bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Training of professionals in cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia – A systematic review of peer‐reviewed studies
Authors: Jernelöv Susanna , Blom Kerstin
Published: August 2023

Insomnia is common, and causes substantial individual suffering and costs for society. The recommended first‐line treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT‐I), which is under‐used partly due to a lack of trained providers. To train providers is thus important, but what is the current situation regarding CBT‐I training? A systematic search of databases was conducted to identify scientific peer‐reviewed papers describing CBT‐I training with regards to: existing amounts of training, proposed curricula, trainees, delivery context, content of training, modes of delivery, evaluation of the training from a trainee perspective, and effects on patients. This systematic review shows that research on training in CBT‐I is an emerging field, with the literature presenting a limited number of papers, with varying objectives. One group of papers investigate the amount of training that exists in a region or educational context and/or propose training curricula; and another group evaluate training initiatives and describe CBT‐I training trainees, context, content, modes of delivery, and outcomes on trainees and on treated patients. The studies show that little training is currently provided and proposed curricula vary, and evaluations present promising results: training is feasible in different contexts and modes, digital training may be used to disseminate training efforts at a large scale, trainees' skills increase and positive effects on patients can be seen. To move the field forward, more high‐quality studies on CBT‐I training are needed, and we propose that training in CBT‐I should be targeted towards varying levels of expertise, matching a stepped‐care model.
Risk concentration and the mean‐expected shortfall criterion
Authors: Han Xia , Wang Bin , Wang Ruodu , Wu Qinyu
Published: August 2023

Expected shortfall (ES, also known as CVaR) is the most important coherent risk measure in finance, insurance, risk management, and engineering. Recently, Wang and Zitikis (2021) put forward four economic axioms for portfolio risk assessment and provide the first economic axiomatic foundation for the family of . In particular, the axiom of no reward for concentration (NRC) is arguably quite strong, which imposes an additive form of the risk measure on portfolios with a certain dependence structure. We move away from the axiom of NRC by introducing the notion of concentration aversion, which does not impose any specific form of the risk measure. It turns out that risk measures with concentration aversion are functions of ES and the expectation. Together with the other three standard axioms of monotonicity, translation invariance and lower semicontinuity, concentration aversion uniquely characterizes the family of ES. In addition, we establish an axiomatic foundation for the problem of mean‐ES portfolio selection and new explicit formulas for convex and consistent risk measures. Finally, we provide an economic justification for concentration aversion via a few axioms on the attitude of a regulator towards dependence structures.
Investigating pyroptosis as a mechanism of L. major cell‐to‐cell spread in the human BLaER1 infection model
Authors: Volkmar Kerren , Jaedtka Moritz , Baars Iris , Walber Bianca , Philipp Marie‐Sophie , Bagola Katrin , Müller Andreas J. , Heine Holger , van Zandbergen Ger
Published: August 2023

Leishmania is the causative agent of the tropical neglected disease leishmaniasis and infects macrophages as its definitive host cell. In order to sustain and propagate infections, Leishmania parasites have to complete cycles of exit and re‐infection. Yet, the mechanism driving the parasite spread to other cells remains unclear. Recent studies reported pro‐inflammatory monocytes as replicative niche of Leishmania major and showed prolonged expression of IL‐1β at the site of infection, indicating an activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pointing toward pyroptosis as a possible mechanism of parasite spread. To address the species‐specific inflammasome activation of human cells, we characterized the BLaER1 monocytes as a model for L. major infection. We found that BLaER1 monocytes support infection and activation by Leishmania parasites to the same extent as primary human macrophages. Harnessing the possibilities of this infection model, we first showed that BLaER1 GSDMD−/− cells, which carry a deletion of the pore‐forming protein gasdermin D, are more resistant to pyroptotic cell death and, concomitantly, display a strongly delayed release of intracellular parasite. Using that knockout in a co‐incubation assay in comparison with wild‐type BLaER1 cells, we demonstrate that impairment of the pyroptosis pathway leads to lower rates of parasite spread to new host cells, thus, implicating pyroptotic cell death as a possible exit mechanism of L. major in pro‐inflammatory microenvironments.
The CAP superfamily protein PsCAP1 secreted by Phytophthora triggers immune responses in Nicotiana benthamiana through a leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like protein
Authors: Jiang Haibin , Xia Yeqiang , Zhang Sicong , Zhang Zhichao , Feng Hui , Zhang Qi , Chen Xi , Xiao Junhua , Yang Sen , Zeng Mengzhu , Chen Zhaodan , Ouyang Haibing , He Xinyi , Sun Guangzheng , Wu Jinbin , Dong Suomeng , Ye Wenwu , Ma Zhenchuan , Wang Yan , Wang Yuanchao
Published: August 2023

The role of cysteine‐rich secretory proteins, antigen 5, and pathogenesis‐related 1 (CAP) superfamily proteins in the innate immune responses of mammals is well characterized. However, the biological function of CAP superfamily proteins in plant–microbe interactions is poorly understood.

