bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-cell transcriptomics reveals subset-specific metabolic profiles underpinning the bronchial epithelial response to flagellin
Authors: Ramirez-Moral Ivan , Schuurman Alex R. , Butler Joe M. , Yu Xiao , de Haan Karen , van Leeuwen Sarah , de Vos Alex F. , de Jong Menno D. , Vieira Braga Felipe A. , van der Poll Tom
Published: November 2022

Respiratory epithelial cells line the airways and represent the first line of defense against respiratory pathogens. The cellular heterogeneity of the airway wall has only recently been recognized by single-cell analyses. Here, we leveraged single-cell RNA sequencing of primary human bronchial epithelial cells growing in air-liquid interface to determine cell-specific changes evoked by flagellin, a protein driving the motility of many mucosal pathogens. We detected seven cell clusters in the human epithelium, including ciliated cells, ionocytes and several states of basal and secretory cells, of which only inflammatory basal cells and inflammatory secretory cells showed a proportional increase in response to flagellin. Only inflammatory secretory cells showed evidence of metabolic reprogramming toward aerobic glycolysis, and inhibition of the mTOR pathway specifically reduced this subset, prevented this metabolic shift, and reduced inflammatory gene transcription in these cells. This study expands our knowledge of the airway’s immune response to flagellated pathogens to single cell resolution and defines a novel target to modulate mucosal immunity during bacterial infections.
Functional validation of transposable element derivedcis-regulatory elements in Atlantic salmon
Authors: Sahlström Hanna M. , Datsomor Alex K. , Monsen Øystein , Hvidsten Torgeir R. , Sandve Simen Rød
Published: November 2022

Background

Transposable elements (TEs) are hypothesized to play important roles in shaping genome evolution following whole genome duplications (WGD), including rewiring of gene regulation. In a recent analysis, duplicate gene copies that had evolved higher expression in liver following the salmonid WGD ~100 million years ago were associated with higher numbers of predicted TE-derivedcis-regulatory elements (TE-CREs). Yet, the ability of these TE-CREs to recruit transcription factors (TFs)in vivoand impact gene expression remains unknown.

Results

Here, we evaluated the gene regulatory functions of 11 TEs using luciferase promoter reporter assays in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) primary liver cells. Canonical Tc1-Marinerelements from intronic regions showed no or small repressive effects on transcription. However, other TE-derivedcis-regulatory elements upstream of transcriptional start sites increased expression significantly.

Conclusion

Our results question the hypothesis that TEs in the Tc1-Marinersuperfamily, which were extremely active following WGD in salmonids, had a major impact on regulatory rewiring of gene duplicates, but highlights the potential of other TEs in post-WGD rewiring of gene regulation in the Atlantic salmon genome.
Laurdan discerns lipid membrane hydration and cholesterol content
Authors: Orlikowska-Rzeznik Hanna , Krok Emilia , Chattopadhyay Madhurima , Lester Agnieszka , Piatkowski Lukasz
Published: November 2022

Studies of biological membrane heterogeneity particularly benefit from the use of the environment-sensitive fluorescent probe Laurdan, for which shifts in the emission, produced by any stimulus (e.g. fluidity variations), are ascribed to alterations in hydration near the fluorophore. Ironically, no direct measure of the influence of membrane hydration level on Laurdan spectra has been available. To address this, we investigated the fluorescence spectrum of Laurdan embedded in solid-supported lipid bilayers as a function of hydration and compared it with the effect of cholesterol – a major membrane fluidity regulator. The effects are illusively similar, hence the results obtained with this probe should be interpreted with caution. The dominant phenomenon governing the changes in the spectrum is the hindrance of the lipid internal dynamics. Furthermore, we unveiled the intriguing mechanism of dehydration-induced redistribution of cholesterol between domains in the phase-separated membrane which reflects yet another regulatory function of cholesterol.
Exact expressions and numerical evaluation of average evolvability measures for characterizing and comparing G matrices
Authors: Watanabe Junya
Published: November 2022

