bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Temporal Pattern of Spiking Activity of a Thalamic Neuron are Related to the Amplitude of the Cortical Local Field Potential
Authors: Tamura Hiroshi
Published: September 2021

Neuron activity in the sensory cortices mainly depends on feedforward thalamic inputs. High-frequency activity of a thalamic input can be temporally integrated by a neuron in the sensory cortex and is likely to induce larger depolarization. However, feedforward inhibition (FFI) and depression of excitatory synaptic transmission in thalamocortical pathways attenuate depolarization induced by the latter part of high-frequency spiking activity and the temporal summation may not be effective. The spiking activity of a thalamic neuron in a specific temporal pattern may circumvent FFI and depression of excitatory synapses. The present study determined the relationship between the temporal pattern of spiking activity of a single thalamic neuron and the degree of cortical activation as well as that between the firing rate of spiking activity of a single thalamic neuron and the degree of cortical activation. Spiking activity of a thalamic neuron was recorded extracellularly from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in male Long-Evans rats. Degree of cortical activation was assessed by simultaneous recording of local field potential (LFP) from the visual cortex. A specific temporal pattern appearing in three consecutive spikes of an LGN neuron induced larger cortical LFP modulation than high-frequency spiking activity during a short period. These findings indicate that spiking activity of thalamic inputs is integrated by a synaptic mechanism sensitive to an input temporal pattern.

Significance Statement

Sensory cortical activity depends on thalamic inputs. Despite the importance of thalamocortical transmission, how spiking activity of thalamic inputs is integrated by cortical neurons remains unclear. Feedforward inhibition and synaptic depression of excitatory transmission may not allow simple temporal summation of membrane potential induced by consecutive spiking activity of a thalamic neuron. A specific temporal pattern appearing in three consecutive spikes of a thalamic neuron induced larger cortical local field potential modulation than high-frequency spiking activity during a short period. The findings indicate the importance of the temporal pattern of spiking activity of a single thalamic neuron on cortical activation.
Humans reconfigure target and distractor processing to address distinct task demands
Authors: Ritz Harrison , Shenhav Amitai
Published: September 2021

When faced with distraction, we can focus more on goal-relevant information (targets) or focus less goal-conflicting information (distractors). How people use cognitive control to distribute attention across targets and distractors remains unclear. To help address this question, we developed a parametric attentional control task that can index both target discriminability and distractor interference. We find that participants exert independent control over target and distractor processing. We measured control adjustments through the influence of incentives and previous conflict on target and distractor sensitivity, finding that these have dissociable influences on control. Whereas incentives preferentially led to target enhancement, conflict on the previous trial preferentially led to distractor suppression. These distinct drivers of control altered sensitivity to targets and distractors early in the trial, promptly followed by reactive reconfiguration towards task-appropriate feature sensitivity. Finally, we provide a process-level account of these findings by showing that these control adjustments are well-captured by an evidence accumulation model with attractor dynamics over feature weights. These results help establish a process-level account of control reconfiguration that provides new insights into how multivariate attentional signals are optimized to achieve task goals.
COVID-19 Vaccine Concerns about Safety, Effectiveness and Policies in the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Italy among Unvaccinated Individuals
Authors: Piltch-Loeb Rachael , Harriman Nigel , Healey Julia , Bonetti Marco , Toffolutti Veronica , Testa Marcia A , Su Max , Savoia Elena
Published: September 2021

Despite the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, global vaccination distribution efforts have thus far had varying levels of success. Vaccine hesitancy remains a threat to vaccine uptake. This study has four objectives: 1) describe and compare vaccine hesitancy proportions by country; 2) categorize vaccine-related concerns; 3) rank vaccine-related concerns; and 4) compare vaccine-related concerns by country and hesitancy status in four countries- the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Italy. Using the Pollfish survey platform, we sampled 1000 respondents in Canada, Sweden, and Italy and 750 respondents in the United States between May 21-28, 2021. Results showed vaccine related concerns varied across three topical areas- vaccine safety and government control, vaccine effectiveness and population control, and freedom. For each thematic area, the top concern was statistically significantly different in each country and among the hesitant and non-hesitant subsamples within each county. Understanding the specific concerns among individuals when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine can help to inform public communications and identify which, if any, salient narratives, are global.
Building a learnable universal coordinate system for single-cell atlas with a joint-VAE model
Authors: Gao Haoxiang , Hua Kui , Wei Lei , Wu Xinze , Chen Sijie , Yin Qijin , Jiang Rui , Zhang Xuegong
Published: September 2021