We used proteomics and transcriptome analyses to dissect the apoplastic effectors secreted by the oomycete Phytophthora sojae during early infection of soybean leaves. By transiently expressing these effectors in Nicotiana benthamiana, we identified PsCAP1, a novel type of secreted CAP protein that triggers immune responses in multiple solanaceous plants including N. benthamiana. This secreted CAP protein is conserved among oomycetes, and multiple PsCAP1 homologs can be recognized by N. benthamiana.

PsCAP1‐triggered immune responses depend on the N‐terminal immunogenic fragment (aa 27–151). Pretreatment of N. benthamiana with PsCAP1 or the immunogenic fragment increases plant resistance against Phytophthora. The recognition of PsCAP1 and different homologs requires the leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like protein RCAP1, which associates with two central receptor‐like kinases BRI1‐associated receptor kinase 1 (BAK1) and suppressor of BIR1‐1 (SOBIR1) in planta.

These findings suggest that the CAP‐type apoplastic effectors act as an important player in plant–microbe interactions that can be perceived by plant membrane‐localized receptor to activate plant resistance.
Intraspecific variation in realized dispersal probability and host quality shape nectar microbiomes
Authors: Francis Jacob S. , Mueller Tobias G. , Vannette Rachel L.
Published: August 2023

Epiphytic microbes frequently affect plant phenotype and fitness, but their effects depend on microbe abundance and community composition. Filtering by plant traits and deterministic dispersal‐mediated processes can affect microbiome assembly, yet their relative contribution to predictable variation in microbiome is poorly understood.

We compared the effects of host‐plant filtering and dispersal on nectar microbiome presence, abundance, and composition. We inoculated representative bacteria and yeast into 30 plants across four phenotypically distinct cultivars of Epilobium canum. We compared the growth of inoculated communities to openly visited flowers from a subset of the same plants.

There was clear evidence of host selection when we inoculated flowers with synthetic communities. However, plants with the highest microbial densities when inoculated did not have the highest microbial densities when openly visited. Instead, plants predictably varied in the presence of bacteria, which was correlated with pollen receipt and floral traits, suggesting a role for deterministic dispersal.

These findings suggest that host filtering could drive plant microbiome assembly in tissues where species pools are large and dispersal is high. However, deterministic differences in microbial dispersal to hosts may be equally or more important when microbes rely on an animal vector, dispersal is low, or arrival order is important.
A point mutation in the rice alpha‐tubulin gene OsTUBA3 causes grain notching
Authors: Xu Chenshan , Chen Bingtang , Huang Shanjin , Deng Zhuyun , Wang Tai
Published: August 2023

Grain notching is a common deformation that decreases rice (Oryza sativa) quality; however, the underlying molecular basis causing grain notching remains unclear.

We report mechanisms underlying grain notching in Small and notched grain (Sng) mutants, which contained an arginine to histidine substitution at amino acid position 422 (R422H) of the α‐tubulin protein OsTUBA3. The R422H mutation decreased cell length and increased cell width/height of glumes and caryopses, but led to elongated caryopses compressed within shortened glumes, thus giving rise to notched and small grains. Glume and caryopsis cells had different dimensional orientations relative to the directions of organ elongation. Thus, the abnormal cell expansion induced in glumes and caryopses by the R422H mutation had different effects on elongation of these organs.

The R422H mutation in OsTUBA3 compromised β‐tubulin binding and led to formation of defective heterodimers. This in turn affected tubulin incorporation and microtubule (MT) nucleation and regrowth, consequently leading to MT instability and reducing the transverse orientation. The defective MT dynamics affected cell expansion and shape, causing different alterations in glume and caryopsis dimensions and resulting in grain notching.

These data indicate that Arg422 in OsTUBA3 is crucial for MT dynamics and that substitution with His causes grain notching, reducing grain quality and yield. These findings offer valuable insights into the molecular regulation underlying grain development in rice.
Communication strategies and effectiveness of early childhood obesity‐related prevention programs for linguistically diverse communities: A rapid review
Authors: Ahern Sinead , Marshall Sarah , Wallbank Geraldine , Jawad Danielle , Taki Sarah , Baur Louise A. , Wen Li Ming
Published: August 2023

Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds experience higher rates of obesity and have poorer outcomes in obesity prevention studies. Interventions tailored to specific cultural groups may be limited within linguistically diverse, multicultural communities, and thus, alternative approaches to childhood obesity prevention in these communities are needed. This study aims to describe communication strategies used in interventions targeting prevention of obesity/obesity‐related behaviors, among children 0–5 years, from linguistically diverse communities, and assess their effectiveness. A rapid review was conducted by systematically searching Medline, Embase, and CINAHL. The inclusion criteria are as follows: Studies reported an intervention tailored to linguistically diverse communities targeting at least one obesity‐related behavior among children 0–5 years. The exclusion criteria are as follows: Interventions used simple language translations, targeted one language group, or treated obesity. A total of 4677 articles were identified with 14 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Key communication strategies included materials in multiple languages, English text written at a set readability level, and multimodal delivery. Six studies reported effectiveness data, of which five had effective primary or secondary outcomes. This is the first rapid review to identify communication strategies used in childhood obesity prevention interventions for linguistically diverse communities, highlighting a need for future research to incorporate and evaluate the communication strategies identified.
Derrida and the exemplarity of literature
Authors: Toft Kristian Olesen
Published: August 2023