Theory predicts that the additive genetic covariance (G) matrix determines a population’s short-term (in)ability to respond to directional selection—evolvability in the Hansen–Houle sense—which is typically quantified and compared via certain scalar indices called evolvability measures. Often, interest is in obtaining the averages of these measures across all possible selection gradients, but explicit formulae for most of these average measures have not been known. Previous authors relied either on approximations by the delta method, whose accuracy is generally unknown, or Monte Carlo evaluations (including the random skewers analysis), which necessarily involve random fluctuations. This study presents new, exact expressions for the average conditional evolvability, average autonomy, average respondability, average flexibility, average response difference, and average response correlation, utilizing their mathematical structures as ratios of quadratic forms. The new expressions are infinite series involving top-order zonal and invariant polynomials of matrix arguments, and can be numerically evaluated as their partial sums with, for some measures, known error bounds. Whenever these partial sums numerically converge within reasonable computational time and memory, they will replace the previous approximate methods. In addition, new expressions are derived for the average measures under a general normal distribution for the selection gradient, extending the applicability of these measures into a substantially broader class of selection regimes.
Aceandace-like genes of invasive redlegged earth mite: Copy number variation, target-site mutations, and their associations with organophosphate insensitivity
Authors: Thia Joshua A , Umina Paul A , Hoffmann Ary A
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND

Invasive Australian populations of redlegged earth mite,Halotydeus destructor(Tucker), are evolving increasing organophosphate resistance. In addition to the canonicalacegene, the target gene of organophosphates, theH. destructorgenome contains many radiatedace-like genes that vary in copy number and amino acid sequence. In this work, we characterise copy number and target-site mutation variation at the canonicalaceandace-like genes and test for potential associations with organophosphate insensitivity. This was achieved through comparisons of whole-genome pool-seq data from alive and dead mites following organophosphate exposure.

RESULTS

A combination of increased copy number and target-site mutations at the canonicalacewas associated with organophosphate insensitivity inH. destructor. Resistant populations were segregating for G119S, A201S, F331Y at the canonicalace. A subset of populations also had copy numbers of canonicalace>2, which potentially helps over-express proteins carrying these target-site mutations. Haplotypes possessing different copy numbers and target-site mutations of the canonicalacegene may be under selection acrossH. destructorpopulations. We also detected some evidence that increases in copy number of radiatedace-like genes are associated with organophosphate insensitivity, which might suggest potential roles in sequestration or breakdown of organophosphates.

CONCLUSION

Different combinations of target-site mutations and (or) copy number variation in the canonicalaceandace-like genes may provide non-convergent ways forH. destructorto respond to organophosphate selection. However, these changes may only play a partial role in organophosphate insensitivity, which appears to have a polygenic architecture.
Presaccadic attention sharpens visual acuity
Authors: Kwak Yuna , Hanning Nina M. , Carrasco Marisa
Published: November 2022

Visual perception is limited by spatial resolution, which declines with eccentricity and differs around polar angle locations. To compensate for poor peripheral resolution, we make rapid eye movements –saccades– to bring peripheral objects into high-acuity foveal vision. Already before saccade onset, visual attention shifts to the saccade target location and prioritizes visual processing. Thispresaccadic shift of attentionimproves performance in many visual tasks, but whether it changes resolution is unknown. Here, we investigated whether presaccadic attention sharpens peripheral spatial resolution; and if so, whether such effect interacts with polar angle locations. We measured acuity thresholds in an orientation discrimination task during fixation and saccade preparation around the visual field. The results revealed that presaccadic attention sharpens acuity, which can facilitate a smooth transition from peripheral to foveal representation. This acuity enhancement is similar across the four cardinal locations; thus, presaccadic attention does not change polar angle differences in resolution.
Sourmash Branchwater Enables Lightweight Petabyte-Scale Sequence Search
Authors: Irber Luiz , Pierce-Ward N. Tessa , Brown C. Titus
Published: November 2022

We introduce branchwater, a flexible and fast petabase-scale search for the 767,000 public metagenomes presently in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive. Our search is based on the FracMinHash k-mer sketching technique and can search all public metagenomes with 1000 query genomes in approximately 36 hours using 50 GB of RAM and 32 threads. Branchwater is a Rust-based multithreading front-end built on top of the sourmash library. We provide biological use cases, examine performance, and discuss design and performance considerations.
Spinal cord and brain concentrations of riluzole after oral and intrathecal administration: a potential new treatment route for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Keifer Orion P. , Gutierrez Juan Marco , Butt Mark T. , Cramer Sarah D. , Bartus Raymond , Tansey Malu , Deaver Daniel , Betourne Alexandre , Boulis Nicholas M
Published: November 2022