A universal coordinate system that can ensemble the huge number of cells and capture their heterogeneities is of vital importance for constructing large-scale cell atlases as references for future molecular and cellular studies. Studies have shown that cells in complex organs exhibit multifaceted heterogeneities in their transcriptomic features at multiple resolutions. This nature of complexity makes it hard to design a fixed coordinate system through a combination of known features. It is desirable to build a learnable universal coordinate model that can capture major heterogeneities and serve as a controlled generative model for data argumentation. We developed UniCoord, a specially tuned joint-VAE model to represent single-cell transcriptomic data in a lower-dimensional latent space with high interpretability. Each latent dimension can represent either discrete or continuous feature, and either supervised by prior knowledge or unsupervised. The original transcriptomic profiles can be regenerated from the latent dimensions. The latent dimensions can be easily reconfigured to generate transcriptomic profiles of pseudo cells with desired properties. UniCoord can also be used as a pre-trained model to analyze new data with unseen cell types and thus can serve as a feasible framework for cell annotation and comparison. UniCoord provides a prototype for a learnable universal coordinate framework to enable better analysis and generation of cells with highly orchestrated functions and heterogeneities.
Developing an enzyme selection tool supporting multiple hosts contexts
Authors: Camarena María , Carbonell Pablo
Published: September 2021

Engineering biological organisms that allow the integration of alternative metabolic pathways to natural ones is one of the goals of synthetic biology. Based on this, some of the most attractive applications in terms of synthetic organisms manufacture include the production of a wide range of pharmacologically useful metabolites produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Also, the biostable molecules green-production involves different types of therapeutic processes, e.g. prostheses and grafts stabilisation. Regarding the viability of genetically modified organisms, metabolic pathways must be first properly designed, taking into consideration the type of host organism that will be involved in metabolic production, as well as its biochemical and environmental conditions. To ensure the correct growth of these synthetic organisms, the enzyme selection must guarantee both the organism survival (and proliferation) and the optimal production of the desired metabolite. Developing enzyme selection tools is essential to enhance and make cost-effective the metabolic pathways design. This technical note presents the update of Selenzyme, the enzyme selection tool which is based on organisms taxonomic compatibility and allows appropriate enzyme selection considering its amino acid sequence. The purpose of the update is to allow multiple host input, in order to perform an affinity comparison between target organisms and each host. The affinity differences will depend on which host to be considered, allowing the user to select the optimal host for the enzyme concerned.
Myosin-1b interacts with UNC45A and controls intestinal epithelial morphogenesis
Authors: Revenu Céline , Parlato Marianna , Rosello Marion , Duroure Karine , Duclaux-Loras Rémi , Nicolle Ophélie , Prospéri Marie-Thérèse , Stoufflet Julie , Vougny Juliette , Lebreton Corinne , Lépine Priscilla , Michaux Grégoire , Cerf-Benssusan Nadine , Coudrier Evelyne , Del Bene Filippo
Published: September 2021

Vesicle trafficking and the establishment of apico-basal polarity are essential processes in epithelium morphogenesis. Myosin-1b, an actin-motor able to bind membranes, regulates membrane shaping and vesicle trafficking. Here, we investigate Myosin-1b function in gut morphogenesis and congenital disorders using cell line and zebrafish larvae as well as patient biopsies. In a 3D Caco-2 cyst model, lumen formation is impaired in absence of Myosin-1b. In zebrafish, both Morpholino knock-down and genetic mutation of myo1b result in intestinal bulb epithelium folding defects associated with vesicle accumulation, reminiscent of a villous atrophy phenotype. We show that Myosin-1b interacts with the chaperone UNC45A, genetic deletion of which also results in gut folding defects in zebrafish. Loss of function mutations in UNC45A have been reported in complex hereditary syndromes, notably exhibiting intestinal disorders associated with villous atrophy. In UNC45A-depleted cells and in patient biopsies, Myosin-1b protein level is strikingly decreased. The appearance of Myosin-1b aggregates upon proteasome inhibition in cells points at a degradation mechanism of misfolded Myosin-1b in the absence of its chaperone. In conclusion, Myosin-1b plays an unexpected role in the development of the intestinal epithelium folds or villi downstream UNC45A, establishing its role in the gut defects reported in UNC45A patients.

Summary statement

Myosin-1b is important for intestinal epithelium folding during zebrafish development and participates in the villous atrophy clinical manifestation downstream UNC45A loss of function.
VSGs expressed during natural T. b. gambiense infection exhibit extensive sequence divergence and a subspecies-specific expression bias
Authors: So Jaime , Sudlow Sarah , Sayeed Abeer , Grudda Tanner , Deborggraeve Stijn , Ngoyi Dieudonné Mumba , Desamber Didier Kashiama , Wickstead Bill , Lejon Veerle , Mugnier Monica R.
Published: September 2021

