bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A surprising lack of presaccadic benefits during visual change detection
Authors: Gupta Priyanka , Sridharan Devarajan
Published: January 2023

Even before the eyes move, visual sensitivity improves at the target of the planned eye movement. Yet, it is unknown if such “presaccadic” benefits are merely sensory, or also influence decisional processes. We teased apart these contributions with signal detection theory, and discovered a surprising absence of presaccadic benefits in visual change detection tasks. Participants planned and executed saccades while concurrently detecting and localizing either orientation or contrast changes. Spatial choice bias reliably improved presaccadically but, surprisingly, without a concomitant increase in perceptual sensitivity. Additional investigation with an orientation estimation task, and a Bayesian “variable precision” model, revealed that sensory precision increased at the saccade target, but only for the most recent of two successive stimuli. Moreover, the recent stimulus perceptually biased feature estimates of the prior stimulus, rendering accurate change detection even more challenging. Our results uncover novel perceptual and decisional mechanisms that mediate presaccadic change detection.

Lay Summary

Planning a rapid eye movement (saccade) changes how we perceive our visual world. Even before we move the eyes visual sensitivity improves at the impending target of eye movements, a phenomenon termed “presaccadic attention”. We report a surprising lack of such presaccadic attention benefits in a common, everyday setting: change detection. In fact, presaccadic attention renders change detection more challenging by biasing percepts toward the most recent of successive stimuli at the saccade target location. With a Bayesian model, we show how such perceptual and choice biases induced by eye movement planning affect change detection behavior. Our findings may have critical implications for real-world scenarios, like driving, that involve rapid gaze shifts in dynamically changing environments.
Single-cell transcriptional analysis of lamina propria lymphocytes in the jejunum reveals ILC-like cells in pigs
Authors: Wang Junhong , Gao Ming , Cheng Mingyang , Sun Yu , Lu Yiyuan , Li Xiaoxu , Shi Chunwei , Wang Jianzhong , Wang Nan , Yang Wentao , Jiang Yanlong , Huang Haibin , Yang Guilian , Zeng Yan , Wang Chunfeng , Cao Xin
Published: January 2023

Pigs are the most suitable model to study various therapeutic strategies and drugs for human beings, while knowledge about tissue- and cell-type-specific transcriptomes and heterogeneity is poorly available. Here, we focused on the intestinal immunity of pigs. Through single-cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) and flow cytometry analysis of the types of immune cells in the jejunum of pigs, we found that innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) existed in the lamina propria lymphocytes (LPLs) of the jejunum. Then, through flow sorting of Live/Dead (L/D)-Lineage(LIN)-CD45+cells and scRNA-seq, we found that ILCs in the porcine jejunum were mainly ILC3s, with a small number of ILC1s, ILC2s, and NK cells. Through a gene expression map, we found that ILCs coexpressed IL-7Rα, ID2, and other genes and differentially expressed RORC, GATA3, and other genes but did not express the CD3 gene. According to their gene expression profiles, ILC3s can be divided into four subgroups, and genes such as CXCL8, CXCL2, IL-22, IL-17, and NCR2 are differentially expressed. To further detect and identify ILC3s, we prepared RORC monoclonal antibodies and verified the classification of ILCs in the porcine jejunum subgroup and the expression of related hallmark genes at the protein level by flow cytometry. For systematically characterizing of ILCs in the porcine intestines, we combined our pig ILCs dataset with publicly available human and mice ILCs data and identified that the humans and pigs ILCs shared more common features than those mice ILCs in gene signatures and cell states. For the first time, our results showed in detail the gene expression of porcine jejunal ILCs, the subtype classification of ILCs, and the markers of various ILCs, which provides a basis for an in-depth exploration of porcine intestinal mucosal immunity.

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Graphical abstract
Interaction of mitochondrial polygenic score and environmental factors in LRRK2 p.Gly2019Ser parkinsonism
Authors: Lüth Theresa , Gabbert Carolin , König Inke R. , Caliebe Amke , Koch Sebastian , Laabs Björn-Hergen , Hentati Faycel , Sassi Samia Ben , Amouri Rim , Spielmann Malte , Klein Christine , Grünewald Anne , Farrer Matthew J. , Trinh Joanne
Published: January 2023

The objective of our study was to investigate the impact of the mitochondrial polygenic score (MGS) and lifestyle/environmental data on age at onset in LRRK2 p.Gly2019Ser parkinsonism (LRRK2-PD) and idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD).

In this study, we included N=486 patients withLRRK2-PD and N=9259 patients with iPD from AMP-PD, Fox Insight, and a Tunisian Arab-Berber founder population. Genotyping data was utilized to perform the MGS analysis, using 14 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) from genes causally associated with mitochondrial function and PD risk. Additionally, lifestyle and environmental data were obtained from the PD risk factor questionnaire (PD-RFQ). Correlation analyses and linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between MGS, lifestyle/environment, and AAO.

