bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Natural variations of aging of cardiac performance in Drosophila identifies a central function for the PAR domain bZIP transcription factorPdp1/dHLFin cardiac senescence
Authors: Audouin Katell , Saha Saswati , Röder Laurence , Krifa Sallouha , Arquier Nathalie , Perrin Laurent
Published: October 2024

The identification of genetic factors influencing cardiac senescence in natural populations is central to our understanding of cardiac aging and to identify the etiology of associated cardiac disorders in human populations. However, the genetic underpinning of complex traits in human is almost impossible, due to the infeasibility to control genetic background and gene-environment interactions.Drosophilahas striking similarities in cardiac aging with humans, highlighting the conserved nature of cardiac aging for organisms with a heart. Leveraging on a large collection of inbred lines from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP), we provide an accurate analysis of cardiac senescence in a natural population of flies. This permitted the discovery of an unprecedented number of variants and associated genes significantly associated to the natural variation of cardiac aging. We focused on the function of the PAR domain bZIP transcription factor Pdp1 for which several variants were found associated with natural variation of the aging of multiple cardiac functional traits. We demonstrated thatPdp1cell autonomously plays a central role in cardiac senescence and might do so by regulating mitochondria homeostasis. Overall, our work provides a unique resource regarding the genetics of cardiac aging in a natural population.
SC-MAMBA2: Leveraging State-Space Models for Efficient Single-Cell Ultra-Long Transcriptome Modeling
Authors: Zhao Yalong , Zhao Bowen , Zhang Fan , He Chenfeng , Wu Wendao , Lai Lipeng
Published: October 2024

Abstract

The rapid advancement of single-cell sequencing technology has significantly deepened our understanding of cellular heterogeneity, yet it concurrently presents substantial challenges for the unified modeling of single-cell data. Simultaneously, pre-trained foundation models have achieved notable success in domains such as natural language processing and image analysis. However, extending these models to accommodate ultra-long single-cell transcriptome sequences, characterized by an extensive number of genes, remains a formidable task. In this study, we introduce SC-MAMBA2, based on the MAMBA2 architecture, meticulously designed with a bidirectional modeling approach tailored for single-cell transcriptomics data. As the first single-cell foundation model to integrate state-space models (SSMs) underlying MAMBA2 architecture, SC-MAMBA2 features over 625 million parameters, covers more than 60,000 genes, and was pre-trained on a dataset of over 57 million cells, making it the most comprehensive solution for processing ultra-long transcriptome sequences. Extensive bench-marking across a diverse array of downstream tasks consistently demonstrates that SC-MAMBA2 surpasses state-of-the-art models, delivering superior accuracy and enhanced computational efficiency.
FIGL1 limits the formation of meiotic non crossover events inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Charif Delphine , Mercier Raphaël , Tran Joseph , Mézard Christine
Published: October 2024

Meiotic recombination produces both crossover and non crossover events that are essential in the history of population genetics and evolution of species. In Arabidopsis thaliana, several pathways control the rate and distribution of crossovers. Here, by sequencing the four products of a series of tetrads, we confirm the antiCO role ofRECQ4A, RECQ4B, FIGL1andFANCM. Moreover, when one of this gene is mutated, complex chimeric gene conversion events associated to crossover are observed suggesting a role of these proteins in limiting the multiple strand invasions. Nothing was known about the factors that could limit or increase NCOs. Here, we show thatFIGL1plays a major role in controlling the NCO number.
The first complete 3D reconstruction and morphofunctional mapping of an insect eye
Authors: Makarova Anastasia A. , Chua Nicholas J. , Diakova Anna V. , Desyatirkina Inna A. , Gunn Pat , Pang Song , Xu C. Shan , Hess Harald , Chklovskii Dmitri B. , Polilov Alexey A.
Published: October 2024

The structure of compound eyes in arthropods has been the subject of many studies, revealing important biological principles. Until recently, these studies were constrained by the two-dimensional nature of available ultrastructural data. By taking advantage of the novel three-dimensional ultrastructural dataset obtained using volume electron microscopy (vEM), we present the first cellular-level reconstruction of the whole compound eye of an insect, the miniaturized parasitoid waspMegaphragma viggianii. The compound eye of the femaleM. viggianiiconsists of 29 ommatidia and contains 478 cells. Despite the almost anucleate brain, all cells of the compound eye contain nuclei. As in larger insects, the dorsal rim area (DRA) of the eye inM. viggianiicontains ommatidia that are believed to be specialized in polarized light detection as reflected in their corneal and retinal morphology. We report the presence of three ‘ectopic’ photoreceptors. Our results offer new insights into the miniaturization of compound eyes and scaling of sensory organs in general.
Hierarchy of prediction errors shapes the learning of context-dependent sensory representations
Authors: Tsai Matthias C. , Teutsch Jasper , Wybo Willem A.M. , Helmchen Fritjof , Banerjee Abhishek , Senn Walter
Published: October 2024