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is the primary causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), a vector-borne disease endemic to West and Central Africa. The extracellular parasite evades antibody recognition within the host bloodstream by altering its Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) coat through a process of antigenic variation. The serological tests which are widely used to screen for HAT use VSG as one of the target antigens. However, the VSGs expressed during human infection have not been characterized. Here we use VSG-seq to analyze the VSGs expressed in the blood of patients infected with T. b. gambiense and compared them to VSG expression in T. b. rhodesiense infections in humans as well as T. b. brucei infections in mice. The 44 VSGs expressed during T. b. gambiense infection revealed a striking bias towards expression of type B N-termini (82% of detected VSGs). This bias is specific to T. b. gambiense, which is unique among T. brucei subspecies in its chronic clinical presentation and anthroponotic nature, pointing towards a potential link between VSG expression and pathogenesis. The expressed T. b. gambiense VSGs also share very little similarity to sequences from 36 T. b. gambiense whole genome sequencing datasets, particularly in areas of the VSG protein exposed to host antibodies, suggesting that wild T. brucei VSG repertoires vary more than previously expected. Overall, this work demonstrates new features of antigenic variation in T. brucei gambiense and highlights the importance of understanding VSG repertoires in nature.

Significance Statement

Human African Trypanosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease primarily caused by the extracellular parasite Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. To avoid elimination by the host, these parasites repeatedly replace their Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) coat. Despite the important role of VSGs in prolonging infection, VSG expression during human infections is poorly understood. A better understanding of natural VSG gene expression dynamics can clarify the mechanisms that T. brucei uses to alter its VSG coat and improve trypanosomiasis diagnosis in humans. We analyzed the expressed VSGs detected in the blood of patients with trypanosomiasis. Our findings indicate that there are features of antigenic variation unique to human-infective T. brucei subspecies and VSGs expressed in natural infection may vary more than previously expected.
The Cortical Spectrum: a robust structural continuum in primate cerebral cortex revealed by histological staining and magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: John Yohan J. , Zikopoulos Basilis , García-Cabezas Miguel Ángel , Barbas Helen
Published: September 2021

High-level characterizations of the primate cerebral cortex sit between two extremes: on one end the cortical mantle is seen as a mosaic of structurally and functionally unique areas, and on the other it is seen as a uniform six-layered structure in which functional differences are defined solely by extrinsic connections. Neither of these extremes captures the crucial neuroanatomical finding: that the cortex exhibits systematic gradations in architectonic structure. These gradations have been shown to predict cortico-cortical connectivity, which in turn suggests powerful ways to ground connectomics in anatomical structure, and by extension cortical function. A challenge to more widespread use of this concept is the labor-intensive and invasive nature of histological staining, which is the primary means of recognizing anatomical gradations. Here we show that a novel computational analysis technique can be used to derive a coarse-grained picture of cortical variation. For each of 78 cortical areas spanning the entire cortical mantle of the rhesus macaque, we created a high dimensional set of anatomical features derived from captured images of cortical tissue stained for myelin and SMI-32. The method involved semi-automated de-noising of images, and enabled comparison of brain areas without hand-labeling of features such as layer boundaries. We applied nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to the dataset to visualize similarity among cortical areas. This analysis shows a systematic variation between weakly laminated (limbic) cortices and sharply laminated (eulaminate) cortices. We call this smooth continuum the ‘cortical spectrum’. We also show that this spectrum is visible within subsystems of the cortex: the occipital, parietal, temporal, motor, prefrontal, and insular cortices. We compared the NMDS-derived spectrum with a spectrum produced using T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data derived from macaque, and found close agreement of the two coarse-graining methods. This evidence suggests that T1/T2 data, routinely obtained in human MRI studies, can be used as an effective proxy for data derived from high-resolution histological methods. More generally, this approach shows that the cortical spectrum is robust to the specific method used to compare cortical areas, and is therefore a powerful tool to understand the principles of organization of the primate cortex.
Lateral surface pressure generated by nascent ribosomal RNA suppresses growth of fibrillar centers in the nucleolus
Authors: Yamamoto Tetsuya , Yamazaki Tomohiro , Ninomiya Kensuke , Hirose Tetsuro
Published: September 2021

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has been thought to be the biophysical principle governing the assembly of the multiphase structures of nucleoli, the site of ribosomal biogenesis. Condensates assembled through LLPS increase their sizes to minimize the surface energy as far as their components are available. However, multiple microphases, fibrillar centers (FCs), dispersed in a nucleolus are stable and their sizes do not grow unless the transcription of pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) is inhibited. To understand the mechanism of the suppression of the FC growth, we here construct a minimal theoretical model by taking into account the nascent pre-rRNAs tethered to the FC surfaces by RNA polymerase I. Our theory predicts that nascent pre-rRNAs generate the lateral osmotic pressure that counteracts the surface tension of the FCs and this suppresses the growth of the FCs over the stable size. The stable FC size decreases with increasing the transcription rate and decreasing the RNA processing rate. This prediction is supported by our experiments showing that RNA polymerase inhibitors increase the FC size in a dose-dependent manner. This theory may provide insight into the general mechanism of the size control of nuclear bodies.

