bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catch me if you can: Capturing extracellular DNA transformation in mixed cultures via Hi-C sequencing
Authors: Calderón-Franco David , van Loosdrecht Mark C.M. , Abeel Thomas , Weissbrodt David G.
Published: September 2022

Environmental microorganisms evolve constantly under various stressors using different adaptive mechanisms, including horizontal gene transfer. Microorganisms benefit from transferring genetic information that code for antibiotic resistance via mobile genetic elements (plasmids). Due to the complexity of natural microbial ecosystems, quantitative data on the transfer of genetic information in microbial communities remain unclear. Two 1-L chemostats (one control and one test) were inoculated with activated sludge, fed with synthetic wastewater, and operated for 45 days at a hydraulic retention time of 1 day to study the transformation capacity of a rolling-circle plasmid encoding GFP and kanamycin resistance genes, at increasing concentrations of kanamycin (0.01-2.5-50-100 mg L−1) representing environmental, wastewater, lab-selection, and gut or untreated pharmaceutical wastewater discharge environments. The plasmid DNA was spiked daily at 5 µg L−1 in the test chemostat. The evolution of the microbial community composition was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and metagenomics, and the presence of the plasmid by quantitative PCR. We used Hi-C sequencing to identify natural transformant microorganisms under steady-state conditions with low (2.5 mg L−1) and high (50 mg L−1) concentrations of kanamycin. Both chemostats selected for the same 6 predominant families of Spirosomaceae, Comamonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Rhizobiaceae, Microbacteriaceae, and Chitinophagaceae, while biomass formation in the presence of kanamycin was higher with the plasmid. Hence, the antibiotic exerted the main pressure on microbial selection, while the plasmid helped these populations better resist the antibiotic treatment and grow. The kanamycin resistance gene increased in both reactors (log 7 gene copies g VSS−1). When higher antibiotic concentrations were applied, the GFP/16S ratio was increased, highlighting plasmids accumulation in the test reactor over time. The plasmid transformed mainly inside populations of Bosea sp., Runella spp., and Microbacterium sp.. This study made one significant step forward by demonstrating that microorganisms in enrichments from activated sludge biomasses can acquire exogenous synthetic plasmids by transformation.

Graphical abstract
Direct inference and control of genetic population structure from RNA sequencing data
Authors: Fachrul Muhamad , Karkey Abhilasha , Shakya Mila , Judd Louise M. , Harshegyi Taylor , Sim Kar Seng , Tonks Susan , Dongol Sabina , Shrestha Rajendra , Salim Agus ,   STRATAA study group, Baker Stephen , Pollard Andrew J. , Khor Chiea Chuen , Dolecek Christiane , Basnyat Buddha , Dunstan Sarah J. , Holt Kathryn E. , Inouye Michael
Published: September 2022

RNAseq data can be used to infer genetic variants, yet its use for estimating genetic population structure remains underexplored. Here, we construct a freely available computational tool (RGStraP) to estimate RNAseq-based genetic principal components (RG-PCs) and assess whether RG-PCs can be used to control for population structure in gene expression analyses. Using whole blood samples from understudied Nepalese populations and the Geuvadis study, we show that RG-PCs had comparable results to paired array-based genotypes, with high genotype concordance and high correlations of genetic principal components, capturing subpopulations within the dataset. In differential gene expression analysis, we found that inclusion of RG-PCs as covariates reduced test statistic inflation. Our paper demonstrates that genetic population structure can be directly inferred and controlled for using RNAseq data, thus facilitating improved retrospective and future analyses of transcriptomic data.
An integrase toolbox to record gene-expression during plant development
Authors: Guiziou Sarah , Maranas Cassandra J. , Chu Jonah C. , Nemhauser Jennifer L.
Published: September 2022

There are many open questions about the mechanisms that coordinate the dynamic, multicellular behaviors required for organogenesis. Synthetic circuits that can record in vivo signaling networks have been critical in elucidating animal development. Here, we report on the transfer of this technology to plants using orthogonal serine integrases to mediate site-specific and irreversible DNA recombination visualized by switching between fluorescent reporters. When combined with promoters expressed during lateral root initiation, integrases amplified reporter signal and permanently marked all descendants. In addition, we have developed a suite of methods to tune the threshold for integrase switching, including: RNA/protein degradation tags, a nuclear localization signal, and a split-intein system. These tools improved the robustness of integrase-mediated switching with different promoters and the stability of switching behavior over multiple generations. This integrase toolbox can be used to build history-dependent circuits to decode the order of expression during organogenesis in many contexts.
Protease-independent production of poliovirus virus-like particles in Pichia pastoris: Implications for efficient vaccine development and insights into capsid assembly
Authors: Sherry Lee , Swanson Jessica J. , Grehan Keith , Xu Huijun , Uchida Mai , Jones Ian M. , Stonehouse Nicola J. , Rowlands David J.
Published: September 2022