How sensory information is interpreted depends on context. Yet, how context shapes sensory processing in the brain, remains elusive. To investigate this question we combined computational modeling andin vivofunctional imaging of cortical neurons in mice during reversal learning of a tactile sensory discrimination task. During learning, layer 2/3 somatosensory neurons enhanced their response to reward-predictive stimuli, explainable as gain amplification from apical dendrites. Reward-prediction errors were reduced and confidence in the outcome prediction increased. Upon rule-reversal, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, through disinhibitory VIP interneurons, encoded a context-prediction error signaling a loss of confidence. The hierarchy of prediction errors in cortical areas is mirrored in top-down signals modulating apical activity in the primary sensory cortex. Our model explains how contextual changes are detected in the brain and how errors in different cortical regions interact to reshape and update the sensory representation.
A MOUSE ORGANOID PLATFORM FOR MODELING CEREBRAL CORTEX DEVELOPMENT AND CIS-REGULATORY EVOLUTION IN VITRO
Authors: Medina-Cano Daniel , Islam Mohammed T. , Petrova Veronika , Dixit Sanjana , Balic Zerina , Yang Marty G. , Stadtfeld Matthias , Wong Emily S. , Vierbuchen Thomas
Published: October 2024

Natural selection has shaped the gene regulatory networks that orchestrate the development of the neocortex, leading to diverse neocortical structure and function across mammals, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving phenotypic changes have proven difficult to characterize. Here, we develop a reproducible protocol to generate neocortical organoids from mouse epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs) that gives rise to diverse cortical cell types, including distinct classes of excitatory neurons (pre-plate, deep-layer, and upper-layer) and glia (oligodendrocyte precursor cells, myelinating oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, ependymal cells). Cortical organoids develop with similar kinetics to the mouse cortex in vivo and begin to exhibit features of maturation in glia and neuronal cell types relatively rapidly compared to human brain organoids. Using this new protocol, we generated cortical organoids from F1 hybrid EpiSCs derived from crosses between standard laboratory mice (C57BL/6J) and four wild-derived mouse strains from distinct sub-species spanning ∼1M years of evolutionary divergence. This allowed us to comprehensively map cis-acting transcriptional regulatory variation across developing cortical cell types using scRNA-seq. We identify hundreds of genes that exhibit dynamic allelic imbalances during cortical neurogenesis, providing the first insight into the developmental mechanisms underpinning changes in cortical structure and function between mouse strains. These experimental methods and cellular resources represent a powerful new platform for investigating mechanisms of gene regulation in the developing cerebral cortex.
Branched actin polymerization drives invasive protrusion formation to promote myoblast fusion during skeletal muscle regeneration
Authors: Lu Yue , Walji Tezin , Pandey Pratima , Zhou Chuanli , Habela Christa W. , Snapper Scott B. , Li Rong , Chen Elizabeth H.
Published: October 2024

Skeletal muscle regeneration is a multistep process involving the activation, proliferation, differentiation, and fusion of muscle stem cells, known as satellite cells. The fusion ofsatellitecell-derived mononucleatedmuscle cells (SCMs) is indispensable for the generation of multinucleated, contractile myofibers during muscle repair. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying SCM fusion during muscle regeneration remain poorly understood. In this study, we uncovered an essential role for branched actin polymerization in SCM fusion. Using conditional knockouts of the Arp2/3 complex and its actin nucleation-promoting factors, N-WASP and WAVE, we demonstrated that branched actin polymerization is required for the SCM fusion, but not for satellite cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. We showed that the N-WASP and WAVE complexes have partially redundant functions in regulating SCM fusion. Furthermore, we showed that branched actin polymerization is essential for generating invasive protrusions at the fusogenic synapses in SCMs. Taken together, our study has identified new components of the myoblast fusion machinery in skeletal muscle regeneration and demonstrated a critical role for branched actin-propelled invasive protrusions in this process.
Calcium Homeostasis Modulator 2 Constitutes an ATP-regulation Pore in Mitochondria
Authors: Guo Qian-Jin , Hou Tingting , Xie Wen-Jun , Zhang Jing-Ruo , Ma Xin-Lei , Guo Yingna , Wang Xiao-Ting , Wang Li-Peng , Lu Ming-Ao , Wu Zhaofa , Wang Hong-Guang , Chen Yi-Hang , Li Yu-Long , Wang Shi-Qiang
Published: October 2024

