between GAS and imatinib exposure.

Methods

Serial plasma samples were collected from 33 GIST patients treated with imatinib 400 mg daily within a prospective clinical trial. Imatinib and nor‐imatinib Ctrough were quantified by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). Genetic polymorphisms with a functional impact on imatinib‐metabolizing cytochromes were identified and a GAS was calculated for each gene. A DDI‐adjusted GAS was also generated.

Results

Imatinib and nor‐imatinib Ctrough were measured in 161 plasma samples. CYP2D6 GAS and metabolizer status based on genotype were associated with imatinib and (imatinib + nor‐imatinib) Ctrough. CYP2D6 poor and intermediate metabolizers were predicted to have a lower nor‐imatinib/imatinib metabolic ratio than normal metabolizers (0.197 and 0.193 vs. 0.247, P = .0205), whereas CYP2C8*3 carriers had a higher ratio than CYP2C8*1/*1 patients (0.263 vs. 0.201, P = .0220). CYP2C9 metabolizer status was inversely related to the metabolic ratio with an effect probably driven by the linkage disequilibrium between CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C8*3. The CYP2D6 DDI‐adjusted GAS was still predictive of imatinib exposure.

Conclusions

These findings highlight that CYP2D6 plays a major role in imatinib pharmacokinetics, but other players (i.e., CYP2C8) may influence imatinib exposure. These findings could drive the selection of patients more susceptible to imatinib under‐ or overexposure who could be candidates for personalized treatment and intensified monitoring strategies.
Oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe protein controls cytoskeletal reorganisation during human platelet spreading
Authors: Bura Ana , de Matteis Maria Antonietta , Bender Markus , Swinkels Maurice , Versluis Jurjen , Jansen A. J. Gerard , Jurak Begonja Antonija
Published: September 2022

Lowe syndrome (LS) is a rare, X‐linked disorder characterised by numerous symptoms affecting the brain, the eyes, and the kidneys. It is caused by mutations in the oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe (OCRL) protein, a 5‐phosphatase localised in different cellular compartments that dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate into phosphatidylinositol‐4‐monophosphate. Some patients with LS also have bleeding disorders, with normal to low platelet (PLT) count and impaired PLT function. However, the mechanism of PLT dysfunction in patients with LS is not completely understood. The main function of PLTs is to activate upon vessel wall injury and stop the bleeding by clot formation. PLT activation is accompanied by a shape change that is a result of massive cytoskeletal rearrangements. Here, we show that OCRL‐inhibited human PLTs do not fully spread, form mostly filopodia, and accumulate actin nodules. These nodules co‐localise with ARP2/3 subunit p34, vinculin, and sorting nexin 9. Furthermore, OCRL‐inhibited PLTs have a retained microtubular coil with high levels of acetylated tubulin. Also, myosin light chain phosphorylation is decreased upon OCRL inhibition, without impaired degranulation or integrin activation. Taken together, these results suggest that OCRL contributes to cytoskeletal rearrangements during PLT activation that could explain mild bleeding problems in patients with LS.
Trophic cascades in tropical rainforests: Effects of vertebrate predator exclusion on arthropods and plants in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Houska Tahadlova Marketa , Mottl Ondrej , Jorge Leonardo R. , Koane Bonny , Novotny Vojtech , Sam Katerina
Published: September 2022

Insect herbivores have the potential to consume large amounts of plant tissue in tropical forests, but insectivorous vertebrates effectively control their abundances, indirectly increasing plant fitness accordingly. Despite several studies already sought understanding of the top‐down effects on arthropod community structure and herbivory, such studies of trophic cascades in old tropics are underrepresented, and little attention was paid to top‐down forces in various habitats. Therefore, we examine how flying insectivorous vertebrates (birds and bats) impact arthropods and, consequently, affect herbivore damage of leaves in forest habitats in Papua New Guinea. In a 3‐month long predator exclosure experiment conducted at four study sites across varying elevation and successional stage, we found that vertebrate predators reduced arthropod density by ∼52%. In addition, vertebrate predators decreased the mean body size of arthropods by 26% in leaf chewers and 47% in non‐herbivorous arthropods but had only a small effect on mesopredators and sap suckers. Overall, the exclusion of vertebrate predators resulted in a ~ 41% increase in leaf damage. Our results, across different types of tropical forests in Papua New Guinea, demonstrate that flying vertebrate insectivores have a crucial impact on plant biomass, create a selective pressure on larger and non‐predatory prey individuals and they prey partition with mesopredators.