bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential impact of a dyskeratosis congenita mutation in TPP1 on mouse hematopoiesis and germline
Authors: Graniel Jacqueline V. , Bisht Kamlesh , Friedman Ann , White James , Perkey Eric , Vanderbeck Ashley , Moroz Alina , Carrington Léolène J. , Brandstadter Joshua D. , Allen Frederick , Shami Adrienne Niederriter , Thomas Peedikayil , Crayton Aniela , Manzor Mariel , Mychalowych Anna , Chase Jennifer , Hammoud Saher S. , Keegan Catherine E. , Maillard Ivan , Nandakumar Jayakrishnan
Published: July 2021

Telomerase extends chromosome ends in somatic and germline stem cells to ensure continued proliferation. Mutations in genes critical for telomerase function result in telomeropathies such as dyskeratosis congenita (DC), frequently resulting in spontaneous bone marrow failure. While knockout of telomerase in mice has been instrumental in highlighting the importance of telomere length maintenance at an organismal level, it may not be representative of human telomeropathy mutations in vivo. A DC mutation in the shelterin protein TPP1 (K170Δ) that compromises telomerase recruitment to telomeres but leaves other functions of TPP1 and the integrity of the telomerase holoenzyme intact is a physiologically relevant tool to evaluate telomerase-dependent telomere length maintenance in mice. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to generate a mutant mouse knocked in for the equivalent of the TPP1 K170Δ mutation (TPP1 K82Δ) and investigated both its bone marrow and germline compartments in unprecedented detail. TPP1 K82Δ caused progressive telomere erosion with increasing generation number but did not induce steady-state hematopoietic defects. Strikingly, K82Δ caused mouse infertility, consistent with gross morphological defects in the testis and sperm, the appearance of either empty or severely disorganized seminiferous tubules, and a decrease in both spermatogonia and spermatocytes. It is intriguing that both TPP1 K82Δ mice and previously characterized telomerase knockout mice show no spontaneous bone marrow failure but rather succumb to a robust infertility phenotype at steady state. We speculate that telomere length maintenance contributes differently to the evolutionary fitness of humans and mice. Telomere length maintenance in the human bone marrow can ensure progression to reproductive age, while that in the mouse germline can help meet the elevated demand for sperm to produce multiple offspring.
The role of the atypical chemokine receptor CCRL2 in myelodysplastic syndrome and secondary acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Karantanos Theodoros , Teodorescu Patric , Perkins Brandy , Christodoulou Ilias , Esteb Christopher , Varadhan Ravi , Helmenstine Eric , Rajkhowa Trivikram , Paun Bogdan C. , Bonifant Challice , Dalton W. Brian , Gondek Lukasz P. , Moliterno Alison R. , Levis Mark J. , Ghiaur Gabriel , Jones Richard J.
Published: July 2021

The identification of new molecular pathways supporting the growth of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) stem and progenitor cells is needed to understand clinical variation and develop targeted therapies. Within myeloid malignancies, men have worse outcomes compared to women, suggesting male sex hormone driven effects in malignant hematopoiesis. The androgen receptor promotes the expression of five granulocyte-colony factor receptor regulated genes. Among them, CCRL2 encodes an atypical chemokine receptor that regulates cytokine signaling in differentiated granulocytes but its role in myeloid malignancies is unknown. Our study revealed that CCRL2 is upregulated in stem and progenitor cells from patients with MDS and secondary acute leukemia. CCRL2 knockdown suppressed the growth and clonogenicity of MDS92 and MDS-L cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, CCRL2 knockdown significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT3, and STAT5 in MDS cells. CCRL2 co-precipitated with JAK2 and its suppression decreased the interaction of JAK2 with STAT proteins. Cell lines expressing JAK2V617F showed less effect of CCRL2 knockdown on growth and clonogenicity compared to those expressing wild type. However, the selective JAK2 inhibitor fedratinib potentiated the effects of CCRL2 knockdown in MDS and leukemia cells expressing both wild type JAK2 and JAK2V617F. In conclusion, our results implicate CCRL2 as a mediator of MDS and secondary acute leukemia cell growth, in part through JAK2/STAT signaling.
The Diguanylate Cyclase YfiN of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Regulates Biofilm Maintenance in Response to Peroxide
Authors: Katharios-Lanwermeyer Stefan , Koval Sophia A. , Barrack Kaitlyn E. , O’Toole G.A.
Published: July 2021

Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms surface-attached communities that persist in the face of antimicrobial agents and environmental perturbation. Published work has found extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production, regulation of motility and induction of stress response pathways as contributing to biofilm tolerance during such insults. However, little is known regarding the mechanism(s) whereby biofilm maintenance is regulated when exposed to such environmental challenges. Here, we provide evidence that the diguanylate cyclase YfiN is important for the regulation of biofilm maintenance when exposed to peroxide. We find that, compared to the wild type (WT), static biofilms of the ΔyfiN mutant exhibit a maintenance defect, which can be further exacerbated by exposure to peroxide (H2O2); this defect can be rescued through genetic complementation. Additionally, we found that the ΔyfiN mutant biofilms produce less c-di-GMP than WT, and that H2O2 treatment enhanced motility of surface-associated bacteria and increased cell death for the ΔyfiN mutant grown as a biofilm compared to WT biofilms. These data provide evidence that YfiN is required for biofilm maintenance by P. aeruginosa, via c-di-GMP signaling, to limit motility and protect viability in response to peroxide stress. These findings add to the growing recognition that biofilm maintenance by P. aeruginosa is an actively regulated process that is controlled, at least in part, by the wide array of c-di-GMP metabolizing enzymes found in this microbe.

Importance

We build on previous findings that suggest that P. aeruginosa utilizes c-di-GMP metabolizing enzymes to actively maintain a mature biofilm. Here, we explore how the diguanylate cyclase YfiN contributes to the regulation of biofilm maintenance during peroxide exposure. We find that mature P. aeruginosa biofilms require YfiN to synthesize c-di-GMP, regulate motility and to insure viability during peroxide stress. These findings provide further evidence that the modulation of c-di-GMP in response to environmental signals is an important mechanism by which biofilms are maintained.
A comparative study between state-of-the-art MRI deidentification and AnonyMI, a new method combining re-identification risk reduction and geometrical preservation
Authors: Mikulan Ezequiel , Russo Simone , Zauli Flavia Maria , Piergiorgio d’Orio , Parmigiani Sara , Favaro Jacopo , Knight William , Squarza Silvia , Perri Pierluigi , Cardinale Francesco , Avanzini Pietro , Pigorini Andrea
Published: July 2021

Deidentifying MRIs constitutes an imperative challenge, as it aims at precluding the possibility of re-identification of a research subject or patient, but at the same time it should preserve as much geometrical information as possible, in order to maximize data reusability and to facilitate interoperability. Although several deidentification methods exist, no comprehensive and comparative evaluation of deidentification performance has been carried out across them. Moreover, the possible ways these methods can compromise subsequent analysis has not been exhaustively tested. To tackle these issues, we developed AnonyMI, a novel MRI deidentification method, implemented as a user-friendly 3D Slicer plugin-in, which aims at providing a balance between identity protection and geometrical preservation. To test these features, we performed two series of analyses on which we compared AnonyMI to other two state-of-the-art methods, to evaluate, at the same time, how efficient they are at deidentifying MRIs and how much they affect subsequent analyses, with particular emphasis on source localization procedures. Our results show that all three methods significantly reduce the re-identification risk but AnonyMI provides the best geometrical conservation. Notably, it also offers several technical advantages such as a user-friendly interface, multiple input-output capabilities, the possibility of being tailored to specific needs, batch processing and efficient visualization for quality assurance.
The spatiotemporal link of temporal expectations: contextual temporal expectation is independent of spatial attention
Authors: Tal-Perry Noam , Yuval-Greenberg Shlomit
Published: July 2021

Temporal expectation is the ability to construct predictions regarding the timing of events, based on previously-experienced temporal regularities of different types. For example, cue-based expectations are constructed when a cue validly indicates when a target is expected to occur. However, in the absence of such cues, expectations can be constructed based on contextual temporal information, including the event’s hazard-rate function – its moment-by-moment conditional probability that changes over time; and prior experiences, which provide probabilistic information regarding the event’s predicted timing (sequential effects).

It was previously suggested that cue-based temporal expectation is exerted via synchronization of spatially-specific neural activity at a target's predictable time, within receptive fields corresponding to the target’s expected location. Here, we tested if the same theoretical model holds for contextual temporal effects. Participants (n = 40) performed a speeded spatial-cueing detection task, with two-thirds valid spatial cues. The target’s hazard-rate function was modulated by varying the foreperiod – the interval between the spatial cue and the target - among trials, and was manipulated between groups by changing the interval distribution. Reaction times were analyzed using both frequentist and Bayesian generalized linear mixed models, accounting for hazard and sequential effects. Results showed that the effects of contextual temporal structures on reaction times were independent of spatial attention. This suggests that the spatiotemporal mechanisms, thought to account for cue-based expectation, cannot explain other sources of temporal expectations. We conclude that expectations based on contextual structures have different characteristics than cue-based temporal expectation, suggesting reliance on distinct neural mechanisms.