Recent structural analyses showed that the calcium homeostasis modulator-2 (CALHM2) forms a mega channel, but its cellular location and endogenous function are yet unknown. We found that native CALHM2 resides on the mitochondrial inner membrane and constitutes an ATP-regulated ATP release channel. CALHM2 knockdown/knockout decreases cytosolic ATP concentration, and thereby compromises energy-sensitive processes, such as intracellular Ca2+handling. However, CALHM2 loss-of-function elevates ATP concentration in the mitochondrial matrix, dephosphorylates key enzymes in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and promotes longevity in CALHM2 knockout mice. These findings reveal that CALHM2 constitutes a novel regulator of mitochondrial metabolism, which may have important implications in aging and diseases.
BMP signaling modulations control primitive streak patterning
Authors: Simon Gaël , Plouhinec Jean-Louis , Gilardi-Hebenstreit Pascale , Sorre Benoit , Collignon Jérôme
Published: October 2024

The primitive streak (PS) is the embryonic structure from which mesoderm and definitive endoderm cells emerge to form organs and fetal tissues. The identities of the cells leaving the PS depend on both the time and the position at which they exit. Three signaling molecules, BMP4, WNT3 and NODAL, play key roles in determining these identities, but it has been difficult to disentangle the contribution of each to this process in the mouse embryo. Using 2D gastruloids that recapitulate early aspects of mouse gastrulationin vitro, we have previously shown that WNT3 and NODAL promote distal PS fates on their own, and proximal PS fates in the presence of BMP4. We now detail further the impact of BMP4 on the cell identities produced in gastruloids. Single cell RNA-seq analysis shows that prolonged exposure to BMP4 results in the presence of all the cell types, including primordial germ cells, which normally form from the most proximal part of the pluripotent epiblast. We then show that reducing the duration or intensity of gastruloid exposure to BMP4 can allow the emergence of more distal cell identities, such as paraxial mesoderm, alongside anterior PS derivatives. These results, which are consistent with embryological studies, provide key elements for understanding how the varied output of the PS is controlled.
Spin dynamics and possible topological magnons in the nonstoichiometric pyrochlore iridate
Tb2Ir2O7
studied by RIXS
Authors: Faure Q. , Toschi A. , Soh J. R. , Lhotel E. , Detlefs B. , Prabhakaran D. , McMorrow D. F. , Sahle Ch. J.
Published: October 2024

We report on a resonant inelastic x-ray scattering study on a single crystal of a nonstoichiometric pyrochlore iridate Tb2+xIr2−xO7−y (x≃0.25) that magnetically orders at TN≃50 K. We observe a propagating gapped magnon mode at low energy and model it using a Hamiltonian consisting of a Heisenberg exchange [J=16.2(9)meV] and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions [D=5.2(3)meV], which shows the robustness of interactions despite Tb stuffing at the Ir site. Strikingly, the ratio D/J=0.32(3) supports possible nontrivial topological magnon band crossing. This material may thus host coexisting fermionic and bosonic topology, with potential for manipulating electronic and magnonic topological bands thanks to the d−f interaction.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
SUBGROUPS: a computer tool at the Bilbao Crystallographic Server for the study of pseudo-symmetric or distorted structures
Authors: Tasci Emre S. , Elcoro Luis , Perez-Mato J. Manuel , de la Flor Gemma , Aroyo Mois I.
Published: October 2024

SUBGROUPS is a free online program at the Bilbao Crystallographic Server (https://www.cryst.ehu.es/). It permits the exploration of all possible symmetries resulting from the distortion of a higher-symmetry parent structure, provided that the relation between the lattices of the distorted and parent structures is known. The program calculates all the subgroups of the parent space group which comply with this relation. The required minimal input is the space-group information of the parent structure and the relation of the unit cell of the distorted or pseudo-symmetric structure with that of the parent structure. Alternatively, the wavevector(s) observed in the diffraction data characterizing the distortion can be introduced. Additional conditions can be added, including filters related to space-group representations. The program provides very detailed information on all the subgroups, including group–subgroup hierarchy graphs. If a Crystallographic Information Framework (CIF) file of the parent high-symmetry structure is uploaded, the program generates CIF files of the parent structure described under each of the chosen lower symmetries. These CIF files may then be used as starting points for the refinement of the distorted structure under these possible symmetries. They can also be used for density functional theory calculations or for any other type of analysis. The power and efficiency of the program are illustrated with a few examples.
Simulation of diffraction patterns for Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) tetragonal structures with RP faults
Authors: Gorkusha A. S. , Cherepanova S. V. , Tsybulya S. V.
Published: October 2024

A theoretical analysis of diffraction patterns was performed for two representatives of layered perovskite-type tetragonal phases of the Ruddlesden–Popper series (RP) with the general formula A

n+1
B

n
O3n+1 (n = 1, 2), which contain RP faults (layer alternation defects) in a wide range of concentrations. The results of theoretical calculations can be used in the future for correct interpretation of X-ray powder diffraction experimental data and for quantitative estimation of the deviation from stoichiometry and structural perfection of this type of compound.
Women’s career aspirations: a mechanism of family care work conflict and motivation to continue work
Authors: Ahmed Ishfaq , Riaz Samina
Published: October 2024

Purpose

In closely knitted eastern societies (e.g. Pakistan), women tend to work for their families, and career is a volunteer choice. The working women often face issues in balancing between these roles and often family pressures influence their work i.e. family care work conflict (FCWC). By valuing the prevalent issue of FCWC, this study aims to identify its relationship with the motivation to continue work (MCW) through mediation of career self-efficacy (CSE) and future time perspectives (FTP).

