bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Expression of Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 1 (VGLUT1) in the Rat Larynx and Implications for Laryngeal Proprioception
Authors: Yu Victoria X. , Hernández-Morato Ignacio , Brenner-Morton Susan , Pitman Michael J.
Published: March 2023

Proprioception plays a crucial role in laryngeal function. Further, dysfunctional proprioception likely contributes to disorders such as laryngeal dystonia, dysphagia and vocal fold paresis. Despite this, the physiology of laryngeal proprioception is not well-understood. Controversy remains over whether canonical proprioceptive organs, like muscle spindles (MS) even exist in the intrinsic laryngeal muscles (ILM). Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 1 (VGLUT1) expression has been described in the sensory afferents of MS. This study’s primary aim is to determine whether the ILM contain MS using VGLUT1. This is a novel approach, as prior studies have relied on morphology and myosin composition to study this question. Secondarily, we describe the pattern of VGLUT1 expression in the rat larynx, Larynges of 62 Sprague-Dawley rats distributed across 5 age groups (P3, P8, P11, P14-15, and adult), were sectioned and immunostained for VGLUT1 and beta-tubulin III. Other markers (S46, GNAT3, PLCβ2, S100b, CGRP) were used to further characterize identified afferent innervation. Of 62 rats, MS were identified in the lateral thyroarytenoid muscles of just three P8 rats, and no golgi tendon organs (GTO) were seen. VGLUT1-positive intramuscular receptor-like entities were observed ILM, and VGLUT1-positive nerve endings were observed in the laryngeal mucosa, concentrated around the arytenoid cartilage. Employing VGLUT1 immunostaining, this study shows that rat intrinsic laryngeal muscles rarely express MS and do not express GTO. This leaves open the possibility that the larynx exhibits a unique proprioceptive apparatus. VGLUT1-positive intramuscular and mucosal structures provide candidates for an alternative system. Further defining the role of these sensory organs will increase our understanding of vocal fold function and ultimately lead to better treatment of vocal fold disorders.

KEY POINTS

Dysfunctional laryngeal proprioception likely contributes to disorders such as laryngeal dystonia, dysphagia, and vocal fold paresis. Unlike proprioception of skeletal muscles, proprioception of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles is poorly understood.

In the present study we demonstrate that canonical proprioceptive organs (muscles spindles and Golgi tendon organs) are rarely expressed in the rat larynx, by studying the expression pattern of VGLUT1.

We also demonstrate the presence of other sensory innervation and structures which may contribute to an alternative proprioceptive circuitry, which requires further study.
Glutamatergic neurons in the infralimbic cortex for motivational response of pain relief induced by electroacupuncture
Authors: Liu Hui , Chen Meiyu , Lu Jiaqi , Qin Chuan , Wang Can , Liu Sheng
Published: March 2023

Peripheral neuromodulation by electroacupuncture (EA) is a promising tool for both experimental and clinical applications. However, whether EA signals reflect a multidimensional composite and evoke affective and motivational processes remains largely elusive. Here, we demonstrated that EA at ST.36 acupuncture point considerably attenuated pain hypersensitivity at 24h and 48h postincision. In conditioned place preference (CPP) model, one chamber becomes associated with EA through three-day repeated pairings, whereas the other chamber is associated with no EA stimulation. EA stimulation resulted in strong preference for the chamber paired with EA in incisional injury (INP) rats. In contrast, EA at non-acupuncture points in INP rats did not relief pain and produce CPP. Notably, EA with the context in sham-operated animals did not induce CPP. Next, we identified neurons activation in brain associated with affective and motivational aspects of pain after EA stimulation using immediate early gene c-Fos expression in SNI rats. EA stimulation increased c-Fos positive neurons in the IL, but not cingulate (Cg1) and prelimbic (PL) subregion of the mPFC. Sham EA did not increase c-Fos expression in the IL in spared nerve injury (SNI) rats. Using reversible inactivation of IL in rats, inactivation of the IL significantly abolished CPP of pain relief induced by EA. Optogenetic activation of IL glutamatergic neurons mimicked EA-induced analgesia and CPP behaviors, and inhibition of glutamatergic neurons in the IL reversed the effects of EA. The study directly demonstrates a novel and important role for glutamatergic neurons in the infralimbic cortex in acupuncture-induced motivational response of pain relief and provides a new perspective for investigating acupuncture analgesia.
5-iodotubercidin sensitizes cells to RIPK1-dependent necroptosis by interfering with NFκB signaling
Authors: Chauhan Chanchal , Kraemer Andreas , Knapp Stefan , Windheim Mark , Kotlyarov Alexey , Menon Manoj B. , Gaestel Matthias
Published: March 2023

