bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) vaccination- induced immunity is affected by age, gender and prior COVID-19 and activates responses to spike and other antigens
Authors: Hasan Zahra , Masood Kiran Iqbal , Qaiser Shama , Khan Erum , Hussain Areeba , Ghous Zara , Khan Unab , Yameen Maliha , Hassan Imran , Nasir Muhammad Imran , Qazi Muhammad Farrukh , Ali Memon Haris , Ali Shiza , Baloch Sadaf , Bhutta Zulfiqar A. , Veldhoen Marc , Simas J. Pedro , Mahmood Syed Faisal , Hussain Rabia , Ghias Kulsoom
Published: December 2022

Long-term solutions against SARS-CoV-2 infections require understanding of immune protection induced by different vaccine COVID-19 formulations. We investigated humoral and cellular immunity induced by Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) in a region of high SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence.

Levels of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its receptor-binding domain (RBD) were determined 24-weeks. Cellular immunity was investigated using a commercially available IFN-γ release assay to SARS-CoV-2 spike (Ag1 and 2) and extended genome antigens (Ag3).

Increasing IgG seropositivity to Spike protein and RBD was observed post-vaccination. Seropositivity was reduced in those over 50 years and raised in females and those with prior COVID-19. After 20 weeks post-vaccination, only one third of participants had positive T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Prior COVID-19 impacted IFNγ responses, with reactivity enhanced in those infected earlier. The frequency of IFNγ responses was highest to extended genome antigen set.

Overall, BBIBP-CorV- induced antibody responses were impacted by age, gender and prior COVID-19. Cellular immunity was present in a limited number of individuals after 20 weeks but was enhanced by prior infection. This suggests the need for booster vaccinations in older individuals. BBIBP-CorV-induced cellular activation is broader than to spike, requiring further study to understand how to monitor vaccine effectiveness.
Repeat-induced point mutation and gene conversion coinciding with heterochromatin shape the genome of a plant pathogenic fungus
Authors: Komluski Jovan , Habig Michael , Stukenbrock Eva H.
Published: December 2022

Meiosis is associated with genetic changes in the genome - via recombination, gene conversion, and mutations. The occurrence of gene conversion and mutations during meiosis may further be influenced by the chromatin conformation, in analogy to what is known for mutations during mitosis. To date, however, the exact distribution and type of meiosis-associated changes and the role of the chromatin conformation in this context is largely unexplored. Here, we determine recombination, gene conversion, andde novomutations using whole-genome sequencing of all meiotic products of 23 individual meioses inZymoseptoria tritici, an important pathogen of wheat. We could confirm a high genome-wide recombination rate of 65 cM/Mb and see higher recombination rates on the accessory compared to core chromosomes. A substantial fraction of 0.16% of all polymorphic markers was affected by gene conversions, showing a weak GC-bias, and occurring at higher frequency in regions of constitutive heterochromatin, indicated by the histone modification H3K9me3. Thede novomutation rate associated with meiosis was approx. three orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding mitotic mutation rate. Importantly, repeat-induced point mutation (RIP), a fungal defense mechanism against duplicated sequences, is active inZ. triticiand responsible for the majority of thesede novomeiotic mutations. Our results indicate that the genetic changes associated with meiosis are a major source of variability in the genome of an important plant pathogen and shape its evolutionary trajectory.

Importance

The impact of meiosis on the genome composition via gene conversion and mutations is mostly poorly understood, in particular for non-model species. Here, we sequenced all four meiotic products for 23 individual meioses and determined the genetic changes caused by meiosis for the important fungal wheat pathogenZymoseptoria tritici. We found a high rate of gene conversions and an effect of the chromatin conformation on gene conversion rates. Higher conversion rates were found in regions enriched with the H3K9me3 – a mark for constitutive heterochromatin. Most importantly, meiosis was associated with a much higher frequency ofde novomutations than mitosis. 78% of the meiotic mutations were caused by repeat-induced point mutations – a fungal defense mechanism against duplicated sequences. In conclusion, the genetic changes associated with meiosis are therefore a major factor shaping the genome of this fungal pathogen.
Labour market participation after a sickness absence due to cancer: a dynamic cohort study in Catalonia (Spain)
Authors: Ayala-Garcia Amaya , Benavides Fernando G. , Serra Laura
Published: December 2022

Background

Consequences of cancer on working life until retirement age remain unclear. This study aimed to compare labour market participation patterns in workers with a sickness absence (SA) due to cancer versus those with no SA and those with SA due to other diseases.

Methods

Registry-based cohort study of social security affiliates in Catalonia from 2012-2018. Cases consisted of workers with SA due to cancer between 2012-2015 (N=516) and were individually age- and sex-matched with an affiliate with SA due to other diagnoses and a worker without SA. All workers (N=1,548, 56% women) were followed-up until the end of 2018. Sequence analysis, optimal matching, and multinomial logistic regression were used to identify and assess the probability of future labour market participation patterns (LMPP). All analyses were stratified by sex.