Design/methodology/approach

Data for the current study are collected from a women sample working in education, health, law firms and banking sector. All in all, 309 completely filled questionnaires were used for analysis purposes.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that women with high FCWC have low MCW, and CSE partially mediate the relationship. Moreover, FTP moderates the relationship.

Originality/value

The study contributes to literature by considering the mechanism of CSE and FTP between FCWC and MCW. Moreover, a women sample from a closely knitted eastern culture also provides some interesting findings.
Assessing the role of risk-driven entrepreneurial actions in achieving sustainable development goals 1 and 2 in Africa: does democracy matter?
Authors: Tiba Sofien , Omri Waleed , Chishti Muhammad Zubair
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study rigorously examines the complex interplay between entrepreneurial risk-taking and the achievement of sustainable development goals 1 and 2, which focus on eradicating poverty and hunger, respectively. By conducting a comprehensive review of existing literature and empirical data, the research aims to unravel the direct impact of risk-oriented entrepreneurial activities on poverty and hunger alleviation. Moreover, it seeks to investigate the moderating role of democratic governance in shaping these effects within the context of African economies.

Design/methodology/approach

By employing a Panel Smooth Transition Regression (PSTR) model and using annual and balanced panel data for 20 African countries over 21 years, we examine a potential regime switching as an original framework in the analysis of the curvilinear relationship between risk-driven entrepreneurial actions and sustainable development goals 1 and 2.

Findings

Our empirical results confirm the presence of a specific threshold above which risk-oriented entrepreneurial actions proactively tackle poverty and hunger issues. The results also show that entrepreneurship associated with a good level of democracy is the fair tradeoff toward eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by the 2030th United Nations (UN) deadline.

Originality/value

This study offers novel insights into the role of entrepreneurial risk-taking at the country level in achieving sustainable development goals 1 and 2. It advances research on entrepreneurship and sustainable development by demonstrating how a strong risk culture among entrepreneurs might make regions more developed while building on suitable institutional quality.
Unearthing hidden agendas: carbon emissions and corporate tax strategies
Authors: Lassoued Naima , Souguir Zahra , Khanchel Imen
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between carbon risk and tax avoidance practices among American firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The research examines 854 American firms over the period from 2015 to 2021. A two-stage least squares regression technique with instrumental variables is used to address potential endogeneity concerns.

Findings

The study shows that an increase in carbon risk is associated with higher tax avoidance, particularly through Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. These findings are robust across various metrics used to measure carbon risk and align with the insights derived from agency theory.

Research limitations/implications

Although focusing on American firms provides a consistent regulatory context, it may limit the generalizability of findings to other contexts. The study’s implications suggest that policymakers and managers should consider the interplay between environmental and tax policies in their decision-making processes.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by extending the understanding of determinants of corporate tax avoidance by introducing carbon risk as a significant factor. The results provide valuable insights for stakeholders into the evolving dynamics of corporate environmental and fiscal responsibilities.
Digitalization and expatriate cross-cultural adjustment: the role of mobile apps
Authors: Wang Yuling , Lockett Martin , Zhou Abby Jingzi
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study explores the role of digitalization, especially mobile apps, in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment. The role of digitalization is under-researched and under-recognized in the current literature on global mobility, but is becoming a significant factor in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment.

Design/methodology/approach

As the research is exploratory, it uses qualitative methods, specifically in-depth interviews and rigorous thematic analysis. It is based on 31 respondents from 16 higher education organizations across 10 cities in five provinces/municipalities in China, a country with one of the highest levels of digitalization in daily life.

Findings

The most significant finding is that mobile apps are central to expatriate cross-cultural adjustment in China. Such apps both enable adjustment if used actively and hinder adjustment significantly if resisted or not used effectively. However high motivation is required to cope with the incompatibility between the infrastructure of mobile apps in China and expatriates’ previous experiences.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on expatriate academics in China, where digitalization is widespread and local apps rather than international apps are predominant. Hence expatriates may feel a greater impact of digitalization on daily life and work than in less digitalized societies. A major implication is that digitalization should be considered as a potentially significant factor in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment.

Practical implications

Host country governments, employers, app developers and expatriates, all need to consider the use of mobile apps in cross-cultural adjustment and retention of expatriates.

