bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of MEGF10 in myoblast fusion and hypertrophic response to overload of skeletal muscle
Authors: Richardson Louise , Hughes Ruth , Johnson Colin A , Egginton Stuart , Peckham Michelle
Published: October 2024

Biallelic mutations in multiple EGF domain protein 10 (MEGF10) gene cause EMARDD (early myopathy, areflexia, respiratory distress and dysphagia) in humans, a severe recessive myopathy, associated with reduced numbers of PAX7 positive satellite cells. To better understand the role of MEGF10 in satellite cells, we overexpressed human MEGF10 in mouseH-2kb-tsA58 myoblasts and found that it inhibited fusion. Addition of purified extracellular domains of human MEGF10, with (ECD) or without (EGF) the N-terminal EMI domain toH-2kb-tsA58 myoblasts, showed that the ECD was more effective at reducing myoblast adhesion and fusion by day 7 of differentiation, yet promoted adhesion of myoblasts to non-adhesive surfaces, highlighting the importance of the EMI domain in these behaviours. We additionally tested the role of Megf10in vivousing transgenic mice with reduced (Megf10+/-) or no (Megf10-/-) Megf10. We found that the extensor digitorum longus muscle had fewer Pax7 positive satellite cell nuclei and was less able to undergo hypertrophy in response to muscle overload concomitant with a lower level of satellite cell activation. Taken together, our data suggest that MEGF10 may promote satellite cell adhesion and survival and prevent premature fusion helping to explain its role in EMARDD.
Neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies that target the PcrV component of the Type III Secretion System ofPseudomonas aeruginosaact through distinct mechanisms
Authors: Desveaux Jean-Mathieu , Faudry Eric , Contreras-Martel Carlos , Cretin François , Dergan-Dylon Leonardo Sebastian , Amen Axelle , Bally Isabelle , Tardivy-Casemajor Victor , Chenavier Fabien , Fouquenet Delphine , Caspar Yvan , Attrée Ina , Dessen Andréa , Poignard Pascal
Published: October 2024

Pseudomonas aeruginosais a major human opportunistic pathogen associated with a high incidence of multi-drug resistance. The antibody-based blockade ofP. aeruginosavirulence factors represents a promising alternative strategy to mitigate its infectivity. In this study, we employed single B cell sorting to isolate, from cystic fibrosis patients, human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting proteins from theP. aeruginosaType 3 Secretion System (T3SS) and characterized a panel of mAbs directed at PscF and PcrV. Among those, two mAbs, P5B3 and P3D6, that bind to the injectisome tip protein PcrV, exhibited T3SS blocking activity. We solved the crystal structure of the P3D6 Fab-PcrV complex, which revealed that the Ab binds to the C-terminal region of PcrV. Further, we compared the T3SS-blocking activity of three PcrV-targeting mAbs, including two from previous independent studies, using two distinct assays to evaluate pore formation and toxin injection. We conducted a mechanistic and structural analysis of their modes of action through modeling based on the known structure of a functional homolog, SipD fromSalmonella typhimurium. The analysis suggests that anti-PcrV mAbs may act through different mechanisms, ranging from preventing PcrV oligomerization to disrupting PcrV’s scaffolding function, thereby inhibiting the assembly and function of the translocon pore. Our findings provide additional evidence that T3SS-targeting Abs, some capable of inhibiting virulence, are elicited inP. aeruginosa-infected patients. The results offer deeper insights into PcrV recognition by mAbs and their associated mechanisms of action, helping to identify which Abs are more likely to be therapeutically useful based on their mode of action and potency. This paves the way for developing effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics in the fight against this resilient pathogen.
In-SituStructure and Topography of AMPA Receptor Scaffolding Complexes Visualized by CryoET
Authors: Held Richard G. , Liang Jiahao , Esquivies Luis , Khan Yousuf A. , Wang Chuchu , Azubel Maia , Brunger Axel T.
Published: October 2024

Most synapses in the brain transmit information by the presynaptic release of vesicular glutamate, driving postsynaptic depolarization through AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs). The nanometer-scale topography of synaptic AMPARs regulates response amplitude by controlling the number of receptors activated by synaptic vesicle fusion. The mechanisms controlling AMPAR topography and their interactions with postsynaptic scaffolding proteins are unclear, as is the spatial relationship between AMPARs and synaptic vesicles. Here, we used cryo-electron tomography to map the molecular topography of AMPARs and visualize theirin-situstructure. Clustered AMPARs form structured complexes with postsynaptic scaffolding proteins resolved by sub-tomogram averaging. Sub-synaptic topography mapping reveals the presence of AMPAR nanoclusters with exclusion zones beneath synaptic vesicles. Our molecular-resolution maps visualize the predominant information transfer path in the nervous system.
Operational excellence in online food delivery service: the role of food biosafety measures
Authors: Chinelato Flavia Braga , Hoyos Vallejo Carlos Arturo
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study explores how food biosafety measures (FBM), electronic service quality and product quality influence consumer satisfaction and loyalty in the online food delivery service (OFDS) sector. It also integrates the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to form a robust framework for assessing consumer behaviours and providing insights for this sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 877 Colombian urban consumers were collected. The proposed theoretical model was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) in the SEMinR package of the R program (an open-source programming language).