Jacques Derrida's scattered remarks on the ambiguous role examples play in the passage between the universal and the singular revolve around an often‐neglected point: any attempt to theorise exemplarity will itself be subject to the law it seeks to account for. This oversight limits scholarship on the subject, but may be amended by returning to the loci classici on exemplarity in Derrida's Glas, La vérité en peinture, Passions, and elsewhere. Moreover, in three texts published in the 1980s: La loi du genre, Préjugés and Psyché, Derrida emphasises how literature is particularly given to ‘remark’ its own status as literature and as such provides a privileged example of the problem of exemplarity. Another example in which exemplarity is in general singularly implicated is deconstruction itself.
Checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor + low‐dose hydroxyurea efficiently kills BRAF inhibitor‐ and immune checkpoint inhibitor‐resistant melanomas
Authors: Zeng Zhen , Ngo Hung Long , Proctor Martina , Rizos Helen , Dolcetti Riccardo , Cruz Jazmina Gonzalez , Wells James W. , Gabrielli Brian
Published: August 2023

Treatment of melanomas with targeted and immunotherapies has proven effective, but resistance to both treatments is a common outcome leaving a high proportion of patients without effective alternative treatment options. Replication stress is a common feature of melanomas, and this is effectively targeted using a combination of checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) inhibitor and low‐dose hydroxyurea (LDHU). This combination also promotes inflammatory and anti‐tumour immune responses in vivo. Melanoma cell lines resistant to BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi) or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) retain their sensitivity to CHK1i + LDHU, with sensitivity similar to that of parental tumours. In vivo, BRAFi‐resistant and BRAFi‐sensitive parental tumours produce an identical immune response with treatment.
Effect of cornstalk biochar on phytoremediation of Pb‐contaminated soil by females and males ofPopulus deltoides(Salicaceae)
Authors: Su Yan , Peng Shuming , Xu Gang , Gao Qiao , Chen Juan , Lu Xuyang , Duan Baoli
Published: August 2023

Soil pollution with lead (Pb) has become a serious global concern, adversely affecting the forest ecosystem. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of corn straw on the remediation efficiency of Pb‐contaminated soil usingPopulus deltoides. Female and maleP. deltoidescuttings were subjected to soil spiked with 900 mg kg−1Pb and amended with 5% (v/v) corn straw biochar for 90 days. Under Pb stress, the addition of biochar significantly increased the total biomass accumulation by 29% in females and 26% in males. However, without the addition of biochar, the biomass accumulation was significantly reduced by 11% in females and 3% in males under Pb stress. Females showed a higher uptake and accumulation of Pb in roots and leaves, while males accumulated more Pb in roots and stems and exhibited an increased anti‐oxidative capacity. Biochar addition alleviated Pb toxicity in both male and femaleP. deltoidesby immobilizing Pb ion in the soil, reducing Pb uptake and translocation, promoting nutrient uptake, and improving the diversity and stability of the soil bacteria community. Under Pb stress, the relative abundances of metal‐resistance bacteria significantly increased, such as the abundance of Bacteroidetes in females and the abundances of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes in males. In brief, the males under biochar addition exhibited promising potential as candidates for phytoremediation of Pb‐contaminated soil. This study provides new insights into mechanisms underlying sexually differential responses to Pb stress in the presence of biochar amendment.
Immune disorders induced by improper use of dietary immunostimulants in aquatic animals: Research progress and prospective solutions by targeting gut microbiota
Authors: Zhang Qingshuang , Yang Hongwei , Teame Tsegay , Ran Chao , Yang Yalin , Yao Yuanyuan , Ding Qianwen , Liu Shubin , Li Shengkang , Zhang Zhen , Zhou Zhigang
Published: August 2023

Immunostimulants were widely used in aquafeed due to their multiple important functions, including promoting growth, enhancing non‐specific defence mechanisms and resisting infectious diseases. But the efficiencies of the positive effects of immunostimulants were affected by the duration of the administration and their dose. Short‐term and normal‐dose of immunostimulants promoted the growth and enhance non‐specific immunity of aquatic animals. However, improper use led to several immune disorders, including immune tolerance, immune exhaustion and over‐immunity. The application of two immunostimulant diets in rotation technique and the intermittent use of immune stimulant diets may solve the problems associated with immune disorders, but this application method will be limited by both species and immunostimulants. The occurrence of immune disorders is accompanied by different degrees of gut microbiota dysbiosis, especially significantly up‐regulated the abundance of Proteobacteria. Besides, the gut symbiotic microbiota plays a significant role in host immunity. Consequently, the regulation of gut microbiota may be an effective way to modulate immune disorders caused by improper use of polysaccharide immunostimulants. Regulating the gut microbiota not only solves the negative effects caused by improper use of immunostimulants without restrictions on both species and immunostimulants, but also has the advantage of simplicity and convenience compared to conventional approaches. In summary, this article reviews the possible negative effects caused by improper use of immunostimulants on aquatic animals and compares regular approaches with regulating gut microbiota. And gut microbiota maybe be used as a therapeutic target to improve immune disorders caused by immunostimulants in aquatic animals.
Hypoglycaemia management with a hypercaloric supplementation in neonatal puppies delivered by caesarean section
Authors: Fuchs Kárita da Mata , Pacífico Pereira Keylla Helena Nobre , de Sousa Gabriela Carneiro , Xavier Gleice Mendes , Camargo Gabriel de Azevedo , de Souza Fabiana Ferreira , Lourenço Maria Lucia Gomes
Published: August 2023