Receptor-interacting protein kinases (RIPK) −1 and −3 are master regulators of cell fate decisions in response to diverse stimuli and are subjected to multiple checkpoint controls. Earlier studies have established the presence of distinct IKK1/2 and p38/MK2-dependent checkpoints which suppress RIPK1 activation by directly phosphorylating it at different residues. In the present study, we investigated TNF-induced death in MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2)-deficient cells and show that MK2-deficiency or inactivation predominantly results in necroptotic cell death, even in the absence of caspase inhibition. While MK2-deficient cells can be rescued from necroptosis by RIPK1 inhibitors, RIPK3 inhibition seems to revert the process triggering apoptosis. To understand the mechanism of this necroptosis switch, we screened a 149-compound kinase inhibitor library for compounds which preferentially sensitize MK2-deficient MEFs to TNF-induced cell death. The most potent inhibitor identified was 5-Iodotubericidin, an adenosine analogue acting as adenosine kinase and protein kinase inhibitor. 5-ITu also potentiated LPS-induced necroptosis when combined with MK2 inhibition in RAW264.7 macrophages. Further mechanistic studies revealed that 5-Iodotubericidin induces RIPK1-dependent necroptosis in the absence of MK2 activity by suppressing IKK signaling. The identification of this role for the multitarget kinase inhibitor 5-ITu in TNF-, LPS- and chemotherapeutics-induced necroptosis will have potential implications in RIPK1-targeted therapies.
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Mechanotransduction Through Serum and Glucocorticoid Inducible Kinase -1 Promotes Interleukin-6 Production and Macrophage Accumulation in Murine Hypertension
Authors: Figueroa Mario , Hall SarahRose , Mattia Victoria , Mendoza Alex , Brown Adam , Xiong Ying , Mukherjee Rupak , Jones Jeffrey A. , Richardson William , Ruddy Jean Marie
Published: March 2023

Objective

The objective of this investigation was to demonstrate thatin vivoinduction of hypertension (HTN) andin vitrocyclic stretch of aortic VSMCs can cause SGK-1-dependent production of cytokines to promote macrophage accumulation as agents of vascular remodeling.

Methods

HTN was induced in C57Bl/6 mice with AngiotensinII (AngII) infusion (1.46mg/kg/day x 21 days) with or without systemic infusion of EMD638683 (2.5mg/kg/day x 21 days), a selective SGK-1 inhibitor. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was recorded on days 0 and 21. At terminal study, abdominal aortas were harvested to quantify SGK-1 activity (pSGK-1:SGK-1) by immunoblot. Additional replicates were digested and analyzed by flow cytometry for abundance of CD11b+/F4-80+cells (macrophages). Plasma was analyzed by ELISA to quantify IL-6 and MCP-1. Aortic VSMCs from wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to 12% biaxial cyclic stretch for 3 or 12 hours +/- EMD638683 (10μM) and +/- SGK-1siRNA with subsequent QPCR for IL-6 and MCP-1 expression. Culture media was analyzed by ELISA for IL-6 and MCP-1. Aortic VSMCs from SGK-1flox+/+mice were transfected with Cre-Adenovirus to knockout SGK-1 (SGK-1KO VSMCs) and underwent parallel tension experimentation. Computational modeling was employed to simulate VSMC signaling due to mechanical strain and AngII. Statistical analysis included ANOVA with significance at p<0.05.

Results

SGK-1 activity (pSGK-1:SGK-1) was upregulated in the abdominal aorta of mice with HTN and significantly reduced by treatment with EMD638683. Concurrently, increased CD11b+/F4-80+cells and plasma IL-6 levels in the HTN group and reduction with EMD638683 was observed. This mirrored the increased abundance of IL-6 in media from Stretch WT VSMCs, and attenuation of the effect with EMD638683. Treating WT VSMCs with SGK-1siRNA likewise inhibited IL-6 expression. MCP-1 also demonstrated increased expression and secretion into the media in WT VSMCs with Stretch. Further supporting the integral role of mechanical signaling through SGK-1, target gene expression and cytokine secretion was unchanged in SGK-1KO VSMCs with Stretch, and computer modeling confirmed SGK-1 as an intersecting node of signaling due to mechanical strain and AngII. In summation, this data suggests a biomechanical link between aortic VSMC mechanotransduction and cytokine production to promote macrophage accumulation, mediated in-part by SGK-1 activation.

Conclusion

Mechanotransduction through SGK-1 is instrumental in pro-inflammatory cytokine production and aortic macrophage accumulation in systemic HTN, therefore further investigation into targeting this kinase may present opportunities to modulate hypertensive vascular remodeling.
Impact of bank competition on financial stability-a study on Indian banks
Authors: Verma Divya , Chakarwarty Yashika
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Nowadays, the competition is not only emerging from within the banking sector, but nonbanking companies like nonbanking financial companies (NBFCs) and FinTech are also growing in size and numbers, offering innovative financial products and services, giving a stiff competition to Indian banks. Thus, this study aims to investigate whether competition from within and outside the banking sector enhances or reduces the financial stability of the banking industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses Herfindahl–Hirschman index to measure market share and Z score to measure financial stability. The study further examines the role of NBFCs and FinTech companies in impacting the financial stability by introducing variables like innovation, cybercrimes, systemically important institutions, etc. Thereafter, panel regression has been applied.