We observed that higher MGS was associated with earlier AAO in patients withLRRK2-PD (p=4.0×10−4, β=-0.18) but not in patients with iPD. A correlation between MGS and AAO was visibly stronger in European ancestryLRRK2-PD patients (p=0.01, r=-0.16) than in Tunisian Arab-Berber patients (p=0.44, r=-0.05). We found that the MGS interacted with coffee (p=0.03, β=-0.38) and caffeinated soda consumption (p=0.03, β=-0.37) inLRRK2-PD and with caffeine soda consumption (p=0.047, β=-0.22) and pesticide exposure (p=0.02, β=-0.37) in iPD. Thus, patients with a high MGS had an earlier AAO only if they consumed caffeine or were exposed to pesticides.

The MGS related to mitochondrial function was associated with AAO inLRRK2-PD but not iPD with an ethnic-specific effect. Caffeine consumption or pesticide exposure interacted with MGS to predict PD AAO. Our study suggests gene-environment interactions as modifiers of AAO inLRRK2-PD.
A quantitative theory for genomic offset statistics
Authors: Gain Clément , Rhoné Bénédicte , Cubry Philippe , Salazar Israfel , Forbes Florence , Vigouroux Yves , Jay Flora , François Olivier
Published: January 2023

Genomic offset statistics predict the maladaptation of populations to rapid habitat alteration based on association of genotypes with environmental variation. Despite substantial evidence for empirical validity, genomic offset statistics have well-identified limitations, and lack a theory that would facilitate interpretations of predicted values. Here, we clarified the theoretical relationships between genomic offset statistics and unobserved fitness traits controlled by environmentally selected loci, and proposed a geometric measure to predict fitness after rapid change in local environment. he predictions of our theory were verified in computer simulations and in empirical data on African pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus) obtained from a common garden experiment. Our results proposed a unified perspective on genomic offset statistics, and provided a theoretical foundation necessary when considering their potential application in conservation management in the face of environmental change.
Modulation of Giant Depolarizing Potentials (GDPs) in Human Large Basket Cells by Norepinephrine and Acetylcholine
Authors: Yang Danqing , Qi Guanxiao , Ort Jonas , Witzig Victoria , Bak Aniella , Delev Daniel , Koch Henner , Feldmeyer Dirk
Published: January 2023

Rhythmic brain activity has been implicated in many brain functions and it is sensible to neuromodulation, but so far very few studies have investigated this activity on the cellular levelin vitroin human tissue samples. In this study we revealed and characterized a novel rhythmic network activity in human neocortex. Intracellular patch-clamp recordings showed that giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) were frequently found in human cortical neurons. GDPs appeared in a low frequency band (∼ 0.3 Hz) similar to that described for slow oscillationsin vivoand displayed large amplitudes and long decay times. Under the same experimental conditions, no rhythmic activity was found in L2/3 of the rat neocortex. GDPs were predominantly observed in a subset of L2/3 interneurons considered to be large basket cells based on previously described morphological features. In addition, GDPs are highly sensitive to norepinephrine (NE) and acetylcholine (ACh), two neuromodulators known to modulate low frequency oscillations. NE increased the frequency of the GDPs by enhancing β-adrenergic receptor activity while ACh decreased GDP frequency through M4muscarinic receptor-activation. Multi-electrode array (MEA) recordings demonstrated that NE promoted synchronous oscillatory network activity while the application of ACh led to a desynchronization of neuronal activity. Our data indicate that the human neocortex is more prone to generate slow wave activity, which was reflected by more pronounced GDPs in L2/3 large basket cells. The distinct modulation of GDPs and slow wave activity by NE and ACh exerts a specific modulatory control over the human neocortex.
The statistics of natural shapes predict high-level aftereffects in human vision
Authors: Morgenstern Yaniv , Storrs Katherine R. , Schmidt Filipp , Hartmann Frieder , Tiedemann Henning , Wagemans Johan , Fleming Roland W.
Published: January 2023

Shape perception is essential for numerous everyday behaviors from object recognition to grasping and handling objects. Yet how the brain encodes shape remains poorly understood. Here, we probed shape representations using visual aftereffects—perceptual distortions that occur following extended exposure to a stimulus—to resolve a long-standing debate about shape encoding. We implemented contrasting low-level and high-level computational models of neural adaptation, which made precise and distinct predictions about the illusory shape distortions the observers experience following adaptation. Directly pitting the predictions of the two models against one another revealed that the perceptual distortions are driven by high-level shape attributes derived from the statistics of natural shapes. Our findings suggest that the diverse shape attributes thought to underlie shape encoding (e.g., curvature distributions, ‘skeletons’, aspect ratio) are the result of a visual system that learns to encode natural shape geometries based on observing many objects.
Real time mobilization of a novel diatomMutator-Like Element(MULE) transposon to inactivate the uridine monophosphate synthase (UMPS) locus inPhaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Abbriano Raffaela M. , George Jestin , Kahlke Tim , Commault Audrey S. , Fabris Michele
Published: January 2023

Diatoms are photosynthetic unicellular microalgae that drive global ecological phenomena in the biosphere and are emerging sustainable feedstock for an increasing number of industrial applications. Diatoms exhibit enormous taxonomic and genetic diversity, which often result in peculiar biochemical and biological traits. Transposable elements (TE) represent a substantial portion of diatom genomes and have been hypothesized to exert a relevant role in enriching genetic diversity and centrally contribute to genome evolution. Here, through long-read whole genome sequencing, we identified a novel Mutator-Like Element (MULE) in the model diatomPhaeodactylum tricornutum,and we report the direct observation of its mobilization within the course of one single laboratory experiment. Under selective conditions, this novel TE inactivated theuridine monophosphate synthase(UMPS) geneof P. tricornutum,one of the two only endogenous genetic loci currently targeted for selectable auxotrophy in functional genetics and genome editing applications.