There is a high perinatal mortality rate in dogs, estimated at 20%, and one of the leading causes of this rate is hypoglycaemia. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a hypercaloric supplement containing vitamins and amino acids in newborn puppies presenting hypoglycaemia at birth. Ninety‐nine pups were divided into four groups: normoglycaemic caesarean section (NORMOCS), hypoglycaemic caesarean section supplemented with the hypercaloric (SUPLCS), hypoglycaemic caesarean section supplemented with glucose (GLICCS) and eutocic delivery (EUT). We evaluated the following parameters glycaemia, Apgar score, neurological reflexes and rectal temperature of neonates at the following moments 5 min (M5), 30 min (M30) and 60 min (M60) after birth. Brachycephalic dogs were 73.3% (22/30) of caesarean sections (c‐sections). The puppy's average glycaemia represented about 90% of the maternal glycaemia, while 15.1% (14/99) of the neonates had hypoglycaemia (<90 mg/dL) at M0 and 46.5% (44/99) at M60. Only four neonates had glycaemia below 40 mg/dL at M30 but without showing any clinical signs. The puppy's fasting while waiting for the intraoperative period and the dam's anaesthetic recovery was considered risk factors for hypoglycaemia. There was no difference in mean blood glucose levels or vitality parameters among puppies from the SUPLCS and GLICCS. In conclusion, the hypercaloric supplement can be used as a replacement for glucose in hypoglycaemic puppies and it can also bring nutritional benefits for the puppy. The prepartum glycaemia of the dam is an important parameter to be measured, and the appropriate management of it reduces the chances of the puppies being born with hypoglycaemia.
Dental management of Kartagener syndrome: A case report
Authors: Abed Hassan , Gogandi Huda , Almutawwif Mustafa , Aloufi Abdullah , Tashkandi Mustafa , Alqarni Ali , Aladwani Fahad , Sadek Hisham S.
Published: August 2023

Background

Kartagener syndrome (KS) is recognized as an inherited, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a combination of chronic sinusitis, bronchiectasis, and situs inversus. It affects one in 12,500–50,000 live births worldwide.

Aim

This paper aims to discuss the dental management of patients diagnosed with KS.

Case Report

A 31‐year‐old male with KS manifests by impaired cilia motility which increases the risk of a frequent lung infection. The dental examination revealed that the patient required comprehensive oral hygiene care which included patient education and nonsurgical periodontal therapy under local anesthesia.

Conclusions

Dental care providers should ask affected patients with KS about their signs and symptoms of cardiac and pulmonary disease and seek consultation with their attending physician regarding these health concerns before the initiation of general anesthesia and perhaps conscious sedation administration. Patients with KS with emerging cardiac and/or respiratory impairment should be referred promptly for medical assessment.
Income taxation and progressivity: A measure of equitability
Authors: Creedy John , Subramanian S.
Published: August 2023

This paper proposes a measure of ‘equitability of taxation’, in the context of progressivity and the income tax. By postulating specifications of ‘extreme equitability’ and ‘extreme inequitability’ of a tax system, the paper advances a measure of tax equitability as the normalised area distance of a ‘tax concentration curve’ from its most inequitable version. The measure is derived, and a procedure is outlined for the decomposition of differences in the measure across regimes into a ‘distribution effect’ and a ‘tax system’ effect. A criterion is established for asserting ‘unambiguously greater equitability’ in comparisons across regimes, in terms of a dominance relation akin to the Lorenz quasi‐ordering. The measure is illustrated with the help of numerical examples.
Emotional actions: A new approach
Authors: Pineda David
Published: August 2023

The recent philosophical literature on emotional action is divided between Humeans, who think that emotional action, for all its peculiarities, can in fact be explained along Humean lines, that is, with belief–desire pairs; and emotionists, who think that emotional actions can only be explained by appealing to emotions and some of their special features. After reviewing this philosophical discussion, I will argue, first, that none of the philosophical accounts of emotional action analysed, whether Humean or emotionist, is satisfactory enough. Second, I will argue that this philosophical debate has reached a stalemate, which does not allow further progress and which has not been able to provide us with a compelling account of such emotional actions where it is not obvious which is the goal involved. Third, I will argue that in order to overcome this stalemate, we need to approach emotional action in a radically different way. Drawing on ideas from some psychologists, I will suggest that the relevant philosophical issue should be whether emotional action is, or is not, goal‐directed. Finally, I will suggest how emotional actions, particularly the most puzzling ones, can be accounted for according to this new approach.
Safety and efficacy of weight‐based ganciclovir dosing strategies in overweight/obese patients
Authors: Miller William , January Spenser , Klaus Jeff , Neuner Elizabeth , Pande Anupam , Krekel Tamara
Published: August 2023

Background

The management of cytomegalovirus (CMV) is particularly challenging as both CMV and its usual first‐line treatment, ganciclovir, are associated with neutropenia. Ganciclovir dosing is weight‐based, most commonly utilizing total body weight (TBW). The subsequent high doses of ganciclovir in overweight/obese patients may increase the risk of toxicity. Utilizing adjusted body weight (AdjBW) dosing may help mitigate this risk. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the difference in toxicity and efficacy between TBW and AdjBW ganciclovir dosing strategies in overweight/obese patients.