The production of enterovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) which lack the viral genome have great potential as vaccines for a number of diseases, such as poliomyelitis and hand, foot-and-mouth disease. These VLPs can mimic empty capsids, which are antigenically indistinguishable from mature virions, produced naturally during viral infection. Both in infection and in vitro, capsids and VLPs are generated by the cleavage of the P1 precursor protein by a viral protease. Here, using a stabilised poliovirus 1 (PV-1) P1 sequence as an exemplar, we show the production of PV-1 VLPs in Pichia pastoris in the absence of the potentially cytotoxic protease, 3CD, instead using the porcine teschovirus 2A (P2A) peptide sequence to terminate translation between individual capsid proteins. We compare this to protease-dependent production of PV-1 VLPs. Analysis of all permutations of the order of the capsid protein sequences revealed that only VP3 could be tagged with P2A and maintain native antigenicity. Transmission electron microscopy of these VLPs reveals the classic picornaviral icosahedral structure. Furthermore, these particles were thermostable above 37°C, demonstrating their potential as next generation vaccine candidates for PV. Finally, we believe the demonstration that native antigenic VLPs can be produced using protease-independent methods opens the possibility for future enteroviral vaccines to take advantage of recent vaccine technological advances, such as adenovirus-vectored vaccines and mRNA vaccines, circumventing the potential problems of cytotoxicity associated with 3CD, allowing for the production of immunogenic enterovirus VLPs in vivo.
Multi-omics data integration via novel interpretable k-hop graph attention network for signaling network inference
Authors: Yuan Ruoying , Feng Jiarui , Zhang Heming , Chen Yixin , Payne Philip , Li Fuhai
Published: September 2022

With the advent of sequencing technology, large-scale multi-omics data have been generated to understand the diversity and heterogeneity of genetic targets and associated complex signaling pathways at multiple levels in diseases, which are critical targets to guide the development of personalized precision medicine. However, it remains a challenging task to computationally mine a few essential targets and pathways from a large number of variables characterized by the multi-level multi-omics data. In this study, we proposed a novel interpretable k-hop graph attention network model, k-hop GAT, to integrate the multi-omics data to infer the essential targets and related signaling networks. We evaluated the proposed model using the multi-omics data, i.e., genetic mutation, copy number variation, methylation, gene expression data, of 332 cancer lines; and the experimentally identified essential targets. The validation and comparison results indicated that the proposed model outperformed the GAT and graph convolutional network (GCN) models.
Production and characterisation of stabilised PV-3 virus-like particles using Pichia pastoris
Authors: Sherry Lee , Grehan Keith , Swanson Jessica J. , Bahar Mohammad W. , Porta Claudine , Fry Elizabeth E. , Stuart David I. , Rowlands David J. , Stonehouse Nicola J.
Published: September 2022

Following the success of global vaccination programmes using the live-attenuated oral and inactivated poliovirus vaccines (OPV and IPV), wild poliovirus (PV) is now only endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, the continued use of these vaccines poses potential risks to the eradication of PV. The production of recombinant PV virus-like particles (VLPs), which lack the viral genome offer great potential as next-generation vaccines for the post-polio world. We have previously reported production of PV VLPs using Pichia pastoris, however, these VLPs were in the non-native conformation (C Ag), which would not produce effective protection against PV. Here, we build on this work and show that it is possible to produce wt PV-3 and thermally-stabilised PV-3 (referred to as PV-3 SC8) VLPs in the native conformation (D Ag) using Pichia pastoris. We show that the PV-3 SC8 VLPs provide a much-improved D:C antigen ratio as compared to wt PV-3, whilst exhibiting greater thermostability than the current IPV vaccine. Finally, we determine the cryo-EM structure of the yeast-derived PV-3 SC8 VLPs and compare this to previously published PV-3 D Ag structures, highlighting the similarities between these recombinantly-expressed VLPs and the infectious virus, further emphasising their potential as a next-generation vaccine candidate for PV.
SLC25A46 localizes to sites of mitochondrial fission and fusion and loss of function variants alter the oligomerization states of MFN2 and OPA1
Authors: Schuettpelz Jana , Janer Alexandre , Antonicka Hana , Shoubridge Eric A.
Published: September 2022