Findings

Empirical results show a positive relation of market share with financial stability, implying that increased competition in the Indian banking industry erodes the market power, adversely affecting the profit margins which encourages banks to take more risk and which may impact financial stability. The study shows a positive impact of innovation on financial stability which implies that the competition is acting as an enabler for banks. The authors find a negative relation of systemic important NBFCs with financial stability. The authors observe a negative association of cybercrimes with financial stability, reflecting that competition emerging from FinTech sector has exposed banks to new risks.

Research limitations/implications

The policymakers should make sure that the competition of banks with other financial institutions, such as FinTech sector, remains healthy; otherwise, it can jeopardize the entire financial system. It is for the policymakers to define a boundary for FinTech sector, as the development of this sector has exposed the banking industry to new kinds of risks potential to create financial instability. The banks should do a comprehensive check on the company to which it is granting loans, and the government should amend laws. Though big banks have huge potential, consolidations can pose challenges at a macroeconomic level.

Originality/value

FinTech firms are a new entrant in the financial world which are providing immense competition to the banking sector, and thus radically changing the entire financial system. Therefore, it is extremely vital to study and explore the role of NBFCs and the FinTech industry as the main variable to analyze bank competition, which to the best of the authors’ knowledge is completely missing in the previous studies.
Numerical simulation of Bratu’s problem using a new form of the Adomian decomposition technique
Authors: Umesh Umesh
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss a new form of the Adomian decomposition technique for the numerical treatment of Bratu’s type one-dimensional boundary value problems (BVPs). Moreover, the author also addresses convergence and error analysis for the completeness of the proposed technique.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the author discusses the standard Adomian decomposition method and an algorithm based on Duan’s corollary and Rach’s rule for the fast calculation of the Adomian polynomials. Then, a new form of the Adomian decomposition technique is present for the numerical simulation of Bratu’s BVPs.

Findings

The reliability and validity of the proposed technique are examined by calculating the absolute errors of Bratu’s problem for some different values of Bratu parameter λ. Numerical simulation demonstrates that the proposed technique yields higher accuracy than the Bessel collocation and other known methods.

Originality/value

Unlike the other methods, the proposed technique does not need linearization, discretization or perturbation to handle the non-linear problems. So, the results obtained by the present technique are more physically realistic.
Future time perspective and consumer well-being of millennials: implications for consumer resilience
Authors: She Long , Ray Arghya , Ma Lan
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The study investigated the relationship between future time perspective and financial well-being among Chinese working millennials and its serial mediators, such as financial goal clarity, subjective financial knowledge and responsible financial behaviour, to foster consumer resilience in the financial realm.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 526 Chinese working millennials (Mage = 31.78) participated in the online survey in response to questions on demographic characteristics and items to measure the variables adopted in the research model. Covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) and AMOS version 27 were used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results revealed a positive correlation between future time perspective and financial well-being. Moreover, the results showed that financial goal clarity, subjective financial knowledge and responsible financial behaviour serially mediated the correlation between future time perspective and financial well-being.

Practical implications

The findings provide implications for companies and policymakers to refine their intervention programmes to boost young millennials' future time perspectives in reinforcing their financial knowledge and financial goal clarity which in turn fosters their responsible financial behaviour in contributing to financial well-being in boosting their overall consumer resilience. Future studies should deepen the way in which the studied factors are leveraged as a tool to improve individuals' resilience in the economic realm.

Originality/value

The findings of this study shed light on the underlying mechanisms that drive and promote the financial well-being of Chinese working millennials.
Urbanization, renewable energy, and carbon dioxide emissions: a pathway to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Abdulqadir Idris Abdullahi
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate sustainable green economy in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries over the period 1990–2019 using a quantile regression approach, considering the nexus between urbanization, economic growth, renewable energy, trade and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a dynamic panel quantile regression to investigate the conditional distribution of CO2 emissions along the turn-points of urbanization, economic growth, renewable energy, trade and the regressors via quadratic modeling specifications.

Findings

The main findings are established as follows. There is strong evidence of the Kuznets curve in the nexus between urbanization, economic growth, renewable energy, trade and CO2 emissions, respectively. Second, urbanization thresholds that should not be exceeded for sustainability to reduce CO2 emissions are 0.21%, and 2.70% for the 20th and 75th quantiles of the CO2 emissions distribution. Third, growth thresholds of 3.64%, 3.84%, 4.01%, 4.36% and 5.87% across the quantiles of the CO2 emissions distribution. Fourth, energy thresholds of 3.64%, 3.61%, 3.70%, 4.02% and 4.34% across the quantiles of the CO2 emissions distribution. Fifth, trade thresholds of 3.37% and 4.47% for the 20th and median quantiles of the CO2 emissions distribution, respectively.

