bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Homeostatic activation of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor by dietary ligands dampens cutaneous allergic responses by controlling Langerhans cells migration
Authors: Cros Adeline , de Juan Alba , Leclere Renaud , Sampaio Julio L , Maurin Mathieu , Heurtebise-Chrétien Sandrine , Segura Elodie
Published: January 2023

Dietary compounds can affect the development of inflammatory responses at distant sites. However, mechanisms involved remain incompletely understood. Here we addressed the influence on allergic responses of dietary agonists of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR). In cutaneous papain-induced allergy, we found that lack of dietary AhR ligands exacerbates allergic responses. This phenomenon was tissue-specific, as airway allergy was unaffected by the diet. In addition, lack of dietary AhR ligands worsened asthma-like allergy in a model of ‘atopic march’. Mice deprived of dietary AhR ligands displayed impaired Langerhans cell migration, leading to exaggerated T cell responses. Mechanistically, dietary AhR ligands regulated the inflammatory profile of epidermal cells, without affecting barrier function. In particular, we evidenced TGF-β hyperproduction in the skin of mice deprived of dietary AhR ligands, explaining Langerhans cell retention. Our work identifies an essential role for homeostatic activation of AhR by dietary ligands in the dampening of cutaneous allergic responses and uncovers the importance of the gutskin axis in the development of allergic diseases.
Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins for detecting prostate-specific antigen expressionin vivo
Authors: Gut Melanie , Dreier Birgit , Furler Sven , Sobek Jens , Plückthun Andreas , Holland Jason P.
Published: January 2023

Late-stage prostate cancer often acquires resistance to conventional chemotherapies and transforms into a hormone-refractory, drug-resistant, and non-curative disease. Developing non-invasive tools to detect the biochemical changes that correlate with drug efficacy and reveal the onset of drug resistance would have important ramifications in managing the treatment regimen for individual patients. Here, we report the selection of new Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins (DARPins) that show high affinity toward prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biomarker used in clinical monitoring of prostate cancer. Ribosome display andin vitroscreening tools were used to select PSA-binding DARPins based on their binding affinity, selectivity, and chemical constitution. Surface plasmon resonance measurements demonstrated that the four lead candidates bind to PSA with nanomolar affinity. DARPins were site-specifically functionalised at a uniqueC-terminal cysteine with the hexadentateaza-nonamacrocyclic chelate (NODAGA) for subsequent radiolabelling with the positron-emitting radionuclide68Ga. [68Ga]GaNODAGA-DARPins showed high stability toward transchelation and were stable in human serum for >2 h. Radioactive binding assays using streptavidin-loaded magnetic beads confirmed that the functionalisation and radiolabelling did not compromise the specificity of [68Ga]GaNODAGA-DARPins toward PSA. Biodistribution experiments in athymic nude mice bearing subcutaneous prostate cancer xenografts derived from the LNCaP cell line revealed that three of the four [68Ga]GaNODAGA-DARPins displayed specific tumour-bindingin vivo. For DARPin-6, tumour-uptake in the normal group reached 4.16 ± 0.58 %ID g-1(n= 3; 2 h post-administration) and was reduced by ∼50% in the blocking group (2.47 ± 0.42 %ID g-1;n= 3;P-value = 0.018). Collectively, the experimental results support the future development of new PSA-specific imaging agents for potential use in monitoring the efficacy of androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapies.
Life-history traits, pace of life and dispersal among and within five species ofTrichogrammawasps: a comparative analysis
Authors: Guicharnaud Chloé , Groussier Géraldine , Beranger Erwan , Lamy Laurent , Vercken Elodie , Dahirel Maxime
Published: January 2023

Major traits defining the life history of organisms are often not independent from each other, with most of their variation aligning along key axes such as the pace-of-life axis. We can define a pace-of-life axis structuring reproduction and development time as a continuum from less-fecund, longer-developing ‘slow’ types to more-fecund, shorter-developing ‘fast’ types. Such axes, along with their potential associations or syndromes with other traits such as dispersal, are however not universal; in particular, support for their presence may be taxon and taxonomic scale-dependent. Knowing about such life-history strategies may be especially important for understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics, as these trait syndromes may constrain trait variation or be correlated with other traits. To understand how life-history traits and effective dispersal covary, we measured these traits in controlled conditions for 28 lines from five species ofTrichogramma, which are small endoparasitoid wasps frequently used as a biological model in experimental evolution but also in biocontrol against Lepidoptera pests. We found partial evidence of a pace-of-life axis at the interspecific level: species with higher fecundity also had faster development time. However, faster-developing species also were more likely to delay egg-laying, a trait that is usually interpreted as “slow”. There was no support for similar covariation patterns at the within-species line level. There was limited variation in effective dispersal between species and lines, and accordingly, we did not detect any correlation between effective dispersal probability and life-history traits. We discuss how expanding our experimental design by accounting for the density-dependence of both the pace of life and dispersal might improve our understanding of those traits and how they interact with each other. Overall, our results highlight the importance of exploring covariation at the “right” taxonomic scale, or multiple taxonomic scales, to understand the (co)evolution of life-history traits. They also suggest that optimizing both reproductive and development traits to maximize the efficiency of biocontrol may be difficult in programs using only one species.
Brain age as an estimator of neurodevelopmental outcome: A deep learning approach for neonatal cot-side monitoring
Authors: Ansari Amir , Pillay Kirubin , Baxter Luke , Arasteh Emad , Dereymaeker Anneleen , Mellado Gabriela Schmidt , Jansen Katrien , Naulaers Gunnar , Bhatt Aomesh , Van Huffel Sabine , Hartley Caroline , De Vos Maarten , Slater Rebeccah
Published: January 2023