Mutations in SLC25A46, coding for an outer mitochondrial membrane protein, underlie a wide spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases associated with alterations in mitochondrial morphology, but the precise role of the protein remains unknown. We established an SLC25A46 knock-out cell line in human fibroblasts and studied the pathogenicity of three different variants (p.T142I, p.R257Q, p.E335D) introduced into the null background. Mitochondria were fragmented in the knock-out cell line and hyperfused in all pathogenic variants. The loss of SLC25A46 led to impaired cellular proliferation and striking abnormalities in mitochondrial cristae ultrastructure that were not rescued by expression of the pathogenic variants. SLC25A46 was present in discrete puncta at mitochondrial branch points and at tips of mitochondrial tubules, co-localizing with DRP1 and OPA1. Virtually all fission/fusion events were demarcated by the presence of an SLC25A46 focus. SLC25A46 co-immunoprecipitated with the fusion machinery, and loss of function altered the oligomerization state of OPA1 and MFN2. Proximity interaction mapping identified components of the ER membrane, lipid transfer proteins, and mitochondrial outer membrane proteins indicating that it is present at interorganellar contact sites important for lipid exchange. Consistent with this, SLC25A46 loss of function led to altered mitochondrial lipid composition, suggesting that it may facilitate interorganellar lipid flux or play a role in membrane remodeling associated with mitochondrial fusion and fission.
Omicron sublineage BA.2.75.2 exhibits extensive escape from neutralising antibodies
Authors: Sheward Daniel J. , Kim Changil , Fischbach Julian , Muschiol Sandra , Ehling Roy A. , Björkström Niklas K. , Karlsson Hedestam Gunilla B. , Reddy Sai T. , Albert Jan , Peacock Thomas P. , Murrell Ben
Published: September 2022

Several sublineages of omicron have emerged with additional mutations that may afford further antibody evasion. Here, we characterise the sensitivity of emerging omicron sublineages BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, and BA.2.10.4 to antibody-mediated neutralisation, and identify extensive escape by BA.2.75.2. BA.2.75.2 was resistant to neutralisation by Evusheld (tixagevimab + cilgavimab), but remained sensitive to bebtelovimab. In recent serum samples from blood donors in Stockholm, Sweden, BA.2.75.2 was neutralised, on average, at titers approximately 6.5-times lower than BA.5, making BA.2.75.2 the most neutralisation resistant variant evaluated to date. These data raise concerns that BA.2.75.2 may effectively evade humoral immunity in the population.
Neuromodulatory silencing of nerve terminals
Authors: Cook Daniel C. , Ryan Timothy A.
Published: September 2022

Control of neurotransmission efficacy is central to theories of how the brain computes and stores information. Neuromodulators are critical in this problem as they locally influence synaptic strength and can operate on a wide range of time scales. Presynaptic function is heavily influenced by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that in part restrict voltage-gated calcium (Ca2+) influx in the active zone. Here, using quantitative analysis of both single bouton Ca2+ influx and exocytosis, we uncovered an unexpected non-linear relationship between the magnitude of action potential driven Ca2+ influx and the concentration of external Ca2+ ([Ca2+]e). We find that this unexpected relationship is leveraged by neuromodulator signaling when operating at the nominal physiological set point for [Ca2+]e, 1.2 mM, to achieve complete silencing of nerve terminals. These data imply that the information throughput in neural circuits can be readily modulated in an all-or none fashion at the single synapse level when operating at the physiological set point.
Monitoring lineages of growing and dividing bacteria reveals an inducible memory of mar operon expression
Authors: Guet CC , Bruneaux L , Oikonomou P , Aldana M , Cluzel P
Published: September 2022

In Gram negative bacteria, the multiple antibiotic resistance or mar operon, is known to control the expression of multi-drug efflux genes that protect bacteria from a wide range of drugs. Since different drugs induce this response, identifying the parameters that govern the dynamics of its induction is crucial to better characterize the process of tolerance and resistance. Most experiments have assumed that the properties of the mar transcriptional network can be inferred from population measurements. However, measurements from an asynchronous population of cells can mask underlying phenotypic variations of single cells. We monitored the activity of the mar promoter in single Escherichia coli cells in linear micro-colonies and established that the response to a steady level of inducer was heterogeneous within individual colonies. Specifically, sub-lineages defined by contiguous daughter-cells exhibited similar promoter activity, whereas activity was greatly variable between different sub-lineages. Specific sub-trees of uniform promoter activity persisted over several generations. Statistical analyses of the lineages suggest that the presence of these sub-trees is the signature of an inducible memory of the promoter state that is transmitted from mother to daughter cells. This single-cell study reveals that the degree of epigenetic inheritance changes as a function of inducer concentration, suggesting that phenotypic inheritance may be an inducible phenotype.
Small protein modules dictate prophage fates during polylysogeny
Authors: Silpe Justin E. , Duddy Olivia P. , Hussain Fatima A. , Forsberg Kevin J. , Bassler Bonnie L.
Published: September 2022