Practical implications

The empirical shreds of evidence offer policy implications in such that building sustainable development and environment requires maintaining the critical mass, not beyond those insightful thresholds to achieving sustainable development and environmentally friendly SSA countries.

Social implications

Sustainable cities and communities in an era of economic recovery path COVID-19 mitigate greenhouse gas. The policy relevance is of particular concern to the sustainable development goals.

Originality/value

The study is novel considering the extant literature by providing policymakers with avoidable thresholds for policy formulations and implementations in the nexus between urbanization, economic growth, renewable energy and trade openness.
Orchestrating firm-specific resource integration to achieve customer service performance: an investigation in the hotel context
Authors: Rini Gilang Puspita , Kusumawardhani Amie
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study aims to identify factors that can improve customer service performance by verifying the relationships between these factors, such as customer orientation, firm-specific resource integration, transactive memory system and service innovation capability. In other words, this study identifies the determinants of customer service performance from the perspective of the resource advantage theory of competition.

Design/methodology/approach

This research was conducted through an online survey of hotel managers and supervisors in Indonesia, which produced 327 questionnaires that could be processed with a response rate of 70.6%. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data and test the hypotheses with the help of AMOS 23.

Findings

This study confirms that firm-specific resource integration can improve customer service performance, with the antecedents of the former being customer orientation and a transactive memory system.

Research limitations/implications

This research was conducted with a sample of three-, four- and five-star hotels, which have different conditions. In future research, it would be interesting to compare how such hotels over a larger geographical area behave in improving customer service performance using the investigated variables.

Originality/value

This research provides additional insight into the resource advantage theory of competition, namely, that integrated enterprise-specific resources are good antecedents for innovation and customer service performance.
From purely physical to purely online pharmacies: exploring different shopper profiles and discussing some widespread beliefs
Authors: Vera-Martínez Jorge
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Up until now, some internet shopper profiles based on certain findings have been generally accepted. It is widely believed that internet shoppers tend to be more innovative, less averse to risk, more variety-seeking, more information-seeking, more impulsive and more interested in pursuing convenience. This paper aims to discuss some of these assumed characteristics by contrasting and comparing customers of three different types of pharmacies.

Design/methodology/approach

Three exploratory-descriptive design studies are conducted to profile customers from three different types of pharmacies in Mexico. Data from three samples are assessed, including 198 customers of physical drugstores without an e-channel, 150 customers of physical pharmacies with an e-channel and 271 customers of online pharmacies.

Findings

Shoppers from physical pharmacies purchase more food and drinks than actual medicine. Shoppers from physical pharmacies with e-channels tend to use the internet to acquire information about pharmaceutical products but do not make purchases online; they prefer to obtain products immediately from a physical drugstore instead of waiting for delivery from an e-channel. Contrasting with the two former customer types, shoppers who use e-pharmacies are specific in the numbers and types of products they purchase, medicines being the main priority.

Originality/value

The three types of customers and their preferred shopping platforms may show important profile differences. Despite the evidence in previous literature, shoppers at physical pharmacies are not necessarily non-convenience oriented (time and effort), noninformation analyzing, non-price conscious or less positive in their attitude about shopping; instead, they may simply be averse to technology.
Diversification and performance of microfinance institutions: does Islamic microfinance model matter?
Authors: Ben Salem Asma , Ben Abdelkader Ines
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of income and geographic diversification on the double bottom line of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries where conventional and Islamic MFIs coexist. The idea is to explore whether diversification impacts MFIs' financial performance and outreach differ for Islamic microfinance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors test the effect of diversification and business models of MFIs on their performance and poverty outreach. The authors’ data set is an unbalanced panel sample of 81 (Islamic and conventional) MFIs in MENA countries covering 1999–2018, comprising 743 MFI-year observations.

Findings

The authors find that increasing income diversification in microfinance and focusing on rural areas decreases the financial performance of MFIs in MENA countries. Islamic MFIs benefit from income diversification by increasing their financial performance. The results provide evidence of a nonlinear relationship between income diversification and the financial performance of MFIs. Although conventional MFIs improve their depth of outreach by diversifying their income, Islamic MFIs have a lower breadth of outreach because they show a higher degree of income diversification.

Practical implications

This research contributes to the ongoing debate of whether MFIs should focus on or diversify their services to Islamic microfinance. Therefore, the findings of this study are practically crucial for MFIs' stakeholders to understand the contribution of diversification strategies in improving the Islamic MFIs to achieve both financial and social objectives.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first research that addresses the impact of diversification strategies in Islamic microfinance. Additionally, using a panel data set of conventional and Islamic MFIs in MENA countries spanning 1999–2018, this study provides empirical evidence on the diversification versus focus issue from the microfinance industry and the subset of Islamic microfinance.
An evaluation of customer due diligence and related anti-money laundering measures in the United Kingdom
Authors: Chitimira Howard , Munedzi Sharon
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Customer due diligence measures that are employed in the United Kingdom (UK) to detect and combat money laundering are discussed. The UK adopted a progressive regulatory and enforcement framework to combat money laundering which relies, inter alia, on the use of customer due diligence measures to regulate and curb the occurrence of money laundering activities in its financial institutions and financial markets. However, other regulatory measures that could have contributed to the effective combating money laundering in the UK will not be explored in detail since the article is focused on the reliance and use of customer due diligence measures to curb money laundering activities. Accordingly, the strength, flaws and weaknesses of the UK anti-money laundering regulatory and enforcement framework are examined. Lastly, possible recommendations to address such flaws and weaknesses are provided.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses customer due diligence measures that are used in the UK to detect and combat money laundering.