The preterm neonate can experience stressors that affect the rate of brain maturation and lead to long-term neurodevelopmental deficits. However, some neonates who are born early follow normal developmental trajectories. Extraction of data from electroencephalography (EEG) signals can be used to calculate the neonate’s brain age which can be compared to their true age. Discrepancies between true age and brain age (the brain age delta) can then be used to quantify maturational deviation, which has been shown to correlate with long-term abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomes. Nevertheless, current brain age models that are based on traditional analytical techniques are less suited to clinical cot-side monitoring due to their dependency on long-duration EEG recordings, the need to record activity across multiple EEG channels, and the manual calculation of predefined EEG features which is time-consuming and may not fully capture the wealth of information in the EEG signal. In this study, we propose an alternative deep-learning approach to determine brain age, which operates directly on the EEG, using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) block based on the Inception architecture (called Sinc). Using this deep-learning approach on a dataset of preterm infants with normal neurodevelopmental outcomes (where we assume brain age = postmenstrual age), we can calculate infant brain age with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.78 weeks (equivalent to a brain age estimation error for the infant within +/− 5.5 days of their true age). Importantly, this level of accuracy can be achieved by recording only 20 minutes of EEG activity from a single channel. This compares favourably to the degree of accuracy that can be achieved using traditional methods that require long duration recordings (typically >2 hours of EEG activity) recorded from a higher density 8-electrode montage (MAE = 0.73 weeks). Importantly, the deep learning model’s brain age deltas also distinguish between neonates with normal and severely abnormal outcomes (Normal MAE = 0.71 weeks, severely abnormal MAE = 1.27 weeks, p=0.02, one-way ANOVA), making it highly suited for potential clinical applications. Lastly, in an independent dataset collected at an independent site, we demonstrate the model’s generalisability in age prediction, as accurate age predictions were also observed (MAE of 0.97 weeks).

Highlights

Preterm stress exposure leads to long-term neurodevelopmental deficits

Deficits are quantifiable using EEG-based brain age prediction errors

Our deep-learning solution for brain age prediction outperforms previous approaches

Predictions are achieved with only 20 mins EEG and a single bipolar channel

Prediction errors correlate with long-term Bayley scale neurodevelopmental outcomes
Sensitive clustering of protein sequences at tree-of-life scale using DIAMOND DeepClust
Authors: Buchfink Benjamin , Ashkenazy Haim , Reuter Klaus , Kennedy John A. , Drost Hajk-Georg
Published: January 2023

The biosphere genomics era is transforming life science research, but existing methods struggle to efficiently reduce the vast dimensionality of the protein universe. We present DIAMOND DeepClust, an ultra-fast cascaded clustering method optimized to cluster the 19 billion protein sequences currently defining the protein biosphere. As a result, we detect 1.7 billion clusters of which 32% hold more than one sequence. This means that 544 million clusters represent 94% of all known proteins, illustrating that clustering across the tree of life can significantly accelerate comparative studies in the Earth BioGenome era.
Mast cell-derived BH4 is a critical mediator of postoperative pain
Authors: Starkl Philipp , Jonsson Gustav , Artner Tyler , Turnes Bruna Lenfers , Serhan Nadine , Oliveira Tiago , Gail Laura-Marie , Stejskal Karel , Channon Keith M. , Köcher Thomas , Stary Georg , Klang Victoria , Gaudenzio Nicolas , Knapp Sylvia , Woolf Clifford J. , Penninger Josef M. , Cronin Shane J.F.
Published: January 2023

Postoperative pain affects most patients after major surgery and can transition to chronic pain. Here, we discovered that postoperative pain hypersensitivity correlated with markedly increased local levels of the metabolite BH4. Gene transcription and reporter mouse analyses after skin injury identified neutrophils, macrophages and mast cells as primary postoperative sources of GTP cyclohydrolase-1 (Gch1) expression, the rate-limiting enzyme in BH4 production. While specificGch1deficiency in neutrophils or macrophages had no effect, mice deficient in mast cells or mast cell-specificGch1showed drastically decreased postoperative pain after surgery. Skin injury induced the nociceptive neuropeptide substance P, which directly triggers the release of BH4-dependent serotonin in mouse and human mast cells. Substance P receptor blockade substantially ameliorated postoperative pain. Our findings underline the unique position of mast cells at the neuro-immune interface and highlight substance P-driven mast cell BH4 production as promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of postoperative pain.
Let’s Get Physical: On Observing Force Perturbations of Proliferating Glioblastomal Cells
Authors: Seto Jong , Chen Yong
Published: January 2023