Originality/value

This study identifies the role of digitalization, especially mobile apps, in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment in a highly digitalized environment, which has not been recognized in previous research. It proposes the concept of “digital distance” that should be considered alongside “cultural distance” in the context of expatriate cross-cultural adjustment.
Does financial expertise influence Islamic bank risk-taking?
Authors: Umar Umar Habibu , Al-Faryan Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh , Osemy Ahmed Zakaria Zaki
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study investigated how the financial expertise of the board of directors, risk management committee (RMC), audit committee (AC) and Shariá Supervisory Board (SSB) influences the risk-taking of Islamic banks.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilized unbalanced panel data for a sample of 43 full-fledged Islamic banks from 15 countries over 12 years (2010–2021). We employed feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) and heteroskedastic panels corrected standard errors (HPCSE) regression regressions as the primary estimation methods and used a two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator for robustness checks.

Findings

The results indicate that board financial expertise decreases insolvency and credit risks. Similarly, AC financial expertise and SSB financial expertise reduce insolvency and portfolio risks but increase credit risk. In contrast, RMC financial expertise raises insolvency risk. The remaining relationships are statistically insignificant.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the lack of disclosure regarding the educational and professional background of the board and committee members in the annual reports of some Islamic banks, this research used a sample of only 43 full-fledged Islamic banks operating in fifteen countries from 2010 to 2021.

Practical implications

The findings can assist both local and international regulators in revising corporate governance codes and risk management guidelines in such a way as to ensure that the financial experts appointed to the board, AC, RMC and SSB, are capable of controlling excessive risk-taking behavior in Islamic banks.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by providing comprehensive empirical evidence that corporate governance financial expertise influences the risk-taking behavior of Islamic banks.
The social entrepreneurship value cycle: generation, appropriation, devolution and transformation of sustainable value
Authors: Nascimento Leandro da Silva , Silva Diego S. , Chim-Miki Adriana Fumi , Costa Júnior Júlio César da , Salazar Viviane Santos
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Social entrepreneurship literature emphasizes the creation of social value for society from three main concepts – generation, appropriation and devolution - that form a value cycle. This paper aims to analyse how social enterprises operationalize this cycle to create positive social impact.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a multi-case approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with founders of Brazilian social enterprises.

Findings

This study empirically supports the existence of the value cycle and identifies an additional stage –value transformation – emerging from the data. While the initial three stages occur within social enterprises, value transformation unfolds within served communities. This stage not only facilitates the conversion of value types (e.g. social to economic or environmental) but also stimulates the formation of new social enterprises. Consequently, this paper proposes a comprehensive social entrepreneurship value cycle encompassing generation, appropriation, devolution and transformation of value.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to clarifying concepts and mitigating theoretical ambiguities surrounding social value creation in the context of social entrepreneurship. It provides a framework for understanding the underlying principles of each stage in the value cycle, thereby empowering scholars and practitioners to enhance the innovative mission of social enterprises and drive social change within underserved communities.
Examining graduate student perspectives on supervision and peer mentoring across four professional faculties
Authors: Jacobsen Michele , Neutzling Nicole , Lorenzetti Liza , Oddone Paolucci Elizabeth , Nowell Lorelli , Clancy Tracey , Freeman Georgina , Lorenzetti Diane L.
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to examine graduate student perspectives on the common and unique roles peer mentors and supervisors play in supporting student success and wellbeing during their program.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research design involving semistructured interviews with 62 thesis-based masters and doctoral students from four professional faculties, Education, Medicine, Nursing and Social Work, at a large public research-intensive university in Canada.

Findings

Findings transcend the four disciplines of study. Communities of support are described that involve both supervisors and peers in combination, clusters of meaning by supervisory paradigm are identified and original findings presented that expand upon the learning alliance framework by explicitly considering the role of peer mentors in graduate student success.

Research limitations/implications

While supervisors bear primary responsibility for fostering effective research-based relationships, this study’s findings strengthen the argument that mentoring and advising of graduate students is most effective when conducted within a collaborative community of support that involves learning alliances among faculty, peers, program staff and academic leaders across the institution.

Practical implications

A four-pronged approach to graduate education that emphasizes the collective responsibility of institutions, programs, supervisors and students in creating a supportive ecosystem for holistic graduate student academic success and wellbeing is recommended.

Social implications

Key argument that it is essential to embrace a collaborative and community of support mindset, where multiple stakeholders actively contribute to the wellbeing and academic development of graduate students throughout their programs.

