bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling epithelial homeostasis and perturbation in three-dimensional human esophageal organoids
Authors: Shimonosono Masataka , Morimoto Masaki , Hirose Wataru , Tomita Yasuto , Matsuura Norihiro , Flashner Samuel , Ebadi Mesra S. , Okayasu Emilea H. , Lee Christian Y. , Britton William R. , Martin Cecilia , Wuertz Beverly R. , Parikh Anuraag S. , Sachdeva Uma M. , Ondrey Frank G. , Atigadda Venkatram R. , Elmets Craig A. , Abrams Julian A. , Muir Amanda B. , Klein-Szanto Andres J. , Weinberg Kenneth I. , Momen-Heravi Fatemeh , Nakagawa Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

Background

Esophageal organoids from a variety of pathologies including cancer are grown in Advanced Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium-Nutrient Mixture F12 (hereafter ADF). However, the currently available ADF-based formulations are suboptimal for normal human esophageal organoids, limiting the ability to compare normal esophageal organoids with those representing a given disease state.

Methods

We have utilized immortalized normal human esophageal epithelial cell (keratinocyte) lines EPC1 and EPC2 and endoscopic normal esophageal biopsies to generate three-dimensional (3D) organoids. To optimize ADF-based medium, we evaluated the requirement of exogenous epidermal growth factor (EGF) and inhibition of transforming growth factor-(TGF)-β receptor-mediated signaling, both key regulators of proliferation of human esophageal keratinocytes. We have modeled human esophageal epithelial pathology by stimulating esophageal 3D organoids with interleukin (IL)-13, an inflammatory cytokine, or UAB30, a novel pharmacological activator of retinoic acid signaling.

Results

The formation of normal human esophageal 3D organoids was limited by excessive EGF and intrinsic TGFβ receptor-mediated signaling. In optimized HOME0, normal human esophageal organoid formation was improved, whereas IL-13 and UAB30 induced epithelial changes reminiscent of basal cell hyperplasia, a common histopathologic feature in broad esophageal disease conditions including eosinophilic esophagitis.Conclusions:HOME0 allows modeling of the homeostatic differentiation gradient and perturbation of the human esophageal epithelium while permitting a comparison of organoids from mice and other organs grown in ADF-based media.
Fate-mapping and functional dissection reveal perilous influence of type I interferon signaling in mouse brain aging
Authors: Roy Ethan R. , Li Sanming , Wang Yanyu , Cao Wei
Published: May 2024

Although aging significantly elevates the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, how age-related neuroinflammation preconditions the brain toward pathological progression is ill-understood. To comprehend the scope of type I interferon (IFN-I) activity in the aging brain, we surveyed IFN-I-responsive reporter mice and detected age-dependent signal escalation in multiple brain cell types from various regions. Selective ablation ofIfnar1from microglia in aged mice significantly reduced overall brain IFN-I signature, dampened microglial reactivity, lessened neuronal loss, and diminished the accumulation of lipofuscin, a core hallmark of cellular aging in the brain. Overall, our study demonstrates pervasive IFN-I activity during normal mouse brain aging and reveals a pathogenic role played by microglial IFN-I signaling in perpetuating neuroinflammation, neuronal dysfunction, and molecular aggregation. These findings extend the understanding of a principal axis of age-related inflammation in the brain, and provide a rationale to modulate aberrant immune activation to mitigate neurodegenerative process at all stages.
FDA-Approved MEK1/2 Inhibitor, Trametinib, Protects Mice from Cisplatin and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Authors: Lutze Richard D. , Ingersoll Matthew A. , Kelmann Regina G. , Teitz Tal
Published: May 2024

Hearing loss is one of the most common types of disability; however, there is only one FDA-approved drug to prevent any type of hearing loss. Treatment with the highly effective chemotherapy agent, cisplatin, and exposure to high decibel noises are two of the most common causes of hearing loss. The mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, a phosphorylation cascade consisting of RAF, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2, has been implicated in both types of hearing loss. Pharmacologically inhibiting BRAF or ERK1/2 is protective from noise and cisplatin-induced hearing loss in multiple mouse models. Trametinib, a MEK1/2 inhibitor, protects from cisplatin induced outer hair cell death in mouse cochlear explants; however, to the best of our knowledge, inhibiting MEK1/2 has not yet been shown to be protective from hearing lossin vivo. In this study, we demonstrate that trametinib protects from cisplatin-induced hearing loss in a translationally relevant mouse model and does not interfere with cisplatin’s tumor killing efficacy in cancer cell lines. Higher doses of trametinib were toxic to mice when combined with cisplatin but lower doses of the drug were protective from hearing loss without any known toxicity. Trametinib also protected mice from noise-induced hearing loss and synaptic damage. This study shows that MEK1/2 inhibition protects from both insults of hearing loss and that targeting all three kinases in the MAPK pathway protect from cisplatin and noise-induced hearing loss in mice.
A Single-Short Partial Reprogramming of the Endothelial Cells decreases Blood Pressure via attenuation of EndMT in Hypertensive Mice
Authors: Pernomian Laena , Waigi Emily W. , Nguyen Vi , Mohammed Ahmed D. , da Costa Tiago J. , Fontes Milene T. , Kubinak Jason L. , Aitken Andrew , Biancardi Vinicia Campana , Sinclair David A. , McCarthy Cameron G. , Wang Yunguan , Tan Wenbin , Wenceslau Camilla Ferreira
Published: May 2024

Background

Small artery remodeling and endothelial dysfunction are hallmarks of hypertension. Growing evidence supports a likely causal association between cardiovascular diseases and the presence of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), a cellular transdifferentiation process in which endothelial cells (ECs) partially lose their identity and acquire additional mesenchymal phenotypes. EC reprogramming represents an innovative strategy in regenerative medicine to prevent deleterious effects induced by cardiovascular diseases.