Significance statement

Temporal expectation is the ability to predict an event onset based on temporal regularities. A neurophysiological model suggested that temporal expectation relies on the synchronization of spatially-specific neurons whose receptive fields represent the attended location. This model predicts that temporal expectation would be evident solely within the locus of spatial attention. Existing evidence supported this model for expectation based on associations between a temporal cue and a target, but here we show that it cannot account for another source of temporal expectation – expectation that is based on contextual information, i.e. hazard-rate and recent priors. These findings reveal the existence of different predictive mechanisms for cued and contextual temporal predictions, with the former depending on spatial attention and the latter non-spatially-specific.
Global patterns of enhancer activity during sea urchin embryogenesis assessed by eRNA profiling
Authors: Khor Jian Ming , Guerrero-Santoro Jennifer , Douglas William , Ettensohn Charles A.
Published: July 2021

We used capped analysis of gene expression with sequencing (CAGE-seq) to profile eRNA expression and enhancer activity during embryogenesis of a model echinoderm: the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. We identified more than 18,000 enhancers that were active in mature oocytes and developing embryos and documented a burst of enhancer activation during cleavage and early blastula stages. We found that a large fraction (73.8%) of all enhancers active during the first 48 h of embryogenesis were hyperaccessible no later than the 128-cell stage and possibly even earlier. Most enhancers were located near gene bodies, and temporal patterns of eRNA expression tended to parallel those of nearby genes. Furthermore, enhancers near lineage-specific genes contained signatures of inputs from developmental gene regulatory networks deployed in those lineages. A large fraction (60%) of sea urchin enhancers previously shown to be active in transgenic reporter assays was associated with eRNA expression. Moreover, a large fraction (50%) of a representative subset of enhancers identified by eRNA profiling drove tissue-specific gene expression in isolation when tested by reporter assays. Our findings provide an atlas of developmental enhancers in a model sea urchin and support the utility of eRNA profiling as a tool for enhancer discovery and regulatory biology. The data generated in this study are available at Echinobase, the public database of information related to echinoderm genomics.
Does credit risk persist in the Indian banking industry? Recent evidence
Authors: Goswami Anju
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study aims to capture the “persistence effect” of credit risk in Indian banking industry using the bank-level data spanning over the period of 19 years from 1998/1999 to 2016/17. Alongside, the study explored how the bank-specific, industry-specific, macroeconomic variables alongside regulatory reforms, ownership changes and financial crisis affect the bank's asset quality in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Using two-step system generalized method of moment (GMM) approach, the study derives key factors that affect the bank's asset quality in India.

Findings

The empirical results confirm the time persistence of credit risk among Indian banks during study period. This reflects that bank defaults are expected to increase in the current year, if it had increased past year due to time lag involved in the process of recovery of past dues. Further, higher profitability, better managerial efficiency, more diversified income from nontraditional activities, optimal size of banks, proper credit screening and monitoring and adherence regulatory norms would help in improving the credit quality of Indian banks.

Practical implications

The practical implication drawn from the study is that nonaccumulation of nonperforming loans (NPLs), higher profitability, better managerial efficiency, more diversified income from nontraditional activities, optimal size of banks, proper credit screening and monitoring and adherence regulatory norms would help in improving the credit quality of Indian banks.

Originality/value

This study is probably the first one that identifies in addition to the current year, whether lag of bank industry-macroeconomic affects the level of NPLs of Indian banks. So far, such an analysis has received less attention with respect to Indian banking industry, especially immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis.
Dark side of instant messaging: an empirical investigation from technology and society perspective
Authors: Chatterjee Sheshadri , Chaudhuri Ranjan , Vrontis Demetris
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the dark side of instant messaging from the technological and societal perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

With the help of literature review and different theories, a model has been developed conceptually. Later the model has been validated using statistical method. The authors have used 304 responses from the survey method, and this sample has been used to statistically validate the conceptual model.

Findings

This paper has been able to explicitly investigate and identify how different instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, WeChat in the form of electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) are contributing toward increase of mob lynching cases. The paper also highlights the important to have effective and enforceable regulation to regulate instant messaging services to the citizens.

Research limitations/implications

The findings cannot be generalized as the data is collected from India only. Moreover, the study is cross-sectional in nature. To get the comprehensive results, a longitudinal study needs to be conducted. This study considered seven constructs with one moderator. Having more predictors with other boundary conditions might have increased the explanative power of the model.

Practical implications

Instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, WeChat and so on are disseminating quick unverified information to the common people. This information sometimes is disseminated in inappropriate and exaggerated forms. This makes the instant messaging (WhatsApp) users' sentiment readily heated in some cases. They take such an action as mob lynching. This study determines the predictors of mob lynching along with the moderator impact of instant messaging in the society.