Findings

It is hoped that policymakers and other relevant persons will use the recommendations provided in the paper to enhance the curbing of money laundering in the UK.

Research limitations/implications

The paper does not provide empirical research.

Practical implications

The study is useful to all policymakers, lawyers, law students and regulatory bodies in the UK.

Social implications

The study seeks to curb money laundering in the UK society globally.

Originality/value

The study is original research on the use of customer due diligence measures to detect and combat money laundering in the UK.
Knowledge sharing via common auditors: evidence from corporate R&D investment
Authors: Yang Seunghee , Ha Wonsuk
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Despite the importance of research and development (R&D), information on its value is not readily available to managers. This study aims to explore the role of common auditors, who audit multiple peer firms in the product market, in clients’ R&D investment decisions. This study highlights common auditors as information intermediaries who affect corporate R&D investment, focusing on the importance of knowledge resources in R&D investment and the limited ability of peers’ public information to communicate the value of R&D.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs pairwise data of firm-peer-year observations to identify a common auditor who provides audit services to the focal firm and its peer firm. This study examines how a firm’s R&D investment changes when the firm’s incumbent auditor provides audit services to peers and analyzes various factors that moderate the effect of common auditors.

Findings

Peer firms audited by the same auditor make similar R&D investment decisions. This effect is more pronounced when the auditor specializes more in auditing R&D, when the auditor has a long-term client relationship, and when the firms exhibit a higher level of demand for incremental information relevant to R&D investment. Consistent with the beneficial role of common auditors, firms that are more responsive to auditor-provided information engage more actively in innovation activities in subsequent years.

Originality/value

This study deepens the understanding of how networks created by common auditors facilitate information flow among client firms and shape these firms’ R&D investment decisions.
Evaluating a transitional care program for the oldest adults: results from the quantitative phase of a mixed-methods study
Authors: van der Vlegel-Brouwer Wilma , van der Vlegel Marjolein , Duckworth Jean Ellen , Partington Hazel , de Jong Anneke
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This quantitative phase of a mixed-methods study aims to describe the effect of the Transitional Care Bridge (TCB) programme on functional decline, mortality, health-care utilisation and health outcomes compared to usual care in a regional hospital in the Netherlands.

Design/methodology/approach

In a pre- and post-cohort study, patients aged ≥70 years, admitted to the hospital for ≥48 h and discharged home with an Identification of Seniors at Risk score of ≥2, were included. The TCB programme, started before discharge, encompassed six visits by the community nurse (CN). Data were obtained from the hospital registry and by three questionnaires over a three months period, addressing activities of daily living (ADL), self-rated health, self-rated quality of life and health-care utilisation.

Findings

In total, 100 patients were enrolled in this study, 50 patients in the TCB group and 50 patients in the usual care group. After three months, 36.7% was dependent on ADL in the TCB group compared to 47.1% in the usual care group. Mean number of visits by the CN in the TCB group was 3.8. Although the TCB group had a lower mortality, this study did not find any statistically significant differences in health outcomes and health-care utilisation.

Research limitations/implications

Challenges in the delivery of the programme may have influenced patient outcomes. More research is needed on implementation of evidence-based programmes in smaller research settings. A qualitative phase of the study needs to address these outcomes and explore the perspectives of health professionals and patients on the delivery of the programme.

Originality/value

This study provides valuable information on the transitional care programme in a smaller setting.
Afro-Cuban micro-mobilities: examining processes of movement, in other words
Authors: Espirito Santo Diana
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this piece is to look at religious mobilities through their micro-cosmological particulars, using Afro-Cuban religious processes and espiritismo cruzado as case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

The author asks, first, what technology is in this context, and how it circumscribes what emerges as cosmology (persons, deities and messages), and second, what knowledge is and how it is experienced, particularly in espiritista rituals.

Findings

The author argues that we must reconceive of both, which in the Cuban case, defy common sense assumptions that divide message from transmitter, and knowledge from knower.

Originality/value

Technology here can be cosmogonic (world building) rather than mediatic (serving as a medium), and knowledge, ever emergent, can be the spirit (muerto) as well as the messages it brings.
Ecological and evolutionary effects of crop diversity decrease yield variability
Authors: López‐Angulo Jesús , Stefan Laura , Engbersen Nadine , Schöb Christian
Published: March 2023

Higher plant species diversity decreases variability of plant community productivity. The stabilizing effect of plant diversity can result from species‐specific responses to environmental fluctuations and from shifts in competitive hierarchies. Evolutionary adaptation of species to surrounding plant diversity could further decrease productivity variability.