DNA-damaging agents are the pervasive inducers of temperate phages in model bacteria. However, most bacteria in the biosphere are predicted to carry multiple prophages, a state called polylysogeny, making it unclear how co-residing prophages compete for host cell resources if they all respond to the identical trigger. We discover regulatory modules encoded on phage genomes that control prophage induction independently of the DNA damage cue. Genes specifying these pathways exist in linear plasmid-like phages at sites essential for phage propagation. The modules lack sequence similarity but display a shared regulatory logic of a transcription factor that activates expression of a neighboring gene encoding a small protein. The small protein inactivates the master repressor of lysis, leading to prophage induction. In some phages, the regulatory unit detects sensory information including quorum-sensing autoinducers, making lysis host-cell-density dependent. Exposure of the polylysogens studied here to different induction scenarios reveals that mixed phage populations emerge following DNA damage, however, induction through the SOS-independent module drives near-exclusive production of the phage sensitive to that specific cue. Considering the lack of potent DNA-damaging agents in natural habitats, we propose that additional phage-encoded sensory pathways that drive lysis play fundamental roles in phage-host biology and inter-prophage competition.
The maize pathogen Ustilago maydis secretes glycoside hydrolases and carbohydrate oxidases directed towards components of the fungal cell wall
Authors: Reyre Jean-Lou , Grisel Sacha , Haon Mireille , Navarro David , Ropartz David , Le Gall Sophie , Record Eric , Sciara Giuliano , Tranquet Olivier , Berrin Jean-Guy , Bissaro Bastien
Published: September 2022

Filamentous fungi are keystone microorganisms in the regulation of many processes occurring on Earth, such as plant biomass decay, pathogenesis as well as symbiotic associations. In many of these processes, fungi secrete carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) to modify and/or degrade carbohydrates. Ten years ago, while evaluating the potential of a secretome from the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis to supplement lignocellulolytic cocktails, we noticed it contained many unknown or poorly characterized CAZymes. Here, and after re-annotation of this dataset and detailed phylogenetic analyses, we observed that several CAZymes (including glycoside hydrolases and carbohydrate oxidases) are predicted to act on the fungal cell wall (FCW), notably on β-1,3-glucans. We heterologously produced and biochemically characterized two new CAZymes, called UmGH16_1-A and UmAA3_2-A. We show that UmGH16_1-A displays β-1,3-glucanase activity, with a preference for β-1,3-glucans with short β-1,6 substitutions, and UmAA3_2-A is a dehydrogenase catalyzing the oxidation of β-1,3- and β-1,6-gluco-oligosaccharides into the corresponding aldonic acids. Working on model β-1,3-glucans, we show that the linear oligosaccharide products released by UmGH16_1-A are further oxidized by UmAA3_2-A, bringing to light a putative biocatalytic cascade. Interestingly, analysis of available transcriptomics data indicates that both UmGH16_1-A and UmAA3_2-A are co-expressed, only during early stages of U. maydis infection cycle. Altogether, our results suggest that both enzymes are connected and that additional accessory activities still need to be uncovered to fully understand the biocatalytic cascade at play and its physiological role.

Importance

Filamentous fungi play a central regulatory role on Earth, notably in the global carbon cycle. Regardless of their lifestyle, filamentous fungi need to remodel their own cell wall (mostly composed of polysaccharides) to grow and proliferate. To do so, they must secrete a large arsenal of enzymes, most notably carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). However, research on fungal CAZymes over past decades has mainly focused on finding efficient plant biomass conversion processes while CAZymes directed at the fungus itself have remained little explored. In the present study, using the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis as model, we set off to evaluate the prevalence of CAZymes directed towards the fungal cell wall during growth of the fungus on plant biomass and characterized two new CAZymes active on fungal cell wall components. Our results suggest the existence of a biocatalytic cascade that remains to be fully understood.
This population does not exist: learning the distribution of evolutionary histories with generative adversarial networks
Authors: Booker William W. , Ray Dylan D. , Schrider Daniel R.
Published: September 2022

Numerous studies over the last decade have demonstrated the utility of machine learning methods when applied to population genetic tasks. More recent studies show the potential of deep learning methods in particular, which allow researchers to approach problems without making prior assumptions about how the data should be summarized or manipulated, instead learning their own internal representation of the data in an attempt to maximize inferential accuracy. One type of deep neural network, called Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), can even be used to generate new data, and this approach has been used to create individual artificial human genomes free from privacy concerns. In this study, we further explore the application of GANs in population genetics by designing and training a network to learn the statistical distribution of population genetic alignments (i.e. data sets consisting of sequences from an entire population sample) under several diverse evolutionary histories—the first GAN capable of performing this task. After testing multiple different neural network architectures, we report the results of a fully differentiable Deep-Convolutional Wasserstein GAN with gradient penalty that is capable of generating artificial examples of population genetic alignments that successfully mimic key aspects of the training data, including the site frequency spectrum, differentiation between populations, and patterns of linkage disequilibrium. We demonstrate consistent training success across various evolutionary models, including models of panmictic and subdivided populations, populations at equilibrium and experiencing changes in size, and populations experiencing either no selection or positive selection of various strengths, all without the need for extensive hyperparameter tuning. Overall, our findings highlight the ability of GANs to learn and mimic population genetic data and suggest future areas where this work can be applied in population genetics research that we discuss herein.
Machine-Learning Based Optimisation of a Biomimiced Herringbone Microstructure for Superior Aerodynamic Performance
Authors: Patel Rushil Samir , Akolekar Harshal D.
Published: September 2022