Originality/value

There are only a few studies those have explored the dark side of instant messaging. The proposed theoretical model is a unique model, which shows the predictors of mob lynching along with the negative consequences of the instant messaging (WhatsApp) in the society. From this perspective, this study can be considered as a unique study.
SVEDKA Vodka (A)
Authors: Zuckerman Ivy , Farris Paul W. , Rajkumar Venkatesan
Published: July 2021

Suitable for both MBA- and undergraduate-level courses such as “Integrated Marketing Communications,” this case series traces a product from idea to established, successful brand. In this A case, a spirits industry executive perceives a gap between the under-$10 and the $25-and-up vodkas. Could a midpriced vodka capture some volume from each of those markets? Decisions on pricing, target, distribution, branding, and promotion are considered.
The Global Software Team: Jugaad Needed1
Authors: Behfar Kristin J. , Yemen Gerry
Published: July 2021

The Global Networks Company (GNC), headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, made its global footprint in India in 1994 by establishing a presence in Bangalore. Although mainly a sales support office, GNC grew name recognition from its contracts with India’s government to help build nationwide networks. Not quite 20 years later, GNC decided to further invest in India and tapped a manager from the Boston office, Jim Notrika, to establish and then manage GNC’s first global software center in Mumbai. Split between Mumbai and Boston, the project team successfully completed several minor projects, but only months into its first major project, the team was struggling to meet deadlines. Blame was being passed in both directions, and when three talented engineers in Mumbai quit, Notrika makes an emergency trip to Mumbai to better understand the problem.

This case describes three common cross-cultural communication obstacles in teams: a preference for direct versus indirect confrontation of problems; a clash of collectivist versus individualistic cultural values related to reporting bad news or giving negative feedback; and different expectations of team leaders based on power-distance values.
Transformation of Marketing at the Ohio Art Company (A)
Authors: Moon Dustin , Venkatesan Rajkumar , Farris Paul W.
Published: July 2021

This case is intended to be part of a first-year MBA marketing course or a second-year elective in advertising, integrated marketing communications, market research, or marketing analytics. It provides students with two real advertising experiments and the challenges involved in executing them. It allows for discussion of the need for advertising experiments, and, at a more general level, the need to measure the return on marketing. Biases surrounding the field experiments provide an opportunity for discussion about the problems with establishing a causal relationship between advertising and sales.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on community lifelines
Authors: Abas Naeem , Kalair Esmat , Dilshad Saad , Khan Nasrullah
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The authors present the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on community lifelines. The state machinery has several departments to secure essential lifelines during disasters and epidemics. Many countries have formed national disaster management authorities to deal with manmade and natural disasters. Typical lifelines include food, water, safety and security, continuity of services, medicines and healthcare equipment, gas, oil and electricity supplies, telecommunication services, transportation means and education system. Supply chain systems are often affected by disasters, which should have alternative sources and routes. Doctors, nurses and medics are front-line soldiers against diseases during pandemics.

Design/methodology/approach

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how much we all are connected yet unprepared for natural disasters. Political leaders prioritize infrastructures, education but overlook the health sector. During the recent pandemic, developed countries faced more mortalities, fatalities and casualties than developing countries. This work surveys the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health, energy, environment, industry, education and food supply lines.

Findings

The COVID-19 pandemic caused 7% reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during global lockdowns. In addition, COVID-19 has affected social fabric, behaviors, cultures and official routines. Around 2.84 bn doses have been administrated, with approximately 806 m people (10.3% of the world population) are fully vaccinated around the world to date. Most developed vaccines are being evaluated for new variants like alpha, beta, gamma, epsilons and delta first detected in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, USA and India. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all sectors in society, yet this paper critically reviews the impact of COVID-19 on health and energy lifelines.

Practical implications

This paper critically reviews the health and energy lifelines during pandemic COVID-19 and explains how these essential services were interrupted.

Originality/value

This paper critically reviews the health and energy lifelines during pandemic COVID-19 and explains how these essential services were interrupted.
Between center and periphery: instructional leadership in Israeli rural schools
Authors: Shaked Haim
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Instructional leadership is a major part of the responsibility of principals who achieve promising results in school improvement. This paper aims to explore the inhibiting factors for instituting instructional leadership in elementary schools located in rural areas in Israel.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants of this qualitative study were a diverse sample of 64 rural school principals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis proceeded in a three-stage process that involved condensing, coding and categorizing.

Findings

This study revealed that rural principals refrain from practicing instructional leadership because of two specific inhibiting factors: relationships within the community, which make it difficult for them to implement a school leadership policy that includes monitoring and control and characteristics of parents, who disagree with the instructional leadership's emphasis on learning and achievement.

Originality/value

The findings of this reinforce argument that propose context as an under-used theoretical lens for understanding differences in principals' practices across different contexts.
Representing teacher coaching sessions: understanding coaching that develops teachers' capability to design for learning
Authors: Kickbusch Steven , Kelly Nick
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop representations for teacher coaching sessions that are (1) useful for communicating the session to other coaches or researchers and (2) capture the roles of the coach as convener of dialogue for teacher development as well as facilitator of design for learning.