We used a three‐year dataset from a crop diversity experiment with seven species to assess the effect of crop diversity and selection history on temporal variability of yield.

We found contrasting patterns of temporal variability: Yield of species varied more in mixtures than in monocultures over years. However, at community‐level, we found lower yield variability in crop mixtures compared to monocultures, although only in combination with fertilizer application under Mediterranean climate. Furthermore, we found that a mixture selection history can increase yield productivity and decrease its variability, although only in monocultures. This suggests that the interspecific interactions among crops in mixtures act as an evolutionary selective force, promoting niche complementarity.

Synthesis. Our results highlight the ecological and evolutionary role of plant interactions in crop mixtures, which can affect yield stability, while also reflecting on the importance of climate and resource availability in modifying the diversity‐stability relationship.
Environmental vibrio phage–bacteria interaction networks reflect the genetic structure of host populations
Authors: Cahier Karine , Piel Damien , Barcia‐Cruz Rubén , Goudenège David , Wegner K. Mathias , Monot Marc , Romalde Jesús L. , Le Roux Frédérique
Published: March 2023

Phages depend on their bacterial hosts to replicate. The habitat, density and genetic diversity of host populations are therefore key factors in phage ecology, but our ability to explore their biology depends on the isolation of a diverse and representative collection of phages from different sources. Here, we compared two populations of marine bacterial hosts and their phages collected during a time series sampling program in an oyster farm. The population of Vibrio crassostreae, a species associated specifically to oysters, was genetically structured into clades of near clonal strains, leading to the isolation of closely related phages forming large modules in phage–bacterial infection networks. For Vibrio chagasii, which blooms in the water column, a lower number of closely related hosts and a higher diversity of isolated phages resulted in small modules in the phage–bacterial infection network. Over time, phage load was correlated with V. chagasii abundance, indicating a role of host blooms in driving phage abundance. Genetic experiments further demonstrated that these phage blooms can generate epigenetic and genetic variability that can counteract host defence systems. These results highlight the importance of considering both the environmental dynamics and the genetic structure of the host when interpreting phage–bacteria networks.
Microglia–neuron interactions promote chronic itch via the NLRP3‐IL‐1β‐GRPR axis
Authors: Liu Xueting , Wang Yanmei , Zeng Yueling , Wang De , Wen Yuhuan , Fan Limin , He Ying , Zhang Junyan , Sun Weimin , Liu Yongping , Tao Ailin
Published: March 2023

Background

Spinal astrocytes contribute to chronic itch via sensitization of itch‐specific neurons expressing gastrin‐releasing peptide receptor (GRPR). However, whether microglia–neuron interactions contribute to itch remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore how microglia interact with GRPR+ neurons and promote chronic itch.

Methods

RNA sequencing, quantitative real‐time PCR, western blot, immunohistochemistry, RNAscope ISH, pharmacologic and genetic approaches were performed to examine the roles of spinal NLRP3 (The NOD‐like receptor family, pyrin‐containing domain 3) inflammasome activation and IL‐1β‐IL1R1 signaling in chronic itch. Grpr‐eGFP and Grpr KO mice were used to investigate microglia–GRPR+ neuron interactions.

Results

We observed NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL‐1β production in spinal microglia under chronic itch conditions. Blockade of microglial activation and the NLRP3/caspase‐1/IL‐1β axis attenuated chronic itch and neuronal activation. Type 1 IL‐1 receptor (IL‐1R1) was expressed in GRPR+ neurons, which are essential for the development of chronic itch. Our studies also find that IL‐1β+ microglia are localized in close proximity to GRPR+ neurons. Consistently, intrathecal injection of IL1R1 antagonist or exogenous IL‐1β indicate that the IL‐1β‐IL‐1R1 signaling pathway enhanced the activation of GRPR+ neurons. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that the microglial NLRP3/caspase‐1/IL‐1β axis contributes to several different chronic itches triggered by small molecules and protein allergens from the environment and drugs.