Biomimicry involves taking inspiration from existing designs in nature to generate new and efficient systems. The feathers of birds which form a characteristic herringbone riblet shape are known to effectively reduce drag. This paper aims to optimise the individual constituent structure of a herringbone riblet pattern using a combination of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and supervised machine learning algorithms to achieve the best possible reduction in drag. Initially, a herringbone riblet design is made by computer aided designing and is parameterised. By randomly varying these parameters, 107 additional designs are made and are subjected to CFD calculations to derive their drag coefficients (Cd). These designs are used to train a supervised learning model which is employed as an alternative to CFD for predicting the Cd of other 10000 randomly generated herringbone riblet designs. Amongst these, the design with the least predicted Cd is considered as the optimised design. The Cd prediction for the optimised design had an error of 4 % with respect to its true Cd which was calculated by using CFD. The optimised design of this microstructure can be utilised for drag reduction of aeronautical, automotive or oceanic crafts by integrating them onto their surfaces.
The Role of Students’ Situational Interest in Classroom Learning: An Empirical Study based on both Laboratory and Naturalistic Paradigms
Authors: Ye Jingmeiqi , Liu Xiaobo , Wei Jun , Zhang Yu
Published: September 2022

Interest has always been an important research object in the field of education. Moreover, understanding the role of interest in students’ classroom learning is conducive to teaching practices. By constructing a theoretical model of interest based on relevant theories and prior empirical evidence, this study examined the differences within research paradigms and explored the potential function of neurophysiological signals in representing students’ interest in learning. In both laboratory and naturalistic paradigms, self-report and neurophysiological data were collected from 10th graders of an urban secondary school in Beijing, China. Through the data-driven approach of machine learning, the neurophysiological data were employed to fit self-report situational interest, and relevant theoretical models were examined based on all data using structural equation modeling. The path coefficients in the models were subsequently compared to determine the similarities and differences between the two paradigms. Combined with the results of multiple linear regressions established via machine learning, this study demonstrates the ability of neurophysiological data to represent situational interest.
Crop suitability analysis by adopting geo-spatial algorithm: a case study of Sirajganj district (flood-prone area) in Bangladesh
Authors: Haque Md. Nazmul , Fatema Kaniz , Joy Md. Ashikur Rahman
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Crop suitability analysis is vital for identifying a piece of land’s potential for sustainable crop production and aids in the formulation of an effective agricultural management plan. This study aims to conduct crop suitability analysis of prominent Kharif (rice and maize) and Rabi (potato and wheat) crops in Sirajganj district, a flood-prone area of Bangladesh, and recommend a suitable cropping pattern to mitigate the detrimental effects of flooding.

Design/methodology/approach

Various factors such as soil drainage, soil depth, soil moisture, soil texture, soil permeability, soil pH, erosion hazard, nutrient status and flooding risk were considered for this study. For all four crops, the weights of each factor were determined using the analytical hierarchy process approach, and the scores of each subfactor were assigned on the basis of favorable circumstances of crop cultivation. Using the weighted overlay analysis in the ArcGIS 10.3 environment, the crop suitability maps were generated and were divided into four suitable classes. Geographic information system integration of crop suitability for all the crops determined the suitable cropping pattern of the study area in Kharif and Rabi seasons.

Findings

A vast portion of the study area covering 64.80% of the total land is suitable for cultivating either rice or maize in Kharif season followed by either potato or wheat in Rabi season. Other suitable cropping pattern for Kharif and Rabi seasons found in the study area are rice-wheat, rice-wheat/potato, rice/maize-wheat and rice/maize-potato, which covers a little portion of the study area.

Originality/value

This research validates the suitable location of crop cultivation on the basis of flooding occurrences in the locality.
Effect of surface modification of polyester fabric on microfiber shedding from household laundry
Authors: Rathinamoorthy R. , Raja Balasaraswathi S.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Synthetic textile materials are noted as one of the major contributors to microfiber pollution through laundry. Though many research works evaluated microfiber pollution, the solutions provided to control microfiber shedding are meager. The existing products collect or filter the microfiber from laundry effluent and restrict the direct leaching. However, no methods were proposed to effectively reduce the shedding from the textile itself.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is aimed to analyze the influence of surface modification of polyester knitted textiles by sodium hydroxide, on microfiber shedding. Response surface methodology was adapted to optimize different treatment parameters (alkali concentration, treatment time and temperature).