The growth and proliferation of mutant astrocyte cells are widely known characteristics in high grade glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) neurological cancers. The infiltrative tumor processes during glioblastoma development follow predefined routes and patterns dictated by biochemical and physiological environments in the brain. Specifically, at the cellular-level the glioblastoma-related astrocytes cells typically are occluded along neural fissures, neurophysiological interfaces as well as along available blood vessel routes for sources of nutrients to drive overall tumor tissue growth and development. Additionally, each individual astrocyte cell maintains a predisposition to aggregate into a supracellular aggregate with organioid-like properties. Here in this work, we attempt to understand the physical processes involved at the single cell level in forming these pre-tumor states and investigate the environmental forces that may perturb the formation of intermediate cellular assemblies in order to ultimately perturb overall tumor growth and development processes.
Disrupted in Renal Carcinoma 3(DIRC3) impacts malignant phenotype and IGFBP5/IGF-1/Akt signaling axis in differentiated thyroid cancer
Authors: Wysocki Piotr T. , Czubak Karol , Marusiak Anna A. , Kolanowska Monika , Nowis Dominika
Published: January 2023

Differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs) are malignancies with ill-defined hereditary predisposition. Some germline variants influencing the risk of DTCs localize indisrupted in renal carcinoma 3(DIRC3), a poorly characterized long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) gene. Here, we characterized the function ofDIRC3in DTCs. We established thatDIRC3is downregulated in DTCs, and its high expression may reduce the risk of cancer recurrence in patients.DIRC3transcripts were enriched in cell nucleiin vitro, where they upregulatedinsulin-like growth factor binding protein 5(IGFBP5), a gene known to modulate the cellular response to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Silencing ofDIRC3in thyroid cancer cell lines produced a phenotypic dichotomy: it augmented cell migration and invasiveness, reduced apoptosis, but abrogated the MTT reduction rate. We demonstrated that the pro-migratory phenotype was produced by the downregulation ofIGFBP5. Transcriptomic profiling confirmed a functional redundancy in the activities ofDIRC3andIGFBP5. Moreover, downregulation ofDIRC3enhanced the susceptibility of cancer cells to IGF-1 stimulation and promoted Akt signaling. In conclusion,DIRC3expression alters the phenotype of thyroid cancer cells and modulates the activity of IGFBP5/IGF-1/Akt axis. We propose an interplay betweenDIRC3and IGF signaling as a mechanism that promotes thyroid carcinogenesis.
Importance of eDNA taphonomy and provenance for robust ecological inference: insights from interfacial geochemistry
Authors: Sand K.K. , Jelavić S. , Kjær K.H. , Prohaska A.
Published: January 2023

Context for and purpose

Retrieval of modern and ancient environmental DNA (eDNA) from sediments has revolutionized our ability to reconstruct present and past ecosystems. Little emphasis has been placed, however, on the fundamentals of the DNA-sediment associations and, consequently, our understanding of taphonomy and provenance of eDNA in sediments remains extremely limited. If we are to be able to accurately infer community dynamics across time and space from eDNA data, we need to understand how depositional processes and sedimentary associations of DNA molecules in different settings influence our interpretation.

Approach and methods

Here, we introduce interfacial geochemical principles to the field of eDNA and discuss current interpretational biases. We outline a way to increase the scope and resolution of ecological interpretations from eDNA by combining mineralogic composition with experimental adsorption data. We apply distribution coefficients to assess the relationship between the DNA fraction in water columns and DNA fraction sequestered by suspended sediment particles. We further evaluate the challenges with drawing ecological inference using eDNA from sedimentary systems that receive input from different ecosystem types as a consequence of sedimentary processes.

Main results: We show that

The retention of DNA in aqueous environments depends on the mineralogy of sediment particles and on the number of particles loaded in the water column.

DNA attached to sediment particles from distal systems can be deposited in proximal systems and skew the interpretation of the proximal sediment samples.

High particle loading in the water column can deplete suspended DNA and cause inaccurate interpretation of aqueous DNA samples.

High particle loading in surface sediment pore waters enhances sequestration of DNA from benthic communities relative to that of water column communities, resulting in skewed estimates of species richness and abundance from sedimentary DNA.

We discuss how to integrate taphonomy and provenance knowledge into the reconstruction of modern and past ecosystems, and ecosystem monitoring from eDNA data.

