bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated binding and functional antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in infants versus mothers
Authors: Stoddard Caitlin I. , Sung Kevin , Yaffe Zak A. , Weight Haidyn , Beaudoin-Bussières Guillaume , Galloway Jared , Gantt Soren , Adhiambo Judith , Begnel Emily R. , Ojee Ednah , Slyker Jennifer , Wamalwa Dalton , Kinuthia John , Finzi Andrés , Matsen Frederick A. , Lehman Dara A. , Overbaugh Julie
Published: February 2023

Infant antibody responses to viral infection can differ from those in adults. However, data on the specificity and function of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in infants, and direct comparisons between infants and adults are limited. We characterized antibody binding and functionality in convalescent plasma from postpartum women and their infants infected with SARS-CoV-2 from a vaccine-naïve prospective cohort in Nairobi, Kenya. Antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 Spike, receptor binding domain and N-terminal domain, and Spike-expressing cell-surface staining levels were significantly higher in infants than in mothers. Plasma antibodies from mothers and infants bound to similar regions of the Spike S2 subunit, including the fusion peptide (FP) and stem helix-heptad repeat 2. However, infants displayed higher antibody levels and more consistent antibody escape pathways in the FP region compared to mothers. Finally, infants had significantly higher levels of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), though, surprisingly, neutralization titers between infants and mothers were similar. These results suggest infants develop distinct SARS-CoV-2 binding and functional antibody repertoires and reveal age-related differences in humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection that could be relevant to protection and COVID-19 disease outcomes.
Coevolutionary Stability of Host-Symbiont Systems with Mixed-mode Transmission
Authors: Krishnan Nandakishor , Rózsa Lajos , Szilágyi András , Garay József
Published: February 2023

The coevolution of hosts and symbionts based on virulence and mode of transmission is a complex and diverse biological phenomenon. We introduce a conceptual model to study the stable coexistence of an obligate symbiont (mutualist or parasite) with mixed-mode transmission and its host. The existence of evolutionarily and ecologically stable coexistence is analyzed in the framework of coevolutionary dynamics. Using an age-structured Leslie model for the host, we demonstrate how the obligate symbiont can modify the host’s life history parameters (survival and fecundity) and the long-term growth rate of the infected lineage. The evolutionary success of the symbionts is given by the long-term growth rate of the infected population (multi-level selection). When the symbiont is vertically transmitted, we find that the host and its symbiont can maximize the long-term growth rate of the infected lineage. Moreover, we provide conditions for the ecological and evolutionary stability of the resident host-symbiont pair in the coevolutionary model, which does not allow invasion by any rare mutants (each mutant dies out by ecological selection). We observed that ecological competition, clearing of infection, and density-dependent interactions could play a role in determining the criteria for evolutionary stability.
Systematically testing human HMBS missense variants to reveal mechanism and pathogenic variation
Authors: van Loggerenberg Warren , Sowlati-Hashjin Shahin , Weile Jochen , Hamilton Rayna , Chawla Aditya , Gebbia Marinella , Kishore Nishka , Frésard Laure , Mustajoki Sami , Pischik Elena , Pierro Elena Di , Barbaro Michela , Floderus Ylva , Schmitt Caroline , Gouya Laurent , Colavin Alexandre , Nussbaum Robert , Friesema Edith C. H. , Kauppinen Raili , To-Figueras Jordi , Aarsand Aasne K. , Desnick Robert J. , Garton Michael , Roth Frederick P.
Published: February 2023

Defects in hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) can cause Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP), an acute neurological disease. Although sequencing-based diagnosis can be definitive, ~⅓ of clinical HMBS variants are missense variants, and most clinically-reported HMBS missense variants are designated as “variants of uncertain significance” (VUS). Using saturation mutagenesis,en masseselection, and sequencing, we applied a multiplexed validated assay to both the erythroid-specific and ubiquitous isoforms of HMBS, obtaining confident functional impact scores for >84% of all possible amino-acid substitutions. The resulting variant effect maps generally agreed with biochemical expectation. However, the maps showed variants at the dimerization interface to be unexpectedly well tolerated, and suggested residue roles in active site dynamics that were supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Most importantly, these HMBS variant effect maps can help discriminate pathogenic from benign variants, proactively providing evidence even for yet-to-be-observed clinical missense variants.
A remarkable transformation catalyzed by a domain-of-unknown-function 692 during the biosynthesis of a new RiPP natural product
Authors: Ayikpoe Richard S. , Zhu Lingyang , Chen Jeff Y. , Ting Chi P. , van der Donk Wilfred A.
Published: February 2023