Findings

The results reveal that food biosafety measures and product quality are the most essential factors for OFDS consumers. Besides, food biosafety measures strongly affect product and e-service quality, which in turn significantly and directly impact consumer satisfaction and loyalty. This means that it is necessary to consider both visible actions strongly related to product quality and invisible actions that highlight the role of e-service quality in ensuring operational excellence.

Practical implications

To maintain customer satisfaction and loyalty, OFDS managers should consider first working with restaurants that practice high food biosafety measures so that the order leaves the restaurant in good condition. However, OFDS should maintain these measures to ensure operational excellence from the order on the platform until delivery to the end consumer.

Originality/value

This innovative study demonstrates how FBMs directly affect perceptions of service, product quality, satisfaction and loyalty. This goes beyond traditional findings suggesting that food biosafety measures' influence is only indirect and mediated by satisfaction.
Teacher noticing within the context of lesson study: a systematic review and prospective trends
Authors: Yun Hange , Zhang Qiaoping , Cao Wei , Zhang Xiaolei
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Teacher noticing is a critical aspect of teaching competence that has garnered significant scholarly attention. This systematic review aims to comprehensively analyze the integration of teacher noticing into lesson study, exploring how different stages of lesson study influence the development of teacher noticing.

Design/methodology/approach

This article systematically reviews 15 empirical studies on teacher noticing within the context of lesson study, focusing on research design, subjects, methods, theoretical frameworks and the specific impact of different stages of lesson study on teacher noticing.

Findings

The review reveals a geographical concentration of studies in Western countries, particularly in the United States, with a relative scarcity of research in East Asian contexts. Most studies focus on pre-service teachers, employ qualitative methods and are grounded in Van Es’s (2011) Learning to Notice framework. The findings indicate that different stages of lesson study significantly influence teacher noticing, particularly in the planning, teaching and reflection stages, where shifts in focus and depth of noticing are evident.

Research limitations/implications

This paper explores how various lesson study stages impact teacher noticing development. It offers future research directions and calls for more cross-cultural studies. Certain activities within classroom research may restrict attention development, particularly when these activities fail to encourage in-depth cognitive analysis across all stages sufficiently. Future research should explore how to avoid these limitations in the classroom research process and design more effective strategies to support deep observation and analysis by teachers at each stage. In the reflection stage of classroom research, certain factors may restrict the focus on student thinking.

Practical implications

By synthesizing the existing research into a comprehensive narrative, we provide an essential foundation for future studies on teacher noticing within lesson study contexts. This work not only charts the historical development of the field but also encourages more profound and actionable research engagement with the nuanced processes of teacher observation and reflection during lesson studies.

Originality/value

This paper explores how various lesson study stages impact teacher noticing development. It offers future research directions and calls for more cross-cultural studies and a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to fully understand the effects of lesson studies on teacher noticing.
Voice coding experiences for developers with physical impairments
Authors: Creed Chris , Sarcar Sayan
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This research explores the current working practices of voice coders with physical impairments and investigates their perceptions of a research prototype utilising a fixed grammar speech coding approach.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were initially conducted with seven voice coders with physical impairments to understand their development practices, followed by an exploratory user study with five disabled voice coders to obtain their feedback on a fixed grammar voice coding system.

Findings

Interviews provided new insights around the tools voice coders utilise, the need for multimodal coding approaches, as well as experiences in working within mixed ability development teams. Findings from the user evaluation elicited views around the need for distinct monosyllable voice commands, as well as other requirements to support efficient voice coding (e.g. command chaining, intuitive navigation, and custom command definition).

Research limitations/implications

The research was conducted with experienced voice coders which may have influenced perceptions of the voice coding prototype. The system was also evaluated over a single evaluation session, whereas longitudinal research with novice voice coders could also present additional insights.

Practical implications

Further research is required into customisable multimodal voice coding approaches for developers with physical impairments who may have varying levels of experience in coding via alternative methods.

Originality/value

The findings present new insights around the working practices and unique requirements of voice coders with physical impairments and highlights important new avenues for future research.
Governmental implementation of information and communication technology at the local level: Digital co‐production during a crisis
Authors: Uster Anna
Published: October 2024

The rapid expansion of volunteerism, especially during COVID‐19, requires efficient organisation of citizen volunteers, thus leading professionals to utilise information and communication technology (ICT) as an enabling tool for interaction and coordination. This study focuses on professionals’ perspectives at the local level regarding governmental steps towards digitalisation and its application in volunteer co‐production. The policy implementation approach was used through in‐depth interviews with 19 local coordinators in Israel during the COVID‐19 crisis. This study found that, while central government invested efforts in training, guidance, and ICT support for professionals, the implementation of digital technologies was not successful at the local level. This highlights the need for digital platforms for volunteer coordination to be be tailored to specific cultural characteristics and local contexts. Neglected but important factors in ICT implementation were identified, including intra‐organisational dynamics, the local community, and authority. By addressing these contextual factors and adopting a more inclusive and context‐sensitive approach, digital platforms can better support local volunteer coordination efforts.