We report the first, real-time observation of the mobilization of a transposon in diatoms that possesses novel peculiar features. These include the combined presence of a MULE transposase domain with Zinc finger, SWIM-type domains, and of a diatom-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase of the zinc finger UBR type, which indicate a novel mobilization mechanism. Our findings provide new elements for the understanding of the role of TEs in diatom genome evolution and in the enrichment of intraspecific genetic variability. Ultimately, this raises relevant concerns on the targeting of loci such asUMPSas selectable markers for functional genetics and biotechnological applications in diatoms.

Significance Statement

We identified a novel DNA transposon in the diatomPhaeodactylum tricornutum. This new Mutator-Like Element encodes a transposase and a diatom-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase, which suggest a novel mobilization mechanism. We documented independent insertions in real-time, which spontaneously inactivated theuridine monophosphate synthase(UMPS) locus, a common selectable marker. We provide new insights on the role of transposons in diatom genome dynamics and evolution and on the unsuitability ofUMPSas selection locus in diatoms.
DISCO+QR: Rooting Species Trees in the Presence of GDL and ILS
Authors: Willson James , Tabatabaee Yasamin , Liu Baqiao , Warnow Tandy
Published: January 2023

Abstract

Genes evolve under processes such as gene duplication and loss (GDL), so that gene family trees are multi-copy, as well as incomplete lineage sorting (ILS); both processes produce gene trees that differ from the species tree. The estimation of species trees from sets of gene family trees is challenging, and the estimation of rooted species trees presents additional analytical challenges. Two of the methods developed for this problem are STRIDE (Emms and Kelly, MBE 2017), which roots species trees by considering GDL events, and Quintet Rooting (Tabatabaee et al., ISMB 2022 and Bioinformatics 2022), which roots species trees by considering ILS. We present DISCO+QR, a new method for rooting species trees in the presence of both GDL and ILS. DISCO+QR, operates by taking the input gene family trees and decomposing them into single-copy trees using DISCO (Willson et al., Systematic Biology 2022) and then roots the given species tree using the information in the single-copy gene trees using Quintet Rooting (QR). We show that the relative accuracy of STRIDE and DISCO+QR depend on properties of the dataset (number of species, genes, rate of gene duplication, degree of ILS, and gene tree estimation error), and that each provides advantages over the other under some conditions. Availability: DISCO and QR are available in GitHub. The supplementary materials are available athttp://tandy.cs.illinois.edu/discoqr-suppl.pdf.
Temperature Sensitive Contact Modes Allosterically Gate TRPV3
Authors: Burns Daniel , Venditti Vincenzo , Potoyan Davit A
Published: January 2023

TRPV Ion channels are sophisticated molecular sensors designed to respond to distinct temperature thresholds. The recent surge in cryo-EM structures has provided numerous insights into the structural rearrangements accompanying their opening and closing; however, the molecular mechanisms by which TRPV channels establish precise and robust temperature sensing remain elusive. In this work we employ molecular simulations, multi-ensemble contact analysis, graph theory, and machine learning techniques to reveal the temperature-sensitive residue-residue interactions driving allostery in TRPV3. We find that groups of residues exhibiting similar temperature-dependent contact frequency profiles cluster at specific regions of the channel. The dominant mode clusters on the ankyrin repeat domain and displays a linear melting trend while others display non-linear trends. These modes describe the residue-level temperature response patterns that underlie the channel’s functional dynamics. With network analysis, we find that the community structure of the channel changes with temperature. And that a network of high centrality contacts connects distant regions of the protomer to the gate, serving as a means for the temperature-sensitive contact modes to allosterically regulate channel gating. Using a random forest model, we show that the contact states of specific temperature-sensitive modes are indeed predictive of the channel gate’s state. Supporting the physical validity of these modes and networks are several residues identified with our analyses that are reported in literature to be functionally critical. Our results offer high resolution insight into thermo-TRP channel function and demonstrate the utility of temperature-sensitive contact analysis.
An isogenic human iPSC model unravels neurodevelopmental abnormalities in SMA
Authors: Grass Tobias , Rosignol Ines , Thomas Joshua , Buchner Felix , Dokuzluoglu Zeynep , Dalinskaya Anna , Becker Jutta , Wirth Brunhilde , Rodriguez-Muela Natalia
Published: January 2023