Riluzole is the only treatment known to improve survival in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). However, oral riluzole efficacy is modest at best, further it is known to have large inter-individual variability of serum concentration and clearance, is formulated as an oral drug in a patient population plagued with dysphagia, and has known systemic side-effects like asthenia (limiting patient compliance) and elevated liver enzymes. In this context, we postulated that continuous intrathecal (IT) infusion of low doses of riluzole could provide consistent elevations of the drug spinal cord (SC) concentrations at or above those achieved with oral dosing, without increasing the risk for adverse events associated with systemic drug exposure or off-target side effects in the brain. We developed a formulation of riluzole for IT delivery and conducted our studies in purpose-bred hound dogs. Our non-GLP studies revealed that IT infusion alone was able to increase SC concentrations above those provided by oral administration, without increasing plasma concentrations. We then conducted two GLP studies that combined IT infusion with oral administration at human equivalent dose, to evaluate SC and brain concentrations of riluzole along with assessments of safety and tolerability. In the 6-week study, the highest IT dose (0.2 mg/hr) was well tolerated by the animals and increased SC concentrations above those achieved with oral riluzole alone, without increasing brain concentrations. In the 6-month study, the highest dose tested (0.4 mg/hr) was not tolerated and yielded SC significantly above those achieved in all previous studies. Our data show the feasibility and safety profile of continuous IT riluzole delivery to the spinal cord, without concurrent elevated liver enzymes, and minimal brain concentrations creating another potential therapeutic route of delivery to be used in isolation or in combination with other therapeutics.”
Phylogenetic analysis of the MCL1 BH3 binding groove and rBH3 sequence motifs in the p53 and INK4 protein families
Authors: McGriff Anna , Placzek William J.
Published: November 2022

B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) proteins are central, conserved regulators of apoptosis. Bcl-2 family function is regulated by binding interactions between the Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3) motif in pro-apoptotic family members and the BH3 binding groove found in both the pro-apoptotic effector and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members. A novel motif, the reverse BH3 (rBH3), has been shown to interact with the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 homolog MCL1 (Myeloid cell leukemia 1) and have been identified in the p53 homolog p73, and the CDK4/6 (cyclin dependent kinase 4/6) inhibitor p18INK4c, (p18, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor c). To determine the conservation of rBH3 motif, we first assessed conservation of MCL1’s BH3 binding groove, where the motif binds. We then constructed neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees of the INK4 and p53 protein families and analyzed sequence conservation using sequence logos of the rBH3 locus. This showed the rBH3 motif is conserved throughout jawed vertebrates p63 and p73 sequences and in chondrichthyans, amphibians, mammals, and some reptiles in p18. Finally, a potential rBH3 motif was identified in mammalian and osteichthyan p19INK4d (p19, cyclin dependent kinase 4 inhibitor d). These findings demonstrate that the interaction between MCL1 and other cellular proteins mediated by the rBH3 motif may be conserved throughout jawed vertebrates.
QCR7affects the virulence ofCandida albicansand the uptake of multiple carbon sources present in different host niches
Authors: Zeng Lingbing , Huang Yongcheng , Tan Junjun , Peng Jun , Hu Niya , Liu Qiong , Cao YanLi , Zhang Yuping , Chen Junzhu , Huang Xiaotian
Published: November 2022

Background

Candida albicansis a commensal yeast that may cause life-threatening infections. Studies have shown that the cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 7 gene (QCR7) ofC. albicansencodes a protein that forms a component of the mitochondrial electron transport chain complex III, making it an important target for studying the virulence of this yeast. However, to the best of our knowledge, the functions ofQCR7have not yet been characterized.