Points for practitioners

Adopt a holistic approach to digitalisation: Senior‐level administrators in central government should adopt a holistic approach to digitalisation, one that accounts for local contexts—cultural characteristics and collaborative governance structures. This approach should involve coordinators in the development process, together with other stakeholders involved in co‐production.

Focus on user‐centric platform design and implementation: To ensure usability and acceptance among coordinators, practitioners should prioritise a user‐centric approach to platform design and implementation. This entails constructing intuitive, user‐friendly platforms, meeting the needs of the coordinators involved in the digitalisation process.

Address organisational characteristics and overcome barriers: Practitioners should recognise municipal organisational characteristics, thus obviating potential barriers to digital technology implementation. This includes such factors as status and professional position within the municipality, securing bureaucratic commitment, and overcoming governmental bureaucracy or a lack of leadership.
Government‐level public leadership development in the United States
Authors: Dandalt Ed
Published: October 2024

This paper examines 201 leadership development programmes run by government agencies in the United States. It focuses on in‐service training provided to civil servants at the federal and state levels. The aim of this paper involves identifying and discussing the main curriculum themes that underpin those training programmes. Based on the analysis and interpretation of these programmes, it proposes directions for future public administration research.

Points for practitioners

Five curriculum themes—mentoring, leading change, emotional intelligence, diversity and equity, and crisis leadership—underpin the leadership training programmes of government agencies.

These public organisations should be viewed and conceptualised not only as bureaucracies but also as communities of learning.

It is crucial to measure these training programmes’ organisational outcomes and effectiveness.
Designated market makers and agricultural futures market quality: Evidence from China's Dalian commodity exchange
Authors: Li Miao , Xiong Tao , Li Ziran , Zhang Wendong
Published: October 2024

Many financial markets use designated market makers (DMMs), but the impacts of DMMs on agricultural futures markets – and in particular, how to arrange DMMs among contracts expiring in different months – are largely neglected. In 2017, Chinese exchanges started recruiting DMMs for inactive contracts when they become nearby contracts to address the discontinuous trading activity of nearest‐to‐maturity contracts, which enables us to study the benefit and cost of recruiting DMMs for inactive contracts using a quasi‐experimental framework. Leveraging tick‐by‐tick data on corn and soybean meal futures, we find that DMMs improve the market quality of inactive contracts without disrupting the market quality of dominant contracts. Heterogeneity analysis in policy settings suggests that more DMMs are conducive to improving market quality for corn and soybean meal futures. We demonstrate that DMM policy is a feasible measure to facilitate continuous activeness in Chinese agricultural futures markets. Our results are important for exchanges and regulators seeking to better design and implement designated market‐making programs in agricultural futures markets.
Fear of appearance discrimination and its influence on well‐being across cultures
Authors: Ai Liya , Cui Qiuhao , Tanimoto Chikako , Ishii Keiko
Published: October 2024

Lookism encompasses discrimination based on a person's physical appearance. In a society where lookism is prevalent, the question arises concerning the impact of the fear of lookism on one's well‐being. To address this issue, we assessed the fear of anticipated appearance discrimination by constructing a new Fear of Lookism Scale (FLS). By testing 400 Japanese participants, we developed a three‐factor seven‐item scale and confirmed its convergent validity by establishing significantly positive correlations among its subscales (exclusion/devaluation, romantic rejection and insult) and related measures (physical appearance perfectionism and social appearance anxiety) in Study 1. In Study 2a, we gathered data from 312 Japanese participants to assess the scale's test–retest reliability. In Study 2b, combining data from 401 American participants with data from Study 2a, we verified FLS measurement invariance in the United States and Japan. Japanese participants scored higher on the FLS than Americans, particularly for exclusion/devaluation and insult. Across cultures, romantic rejection and insult were positively associated with physical appearance perfectionism, which, in turn, decreased subjective happiness through impacting self‐esteem (or increased loneliness) and increased subjective happiness through impacting self‐esteem (or decreased loneliness) respectively.
Developing Theory of Mind in social domains: A cross‐sequential study of Chinese rural preschoolers
Authors: Zheng Yuanxia , Xin Cong , Tian Liuqing , Shen Yue , Liu Guoxiong
Published: October 2024

Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to understand others' thoughts and emotions, is crucial for social interaction. However, few longitudinal studies have explored ToM development within different social domains, particularly among rural populations. To address this gap, we conducted a study with 113 preschoolers aged 3–5 years from rural China. We assessed ToM development in different social domains using false belief tasks at three different time points with semester intervals, and we evaluated their performance on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and inhibitory control (IC). Results showed that ToM development trajectories differ across domains, with moral and social‐conventional domains developing earlier than the personal domain. Additionally, while general cognitive skills such as language and IC are associated with ToM development across these domains, they do not significantly predict it. This study enhances our understanding of ToM development by emphasizing the importance of including rural samples in developmental research.
Does Omega‐3 supplementation increase profuse postpartum hemorrhage? A hospital‐based register study
Authors: Lichtenstein Julia , Sterpu Irene , Lindqvist Pelle G.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Although Omega‐3 is thought to have anticoagulative properties, the potential untoward effects of Omega‐3 during pregnancy have not been investigated. No previous studies have been made to specifically assess its effect on postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Our aim was to determine if an association exists between Omega‐3 intake during pregnancy and profuse PPH or massive PPH.