Originality/value

A cross-disciplinary perspective is offered on the importance of both supervisors and peers in assisting thesis-based graduate students to successfully navigate academic, social and personal journeys through graduate school.
Case report: A novel high‐dose intravenous immunoglobulin preparation for the treatment of severe pemphigus vulgaris failing standard therapy
Authors: Wiedenmayer Nadine , Hogrefe Katharina , Mihalceanu Silvia , Winkler Julia K. , Enk Alexander H.
Published: October 2024

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a severe autoimmune bullous dermatosis that is characterized by autoantibodies against epidermal adhesion proteins causing painful mucosal and skin blistering. Standard treatments for PV include corticosteroids, steroid‐sparing immunosuppressants, or intravenous monoclonal anti–CD20‐antibody therapy. The European guidelines suggest high‐dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy as a promising approach for severe or treatment‐resistant cases. We report on a 65‐year‐old woman with severe and recurrent disease who achieved long‐term disease stabilization with IVIg treatment. Because of recurrent fatigue and headache, the patient was switched to an alternative IVIg preparation with a novel manufacturing process, thus ensuring high purity and better tolerability. We observed excellent efficacy, yet side effects remained largely unchanged. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the long‐term efficacy and tolerability of this new IVIg preparation.
A case of chronic spontaneous urticaria with wheals lasting for more than a week
Authors: Morioke Satoshi , Moriwaki Masaya , Tanaka Akio , Hide Michihiro
Published: October 2024

Urticaria is characterized by the development of wheals which usually disappear within a day, and are not present beyond a few days. A 58‐year‐old man began to develop edematous, partially ring‐shaped erythematous lesions accompanied by severe body itching without any particular cause, approximately 2 months before his first visit to our hospital. Each rash emerged as being about 5 mm in diameter, gradually enlarging over several days, and disappeared in up to 10 days. Despite oral treatment with several antihistamines and 10 mg of prednisolone, there was no improvement. Most eruptions disappeared without a trace, but the erythema that appeared on the palms left desquamation. The patient had a history of shellfish allergy, but otherwise no atopic diseases. Drug eruption was ruled out due to a lack of regular taking other medications. Histopathological findings of the skin lesions showed moderate lymphocytic and few eosinophilic infiltrates with edema, but no evidence of vasculitis. Despite the concomitant use of two second‐generation antihistamines and montelukast, the rash did not improve. The symptoms began to improve following oral intake of 1.5 mg of betamethasone, which was tapered off with the addition of 150 mg of cyclosporin. The use of all medications was stopped at 4 months from the first visit without recurrence. Wheals of chronic spontaneous urticaria may last for longer than a week without apparent histopathological findings of vasculitis.
Thermal conditions alter the mating behaviour of males in a polygynous system
Authors: Levine Rebecca L. , Kroger Bart , Monteith Kevin L.
Published: October 2024

Males in polygynous systems may be facing a trade‐off between the traits that enhance reproductive success and the need to cope with environmental change. To secure mates, males invest into large bodies, lavish ornaments and costly activities, but these investments may be incompatible with future environments. As climatic change intensifies, thermal stressors could be disrupting the energy‐intensive pathways that historically have yielded mating opportunity.

We evaluated how traits associated with social dominance interacted with environmental conditions to shape mating behaviour and opportunity in moose (Alces alces), a heat‐sensitive species in which southern populations live at the edge of their thermal tolerance. We anticipated that males with favourable characteristics (e.g. age, weaponry) would allocate more to reproduction, resulting in increased mating opportunity. We expected that warm temperatures would limit reproductive effort, especially as age and weapon size increased.

We quantified mating tactics, effort, and opportunity for male moose ranging in age from 1.5 to 11.5 years. We used hidden Markov models to detect mating tactics, accelerometer data to quantify movement effort, and proximity to females as a proxy for mating opportunity. We modelled these mating dynamics as a function of age, weapon size, and ambient temperature.

Warm temperatures exaggerated age‐related differences in time and effort allocated to reproductive movement. Heat disproportionately limited reproductive effort in old males, the ages that also had the greatest mating opportunity. Even though warm temperatures altered mating behaviour, they did not reduce mating opportunity. Across temperatures, mating opportunity was highest in prime‐age and old males, yet time and effort devoted to reproductive movement decreased with age.

Climate change, which is increasing autumn temperatures, may increase variation in reproductive effort across ages and depress the movement of old males, who are typically the primary breeders. The discrepancy between behaviour and opportunity suggests that movement is not a reliable pathway to reproduction and emphasizes the advantages of energy‐saving strategies, especially as environments become more taxing for heat‐sensitive species. We reveal the limitations of movement effort in polygynous mating strategies and the susceptibility of this critical life history stage to environmental change.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Coral reef fish visual adaptations to a changing world
Authors: Shaughnessy Abigail , Cortesi Fabio
Published: October 2024

Coral reef ecosystems show fluctuations in their prevailing light environment in response to both regular (e.g. between seasons) and more prevalent stochastic events (e.g. human‐induced sediment runoff). In these shifting environments, phenotypic plasticity provides an essential mechanism for coral reef fishes to adjust their visual capability to meet changing sensory requirements.