Methods

AQCR7knockout strain was constructed using SN152, and BALb/c mice were used as model animals to determine the role ofQCR7in the virulence ofC. albicans. Subsequently, the effects ofQCR7on mitochondrial functions and use of carbon sources were investigated. Next, its mutant biofilm formation and hyphal growth maintenance were compared with those of the wild type. Furthermore, the transcriptome of theqcr7Δ/Δmutant was compared with that of the WT strain to explore pathogenic mechanisms.

Results

DefectiveQCR7attenuated the virulence ofC. albicansinfection in vivo. Furthermore, the mutant influenced the use of multiple alternative carbon sources that exist in several host niches. Moreover, it led to mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, theQCR7knockout strain showed defects in biofilm formation or the maintenance of filamentous growth. The overexpression of cell-surface-associated genes (HWP1, YWP1, XOG1, andSAP6) can restore defective virulence phenotypes and the carbon-source utilization ofqcr7Δ/Δ.

Conclusion

This study provides new insights into the mitochondria-based metabolism ofC. albicans, accounting for its virulence and the use of variable carbon sources that promoteC. albicansto colonize host niches.
Astrocytes regulate spatial memory in a sex-specific manner
Authors: Meadows Samantha M. , Palaguachi Fernando , Licht-Murava Avital , Barnett Daniel , Zimmer Till S. , Zhou Constance , McDonough Samantha R. , Orr Adam L. , Orr Anna G.
Published: November 2022

Cognitive processes and neurocognitive disorders are regulated by astrocytes and have prominent sex differences. However, the contribution of astrocytes to sex differences is not known. We leveraged astrocyte-targeted gene editing and chemogenetics in adult mice to reveal that astrocytic glutamate receptors and other G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) modulate hippocampus-dependent cognitive function in a sexually dimorphic manner. In females, spatial memory was improved by increasing metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (mGluR3) in astrocytes or stimulating astrocytic Gi/o-coupled signaling, whereas stimulating Gs-coupled signaling impaired memory. However, in males, memory was improved by reducing mGluR3 or stimulating Gs-coupled signaling, whereas stimulating Gi/o-coupled signaling impaired memory. Thus, memory requires a sex-specific balance of astrocytic Gs-coupled and Gi/o-coupled receptor activities, and disease-associated alterations or therapeutic targeting of these pathways may cause opposing sex-dependent effects on cognitive function.

Glia cause sex-specific changes in cognition
Sharp-wave ripple associated activity in the medial prefrontal cortex supports spatial rule switching
Authors: den Bakker Hanna , Van Dijck Marie , Sun Jyh-Jang , Kloosterman Fabian
Published: November 2022

Previous studies have highlighted an important role for hippocampal sharp-wave ripples in spatial alternation learning, as well as modulating activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, no study so far has investigated the direct influence of hippocampal sharp-wave ripples on mPFC activity during spatial alternation learning. Long Evans rats were trained on a three-arm radial maze to perform a sequence of alternations. Three different alternation sequences needed to be learnt, and while learning a new sequence, the activity in the mPFC was inhibited either directly following sharp-wave ripples in the hippocampus (on-time condition) or with a randomized delay (delayed condition). In the on-time condition the behavioral performance was significantly worse compared to the same animals in the delayed inhibition condition, as measured by a lower correct alternation performance and more perseverative behavior. This indicates that the activity in the mPFC directly following hippocampal sharp-wave ripples is necessary for spatial rule switching.
Transport Pathways and Kinetics of Cerebrospinal Fluid Tracers in Mouse Brain Observed by Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI
Authors: Zhu Yuran , Wang Guanhua , Kolluru Chaitanya , Gu Yuning , Gao Huiyun , Zhang Jing , Wang Yunmei , Wilson David L. , Zhu Xiaofeng , Flask Chris A. , Yu Xin
Published: November 2022