Results

Compared with workers with SA due to cancer, male workers without SA and SA due to other causes showed lower probability of being in the LMPP of death (aRRR 0.02, 95% CI: 0.00−0.16; aRRR 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06−0.46, respectively), and in women lower probability of increasing permanent disability and death (aRRR 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10−0.57; aRRR 0.39, 95% CI: 0.19−0.83). Compared to workers with SA due to cancer, risk of future retirement was lower in workers with no SA (women aRRR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.22−1.65; men aRRR 0.64, 95%CI: 0.27−1.52).

Conclusions

Workplaces should be modified to the needs of cancer survivors in order to prevent more frequent early exit of labour market due to retirement and permanent disability when possible.

Key Messages

What is already known on this topic. After the treatment stage and sickness absence (SA) period, some cancer survivors face adverse effects that affect their long-term work capacity and increase the likelihood of an early exit from labour market.

What this study addsLabour market participation after cancer show that workers with an SA due to cancer manage to return to work and have stable employment. Anyhow, they show a higher likelihood of early retirement, receiving permanent disability benefits, and of dying than workers without a previous SA.

How this study might affect research, practice or policyCancer survivors require their new health status to be considered when return to work. Actions should be taken in order to regulate programmes that help them remain working when possible and desired.
High-frequency longitudinal white matter diffusion- & myelin-based MRI database: reliability and variability
Authors: Edde Manon , Theaud Guillaume , Dumont Matthieu , Théberge Antoine , Valcourt-Caron Alex , Gilbert Guillaume , Houde Jean-Christophe , Maltais Loika , Rheault François , Spagnolo Federico , Barakovic Muhamed , Magon Stefano , Descoteaux Maxime
Published: December 2022

Assessing the consistency of quantitative MRI measurements is critical for inclusion in longitudinal studies and clinical trials. Intraclass coefficient correlation and coefficient of variation were used to evaluate the different consistency aspects of diffusion- and myelinbased MRI measures. Multi-shell diffusion and inhomogeneous magnetization transfer datasets were collected from twenty healthy adults at a high-frequency of five MRI sessions. The consistency was evaluated across whole bundles and the track-profile along the bundles. The impact of the fiber populations on the consistency was also evaluated using the number of fiber orientations map. For whole and profile bundles, moderate to high reliability of diffusion and myelin measures were observed. We report higher reliability of measures for multiple fiber populations than single. The overall portrait of the most consistent measurements and bundles drawn from a wide range of MRI techniques presented here will be particularly useful for identifying reliable biomarkers capable of detecting, monitoring and predicting white matter changes in clinical applications and has the potential to inform patient-specific treatment strategies.

Key points

Reliability and variability are excellent to good for DWI measurements, and good to moderate for MT measures for whole bundles and along the bundles.

The number of fiber populations affects the reliability and variability of the MRI measurements.

The reliability and variability of MRI measurements are also bundle dependent.
Bright and sensitive red voltage indicators for imaging action potentials in brain slices and pancreatic islets
Authors: Han Yi , Yang Junqi , Li Yuan , Chen Yu , Ren Huixia , Ding Ran , Qian Weiran , Ren Keyuan , Xie Beichen , Deng Mengying , Xiao Yinghan , Chu Jun , Zou Peng
Published: December 2022

As fast developing tools for observing cellular membrane potential, red-emitting genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) reduce auto-fluorescence background, allow multiplexed recordings, and enable all-optical electrophysiology, but have been limited by either insensitivity or dimness. Here, we report a pair of red GEVIs, Cepheid1b/s, with improved sensitivity, brightness, and photostability. Cepheid1 indicators faithfully report cellular excitability in pancreatic islets and neural activity in acute brain slices.
Distal regulatory sequences contribute to diversity in brain oxytocin receptor expression patterns and social behavior
Authors: Zhang Qi , Nagai Luis Augusto Eijy , Tsukamoto Mina , Kandasamy Lenin C. , Inoue Kiyoshi , Pires Maria F. , Shin Minsoo , Nagasawa Yutaro , Sambuu Tsetsegee , Ogawa Sonoko , Nakai Kenta , Itohara Shigeyoshi , Young Larry J
Published: December 2022