The domain of unknown function 692 (DUF692) is an emerging family of posttranslational modification enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of ribosomally-synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural products. Members of this family are multinuclear iron-containing enzymes and only two members have been functionally characterized to date: MbnB and TglH. Here, we used bioinformatics to select another member of the DUF692 family, ChrH, that is ubiquitously encoded in the genomes of theChryseobacteriumgenus along with a partner protein ChrI. We structurally characterized the ChrH reaction product and show that the enzyme catalyzes an unprecedented chemical transformation that results in the formation of a macrocycle, an imidazolidinedione heterocycle, two thioaminals, and a thiomethylation. Based on isotopic labeling studies, we propose a mechanism for the four-electron oxidation and methylation of the substrate peptide. This work identifies the first SAM-dependent DUF692 enzyme, further expanding the repertoire of remarkable reactions catalyzed by these enzymes.
Profiling the impact of the promoters on CRISPR-Cas12a system in human cells
Authors: Li Jinhe , Liang Qinchun , Zhou HuaPing , Zhou Ming , Huang Hongxin
Published: February 2023

The plasmid vector platform is the most commonly used for the expression of the versatile CRISPR-Cas technique and the promoter is a crucial element for the expression vector, thus profiling the impact of the promoters on CRISPR editors provides the basic information for the gene-editing toolkits and can be a guideline for its design. Herein, we made a parallel comparison among four commonly used promoters (CAG,∼1700bp; EF1a core, ∼210bp; CMV, ∼500bp; and PGK, ∼500bp) in CRISPR-Cas12a system in mammalian cells to explore the impact of promoters on this powerful tool. We found that without badly damaging targeting specificity, the CAG promoter-driving Cas12a editor exhibited the most active (efficiency takes as 100%, specificity index= ∼75%) in genomic cleavage, multiplex editing, transcriptional activation, and base editing, followed by promoter CMV (efficiency=70∼90% (vs CAG), specificity index= ∼78%), and then EF1a core and PGK (both efficiency=40∼60%, vs CAG) but with higher specificity (specificity index= ∼84% and ∼82%, respectively). Therefore, CAG is recommended in the CRISPR-Cas12a system for the applications that need a robust editing activity but without size limitation, CMV mostly can be an alternative for CAG when requiring a smaller space, EF1a is similar to PGK with relatively high specificity, but has a smaller size, thus is more suitable forin vivotherapeutic applications. The data outlined the properties of the widely used promoters in the CRISPR-Cas12a system, which can be a guide for its applications and can be a useful resource for the gene-editing field.
The influence of heteroresistance on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), investigated using weak-acid stress in food spoilage yeasts
Authors: Violet Joseph , Smid Joost , Pielaat Annemarie , Sanders Jan-Willem , Avery Simon V.
Published: February 2023

Populations of microbial cells may resist environmental stress by maintaining a high population-median resistance (IC50) or, potentially, a high variability in resistance between individual cells (heteroresistance); where heteroresistance would allow certain cells to resist high stress, provided the population was sufficiently large to include resistant cells. This study sets out to test the hypothesis that both IC50and heteroresistance may contribute to conventional minimal-inhibitory-concentration (MIC) determinations, using the example of spoilage-yeast resistance to the preservative sorbic acid. Across a panel of 26 diverse yeast species, both heteroresistance and particularly IC50were positively correlated with predicted MIC. A focused panel of 29 different isolates of a particular spoilage yeast was also examined (isolates previously recorded asZygosaccharomyces bailii, but genome resequencing revealing that several were in fact hybrid species,Z. parabailii and Z. pseudobailii). Applying a novel high-throughput assay for heteroresistance, it was found that IC50but not heteroresistance was positively correlated with predicted MIC when considered across all isolates of this panel, but the heteroresistance-MIC interaction differed for the individualZygosaccharomycessubspecies.Z. pseudobailiiexhibited higher heteroresistance thanZ. parabailiiwhereas the reverse was true for IC50, suggesting possible alternative strategies for achieving high MIC between subspecies. This work highlights the limitations of conventional MIC measurements due to the effect of heteroresistance in certain organisms, as the measured resistance can vary markedly with population (inoculum) size.

Importance

Food spoilage by fungi is a leading cause of food waste, with specialised food spoilage yeasts capable of growth at preservative concentrations above the legal limit, in part due to heteroresistance allowing small subpopulations of cells to exhibit extreme preservative resistance. Whereas heteroresistance has been characterised in numerous ecological contexts, measuring this phenotype systematically and assessing its importance are not encompassed by conventional assay methods. The development here of a high-throughput method for measuring heteroresistance, amenable to automation, addresses this issue and has enabled characterisation of the contribution that heteroresistance may make to conventional MIC measurements. We used the example of sorbic acid heteroresistance in spoilage yeasts likeZygosaccharomycesspp, but the approach is relevant to other fungi and other inhibitors, including antifungals. The work shows how median resistance, heteroresistance and inoculum size should all be considered when selecting appropriate inhibitor doses in real-world antimicrobial applications such as food preservation.
T-toxin virulence genes: unconnected dots in a sea of repeats
Authors: Haridas Sajeet , González Jennifer B. , Riley Robert , Koriabine Maxim , Yan Mi , Ng Vivian , Rightmyer Adriana , Grigoriev Igor V. , Baker Scott E. , Turgeon B. Gillian
Published: February 2023