Findings

The results show that the sodium hydroxide concentration and treatment time had a negative correlation with microfiber shedding reduction. Whereas, treatment temperature had a positive correlation with microfiber shedding reduction. The statistical analysis revealed that 0.4 M concentration, 90°C temperature and 24 min of treatment time was the best process condition for minimum microfiber release. The same was confirmed with a practical experiment and a significant reduction of 80.63% in microfiber shedding after alkali treatment was found.

Originality/value

Alkali treatment of different knitted polyester fabrics with various knit structures and mass per square meter showed a significant reduction in microfiber shedding. The repeated laundry performed for 20 washes with surface-modified samples showed a significant reduction in microfiber release at every wash cycle and ensured the longevity of the effect.
Coaching and teaching performance in higher education: a literature review
Authors: Burleigh Cheryl L. , Kroposki Margaret , Steele Patricia B. , Smith Sherrye , Murray Dara
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this literature review was to identify best practices in coaching faculty within higher education and the subsequent benefits of effective faculty coaching programs for the retention of quality faculty. In higher education, where an emphasis is on the delivery of curriculum for student learning, faculty performance reviews are not universally defined, nor are coaching practices consistently employed. Giving teaching performance feedback promptly to faculty may be a means to foster professional growth and enhance the implementation of progressive practices to benefit student learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors undertook a content analysis of current literature on the evaluation and coaching practices of higher education faculty that specifically addressed the quality and timeliness of feedback and gaps in practices.

Findings

Through this study, the authors gleaned recommendations for improving faculty evaluation, coaching, and feedback.

Practical implications

Developing coaching programs to include all higher education faculty may lead to improved teaching performance and alignment of the faculty with institutional goals. The insights from this study may provide the impetus to develop structures and processes for university-based professional development and coaching programs that could lead to positive student learning outcomes and better relationships among faculty.

Originality/value

This is the first review to use Cooper's systematic examination of current literature to explore the topics of faculty support, coaching, and development within higher education.
Using PLS-SEM for assessing negative impact and cooperation as antecedents of gray market in FMCG supply chains: an analysis on Spanish wholesale distributors
Authors: Gimeno-Arias Fernando , Santos-Jaén José Manuel
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Within the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain, one of the problems facing the distribution channel strategy is the presence of the gray market. The article shows two novel antecedents of the participation of official distributors in this gray channel: Negative impact on distributor performance and the relationship with their supplier. Knowledge of this background helps to preserve the strategy outlined for the official distribution channel.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 172 Spanish wholesale distributors and analyzed using PLS-SEM.

Findings

The authors found that the damage through negative affectation in the official distributor's performance and the cooperation provided by the manufacturer, have different effects. While affectation is shown to be a powerful antecedent of participation in the gray market, the effect of perceived manufacturer cooperation does not show strong results.

Practical implications

In business practice, these findings lead the manufacturer to keep transactions carried out in the gray market at low levels and provide cooperation to official distributors to guarantee the official channel strategy aimed at efficiency in the distribution of branded goods.

Originality/value

The background of the gray market discussed in the study has not been previously analyzed in the literature. In this way, the authors contribute to the knowledge of such a common problem as the presence of the gray market in the segmentation of distribution channels of high-demand products.
Preparing university teachers for times of uncertainty: the role of a transnational pedagogical-development training in Palestinian higher education
Authors: Aldahdouh Tahani Z. , Holubek Vesna , Korhonen Vesa , Abou-dagga Sanaa , Al-Masri Nazmi
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore the extent to which a transnational pedagogical training affected university teachers' approaches to teaching, as well as their efficacy beliefs and cultural perceptions, and to examine how such training could stimulate teachers' pedagogical-development processes beyond the specific context.

Design/methodology/approach

An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was adopted for the study. Quantitative data were collected through an online self-reported questionnaire from two-independent samples, both before (n = 119) and after (n = 110) the training. Qualitative data were collected after the training through episodic narrative interviews with five teachers.

Findings

The quantitative and qualitative findings indicate contradictory aspects of the teaching approach and perceived culture. While the questionnaire responses highlighted the dominance of teacher-centred teaching approaches and an individualistic culture, a thematic analysis of the interview data showed that teachers experienced pedagogical development as (1) increasing student engagement, (2) improving their own teaching practices, (3) a community activity and (4) an institutionalised process.

Research limitations/implications

The design of the current research may have limited the authors’ potential to deeply investigate the effect of the transnational pedagogical training, as only snapshots of the teachers' perceptions were elicited. Future studies might consider a within-subject longitudinal design to thoroughly follow teachers' trajectories in learning and development over time.

Practical implications

The research findings suggest that transnational pedagogical training initiatives are to be promoted amidst these uncertain times. Even though the focus of the study was not to explore the teachers' perceptions of teaching development during the pandemic, the current results imply that the mentioned training helped teachers in tailoring their pedagogical practices to suit the unexpected online teaching settings.