The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) modulates social behaviors in a species-specific manner. Remarkable inter- and intraspecies variation in brain OXTR distribution are associated with diversity in social behavior. To test the causal effect of developmental variation of OXTR expression on the diversity of social behaviors, and to investigate potential genetic mechanisms underlying the phylogenetic plasticity in brainOxtrexpression, we constructed BAC transgenic mice harboring the entire prairie voleOxtrlocus with the entire surrounding intergenic regulatory elements. Eight independent “volized”prairie vole-Oxtr(pvOxtr) mouse lines were obtained; remarkably, each line displayed a unique pattern of brain expression distinct from mice and prairie voles. FourpvOxtrlines were selected for further investigation. Despite robust differences in brain expression,Oxtrexpression in mammary tissue was conserved across lines. These results and topologically associating domain (TAD) structure analysis suggest thatOxtrexpression patterns in brain, but not other tissues, involve contributions of distal regulatory elements beyond our BAC construct. Moreover, “volized” mouse lines with different brainOxtrexpression patterns showed differences in partner preference and maternal behaviors. We speculate that transcriptional hypersensitivity to variable distal chromosomal sequences through long-distance interactions with proximal regulatory elements may contribute to “evolvability” of brainOxtrexpression. The “evolvability” of brainOxtrexpression constitutes a transcriptional mechanism to generate variability in brain OXTR which, through natural selection, can generate diversity in adaptive social behaviors while preserving critical peripheral expression. Transcriptional lability of brainOXTRexpression may also contribute to variability in social phenotype in humans, including psychiatric outcomes.
Actin contraction controls nuclear blebbing and rupture independent of actin confinement
Authors: Pho Mai , Berrada Yasmin , Gunda Aachal , Lavallee Anya , Chiu Katherine , Padam Arimita , Currey Marilena L. , Stephens Andrew D.
Published: December 2022

The nucleus is a mechanically stable compartment of the cell that contains the genome and performs many essential functions. Nuclear mechanical components chromatin and lamins maintain nuclear shape, compartmentalization, and function by resisting antagonistic actin contraction and confinement. However, studies have yet to compare chromatin and lamins perturbations side-by-side as well as modulated actin contraction while holding confinement constant. To accomplish this, we used NLS-GFP to measure nuclear shape and rupture in live cells with chromatin decompaction (VPA), loss of lamin B1 (LMNB1-/-), and loss of lamin A/C (LMNA-/-). We then modulated actin contraction while maintaining actin confinement measured by nuclear height. Wild type, chromatin decompaction, and lamin B1 null present bleb-based nuclear deformations and ruptures dependent on actin contraction and independent of actin confinement. Inhibition of actin contraction by Y27632 decreased nuclear blebbing and ruptures to near 0% of cells while activation of actin contraction by CN03 increased the frequency of ruptures by nearly two-fold. However, lamin A/C null results in overall abnormal shape, but similar blebs and ruptures as wild type which were unaffected by actin contraction modulation. Actin contraction control of nuclear shape and ruptures showed that DNA damage levels were more correlated with perturbed nuclear shape than they were with changes in nuclear ruptures. We reveal that lamin B1 is a chromatin decompaction phenotype because using GSK126, which mimics the loss of facultative heterochromatin in lamin B1 null, is sufficient to phenocopy increased nuclear blebbing and ruptures. Furthermore, even though blebs and ruptures in lamin A/C null cells are insensitive to actin contraction, they do have the capacity to form increased levels of nuclear blebs and bleb-based ruptures, shown by treating with VPA. Thus, nuclear bleb formation and bleb-based nuclear ruptures are driven by actin contraction and independent of changes in actin confinement.
Crosstalk of platelets with macrophages and fibroblasts aggravates inflammation, aortic wall stiffening and osteopontin release in abdominal aortic aneurysm
Authors: Wagenhäuser MU , Mulorz J , Krott KJ , Bosbach A , Feige T , Rhee YH , Chatterjee M , Petzold N , Böddeker C , Ibing W , Krüger I , Popovic AM , Roseman A , Spin JM , Tsao PS , Schelzig H , Elvers M
Published: December 2022

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a highly lethal disease with progressive dilatation of the abdominal aorta accompanied by degradation and remodelling of the vessel wall due to chronic inflammation. Platelets play an important role in cardiovascular diseases but their role in AAA is poorly understood. The present study revealed that platelets play a crucial role in promoting AAA through modulation of inflammation and degradation of the ECM. They are responsible for the up-regulation ofSPP1(osteopontin, OPN)gene expression in macrophages and aortic tissue, which triggers inflammation and remodeling but also platelet adhesion and migration into the abdominal aortic wall and the intraluminal thrombus (ILT). Further, enhanced platelet activation and pro-coagulant activity results in elevated gene expression of various cytokines,Mmp9andCol1a1in macrophages andIl-6andMmp9in fibroblasts. Enhanced platelet activation and pro-coagulant activity was also detected in AAA patients. Further, we detected platelets and OPN in the vessel wall and in the ILT of patients who underwent open repair of AAA. Platelet depletion in experimental murine AAA reduced inflammation and ECM remodeling, with reduced elastin fragmentation and aortic diameter expansion. Of note, OPN co-localized with platelets, suggesting a potential role of OPN for the recruitment of platelets into the ILT and the aortic wall. In conclusion, our data strongly supports the potential relevance of anti-platelet therapy to reduce AAA progression and rupture in AAA patients.