Design/methodology/approach

Two coaching sessions with preservice science teachers are analysed using two forms of discourse analysis: (1) the T-SEDA coding scheme (Vrikki et al., 2019) to analyse the dialogic interaction; and (2) a novel coding scheme to show the development of the design for learning over time. A synthetic representation is developed that combines and communicates the results of both analyses.

Findings

Results show a novel way of representing coaching sessions with teachers during design for learning. Theoretical claims about the utility of this representation are made with reference to the literature.

Practical implications

The representations and methods for developing them are useful to researchers in analysing coaching sessions. They have application for helping coaches to communicate their practice with one another. They are a step towards understanding the scalability and transferability of coaching programmes for school improvement.

Originality/value

The paper highlights shortcomings of existing representations for teacher coaching sessions and produces a novel representation that has value for researchers.
Tourism industry resilience issues in urban areas during COVID-19
Authors: P.L. Bui , Tzu-Ling Chen (Charline) , Wickens Eugenia
Published: July 2021

Purpose

COVID-19 impacts different groups and subsectors of tourism unevenly, with massive vulnerabilities in tourism operating systems among urban tourism areas. Different types of COVID-19 related crises depend on isolation or returning to “normal” in various urban areas. Boosting domestic tourism activities to spark resilience before international demand returns is essential to stimulating local demand worldwide. This paper aims to build upon a non-exhaustive review of the scientific literature about tourism resilience issues to see the bigger picture of tourism resilience on three levels worldwide.

Design/methodology/approach

This research applies a content analysis technique to collect research data from the latest scientific papers on tourism resilience issues. This study will use searching and filtering on the Scopus web database and based on the VOSviewer algorithm to identify useful insights and determine a framework for tourism resilience issues on three levels.

Findings

The outcome of three aspects of resilience, which mainly relate to the development of tourism industry sectors (transportation, accommodation, food and beverage) and other industries (research and education) connected to urban tourism resilience, could be useful for future researchers to explore less-studied issues and policymakers’ future application.

Research limitations/implications

The research data are mostly from literature reviews of papers that may not interpret all contemporary resilience issues and the research data are based on urban areas alone.

Originality/value

The research idea is fresh and adds new knowledge to professionals’ or policymakers’ future applications.
Webrooming or showrooming, that is the question: explaining omnichannel behavioural intention through the technology acceptance model and exploratory behaviour
Authors: Herrero-Crespo Angel , Viejo-Fernández Nuria , Collado-Agudo Jesús , Sanzo Pérez María José
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper evaluates how the intention to develop webrooming or showrooming behaviour is affected by both the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease-of-use, as well as by the consumer's personal predisposition to exploratory information seeking and acquisition.

Design/methodology/approach

The fashion retailing environment is more omni-channel than ever before. The two predominant omni-channel behaviours are webrooming and showrooming. Taking as its basis the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the concept of exploratory consumer behaviour.

Findings

The results obtained from a sample of 847 apparel shoppers (462 webroomers and 385 showroomers) show that the higher perception of the usefulness and ease-of-use of omni-channel buying processes, the higher the intention to develop both webrooming and showrooming behaviours. Additionally, the perceived ease-of-use exerts an additional indirect effect on the intention of developing these omni-channel behaviours through perceived usefulness. Finally, exploratory information seeking and acquisition have a relevant influence on webrooming intentions, but not on showrooming.

Originality/value

The authors’ research contributes to the literature on consumer behaviour in the fashion sector by testing a model to explain the intentions of individuals to adopt webrooming and showrooming, incorporating different psychographic variables linked to the use of ICT and the development of an exploratory consumer behaviour.
Untangling service design routines for digital servitization: empirical insights of smart PSS in maritime industry
Authors: Solem Birgit Andrine Apenes , Kohtamäki Marko , Parida Vinit , Brekke Thomas
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The present study sets out to understand how a manufacturing company in the maritime industry utilized creative design principles and developed service design routines to advance digital servitization (i.e. the transition to offering smart product-service-software systems–PSS) and realize subsequent positive growth outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

We build upon a longitudinal single case of a marine solution provider. Using an action research approach, we collected data through in-depth interviews and informal conversations involving senior managers, project members and customer representatives over a three and a half-year period. In addition, secondary data such as documentary data, service design tools and visualization were utilized.

Findings

The inductive analysis highlights the underlining role of four service-design routines that drive creativity and an innovative approach to digital servitization transformation. More specifically, we identify (a) user insights through creative customer data acquisition, (b) smart PSS collaboration through co-creation across departments, (c) smart PSS ideation through creative forms of collaboration and (d) effective smart PSS delivery and commercialization through creative concept design as the drivers of the case company digital servitization transformation.