Conclusions and the wider implications

Our findings demonstrate that integrating information about eDNA taphonomy and provenance into modern and past ecosystem reconstruction from eDNA data can enhance the scope, resolution and accuracy of our interpretations.
Transpiration Responses to Potential Volatile Signals and Hydraulic Failure in Single Leaves ofVitis Vinifera(CV. Shiraz) andArabidopsis Thaliana(Col 0) Utilising Sensitive Liquid Flow and Simultaneous Gas Exchange
Authors: Balacey Suzanne L. , Capone Dimitra Liacopoulos , Sullivan Wendy , Tyerman Stephen D.
Published: January 2023

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may communicate stress between plants. However little appears to be documented on how such VOCs affect transpiration. Changes in transpiration in response to some VOCs was examined by measurement of flow (Q) at high resolution into detached leaves ofVitis vinifera(cv. Shiraz) and Arabidopsis (Col 0). Sensors recorded arrival and decay of volatiles at the leaf lamina. Moderate xylem tensions were developed inV. viniferaleaves by incorporating a hydraulic resistance in the flow pathway. Simultaneous recording of leaf gas exchange (Assimilation,A, and Transpiration,E) for bothV. viniferaand Arabidopsis revealed that for ArabidopsisQwas stochastically restricted by the gas exchange cuvette but notEin the short term. Depending on the applied supply pressure cavitation could be controlled inV. viniferaevident from reducedQ, and leaf wilting. Stomatal closure occurred upon cavitation after a transitory increase inEandA, and after wilting began and was reversed by re-pressurization. VOCs were emitted from leaves corresponding to changes in flow rate, and light to dark transitions but not to cavitation. Volatile methanol but not ethanol or methyl salicylate induced a localised dose-dependent reversible stomatal closure in bothV. viniferaand Arabidopsis.
The Multi-State Epigenetic Pacemaker enables the identification of combinations of factors that influence DNA methylation
Authors: Farrell Colin , Lapborisuth Kalsuda , Snir Sagi , Pellegrini Matteo
Published: January 2023

Epigenetic clocks, DNA methylation based predictive models of chronological age, are often utilized to study aging associated biology. Despite their widespread use, these methods do not account for other factors that also contribute to the variability of DNA methylation data. For example, many CpG sites show strong sex-specific or cell type specific patterns that likely impact the predictions of epigenetic age. To overcome these limitations, we developed a multidimensional extension of the Epigenetic Pacemaker, the Multi-State Epigenetic Pacemaker (MSEPM). We show that the MSEPM is capable of accurately modeling multiple methylation associated factors simultaneously, while also providing site specific models that describe the per site relationship between methylation and these factors. We utilized the MSEPM with a large aggregate cohort of blood methylation data to construct models of the effects of age, sex and cell type heterogeneity on DNA methylation. We found that these models capture a large faction of the variability at thousands of DNA methylation sites. Moreover, we found modeled sites that are primarily affected by aging and no other factors. Among these, those that lose methylation over time are enriched for CTCF transcription factor chip peaks, while those that gain methylation over time are enriched for REST transcription factor chip peaks. Both transcription factors are associated with transcriptional maintenance and suggest a general dysregulation of transcription with age that is not impacted by sex or cell type heterogeneity. In conclusion, the MSEPM is capable of accurately modeling multiple methylation associated factors and the models produced can illuminate site specific combinations of factors that affect methylation dynamics.
Cardiomyocyte apoptosis contributes to contractile dysfunction in stem cell model ofMYH7E848G hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Loiben Alexander M. , Chien Wei-Ming , Friedman Clayton E. , Chao Leslie S-L. , Weber Gerhard , Goldstein Alex , Sniadecki Nathan , Murry Charles E. , Yang Kai-Chun
Published: January 2023

Missense mutations in myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7) are a common cause of hyper-trophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), but the molecular mechanisms underlyingMYH7-based HCM remain unclear. In this work, we generated cardiomyocytes derived from isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cells to model the heterozygous pathogenicMYH7missense variant, E848G, which is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and adultonset systolic dysfunction.MYH7E848G/+increased cardiomyocyte size and reduced the maximum twitch forces of engineered heart tissue, consistent with the systolic dysfunction inMYH7E848G HCM patients. Interestingly,MYH7E848G/+cardiomyocytes more frequently underwent apoptosis that was associated with increased p53 activity relative to controls. However, genetic ablation ofTP53did not rescue cardiomyocyte survival or restore engineered heart tissue twitch force, indicatingMYH7E848G/+cardiomyocyte apoptosis and contractile dysfunction are p53-independent. Overall, our findings suggest that cardiomyocyte apoptosis plays an important role in theMYH7E848G/+HCM phenotypein vitroand that future efforts to target p53-independent cell death pathways may be beneficial for the treatment of HCM patients with systolic dysfunction.
DISCO: A deep learning ensemble for uncertainty-aware segmentation of acoustic signals
Authors: Colligan Thomas , Irish Kayla , Emlen Douglas J. , Wheeler Travis J.
Published: January 2023

Recordings of animal sounds enable a wide range of observational inquiries into animal communication, behavior, and diversity. Automated labeling of sound events in such recordings can improve both throughput and reproducibility of analysis. Here, we describe our software package for labeling sound elements in recordings of animal sounds and demonstrate its utility on recordings of beetle courtships and whale songs. The software, DISCO, computes sensible confidence estimates and produces labels with high precision and accuracy. In addition to the core labeling software, it provides a simple tool for labeling training data, and a visual system for analysis of resulting labels. DISCO is open-source and easy to install, it works with standard file formats, and it presents a low barrier of entry to use.
The multilevel society of proboscis monkeys with a possible patrilineal basis
Authors: Matsuda Ikki , Murai Tadahiro , Grueter Cyril C. , Tuuga Augustine , Goossens Benoit , Bernard Henry , Yahya Nurhartini Kamalia , Orozco-terWengel Pablo , Salgado-Lynn Milena
Published: January 2023