In 1970, the Southern Corn Leaf Blight epidemic ravaged US fields to great economic loss. The outbreak was caused by never-before-seen, super-virulent, Race T of the fungusCochliobolus heterostrophus. The functional difference between Race T and O, the previously known, far less aggressive strain, is production of T-toxin, a host-selective polyketide. Super-virulence is associated with ∼1 Mb of Race T- specific DNA; only a fraction encodes T-toxin biosynthetic genes (Tox1).Tox1is genetically and physically complex, with unlinked loci (Tox1A, Tox1B) genetically inseparable from breakpoints of a Race O reciprocal translocation that generated hybrid Race T chromosomes. Previously, we identified ten genes for T-toxin biosynthesis. Unfortunately, high depth, short-read sequencing placed these genes on four small, unconnected scaffolds surrounded by repeated A+T rich sequence, concealing context. To sort outTox1topology and pinpoint the hypothetical Race O translocation breakpoints corresponding to Race T-specific insertions, we undertook PacBio long-read sequencing which revealedTox1gene arrangement and the breakpoints. SixTox1Agenes are arranged as three small islands in a Race T-specific sea (∼634 kb) of repeats. FourTox1Bgenes are linked, on a large loop of Race T-specific DNA (∼210 kb). The race O breakpoints are short sequences of race O-specific DNA; corresponding positions in race T are large insertions of race T-specific, A+T rich DNA, often with similarity to transposable (predominantly Gypsy) elements. Nearby, are ‘Voyager Starship’ elements and DUF proteins. These elements may have facilitatedTox1integration into progenitor Race O and promoted large scale recombination resulting in race T.

Importance

In 1970 a corn disease epidemic ravaged fields in the US to great economic loss. The outbreak was caused by a never-before seen, super-virulent strain of the fungal pathogenCochliobolus heterostrophus. This was a plant disease epidemic, however, the current COVID-19 pandemic of humans is a stark reminder that novel, highly virulent, pathogens evolve with devastating consequences, no matter what the host-animal, plant, or other organism. Long read DNA sequencing technology allowed in depth structural comparisons between the sole, previously known, much less aggressive, version of the pathogen and the super-virulent version and revealed, in meticulous detail, the structure of the unique virulence-causing DNA. These data are foundational for future analysis of mechanisms of DNA acquisition from a foreign source.
Proteomic insight into human directed evolution of the domesticated chickenGallus gallus
Authors: Schmidt Carl J , Kim Dong Kyun , Pendarvis G Ken , Abasht Behnam , McCarthy Fiona M
Published: February 2023

Chicken domestication began at least 3,500 years ago for purposes of divination, cockfighting, and food. Prior to industrial scale chicken production, domestication selected larger birds with increased egg production. In the mid-20thcentury companies began intensive selection with the broiler (meat) industry focusing on improved feed conversion, rapid growth, and breast muscle yield. Here we present proteomic analysis comparing the Ross 708 modern broiler line with the UIUC legacy line. Comparing the breast muscle proteome between modern broilers and legacy lines not selected for these growth traits identifies cellular processes that have responded to human directed evolution. Mass spectrometry was used to identify differences in protein levels in the breast muscle of 6-day old chicks from Modern and Legacy lines. The results highlighted elevated levels of stress proteins, ribosomal proteins, and proteins that participate in the innate immune pathway in the Modern chickens. Furthermore, the comparative analyses indicated differences in the levels of proteins involved in multiple biochemical pathways. In particular, the Modern line had elevated levels of proteins affecting the pentose phosphate pathway, TCA cycle, and fatty acid oxidation and reduced protein levels of the first phase of glycolysis. These analyses provide hypotheses linking the morphometric changes driven by human directed selection to biochemical pathways. The results also have implications for the onset of Wooden Breast disease that arose due to selection for rapid breast muscle growth and is a major problem in the poultry industry.
Aminobisphosphonates reactivate the latent reservoir in people living with HIV-1
Authors: Sanz Marta , Weideman Ann Marie K. , Ward Adam R. , Clohosey Matthew L. , Garcia-Recio Susana , Selitsky Sara R. , Mann Brendan T. , Iannone Marie Anne , Whitworth Chloe P. , Chitrakar Alisha , Garrido Carolina , Kirchherr Jennifer , Coffey Alisha R. , Tsai Yi-Hsuan , Samir Shahryar , Xu Yinyan , Copertino Dennis , Bosque Alberto , Jones Brad R. , Parker Joel S. , Hudgens Michael G. , Goonetilleke Nilu , Soriano-Sarabia Natalia
Published: February 2023