Methods

This retrospective study conducted safety and efficacy analyses of ganciclovir courses (≥72 h) used as CMV treatment. The primary safety outcome was the incidence of neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count <1000 cells/μL), and the primary efficacy outcome was a 2‐log decrease in CMV polymerase chain reaction within 4 weeks following ganciclovir initiation. In both analyses, courses were excluded in which ganciclovir was dosed outside of specified renal dosing parameters for >20% of the course.

Results

Among the 253 courses in the safety cohort, there was no difference in the incidence of neutropenia (17.4% vs. 13.5%, p = .50) in AdjBW compared to TBW dosing. In the 62 courses evaluating efficacy, there was no statistical difference between AdjBW and TBW dosing (60.0% vs. 45.2%, p = .28). No subgroups were identified in which AdjBW dosing was advantageous.

Conclusion

Utilization of AdjBW ganciclovir dosing did not result in decreased neutropenia or treatment efficacy as compared to TBW dosing. Further studies with larger patient populations would be beneficial to confirm these findings.

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Systematic fungal biomarker or polymerase chain reaction testing in lung transplant recipients: Retrospective analysis to optimize their use
Authors: Boutin Catherine‐Audrey , Ison Michael G
Published: August 2023

Background

Among lung transplant recipients, serial bronchoscopies are performed frequently. Often, serial galactomannan (GM), 1,3‐β‐d‐glucan (BDG), and Pneumocystis jirovecii (PJ) testing is performed with these broncho‐alveolar lavages (BALs) as standard of care with limited data to support their routine use.

Methods

After Institutional Review Board approval, we retrospectively collected all blood and BAL GM, BDG, and PJ test results from January 2015 to July 20, 2022. Primary data collection from the Northwestern Medicine EDW was supplemented by manual chart review.

Results

During the study period, 236 lung transplant recipients were cared for by our center. Of these patients, 217 (91.9%) had 1418 GM tests performed; 61 (4.3%) were positive (index ≥1). Fungal cultures were requested for most BAL‐GM (90.7%). Out of duplicates in same BAL, results discrepancy was minimal (3.4%). 172 (72.9%) had BDG tests were performed; 25.6% were positive. Thirteen patients had multiple BDG during one hospitalization (mean 2.3 tests); none of the negative test repeated became positive. Eleven negative BDG were seen in patients with invasive aspergillosis (IA). Note that, 577 PJ testing were performed (direct fluorescent antibody [n = 494] or polymerase chain reaction [PCR] [n = 80], or both [n = 3]) in 174 different patients. None were positive.

Conclusion

Despite supplemental GM, BDG, and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia PCR being performed routinely on lung transplant recipients undergoing BAL at our center, the data suggests a more tailored approach may be appropriate. There is no role for routine serial testing with these assays during a single hospitalization. BDG confers no added‐value over GM with cultures for IA diagnosis.

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StMLP1, as a Kunitz trypsin inhibitor, enhances potato resistance and specifically expresses in vascular bundles during Ralstonia solanacearum infection
Authors: Wang Bingsen , Wang Yuqi , He Wenfeng , Huang Mengshu , Yu Liu , Cheng Dong , Du Juan , Song Botao , Chen Huilan
Published: August 2023

Miraculin‐like proteins (MLPs), members of the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) family that are present in various plants, have been discovered to have a role in defending plants against pathogens. In this study, we identified a gene StMLP1 in potato that belongs to the KTI family. We found that the expression of StMLP1 gradually increases during Ralstonia solanacearum (R. solanacearum) infection. We characterized the promoter of StMLP1 as an inducible promoter that can be triggered by R. solanacearum and as a tissue‐specific promoter with specificity for vascular bundle expression. Our findings demonstrate that StMLP1 exhibits trypsin inhibitor activity, and that its signal peptide is essential for proper localization and function. Overexpression of StMLP1 in potato can enhance the resistance to R. solanacearum. Inhibiting the expression of StMLP1 during infection accelerated the infection by R. solanacearum to a certain extent. In addition, the RNA‐seq results of the overexpression‐StMLP1 lines indicated that StMLP1 was involved in potato immunity. All these findings in our study reveal that StMLP1 functions as a positive regulator that is induced and specifically expressed in vascular bundles in response to R. solanacearum infection.
FDI, production networks and firm behaviour: Evidence from the South African automotive industry
Authors: Higuchi Yuki , Barnes Justin , Black Anthony , Otsuka Keijiro
Published: August 2023