Conclusion

Our findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism in which microglia enhances the activation of GRPR+ neurons through the NLRP3/caspase‐1/IL‐1β/IL1R1 axis. These results will provide new insights into the pathophysiology of pruritus and novel therapeutic strategies for patients with chronic itch.
Skills scarcity and export intensity
Authors: Perroni Carlo , Suverato Davide
Published: March 2023

We describe a model of trade with skills‐based product differentiation and non‐proportional trade costs that predicts a positive correlation between firms' export intensity, the price of their exports and the wages they pay to their workers. In equilibrium, firms that employ workers with comparatively scarcer skills export a larger proportion of their output, pay higher wages and charge higher prices. In line with empirical evidence, the model predicts that trade liberalization can cause the distribution of earnings to become more polarized, with patterns that reflect the heterogeneous effects of trade liberalization on firms' export performance.
Exploration of Player Behaviours from Broadcast Badminton Videos
Authors: Chen Wei‐Ting , Wu Hsiang‐Yun , Shih Yun‐An , Wang Chih‐Chuan , Wang Yu‐Shuen
Published: March 2023

Understanding an opposing player's behaviours and weaknesses is often the key to winning a badminton game. This study presents a system to extract game data from broadcast badminton videos, and visualize the extracted data to help coaches and players develop effective tactics. Specifically, we apply state‐of‐the‐art machine learning methods to partition a broadcast video into segments, in which each video segment shows a badminton rally. Next, we detect players' feet in each video frame and transform the player positions into the court coordinate system. Finally, we detect hit frames in each rally, in which the shuttle moves towards the opposite directions. By visualizing the extracted data, our system conveys when and where players hit the shuttle in historical games. Since players tend to smash or drop shuttles under a specific location, we provide users with interactive tools to filter data and focus on the distributions conditioned by player positions. This strategy also reduces visual clutter. Besides, our system plots the shuttle hitting distributions side‐by‐side, enabling visual comparison and analysis of player behaviours under different conditions. The results and the use cases demonstrate the feasibility of our system.
Korean infants' perceptual responses to Korean and Western music based on musical experience
Authors: Ko Eon‐Suk , McDonald Margarethe
Published: March 2023

This study investigates infants’ enculturation to music in a bicultural musical environment. We tested 49 12‐ to 30‐month‐old Korean infants on their preference for Korean or Western traditional songs played by haegeum and cello. Korean infants have access to both Korean and Western music in their environment as captured on a survey of infants’ daily exposure to music at home. Our results show that infants with less daily exposure to any kind of music at home listened longer to all music types. The infants’ overall listening time did not differ between Korean and Western music and instruments. Rather, those with high exposure to Western music listened longer to Korean music played with haegeum. Moreover, older toddlers (aged 24–30 months) maintained a longer interest in songs of an origin with which they are less familiar, indicating an emerging orientation towards novelty. Early orientation of Korean infants toward the novel experience of music listening is likely driven by perceptual curiosity, which drives exploratory behavior that diminishes with continued exposure. On the other hand, older infants’ orientation towards novel stimuli is led by epistemic curiosity, which motivates an infant to acquire new knowledge. Korean infants’ lack of differential listening likely reflects their protracted period of enculturation to ambient music due to complex input. Further, older infants’ novelty‐orientation is consistent with findings in bilingual infants’ orientation towards novel information. Additional analysis showed a long‐term effect of music exposure on infants’ vocabulary development. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kllt0KA1tJk

Research Highlights

Korean infants showed novelty‐oriented attention to music such that infants with less daily exposure to music at home showed longer listening times to music.

12‐ to 30‐month‐old Korean infants did not show differential listening to Korean versus Western music or instruments, suggesting a protracted period of perceptual openness.

24‐ to 30‐month‐old Korean toddlers’ listening behavior indicated emerging novelty‐preference, exhibiting delayed enculturation to ambient music compared to Western infants reported in earlier research.

18‐month‐old Korean infants with a greater weekly exposure to music had higher CDI scores a year later, consistent with the well‐known music‐to‐language transfer effect.
Climatic niche shift and distribution of Melanagromyza sojae under current and future climate scenarios: does this species pose a risk to soybean production?
Authors: Marchioro Cesar Augusto , Krechemer Flavia da Silva
Published: March 2023

The soybean stem fly, Melanagromyza sojae (Zehntner) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is an example of an insect pest with a restricted distribution that in the last few decades has been spreading to regions beyond its native range and causing economic losses. We evaluated whether M. sojae shifted its niche during biological invasion and used ecological niche models to estimate its global distribution under current and future climate conditions. In addition, we assessed whether the soybean stem fly represents a risk for major soybean‐producing countries, using Brazil as an example. Our analyses suggest that M. sojae has expanded its niche to new environments. Suitable habitats were predicted in all continents, including regions where this species has not yet been reported. Several soybean‐producing countries and all Brazilian growing areas are within the suitable ranges estimated for M. sojae. Also, most areas estimated as suitable under current climate conditions will remain so until at least 2080. These findings are important for invasion risk assessments aiming to prevent the spread of this species to major soybean‐producing areas.
TRKB interaction with PSD95 is associated with latency of fluoxetine and 2R,6R‐hydroxynorketamine
Authors: Fred Senem Merve , Moliner Rafael , Antila Hanna , Engelhardt Karl‐Alexander , Schlüter Oliver M. , Casarotto Plinio C. , Castrén Eero
Published: March 2023