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not curative due to the existence of cellular reservoirs of latent HIV-1 that persist during therapy. Current research efforts to cure HIV-1 infection include “shock and kill” strategies to disrupt latency using small molecules or latency-reversing agents (LRAs) to induce expression of HIV-1 enabling cytotoxic immune cells to eliminate infected cells. The modest success of current LRAs urges the field to identify novel drugs with increased clinical efficacy. Aminobisphosphonates (N-BPs) that include pamidronate, zoledronate, or alendronate, are the first-line treatment of bone-related diseases including osteoporosis and bone malignancies. Here, we show the use of N-BPs as a novel class of LRA: we found inex vivoassays using primary cells from ART-suppressed people living with HIV-1 that N-BPs induce HIV-1 from latency to levels that are comparable to the T cell activator phytohemagglutinin (PHA). RNA sequencing and mechanistic data suggested that reactivation may occur through activation of the activator protein 1 signaling pathway. Stored samples from a prior clinical trial aimed at analyzing the effect of alendronate on bone mineral density, provided further evidence of alendronate-mediated latency reversal and activation of immune effector cells. Decay of the reservoir measured by IPDA was however not detected. Our results demonstrate the novel use of N-BPs to reverse HIV-1 latency while inducing immune effector functions. This preliminary evidence merits further investigation in a controlled clinical setting possibly in combination with therapeutic vaccination.
Selecting Covariates for Genome-Wide Association Studies
Authors: Dor Erez , Margaliot Ido , Brandes Nadav , Zuk Or , Linial Michal , Rappoport Nadav
Published: February 2023

The choice of which covariates to include in a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) is important since it affects the ability to detect true association signal of variants, to correct for confounders and avoid false positives, and the running time of the analysis. Commonly used covariates include age, sex, genotyping batches, genotyping array type, as well as an arbitrary number of Principal Components (PCs) used to adjust for population structure. Despite the importance of this issue, there is no consensus or clear guidelines for the right choice of covariates. Therefore, studies typically employ heuristics for their choice with no clear justification. Here, we explore the dependence of the GWAS analysis results on the choice of covariates for a wide range of quantitative and binary human phenotypes. We propose guidelines for covariates choice based on the phenotype’s type (quantitative vs. disease), the heritability, and the disease prevalence, with the goal of maximizing the statistical power to detect true associations and fit accurate polygenic scores while avoiding spurious associations and minimizing computation time. We analyze 36 traits in the UK-Biobank dataset. We show that the genotype batch and assessment center can be safely removed as covariates, thus significantly reducing the GWAS computational burden for these traits.
A new inverse probability of selection weighted Cox model to deal with outcome-dependent sampling in survival analysis
Authors: Arntzen Vera H. , Fiocco Marta , Lakeman Inge M.M. , Nielsen Maartje , Rodríguez-Girondo Mar
Published: February 2023

Motivated by the study of genetic effect modifiers of cancer, we examined weighting approaches to correct for ascertainment bias in survival analysis. Family-based outcome-dependent sampling is common in genetic epidemiology leading to study samples with too many events in comparison to the population and an overrepresentation of young, affected subjects. A usual approach to correct for ascertainment bias in this setting is to use an inverse probability-weighted Cox model, using weights based on external available population-based age-specific incidence rates of the type of cancer under investigation. However, the current approach is not general enough leading to invalid weights in relevant practical settings if oversampling of cases is not observed in all age groups. Based on the same principle of weighting observations by their inverse probability of selection, we propose a new, more general approach. We show the advantage of our new method using simulations and two real datasets. In both applications the goal is to assess the association between common susceptibility loci identified in Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and cancer (colorectal and breast) using data collected through genetic testing in clinical genetics centers.
Shift in vacuolar to cytosolic regime of infectingSalmonellafrom a dual proteome perspective
Authors: Fels Ursula , Willems Patrick , De Meyer Margaux , Gevaert Kris , Van Damme Petra
Published: February 2023

By applying dual proteome profiling toSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) encounters with its epithelial host (here,S. Typhimurium infected human HeLa cells), a detailed interdependent and holistic proteomic perspective on host-pathogen interactions over a time course of infection was obtained. Data-independent acquisition (DIA)-based proteomics was found to outperform data-dependent acquisition (DDA) workflows, especially in identifying the downregulated bacterial proteome response during infection progression infection by permitting quantification of low abundant bacterial proteins at early times of infection at low bacterial infection load.S. Typhimurium invasion and replication specific proteomic signatures in epithelial cells revealed interdependent host/pathogen specific responses besides pointing to putative novel infection markers and signalling responses.
Human Cytomegalovirus UL138 Interaction with USP1 Activates STAT1 in infection
Authors: Zarrella Kristen , Longmire Pierce , Zeltzer Sebastian , Collins-McMillen Donna , Hancock Meaghan , Buehler Jason , Reitsma Justin M. , Terhune Scott S. , Nelson Jay A. , Goodrum Felicia
Published: February 2023

Innate immune responses are crucial for limiting virus infection. However, viruses often hijack our best defenses for viral objectives. Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a beta herpesvirus which establishes a life-long latent infection. Defining the virus-host interactions controlling latency and reactivation is vital to the control of viral disease risk posed by virus reactivation. We defined an interaction between UL138, a pro-latency HCMV gene, and the host deubiquintase complex, UAF1-USP1. UAF1 is a scaffold protein pivotal for the activity of ubiquitin specific peptidases (USP), including USP1. UAF1-USP1 sustains an innate immune response through the phosphorylation and activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (pSTAT1), as well as regulates the DNA damage response. After the onset of viral DNA synthesis, pSTAT1 levels are elevated and this depends upon UL138 and USP1. pSTAT1 localizes to viral centers of replication, binds to the viral genome, and influences UL138 expression. Inhibition of USP1 results in a failure to establish latency, marked by increased viral genome replication and production of viral progeny. Inhibition of Jak-STAT signaling also results in increased viral genome synthesis in hematopoietic cells, consistent with a role for USP1-mediated regulation of STAT1 signaling in the establishment of latency. These findings demonstrate the importance of the UL138-UAF1-USP1 virus-host interaction in regulating HCMV latency establishment through the control of innate immune signaling. It will be important going forward to distinguish roles of UAF1-USP1 in regulating pSTAT1 relative to its role in the DNA damage response in HCMV infection.