Significance statement

The nucleolus, a site of pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) production, has a characteristic multiphase structure, which has been thought to be assembled through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Although condensates assembled through LLPS grow by coarsening or coalescence as far as the components are available, the multiple inner phases, fibrillar centers (FCs), are dispersed in a nucleolus. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we constructed a minimal theoretical model by considering nascent pre-rRNAs tethered to RNA polymerase I at the FC surface. This model is supported by our experiments and explains previous experimental observations. This work shed light on the role of nascent RNAs to control the size of nuclear bodies.
Active growth signalling promotes cancer cell sensitivity to the CDK7 inhibitor ICEC0942
Authors: Wilson G.A. , Sava G. , Vuina K. , Huard C. , Meneguello L. , Coulombe-Huntington J. , Bertomeu T. , Maizels R.J. , Lauring J. , Tyers M. , Ali S. , Bertoli C. , de Bruin R.A.M.
Published: September 2021

CDK7 has a central role in promoting cellular proliferation, through the activation of the mitotic CDKs, and by driving global gene expression, through targeting RNA polymerase II. Several recently developed CDK7 inhibitors (CDK7i) have been shown to be non-toxic and to limit tumour growth for a number of cancer cell types and are now in Phase I/II clinical trials. However, the mechanisms underlying the sensitivity of particular cancer cells to CDK7 inhibition remain largely unknown.

To improve the outcome of individual patients and increase the chances of successful CDK7i approval, we assessed which fundamental cellular processes determine sensitivity to CDK7 inhibition, using the highly specific CDK7 inhibitor ICEC0942. Our data shows that selective CDK7 inhibition acutely arrests cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, which over time leads to senescence. Through a genome-wide CRISPR knock-out chemogenetic screen we identified active mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signalling, as an important determinant of ICEC0942-induced senescence and show that a cancer-associated mutation that promotes cell growth can increase sensitivity to ICEC0942. Our work indicates that cellular growth is an important predictive marker for sensitivity to CDK7i.
X-ray diffraction study of the atomic interactions, anharmonic displacements and inner-crystal field in orthorhombic KNbO3
Authors: Stash Adam I. , Terekhova Ekaterina O. , Ivanov Sergey A. , Tsirelson Vladimir G.
Published: September 2021

An X-ray diffraction study aimed at establishing the subtle details of the electron density and anharmonicity of the atomic vibrations in a stoichiometric monodomain single crystal of potassium niobate, KNbO3, has been conducted at room temperature (orthorhombic ferroelectric phase Amm2). The cation and anion displacements obtained from the experiment are weakly anharmonic without any manifestation of structural disorder. The chemical bond and interatomic interactions inside and between crystal substructures at the balance of intracrystalline forces are characterized in detail. The role of each of the ions in the formation of the ferroelectric phase was studied and the features of the electron-density deformation in the niobium and oxygen substructures, and the role of each of them in the occurrence of spontaneous polarization are established. The position-space distribution of electrostatic and quantum forces in KNbO3 is restored. It is emphasized that for the completeness of the analysis of the nature of the ferroelectric properties it is necessary to consider both static and kinetic electronic factors, which are of a quantum origin. The experimental results and theoretical estimations by the Kohn–Sham calculation with periodic boundary conditions are in reasonable agreement, thus indicating the physical significance of the findings of this study.
The need for a new generation of substructure searching software
Authors: Raithby Paul R. , Taylor Robin
Published: September 2021

Advances in synthetic chemistry mean that the molecules now synthesized include increasingly complex entities with mechanical bonds or extensive frameworks. For these complex molecular and supramolecular species, single-crystal X-ray crystallography has proved to be the optimal technique for determining full three-dimensional structures in the solid state. These structures are curated and placed in structural databases, the most comprehensive of which (for organic and metallo–organic structures) is the Cambridge Structural Database. A question of increasing importance is how users can search such databases effectively for these structures. Here some of the classes of complex molecules and supramolecules and the challenges associated with searching for them are highlighted. The idea of substructure searches that involve topological searches as well as searches for molecular fragments is developed, and significant enhancements are proposed to substructure search programs that are both achievable and highly beneficial for both the database user community and the broader chemistry community.
The crystalline forms of nine hydrochloride salts of substituted tryptamines
Authors: Pham Duyen N. K. , Belanger Zachary S. , Chadeayne Andrew R. , Golen James A. , Manke David R.
Published: September 2021