Material and Methods

Data on all deliveries that occurred at Karolinska University Hospital during the years 2007–2011 (n = 41 139) was collected from the medical record of Obstetrix, maternal health and delivery chart system. Women with reported Omega‐3 use in early pregnancy were considered exposed and all other as unexposed. Bivariate and adjusted multivariate analysis was performed on main outcomes.

Results

Omega‐3 use was associated with 25% increased odds of PPH (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] (1.06–1.47)) and a more than doubled odds of massive PPH (aOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.26–4.44). In addition, there was a minor increase in the amount of blood loss. Although few, women on low‐dose discontinued terminated at 36th week showed no significant association to blood loss measurements.

Conclusions

Our observational findings showed 25% higher odds of PPH and two times higher odds of massive PPH in women who reported using Omega‐3 in early pregnancy. Our findings give some support to advocate discontinued use of Omega‐3 in late pregnancy.
The Visibility of Climate‐Related Disclosures by Large Australian Companies
Authors: Yang Peijing , Fiedler Tanya , Free Clinton
Published: October 2024

Mobilising the work of Brighenti (2007), we assess the visibility of climate‐related disclosures across different reporting venues and sectors for the 2022 reporting period. We do so by analysing the content of the corporate reports of 28 ASX50 companies. This is supplemented by articles published in the Australian media and on prominent activist investor websites. We find that physical climate risks are often under‐reported or superficially addressed in company reports, whereas transition opportunities related to a low‐carbon economy are more frequently disclosed. This discrepancy suggests a pattern of selective disclosure emphasising more favourable outcomes and potentially obscuring the full spectrum of climate‐related risks and opportunities. In contrast, transition risks are supra‐visible because of the attention from media and activist investors—particularly in the energy and materials sectors. Our results reflect concerns raised by regulators with regard to greenhushing (the withholding of information) of physical and transition risks and greenwashing (exaggerated claims) of transition opportunities. We also find inconsistencies in reporting practice, with implications for comparability and the faithful representation of climate‐related information.
Picture Content in Annual Reports Matters: Framing as a Strategy for Impressing Potential Investors
Authors: Neuland Jana , Fox Alexander , Grüning Michael
Published: October 2024

This study examines the association between a firm's economic situation and the use of pictorial content in its annual reports. In other words, we shed light on whether firms in a specific economic situation intentionally choose particular picture content for the illustrations in their annual reports. We argue that the content of pictures can be used as an additional disclosure instrument to highlight signals beyond objective financial data, that is, an attempt to moderate readers’ decision‐making processes. Corporate disclosure can be designed at multiple levels of corporate communication to influence addressees’ perceptions. We analyse 4770 annual reports from FTSE‐350 firms between 2000 and 2021 using Google Vision API's artificial intelligence to examine if this special form of corporate disclosure is affected by corporate economic performance. Our findings suggest that decisions about pictorial elements in annual reports are associated with firms’ economic situation. Our paper contributes to the integration of communication theory, behavioural finance and voluntary disclosure theory to comprehend the use of pictorial information in annual reports. This study broadens the rare evidence regarding information design choices in annual reports with a particular focus on picture usage. By acknowledging the interdependence between framing and voluntary disclosure, researchers and practitioners can refine communication strategies and interventions to promote honest and successful financial disclosure whilst also considering the various communication theory factors involved.
The activated caveolin‐3/μ‐opioid receptor complex drives morphine‐induced rescue therapy in failing hearts
Authors: Guo Chengxiao , Pan Xinxin , Dou Mengyun , Wu Juan , Chen Xinyu , Wang Baoli , Zhu Rui , Xu Shijin , Peng Wenyi , Wu Chao , He Shufang , Zhang Sihe , Zhang Ye , Jin Shiyun
Published: October 2024

Background and Purpose

Opioid analgesics can alleviate ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in chronic heart failure. However, the underlying mechanisms and targets remain unknown. Here, we investigate if caveolin‐3 (Cav3) interacts with μ opioid receptors and if Cav3–μ receptor interactions play a role in morphine‐induced cardioprotection in failing hearts.