Translational perspective

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a severe cardiovascular disease (CVD) with high mortality. Since the role of platelets is unclear, we explored platelet-mediated processes in the pathogenesis of AAA. Results from platelet depleted mice and patients with AAA revealed that platelets modulate inflammatory and stiffness-related gene expression of macrophages and fibroblasts. Further, platelets induce the release of osteopontin important for the recruitment of platelets to the aortic wall and to the intraluminal thrombus (ILT). Consequently, platelet depletion significantly reduced aneurysm growth. Thus, therapeutic targeting of platelet activation might be crucial for the treatment of patients to reduce AAA formation and progression.
Investigating population continuity and ghost admixture among ancient genomes
Authors: McKenna James , Bernhardsson Carolina , Waxman David , Jakobsson Mattias , Sjödin Per
Published: December 2022

Ancient DNA (aDNA) can prove a valuable resource when investigating the evolutionary relationships between ancient and modern populations. Performing demographic inference using datasets that include aDNA samples however, requires statistical methods that explicitly account for the differences in drift expected among a temporally distributed sample. Such drift due to temporal structure can be challenging to discriminate from admixture from an unsampled, or “ghost”, population, which can give rise to very similar summary statistics and confound methods commonly used in population genetics. Sequence data from ancient individuals also have unique characteristics, including short fragments, increased sequencing-error rates, and often limited genome-coverage that poses further challenges. Here we present a novel and conceptually simple approach for assessing questions of population continuity among a temporally distributed sample. We note that conditional on heterozygote sites in an individual genome at a particular point in time, the mean proportion of derived variants at those sites in other individuals has different expectations forwards in time and backwards in time. The difference in these processes enables us to construct a statistic that can detect population continuity in a temporal sample of genomes. We show that the statistic is sensitive to historical admixture events from unsampled populations. Simulations are used to evaluate the power of this approach. We investigate a set of ancient genomes from Early Neolithic Scandinavia to assess levels of population continuity to an earlier Mesolithic individual.
Behavioral discrimination and olfactory bulb encoding of odor plume intermittency
Authors: Gumaste Ankita , Baker Keeley L. , Izydorczak Michelle , True Aaron C. , Vasan Ganesh , Crimaldi John P. , Verhagen Justus V.
Published: December 2022

In order to survive, animals often need to navigate a complex odor landscape where odors can exist in airborne plumes. Several odor plume properties change with distance from the odor source, providing potential navigational cues to searching animals. Here we focus on odor intermittency, a temporal odor plume property that measures the fraction of time odor is present at a given point within the plume and decreases with increasing distance from the odor source. We sought to determine if mice are capable of using changes in intermittency to locate an odor source. To do so, we trained mice on an intermittency discrimination task. We establish that mice can discriminate odor plume samples of low and high intermittency and that the neural responses in the olfactory bulb can account for task performance and support intermittency encoding. Modulation of sniffing, a behavioral parameter that is highly dynamic during odor-guided navigation, affects both behavioral outcome on the intermittency discrimination task as well as neural representation of intermittency. Together, this work demonstrates that intermittency is an odor plume property that can inform olfactory search and more broadly supports the notion that mammalian odor-based navigation can be guided by temporal odor plume properties.
AUTS2 gene dosage affects synaptic AMPA receptors via a local dendritic spine AUTS2-TTC3-AKT-mTORC1 signaling dysfunction
Authors: Lepagnol-Bestel Aude-Marie , Duchon Arnaud , Viard Julia , Kvajo Mirna , Daudin Rachel , Khelfaoui Malik , Haziza Simon , Loe-Mie Yann , Aime Mattia , Suizu Futoshi , Birling Marie-Christine , Bensaid Mounia , Jacquot Sylvie , Koebel Pascale , Reverdy Céline , Rain Jean-Christophe , Noguchi Masayuki , Marquez Xavier , Triller Antoine , Humeau Yann , Hérault Yann , Karayiorgou Maria , Gogos Joseph A. , Simonneau Michel
Published: December 2022