Practical implications

We encourage senior managers within large manufacturing companies to promote the development of service design routines as these promote the transformation process from being a product-centric to service-centric firm. The four service design routines are built on a set of service design sub-activities providing concrete actions that can be applied by senior managers to successfully develop and deliver smart PSS offerings and achieve growth outcomes.

Originality/value

This study contributes by integrating digital servitization and service design literatures. We illustrate how manufacturing firms can drive a transition to digital servitization through service design activities and routines development for smart PSS strategy implementation.
Thromboxane‐prostanoid receptor activation blocks ATP‐sensitive potassium channels in rat aortas
Authors: Santos Jeimison D. , Paulo Michele , Vercesi Juliana A. , Bendhack Lusiane M.
Published: July 2021

K+ channel activation is one of the major mechanisms involved in vasodilation. Vasoconstrictor agonists such as angiotensin II promote ATP‐dependent potassium channels (KATP) dysfunction. This study evaluates whether thromboxane‐prostanoid (TP receptor) activation by the agonist U46619 increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in rat aortas, which could contribute to KATP channel dysfunction and impaired NO‐dependent vasodilation. TP receptor activation with the selective agonist U46619 increased ROS in endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), but the TP receptor antagonist SQ29548 abolished this effect. ECs and VSMCs incubation with ROS scavengers like Tiron or PEG‐Catalase impaired U46619‐induced ROS production. U46619 at the concentrations of 0.1 and 1 µmol/L induced contractions with similar amplitude. KATP channel activation with pinacidil‐induced relaxation was lower for the contractions induced with 0.1 or 1 µmol/L U46619 than with 10 nmol/L U46619. Acetylcholine‐induced relaxation provided similar results. In aortas pre‐contracted with 10 nmol/L U46619, neither Tiron (100 µmol/L) nor catalase (300 U/mL) affected pinacidil‐induced relaxation. However, in aortas pre‐contracted with 0.1 µmol/L U46619, catalase potentiated pinacidil‐induced relaxation. Pinacidil potentiated acetylcholine‐induced relaxation in aortas pre‐contracted with 0.1 and 1 µmol/L U46619. Incubation with 10 nmol/L U46619 increased NO concentration in ECs. Taken together, these results show that high concentrations of the TP receptor agonist U46619 impair KATP channels, which is probably due to ROS production. It is likely that hydrogen peroxide is the ROS.
Global co‐occurrence of methanogenic archaea and methanotrophic bacteria in Microcystis aggregates
Authors: Li Chuang , Hambright K. David , Bowen Hannah G. , Trammell Majoi A. , Grossart Hans‐Peter , Burford Michele A. , Hamilton David P. , Jiang Helong , Latour Delphine , Meyer Elisabeth I. , Padisák Judit , Zamor Richard M. , Krumholz Lee R.
Published: July 2021

Global warming and eutrophication contribute to the worldwide increase in cyanobacterial blooms, and the level of cyanobacterial biomass is strongly associated with rises in methane emissions from surface lake waters. Hence, methane‐metabolizing microorganisms may be important for modulating carbon flow in cyanobacterial blooms. Here, we surveyed methanogenic and methanotrophic communities associated with floating Microcystis aggregates in 10 lakes spanning four continents, through sequencing of 16S rRNA and functional marker genes. Methanogenic archaea (mainly Methanoregula and Methanosaeta) were detectable in 5 of the 10 lakes and constituted the majority (~50%–90%) of the archaeal community in these lakes. Three of the 10 lakes contained relatively more abundant methanotrophs than the other seven lakes, with the methanotrophic genera Methyloparacoccus, Crenothrix, and an uncultured species related to Methylobacter dominating and nearly exclusively found in each of those three lakes. These three are among the five lakes in which methanogens were observed. Operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness and abundance of methanotrophs were strongly positively correlated with those of methanogens, suggesting that their activities may be coupled. These Microcystis‐aggregate‐associated methanotrophs may be responsible for a hitherto overlooked sink for methane in surface freshwaters, and their co‐occurrence with methanogens sheds light on the methane cycle in cyanobacterial aggregates.
Cross‐cultural validation of the Turkish version of SCORE‐15
Authors: Işık Erkan , Günsel Damla Ayşegül , Stratton Peter
Published: July 2021

The purpose of the current study was to examine the validity and reliability of the fifteen‐item Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation (SCORE‐15) Turkish version. The suggested three‐factor structure was confirmed with a total sample of 327 participants including both community and clinical samples. The results of factorial invariance tests demonstrated that the structure of the scale was consistent across both gender and community/clinical groups. Furthermore, discriminant validity was supported by negative correlations with marital satisfaction, life satisfaction and general family functioning as lower scores in SCORE‐15 reflect better adjustment. Furthermore, results showed that SCORE‐15 has good internal consistency reliability and significantly differentiates between community and clinical samples. Overall, these findings indicate that the Turkish version of SCORE‐15 is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used for assessing family functioning in routine clinical practice and family therapy research.