Experimental Approach

Cav3 and μ receptor proteins in human and rat heart tissue were determined by western blot, immunofluorescence and co‐immunoprecipitation. Methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (MβCD), a destroyer of caveolae, and AAV‐Cav3 shRNA were used to reduce Cav3 expression in failing rat hearts. CTOP, a specific μ antagonist, was administrated before morphine preconditioning in perfused failing heart models of myocardial I/R injury.

Key Results

Levels of Cav3 and μ receptor proteins were significantly higher in human and rat myocardial tissues with heart failure than in control tissues. Cav3 and μ receptor expression levels were positively correlated with disease severity. The signal of the cardiac Cav3 protein was colocalized with μ receptor in both the human and rat heart sections. Disruption of caveolae in the failing heart by either MβCD or AAV‐Cav3 shRNA significantly inhibits morphine‐induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and cardioprotection. Administration of CTOP substantially reduced Cav3 expression and morphine‐induced cardioprotective effect in heart failure.

Conclusion and Implications

Our data suggest that up‐regulation of the Cav3/μ receptor complex is critical for morphine protection of the failing heart against I/R injury by regulating the ERK1/2 pathway. The activated Cav3/μ receptor complex is an understudied therapeutic target for opioid treatment of heart failure and ischaemic insult.
Evaluating Real‐World Experience With Maribavir for Treatment of Refractory/Resistant Cytomegalovirus in Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Beechar Vivek B. , Phadke Varun K. , Pouch Stephanie M. , Mehta Aneesh K. , Karadkhele Geeta , Larsen Christian P. , Woodworth Michael H.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Maribavir was recently approved by the FDA, expanding treatment options for post–solid‐organ transplant refractory/resistant CMV. We sought to describe the post–marketing experience with maribavir at a large academic transplant center.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of all renal transplant recipients treated with maribavir for refractory/resistant CMV DNAemia/disease. CMV viral loads, immunosuppression regimens and management, resistance testing, and antiviral therapy durations were reviewed. Outcomes of interest included treatment success, defined as undetectable CMV DNAemia for two consecutive weeks or detected but unquantifiable DNAemia for five consecutive weeks, as well as the emergence of antiviral resistance, and recurrent DNAemia.

Results

From 2021 to 2023, 5/10 (50%) patients achieved durable virologic suppression with maribavir (classified as responders). Among responders, 2/5 (40%) experienced low‐level CMV DNAemia recurrence (defined as a viral load less than 1000 IU/mL) within 8 weeks of antiviral discontinuation. Among nonresponders, 2/3 (66.7%) were found to have UL97 protein mutations associated with maribavir resistance identified 85 and 75 days after initiation of maribavir. Two patients are currently on maribavir with clinical outcomes that are yet to be determined. Responders had a mean reduction of 200 mg (SD—274 mg) in mycophenolate dosing with nonresponders having a mean increase of 167 mg (SD—764 mg).

Conclusions

Maribavir, often in conjunction with mycophenolate dose reduction, was effective for many patients with refractory/resistant CMV DNAemia at our transplant center, though several experienced recurrent DNAemia. In patients who did not respond to therapy, resistance to maribavir was frequently detected. Clinicians treating these patients should remain vigilant for rebound CMV DNAemia and consider repeat antiviral resistance testing.
Abdominal Gynecologic Procedures in Pancreas Transplant Recipients
Authors: Drury Allison , Huber Sarah , Loya Elena , Powelson John A. , Lutz Andrew , Kasper Kelly , Rothenberg Jeffrey M. , Fridell Jonathan A.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

With the growing population of pancreas transplant recipients followed long‐term, some female recipients are going to require surgical intervention for gynecologic symptoms and pathologies. Currently, there is a lack of literature describing how to approach this population and whether pelvic gynecologic procedures (GYN) can be performed safely given the proximity of the pancreatic (and possibly renal) allograft. In this single‐center retrospective analysis, all pancreas transplant recipients that subsequently underwent GYN were reviewed.

Methods

Subjects were identified by cross‐referencing all pancreas transplants performed between January 2003 and December 2022 for any subsequent GYN. Demographics at transplant and GYN, indications and procedure performed, operative time, presence and involvement of a transplant surgeon, complications length of stay, and readmissions were reviewed.

Results

Seventeen patients who underwent a total of 19 GYN after pancreas transplantation were identified. Operations performed included tubal ligation (n = 2), total abdominal hysterectomy with (n = 6) or without bilateral salpingectomy (n = 2), oophorectomy versus cyst drainage (n = 2), bilateral oophorectomy (n = 1), and unilateral (n = 4) versus bilateral (n = 2) salpingectomy. Four were performed through an open laparotomy and 15 were performed laparoscopically. In 11 cases, a transplant surgeon was involved intra‐operatively. Eight of the 17 patients developed post‐operative complications including post‐operative fevers, fluid overload, neutropenia, elevated creatinine (n = 2), nephrolithiasis, urinary tract infection, and incisional hernia. Five required readmission.