Methods

Using a partial reprogramming of ECs, via overexpression of Oct-3/4, Sox-2, and Klf-4 (OSK) transcription factors, we aimed to bring ECs back to a youthful phenotype in hypertensive mice. Primary ECs were infected with lentiviral vectors (LV) containing the specific EC marker cadherin 5 (Cdh5) and the fluorescent reporter enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) with empty vector (LVCO) or with OSK (LV-OSK). Confocal microscopy and western blotting analysis were used to confirm the OSK overexpression. Cellular migration, senescence, and apoptosis were evaluated. Human aortic ECs (HAoECs) from male and female normotensive and hypertensive patients were analyzed after OSK or control treatments for their endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels, nitric oxide (NO), and genetic profile. Male and female normotensive (BPN/3J) and hypertensive (BPH/2J) mice were treated with an intravenous (i.v.) injection of LVCO or LV-OSK and evaluated 10 days post-infection. The blood pressure, cardiac function, vascular reactivity of small arteries,in vivoEGFP signal and EndMT inhibition were analyzed.

Results

OSK overexpression induced partial EC reprogrammingin vitro, and these cells showed endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-like features with lower migratory capability. OSK treatment of hypertensive BPH/2J mice normalized blood pressure and resistance arteries hypercontractility, via the attenuation of EndMT and elastin breaks. EGFP signal was detectedin vivoin the prefrontal cortex of both BPN/3J and BPH/2J-treated mice, but OSK induced angiogenesis only in male BPN/3J mice. OSK-treated human ECs from hypertensive patients showed high eNOS activation and NO production, with low ROS formation. Single-cell RNA analysis showed that OSK alleviated EC senescence and EndMT, restoring their phenotypes in human ECs from hypertensive patients.

Conclusion

Overall, these data indicate that OSK treatment and EC reprogramming can decrease blood pressure and reverse hypertension-induced vascular damage.
Kinetochores promote timely spindle bipolarization to prevent microtubule attachment errors in oocytes
Authors: Yoshida Shuhei , Nakagawa Reiko , Kitajima Tomoya S.
Published: May 2024

Incorrect kinetochore-microtubule attachment leads to chromosome segregation errors. The risk of incorrect attachments is particularly high in acentrosomal oocytes, where kinetochores are surrounded by randomly oriented microtubules until spindle bipolarization. How the timing of acentrosomal spindle bipolarization is coordinated with kinetochore-microtubule attachment is unknown. Here, we show that in mouse oocytes, kinetochores promote spindle bipolarization when microtubule attachment is unstable in early prometaphase. The kinetochore kinase MPS1 allows this function by regulating multiple pathways, including those mediated by the kinetochore proteins NDC80-NUF2 at their C-terminal domains and the antiparallel microtubule crosslinker PRC1. Inhibition of MPS1 delays spindle bipolarization to late prometaphase, thereby increasing incorrect kinetochore-microtubule attachments. Artificially accelerating spindle bipolarization by overexpressing KIFC1 prevents incorrect kinetochore-microtubule attachment in MPS1-inhibited oocytes. Thus, kinetochores autonomously promote timely acentrosomal spindle bipolarization prior to stabilizing microtubule attachment, thereby reducing the risk of egg aneuploidy.
Discriminating neural ensemble patterns through dendritic computations in randomly connected feedforward networks
Authors: Somashekar Bhanu Priya , Bhalla Upinder Singh
Published: May 2024

Co-active or temporally ordered neural ensembles are a signature of salient sensory, motor, and cognitive events. Local convergence of such patterned activity as synaptic clusters on dendrites could help single neurons harness the potential of dendritic nonlinearities to decode neural activity patterns. We combined theory and simulations to assess the likelihood of whether projections from neural ensembles could converge onto synaptic clusters even in networks with random connectivity. Using rat hippocampal and cortical network statistics, we show that clustered convergence of axons from 3-4 different co-active ensembles is likely even in randomly connected networks, leading to representation of arbitrary input combinations in at least ten target neurons in a 100,000 population. In the presence of larger ensembles, spatiotemporally ordered convergence of 3-5 axons from temporally ordered ensembles is also likely. These active clusters result in higher neuronal activation in the presence of strong dendritic nonlinearities and low background activity. We mathematically and computationally demonstrate a tight interplay between network connectivity, spatiotemporal scales of subcellular electrical and chemical mechanisms, dendritic nonlinearities, and uncorrelated background activity. We suggest that dendritic clustered and sequence computation is pervasive, but its expression as somatic selectivity requires confluence of physiology, background activity, and connectomics.
Dynamic valuation bias explains social influence on cheating behavior
Authors: Benistant Julien , Guigon Valentin , Nicolas Alain , Derrington Edmund , Dreher Jean-Claude
Published: May 2024