Importance

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is one of nine herpesviruses that infect humans. Following a primary infection, HCMV establishes a life-long latent infection that is marked by sporadic, and likely frequent reactivation events. While these reactivation events are asymptomatic in the immune competent host, they pose important disease risks for the immune compromised, including solid organ or stem cell transplant recipients. Its complex interactions with host biology and deep coding capacity make it an excellent model for defining mechanisms important for viral latency and reactivation. Here we define an interaction with host proteins that commandeer typically antiviral innate immune signaling for the establishment of latency.
Delayed exposure of rice to light partially phenocopies C4bundle sheath characteristics by reducing cell length
Authors: Plackett Andrew R.G. , Hibberd Julian M.
Published: February 2023

C4photosynthesis has arisen in over sixty lineages of angiosperms. Despite significant variation in characteristics of the C4leaf, in all cases a compartment rich in chloroplasts allows high concentrations of CO2to be supplied to RuBisCO. In most C4lineages this is associated with increased chloroplast content of bundle sheath cells. As characteristics of C4leaves are derived from processes operating in the ancestral C3state, we studied greening of the bundle sheath in C3rice. Total visible chloroplast area in bundle sheath and mesophyll cells was similar but the larger volume of bundle sheath cells reduced the proportion of cell occupied by chloroplast, and the longest bundle sheath cells had the lowest chloroplast content. Application of exogenous cytokinin and gibberellin increased chloroplast content of the longest bundle sheath cells but did not change cell shape. In contrast, delayed exposure to light reduced the number of very long bundle sheath cells but increased leaf length indicating delayed exit from the cell cycle. We conclude that in the C3state, the plant hormones cytokinin and gibberellin are regulators of the bundle sheath cell-chloroplast relationship and that final bundle sheath length is affected by light-mediated control of exit from the cell cycle.

Highlight

Extended darkness can reduce maximum bundle sheath cell length in rice and hormones condition the set-point between cell size and chloroplast content.
Co-evolution of Large inverted repeats and G-quadruplex DNA in fungal mitochondria may facilitate mitogenome stability: the case ofMalassezia
Authors: Christinaki Anastasia C. , Theelen Bart , Zania Alkmini , Coutinho Selene Dall’ Acqua , Cabañes Javier F. , Boekhout Teun , Kouvelis Vassili N.
Published: February 2023

Mitogenomes are essential due to their contribution to cell respiration. Recently they have also been implicated in fungal pathogenicity mechanisms. Members of the basidiomycetous yeast genusMalasseziaare an important fungal component of the human skin microbiome, linked to various skin diseases, bloodstream infections, and increasingly implicated in gut diseases and certain cancers. In this study, the comparative analysis ofMalasseziamitogenomes contributed to phylogenetic tree construction for all species. The mitogenomes presented significant size and gene order diversity which correlates to their phylogeny. Most importantly, they showed the inclusion of Large Inverted Repeats (LIRs) and G-quadruplex (G4) DNA elements, renderingMalasseziamitogenomes a valuable test case for elucidating the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for this genome diversity. Both LIRs and G4s coexist and convergently evolved to provide genome stability through recombination. This mechanism is common in chloroplasts but, hitherto, rarely found in mitogenomes.
The effects of perceived value dimensions on customer satisfaction and loyalty: a comparison between traditional banks and fintechs
Authors: Mainardes Emerson Wagner , Freitas Neudson Peres de
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to verify the influence of perceived value dimensions on customer satisfaction and loyalty in the banking sector, comparing these relationships between traditional banks and fintechs. Also, it was verified whether satisfaction mediates the relationships between the dimensions of perceived value and customer loyalty to traditional banks and fintechs, comparing them.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through two online questionnaires with 792 total respondents, 411 from traditional banks and 381 from fintechs. For data analysis, the authors used the Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and PLS-SEM multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA).

Findings

The influence of customer satisfaction on loyalty tends to be greater in traditional banks than in fintechs; the effect of reliability on satisfaction tends to be greater in fintechs than in traditional banks and the effect of price on satisfaction tends to be greater in traditional banks than in fintechs. Indirectly, empathy, price and competence influence loyalty through satisfaction, and in all these relationships, the strength of the effect is significantly greater in traditional banks when compared to fintechs.

Research limitations/implications

The findings, on the one hand, indicate that banks' investments in customer satisfaction, empathy, price and competence tend to generate positive results by expanding customer loyalty in addition to the return on similar investments made by fintechs. On the other hand, when fintechs invest in reliability, they tend to capture better results in increasing customer satisfaction compared to traditional banks.