Whether neurodevelopmental defects underlie the selective neuronal death that characterizes neurodegenerative diseases is becoming an intriguing question. To address it, we focused on the motor neuron (MN) disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), caused by reduced levels of the ubiquitous protein SMN. Taking advantage of the first isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived SMA model that we have generated and a spinal cord organoid system, here we report that the relative and temporal expression of early neural progenitor and MN markers is altered in SMA. Furthermore, the corrected isogenic controls only partially reverse these abnormalities. These findings raise the relevant clinical implication that SMN-increasing treatments might not fully amend SMA pathological phenotypes. The approach we have taken demonstrates that the discovery of new disease mechanisms is greatly improved by using human isogenic models. Moreover, our study implies that SMA has a developmental component that might trigger the MN degeneration.
Transfer Learning with False Negative Control Improves Polygenic Risk Prediction
Authors: Jeng X. Jessie , Hu Yifei , Tzeng Jung-Ying
Published: January 2023

Polygenic risk score (PRS) is a quantity that aggregates the effects of variants across the genome and estimates an individual’s genetic predisposition for a given trait. PRS analysis typically contains two input data sets: base data for effect size estimation and target data for individual-level prediction. Given the availability of large-scale base data, it becomes more common that the ancestral background of base and target data do not perfectly match. In this paper, we treat the GWAS summary information obtained in the base data as knowledge learned from a pre-trained model, and adopt a transfer learning framework to effectively leverage the knowledge learned from the base data that may or may not have similar ancestral background as the target samples to build prediction models for target individuals. Our proposed transfer learning framework consists of two main steps: (1) conducting false negative control (FNC) marginal screening to extract useful knowledge from the base data; and (2) performing joint model training to integrate the knowledge extracted from base data with the target training data for accurate trans-data prediction. This new approach can significantly enhance the computational and statistical efficiency of joint-model training, alleviate over-fitting, and facilitate more accurate trans-data prediction when heterogeneity level between target and base data sets is small or high.

Author summary

Polygenic risk score (PRS) can quantify the genetic predisposition for a trait. PRS construction typically contains two input datasets: base data for variant-effect estimation and target data for individual-level prediction. Given the availability of large-scale base data, it becomes common that the ancestral background of base and target data do not perfectly match. In this paper, we introduce a PRS method under a transfer learning framework to effectively leverage the knowledge learned from the base data that may or may not have similar background as the target samples to build prediction models for target individuals. Our method first utilizes a unique false-negative control strategy to extract useful information from base data while ensuring to retain a high proportion of true signals; it then applies the extracted information to re-train PRS models in a statistically and computationally efficient fashion. We use numerical studies based on simulated and real data to show that the proposed method can increase the accuracy and robustness of polygenic prediction across different ranges of heterogeneities between base and target data and sample sizes, reduce computational cost in model re-training, and result in more parsimonious models that can facilitate PRS interpretation and/or exploration of complex, non-additive PRS models.
The Respiratory Syncytial Virus M2-2 protein is targeted for proteasome degradation and inhibits translation and stress granules assembly
Authors: Scudero Orlando Bonito , Santiago Verônica Feijoli , Palmisano Giuseppe , Simabuco Fernando Moreira , Ventura Armando Morais
Published: January 2023

The M2-2 protein from the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a 10 kDa protein expressed by the second ORF of the viral gene M2. During infection, M2-2 has been described as the polymerase cofactor responsible for promoting genome replication. This function was first inferred by infection with a mutant virus lacking the M2-2 ORF, in which viral genome presented delayed accumulation in comparison to wild-type virus. In accordance with this phenotype, it has been recently shown that M2-2 promotes changes in interactions between the polymerase and other viral proteins at early stages of infection. Despite its well-explored role in the regulation of the polymerase activity, little has been made to investigate the relationship of M2-2 with cellular proteins. In fact, a previous report showed poor recruitment of M2-2 to viral structures, with the protein being mainly localized to the nucleus and cytoplasmic granules. To unravel which other functions M2-2 exerts during infection, we expressed the protein in HEK293T cells and performed proteomic analysis of co-immunoprecipitated partners, identifying enrichment of proteins involved with regulation of translation, protein folding and mRNA splicing. In approaches based on these data, we found that M2-2 expression downregulates eiF2α phosphorylation and inhibits stress granules assembly under arsenite induction. In addition, we also verified that M2-2 inhibits translation initiation, and is targeted for proteasome degradation, being localized to granules composed by defective ribosomal products at the cytoplasm. These results suggest that besides its functions in the regulation of genome replication, M2-2 may exert additional functions to contribute to successful RSV infection.