Here, we evaluate the growing area of research that highlights the many genetic and ecological mechanisms that affect the plastic responses of coral reef fish vision to environmental cues.

With an increasing number of disturbances in the marine environment, it is critical to understand the extent and limits of visual plasticity under natural and disturbed conditions. With our current knowledge and drawing upon a large body of work in freshwater fishes, we speculate whether coral reef fishes can adapt to the changes to their visual environment and where the limitations could lie.

Whilst coral reef fishes have shown visual adaptations under different light environments, the degree of plasticity is inconsistent between species. Thus, plasticity may not only be functionally significant in maintaining the performance of visually guided behaviours for single species but, more broadly, is likely key to sustaining ecosystem function.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Photoelectron‐promoted metabolism of sulphate‐reducing microorganisms in substrate‐depleted environments
Authors: Zhong Chao , Lu Anhuai , Dong Hailiang , Huang Shan , Shi Liang , Shen Yanan , Cheng Yangjian , Dong Yiran , Li Xiangzhen , Xu Jie , Ni Jinren , Hochella Michael F. , Liu Juan
Published: October 2024

Sulphate‐reducing microorganisms, or SRMs, are crucial to organic decomposition, the sulphur cycle, and the formation of pyrite. Despite their low energy‐yielding metabolism and intense competition with other microorganisms, their ability to thrive in natural habitats often lacking sufficient substrates remains an enigma. This study delves into how Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20, a representative SRM, utilizes photoelectrons from extracellular sphalerite (ZnS), a semiconducting mineral that often coexists with SRMs, for its metabolism and energy production. Batch experiments with sphalerite reveal that the initial rate and extent of sulphate reduction by G20 increased by 3.6 and 3.2 times respectively under light conditions compared to darkness, when lactate was not added. Analyses of microbial photoelectrochemical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data suggest that in the absence of lactate, G20 extracts photoelectrons from extracellular sphalerite through cytochromes, nanowires, and electron shuttles. Genes encoding movement and biofilm formation are upregulated, suggesting that G20 might sense redox potential gradients and migrate towards sphalerite to acquire photoelectrons. This process enhances the intracellular electron transfer activity, sulphur metabolism, and ATP production of G20, which becomes dominant under conditions of carbon starvation and extends cell viability in such environments. This mechanism could be a vital strategy for SRMs to survive in energy‐limited environments and contribute to sulphur cycling.
The filamentous γ‐prefoldin chaperone is not essential for growth and thermal adaptation in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii
Authors: Cha Hee‐Jeong , Glover Dominic J. , Clark Douglas S.
Published: October 2024

Elucidating the role of molecular chaperones in extremely thermophilic archaea, including the gamma prefoldin (γPFD) in the deep‐sea methanogen Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, is integral to understanding microbial adaptation to hot environments. This study focuses on genetically engineered knock‐out and overexpression strains to evaluate the importance of γPFD in the growth and thermal tolerance of M. jannaschii. An in‐depth analysis of cell growth, morphology and transcriptional responses to heat stress revealed that although the gene encoding γPFD is substantially upregulated in response to heat shock, the γPFD is not indispensable for high‐temperature survival. Instead, its absence in the knock‐out strain is compensated for by the upregulation of several proteolytic proteins in the absence of heat shock, nearly matching the corresponding transcription profile of selected transcripts for proteins involved in protein synthesis and folding in the wild‐type strain following heat shock, using quantitative reverse‐transcription PCR (RT‐qPCR). These findings bridge environmental adaptation with molecular biology, underscoring the versatility of extremophiles and providing a deeper mechanistic understanding of how they cope with stress.
Protesting the future: The evolution of the European farmer
Authors: Mc Loughlin Eimear
Published: October 2024

Recent farmer protests across Europe demonstrate the complex challenges facing modern agriculture. This article examines the human story behind these protests. It explores how farmers’ roles have changed from respected innovators and providers to a group caught between environmental demands, economic pressures and shifting societal expectations. Neoliberal policies, green regulations and new workforce patterns have precipitated an identity crisis among European farmers. Their protests are not just about money but also about deep‐seated anxieties concerning their place in a rapidly changing world. Farmers struggle to balance traditions with new environmental imperatives, to maintain viable livelihoods in a global market and their unease with an increasingly diverse rural workforce. European farming is at a crossroads, pointing towards possible paths for a future.
Victory Day in Russia: Performative patriotism and state discourse
Authors: Pakhomova Evgeniya
Published: October 2024