Conclusion

GYN can be performed safely following pancreas transplantation, but careful planning and the involvement of the transplant surgery team are advised.
Diagnosis Algorithm of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Where Are We?
Authors: Wang Yi
Published: October 2024

This commentary discusses the recently published article, “Speckle‐tracking echocardiography as an effective screening tool for cardiac involvement among patients with systemic sarcoidosis in an Indian cohort: A prospective observational study”. Owing to improved imaging modalities and increased awareness of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), the prevalence of CS has risen. Given that CS is a relatively rare condition with high mortality, it is essential for the initial test to demonstrate high sensitivity. However, several guidelines offer differing opinions on the diagnosis algorithm for CS. This commentary highlighted the importance of speckle‐tracking echocardiography as an effective screening tool. Due to its high negative predictive value (NPV), it would be useful to rule out cardiac involvement. Nevertheless, larger prospective multicenter studies are warranted to develop a more cost‐effective diagnosis algorithm for CS.
Rankings and the Organizational‐level Implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Case Study
Authors: Alhanaya Ibrahim , Belal Ataur , Gebreiter Florian
Published: October 2024

This article examines the organizational‐level implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in higher education institutions, with a particular emphasis on the roles of rankings in this context. Drawing on translation theory and a case study of a Saudi Arabian university, the article shows that rankings played a central role in motivating our case organization to implement SDGs and in navigating the implementation process. The article moreover shows that the reliance of rankings on self‐reported data allowed for gaming and manipulation, as the case organization was, for example, able to present politically compliant staff associations as evidence for trade union activity, and a segregated college for female students as evidence for the empowerment of women. The article, however, also argues that the flexibility this reliance on self‐reported data affords higher education institutions can play a crucial role in adjusting the transnational SDG framework to the political, social, and institutional realities of the many different contexts in which it is implemented. Without this flexibility, the entire SDG framework, including the genuine sustainability advances it brought about, might have been rejected outright in the Saudi Arabian context.
Kinship by Coincidence: Episodes of arrival in travesti and transfeminine migration across Amazonian Peru
Authors: Perez Justin
Published: October 2024

Travesti and transfeminine migrants across urban Amazonian Peru uniquely refashion their sense of social relatedness in the city apart from the kinship ties of their rural home communities because of experiences of violence and banishment in their youth. Coincidence—the timely concurrence of two unexpected or unrelated events—provides a temporal logic through which some recount episodes of kin relatedness throughout their migratory trajectories. However, in contrast to the conventional sequences of normative kinship as well as to the temporal logic of the “chosen families” model, kinship by coincidence enables interlocutors to acknowledge intense personal traumas with their parents and siblings, to survive a constrained social world as they arrive in new cities, and to leave open the possibility of reconstituting ties of consanguinity in the future. This article draws on ethnographic data and interpretative analysis of Christian Bendayán's Fuerza Animal.
Selection and the economic value of education: A barrier to reducing the SES achievement gap?
Authors: Darnon Céline , Sommet Nicolas , Normand Alice , Manstead Antony S. R.
Published: October 2024

Due to the role that schools play in determining the status of the future occupations of their children (i.e., the selection function of education), high socioeconomic status (SES) parents may not always be supportive of interventions that would reduce the SES achievement gap. In four experiments, we measured the support of parents (Ntotal = 1966) for implementing an equalizing (and, in Experiments 2 and 3, an inequality‐maintaining) intervention. In Experiments 1 and 2, a negative association between subjective SES and support for the equalizing intervention was found when the selection function was made salient, an effect that was also observed in Experiment 4 but only for Right‐leaning participants. In Experiment 3, where the salience of selection was held constant, we found a negative association between subjective SES and support for the equalizing intervention, but not the inequality‐maintaining intervention.
Talking morphine: Pain and prognosis in Indian cancer care
Authors: Surawy‐Stepney Nickolas
Published: October 2024

Pain can be a pervasive feature of cancer, particularly in regions such as India, where the disease is rarely detected in its early stages. Yet over recent decades, morphine, a “gold standard” pain medicine, has been rarely used in India. This article draws on anthropological discussions of clinical disclosure in Indian cancer care to complicate assertions that this is because pain is missed or ignored by healthcare workers. Instead, in a context where the disclosing of prognoses is partial and indirect, I argue that morphine has gained a communicative function. Typically withheld until the “end of life”, the drug has come to be read as a death sentence. It has become an analgesic and a prognosis. It is an object that talks in situations where direct communication is often avoided.
Resistance to the herbicide metribuzin conferred to Arabidopsis thaliana by targeted base editing of the chloroplast genome
Authors: Nakazato Issei , Yamori Wataru , Matsumura Hiroyoshi , Qu Yuchen , Okuno Miki , Tsutsumi Nobuhiro , Arimura Shin‐ichi
Published: October 2024