The crystal structures of the hydrochloride salts of nine substituted tryptamines, namely, 1-methyltryptammonium chloride, C11H15N2
+·Cl−, (1), 2-methyl-1-phenyltryptammonium chloride, C17H19N2
+·Cl−, (2), 5-methoxytryptammonium chloride, C11H15N2O+·Cl−, (3), 5-bromotryptammonium chloride, C10H12BrN2
+·Cl−, (4), 5-chlorotryptammonium chloride, C10H12ClN2
+·Cl−, (5), 5-fluorotryptammonium chloride, C10H12FN2
+·Cl−, (6), 5-methyltryptammonium chloride, C11H15N2
+·Cl−, (7), 6-fluorotryptammonium chloride, C10H12FN2
+·Cl−, (8), and 7-methyltryptammonium chloride, C11H15N2
+·Cl−, (9), are reported. The seven tryptamines with N—H indoles, (3)–(9), show very similar structures, with N—H...Cl hydrogen-bonding networks forming two-dimensional sheets in the crystals. These sheets are combinations of R
4
2(8) and R
4
2(18) rings, and C
2
1(4) and C
2
1(9) chains. Substitution at the indole N atom reduces the dimensionality of the hydrogen-bonding network, with compounds (1) and (2) demonstrating one-dimensional chains that are a combination of different rings and parallel chains.
Crystal structure of nafamostat dimesylate
Authors: Fujii Isao
Published: September 2021

Nafamostat dimesylate {systematic name: [amino({6-[(4-{[amino(iminiumyl)methyl]amino}phenyl)carbonyloxy]naphthalen-2-yl})methylidene]azanium bis(methanesulfonate)}, C19H19N5O2
2+·2CH3O3S−, is a broad-spectrum serine protease inhibitor and has been applied clinically as an anticoagulant agent during hemodialysis and for treatment of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Since nafamostat contains flexible moieties, it is necessary to determine the conformation to understand the structure–activity relationships. The divalent cation has a screw-like motif. The guanidinium group is approximately perpendicular to the naphthyl ring system, subtending a dihedral angle of 84.30 (14)°. In the crystal, the nafamostat molecules form columnar structures surrounded by a hydrophilic region.
Formation of 1-(thiazol-2-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazoles from simple precursors: synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and the structures of an intermediate and two products
Authors: Mahesha Ninganayaka , Yathirajan Hemmige S. , Nagma Banu Holalagudu A. , Kalluraya Balakrishna , Rathore Ravindranath S. , Glidewell Christopher
Published: September 2021

Two new 1-(thiazol-2-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazoles have been synthesized from simple precursors, and characterized both spectroscopically and structurally. In addition, two intermediates in the reaction pathway have been isolated and characterized, one of them structurally. The molecules of the intermediate (E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-[4-(prop-2-ynyloxy)phenyl]prop-2-en-1-one, C19H16O3 (I), are linked by a combination of C—H...O and C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds to form ribbons. The products (RS)-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-(4-phenythiazol-2-yl)-3-[4-(prop-2-ynyloxy)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole, C28H23N3O2S (II), and (RS)-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-[4-(4-methylphenyl)thiazol-2-yl]-3-[4-(prop-2-ynyloxy)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole, C29H25N3O2S (III), are closely related – differing only by presence or absence of a methyl group at the arylthiazolyl substituent – and crystallize in an isomorphous setting. Both molecules contain an effectively planar dihydro-pyrazole ring, and possess an overall T-shaped structure, which is a characteristic of triaryl-substituted 4,5-dihydro-1-(thiazol-2-yl)pyrazole compounds. The crystal packing is characterized by intermolecular C—H...S and C—H...π (aryl/alkyne) interactions. A combination of two C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds links the product molecules into sheets.
Neuropsychological profile of entrepreneurs
Authors: Brenes Esteban R. , Rodríguez Gabriel , Acuña Joseph , Villalobos Yadira , Pichardo Caleb A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

By analyzing variables from the fields of business and neuropsychology, this document examines alternative combinations of behavioral economics and neuropsychological characteristics that would explain a successful entrepreneurial profile.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on information gathered through a survey of 1,080 entrepreneurs. The findings offer interesting perspectives for academics, professionals and government institutions, which illustrate various neuropsychological characteristics that a person must have to be a successful entrepreneur. The method consists of a novel perspective that integrates qualitative comparative analysis (QCAs), a method based on Boolean algebra that offers a study from a configurational perspective.

Findings

From the mixture of configurations, the paper explores following possible traits of an entrepreneurial mindset: cognitive flexibility, risk-taking, decision-making and teamwork.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on emerging attempts and approaches to understand the entrepreneurial mindset and the possible skillset that underpins successful entrepreneurship.
Supply chains and COVID-19: impacts, countermeasures and post-COVID-19 era
Authors: Butt Atif Saleem
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper explores the steps/countermeasures taken by firms to address supply chain disruptions in the wake of COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a case study methodology and employs 46 semi-structured interviews with senior managers of the three buying firms, four distribution centres and four supplying firms based in four countries (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China and India).