Practitioner points

SCORE‐15 is a brief and effective instrument for assessing overall family functioning with specific dimensions of family strengths, communication and difficulties

The Turkish version of SCORE‐15 exhibited similar factorial properties across gender and community/clinical groups

The Turkish version of SCORE‐15 can be used in both clinical and community contexts for research and intervention
The development of the Reflecting Team Utterances Framework: Process, reflections and applications
Authors: Constable Chloe , Delaney Claire , Clutterham Adam , Markiewicz Abi
Published: July 2021

The Reflecting Team (RT) has been a common companion of systemic practitioners since Tom Andersen first described its use (Andersen, 1987). Despite the widespread acceptance of such ideas in modern Systemic Practice, there is limited research into the RT method. We hoped to contribute to the broader research aim of exploring how and why reflecting team conversations lead to change by addressing the following question: is it possible to reliably categorise the utterances of the RT to form a framework? We used a content analysis to analyse and categorise over three hours of reflecting team conversations from four different clinical teams. This resulted in the identification of eleven discrete categories including: ‘they asked a question to you as a family’, ‘they highlighted something positive and they commented on their own emotions’. We go on to discuss potential applications of this Reflecting Team Utterances Framework and our reflections on the process.

Practitioner points

The Reflecting Team Utterances (RTU) framework enables clinicians to facilitate discussion with trainees about the nature of a reflecting team and the categories of reflection and their potential for impact.

The framework may be a useful tool within teams as a way of reflecting on the utterances chosen by teams and to facilitate discussion around this. Questions such as “what are we most often saying and why” could add to supervisory discussions extending therapists’ repertories in reflecting and ensuring reflexivity regarding intentionality.

There is a potential to use the framework also with families, asking questions prior to reflecting teams such as ‘What feels most useful to you at this time; connections with our own experiences or suggestions about what you could experiment with?’
Pulmonary function, muscle strength, and quality of life have differed between chronic kidney disease patients and healthy individuals
Authors: de Souza Rezende Patrícia , Porcher Andrade Francini , Ferraro dos Santos Borba Carolina , Eidt Rovedder Paula Maria
Published: July 2021

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have lower pulmonary function, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength values when compared to the general population, which reflects negatively in the quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to compare the pulmonary function, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, and QoL between CKD patients and healthy individuals. Cross‐sectional study with a consecutive sample of 39 individuals separated into three groups: nondialysis‐dependent CKD in stage 5 (CKD‐5), HD group (CKD‐HD), and healthy individuals. The tests performed were spirometry, manovacuometry, handgrip strength (HGS), and Medical Outcomes Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐36). A significant difference between groups was observed in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and its predicted value (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively), forced vital capacity (FVC), and its predicted value (p = 0.008 and p < 0.001, respectively), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and its predicted value (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and its predicted value (p = 0.022), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) and its predicted value (p = 0.030 and p = 0.009, respectively) in which CKD‐5 presented the worst values, followed by CKD‐HD and healthy group. The CKD‐5 had worse pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and QoL. Moreover, CKD‐HD also showed some impairment in pulmonary function and QoL when compared with healthy individuals. Even with the peripheral muscle strength preserved, its decrease is proportional to the pulmonary impairment in the evaluated CKD patients.
The future of our suburbs: Analyses of heatwave vulnerability in a planned estate
Authors: Haynes Victoria , Calgaro Emma , Dominey‐Howes Dale
Published: July 2021

Planned estates may be a solution to housing demand and affordability in high growth regions. As a result, planned estate research has tended to focus on privatisation, social engineering of communities by developers, and social polarisation. Heatwave research has focused on measuring and mitigating the impact of such events on disadvantaged communities. However, these two research streams have not been combined to examine how planned estate residents may be vulnerable to heatwaves. We address that gap by considering past, current, and future heatwave impacts; identifying underlying processes governing the vulnerability of planned estates to heatwaves; and reflecting on the implications for the sustainability of planned estates in relation to future heatwave risk. We adopt a mixed‐methods approach using the case of the Jordan Springs estate in Western Sydney, Australia, and that work is underpinned by systems approaches embedded in sustainability science. We find that Jordan Springs is physically vulnerable to heatwaves due to characteristics in its built environment. Human vulnerability is complex: rooted in multiscalar socio‐economic and systemic processes both internal and external to the estate. We suggest resilience be increased to improve estate liveability and sustainability by retrofitting the built environment, improving urban greening, broadening consumer awareness, and modifying development processes.
The intrinsic chaperone network of Arabidopsis stem cells confers protection against proteotoxic stress
Authors: Llamas Ernesto , Torres‐Montilla Salvador , Lee Hyun Ju , Barja María Victoria , Schlimgen Elena , Dunken Nick , Wagle Prerana , Werr Wolfgang , Zuccaro Alga , Rodríguez‐Concepción Manuel , Vilchez David
Published: July 2021