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor tropomyosin kinase receptor B (TRKB) are key regulators of activity‐dependent plasticity in the brain. TRKB is the target for both slow‐ and rapid‐acting antidepressants and BDNF–TRKB system mediates the plasticity‐inducing effects of antidepressants through their downstream targets. Particularly, the protein complexes that regulate the trafficking and synapse recruitment of TRKB receptors might be crucial in this process. In the present study, we investigated the interaction of TRKB with the postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95). We found that antidepressants increase the TRKB:PSD95 interaction in adult mouse hippocampus. Fluoxetine, a slow‐acting antidepressant, increases this interaction only after a long‐term (7 days) treatment, while (2R,6R)‐hydroxynorketamine (RHNK), an active metabolite of rapid‐acting antidepressant ketamine, achieves this within a short treatment regimen (3 days). Moreover, the drug‐induced changes of TRKB:PSD95 interaction correlate with drug latency in behaviour, observed in mice subjected to an object location memory test (OLM). While silencing of PSD95 by viral delivery of shRNA in hippocampus abolished the RHNK‐induced plasticity in mice in OLM, overexpression of PSD95 shortened the fluoxetine latency. In summary, changes in the TRKB:PSD95 interaction contribute to differences observed in drug latency. This study sheds a light on a novel mechanism of action of different classes of antidepressants.
Advertising sex and individual identity by long‐distance chirps in wild‐living mature cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)
Authors: Chelysheva Elena V. , Klenova Anna V. , Volodin Ilya A. , Volodina Elena V.
Published: March 2023

Adult cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) use long‐distance chirps for calling toward coalition partners (males), mates (both sexes), and cubs (females). Previously, these vocalizations were only investigated in captivity. This study estimates individual and sex‐related acoustic variation of the long‐distance chirps of 20 mature cheetahs (eight males and 12 females older than 4 years) in their natural habitats in Kenya. Male chirps were longer in duration and lower in the peak frequency and all fundamental frequency variables than female chirps. The average value for assignment of the chirps to correct sex with Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) of 93.8% was significantly higher than by‐chance level of 52.9%. The average value of correct assignment of the chirps to individual with DFA was 79.5%, which was significantly higher than the level by chance of 14.8%. For 10 cheetahs recorded twice with time space of one or 2 years, DFA showed high values of correct assignment of the chirps to individual for both years (91.4% in the first year and 83.9% in the second year of recording), but cross‐validation of the chirps recorded in the second year by discriminant functions created for the chirps of the first year showed a dramatic decrease of correct assignment to the level expected by chance (27.2%). We discuss that long‐distance chirps of wild mature cheetahs provide reliable cues to sex and may also encode caller individuality, although this is not stable over time.
Negative pressure wound therapy for the management of surgical site infections with zoonotic, drug‐resistant pathogens on the upper body of the horse
Authors: Askey Tianti , Major Dustin , Arnold Carolyn
Published: March 2023

This case series reviews the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for surgical site infections (SSI) on the upper body of six horses at an academic referral institution between 2016 and 2020. The SSIs consisted of three ventral midline celiotomy incisions post‐abdominal exploratory, one paralumbar flank incision for removal of an ovarian abscess, an incision for resection of a septic jugular vein, and a large defect resulting from the resection of chronically abscessed skin and subcutaneous tissue on the shoulder and pectoral region. All SSIs contained zoonotic, polymicrobial, multi‐drug resistant pathogens (methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus or extended spectrum beta‐lactamase Klebsiella or Enterobacteriaceae) that were managed without systemic, regional, or topical antimicrobials. All horses were discharged from the hospital, and long‐term follow‐up revealed satisfactory functional and cosmetic outcomes according to owner questionnaires. Duration of NPWT ranged from 4 to 15 days in five horses, but one horse required NPWT for 70 days due to the large nature of the defect. The NPWT system was easy to use, well‐tolerated by patients, and produced acceptable functional and cosmetic outcomes for the clients. By containing wound exudate and reducing daily wound care, it improved hospital biosecurity and reduced exposure to hospital personnel.
Numerical study on cracking behavior and fracture failure mechanism of flawed rock materials under uniaxial compression
Authors: Niu Yong , Wang Jin‐Guo , Wang Xing‐Kai , Hu Yun‐Jin , Zhang Jian‐Zhi , Zhang Ran‐Ran , Hu Zhi‐Jun
Published: March 2023

The numerical approach is a vital means for evaluating the stability of flawed rocks. In this paper, the extended non‐ordinary state‐based peridynamics (NOSB‐PD) theory is employed to simulate the fracture process of rocks containing two pre‐existing flaws. Two stress criteria, including the maximum tensile stress criterion and the Mohr–Coulomb criterion, are implemented into the NOSB‐PD numerical method to respectively judge the tensile and shear failure of rock materials. The effects of inclination angles and ligament angles on the crack initiation and coalescence modes for flawed rocks are investigated based on the numerical results. The numerical results are in good agreement with the previous experimental results. The fracture mechanism of flawed rocks is revealed based on the evolutionary distribution characteristics of the maximum principal stress field and shear stress field obtained by the extended NOSB‐PD theory.