Originality/value

The study adds to the relatively new literature on the perceived effect of transnational pedagogical training initiatives. This study’s findings contribute to the body of knowledge related to pedagogical development in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
Humor in the sky: the use of affiliative and aggressive humor in cabin crews facing passenger misconduct
Authors: Curșeu Petru Lucian , Gheorghe Andreea , Bria Mara , Negrea Ioana Camelia
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The authors present a fist attempt to test the mediating role of humor in the relation between unruly passenger behavior and occupational stress in cabin crews.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an experience sampling design to investigate the relationship between a frequent job hassle in air service provision, namely unruly passenger behavior (UPB), and the stress experienced by flight attendants.

Findings

The results of multilevel analyses show that UPB is positively related to the use of aggressive humor and negatively related to the use of affiliative humor in cabin crews. Moreover, humor mediates the relationship between unruly passenger behavior and stress. In addition the results show that general self-efficacy as a personal resource buffers the association between passenger misconduct and the use of aggressive humor.

Originality/value

This study is among the first empirical attempts to explore the role of humor as a mediator between uncivil customer behavior and stress in air service employee.
Prioritising the eradication of invasive species from island archipelagos with high reinvasion risk
Authors: Kumar Viney , Nunez Andre , Brown Kaitlyn , Agarwal Kanupriya , Hall Samuel , Bode Michael
Published: September 2022

Eradicating invasive species from islands is a proven method for safeguarding threatened and endangered species from extinction. Island eradications can deliver lasting benefits, but require large up‐front expenditure of limited conservation resources. The choice of islands must therefore be prioritised. Numerous tools have been developed to prioritise island eradications, but none fully account for the risk of those eradicated species later returning to the island: reinvasion.

In this paper, we develop a prioritisation method for island eradications that accounts for the complexity of the reinvasion process. By merging spatially explicit metapopulation modelling with stochastic dynamic optimisation techniques, we construct a decision‐support tool that optimises conservation outcomes in the presence of reinvasion risk.

We applied this tool to two different case studies—rat (Rattus rattus) invasions in the Seaforth archipelago in New Zealand, and cane toad (Rhinella marina) invasions in the Dampier archipelago in Australia—to illustrate how state‐dependent optimal policies can maximise expected conservation gains.

In both case studies, incorporating reinvasion risk dramatically altered the optimal order of island eradications, and improved the potential conservation benefits. The increase in benefits was larger in Dampier than Seaforth (42% improvement versus 6%), as a consequence of both the characteristics of the invasive species, and the arrangement of the islands.

Synthesis and applications. Our results illustrate the potential consequences of ignoring reinvasion risk. We recommend that reinvasion risk be explicitly included in any island eradication prioritisation involving an archipelago, particularly when some islands are close to the mainland.
Non‐native tree pests have a broader host range than native pests and differentially impact host lineages
Authors: Wang Shirui Shelley , Gougherty Andrew V. , Davies T. Jonathan
Published: September 2022

Non‐native pests in North America are a growing threat to native trees and forest communities. Theory suggests that a less specialised niche, as reflected by a pest's broad host range, may facilitate successful pest invasions. Incorporating a pest's host range characteristics along with life‐history traits may thus help us better predict future invasions and impacts.

We quantified the host range of North American tree pests using indices of host taxonomic richness and the standard effect size of the mean pairwise distance between hosts, then compared the host ranges of non‐native and native pests. We next examined whether non‐native and native pests tended to be associated with phylogenetically distinct sets of host tree lineages. Finally, we evaluated whether pest impacts were associated with pest host ranges, nativity or pest type (i.e. insect vs. pathogen).

We found that the set of tree hosts impacted by non‐native pests was phylogenetically distinct from hosts of native pests, and that non‐native insect pests had significantly broader host ranges than native insect pests, perhaps due to an innate ability to associate with diverse tree species. We also found that pathogens generally had broader host ranges than insect pests—possibly a result of more frequent host range expansion. While severity was not associated with pest nativity per se, non‐native pathogens had the greatest impact on their hosts across all pest subsets.

Synthesis. We identified important differences in the host ranges of native and non‐native pests, with non‐native pests associated with a broader range of hosts, and this difference was most evident in comparisons between insect pests. We suggest a broad host range might facilitate non‐native pest establishment. We also highlight the need for further research on pest life histories and impacts to better understand the consequences of pest invasions.
Charismatics without authority? Informality and commitment in charismatic small groups in Moorea (French Polynesia)
Authors: Fer Yannick
Published: September 2022

This ethnography of a charismatic group in French Polynesia aims to shed light on the patterns of authority and commitment within such informal religious spaces connected to the global economy of charismatism. Through analysis of the personal itineraries of several members of ‘Jean's group’ and through the observation of a march organized by the group in question in January 2012, I question the apparent paradox of a group infused with a charismatic culture full of prophets and apostles, but which is practically devoid of any formative authority.
Cuisine of economy, cuisine of excess: materializing value in culinary practice
Authors: Weiss Brad
Published: September 2022