Observing immoral behavior increases one’s dishonesty by social influence and learning processes. The neurocomputational mechanisms underlying such moral contagion remain unclear. We tested different mechanistic hypotheses to account for moral contagion. We used model-based fMRI and a new cheating game in which participants were sequentially placed in honest and dishonest social norm contexts. Participants’ cheating behavior increased in the dishonest norm context but was unchanged in the honest. The best model to account for behavior indicated that participants’ valuation was dynamically biased by learning that others had cheated. At the time of choice, the internalization of social norms was implemented in the lateral prefrontal cortex and biased valuations of cheating. During learning, simulation of others’ cheating behavior was encoded in the posterior superior temporal sulcus. Together, these findings provide a mechanistic understanding of how learning about others’ dishonesty biases individuals’ valuation of cheating but does not alter one’s established preferences.

Significance statement

Social influence is at the root of human behavior. For example, we tend to follow others’ bad moral behavior such as cheating. Here, we explore the neuro-computational mechanisms of social influence on cheating behavior. We validated a new model capturing both how we learn about others’ (dis)honesty and how this bias our choice. We show that if we observe dishonest others we tend to be more dishonest ourselves. This behavioral change is driven by a bias dynamically changing with our knowledge about the others’ cheating behavior. Neurally, we found that the lateral prefrontal cortex implements this bias into the decision process while the posterior superior temporal sulcus and the temporo-parietal junction encode our learned representation of others’ cheating.
The evolutionarily conserved PRP4K-CHMP4B/vps32 splicing circuit regulates autophagy
Authors: Mathavarajah Sabateeshan , Habib Elias B. , Kim William D. , Aoki Megan M. , Corkery Dale P. , Whelan Kennedy I.T. , Lukacs Jordan , Salsman Jayme , Huber Robert J. , Dellaire Graham
Published: May 2024

The pre-mRNA processing factor 4 kinase (PRP4K) is an essential gene in animal cells, making interrogation of its function challenging. Here, we report the first knockout model for PRP4K in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, revealing a new function in splicing events controlling autophagy. When prp4k knockout amoebae underwent multicellular development, we observed defects in differentiation linked to abnormal autophagy and aberrant secretion of stalk cell inducer c-di-GMP. Autophagosome-lysosome fusion was found to be impaired after PRP4K loss in both human cell lines and amoebae. Mechanistically, PRP4K loss results in mis-splicing and reduced expression of the ESCRT-III gene CHMP4B in human cells and its ortholog vps32 in Dictyostelium, and re-expression of CHMP4B or Vps32 cDNA (respectively) restored normal autophagosome-lysosome fusion in PRP4K-deficient cells. Thus, our work reveals a novel PRP4K-CHMP4B/vps32 splicing circuit regulating autophagy that is conserved over at least 600 million years of evolution.
CysteineS-acetylation is a post-translational modification involved in metabolic regulation
Authors: Keenan E. Keith , Bareja Akshay , Lam Yannie , Grimsrud Paul A. , Hirschey Matthew D.
Published: May 2024

Cysteine is a reactive amino acid central to the catalytic activities of many enzymes. It is also a common target of post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as palmitoylation. This long-chain acyl PTM can modify cysteine residues and induce changes in protein subcellular localization. We hypothesized that cysteine could also be modified by short-chain acyl groups, such as cysteineS-acetylation. To test this, we developed sample preparation and non-targeted mass spectrometry protocols to analyze the mouse liver proteome for cysteine acetylation. Our findings revealed hundreds of sites of cysteine acetylation across multiple tissue types, revealing a previously uncharacterized cysteine acetylome. Cysteine acetylation shows a marked cytoplasmic subcellular localization signature, with tissue-specific acetylome patterns and specific changes upon metabolic stress. This study uncovers a novel aspect of cysteine biochemistry, highlighting short-chain modifications alongside known long-chain acyl PTMs. These findings enrich our understanding of the landscape of acyl modifications and suggest new research directions in enzyme activity regulation and cellular signaling in metabolism.
Leukocytes have a heparan sulfate glycocalyx that regulates recruitment during inflammation
Authors: Priestley Megan J. , Hains Anna K. , Mulholland Iashia Z. , Spijkers-Shaw Sam , Zubkova Olga V. , Saunders Amy E. , Dyer Douglas P.
Published: May 2024

The glycocalyx is a proteoglycan-rich layer present on the surface of all mammalian cells that is particularly prevalent on endothelial cells lining the vasculature. It has been hypothesized that the glycocalyx mediates leukocyte migration by masking adhesion molecules and reducing leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Leukocyte recruitment is a key driver of inflammatory diseases, including the chronic skin disease, psoriasis. Here, we show that leukocytes express heparan sulfate, an important glycocalyx component, on their cell surface which is lost in response to psoriasis-like skin inflammation, whilst endothelial heparan sulfate expression is not affected. Treatment with a heparan sulfate mimetic during psoriasis-like skin inflammation protected heparan sulfate from cleavage by heparanase and resulted in reduced leukocyte accumulation in skin, yet unexpectedly, led to increased clinical signs of inflammation due to reduced Treg numbers. These findings reshape our understanding of immune cell recruitment by revealing the presence and function of a heparan sulfate glycocalyx on immune cells and highlight the complex effects of heparanase inhibitors on the immune response in this context.