Firms in developing countries can learn advanced technology and management know‐how through foreign direct investment (FDI). The extent (or the lack) of transmission of technology and knowledge depends on the structure of production networks. In the automotive industry, networks consist of vehicle assemblers and their layers of parts suppliers. We used the South African automotive industry as a case study to examine how the behaviour of assemblers and parts suppliers is linked. Based on statistical analysis using the original firm‐level data, we found that the first‐tier suppliers significantly increased their production with the regional expansion of automotive production. However, such growth linkages were not observed among lower‐tier suppliers. Further, we obtained the suggestive evidence that only multinational (and not local) first‐tier firms improved their production efficiency, indicating the importance of production networks among multinationals in transmitting technology.
Reliability of the Enterprise Point‐of‐Care (EPOC) blood analyzer's calculated arterial oxygen‐hemoglobin saturation in immobilized white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum)
Authors: Mtetwa Thembeka K. , Snelling Edward P. , Donaldson Ashleigh C. , Buss Peter E. , Meyer Leith C. R.
Published: August 2023

Background

Enterprise Point‐of‐Care (EPOC) blood analysis is used routinely in wildlife veterinary practice to monitor blood oxygenation, but the reliability of the EPOC calculated arterial oxygen‐hemoglobin saturation (cSaO2) has never been validated in the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), despite their susceptibility to hypoxemia during chemical immobilization.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate the reliability of the EPOC cSaO2 by comparing it against arterial oxygen‐hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) measured by a co‐oximeter reference method in immobilized white rhinoceroses.

Methods

Male white rhinoceroses in two studies (both n = 8) were immobilized by darting with different etorphine‐based drug combinations, followed by butorphanol or saline (administered intravenously). Animals in both studies received oxygen via intranasal insufflation after 60 min. Blood samples were drawn, at predetermined time points, from a catheter inserted into the auricular artery and analyzed using the EPOC and a co‐oximeter. Bland–Altman (to estimate bias and precision) and area root mean squares (ARMS) plots were used to determine the reliability of the EPOC cSaO2 compared with simultaneous co‐oximeter SaO2 readings.

Results

The rhinoceros were acidotic (pH of 7.3 ± 0.1 [mean ± standard deviation]), hypercapnic (PaCO2 of 73.7 ± 10.5 mmHg), and normothermic (body temperature of 37.4 ± 1.8°C). In total, 389 paired cSaO2‐SaO2 measurements were recorded (the cSaO2 ranged between 13.2% and 99.0%, and the SaO2 ranged between 11.8% and 99.9%). The EPOC cSaO2 readings were unreliable (inaccurate, imprecise, and poor ARMS) across the entire saturation range (bias −6%, precision 5%, and ARMS 8%).

Conclusions

The EPOC cSaO2 is unreliable and should not be used to monitor blood oxygenation in immobilized white rhinoceroses.
Two motor neuron synergies, invariant across ankle joint angles, activate the triceps surae during plantarflexion
Authors: Levine Jackson , Avrillon Simon , Farina Dario , Hug François , Pons José L.
Published: August 2023

Recent studies have suggested that the nervous system generates movements by controlling groups of motor neurons (synergies) that do not always align with muscle anatomy. In this study, we determined whether these synergies are robust across tasks with different mechanical constraints. We identified motor neuron synergies using principal component analysis (PCA) and cross‐correlations between smoothed discharge rates of motor neurons. In part 1, we used simulations to validate these methods. The results suggested that PCA can accurately identify the number of common inputs and their distribution across active motor neurons. Moreover, the results confirmed that cross‐correlation can separate pairs of motor neurons that receive common inputs from those that do not receive common inputs. In part 2, 16 individuals performed plantarflexion at three ankle angles while we recorded EMG signals from the gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and medialis (GM) and the soleus (SOL) with grids of surface electrodes. The PCA revealed two motor neuron synergies. These motor neuron synergies were relatively stable, with no significant differences in the distribution of motor neuron weights across ankle angles (P = 0.62). When the cross‐correlation was calculated for pairs of motor units tracked across ankle angles, we observed that only 13.0% of pairs of motor units from GL and GM exhibited significant correlations of their smoothed discharge rates across angles, confirming the low level of common inputs between these muscles. Overall, these results highlight the modularity of movement control at the motor neuron level, suggesting a sensible reduction of computational resources for movement control.

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Key points

The CNS might generate movements by activating groups of motor neurons (synergies) with common inputs.

We show here that two main sources of common inputs drive the motor neurons innervating the triceps surae muscles during isometric ankle plantarflexions.

We report that the distribution of these common inputs is globally invariant despite changing the mechanical constraints of the tasks, i.e. the ankle angle.

These results suggest the functional relevance of the modular organization of the CNS to control movements.
Decision-Making Processes Used by Canadian National Sport Organization Boards: Differences Between Design Archetypes
Authors: Hoye Russell , Parent Milena M. , Thompson Ashley , Lachance Erik L. , Naraine Michael L. , Taks Marijke , Séguin Benoit
Published: August 2023

This paper examines the decision-making role of Canadian national sport organization boards, identifies the processes used to facilitate decision making by these boards, and explores whether these elements differ between the various design archetypes that exist among these organizations. Forty-five semistructured interviews were conducted with board members and senior staff of 22 Canadian national sport organizations, and data were thematically analyzed. Findings indicate board members and senior staff focused on strategy as their primary role, along with control over other roles (e.g., providing advice and counsel or securing resources). Roles differed according to the organization’s design archetype. Our analysis showed clear differences between design archetypes in terms of how these the organizations used structural artifacts such as subcommittees to facilitate decision making, navigated decision rights between board members and paid staff, and adhered to the Carver policy governance model promoted for national sport organizations by Sport Canada.
Reduced thalamic excitation to motor cortical pyramidal tract neurons in parkinsonism
Authors: Chen Liqiang , Daniels Samuel , Dvorak Rachel , Chu Hong-Yuan
Published: August 2023

Degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons alters the connectivity and functionality of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Particularly, the aberrant outputs of the primary motor cortex (M1) contribute to parkinsonian motor deficits. However, cortical adaptations at cellular and synaptic levels in parkinsonism remain poorly understood. Using multidisciplinary approaches, we found that DA degeneration induces cell subtype– and input-specific reduction of thalamic excitation to M1 pyramidal tract (PT) neurons. At molecular level, we identified that
N
-methyl-
d
-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a key role in mediating the reduced thalamocortical excitation to PT neurons. At circuit level, we showed that the reduced thalamocortical transmission in parkinsonian mice can be rescued by chemogenetically suppressing basal ganglia outputs. Together, our data suggest that cell subtype– and synapse-specific adaptations in M1 contribute to altered cortical outputs in parkinsonism and are important aspects of PD pathophysiology.
Spatially differential regulation of ATF2 phosphorylation contributes to warning coloration of gregarious locusts
Authors: Kang Xinle , Yang Meiling , Cui Xiaoshuang , Wang Huimin , Kang Le
Published: August 2023

Warning coloration are common defense strategies used by animals to deter predators. Pestilential gregarious locusts exhibit a notable black-brown pattern as a form of warning coloration. However, the mechanisms regulating this distinctive pattern remain largely unknown. Here, we revealed that the black and brown integuments of locusts are governed by varying amounts of β-carotene and β-carotene–binding protein (βCBP) complexes. β
CBP
expression is regulated by the bZIP transcription factor activation transcription factor 2 (ATF2), which is activated by protein kinase C alpha in response to crowding. Specifically, ATF2 is phosphorylated at Ser
327
and translocates to the nucleus, where it binds to the β
CBP
promoter and stimulates overexpression. Differential phosphorylation of ATF2 leads to the divergent black and brown coloration in gregarious locusts. The accumulation of red pigments vital for creating the brown sternum depends on βCBP overexpression. The spatial variation in ATF2 phosphorylation enables locusts to rapidly adapt to changing environment for aposematism.
Pneumatic cells toward absolute Gaussian morphing
Authors: Gao Tian , Bico José , Roman Benoît
Published: August 2023

On a flat map of the Earth, continents are inevitably distorted. Reciprocally, curving a plate simultaneously in two directions requires a modification of in-plane distances, as Gauss stated in his seminal theorem. Although emerging architectured materials with programmed in-plane distortions are capable of such shape morphing, an additional control of local bending is required to precisely set the final shape of the resulting three-dimensional surface. Inspired by bulliform cells in leaves of monocotyledon plants, we show how the internal structure of flat panels can be designed to program bending and in-plane distortions simultaneously when pressurized, leading to a targeted shell shape. These surfaces with controlled stiffness and fast actuation are manufactured using consumer-grade materials and open a route to large-scale shape-morphing robotics applications.
John B. Goodenough (1922–2023)
Authors: Grey Clare P. , Lewis Laura H.
Published: August 2023

A giant in the fields of solid-state chemistry and physics
China prepares to open new neutrino observatory
Authors: Normile Dennis
Published: August 2023

Physicists hope to answer long-standing question about the relative masses of the three types of neutrinos
CDPK2A and CDPK1 form a signaling module upstream of
Toxoplasma
motility
Authors: Shortt Emily , Hackett Caroline G. , Stadler Rachel V. , Kent Robyn S. , Herneisen Alice L. , Ward Gary E. , Lourido Sebastian
Published: August 2023

In apicomplexan parasites, the transition between replication and dissemination is regulated by fluctuations in cytosolic calcium concentrations, transduced in part by calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs). We examined the role of CDPK2A in the lytic cycle of
Toxoplasma
, analyzing its role in the regulation of cellular processes associated with parasite motility. We used chemical-genetic approaches and conditional depletion to determine that CDPK2A contributes to the initiation of parasite motility through microneme discharge. We demonstrate that the N-terminal extension of CDPK2A is necessary for the protein’s function. Conditional depletion revealed an epistatic interaction between CDPK2A and CDPK1, suggesting that the two kinases work together to mediate motility in response to certain stimuli. This signaling module appears distinct from that of CDPK3 and protein kinase G, which also control egress. CDPK2A is revealed as an important regulator of the
Toxoplasma
kinetic phase, linked to other kinases that govern this critical transition. Our work uncovers extensive interconnectedness between the signaling pathways that regulate parasite motility.