Multilevel societies (MLS), which are characterized by two or more levels of social organization, are among the most complex primate social systems. MLS have only been recorded in a limited number of primates, including humans. The aim of this study was to investigate whether proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) form MLS in Sabah, Malaysia, and to genetically characterize their dispersal patterns. Association data were obtained through direct observation (35 months) and kinship data through genetic analysis, based on feces collected from ∼200 individuals. The results strongly suggest that proboscis monkeys exhibit a form of MLS, with several core reproductive units and a bachelor group woven together into a higher-level band. Genetic analysis revealed that the females migrated randomly over short and long distances; however, the males tended to migrate relatively shorter distances than females. Furthermore, male-male dyads showed a slightly higher average relatedness than female-female dyads. Combined with the results of direct observations, we conclude that proboscis monkeys form a MLS with at least two layers and a patrilineal basis. Since patrilineal MLS have been identified as an important step in the evolution of human societies, their convergent appearance in proboscis monkeys may help us understand of the drivers of human social evolution.

Significance Statement

The aim of this study was to determine the social organization of proboscis monkeys by direct observation and genetic analysis. The results revealed that their social system exhibited a form of multilevel society with a possible patrilineal basis. Since humans exhibit a similar constellation of social features, proboscis monkeys may offer insightful clues about human social evolution.
YersiniaType III-Secreted Effectors Evade the Caspase-4 Inflammasome in Human Cells
Authors: Zhang Jenna , Brodsky Igor E. , Shin Sunny
Published: January 2023

Yersiniaare gram-negative zoonotic bacteria that use a type III secretion system (T3SS) to injectYersiniaouter proteins (Yops) into the host cytosol to subvert essential components of innate immune signaling. However,Yersiniavirulence activities can elicit activation of inflammasomes, which lead to inflammatory cell death and cytokine release to contain infection.Yersiniaactivation and evasion of inflammasomes have been characterized in murine macrophages but remain poorly defined in human cells, particularly intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), a primary site of intestinalYersiniainfection. In contrast to murine macrophages, we find that in both human IECs and macrophages,Yersinia pseudotuberculosisT3SS effectors enable evasion of the caspase-4 inflammasome, which senses cytosolic lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The antiphagocytic YopE and YopH, as well as the translocation regulator YopK, were collectively responsible for evading inflammasome activation, in part by inhibitingYersiniainternalization mediated by YadA and β1-integrin signaling. These data provide insight into the mechanisms ofYersinia-mediated inflammasome activation and evasion in human cells, and reveal species-specific differences underlying regulation of inflammasome responses toYersinia.

Importance

Yersiniaare responsible for significant disease burdens in humans, ranging from recurrent disease outbreaks (yersiniosis) to pandemics (Yersinia pestisplague). Together with rising antibiotic resistance rates, there is a critical need to better understandYersiniapathogenesis and host immune mechanisms, as this information will aid in developing improved immunomodulatory therapeutics. Inflammasome responses in human cells are less studied relative to murine models of infection, though recent studies have uncovered key differences in inflammasome responses between mice and humans. Here, we dissect human intestinal epithelial cell and macrophage inflammasome responses toYersinia pseudotuberculosis.Our findings provide insight into species- and cell type-specific differences in inflammasome responses toYersinia.
Overexpression of NIMA-related kinase suppresses cell proliferation and tip growth in a liverwortMarchantia polymorpha
Authors: Mase Hikari , Yoshitake Yoshihiro , Kohchi Takayuki , Takahashi Taku , Motose Hiroyasu
Published: January 2023

NIMA-related kinases (NEKs) regulate a series of mitotic events in fungi and animals, whereas plant NEKs regulate growth direction of cells and organs. The liverwortMarchantia polymorphahas a single functional MpNEK1gene, whose knockout leads to twisted growth of rhizoids. MpNEK1is also expressed in the meristem of vegetative flat organ, thallus, while its function remains unknown. Here, we generated transgenic lines for the inducible expression of MpNEK1using an estrogen receptor mediated system. Estradiol treatment efficiently induced the accumulation of MpNEK1mRNA and MpNEK1-Citrine fusion protein throughout plant body. Overexpression of MpNEK1 severely suppressed growth of rhizoids and thalli, eventually causing the lethality of juvenile plants. The effect of estradiol was reversible until 3 days, whereas 7-days treatment resulted in irreversible suppression of growth. This severe effect was observed even at the nanomolar level of estradiol. EdU staining and microtubule imaging clearly indicated the suppression of cell proliferation by estradiol-induced MpNEK1. Unexpectedly, the overexpression of kinase-deficient MpNEK1 also suppressed thallus growth and rhizoid formation, despite their slightly mild effect than the full length MpNEK1, indicating phosphorylation-independent mechanism of growth suppression. In conclusion, overexpression of MpNEK1 suppresses cell division and elongation, leading to growth cessation and lethality. Our results imply that the expression of MpNEK1 is tightly regulated and plant NEKs might control cell division as in fungi and animals.
Long-term respiratory mucosal immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 after infection and vaccination
Authors: Mitsi Elena , Diniz Mariana O. , Reiné Jesús , Collins Andrea M. , Robinson Ryan , Hyder-Wright Angela , Farrar Madlen , Liatsikos Konstantinos , Hamilton Josh , Onyema Onyia , Urban Britta C. , Solorzano Carla , Lambe Teresa , Draper Simon J. , Weiskopf Daniela , Sette Alessandro , Maini Mala K. , Ferreira Daniela M.
Published: January 2023