One Sentence Summary

Leukocytes express a glycocalyx on their surface which is shed in response to psoriasis-like skin inflammation, facilitating their migration into the skin.
G-Quadruplex Mediated c-myc Specific Downregulation: A Unique Pathway of the Anticancer Action of Immunomodulator Drugs
Authors: Sarkar Sunipa , Chatterjee Akash , Paul Subhojit , Bisoi Asim , Sen Prosenjit , Singh Prashant Chandra
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), and chloroquine (CQ) are in the preclinical trial stage for cancer along with their active application in autoimmune diseases and malaria. One of the critical hallmarks of cancer cells is the elevated expression of various oncogenes which promote cancer progression and contribute to poor prognosis. The upstream of the promoter region of these oncogenes often exhibits a G-quadruplex (G4) DNA structure which regulates the gene expression. Hence, targeting G4 structure has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer. In this study, the recognition of HCQ and CQ with the G4 structure of different oncogenes and its effect on gene regulation has been explored by a combination of various biophysical andin-vitroandin-vivobiological methods. This study depicts that HCQ and CQ downregulate the c-myc oncogene transcription significantly in a G4-dependent manner compared to other oncogenes. The different biophysical techniques and molecular dynamics simulation studies illustrate that these drug molecules stack predominately at the terminal of the c-myc G4 and the binding of these molecules stabilizes c-myc G4 significantly higher than the G4 structure of other oncogenes. Thein-vitrocell data exhibit a notable reduction in both c-myc mRNA and protein levels in a triple-negative breast cancer cell line following HCQ treatment. The pre-clinical breast cancer mouse modelin-vivodata also indicate that HCQ reduces tumor growth through the downregulation of the c-myc oncogene. Simultaneously, HCQ also enhances the therapeutic efficacy of standard chemotherapeutic agents to be a potential candidate for combination therapy. This work demonstrates the alternative strategy of anticancer action of widely used drugs by specifically downregulating the c-myc oncogene in a G4-dependent manner.
Engineering the Mechanical Stability of a Therapeutic Affibody/PD-L1 Complex by Anchor Point Selection
Authors: Yang Byeongseon , Gomes Diego E. B. , Liu Zhaowei , Santos Mariana Sá , Li Jiajun , Bernardi Rafael C. , Nash Michael A.
Published: May 2024

Protein-protein complexes can vary in mechanical stability depending on the direction from which force is applied. Here we investigated the anisotropic mechanical stability of a molecular complex between a therapeutic non-immunoglobulin scaffold called Affibody and the extracellular domain of the immune checkpoint protein PD-L1. We used a combination of single-molecule AFM force spectroscopy (AFM-SMFS) with bioorthogonal clickable peptide handles, shear stress bead adhesion assays, molecular modeling, and steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations to understand the pulling point dependency of mechanostability of the Affibody:(PD-L1) complex. We observed diverse mechanical responses depending on the anchor point. For example, pulling from residue #22 on Affibody generated an intermediate unfolding event attributed to partial unfolding of PD-L1, while pulling from Affibody’s N-terminus generated force-activated catch bond behavior. We found that pulling from residue #22 or #47 on Affibody generated the highest rupture forces, with the complex breaking at up to ∼ 190 pN under loading rates of ∼104-105pN/sec, representing a ∼4-fold increase in mechanostability as compared with low force N-terminal pulling. SMD simulations provided consistent tendencies in rupture forces, and through visualization of force propagation networks provided mechanistic insights. These results demonstrate how mechanostability of therapeutic protein-protein interfaces can be controlled by informed selection of anchor points within molecules, with implications for optimal bioconjugation strategies in drug delivery vehicles.
Heavy multiquark systems as clusters of smaller units: A diffusion Monte Carlo calculation
Authors: Gordillo M. C. , Segovia J.
Published: May 2024

Multiquark systems appear less frequently than mesons and baryons despite the enormous worldwide experimental effort that has been made during the last two decades. In this work, we propose a possible explanation for that fact, restricting ourselves to the case of sets including only c and c¯ quarks. We show that those multiquarks can be thought as different combinations of smaller units that associate together to produce colorless assemblies with a definite value of the total spin. For instance, for the cccccc hexaquark with spin S=0, we have three possibilities; a set of six undistinguishable c quarks, an association of two ccc baryons, or a set of three cc diquarks close together. This means we can have three different values for the mass of an open-charm hexaquark with S=0. Using the diffusion Monte Carlo method, we calculate all possible combinations compatible with tetraquark ccc¯c¯, pentaquark ccccc¯, open-charm cccccc, and hidden-charm cccc¯c¯c¯ hexaquark structures with the minimum value of total spin (S=0 or S=1/2). We consider compact structures with radial wave functions including pair interactions between all the quarks in the cluster. We find that, in all cases, the mass of the multiquark decreases with the number of small units that conform the set of quarks. For instance, an open charm hexaquark made up of three diquarks has a smaller mass than a set of six c undistinguishable units. When the pieces that conform the multiquark are themselves colorless with a definite value of the total spin, the cluster splits into those smaller units that separate infinitely from each other.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Detection possibility of a pseudo-FIMP in the presence of a thermal WIMP
Authors: Bhattacharya Subhaditya , Lahiri Jayita , Pradhan Dipankar
Published: May 2024