The Human 1.2-MbAUTS2locus on chromosome 7q11.22 encodes a 1259-aa full-length protein, and a 711-aa C-terminal isoform. Functions of these AUTS2 proteins are only partly known. The major traits found in patients displayingAUTS2locus mutations are Intellectual Disabilities, microcephaly attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (54%), and autistic traits. Furthermore,AUTS2common variants were recently found associated to alcohol consumption and dyslexia using GWAS approaches. Auts2 localizes mainly in cell nuclei. We evidenced by super-resolution that Auts2 is present in dendritic spines. Auts2 interacts with Ttc3, the Akt2 E3 ligase, and negatively regulates Akt2 ubiquitination. Auts2 haploinsufficiency affects Akt/mTorc1 pathway with a decrease in AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits and in synaptic currents. Akt2 injection in postsynaptic neurons is sufficient to reverse changes in synaptic currents generated by Auts2 haploinsufficiency. Using chromosome engineering based on targeted meiotic recombination, we generated two mouse models withAuts2locus deletion and duplication. DeletedAuts2locus mice display stereotypies (rearing), perseveration and abnormal recognition memory. DuplicatedAuts2locus mice display similar perseveration and abnormal recognition memory but also a decrease in cued and contextual fear memory. Gene dosage induce changes in brain sub-region neuronal networks. In the thalamo-lateral amygdala pathway linked to cued fear memory, we found synaptic impairments linked to AMPA receptors, with a specific decrease in pAKT/total AKT ratio in duplicated Auts2 mice. Altogether, our study thereby provides a novel mechanistic and potentially therapeutic understanding of synaptic AKT/mTORC1 deregulated signaling and its related behavioral and cognitive phenotypes.
Ion mobility mass spectrometry and molecular dynamics simulations unravel the conformational stability and coordination dynamics of human metallothionein-2 species
Authors: Peris-Díaz Manuel David , Barkhanskiy Alexey , Liggett Ellen , Barran Perdita , Krężel Artur
Published: December 2022

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) unraveled different conformational stability in Zn4-7-metallothionein-2. We introduced a new molecular dynamics simulations approach that permitted the exploration of all conformational space confirming the experimental data, and revealed that not only the Zn–S bonds but also α–β domain interaction modulates protein unfolding.
Erp and Rev adhesins of the Lyme disease spirochete’s ubiquitous cp32 prophages assist the bacterium during vertebrate infection
Authors: Stevenson Brian , Brissette Catherine A.
Published: December 2022

Almost all spirochetes in the genusBorrelia(sensu lato) naturally contain multiple variants of closely related prophages. In the Lyme disease borreliae, these prophages are maintained as circular episomes that are called cp32s (circularplasmid32kb). The cp32s of Lyme agents are particularly unique in that they encode two distinct families of lipoproteins, Erp and Rev, that are expressed on the bacteria’s outer surface during infection of vertebrate hosts. All identified functions of those outer surface proteins involve interactions between the spirochetes and host molecules: Erp proteins bind plasmin(ogen), laminin, glycosaminoglycans, and/or components of complement, and Rev proteins bind fibronectin. Thus, cp32 prophages provide their bacterial hosts with surface proteins that can enhance infection processes, thereby facilitating their own survival. Horizontal transfer via bacteriophage particles increases spread of beneficial alleles and creates diversity among Erp and Rev proteins.
Phylogeny and biogeography of the algal DMS-releasing enzyme
Authors: Shemi Adva , Ben-Dor Shifra , Rotkopf Ron , Dym Orly , Vardi Assaf
Published: December 2022

Phytoplankton produce the volatile dimethyl sulfide (DMS), an important infochemical, which is emitted to the atmosphere and affecting the global climate. Albeit the enzymatic source for DMS in eukaryotes was elucidated, namely a DMSP lyase (DL) called Alma1, we still lack basic knowledge regarding its taxonomy and biogeographic distribution. We defined unique sequence motifs which enable the identification of DL homologs (DLHs) in model systems and environmental populations. We used these motifs to predict DLHs in diverse algae by analyzing hundreds of genomic and transcriptomic sequences from model systems under stress conditions and from environmental samples. Our findings show that the DL enzyme is more taxonomically widespread than previously thought, as it is encoded by known algal taxa as haptophytes and dinoflagellates, but also by chlorophytes, pelagophytes and diatoms, which were conventionally considered to lack the DL enzyme. By exploring theTaraOceans database, we showed that DLHs are widespread across the oceans and are predominantly expressed by dinoflagellates. Certain dinoflagellate DLHs were differentially expressed between the euphotic and mesopelagic zones, suggesting a functional specialization and an involvement in the metabolic plasticity of mixotrophic dinoflagellates. In specific regions as the Southern Ocean, DLH expression by haptophytes and diatoms was correlated with environmental drivers such as nutrient availability. The expanded repertoire of putative DL enzymes from diverse microbial origins and geographic niches suggests new potential players in the marine sulfur cycle and provides a foundation to study the cellular function in marine microbes.
Stability evolution as a major mechanism of human protein adaptation in response to viruses
Authors: Di Chenlu , Murga-Moreno Jesus , Enard David
Published: December 2022