Author summary

Exploring how viruses take control of the cellular machinery is a common strategy to understand the infection process and to identify targets for inhibition of virus replication. In this work we investigated the cellular functions of the protein M2-2 from the respiratory syncytial virus. Although this virus is an important pathogen responsible for respiratory infections in immunocompromised individuals, currently there are no vaccines or effective treatments to inhibit its infection. Our findings showed that the protein M2-2 interferes with protein synthesis, being able to downregulate the assembly of stress granules during stress stimuli. Besides, we verified the relationship between M2-2 and the proteasome machinery, which is responsible for protein degradation and is also involved with protein synthesis. These results present new functions for the protein M2-2, indicating additional mechanisms utilized by the virus to facilitate infection, providing new perspectives for the search of antiviral targets.
Mapping the dynamic cell surface interactome of high-density lipoprotein reveals Aminopeptidase N as modulator of its endothelial uptake
Authors: Frey Kathrin , Rohrer Lucia , Potapenko Anton , Goetze Sandra , von Eckardstein Arnold , Wollscheid Bernd
Published: January 2023

Heterogeneous high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, which can contain hundreds of proteins, affect human health and disease through dynamic molecular interactions with cell surface proteins. How HDL mediates its long-range signaling functions and interactions with various cell types is largely unknown. Due to the complexity of HDL, we hypothesize that multiple receptors engage with HDL particles resulting in condition-dependent receptor-HDL interaction clusters at the cell surface. Here we used the mass spectrometry-based and light-controlled proximity labeling strategy LUX-MS in a discovery-driven manner to decode HDL-receptor interactions. Surfaceome nanoscale organization analysis of hepatocytes and endothelial cells using LUX-MS revealed that the previously known HDL-binding protein scavenger receptor SCRB1 is embedded in a cell surface protein community, which we term HDL synapse. Modulating the endothelial HDL synapse, composed of 60 proteins, by silencing individual members showed that the HDL synapse can be assembled in the absence of SCRB1 and that the members are interlinked. The aminopeptidase AMPN (also known as CD13) was identified as an HDL synapse member that directly influences HDL uptake into the primary human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Our data indicate that preformed cell surface residing protein complexes modulate HDL function and suggest new theragnostic opportunities.
Computational workflow and interactive analysis of single-cell expression profiling of islets generated by the Human Pancreas Analysis Program
Authors: Patil Abhijeet R. , Schug Jonathan ,   the HPAP Consortium, Naji Ali , Kaestner Klaus H. , Faryabi Robert B. , Vahedi Golnaz
Published: January 2023

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are distinct genetic diseases of the pancreas which are defined by the abnormal level of blood glucose. Understanding the initial molecular perturbations that occur during the pathogenesis of diabetes is of critical importance in understanding these disorders. The inability to biopsy the human pancreas of living donors hampers insights into early detection, as the majority of diabetes studies have been performed on peripheral leukocytes from the blood, which is not the site of pathogenesis. Therefore, efforts have been made by various teams including the Human Pancreas Analysis Program (HPAP) to collect pancreatic tissues from deceased organ donors with different clinical phenotypes. HPAP is designed to define the molecular pathogenesis of islet dysfunction by generating detailed datasets of functional, cellular, and molecular information in pancreatic tissues of clinically well-defined organ donors with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Moreover, data generated by HPAP continously become available through a centralized database, PANC-DB, thus enabling the diabetes research community to access these multi-dimensional data prepublication. Here, we present the computational workflow for single-cell RNA-seq data analysis of 258,379 high-quality cells from the pancreatic islets of 67 human donors generated by HPAP, the largest existing scRNA-seq dataset of human pancreatic tissues. We report various computational steps including preprocessing, doublet removal, clustering and cell type annotation across single-cell RNA-seq data from islets of four distintct classes of organ donors, i.e. non-diabetic control, autoantibody positive but normoglycemic, Type 1 diabetic, and Type 2 diabetic individuals. Moreover, we present an interactive tool, called CellxGene developed by the Chan Zuckerberg initiative, to navigate these high-dimensional datasets. Our data and interactive tools provide a reliable reference for singlecell pancreatic islet biology studies, especially diabetes-related conditions.
Reward me or charity: The impact of mobile e-commerce platforms' loyalty programme reward types on participation intention
Authors: Zhou Yanju , Lu Cuilian , Yu Yi
Published: January 2023

Purpose

With the development of e-commerce, loyalty programmes (LPs) are gradually being adopted in the online retailing environment to improve consumer loyalty. This article determines the factors that affect consumers' LP participation intention on mobile e-commerce platforms to help these platforms improve their performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This article focusses on LP reward types and divides them into self-oriented rewards or altruistic rewards. Two experiments are conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. After online data collection, data analysis is performed.

Findings

LP participation intention with altruistic rewards is significantly stronger than that with self-oriented rewards. Perceived value plays a complete mediating role in the impact of reward type on participation intention, while a point leaderboard plays a positive moderating role in the impact of reward type on perceived value.

Practical implications

This study’s findings can improve the design of LPs by mobile e-commerce platforms.

Originality/value

This article focusses on LPs in the online environment, a stream of research that is limited. The results also have implications for prosocial relationship marketing programmes.
Individuals' attitudes about organizational change: relationship between BPM and resistance to change
Authors: Fernandes dos Santos Nataly Inêz , Aires Renan Felinto de Farias
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The aim of this article is to investigate individuals' attitudes about organizational change, considering implementation of business process management (BPM) and resistance to change.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines the attitudes of subjects that experienced organizational change in the context of BPM in Brazil. In order to measure resistance to organizational change, 22 interviews were conducted using a script adapted from Pereira et al. (2019). The study considered two main agents: BPM implementers and end-users. Data were analyzed qualitatively via content analysis.