A dark matter (DM) having feeble interaction with the visible sector can thermalize via substantial interaction with a weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP). Such DM candidates can be categorized as pseudofeebly interacting massive particles (pFIMPs). pFIMPs have both direct and indirect search prospects via a WIMP loop. This work focuses on such possibilities. We provide all such one loop graphs stemming from pFIMP-WIMP interactions involving scalar, fermion, and vector boson particles, assuming both of them are stabilized via Z2⊗Z2′ symmetries. We elaborate upon a model where a fermionic WIMP has a significant Yukawa interaction with a scalar pFIMP with negligible Higgs portal coupling. We study, in detail, the loop induced direct and indirect search prospects of the pFIMP in the relic density allowed region of the model along with collider expectations at the LHC.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
First Results in the Search for Dark Sectors at NA64 with the CERN SPS High Energy Muon Beam
Authors: Andreev Yu. M. , Banerjee D. , Banto Oberhauser B. , Bernhard J. , Bisio P. , Charitonidis N. , Crivelli P. , Depero E. , Dermenev A. V. , Donskov S. V. , Dusaev R. R. , Enik T. , Frolov V. N. , Gardikiotis A. , Gertsenberger S. V. , Girod S. , Gninenko S. N. , Hösgen M. , Joosten R. , Kachanov V. A. , Kambar Y. , Karneyeu A. E. , Kasianova E. A. , Kekelidze G. , Ketzer B. , Kirpichnikov D. V. , Kirsanov M. M. , Kolosov V. N. , Kramarenko V. A. , Kravchuk L. V. , Krasnikov N. V. , Kuleshov S. V. , Lyubovitskij V. E. , Lysan V. , Matveev V. A. , Mena Fredes R. , Mena Yanssen R. G. , Molina Bueno L. , Mongillo M. , Peshekhonov D. V. , Polyakov V. A. , Radics B. , Salamatin K. M. , Samoylenko V. D. , Shchukin D. A. , Soto O. , Sieber H. , Tikhomirov V. O. , Tlisova I. V. , Toropin A. N. , Tuzi M. , Veit M. B. , Volkov P. V. , Volkov V. Yu. , Voronchikhin I. V. , Zamora-Saá J. , Zhevlakov A. S.
Published: May 2024

We report the first search for dark sectors performed at the NA64 experiment employing a high energy muon beam and a missing energy-momentum technique. Muons from the M2 beamline at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron with a momentum of 160  GeV/c are directed to an active target. The signal signature consists of a single scattered muon with momentum <80  GeV/c in the final state, accompanied by missing energy, i.e., no detectable activity in the downstream calorimeters. For a total dataset of (1.98±0.02)×1010 muons on target, no event is observed in the expected signal region. This allows us to set new limits on the remaining (mZ′,gZ′) parameter space of a new Z′ (Lμ−Lτ) vector boson which could explain the muon (g−2)μ anomaly. Additionally, our study excludes part of the parameter space suggested by the thermal dark matter relic abundance. Our results pave the way to explore dark sectors and light dark matter with muon beams in a unique and complementary way to other experiments.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Ion beam figuring for X-ray mirrors: history, state-of-the-art and future prospects
Authors: Shurvinton Riley , Wang Hongchang , Pradhan Paresh , Nistea Ioana-Theodora , Alcock Simon , Bazan Da Silva Murilo , Majhi Arindam , Sawhney Kawal
Published: May 2024

Synchrotron light sources require X-ray optics with extremely demanding accuracy for the surface profile, with less than 100 nrad slope errors and sub-nanometre height errors. Such errors are challenging to achieve for aspheres using traditional polishing methods. However, post-polishing error correction can be performed using techniques such as ion beam figuring (IBF) to improve optics to the desired quality. This work presents a brief overview of the history of IBF, introduces some of the challenges for obtaining such demanding figure errors, and highlights the work done at several in-house IBF facilities at synchrotron light sources worldwide to obtain state-of-the-art optical quality.
Teaching about the birth of synchrotron light: the role of Frascati and a missed opportunity
Authors: Margaritondo G.
Published: May 2024

The users of synchrotron light are now tens of thousands throughout the world. Paradoxically, many of them do not know much about the early history of their domain. This is regrettable, since education about the initial developments makes it easier to fully understand synchrotron radiation and effectively use its amazing features. Scarcely known, in particular, is the key role of scientists working in Frascati, Italy. Partly based on his personal experiences, the author reports here relevant aspects of this story, including a pioneering French–Italian experiment that started in the early 1960s, and the Frascati contributions in the 1970s and 1980s to the birth of synchrotron light research. Finally, the unwise strategic decisions that prevented Italy from achieving absolute leadership in this domain – in spite of its unique initial advantages – are analyzed.
Students we label international: an urgent call to reconceptualise research with international students
Authors: Merabet Ramzi
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This article problematises the international student label by critically examining the mechanisms that actively portray international students as necessarily different, deficient and uncritical. It broadly aims to tackle the following issues: (a) to challenge the underpinnings of the international label; (b) to uncover the role of neo-essentialist representations of cohorts of students labelled international in sustaining financial exploitation and deficit narratives; and (c) to criticise the current hyper-internationalisation strategy widely adopted by UK HEIs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper mainly relies on findings from research that adopted narrative inquiry to explore the experiences of students labelled international. Data were collected via a series of interviews with 15 postgraduate students at a university in the north of England. The paper also makes use of brief statistical analyses to provide a general overview about the status of UK higher education (international student admission, net economic impact and income).