Findings

Results reveal that manufacturers are refining production schedules to meet the production challenges. Distributors are working with secondary suppliers to meet the inventory shortage. Finally, supplying firms are evaluating the impact of demand, focusing on short-term demand-supply strategy, preparing for channel shifts, opening up additional channels of communication with key customers, understanding immediate customer’s demand and priorities and finally becoming more agile.

Research limitations/implications

There are some limitations to this study. First, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a wider population. Second, this study explores the interpretations of senior managers based in four Asian countries only.

Practical implications

Supply chain firms can use these findings to understand how COVID-19 is affecting firms. Firms can also use the suggestions provided in this study to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and make the best out of this pandemic.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the supply chain disruption literature by exploring the robust countermeasure taken by supply chain firms amid COVID-19 outbreak. In particular, it explores such countermeasures from the perspective of three different entities (buyer, supplier and distributor) based in four different countries in the South Asian region.
Is it possible to identify transformational leadership in a financial institution?
Authors: Girardi Gabriele , Rubim Sarate João Alberto
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The aim of this study is to analyze the perception of employees of a Brazilian financial institution about transformational leadership and, subsequently, compare the results amongst the different groups of respondents.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present herein an empirical, descriptive and quantitative study, in which the survey was used as the main data collection technique. The survey was applied to a national sample composed of 603 employees (followers) operating in a financial institution. The authors utilized a few statistical techniques to analyze the data collected, namely descriptive statistics, factor analysis, variance analysis and linear regression.

Findings

The results indicate that employees have a high perception toward transformational leadership; no significant differences between the groups of respondents were found. Followers perceive their leader as a transformational agent, who inspires, encourages, considers and motivates them.

Practical implications

The relevance of this research theme and the main findings of this research contribute to managerial practices since the leadership style under investigation is associated with positive outcomes.

Originality/value

This research sought to explore transformational leadership in an unexpected context. The originality of the study relies on the identification of a positive leadership style in the national financial system, which is usually more focused on economic criteria. There is a lack of research on leadership in Brazil, especially when it comes to quantitative studies. Not only the methodology but also the sample representing the entire Brazilian territory bring about the originality of this research.
Silicon enrichment alters functional traits in legumes depending on plant genotype and symbiosis with nitrogen‐fixing bacteria
Authors: Putra Rocky , Vandegeer Rebecca K. , Karan Shawan , Powell Jeff R. , Hartley Susan E. , Johnson Scott N.
Published: September 2021

Silicon (Si) uptake and deposition (silicification) in tissues is known to alleviate stresses and generally improve plant health. This is mostly studied in Si‐high accumulators, such as grasses, with comparatively less known about its effects on other plant functional groups, such as legumes. There is speculation that Si may positively impact the symbiosis between legumes and the nitrogen‐fixing bacteria (rhizobia) they associate with, but this is poorly understood. This study examined the effects of Si enrichment on legume species associated with rhizobia and the potential underlying mechanism of Si impacts.

We conducted a glasshouse experiment with lucerne Medicago sativa and barrel medic M. truncatula associated with a model rhizobial strain. Six genotypes (three per species) were either supplemented with Si (+Si) or untreated (−Si). We quantified 16 functional traits which could be classified as plant growth, physiology, elemental chemistry, nodule activity and nitrogen fixation.

The two legume species responded to Si distinctively. For example, Si supplementation increased shoot biomass by more than 10% in lucerne but growth was unaffected in barrel medic. Conversely, nitrogen‐fixing enzyme (nitrogenase) activity was promoted by more than 85% in +Si barrel medic plants but not in lucerne. Moreover, Si supplementation of lucerne increased the concentrations of Si in leaves by more than 36% but not in root nodules. Increased foliar concentrations of Si in lucerne were positively associated with increased shoot and root biomass in Sequel and Trifecta genotypes, respectively. Conversely, Si supplementation of barrel medic increased the concentration of Si in root nodules by 29% but not that in foliar tissues. Nitrogenase activity and where silicification occurred, differed between genotypes in barrel medic; nitrogenase activity was correlated with concentrations of Si in root nodules rather than that in foliar tissues in one genotype (Sephi) but the reverse was true in another (Hannaford).

This study demonstrates that two closely related legume species can respond to Si in distinct ways, depending on plant genotype and symbiosis. These results present the overlooked function of Si in legume–rhizobia interactions, which could potentially enhance productivity of this important group of plants.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Vernal pool wetlands respond to livestock grazing, exclusion and reintroduction
Authors: Michaels Julia S. , Tate Kenneth W. , Eviner Valerie T.
Published: September 2021

In disturbance‐adapted ecosystems, the removal of disturbance can lead to losses of diversity and sometimes irreversible changes in community composition. It is important to identify the thresholds at which these changes can occur, and to understand the reversibility of these shifts. We examined this question in a vernal pool ecosystem that evolved with low to moderate levels of grazing disturbance. In this system, it is not clear whether the negative effects of long‐term grazing exclusion are reversible through grazing reintroduction.