Findings

The results provided interesting insights. In relation to the individuals' attitudes, satisfaction, fear, stress and anxiety were the most frequently reported. However, opinions contradict the negative feelings expressed, given that organizational benefits, facility and pleasure at work and personal benefits were the most frequently reported. In regard to behavior, individuals approved change and in general accepted it. Finally, in terms of confidence in management, the subjects reported leadership and trusting their bosses as positive points.

Research limitations/implications

Study limitations include the difficulty in finding end-users on LinkedIn, the fact that convenience sampling was used and the possible false memory of respondents.

Originality/value

The approach used in this study provided a relevant contribution to the area under study, primarily via the new findings, that is, elements of resistance to change that emerged from the data.
Education for sustainable development in higher education institutions: an approach for effective interdisciplinarity
Authors: Mokski Elliott , Leal Filho Walter , Sehnem Simone , Andrade Guerra José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to develop an improved and harmonized approach to interdisciplinarity in education for sustainable development (ESD)within higher education institutions (HEIs), focusing on maximizing the mobilization of students from all academic disciplines. An attempt is made to reconcile varying strategies for the implementation of interdisciplinary ESD content in HEIs, studying the relative merit and benefit of those strategies and crafting a new approach to combining them, where possible.

Design/methodology/approach

This work relies on a robust review and analysis of existing literature proposals on the implementation of ESD in HEIs to elaborate an integrated approach to interdisciplinarity. Specifically, a scoping literature review is applied, analyzing the existing approaches to ESD in HEIs as well as the challenges observed in their implementation. Using this theoretical framework, this paper evaluates the compatibility and efficiency of the approaches currently implemented. Based on this analysis, an integrative approach is outlined, building upon and combining existing proposals.

Findings

Building on existing literature, this study identifies two main trends for interdisciplinarity in ESD in HEIs: integration into existing disciplinary curricula and new, stand-alone ESD curricula. This paper suggests adopting the two approaches simultaneously, to reach students from all academic disciplines, especially those with minimal exposure to ESD through their own discipline. Furthermore, this paper stresses that these dual curricula strategies should be combined with further interdisciplinary research initiatives as well as extensive leveraging of technology and e-learning.

Originality/value

This study bridges the gap between diverging visions for ESD in HEIs, harmonizing strategies from the literature to outline a new, multilateral strategy. Furthermore, it extensively studies the need for increased engagement into ESD of students from underrepresented disciplines, including the humanities. This engagement has been little addressed in the literature, rendering the proposed approach original insofar as it outlines the ways to improve current approaches to ESD in HEIs.
Understanding the role of perceived enjoyment, self-efficacy and system accessibility: digital natives' online learning intentions
Authors: Bagdi Himanshu , Bulsara Hemantkumar P.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This research aims to look at how students feel about taking online learning (OL) while studying in higher education institutions (HEIs) using an extended technology acceptance model (TAM). The study looked into the factors that influence students' decisions to use OL, which helps meet their individual needs beyond the confines of the traditional classroom.

Design/methodology/approach

A study of 284 students from the universities of Gujarat in India was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. The partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the study's test results.

Findings

The result of the study confirms that perceived enjoyment (PE) has a fully significant relationship with the behavioural intention to use online learning (IOL), whereas self-efficacy (SE) is partially supported and system accessibility (ACC) has an insignificant impact on the IOL.

Research limitations/implications

Though the study focussed on the TAM to analyse the proposed model, future studies should address other constructs like ICT infrastructure, perceived behavioural control, experience, etc.

Originality/value

This research identified the key variables of students' intention to adapt to OL and offered a path to encourage higher education students to use online education as a classroom alternative. Educators in Indian administrative positions can better facilitate OL adoption amongst their student bodies by developing a keener awareness of students' goals and the factors influencing their views on the topic.
Hitchhiking in board interlocks? The externality of partner innovation
Authors: Jiang Yusi , Zhao Yapu , Dang Beilei
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study explores the influence of partner innovation in board interlock networks on a firm's innovation tendency.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collects a sample of publicly listed Chinese firms from 2008 to 2017 and uses fixed-effects ordinary least squares regressions to analyze the data.

Findings

This study shows that interlocking partners with different innovation levels than that of the focal firm affect its innovation tendency in distinct ways. For more innovative partners, the innovation level has a U-shaped effect on the focal firm's innovation tendency. In the case of less innovative partners, the innovation level facilitates the focal firm's innovation tendency.