Findings

The paper reveals the underpinnings of the international label and how it is mobilised to other non-UK-domiciled students. The paper equally establishes a strong link between hyper-internationalisation and the (un)sustainability of the UK’s higher education sector.

Research limitations/implications

The research is expected to raise important questions around the experiences and realities endured by students labelled international. In particular, the paper challenges the international label and the mechanisms that sustain the label at institutional levels.

Practical implications

The paper calls for abandoning the international label as a marker of a presumed difference. Equally, the paper highlights the current unsustainability of the UK’s higher education sector and suggests a gradual cap on international tuition fees to alleviate some of the educational inequalities endured by students international, and to ensure the sustainability of the higher education sector.

Originality/value

This is the first research that openly challenges the international label and substitutes it by “students labelled international”. Equally, this is the first paper that recommends to cap international tuition fees on account of findings from students' narratives and statistics that reveal the unsustainability of the UK's higher education sector. Finally, the paper’s conceptual contribution includes a reference to the idea of hyper-internationalisation.
The role of health-related claims and situational skepticism on consumers’ food choices
Authors: Chaudhary Vartika , Sharma Dinesh , Nagpal Anish , Kalro Arti D.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of three types of health-related claims (health, nutrition and ingredient) and product healthiness on situational skepticism toward the claims that appear on the front-of-package of food products. The effect of situational skepticism on the purchase intention of the product is further examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experimental studies were conducted with a 3 (health-related claims: health claim vs nutrition claim vs ingredient claim) × 2 (product healthiness: healthy vs unhealthy) between-subjects factorial design. Study 1 investigates the effects within a single product category (Biscuits) and Study 2 the effects across product categories (Salad and Pizza).

Findings

The results demonstrate that situational skepticism is the highest for health claims, followed by nutrition claims and the least for ingredient claims. In addition, situational skepticism is higher for claims appearing on unhealthy products vis-à-vis healthy ones. Finally, situational skepticism mediates the relationship between claim type, product healthiness and product purchase intention.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the field of nutrition labeling by advancing research on information processing of nutrition labels through the lens of the persuasion knowledge model (Friestad and Wright, 1994). Specifically, this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of claim formats on how the language properties of the claim – its vagueness, specificity and verifiability – can affect consumer perception. This study finds that higher specificity, verifiability and lower vagueness of ingredient claims lead to lower skepticism and hence higher purchase intention.

Practical implications

Furthermore, this study incrementally contributes to the ongoing discussion about the claim–carrier combination by showing that health-related claims are better perceived on healthy compared to unhealthy products. Hence, managers should avoid health washing, as this can backfire and cause harm to the reputation of the firm.

Social implications

From a public policy point of view, this study makes a case for strong monitoring and regulations of ingredient claims, as consumers believe these claims easily and hence can be misled by false ingredient claims made by unethical marketers.

Originality/value

The scope of research on skepticism has largely been limited to examining a general individual tendency of being suspicious (i.e. dispositional skepticism) in health-related claims as well as other areas of marketing. In this research, the authors extend the scope by examining how specific types of claims (health vs nutrition vs ingredient) and product healthiness jointly impact consumer skepticism, i.e. situational skepticism.
Phase transition of multiple encapsulated PCMs in a U-shaped channel under MHD with ternary nanofluid
Authors: Selimefendigil Fatih , Oztop Hakan F.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Multiple encapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) are used in a wide range of applications, including convective drying, electronic cooling, waste heat recovery and air conditioning. Therefore, it is important to understand the performance of multiple PCMs in channels with flow separation and develop methods to increase their effectiveness. The aim of the study is to analyze the phase transition dynamics of multiple encapsulated PCMs mounted in a U-shaped tube under inclined magnetic field by using ternary nanofluid.

Design/methodology/approach

The PCMs used in the upper horizontal channel, vertical channel and lower horizontal channel are denoted by M1, M2 and M3. Magnetic field is uniform and inclined while finite element method is used as the solution technique. Triple encapsulated-PCM system study is carried out taking into account different values of Reynolds number (Re, ranges from 300 to 1,000), Hartmann number (Ha ranges from 0 and 60), magnetic field inclination (between 0 and 90) and solid volume fraction of ternary nanofluid (between 0 and 0.03). The dynamic response of the liquid fraction is estimated for each PCM with varying Re, Ha and t using an artificial neural network.