The chloroplast genome has considerable potential to enhance crop productivity, but it remains underutilized in breeding because it is difficult to modify. This study elucidates the potential of recently developed chloroplast‐targeted C‐to‐T base editors in facilitating the use of the chloroplast genome for crop breeding. The herbicide metribuzin interferes with photosynthesis by binding to the D1 protein of photosystem II, encoded by the chloroplast genome. Naturally occurring D1 mutants with V219I or A251V substitutions are known to have resistance to some herbicides including metribuzin. Here, using the base editors, we introduced these substitutions and showed that the A251V single mutation and the V219 & A251V double mutations conferred significant metribuzin resistance to Arabidopsis thaliana. The V219I & A251V double mutants exhibited increased metribuzin resistance and grew better than the A251V single mutants. Furthermore, the double mutants grew as well as wild‐type plants in the absence of metribuzin. The single and double mutants, which are a challenge to obtain through traditional mutagenesis and crossbreeding methods, can be relatively easily generated using C‐to‐T base editors. In view of the conservation of V219 and A251 across numerous species, C‐to‐T base editing can potentially confer metribuzin resistance to a wide range of crops. Compared to nuclear genes, chloroplast genes are also less likely to spread into wild populations. Our findings suggest that chloroplast‐targeting C‐to‐T base editors will find many roles in future crop breeding efforts.
Detection of novel pathogenic variants of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae in California
Authors: Nayak Santosh , Richardson Kelley L. , Putman Alexander I. , LeBlanc Nicholas R. , Martin Frank N. , Li Ningxiao , McCreight James D.
Published: October 2024

Fusarium wilt, caused by the soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae (FOL), is an economically important disease of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) throughout the world. Four pathogenic races of FOL are reported, though only race 1 is known to exist in the United States. Recently, Californian lettuce growers have expressed increasing concern about Fusarium wilt, as some race 1‐resistant cultivars have exhibited susceptibility, and some susceptible cultivars have displayed reduced disease severity. To determine whether such changes in disease patterns are responses to potentially novel variants, we collected infected plants from commercial fields in the Salinas Valley and Santa Maria regions, isolated the fungus, and conducted a series of pathogenicity tests using a set of FOL race differential cultivars over 2 years (2022 and 2023) in controlled conditions. Pathogenicity tests revealed two new FOL variants that elicited novel disease reaction patterns on the set of differential cultivars that have not been previously described. Isolates Fol621 and Fol621s were less aggressive on race 1‐susceptible Banchu Red Fire, designated Variant‐1. Isolate VSP‐0916 incited severe Fusarium wilt on race 1‐resistant Costa Rica No. 4, designated Variant‐2. Moreover, VSP‐0916 exhibited high aggressiveness and the ability to induce disease in other race 1‐resistant cultivars. This study is the first documentation, to our knowledge, of the occurrence of FOL‐inciting Fusarium wilt on race 1‐resistant lettuce in the United States. Our work provides valuable information critical for the development of Fusarium wilt management strategies, including broad‐spectrum resistance breeding efforts against multiple FOL races.
Transcriptome dynamics in developing leaves from C3 and C4Flaveria species
Authors: Billakurthi Kumari , Wrobel Thomas J. , Gowik Udo , Bräutigam Andrea , Weber Andreas P. M. , Westhoff Peter
Published: October 2024

C4 species have evolved more than 60 times independently from C3 ancestors. This multiple and parallel evolution of the complex C4 trait suggests common underlying evolutionary mechanisms, which could be identified by comparative analysis of closely related C3 and C4 species. Efficient C4 function depends on a distinctive leaf anatomy that is characterised by enlarged, chloroplast‐rich bundle sheath cells and narrow vein spacing. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms that generate the Kranz anatomy, we analysed a developmental series of leaves from the C4 plant Flaveria bidentis and the closely related C3 species Flaveria robusta by comparing anatomies and transcriptomes. Vascular density measurements of all nine leaf developmental stages identified three leaf anatomical zones whose proportions vary with respect to the developmental stage. We then deconvoluted the transcriptome datasets using non‐negative matrix factorisation, which identified four distinct transcriptome patterns in the growing leaves of both species. By integrating the leaf anatomy and transcriptome data, we were able to correlate the different transcriptional profiles with different developmental zones in the leaves. These comparisons revealed an important role for auxin metabolism, in particular auxin homeostasis (conjugation and deconjugation), in establishing the high vein density typical of C4 species.
Competitive control of CsNCED1‐1 by CsLOB1 and CsbZIP40 triggers susceptibility to citrus canker
Authors: Long Qin , Zhang Lehuan , Zhu Tianxiang , Zhao Shuyang , Zou Changyu , Xu Lanzhen , He Yongrui , Chen Shanchun , Zou Xiuping
Published: October 2024