Originality/value

The comparison of the effect of the dimensions of perceived value on satisfaction and loyalty between traditional banks and fintechs stands out, which is a novelty in the literature. This comparison can support strategies that aim to strengthen relationships with customers and increase the recurrence of business, both for traditional banks and fintechs.
Advertising as discursive reflections of the political realm: Turkish-Cypriot advertisements between 1940-1974
Authors: Yalkin Cagri , Kahveci Hayriye , Uygur Kubra
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how conflict/war and its political economic and socio-cultural reflections influenced Turkish-Cypriot advertisements. It provides an analysis of the Turkish-Cypriot advertisements during 1940–1974, which was characterised by intermittent inter-ethnic armed conflict, to illuminate how they are related to the commercial, political, economic and socio-cultural unravelling of the era.

Design/methodology/approach

Compositional interpretation and social semiotic analysis (Rose, 2016) with a critical lens have been adopted as research design. Social, cultural, economic and political conditions of the time were also used in the analysis.

Findings

Firstly, this paper shows that the advertisements increased in complexity although very incrementally through the studied period, especially in comparison to the advertising of the countries that directly influenced the commercial sphere in Cyprus such as Britain, Greece and Turkey. Secondly, this paper shows that the advertisement messages were directly shaped by key events in the socio-political realm. Especially during the 1940s (British rule) and the bicommunal Republic of Cyprus era, the Turkish-Cypriot community newspapers featured a cosmopolitan range of advertisements paid for by Greek-Cypriot, Armenian-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot businesses. After 1963, when the armed conflict began and the communities retreated to separate parts of the capital city, the featured advertisements mostly reverted back to the 1950s political economic agenda: firstly, they intended to build ethno-community consciousness by transforming Turkish-Cypriots who were scattered around in different towns, villages and cities into a public/community; secondly, they were used in developing the burgeoning Turkish-Cypriot business enterprises and the making of a consumer class.

Originality/value

As no such study was conducted so far, this paper shows, through the continued and increasing existence and variety of the advertisements printed in Turkish-Cypriot newspapers, the trajectory with which the Turkish-Cypriots met the consumption codes of the era under armed conflict. Secondly, the authors observe the “state” authority (in this case, the community administration) directly and indirectly influences both the business agenda and the building of community consciousness. Thirdly, the authors show that the Turkish-Cypriot community had normalised commerce under armed-conflict.
Stratification and recovery time jointly shape ant functional reassembly in a neotropical forest
Authors: Hoenle Philipp O. , Staab Michael , Donoso David A. , Argoti Adriana , Blüthgen Nico
Published: February 2023

Microhabitat differentiation of species communities such as vertical stratification in tropical forests contributes to species coexistence and thus biodiversity. However, little is known about how the extent of stratification changes during forest recovery and influences community reassembly. Environmental filtering determines community reassembly in time (succession) and in space (stratification), hence functional and phylogenetic composition of species communities are highly dynamic. It is poorly understood if and how these two concurrent filters—forest recovery and stratification—interact.

In a tropical forest chronosequence in Ecuador spanning 34 years of natural recovery, we investigated the recovery trajectory of ant communities in three overlapping strata (ground, leaf litter, lower tree trunk) by quantifying 13 traits, as well as the functional and phylogenetic diversity of the ants. We expected that functional and phylogenetic diversity would increase with recovery time and that each ant community within each stratum would show a distinct functional reassembly. We predicted that traits related to ant diet would show divergent trajectories reflecting an increase in niche differentiation with recovery time. On the other hand, traits related to the abiotic environment were predicted to show convergent trajectories due to a more similar microclimate across strata with increasing recovery age.

Most of the functional traits and the phylogenetic diversity of the ants were clearly stratified, confirming previous findings. However, neither functional nor phylogenetic diversity increased with recovery time. Community‐weighted trait means had complex relationships to recovery time and the majority were shaped by a statistical interaction between recovery time and stratum, confirming our expectations. However, most trait trajectories converged among strata with increasing recovery time regardless of whether they were related to ant diet or environmental conditions.

We confirm the hypothesized interaction among environmental filters during the functional reassembly in tropical forests. Communities in individual strata respond differently to recovery, and possible filter mechanisms likely arise from both abiotic (e.g. microclimate) and biotic (e.g. diet) conditions. Since vertical stratification is prevalent across animal and plant taxa, our results highlight the importance of stratum‐specific analysis in dynamic ecosystems and may generalize beyond ants.
Investigating inclusive education in primary schools in Ghana: what inclusive cultures, environment, and practices support implementation?
Authors: Opoku‐Nkoom Isaac , Ackah‐Jnr Francis R.
Published: February 2023