Findings

It is observed that for PCMs M2 and M3, the influence of Re on the phase transition is more effective. For M2 and M3, entire transition time (t-F) lowers by approximately 47% and 47.5% when Re is increased to its maximum value, whereas it only falls by 10% for M1. The dynamic characteristics of the phase transition are impacted by imposing MGF and varying its strength and inclination. When Ha is raised from Ha = 0 to Ha = 50, the t-F for PCM-M2 (PCM-M3) falls (increases) by around 30% (29%). For PCMs M1, M2 and M3, the phase transition process accelerates by around 20%, 30% and 28% when the solid volume fraction is increased to its maximum value.

Originality/value

Outcomes of this research is useful for understanding the phase change behavior of multiple PCMs in separated flow and using various methods such as nano-enhanced magnetic field to improve their effectiveness. Research outputs are beneficial for initial design and optimization of using multiple PCMs in diverse energy system technologies, including solar power, waste heat recovery, air conditioning, thermal management and drying.
Translanguaging on an English-medium undergraduate research methods course for Vietnamese psychology students learning in their second language: a practitioner enquiry
Authors: Davey Gareth
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Translanguaging is a language-related pedagogy drawing upon all resources within a learner’s linguistic repertoire, in contrast to conventional monolingual pedagogy. Most research about translanguaging concerns English-language learning in primary schools and secondary schools and overlooks psychology subject matter, higher education and countries in southeast Asia. This article reports a small-scale practitioner enquiry into translanguaging on an English-medium undergraduate research methods course for psychology students in Vietnam and into the usefulness of the Multimodalities-Entextualization Cycle as a conceptual framework for integrating translanguaging into the course.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with students and reflective journaling by the teacher, and the data were analysed in a hybrid deductive-inductive thematic analysis.

Findings

The first theme about teaching and translanguaging consists of the following subthemes: (a) enhanced communication, (b) increased awareness of language use, (c) supported interaction in class and (d) time and workload issues. The second theme about learning and translanguaging is subdivided into the following subthemes: (a) a new approach to learning, (b) beneficial for learning, (c) developing confidence in learning in English and (d) enjoyment of translanguaging. The conceptual framework underpinning the study was useful for designing and implementing translanguaging activities for the course.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to one course and a small group of students in Vietnam learning English as a second language. It addresses limited research on translanguaging in psychology courses, higher education, and southeast Asia.

Practical implications

The study makes a valuable contribution to the teaching profession by offering practical insights into the application, benefits, and drawbacks of translanguaging for psychology and research methods subject matter.

Social implications

Moreover, the findings lay the groundwork for potential influences on education policy, aligning with broader societal impacts.

Originality/value

The study makes a valuable contribution to the literature by delving into a relatively unexplored domain.
The monetary policy of the State Bank of Vietnam, households and income distribution: the evidence from DSGE model
Authors: Nguyen Trung Duc , Trieu Lanh Kim , Le Anh Hoang
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model for the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to assess the response from the household sector to monetary policy shocks through the consumption function. Moreover, the transmission from monetary policy to household consumption and income distribution is experimented with through the vector autoregression (VAR) model.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors used the maximum likelihood estimation to estimate the DSGE and VAR models with the sample from 1996Q1 to the end of 2021Q4 (104 observations).

Findings

The DSGE model’s results show that the response of the household sector is as expected in the theory: a monetary policy shock occurs that increases the policy interest rate by 0.29%, leading to a decrease in consumer spending of about 0.041%, the shock fades after one year. Estimates from the VAR model give similar results: a monetary policy shock narrows income inequality after about 2–3 quarters and this process tends to slow down in the long run.

Research limitations/implications

Based on the research results, the authors propose policy implications for the SBV to achieve the goal of price stability, and stabilizing the macro-economic environment in Vietnam.

Originality/value

The findings of the study have theoretical contributions and empirical scientific evidence showing the effectiveness of the implementation of the SBV’s monetary policy in the context of macro-instability, namely: flexibility, caution and coordination of different measures promptly.
Linking digital transformational leadership, symmetrical internal communication with innovation capability: a moderated mediation model
Authors: Majumdarr Shubh , Dasgupta Shilpee A. , Hassan Yusuf , Behl Abhishek , Pereira Vijay
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between digital transformational leadership (DTL) and innovation capability (IIC) in multinational (MNC) firms’ settings. The current study emphasises the mediating-moderating impact of symmetrical internal communication (SIC) and trust in leadership (TIL) in further shaping this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers adopted three-wave data consisting of responses from 323 cross-border team members working in MNC firms. A moderated-mediation model was tested using Hynes’ Process Macro and IBM Amos.

Findings

The empirical findings underscore a positive relationship between DTL and IIC and the mediation by SIC. Furthermore, the researchers also identified a moderated mediation relationship of TIL.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the moderated mediation relationship among DTL, SIC, IIC and TIL using the complexity leadership theory perspective.
Switzerland: Political Developments and Data in 2023
Authors: FREIBURGHAUS RAHEL
Published: May 2024