Pustule formation is pivotal for the development of the Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc)‐induced citrus canker disease (CCD). Although our previous study demonstrated that the exogenous application of abscisic acid (ABA) facilitated pustule formation induced by Xcc, the precise mechanism remains elusive. The 9‐cis‐epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) is a crucial enzyme in ABA biosynthesis. This study explored the role of citrus CsNCED1‐1 in CCD resistance through overexpression and RNA interference of CsNCED1‐1 in Wanjincheng orange (Citrus sinensis). Our findings indicated that CsNCED1‐1 negatively modulated CCD resistance by fostering ABA accumulation, concomitant with an increase in jasmonic acid (JA) and a decrease in salicylic acid (SA). Plants overexpressing CsNCED1‐1 displayed shortened leaves with smaller and denser stomata along with irregular and increased palisade cells. CsLOB1 is a known susceptibility gene for CCD, and CsbZIP40 positively influences resistance to this disease. We further confirmed that CsLOB1 promoted and CsbZIP40 suppressed the transcription of CsNCED1‐1 by directly binding to the CsNCED1‐1 promoter. Notably, CsbZIP40 and CsLOB1 showed a competitive relationship in the regulation of CsNCED1‐1 expression, with CsbZIP40 exhibiting greater competitiveness. Overall, our findings highlight that CsNCED1‐1 promotes susceptibility to citrus canker by disrupting JA‐ and SA‐mediated defense mechanisms and triggering the proliferation and remodeling of palisade cells, thereby facilitating pathogen colonization and pustule formation. This study offers novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying citrus canker resistance and the role of CsNCED1‐1 in citrus.
GhGRF4/GhARF2‐GhGASA24 module regulates fiber cell wall thickness by modulating cellulose biosynthesis in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)
Authors: Tian Zailong , Chen Baojun , Sun Yaru , Sun Gaofei , Gao Xu , Pan Zhaoe , Song Guoli , Du Xiongming , He Shoupu
Published: October 2024

Fiber elongation rate is an essential characteristic of cotton fiber in the textile industry, yet it has been largely overlooked in genetic studies. Gibberellins (GAs) and auxin (IAA) are recognized for their role in directing numerous developmental processes in plants by influencing cell differentiation and elongation. However, the degree to which GA–IAA interaction governs cellular elongation in cotton fiber cells remains to be fully understood. In this study, we identified a causal gene, Gibberellic Acid‐Stimulated in Arabidopsis 24 (GhGASA24), that appears to be responsible for fiber elongation rate via regulating fiber cell wall thickness. Subsequent experiments revealed that GhGASA24 influences cell wall formation by promoting the expression of GhCesA8 and GhCesA10. Our findings suggest that Auxin Response Factor 2 (GhARF2) regulates fiber elongation rate by directly binding to the AuxRE elements in GhGASA24 promoter. In addition, we identified Growth Regulation Factor 4 (GhGRF4) as a transcription factor that interacts with GhARF2 to form a heterodimer complex, which also transcriptionally activates GhGASA24. Intriguingly, GhGRF4 regulates GhARF2 expression by directly binding to its promoter, thereby acting as a cascade regulator to enhance the transcriptional levels of GhGASA24. We propose that the GhGRF4/GhARF2‐GhGASA24‐GhCesAs module may contribute to fiber cell wall thickness by modulating cellulose biosynthesis, and provide a theoretical basis for improvement of fiber quality.
Genome‐based discovery of pachysiphine synthases in Tabernaemontana elegans
Authors: Lezin Enzo , Durand Mickael , Birer Williams Caroline , Lopez Vazquez Ana Luisa , Perrot Thomas , Gautron Nicolas , Pétrignet Julien , Cuello Clément , Jansen Hans J. , Magot Florent , Szwarc Sarah , Le Pogam Pierre , Beniddir Mehdi A. , Koudounas Konstantinos , Oudin Audrey , St‐Pierre Benoit , Giglioli‐Guivarc'h Nathalie , Sun Chao , Papon Nicolas , Jensen Michael Krogh , Dirks Ron P. , O'Connor Sarah E. , Besseau Sébastien , Courdavault Vincent
Published: October 2024

Plant‐specialized metabolism represents an inexhaustible source of active molecules, some of which have been used in human health for decades. Among these, monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) include a wide range of valuable compounds with anticancer, antihypertensive, or neuroactive properties. This is particularly the case for the pachysiphine derivatives which show interesting antitumor and anti‐Alzheimer activities but accumulate at very low levels in several Tabernaemontana species. Unfortunately, genome data in Tabernaemontanaceae are lacking and knowledge on the biogenesis of pachysiphine‐related MIAs in planta remains scarce, limiting the prospects for the biotechnological supply of many pachysiphine‐derived biopharmaceuticals. Here, we report a raw version of the toad tree (Tabernaemontana elegans) genome sequence. These new genomic resources led to the identification and characterization of a couple of genes encoding cytochrome P450 with pachysiphine synthase activity. Our phylogenomic and docking analyses highlight the different evolutionary processes that have been recruited to epoxidize the pachysiphine precursor tabersonine at a specific position and in a dedicated orientation, thus enriching our understanding of the diversification and speciation of the MIA metabolism in plants. These gene discoveries also allowed us to engineer the synthesis of MIAs in yeast through the combinatorial association of metabolic enzymes resulting in the tailor‐made synthesis of non‐natural MIAs. Overall, this work represents a step forward for the future supply of pachysiphine‐derived drugs by microbial cell factories.