Victory Day celebrations in Russia have frequently been characterized as a vehicle for state militarism, particularly in the context of the full‐scale invasion of Ukraine. This article challenges the notion that the state is the sole proprietor of this national holiday. Drawing on recent ethnographies of Victory Day, the article argues that a trend towards patriotic performativity increasingly defines public celebrations. This trend has two outcomes: strengthening participants’ sense of national community while reinforcing statist discourse – even among the holiday's critics. By examining the relationship between the Russian state and Victory Day, the article illuminates the crucial distinction between a reiterated, performative victory and the realities of actual warfare. This analysis contributes to broader discussions on collective memory, state power and the role of public celebrations in shaping national identity in post‐Soviet contexts.
Therapy in turmoil: Russian psychotherapists navigate war and ethics
Authors: Khitrov Arsenii
Published: October 2024

This ethnographic study explores how Russian psychotherapists are navigating professional ethics and politics after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Analysing a conversation between an instructor and students at a psychotherapy training centre in Russia, the study examines how therapists negotiate neutrality, values and therapeutic approaches in a shifting sociopolitical landscape. The author identifies four approaches to delineating the boundaries between professional practice and political engagement and explores how the boundaries between therapeutic and political realms are constantly negotiated through social interaction. These processes highlight tensions within Russian therapeutic culture and offer insights into professional subjectivity formation amid political turmoil, revealing the complex interplay between individual subjectivity, professional identity and sociopolitical structures in contemporary societies. The research contributes to anthropological understandings of professional communities as mediators between individuals and states. The study also shows how cultural norms adapt to political pressures and illuminates the role of therapeutic practices in shaping societal responses to political events in authoritarian settings.
Climate factors and food availability shape the altitudinal migration of birds in the Xiling Snow Mountains, China
Authors: HAASE Ian , HU Zhengrui , PENG Kexin , YANG Zhixiong , FENG Kaize , JIN Linyu , ZHU Min , WEN Zhixin , WU Yongjie
Published: October 2024

Many bird species in montane regions display altitudinal migration, but so far, the underlying ecological driving mechanisms are not clear. We studied the altitudinal migration behavior patterns and factors influencing altitudinal migration in the Xiling Snow Mountains, which are part of the Hengduan mountain range in southwest China. We recorded the local bird diversity, the seasonal change of: the average temperature (AT), the average humidity (AH), the average invertebrate biomass (AIB), and the amount of plant food sources (PFS) at two study sites (∼1300 and ∼2100 m a.s.l.) during two migration seasons from September 2022 to May 2023. During our surveys, we recorded 96 bird species in total. Among these, 15 altitudinal migrants were identified. The most common family among altitudinal migrants was Leiothrichidae. AT, AIB, and PFS had a significant positive correlation with the monthly number of individuals (MNI) several bird species, implying that increasing temperatures and an increasing abundance of invertebrates and PFS possibly induced upward migration of altitudinal migrants and vice versa. AH possibly only played a minor role in influencing altitudinal migration, since it exhibited no significant correlation with the MNI. Furthermore, we found that the upward migration temperature range of altitudinal migrants ranged between 9.8°C and 13.9°C during spring and the downward migration temperature range ranged between 12.2°C and 7.9°C during autumn. In conclusion, our study and several other studies revealed that the same environmental factors influenced the altitudinal migration patterns of birds in the Hengduan Mountains.
Determination of the effects of novel paraprobiotic supplement of Lactobacillus plantarum on soy dairy‐free beverage by physicochemical, antioxidant, sensory analyses, and Raman spectroscopy technique
Authors: Zahidah Inas , Bölek Sibel , Terzioğlu Özlem Türksoy , Adıgüzel Seyfure
Published: October 2024

Paraprobiotics are inactivated microbial cells that improve the health status of consumers when taken in adequate doses. They can be used instead of probiotics to eliminate disadvantages such as instability in production and storage difficulties. They can also be an alternative nutritional supplement for individuals sensitive to fermented products. In this study, a paraprobiotic supplement obtained from Lactobacillus plantarum was added to a soy dairy‐free beverage at two concentrations of 108 and 109 CFU/mL. Then, total soluble solids, pH, color, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content of the beverage were measured, and sensory analysis was also performed. The results indicate that paraprobiotic addition significantly increased (p < 0.05) the antioxidant activity (75.44 ± 0.23 µmol TE/g sample), total phenolic content (834.32 ± 6.69 mg GAE/g), protein (3.28 ± 0.18%), fat (2.35 ± 0.06), and ash content (0.57 ± 0.08). These results were also validated using the Raman spectroscopy technique. The paraprobiotic‐supplemented soy dairy‐free beverage had the highest taste and overall impression values. Since the parabiotic addition did not affect the physicochemical properties of the beverage, manufacturers can develop commercial products containing paraprobiotics without altering the production process.

Practical Application

Paraprobiotics provide an alternative for individuals sensitive to fermented products but still desire the health benefits of probiotics. They additionally provide practical and technological advantages, including a longer shelf life without a need for a cold chain to preserve the viability and stability of microorganisms. The results of this study can be a reference for the industry to develop food products containing paraprobiotics with increased antioxidative and nutritional properties.