Pathogens were a major driver of genetic adaptation during human evolution. Viruses in particular were a dominant driver of adaptation in the thousands of proteins that physically interact with viruses (VIPs for Virus-Interacting Proteins). This however poses a conundrum. The best understood cases of virus-driven adaptation in specialized immune antiviral factors or in host viral receptors are numerically vastly insufficient to explain abundant adaptations in VIPs. What adaptive mechanisms can then at least partly close this gap? VIPs tend to be broadly conserved proteins with conserved host native molecular functions. Because many amino acid changes in a protein can alter its stability –the balance between the folded and unfolded forms of a protein– without destroying conserved native activities, here we ask if stability evolution was an important mechanism of virus-driven human protein adaptation. Using predictions of protein stability changes based on Alphafold 2 structures and validated by multiple lines of evidence, we find that amino acid changes that altered stability experienced highly elevated adaptative evolution in VIPs, compared to changes with a weaker impact on stability. We further find that RNA viruses, rather DNA viruses, predominantly drove strong adaptation through stability changes in VIPs. We also observe that stability in immune antiviral VIPs preferentially evolved under directional selection. Conversely, stability in proviral VIPs needed by viruses evolved under compensatory evolution following viral epidemics. Together, these results suggest that stability evolution, and thus functional host protein abundance evolution, was a prominent mechanism of host protein adaptation during viral epidemics.
Lymph Node Fibroblast Phenotypes and Immune Crosstalk Regulated by Podoplanin Activity
Authors: Makris Spyridon , Hari-Gupta Yukti , Cantoral-Rebordinos Jesús A. , Martinez Victor G. , Horsnell Harry L. , Benjamin Agnesska C. , Cinti Isabella , Jovancheva Martina , Shewring Daniel , Nguyen Nicola , de Winde Charlotte M. , Denton Alice , Acton Sophie E.
Published: December 2022

Lymph nodes are uniquely organised niches for immune interactions. Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) facilitate immune cell communication and regulate immune function by producing growth factors, chemokines and inflammatory cues. Stromal expression of the glycoprotein Podoplanin (PDPN) is required for lymph node development, but the requirement for PDPN signaling in FRCs in adult lymph nodes has not been directly tested. Using a conditionalin vivodeletion model PDGFRαmGFPΔPDPN, scRNA-seq revealed that PDPN deletion increased inflammatory signalling in lymph nodes and disrupted stromal-immune cells crosstalk in steady state and during adaptive immune responses. We confirmed that PDPN/CLEC-2 signaling in FRCs switches transcriptional states and alters expression of immune related genes. We conclude that Podoplanin expression impacts the immunoregulatory properties of fibroblastic stroma in lymph nodes and is a key transcriptional regulator of fibroblast function in lymph nodes.

Summary: Podoplanin expression regulates the immunoregulatory properties of fibroblastic stroma in lymph nodes
Talin and vinculin combine their activities to trigger actin assembly
Authors: Wang Hong , Vigouroux Clémence , Said Rayan , Henriot Véronique , Pernier Julien , Le Clainche Christophe
Published: December 2022

Focal adhesions (FAs) strengthen their link with the actin cytoskeleton to resist force. Talin-vinculin association could reinforce actin anchoring to FAs by controlling actin polymerization. However, the actin polymerization activity of the talin-vinculin complex is not known because it requires the reconstitution of the mechanical and biochemical activation steps that control the association of talin and vinculin and the exposure of their actin-binding domains. By combining kinetic and binding assays with single actin filament observations in TIRF microscopy, we show that the association of talin and vinculin mutants, mimicking different degrees of activation, results in a variety of activities. In particular, mechanically stretched talin and activated vinculin combine to stimulate actin assembly synergistically through a sequential mechanism in which filaments are nucleated, capped and released to elongate. Our findings suggest a versatile mechanism for the regulation of actin assembly in FAs subjected to various combinations of biochemical and mechanical cues.
Last man standing: goalkeeping – an art or a science?
Authors: McKenzie Hamish
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The current paper is a comment on goalkeepers in football. This paper aims to explore the skillset of the contemporary goalkeeper and whether these can be reliably measured. This paper advocates the recognition of the goalkeeper as the most important member of the football team.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on the work of Bourdieu (1995) to examine the impact of calculative practice on the art of goalkeeping. This reveals the diffusion of calculations to goalkeeping but challenges whether these statistics are robust. This study used the Internet (Jeacle, 2021) to explore the multiple dimensions of this study.

Findings

The comment argues a case for the goalkeeper as the principal actor in the football team. From an accountability perspective, the impact of the goalkeeper can be profound, the more so because of rule changes. Whilst calculative practice has entered the world of the goalkeeper, the practice is questionable if contemporary metrics are not robust and more sophisticated performance indicators are required. Increasing transfer costs highlight the need for objective measures of goalkeeping performance.

Originality/value

This paper is novel in that the paper attempts to broaden the scope of accounting scholarship into a new domain of football in popular culture.
How the construal of power impacts healthy food preference: the mediating role of self-discipline perception
Authors: Jiang Hongyan , Sun Yudi , Li Chen , Xu Mengmeng
Published: December 2022

Purpose

With the improvement of consumers' health consciousness, healthy food has attracted great attention in daily consumption. Previous research into the sense of power often distinguishes it into high and low level, ignoring the impact of different construal of power on consumption behaviors. This article divides power into dual construal (responsibility vs opportunity) and aims to examine the differential impacts of the construal of power on healthy food preference.