Respiratory mucosal immunity induced by vaccination is vital for protection from coronavirus infection in animal models. In humans, SARS-CoV-2 immunity has been studied extensively in blood. However, the capacity of peripheral vaccination to generate sustained humoral and cellular immunity in the lung mucosa, and how this is influenced by prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, is unknown. Bronchoalveolar lavage samples obtained from vaccinated donors with or without prior infection revealed enrichment of spike-specific antibodies, class-switched memory B cells and T cells in the lung mucosa compared to the periphery in the setting of hybrid immunity, whereas in the context of vaccination alone, local anti-viral immunity was limited to antibody responses. Spike-specific T cells persisted in the lung mucosa for up to 5 months post-vaccination and multi-specific T cell responses were detected at least up to 11 months post-infection. Thus, durable lung mucosal immunity against SARS-CoV-2 seen after hybrid exposure cannot be achieved by peripheral vaccination alone, supporting the need for vaccines targeting the airways.
Comprehensive comparative assessment of theArabidopsis thalianaMLO2-calmodulin interaction by variousin vitroandin vivoprotein-protein interaction assays
Authors: von Bongartz Kira , Sabelleck Björn , Forero Anežka Baquero , Kuhn Hannah , Leissing Franz , Panstruga Ralph
Published: January 2023

Mildew resistance locus o (MLO) proteins are heptahelical integral membrane proteins of which some isoforms act as susceptibility factors for the fungal powdery mildew pathogen. In many angiosperm plant species, loss-of-functionmlomutants confer durable broad-spectrum resistance against the powdery mildew disease. Barley Mlo is known to interactviaa cytosolic carboxyl-terminal domain with the intracellular calcium sensor calmodulin (CAM) in a calcium-dependent manner. Site-directed mutagenesis has revealed key amino acid residues in the barley Mlo calcium-binding domain (CAMBD) that, when mutated, affect the MLO-CAM association. We here tested the respective interaction betweenArabidopsis thalianaMLO2 and CAM2 using seven different types ofin vitroandin vivoprotein-protein interaction assays. In each assay, we deployed a wild-type version of either the MLO2 carboxyl terminus (MLO2CT), harboring the CAMBD, or the MLO2 full-length protein and corresponding mutant variants in which two key residues within the CAMBD were substituted by non-functional amino acids. We focused in particular on the substitution of two hydrophobic amino acids (LW/RR mutant) and found in most protein-protein interaction experiments reduced binding of CAM2 to the corresponding MLO2/MLO2CTLW/RR mutant variants in comparison to the respective wild-type versions. However, the Ura3-based yeast split-ubiquitin system andin plantabimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays failed to indicate reduced CAM2 binding to the mutated CAMBD. Our data shed further light on the interaction of MLO and CAM proteins and provide a comprehensive comparative assessment of different types of protein-protein interaction assays with wild-type and mutant versions of an integral membrane protein.
SIRT2 inhibition protects against cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure
Authors: Yang Xiaoyan , Chang Hsiang-Chun , Tatekoshi Yuki , Balibegloo Maryam , Wu Rongxue , Chen Chunlei , Sato Tatsuya , Shapiro Jason , Ardehali Hossein
Published: January 2023

Sirtuins (SIRT) exhibit deacetylation or ADP-ribosyltransferase activity and regulate a wide range of cellular processes in the nucleus, mitochondria and cytoplasm. The role of the only sirtuin that resides in the cytoplasm, SIRT2, in the development of heart failure (HF) and cardiac hypertrophy is not known. In this paper, we show that the hearts of mice with deletion ofSirt2(Sirt2-/-) display improved cardiac function after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) and pressure overload (PO), suggesting that SIRT2 exerts maladaptive effects in the heart in response to stress. Similar results were obtained in mice with cardiomyocyte-specificSirt2deletion. Mechanistic studies suggest that SIRT2 modulates cellular levels and activity of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2), which results in reduced expression of antioxidant proteins. Deletion ofNrf2in the hearts ofSirt2-/-mice reversed protection after PO. Finally, treatment of mouse hearts with a specific SIRT2 inhibitors reduces cardiac size and attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in response to PO. These data indicate that SIRT2 has detrimental effects in the heart and plays a role in the progression of HF and cardiac hypertrophy, which makes this protein a unique member of the SIRT family. Additionally, our studies provide a novel approach for treatment of cardiac hypertrophy by targeting SIRT2 pharmacologically, providing a novel avenue for the treatment of this disorder.
Publication bias in meta-analyses of the therapeutic efficacy of remdesivir interventions for patients with COVID-19
Authors: Motahari-Nezhad Hossein , Sadeghdaghighi Aslan
Published: January 2023

Purpose

No comprehensive statistical assessment of publication bias has been conducted in remdesivir-based intervention research for COVID-19 patients. This study aims to examine all meta-analyses of the efficacy of remdesivir interventions in COVID-19 patients and perform a statistical assessment of publication bias.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an analytic study conducted to assess the impact of publication bias on the results of meta-analyses of remdesivir-based interventions in patients infected with COVID-19. All English full-text meta-analyses published in peer-reviewed journals in 2019–2021 were included. A computerized search of PubMed and Web of Science electronic databases was performed on December 24, 2021. The trim-and-fill method calculated the number of missing studies and the adjusted cumulative effect sizes.