We compared adjacent vernal pool wetlands in annual Mediterranean grasslands under three grazing management strategies: continuously grazed (100+ years), long‐term excluded (40+ years) and 2 years of reintroduced grazing. We also asked whether grazing treatments altered pool characteristics that are likely to influence plant community composition, and how these relationships changed with environmental conditions.

Reintroducing grazing to vernal pools led to both increased diversity and native cover, but the effects on native cover were more immediate than on diversity. We identified several biotic and abiotic mechanisms related to this pattern, including changes to competitive dynamics that favour small statured native annuals and increases in hoofprint microdepressions that make soil moisture more available to plants.

Synthesis and applications. Our results show that reintroduced grazing at moderate stocking rates can have significant effects on plant communities after just 2 years and can increase native cover more quickly than overall diversity. Our findings suggest that the negative effects of long‐term grazing exclusion in vernal pools may be reversible, but that land managers interested in restoring diversity should plan to monitor beyond the first two years of grazing reintroduction.
poems: R package for simulating species' range dynamics using pattern‐oriented validation
Authors: Fordham Damien A. , Haythorne Sean , Brown Stuart C. , Buettel Jessie C. , Brook Barry W.
Published: September 2021

Spatially explicit population models (SEPMs) can simulate spatiotemporal changes in species' range dynamics in response to variation in climatic and environmental conditions, and anthropogenic activities. When combined with pattern‐oriented modelling methods, ecological processes and drivers of range shifts and extinctions can be identified, and plausible chains of causality revealed.

The open‐source multi‐platform R package poems provides functionality for simulating and validating projections of species' range dynamics using stochastic, lattice‐based population models. Built‐in modules allow parameter uncertainty to propagate through to model simulations, with their effects on species' range dynamics evaluated using Approximate Bayesian Computation. These validation procedures identify models with the structural complexity and parameterisation needed to simulate the effects of past changes in climate, environment and human activities on species' range shifts and extinction risk.

We illustrate the features and versatility of poems by simulating the historical decline and extinction of the Thylacine Thylacinus cynocephalus, an icon of recent extinctions in Australia. We show that poems can reveal likely ecological pathways to extinction using pattern‐oriented methods, providing validated projections of the range collapse and population decline of threatened species.

By providing flexible and extendable modules for building and validating SEPMs of species' range dynamics, poems allows the effects of past and future threats on species' populations to be quantified using well‐parameterised, structurally realistic models, with important generative mechanisms. Since poems can directly unravel ecological processes of species responses to global change, and strengthen predictions of range shifts and extinction risk—within a flexible, R‐based environment—we anticipate that poems will be of significant value to ecologists, conservation managers and biogeographers.
Letter: patients who have both sarcopenia and frailty have similar prognosis to those with either condition separately—authors’ reply
Authors: Bunchorntavakul Chalermrat , Reddy K. Rajender
Published: September 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Bunchorntavakul & Reddy and Alexopoulos et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15571 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16564
Letter: is wireless oesophageal pH monitoring the best technique to evaluate night‐time reflux? Authors' reply
Authors: Schuitenmaker Jeroen M. , Oude Nijhuis Renske A. B. , Bredenoord Albert J.
Published: September 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Oude Nijhuis et al and Ribolsi & Savarino papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16447 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16573
Changes in the birth prevalence of orofacial clefts in Japan: Has the birth prevalence of orofacial clefts been affected by improved accuracy of prenatal diagnosis?
Authors: Natsume Nagato , Furukawa Hiroo , Niimi Teruyuki , Takeuchi Kazuo , Yoshida Waka , Sakuma Chisato , Imura Hideto , Fujiwara Kumiko , Akashi Junko , Hayami Kayo , Natsume Nagana
Published: September 2021

We have been conducting a survey on the birth prevalence of orofacial clefts, including cleft lip with or without cleft palate and cleft palate, in the Tokai area in central Japan every year for 37 years. Along with the yearly trends in the birth prevalence of orofacial clefts in that area for the past 37 years, we discuss whether the artificial abortion rate of fetuses with orofacial clefts has increased through the improved performance of ultrasonic imaging equipment. We also compare the yearly trends in the birth prevalence of congenital anomalies, including orofacial clefts, in Japan with those in other countries or areas where artificial abortion due to birth defects is legally permitted, and discuss the impact of improved accuracy of ultrasound imaging on the rate of artificial termination of pregnancy. The fact that the birth prevalence of orofacial clefts has basically remained unchanged for more than 30 years, even with recent more detailed prenatal diagnosis based on the improvement of ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, has allowed us tentatively to conclude that prenatal diagnosis is not currently threatening the right to life of the fetuses with orofacial clefts.
Patient selection for LIVE therapy: From clinical indications to multimodality imaging individual case planning
Authors: Neves Paulo , Pillay Thasee , Annest Lon , van Bladel Kevin , Kaiser Erhard , Stahl Fabian , Hanke Thorsten , Swaans Martin , Klein Patrick , Ruf Tobias , von Bardeleben Ralph Stephan
Published: September 2021