Certain culinary practices are often interpreted as evidence of ‘economizing’ (a frugal use of available resources) or of ‘excess’ (a celebratory expenditure of resources for symbolic purposes). This article uses these categories as a way to interrogate analytical assumptions about materialism more generally. Drawing on ethnographic research from both rural Tanzania, and the contemporary suburban United States, it argues that various qualities of discernment, taste, and preference are not determined by the material affordances of foods, but rather that these judgements can be materialized in social and cultural practice.
The capitalization of metro rail access in urban housing markets
Authors: Keeler Zachary T. , Stephens Heather M.
Published: September 2022

Increasing access to public transportation (including metro rail) can help alleviate traffic congestion and address climate and environmental priorities. Living close to a metro line may be especially important in terms of providing improved commuting options. However, proximity to metro lines can also be associated with negative externalities, such as noise and crime, that may make living near a station less desirable. One way to assess the net value that residents place on metro rail access is to examine how proximity to metro lines is capitalized into house prices. Using a hedonic spatial difference‐in‐differences model, we analyze the impact of proximity to the stations on the Gold and Expo Lines in Los Angeles, California, on nearby house prices. Our findings suggest that the capitalization effect is heterogeneous. Some residents value living near new metro stations, while others do not. Overall, our results provide evidence that the value residents place on metro rail access varies based on their income levels and other demographics.
Chitinase 6 is required for procuticle thickening and organ shape in Drosophila wing
Authors: Dong Wei , Flaven‐Pouchon Justin , Gao Ying‐Hao , Song Chen‐Yang , El Wakil Abeer , Zhang Jian‐Zhen , Moussian Bernard
Published: September 2022

The polysaccharide chitin is a major scaffolding molecule in the insect cuticle. In order to be functional, both chitin amounts and chitin organization have been shown to be important parameters. Despite great advances in the past decade, the molecular mechanisms of chitin synthesis and organization are not fully understood. Here, we have characterized the function of the Chitinase 6 (Cht6) in the formation of the wing, which is a simple flat cuticle organ, in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Reduction of Cht6 function by RNA interference during wing development does not affect chitin organization, but entails a thinner cuticle suggesting reduced chitin amounts. This phenotype is opposed to the one reported recently to be caused by reduction of Cht10 expression. Probably as a consequence, cuticle permeability to xenobiotics is enhanced in Cht6‐less wings. We also observed massive deformation of these wings. In addition, the shape of the abdomen is markedly changed upon abdominal suppression of Cht6. Finally, we found that suppression of Cht6 transcript levels influences the expression of genes coding for enzymes of the chitin biosynthesis pathway. This finding indicates that wing epidermal cells respond to activity changes of Cht6 probably trying to adjust chitin amounts. Together, in a working model, we propose that Cht6‐introduced modifications of chitin are needed for chitin synthesis to proceed correctly. Cuticle thickness, according to our hypothesis, is in turn required for correct organ or body part shape. The molecular mechanisms of this processes shall be characterized in the future.
Proteomic fingerprinting enables quantitative biodiversity assessments of species and ontogenetic stages in Calanus congeners (Copepoda, Crustacea) from the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Rossel Sven , Kaiser Patricia , Bode‐Dalby Maya , Renz Jasmin , Laakmann Silke , Auel Holger , Hagen Wilhelm , Arbizu Pedro Martínez , Peters Janna
Published: September 2022

Species identification is pivotal in biodiversity assessments and proteomic fingerprinting by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry has already been shown to reliably identify calanoid copepods to species level. However, MALDI‐TOF data may contain more information beyond mere species identification. In this study, we investigated different ontogenetic stages (copepodids C1–C6 females) of three co‐occurring Calanus species from the Arctic Fram Strait, which cannot be identified to species level based on morphological characters alone. Differentiation of the three species based on mass spectrometry data was without any error. In addition, a clear stage‐specific signal was detected in all species, supported by clustering approaches as well as machine learning using Random Forest. More complex mass spectra in later ontogenetic stages as well as relative intensities of certain mass peaks were found as the main drivers of stage distinction in these species. Through a dilution series, we were able to show that this did not result from the higher amount of biomass that was used in tissue processing of the larger stages. Finally, the data were tested in a simulation for application in a real biodiversity assessment by using Random Forest for stage classification of specimens absent from the training data. This resulted in a successful stage‐identification rate of almost 90%, making proteomic fingerprinting a promising tool to investigate polewards shifts of Atlantic Calanus species and, in general, to assess stage compositions in biodiversity assessments of Calanoida, which can be notoriously difficult using conventional identification methods.