The biological purpose of plant stem cells is to maintain themselves while providing new pools of differentiated cells that form organs and rejuvenate or replace damaged tissues. Protein homeostasis or proteostasis is required for cell function and viability. However, the link between proteostasis and plant stem cell identity remains unknown. In contrast to their differentiated counterparts, we find that root stem cells can prevent the accumulation of aggregated proteins even under proteotoxic stress conditions such as heat stress or proteasome inhibition. Notably, root stem cells exhibit enhanced expression of distinct chaperones that maintain proteome integrity. Particularly, intrinsic high levels of the T‐complex protein‐1 ring complex/chaperonin containing TCP1 (TRiC/CCT) complex determine stem cell maintenance and their remarkable ability to suppress protein aggregation. Overexpression of CCT8, a key activator of TRiC/CCT assembly, is sufficient to ameliorate protein aggregation in differentiated cells and confer resistance to proteotoxic stress in plants. Taken together, our results indicate that enhanced proteostasis mechanisms in stem cells could be an important requirement for plants to persist under extreme environmental conditions and reach extreme long ages. Thus, proteostasis of stem cells can provide insights to design and breed plants tolerant to environmental challenges caused by the climate change.
Is mandatory prospective trial registration working? An update on the adherence to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors guidelines across five psychiatry journals: 2015–2020
Authors: Turner Eryn H. , Mulder Roger T. , Rucklidge Julia J.
Published: July 2021

Objective

Previous research indicated that the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors guidelines of prospective trial registration with clearly identified primary and secondary outcome measures are only adhered to in 14.4% of studies published in the top five psychiatry journals between 1 January 2009 and 31 July 2013. This study examined if adherence has improved.

Methods

The registration information, article information, primary outcome measures (POMs), participant numbers and funding source were extracted from studies published in the same five psychiatry journals between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019. Discrepancies between POMs in the articles and registry were tracked.

Results

Of the 7268 publications, 268 studies required registration. Three (1.1%) were unregistered, 107 (39.9%) were retrospectively registered, and 158 (58.9%) were prospectively registered. Of the 158 prospectively registered studies, 16 (10.1%) had unclear POMs in the article or registration, 22 (13.9%) had discrepancies between registered and published POMs, and 33 (20.9%) had no POM discrepancies but had retrospectively updated POMs in the registry. Of the 22 studies with discrepancies, nine (40.9%) were determined to favour statistically significant results. Overall, 87 (32.5%) of the 268 studies were prospectively registered with no discrepancies between registered and published POMs and no changes to registered POMs or timeframes.

Conclusion

Although this rate of one third of published articles fully adhering to the guidelines is an improvement compared to previous research, further efforts still need to be made by both authors and journals to ensure full transparency in the reporting of studies in psychiatry.
Intrahousehold distribution of sales revenue and household nutritional outcomes: What if the wives controlled the farm revenue?
Authors: Nikiema Relwendé A. , Sakurai Takeshi
Published: July 2021

In most developing countries, crop sales represent a means of improving the nutritional status of rural households. However, the expected effect of farm income may or may not be achieved, depending on who controls it. In this study, we use panel data on rural households in Burkina Faso to analyze the effect of the wives’ share of farm revenue on nutritional outcomes. The estimates show that raising wives’ share of farm revenue increases household food demand and nutrition quality. Moreover, the effect of the wives’ share of farm revenue on household nutrition is greater than the effect of the overall income per capita, which indicates that the intrahousehold distribution of farm income affects household nutritional status. We also show that increase in food expenditure and, more specifically, reallocation of the budget toward highly nutritious foods could represent a channel through which the control of farm revenue by women improves the household dietary quality. These findings imply that facilitating women's access to productive resources, such as land and labor‐saving technologies, could be the fastest way to improve household food and nutritional security.
Interstate protectionism: the case of solar renewable energy credits
Authors: Cohen Jed J. , Elbakidze Levan , Jackson Randall
Published: July 2021

Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) are financial instruments created by state policies to offer incentives for generating solar energy. In an effort to support in‐state solar energy sectors and boost local employment opportunities, some states have closed off their SREC markets to out‐of‐state solar facilities. We examine the merits of such protectionist policy from the protectionist state's perspective. We find that SREC market closure leads to higher in‐state SREC prices and greater solar installation, and is associated with lower electricity prices. The study illustrates the economic incentives for protecting in‐state SREC markets from out‐of‐state solar energy producers.