Schools create an inclusive environment and cultures and enact inclusive practices to cater for the learning and social needs of learners. Using an adapted Ghana Inclusive Education Monitoring Tool (IEMT), which is based on the Index for Inclusion, we collected data from 74 headteachers of primary schools. Data analysis involved percentages and frequencies of multiple‐scaled items of the adapted IEMT. Findings revealed headteachers admit learners with special needs and disabilities (LwSEND) to set the stage for inclusion, while teachers accept these learners in schools. Collaborative cultures among teachers, parents, and other community stakeholders support inclusive education. While classrooms had somewhat good ventilation and lighting, school facilities were less accessible to all learners. Knowledge to adapt the curriculum and the flow of inclusive knowledge among teachers was limited. Suggestions to improve inclusive education include school‐wide professional development for sharing inclusive knowledge, enhancing teachers' pedagogical competence and promoting supportive inclusive cultures.
Home gardens, household nutrition and income in rural farm households in Odisha, India
Authors: Ogutu Sylvester O. , Mockshell Jonathan , Garrett James , Labarta Ricardo , Ritter Thea , Martey Edward , Swamikannu Nedumaran , Gotor Elisabetta , Gonzalez Carolina
Published: February 2023

Home gardens have been an integral part of the recent food‐based interventions aimed at stimulating changes in dietary patterns and improving nutrition. However, evidence of their effects on food security, dietary quality, child anthropometry and incomes is limited, particularly among vulnerable populations groups. Using panel data from a sample of approximately 1900 households from vulnerable population groups in Odisha, India, difference‐in‐differences and other econometric techniques, we analyse the effects of home gardens on food security, dietary quality, child anthropometry and income. On average, home gardens contribute to better household food security, higher dietary quality of men and women but do not contribute to higher children's dietary quality and anthropometry. Also, home gardens increase monthly per adult equivalent incomes by 37% and reduce the prevalence of poverty by 11.7 percentage points. Quantile regression results suggest that home gardens enhance food security and incomes in all quantiles, but richer farmers benefit more than poorer farmers. Overall, home gardens can enhance household food security, dietary quality of men and women, and income gains among vulnerable farming population groups, but they may not suffice to improve child dietary quality and anthropometry.
Iris metastasis as resistance mechanism to atezolizumab, carboplatin, and etoposide but responds to additional irinotecan and anlotinib in a small cell lung cancer patient
Authors: Huang Zhe , Zhang Yongchang
Published: February 2023

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy associated with poor prognosis. Metastasis to sites outside the chest at the time of initial diagnosis, such as bone, brain, and liver metastasis have been found in most SCLC patients. Iris metastases from SCLC have rarely been previously reported, and often cause eye pain and blindness in patients. Here, we report a patient with SCLC who presented with iris metastasis in the right eye and metastasis in the left adrenal gland due to disease progression on first‐line therapy, which subsequently caused pain and blindness in the right eye. The patient was treated with second‐line irinotecan combined with anlotinib and atezolizumab and did not receive any local treatment in the right eye. After only one cycle of treatment, the iris metastases in the right eye were smaller than before, and the visual acuity in the right eye recovered. At the same time, her left adrenal metastases were also significantly smaller than before. Our case suggests that systemic therapy with effective treatment options can similarly improve iris metastases in patients.
Vital function of DRD4 in dapoxetine medicated premature ejaculation treatment
Authors: Gao Pan , Liu Xi , Zhu Tianle , Gao Rui , Gao Jingjing , Zhang Yao , Jiang Hui , Huang Houbao , Zhang Xiansheng
Published: February 2023

Background

Recently, dapoxetine has been widely accepted to treat premature ejaculation by fast‐inhibiting 5‐hydroxytryptamine reuptake. However, dapoxetine is not suitable for all premature ejaculation patients in clinical treatment. We need to investigate and reveal the mechanism deeply to solve this problem.

Objectives

To investigate and reveal the function of dopamine D4 receptor in dapoxetine medicated premature ejaculation treatment.

Materials and methods

A rat model was used to screen rapid ejaculators. The molecular mechanisms of histone serotonylation‐mediated regulation of dopamine D4 receptor were demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation, DNA pull‐down, mass spectrometry analysis, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments. The biological function of dopamine D4 receptor was investigated through in vivo experiments by intrathecal injection of shDRD4 to knockdown dopamine D4 receptor.

Results

In this study, we found that dapoxetine increased expression of 5‐hydroxytryptamine and dopamine D4 receptor. We demonstrated that dapoxetine increased levels of 5‐hydroxytryptamine, which promoted histone serotonylation (H3K4me3Q5ser) and transcription factor myeloid zinc‐finger 1 complex binding on the dopamine D4 receptor promoter, upregulated the expression of dopamine D4 receptor and thus delayed ejaculation.

Discussion

In this study, we demonstrated that dapoxetine increased the levels of 5‐hydroxytryptamine, which promoted histone serotonylation and myeloid zinc‐finger 1 complex binding to the dopamine D4 receptor promoter and upregulated the expression of dopamine D4 receptor, thus delaying ejaculation.