Originality/value

Going beyond previous research that emphasized the role of interorganizational networks in facilitating firm innovation through a unitary learning effect, this study differentiates network partners into two categories based on their relative level of innovation compared with the focal firm and takes the hitchhiking effect into account to highlight potential obstacles in the learning process depending on the innovation conditions of partners. The study advances the literature on organizational learning, social networks and innovation.
A new empirical approach for mitigating exploding implicit prices in mixed multinomial logit models
Authors: Crastes dit Sourd Romain
Published: January 2023

This paper introduces a new shifted negative log‐normal distribution for the price parameter in mixed multinomial logit models. The new distribution, labeled as the μ‐shifted negative log‐normal distribution, has desirable properties for welfare analysis and in particular a point mass that is further away from zero than the negative log‐normal distribution. This contributes to mitigating the “exploding” implicit prices issue commonly found when the price parameter is specified as negative log‐normal and the model is in preference space. The new distribution is tested on five stated preference datasets. Comparisons are made with standard alternative approaches such as the willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) space approach. It is found that the μ‐shifted distribution yields substantially lower mean marginal WTP estimates compared to the negative log‐normal specification and similar to the values derived from models estimated in WTP‐space with flexible distributions, while at the same time fitting the data as well as the negative log‐normal specification.
Soluble E‐cadherin: A marker of genital epithelial disruption
Authors: Liu Rachel , Armstrong Eric , Constable Shirley , Buchanan Lane B , Mohammadi Avid , Galiwango Ronald M , Huibner Sanja , Perry Marie C , Prodger Jessica L , Coburn Bryan , Kaul Rupert
Published: January 2023

Problem

The genital epithelial barrier is a crucial first line of defence against HIV, and epithelial disruption may enhance HIV susceptibility. Assessment of genital epithelial integrity requires biopsies, but their collection is not practical in many research settings. A validated biomarker of genital epithelial barrier integrity would therefore be useful. The purpose of this study was to evaluate soluble E‐cadherin (sE‐cad) as a marker of genital epithelial disruption.

Method of study

Using in vitro models of endocervical and foreskin epithelial cells, we assessed changes in sE‐cad, IL‐6, IL‐1β, and IL‐1α levels following mechanical disruption. We also assessed changes in sE‐cad levels in vivo in cervicovaginal secretions after epithelial disruption by endocervical cytobrush sampling in Canadian women, and assessed the relationship between levels of sE‐cad in coronal sulcus swabs to membrane‐bound E‐cadherin in the overlying foreskin tissue in Ugandan men.

Results

sE‐cad levels immediately increased after in vitro epithelial physical disruption with the degree of elevation dependent on the extent of disruption, as did levels of IL‐1β and IL‐1α; this was followed by a delayed increase in IL‐6 levels. In vivo results confirmed that sE‐cad levels in cervicovaginal secretions were elevated 6 h after cytobrush sampling when compared to baseline. Furthermore, levels of sE‐cad in the prepuce were inversely correlated with the amount of membrane‐bound E‐cadherin of overlying tissue.

Conclusion

Our results validate the use of sE‐cad as a marker of epithelial disruption and demonstrate that the processes of physical disruption and inflammation in the genital tract are strongly intertwined.
Retroperitoneal hibernoma resected via laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Sujino Hiroki , Kasahara Kenta , Tanigawa Maki , Enomoto Masanobu , Udo Ryutaro , Tago Tomoya , Okazaki Naoto , Mazaki Junichi , Ishizaki Tetsuo , Nagao Toshitaka , Katsumata Kenji , Tsuchida Akihiko , Nagakawa Yuichi
Published: January 2023

Hibernomas are extremely rare, benign tumors of brown fat origin with no specific symptoms. Surgery is the only treatment option, and because a definitive preoperative diagnosis is often not obtained, open surgery is usually chosen. In this case, we performed laparoscopic surgery on a 33‐year‐old woman with retroperitoneal hibernoma. As in most cases, a definitive diagnosis had not been preoperatively made; therefore, we laparoscopically removed the retroperitoneal tumor of unknown pathology as a diagnostic treatment. We chose laparoscopic surgery because of the magnifying effect of the laparoscope and to minimize scarring. The surgery was uneventful, with a procedure time of 280 minutes and a blood loss of 20 mL. The postoperative course was uneventful with no complications or recurrence. We conclude that laparoscopic surgery may be a viable option for hibernomas.
What triggers depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men? A sequential mediation model of sexual minority‐related stigma and self‐criticism
Authors: He Along , Bu He , Liao Ankang , Mu Wenlong
Published: January 2023

A growing number of studies has shown that gay and bisexual men are more likely to experience adverse mental health status than their heterosexual counterparts. Stigma‐related stress and self‐criticism are believed likely to exacerbate depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men. This research used cross‐sectional findings to illustrate the mediating role of internalized self‐stigma and self‐criticism in the association between perceived public stigma and depressive symptoms. A total of 317 Chinese gay and bisexual men (267 gays and 50 bisexuals with a mean age of 25.29) were invited to participate in this study from October to November 2021. Sociodemographic characteristics, perceived public stigma, internalized self‐stigma, self‐criticism and depressive symptoms were measured through self‐reported online questionnaires. The results indicated that the association between perceived public stigma and depressive symptoms was sequentially mediated by internalized self‐stigma and self‐criticism. The findings indicated that public stigma, as a distal stressor, was perceived and internalized as self‐stigma by gay and bisexual men. This self‐stigma may pose a risk for depressive symptoms via self‐criticism (a maladaptive consequence of their attempts to reduce cognitive dissonance). These results highlight the necessity of reducing sexual minority‐related stigma and self‐criticism to reduce depressive symptoms. Our findings appeal to society to further decrease prejudice and stigma, increase tolerance, and focus on the negative mental health status of gay and bisexual men.
Effects of medications on hypoxia‐inducible factor in the retina: A review
Authors: Kim Angela H. , Kolesnikova Masha , Ngo Wei Kiong , Tsang Stephen H.
Published: January 2023

Hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) plays a critical role in the mechanisms that allow cells to adapt to various oxygen levels in the environment. Specifically, HIF‐1⍺ has shown to be widely involved in cellular repair, survival, and energy metabolism. HIF‐1⍺ has also been found in increased levels in cancer cells, highlighting the importance of balance in the hypoxic response. Promoting HIF‐1⍺ activity as a potential therapy for degenerative diseases and inhibiting HIF‐1⍺ as a therapy for pathologies with overactive cell proliferation are actively being explored. Digoxin and metformin, HIF‐1⍺ inhibitors, and deferoxamine and ⍺‐ketoglutarate analogues, HIF‐1⍺ activators, are being studied for application in age‐related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa. However, these same medications have retinal toxicities that must be assessed before implementation of therapeutic care. Herein, we highlight the duality of therapeutic and toxic potential of HIF‐1⍺ that must be carefully assessed prior to its clinical application in retinal disorders.
Myopic macular diseases: A review
Authors: Ng Danny S. C. , Chan Leo K. Y. , Lai Timothy Y. Y.
Published: January 2023

Recent evidence has demonstrated that the global public health burden of myopia is rising rapidly. Highly myopic eyes are associated with increased frequency of eye disorders that can lead to irreversible visual impairment. With recent technological advancement in ophthalmic imaging modalities, various macular complications associated with pathologic myopia are being elucidated. The development and progression of myopic chorioretinal atrophy, myopic macular neovascularization, myopic traction maculopathy and dome‐shaped macula are vision‐threatening myopic macular diseases. In order to overcome the challenges in managing patients with pathologic myopia, it is important to have a complete understanding in the natural course of these myopic macular diseases. Standardising the classification criteria of pathologic myopia is essential for enhancing clinical surveillance. Personalised pharmaceutical therapy and surgical interventions will help to optimise the treatment outcomes in patients suffering from these myopic macular diseases.
A microbiome‐targeting fibre‐enriched nutritional formula is well tolerated and improves quality of life and haemoglobin A1c in type 2 diabetes: A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Frias Juan P. , Lee Martin L. , Carter Matthew M. , Ebel Emily R. , Lai Ren‐Hau , Rikse Lars , Washington Marc E. , Sonnenburg Justin L. , Damman Christopher J.
Published: January 2023

Aims

To investigate a prebiotic fibre‐enriched nutritional formula on health‐related quality of life and metabolic control in type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

This was a 12‐week, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study with an unblinded dietary advice only comparator arm. Participants were randomized 2:1:1 to a prebiotic fibre‐enriched nutritional formula (Active), a placebo fibre‐absent nutritional formula (Placebo), or non‐blinded dietary advice alone (Diet). Primary endpoint was change in core Type 2 Diabetes Distress Assessment System (cT2‐DDAS) at week 12. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) change was a key secondary endpoint.

Results

In total, 192 participants were randomized. Mean age was 54.3 years, HbA1c 7.8%, and body mass index 35.9 kg/m2. At week 12, cT2‐DDAS reduced significantly in Active versus Placebo (−0.4, p = .03), and HbA1c was reduced significantly in Active vs Placebo (−0.64%, p = .01). Gut microbiome sequencing revealed that the relative abundance of two species of butyrate‐producing bacteria (Roseburia faecis and Anaerostipes hadrus) increased significantly in Active vs. Placebo.

Conclusions

A microbiome‐targeting nutritional formula significantly improved cT2‐DDAS and HbA1c, suggesting the potential for prebiotic fibre as a complement to lifestyle and/or pharmaceutical interventions for managing type 2 diabetes.
Reducing urban sprawl by optimizing housing production
Authors: Boukari Wadjidou , Long Fenjie
Published: January 2023

Scholars demonstrated the importance of house planners in the creation of environmentally friendly homes. Despite the lack of broad agreement on the type of freehold estate that could reduce urban sprawl, the authors agree on the role of government and developers in housing planning and construction. According to a recent study, the government and developers are investing in freehold estates to promote sustainable urban growth. However, this study employs urban growth theories to explain the policy's success. First, we examine the rate of urban growth and the trends in urban sprawl. The affordability of ground‐floor and three‐story buildings is then assessed. The findings show that 19.36 square kilometers of built‐up area contributed to land use expansion in Abomey‐Calavi, Benin Republic, between 1974 and 2015, and four districts are at higher risk of environmental degradation. To mitigate this, three‐story buildings could be inclusive and improve efficient land use, thereby limiting urban sprawl.