Findings

The final analysis comprised 21 studies with 88 outcomes. The investigation revealed missing studies in 46 outcomes (52%). Seventy-six missing studies were replaced in the outcomes using the trim-and-fill procedure. The adjusted recalculated effect sizes of the 27 outcomes increased by an average of 0.04. In comparison, the adjusted effect size of 18 outcomes fell by an average of 0.036. Only 14 out of 46 outcomes with publication bias were subjected to a gray literature search (30%). To discover related research, no gray literature search was conducted in most outcomes with publication bias (n = 32; 70%). In conclusion, the reported effect estimates regarding the effect of remdesivir in COVID-19 patients are only slightly affected by publication bias and can be considered authentic. Health-care decision-makers in COVID-19 should consider current research results when making clinical decisions.

Research limitations/implications

Most health decisions are based on the effect sizes revealed in meta-analyses. When deciding on remdesivir-based treatment for COVID-19 patients, therefore, the outcomes of this investigation may be of paramount importance to health policymakers, leading to better treatment strategies.

Practical implications

According to the results, no major publication bias and missing studies were detected on average. Therefore, the calculated effect sizes of remdesivir-based interventions on meta-analyses can be used as authentic and unbiased benchmarks by health-care decision-makers in treating patients with COVID-19.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the effect of publication bias and gray literature searches on the results of meta-analyses of treatment with COVID-19 (remdesivir).
Information literacy and relation to workplace: a review of the literature
Authors: Al-Azri Hamed Mohamed , Alharrasi Nabhan , Al-Aufi Ali Saif
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study provides a critical review of the literature on information literacy in the workplace and its relevant issues. The purpose of this study is to examine two elements: how the predominantly academic information literacy is experienced in the workplace; and review how academically based information literacy frameworks can be used to increase performance in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical approach to information literacy was implemented for the introduction and background information by searching for scholarly publications referring to information literacy and information literacy in the workplace. Overall, 65 published articles in English were selected and found suitable.

Findings

According to the existing literature, very few frameworks tailored to specific workplaces have been discovered and were all found to be pertinent to academic settings that included researchers. The review revealed the perceived positive role of information literacy in raising work performance. The paper concludes that the benefit for information literate employees and employers is apparent, but those differences in academic information literacy and workplace information literacy are significant.

Originality/value

Information literacy frameworks for the workplace, when used, are still heavily reliant on the educational sector and need to be further researched in order for them to adequately address specific workplace contexts and their socially collaborative information literacy activities.
Mapping human resource management scholarly literature through bibliometric lenses: a case study of library and information science
Authors: Wani Javaid Ahmad , Ganaie Shabir Ahmad
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study aims to map the scholarly literature on human resource management (HRM) publishing intensity in journals listed in Web of Science (WOS) under the subject category “Information Science and Library Science,” between 1989 and 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study used a “bibliometric research design,” which is a quantitative approach. Ten selected bibliometric indicators were used to measure the scientific literature: publication-related metrics, citation-related metrics, citation analysis, co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, co-word analysis, co-authorship analysis, network metrics, clustering and visualization. Moreover, Louvain’s clustering algorithm was used for network metrics.

Findings

The paper gives empirical insights into the scholarly literature on HRM. The results were analyzed for the 65 sources and 1,412 authors from 60 countries who contributed the most during this period. Moreover, the study highlights a glimpse of funding sources, open-access publishing patterns and venues of publishing.

Practical implications

The study would be very beneficial to researchers and practitioners across disciplines.

Originality/value

This study illustrates that HRM is a multidisciplinary field that is appealing to academics from various disciplines because of its unique emphasis on management, and as such, it necessitates the pooling and integration of people, information, expertise and strategies. The study investigates numerous quantitative indicators such as research trends and collaboration frameworks.
Assessing humanitarian supply chain operations in the aftermath of the Kermanshah earthquake
Authors: Hosseini S.M. Amin , Mohammadi Leila , Amirbagheri Keivan , de la Fuente Albert
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The main objective of this study is to consider how to benefit efficiently from the significant potential of humanitarian operations by individuals. For this purpose, this study aims to assess failure factors in humanitarian supply chain operations after the Kermanshah earthquake considering the role of all parties, focusing on individuals who did not wish to work with formal organisations on the whole. In the aftermath of the Kermanshah earthquake, which occurred on 12 November 2017, improvised groups of Iranian civilians from all over the country played an important role in humanitarian supply chain operations as individuals. Although most of these groups sincerely intended to help the affected society, victims could not benefit properly from these significant potential humanitarian actions. On the contrary, these potential actions caused some issues during humanitarian operations, such as blocking roads, inappropriate last-mile distribution, wasting resources and so on.