Conclusion

It is a novel mechanism that dapoxetine take effect of premature ejaculation treatment through upregulating the dopamine D4 receptor, which indicated that upregulated dopamine D4 receptor would enhance the dapoxetine effect in premature ejaculation treatment. This may lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions for premature ejaculation.
How to use mixed methods in oral health research
Authors: Nicolau Belinda , Eslamiamirabadi Negin , Dudubo Olawale , Hong Quan Nha , Bedos Christophe , Macdonald Mary Ellen
Published: February 2023

Wicked problems exist in the realm of oral health research. Due to their inherent complexity, using qualitative or quantitative methods alone may not be adequate for resolving them. Mixed methods approaches combine qualitative and quantitative methods, and thus, can provide a powerful tool for understanding and solving complex problems in dental public health. However, using mixed methods does not come without its challenges. This commentary outlines four main tips for researchers to consider when applying mixed methods to their research projects.
Effects of carnitine on glucose and lipid metabolic profiles and fertility outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Gong Yi , Jiang Tong , He Hui , Wang Yu , Wu Guo‐Lin , Shi Ying , Cai Qinjun , Xiong Can‐Li , Shen Rong , Li Jian
Published: February 2023

Objectives

To quantify the effect of carnitine on glucose and lipid metabolic profiles and fertility outcomes in women with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design

A systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted.

Patients

Women with PCOS diagnosed by Rotterdam or Androgen Excess Society (AES) criteria and taking carnitine supplement were assessment.

Measurements

Fertility outcomes (ovulation, clinical pregnancy, live birth, and miscarriage), lipid parameters (BMI, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein, low‐density lipoprotein), fasting glucose and insulin, and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA‐IR).

Results

In total, 839 participants were included in this analysis. The dosage of carnitine and treatment duration reported by studies varied from 250 mg to 3000 mg daily and 84 to 90 days, respectively. The publication bias was absent. Compared with placebo, carnitine significantly improved ovulation rates (RR 3.42, 95% CI 2.39 to 4.89, I2 = 0%) and pregnancy rates (RR 11.05, 95% CI 1.21 to 100.58, I2 = 79%). None of included studies reported live birth. After treatment, carnitine resulted in significant reductions relative to baseline in body mass index (BMI, MD −0.93 kg/m2, 95% CI −1.15 to −0.70, I2 = 55.0%), insulin levels (MD −2.47 mIU/L, 95% CI −4.49 to −0.45, I2 = 0%) and the Homeostasis Model Assessment index (MD −0.67, 95% CI −1.20 to −0.14, I2 = 0%) than placebo, but not for lipid profiles including triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low‐density lipoprotein.

Conclusion

With the available literature, carnitine seems to improve ovulation and clinical pregnancy and insulin resistance, BMI in women with PCOS. These effects are warranted to be further validated, due to insufficient statistical power.
Clinical significance of papillary thyroid carcinoma with solid/trabecular growth
Authors: Pinheiro Sara Lomelino , Miranda Afonso Pedro , Damásio Inês Lemos , Simões‐Pereira Joana , Nunes da Silva Tiago , Leite Valeriano
Published: February 2023

Objective

The clinical relevance of solid/trabecular (ST) growth in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of any amount of ST growth on tumour characteristics and patient outcomes. Furthermore, we evaluated whether ST growth per se affected patients' prognosis in the absence of aggressive features, namely vascular invasion.

Design

We analysed 222 PTC patients followed up for more than 5 years in the Department of Endocrinology of the Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil from 2002 to 2020. All PTC cases with any percentage of ST growth were included and compared with PTC without ST growth (1:2). Carcinomas with high‐grade features were excluded.

Results

There were 74 PTC cases with ST growth and 148 without ST growth (median follow‐up of 9.3 years). PTC‐ST was associated with larger tumour size (p = 0.001) and increased frequency of vascular invasion (p < 0.001) compared with PTC. However, PTC‐ST did not exhibit a higher incidence of extrathyroidal extension (p = 1.000) or lymph node metastasis (p = 0.433). Despite the significantly higher prevalence of distant metastasis in PTC‐ST compared with PTC (p = 0.043), the significance is lost when the cases with vascular invasion were excluded (p = 0.347). The total radioiodine activity was higher in PTC‐ST than in PTC (p = 0.008). Recurrence rates were similar between groups (p = 0.755). The 10‐year overall survival and disease‐free survival rates for PTC‐ST were 94.6% and 98.6%, respectively, similar to the PCT without ST growth (p = 0.097 and p = 0.333, respectively). There was no evidence of an association between the presence of an ST component (p = 0.201) with the risk of death or recurrence, whereas the presence of distant metastasis significantly increased the risk of these events (hazard ratio 10.14, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The presence of ST growth was associated with several aggressive clinicopathological features. However, the risk of cancer recurrence and death for PTC‐ST were similar to PTC. In the absence of vascular invasion, the clinical impact of ST growth alone is negligible.
Cover Image
Authors: Shen Xiaoting , Yang Sijia , Xu Yangbo , Qi Wenting , He Fuming
Published: February 2023

The cover image is based on the Original Article Marginal bone loss of tissue‐ or bone‐level implants after simultaneous guided bone regeneration in the posterior mandibular region: A retrospective cohort study by Xiaoting Shen DDS et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/cid.13144.

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