IMPORTANCE

This work uncovers interactions between various signaling pathways that govern
Toxoplasma gondii
egress. Specifically, we compare the function of three canonical calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) using chemical-genetic and conditional-depletion approaches. We describe the function of a previously uncharacterized CDPK, CDPK2A, in the
Toxoplasma
lytic cycle, demonstrating that it contributes to parasite fitness through regulation of microneme discharge, gliding motility, and egress from infected host cells. Comparison of analog-sensitive kinase alleles and conditionally depleted alleles uncovered epistasis between CDPK2A and CDPK1, implying a partial functional redundancy. Understanding the topology of signaling pathways underlying key events in the parasite life cycle can aid in efforts targeting kinases for anti-parasitic therapies.
Dual RNA-seq identifies genes and pathways modulated during
Clostridioides difficile
colonization
Authors: Frost Lucy R. , Stark Richard , Anonye Blessing O. , MacCreath Thomas O. , Ferreira Ludmila R. P. , Unnikrishnan Meera
Published: August 2023

The gastrointestinal pathogen
Clostridioides difficile
is the most common cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. Bacterial interactions with the gut mucosa are crucial for the establishment of
C. difficile
infection; however, key infection events like bacterial attachment and gut penetration are still poorly defined. To better understand the initial events that occur when this anaerobe interacts with the human gut epithelium, we employed a dual RNA-sequencing approach to study the bacterial and host transcriptomic profiles during
C. difficile
infection in a dual environment
in vitro
human gut model. Temporal changes in gene expression during infection were studied in bacterial and epithelial cells over 3–24 hours. While there were several common differentially expressed bacterial genes across different timepoints after infection, mammalian transcriptional profiles were quite distinct, with little overlap. Interestingly, an induction of colonic receptors for
C. difficile
toxins was observed, along with the downregulation of genes encoding immune response markers. Several cell wall-associated proteins were downregulated in
C. difficile
when associated with host cells, including
slpA
, which encodes the main S-layer protein. Gene function and pathway enrichment analyses revealed a potential modulation of the purine/pyrimidine synthesis pathways both in the mammalian and bacterial cells. We observed that proline-proline endopeptidase, a secreted metalloprotease responsible for cell surface protein cleavage, is downregulated during infection, and a mutant lacking this enzyme demonstrated enhanced adhesion to epithelial cells during infection. This study provides new insight into the host and bacterial pathways based on gene expression modulation during the initial contact of
C. difficile
with gut cells.

IMPORTANCE

The initial interactions between the colonic epithelium and the bacterium are likely critical in the establishment of
Clostridioides difficile
infection, one of the major causes of hospital-acquired diarrhea worldwide. Molecular interactions between
C. difficile
and human gut cells have not been well defined mainly due to the technical challenges of studying cellular host–pathogen interactions with this anaerobe. Here we have examined transcriptional changes occurring in the pathogen and host cells during the initial 24 hours of infection. Our data indicate several changes in metabolic pathways and virulence-associated factors during the initial bacterium-host cell contact and early stages of infection. We describe canonical pathways enriched based on the expression profiles of a dual RNA sequencing in the host and bacterium, and functions of bacterial factors that are modulated during infection. This study thus provides fresh insight into the early
C. difficile
infection process.
Diagnostic performance of DNA probe-based and PCR-based molecular vaginitis testing
Authors: Navarathna Dhammika H. , Lukey Janell , Coppin John David , Jinadatha Chetan
Published: August 2023

Vaginitis is usually diagnosed empirically, microscopically, via cultures, or by molecular testing for the detection of bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), or
Trichomonas vaginalis
(TV). The DNA probe–based technique detects BV by identifying
Gardnerella vaginalis
, VVC by identifying
Candida
spp., while real-time PCR-based detection methods identify BV by algorithmic analysis of the absence or presence of known vaginal flora. We examined 8,878 total orders placed for DNA probe–based identification (ID) and 10,464 total orders placed for molecular panel ID. We found that PCR-based BV test positivity reduced from 30% to 23% compared with the population tested with DNA probe–based testing. We also found that PCR-based testing VVC positivity increased from 6.3% and 11.6% when compared with DNA probe–based testing. Bayesian generalized linear analysis estimated a lower mean proportion of positive tests for BV in PCR-based molecular panels than DNA probe testing suggesting an under-call of BV. The same models estimated a higher mean proportion of positive tests for molecular vaginal panels than DNA probe testing suggesting an increased detection of candidal vaginitis. In addition, the mean (SD) age for patients with
Candida albicans
was 40.5 (40.0–41.1) years. Patients with
Candida glabrata
(now
N. glabrata
) were 5.2–8.1 (mean 6.7) years older than patients with
Candida albicans
. Our retrospective data analysis found that BD Max MVP’s ability to discriminate between vaginal candidiasis versus other yeast will help to implement CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)-recommended treatment options. We also believe that providers’ inattention to non-albicans treatment could be an issue nationwide.

IMPORTANCE

Using retrospective data from U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved/cleared molecular vaginal panels, molecular methods were found to have higher detection for
Candida
vaginitis and lower detection for bacterial vaginitis when compared to probe-based methods. In addition, the differentiation of
Candida
and non-
Candida
yeast has not reached the physician community as we observed noncompliance in recommended therapy. Furthermore, the pros and cons of migrating to molecular testing from conventional microscopy for identifying bacterial vaginitis and fungal vaginitis have been examined and reported in this paper. Interestingly, the mean (SD) age for patients with
Candida albicans
was 40.5 (40.0–41.1) years. Patients with
N. glabrata
were 5.2–8.1 (mean 6.7) years older than patients with
Candida albicans
.