Design/methodology/approach

Two pretests and three formal experiments were conducted to examine the effect of the construal of power on the consumer's healthy food preference, the mediation of self-discipline perception and the moderation of the relative strength of prevention over promotion focus (i.e. RSPPF).

Findings

Results indicate that individuals who construe power as responsibility (vs opportunity) exhibit higher self-discipline perception, which in turn leads to greater healthy food preference. However, the main effect above can be weakened among the low-power group. Moreover, the above mediating effect of self-discipline perception is stronger for individuals with higher RSPPF.

Originality/value

First, based on the binary-construal perspective, this study refines the classification of high power and introduces it into the antecedent research of healthy food preference. Second, this paper reveals the self-discipline perception as the inner mechanism underlying the effect of the construal of power on healthy food preference, while RSPPF as the boundary condition for this mediating mechanism. Moreover, this research also provides practical implications for healthy food enterprises that the construal of power, self-discipline perception and regulatory focus should be taken into consideration in advertising design and healthy product promotion.
Career shock of female academics during Covid-19: can the transactional stress model offer coping strategies?
Authors: Mousa Mohamed
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Through addressing female academics in four public universities in Egypt, the author of this paper aims to answer the question: How do female academics cope with the career shock resulting from the spread of COVID-19?

Design/methodology/approach

The author used a qualitative research method through semi-structured interviews with 32 female academics from four public universities selected from among 26 public institutions of higher education in Egypt. Thematic analysis was subsequently used to determine the main ideas in the transcripts.

Findings

The findings assert that the following three strategies: heroism, cronyism and temporalism are used by female academics in the Egyptian context to cope with the career shocks they feel during the time of COVID-19. The findings assert that female academics try to reassert their professionalism in their academic duties and familial obligations even after the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, they tend to use forms of cronyism behaviour to alleviate the effect of the career shock, mostly via hypocritical phrases. Furthermore, the thought that COVID-19 is a temporary stage helps female academics to actively accept their challenging new work conditions.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by filling a gap in human resources management and higher education in which empirical studies on the career shock of female academics have been limited so far.
Gendered hybridity in leadership identities: a postfeminist analysis
Authors: Lewis Patricia , Benschop Yvonne
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the discursive constitution of leadership identities by senior women leaders working in the City of London. This study draws on postfeminism as a critical concept to explore this constitution, as it has produced the cultural conditions for the reconfiguration of masculine and feminine gender norms in leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

In a qualitative study, 13 women leaders in positions of power in the City of London were interviewed. Discourse analysis techniques were used to unpack the postfeminist shaping of leadership identities

Findings

At the heart of the leadership identities that senior women leaders construct is a gendered hybridity that is a multifaceted calibration of masculine and feminine attributes and behaviours. Postfeminist discourses of individualism, choice and self-improvement are entangled with discourses of authenticity, relatability and connectivity as particular leadership assets. The gendered hybridity of leadership identities unfolds the possibility for a fundamental makeover of leadership by opening-up space for a transformative change that accommodates women leaders.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the very few studies that foreground the leadership identities that women leaders construct within the confines of postfeminist gender regimes. It shows how these women invoke authenticity, unfolding possibilities for the transformational change of and political challenge to traditional gendered leadership in their organizations.
Thermal analysis and entropy generation of magnetic Eyring-Powell nanofluid with viscous dissipation in a wavy asymmetric channel
Authors: Bhatti M.M. , Sait Sadiq M. , Ellahi R. , Sheremet Mikhail A. , Oztop Hakan
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to deal with entropy generation and thermal analysis of magnetic hybrid nanofluid containing silver and gold as nanoparticles (Au-Ag/NPs) in the Eyring–Powell fluid.

Design/methodology/approach

The blood is used as a base fluid to study the rheological effects in a wavy asymmetric channel. The effect of viscous dissipation is also taken into account. The mathematical model is developed using the lubrication technique. The perturbation method is used to solve the nondimensional nonlinear differential equations, whereas the pumping properties have been analyzed using numerical integration.

Findings

The impact of entropy generation, Brinkman number, Hartmann number, nanoparticles volume fraction, thermal Grashof number, Brinkman number and Eyring–Powell fluid parameter is examined on the velocity profile, temperature profile and pumping characteristics. It is observed that the introduction of gold and silver nanoparticles boosts the velocity field in a smaller segment of the channel. The temperature profile rises for the increasing values of Hartmann number, Brinkman number and nanoparticle volume fractions while the temperature profile is restrained by the Eyring–Powell fluid parameter. The pumping rate rises in all sections as the thermal Grashof number and Hartmann number increase; however, the Eyring–Powell fluid parameter has the reverse effect. The volume of the trapping boluses is significantly affected by the Eyring–Powell fluid parameter, thermal Grashof number and fluid parameter.