In 2023, Switzerland's profound integration into the globalized world was particularly evident, fundamentally challenging the notion of political sovereignty. Yet, this interconnectedness also means that Swiss domestic rules strongly reverberate around the world, such as in the case of policy failure regarding financial regulation. This article explores how global developments shape Swiss politics, from campaign dynamics ahead of the 2023 federal elections to externally imposed legislative agendas. Even the notorious “Swiss” direct democracy no longer solely reflects citizen‐initiated proposals as further evidenced that year. The article also underscores the inertia of Swiss‐style consensus democracy in gearing up its institutional design for polycrisis. It concludes with a discussion of two major political issues: the collapse of Credit Suisse, one of Switzerland's two leading banks, which marks the most far‐reaching shake‐up of the global banking sector since the 2008 financial crisis, and a potential break‐through in the longstanding stalemate in Swiss–EU relations.
Cytokine adsorption in patients with acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (CYTOHEP): A single center, open‐label, three‐arm, randomized, controlled intervention pilot trial
Authors: Sekandarzad Asieb , Graf Erika , Prager Eric Peter , Luxenburger Hendrik , Staudacher Dawid L. , Wengenmayer Tobias , Bettinger Dominik , Supady Alexander
Published: May 2024

Background

To investigate the efficacy of bilirubin reduction by hemoadsorption with CytoSorb® in patients with acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

Methods

A prospective, randomized, single‐center, open‐label, controlled pilot trial. Patients with ACLF, acute kidney injury, and serum bilirubin ≥5 mg/dL were assigned 1:1:1 to one of three study groups (CRRT with or without hemoadsorption, no CRRT). In the hemoadsorption group, the CytoSorb adsorber was incorporated into the CRRT system, replaced after 12, 24, and 48 h, and removed after 72 h. The primary endpoint was the serum bilirubin level after 72 h.

Results

CYTOHEP was terminated early due to difficulties in recruiting patients and ethical concerns. Three of 9 patients (33%) were treated in each group. Comparing the three groups, mean bilirubin levels after 72 h were lower by −8.0 mg/dL in the “CRRT with hemoadsorption” group compared to “CRRT without hemoadsorption” (95% CI, −21.3 to 5.3 mg/dL; p = 0.17). The corresponding mean difference between “CRRT without hemoadsorption” and “no CRRT” was −1.4 mg/dL (95% CI, −14.2 to 11.5 mg/dL; p = 0.78). Comparing “CRRT with hemoadsorption” and “no CRRT,” it was −9.4 mg/dL (95% CI, −20.8 to 2.1 mg/dL; p = 0.0854). Only 1/9 patients (11%, “no CRRT” group) survived day 30 after study inclusion but died on day 89. IL‐6, liver function parameters, and clinical scores were similar between the study groups.

Conclusions

CYTOHEP failed to demonstrate that extracorporeal hemoadsorption combined with CRRT can reduce serum bilirubin in ACLF patients with acute kidney failure.
Acetazolamide‐induced pulmonary oedema: A disproportionality analysis from the EudraVigilance database
Authors: García Montserrat , Albizua Madariaga Itziar , Sainz‐Gil María , Lertxundi Unax
Published: May 2024

To our knowledge, no prior study has analysed a possible association between acetazolamide and pulmonary oedema. The aim of this study was to use data from the EudraVigilance to detect a safety signal for acetazolamide‐induced pulmonary oedema. We performed a disproportionality analysis (case–noncase method), calculating reporting odds ratios (RORs) up to 22 February 2024. Among 11 684 208 spontaneous cases of adverse reactions registered in EudraVigilance, 38 275 were pulmonary oedemas. Acetazolamide was involved in 31 cases. In more than half of those cases, the patients received a single dose of acetazolamide after undergoing cataract surgery: latency was 10–90 min. Remarkably, there were five cases of positive rechallenge and six cases resulted in death. The ROR for acetazolamide was 3.63 (95% CI 2.55–5.17). Disproportionality was also observed in VigiBase®: ROR 4.44 (95% CI 3.34–5.90). Our study confirms a signal that suggests a risk of serious pulmonary oedema associated with acetazolamide.
Symmetrical drug‐related intertriginous and flexural exanthema (SDRIFE) after administration of corticosteroids: Case series and review of literature
Authors: Steininger Julian , Bauer Andrea , Hasler Helena , Beissert Stefan , Abraham Susanne
Published: May 2024

Background

Cutaneous manifestations of drug‐induced type IV reactions vary widely, with symmetrical drug‐related intertriginous and flexural exanthema (SDRIFE) being a less common presentation. Corticosteroids (CS), primarily known for their anti‐inflammatory effects, rarely induce hypersensitivity reactions.

Objective

The aim of this case series is to report four cases of SDRIFE following systemic prednisolone therapy and to review existing CS classification proposals to better understand cross‐reactivity of CS.

Patients/Methods

Patients recruited at a German dermatology centre underwent allergologic evaluation including prick and patch testing with various CS. Positive cases underwent oral challenge testing with alternative agents. The classification systems of Coopman et al. and Baeck et al. were taken into account.

Discussion

Despite a paucity of literature, CS‐induced type IV reactions do occur, including SDRIFE. Classification systems based on chemical structure provide insight into cross‐reactivity patterns. Provocation tests with alternative CS highlight the complexity of managing CS hypersensitivity.

Conclusion

SDRIFE may develop following systemic prednisolone therapy. Classification systems are helpful in understanding cross‐reactivity and help in the selection of alternative preparations but are not always reliable. Individualised assessment is crucial for managing CS hypersensitivity, with consideration of alternative agents and emergency use of CS when necessary.