Background

Less Invasive Ventricular Enhancement (LIVE) with Revivent TC is an innovative therapy for symptomatic ischemic heart failure (HF). It is designed to reconstruct a negatively remodeled left ventricle (LV) after an anterior myocardial infarction (MI) by plication of the scar tissue. Its indications are specific, and as with any other structural heart intervention, the success of the procedure starts with appropriate patient selection. We aim to present the indications of the technique, crucial aspects in patient selection, and individual case planning approach.

Methods and results

After clinical evaluation, transthoracic echocardiography is the first imaging modality to be performed in a potential candidate for the therapy. However, definitive indication and detailed case planning rely on late gadolinium‐enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging or multiphasic contrast‐enhanced cardiac computed tomography. These imaging modalities also assist with relative or absolute contra‐indications for the procedure. Individual assessment is done to tailor the procedure to the specifics of the LV anatomy and location of the myocardial scar.

Conclusion

LIVE procedure is a unique intervention to treat symptomatic HF and ischemic cardiomyopathy after anterior MI. It is a highly customizable intervention that allows a patient‐tailored approach, based on multimodality imaging assessment and planification.
Expanding the concept of social behavior to interspecific interactions
Authors: Oliveira Rui F. , Bshary Redouan
Published: September 2021

In pretty much any species, an individual's survival and reproduction depends crucially on the outcome of interactions with other individuals. Key interactions may take place between individuals of the same species but also between individuals belonging to different species. However, the most accepted definition of social behavior only considers interactions between conspecifics. Here, we argue that the distinction between intra‐ and interspecific interactions is largely artificial and hinders the integration of the historically separately developed concepts. At the ultimate level, given that the ecological landscape of organisms is composed both by interactions with conspecifics and with heterospecifics, and both types of interactions may have evolutionary consequences. Although intraspecific interactions usually have a higher impact in fitness because in most species interactions relevant for reproduction (mating, parenting) exclusively involve conspecifics, and interactions relevant for survival are more probable between conspecifics because they share the same ecological niche, hence competing for the same resources (e.g., food, shelter), there are notable exceptions in both fitness components (e.g., heterospecific mating in parthenogenic all‐female species; heterospecific brood parasitism; heterospecific aggression in sympatric species that compete for shared resources). At the proximate level, behaviors and cognitive decision‐making rules used to interact with other organisms may be shared between intra‐ and interspecific interactions, and the mechanistic differences between conspecific social behaviors used in distinct functional domains, such as mating, aggression, or parenting, can be more expressive than those found within the same functional domain between conspecific and heterospecific behavior. Therefore, there are neither fundamental conceptual (ultimate) reasons, nor key differences in mechanisms underlying behaviors involved in conspecific vs. heterospecific interactions that support the exclusion of interspecific interactions from the conceptual framework of social behavior.
Siblings matter: Family heterogeneity improves associative learning later in life
Authors: Fischer Stefan , Balshine Sigal , Hadolt Michaela C. , Schaedelin Franziska C.
Published: September 2021

Despite the strong interest in connecting social complexity and cognitive ability, there remains considerable debate about how to best quantify both cognitive performance and social complexity. Measuring group and brain size are clearly not sufficient and recent attention has been placed on the use of rigorous, increasingly challenging cognitive tasks and studying the quality, not merely the number of social interactions. Here we used two cichlid fishes from Lake Tanganyika, one cooperative breeder and one biparental species, in a cross‐fostering experiment, to investigate the links between social complexity and cognition. While controlling for parental cues, individual fish grew up either in a socially homogenous group with only conspecifics or in a mixed and diverse social group with hetero‐ as well as conspecifics and then were tested for learning abilities as subadults. To quantify differences in learning, we first employed a discrimination learning task followed by a reversal learning task that requires behavioral flexibility, as previous associations are forgotten and new associations forged. We found that individuals growing up in a more diverse social environment learned faster and made fewer mistakes in the discrimination learning task, but this ability did not transfer to the reversal learning task. Irrespective of the early social experiences, the cooperatively breeding, and thus the more social of the two cichlid species, learnt the color discrimination more quickly and made significantly fewer errors. These results provide a first demonstration of a possible association between cognitive performance and social complexity in cichlid fishes.