Originality/value

The results are original and contribute to discover the role of hybrid nanoparticles under the influence of entropy generation viscous dissipation and magnetic fields. Pharmaceutical technology may use this research for things like better mucoadhesive drug delivery systems and more productive peristaltic micropumps.
The development of pedagogical content knowledge of prospective primary teachers in a lesson study
Authors: Cardoso Linda , Da Ponte João Pedro , Quaresma Marisa
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To understand how lesson study (LS) can promote the development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of prospective primary teachers. More specifically, to know what PCK prospective primary teachers develop during LS and how this development occurs.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a qualitative approach, this study took place in a teacher education institution where a LS was carried out during the last semester of the academic year with the participation of two prospective teachers, a teacher educator, a cooperating teacher and a researcher.

Findings

The results suggest that prospective teachers may develop PCK when they participate in LS, regarding lesson planning (goals and lesson plan), task design, students' difficulties and solving strategies, whole-class discussions and observation of student learning. This development occurs through the engagement in LS activities that allow prospective teachers to deepen their knowledge.

Originality/value

This study investigates how the development of prospective teachers' PCK occurs during LS, providing knowledge about how different activities of the LS help develop different aspects of PCK.
Executive pay disparity and cost of debt financing
Authors: Chou Hsin-I , Pan Xiaofei , Zhao Jing
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationship between executive pay disparity and the cost of debt.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a sample of syndicated bank loans granted to United States (US) listed firms from 1992 to 2014 and adopt the loan yield spread (Chief Executive Officer (CEO) pay slice) as the main proxy for the cost of debt (executive pay disparity). The authors also use the Heckman two-stage model to address the sample selection bias and the two-stage least squares and propensity score matching methods to control the potential endogeneity issues. To test different views about executive pay disparity, the authors adopt the cash-to-stock ratio to proxy for managerial risk-shifting incentives.

Findings

The authors find that the cost of debt is significantly higher for firms with larger executive pay disparity, which is robust to sample selection bias, endogeneity concerns, alternative measures and various controls. This positive relationship increases with the risk-shifting incentives of CEOs instead of other top executives, which supports the managerial power view, and is stronger for firms with higher levels of financial distress. The findings suggest that creditors view executive pay disparity are associated with higher credit risk and CEO entrenchment.

Originality/value

This paper reveals one “dark” side of executive pay disparity: it increases the cost of debt and identifies a significant role played by CEOs' risk-shifting incentives. The authors provide direct evidence of the relevance of pay differential to corporate credit analysis.
How do social network ties influence purchases in social commerce communities? A lens of attachment theory
Authors: Wang Panpan , Huang Qian , Zhang Yu
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to address how to facilitate more community members making purchases in social commerce communities. The research is expected to shed new light on the underlying process by which individuals’ social networks influence their purchases in social commerce communities.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey and secondary archive data are presented to confirm all the hypotheses.

Findings

Community members’ out-degree ties show a positive effect on their attachment to other members, as well as to the community. Community members’ attachment to the community has a positive influence on their purchases made in the e-commerce modules of social commerce communities and mediates the effect of their attachment to community members. The study establishes a theoretical framework to reveal how community members’ social networks influence their purchases in social commerce communities.

Practical implications

The findings of this study provide new insights for managers and designers of new social commerce communities to inspire them to achieve their goal of keeping consumers making purchases in the e-commerce modules of social commerce communities.

Originality/value

Firstly, this study draws on attachment theory to explain why community members make purchases in a social commerce community. Then, the study enriches the research on social network ties and attachment theory by initially integrating the social network perspective with attachment theory to examine the effects of social network ties on different types of attachment.
Health IT in our daily life: impact of mobile phone use on the emotions and compliance of diabetes patients
Authors: Zhang Xue , Liu Yezheng , Li Xin , Sun Jianshan
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Leveraging information technology (IT) to improve the treatment and support of patients is a widely studied topic in healthcare. For chronic diseases, such as diabetes, the use of information technology is even more important since its effect extends from a clinic environment to patients’ daily life. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of one widely adopted information technology, the mobile phone, on diabetes treatment, specifically on the complicated process of patients’ health, emotions and compliance.

Design/methodology/approach

We leverage a unique longitudinal dataset on diabetes patients’ health status in rural areas of China to study the problem. We also cross-link the dataset with mobile carrier data to further differentiate mobile phone use to phone calls and network use. To address the endogeneity concerns, we apply PSM and a series of instrument variables.

Findings

We identify clear evidence that mobile phone use can significantly improve patients’ emotions and compliance, where the effect is generally larger on patients in worse health conditions. While mobile phone calls clearly benefit diabetes patients, we do notice that mobile phone network use has a negative moderating effect with patients’ health condition on improving compliance.

Originality/value

This study not only enriches our theoretical understanding of the role of mobile phones in diabetes management, it also shows the economic benefit of promoting patients’ use of mobile phones, which should be considered by medical care providers and medical policymakers.