Design/methodology/approach

This research study considers mixed methods, including an on-site survey, semi-structured interviewing and a questionnaire designed for statistical analyses. The analysis included 140 responses to the questionnaire, semi-structured interviews with 32 affected families, interviews with 5 emergency managers from the Housing Foundation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and on-site survey reports.

Findings

This study presents a framework for humanitarian supply chain management to deal with future disasters in the same area or areas with similar characteristics to the case study. In general, the results of this study demonstrate that the nature of humanitarian supply chain operations makes it impossible to consider that these operations are free of challenges. However, several influential factors, such as training humanitarian actors and integrated management, might considerably increase the efficiency of humanitarian operations by individuals.

Originality/value

This study highlights the influential factors of inappropriate humanitarian operations by individuals, derived from an analysis of the Kermanshah case and literature review. The authors suggest a framework to benefit from the significant potential of individuals with wide-ranging experiences and proficiency, for future cases similar to the case study.
Fleeing from systemic risk at home through cross-border acquisitions
Authors: Shao Liang , Wang Liang , Xie Zaiyang , Zhou Hua
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Viewing the domestic downside risk as a “pushing” factor for outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), this study aims to examine the surge in Chinese cross-border acquisitions (CBAs) between 2008 and 2017, a unique window when private firms in China were allowed to conduct CBAs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the effect of down-side risk on cross-border acquisition performance by using the sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2017. Specifically, this study considers three kinds of systemic risk, systematic risk and idiosyncratic risk, and respectively examines their impact on CBAs activities; this study also investigates their subsequent results after CBAs activities. The contingency effect of state ownership on the above relationship is also discussed.

Findings

The findings reveal that pre-CBA systemic risk explains the volume of CBA activities; CBAs are followed by a reduction in systemic risk; the interactions between systemic risk and CBAs decrease with the level of state ownership; and the above results do not hold for traditional risk measures (i.e. systematic risk and idiosyncratic risk).

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by revealing the role of systemic risk as a “pushing” factor in the context of OFDI and suggesting an alternative explanation for CBAs from China: Chinese firms (especially private firms) took advantage of the rare opportunity between 2008 and 2017 given by the government to transfer assets overseas through CBA.
Effect of process parameters on properties of 3D printed continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites
Authors: Chen Wei , Zhang Qiuju , Yuan Ye , Chen Xiaoyan , He Qinghao
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) with great mechanical properties and green recyclability have been widely used in aerospace, transportation, sports and leisure products, etc. However, the conventional molding technologies of CFRTPCs, with high cost and low efficiency, limit the property design and broad application of composite materials. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of the 3D printing process on the integrated rapid manufacturing of CFRTPCs.

Design/methodology/approach

Tensile and flexural simulations and tests were performed on CFRTPCs. The effect of key process parameters on mechanical properties and molding qualities was evaluated individually and mutually to optimize the printing process. The micro morphologies of tensile and flexural breakages of the printed CFRTPCs were observed and analyzed to study the failure mechanism.

Findings

The results proved that the suitable process parameters for great printing qualities and mechanical properties included the glass hot bed with the microporous and solid glue coatings at 60°C and the nozzle temperature at 295°C. The best parameters of the nozzle temperature, layer thickness, feed rate and printing speed for the best elastic modulus and tensile strength were 285°C, 0.5 mm, 6.5r/min and 500 mm/min, respectively, whereas those for the smallest sectional porosity were 305°C, 0.6 mm, 5.5r/min and 550 mm/min, respectively.

Originality/value

This work promises a significant contribution to the improvement of the printing quality and mechanical properties of 3D printed CFRTPCs parts by the optimization of 3D printing processes.
Rise and Fall of the Brotherhood of St Andrew in the Anglican Diocese of Dunedin: Charting the American Influence in New Zealand's Religious History
Authors: Holmes Martin George
Published: January 2023

In recent years, scholars have begun to highlight American influences upon New Zealand's religious history. They have demonstrated that even at the height of the British Empire, many non‐episcopal churches maintained close ties to their coreligionists in the United States. This article contributes to this field of research by analysing American influences within the Anglican Church of New Zealand, usually portrayed as a thoroughly English institution before the Second World War. It takes as a case study the activities of the American Brotherhood of St Andrew in the Diocese of Dunedin from 1906 to 1915. The article demonstrates that Bishop Samuel Tarratt Nevill invited the Brotherhood because he had great admiration for the Episcopal Church, and that many of his flock accepted the Brotherhood for the same reason. Eventually, the Brotherhood was eclipsed by an English rival, the Church of England Men's Society. But this transition took place not because local Anglicans lost interest in America, but because the Edwardian Era witnessed a surge in imperial loyalty and because the local leader of the CEMS, Canon William Curzon‐Siggers, deliberately sought to undermine the influence of the Brotherhood.