Recent studies have suggested the glymphatic system as a key mechanism of waste removal in the brain. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) using intracisternally administered contrast agents is a promising tool for assessing glymphatic function in the whole brain. In this study, we evaluated the transport kinetics and distribution of three MRI contrast agents with vastly different molecular sizes in mice. Our results demonstrate that oxygen-17 enriched water (H217O), which has direct access to parenchymal tissues via aquaporin-4 water channels, exhibited significantly faster and more extensive transport compared to the two gadolinium-based contrast agents (Gd-DTPA and GadoSpin). Time-lagged correlation and clustering analyses also revealed different transport pathways for Gd-DTPA and H217O. Furthermore, there were significant differences in transport kinetics of the three contrast agents to the lateral ventricles, reflecting the differences in forces that drive solute transport in the brain. These findings suggest the size-dependent transport pathways and kinetics of intracisternal contrast agents and the potential of DCE-MRI for assessing multiple aspects of solute transport in the glymphatic system.
A-SOiD, an active learning platform for expert-guided, data efficient discovery of behavior
Authors: Tillmann Jens F. , Hsu Alexander I. , Schwarz Martin K. , Yttri Eric A,
Published: November 2022

To identify and extract naturalistic behavior, two schools of methods have become popular: supervised and unsupervised. Each approach carries its own strengths and weaknesses, which the user must weigh in on their decision. Here, a new active learning platform, A-SOiD, blends these strengths and, in doing so, overcomes several of their inherent drawbacks. A-SOiD iteratively learns user-defined groups and can considerably reduce the necessary training data while attaining expansive classification through directed unsupervised classification. In socially-interacting mice, A-SOiD outperformed other methods and required 85% less training data than was available. Additionally, it isolated two additional ethologically-distinct mouse interactions via unsupervised classification. Similar performance and efficiency were observed using non-human primate 3D pose data. In both cases, the transparency in A-SOiD's cluster definitions revealed the defining features of the supervised classification through a game-theoretic approach. Lastly, we show the potential of A-SOiD to segment a large and rich variety of human social and single-person behaviors with 3D position keypoints. To facilitate use, A-SOiD comes as an intuitive, open-source interface for efficient segmentation of user-defined behaviors and discovered subactions.
In situ chamber for studying battery failure using high-speed synchrotron radiography
Authors: Pfaff Jonas , Fransson Matilda , Broche Ludovic , Buckwell Mark , Finegan Donal P. , Moser Stefan , Schopferer Sebastian , Nau Siegfried , Shearing Paul R. , Rack Alexander
Published: November 2022

The investigation of lithium-ion battery failures is a major challenge for personnel and equipment due to the associated hazards (thermal reaction, toxic gases and explosions). To perform such experiments safely, a battery abuse-test chamber has been developed and installed at the microtomography beamline ID19 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). The chamber provides the capability to robustly perform in situ abuse tests through the heat-resistant and gas-tight design for flexible battery geometries and configurations, including single-cell and multi-cell assemblies. High-speed X-ray imaging can be complemented by supplementary equipment, including additional probes (voltage, pressure and temperature) and thermal imaging. Together with the test chamber, a synchronization graphical user interface was developed, which allows an initial interpretation by time-synchronous visualization of the acquired data. Enabled by this setup, new meaningful insights can be gained into the internal processes of a thermal runaway of current and future energy-storage devices such as lithium-ion cells.
Differential phase contrast for quantitative imaging and spectro-microscopy at a nanoprobe beamline
Authors: Quinn Paul D. , Cacho-Nerin Fernando , Gomez-Gonzalez Miguel A. , Parker Julia E. , Poon Timothy , Walker Jessica M.
Published: November 2022

The interaction of a focused X-ray beam with a sample in a scanning probe experiment can provide a variety of information about the interaction volume. In many scanning probe experiments X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is supplemented with measurements of the transmitted or scattered intensity using a pixelated detector. The automated extraction of different signals from an area pixelated detector is described, in particular the methodology for extracting differential phase contrast (DPC) is demonstrated and different processing methods are compared across a range of samples. The phase shift of the transmitted X-ray beam by the sample, extracted from DPC, is also compared with ptychography measurements to provide a qualitative and quantitative comparison. While ptychography produces a superior image, DPC can offer a simple, flexible method for phase contrast imaging which can provide fast results and feedback during an experiment; furthermore, for many science problems, such as registration of XRF in a lighter matrix, DPC can provide sufficient information to meet the experimental aims. As the DPC technique is a quantitative measurement, it can be expanded to spectroscopic studies and a demonstration of DPC for spectro-microscopy measurements is presented. Where ptychography can separate the absorption and phase shifts by the sample, quantitative interpretation of a DPC image or spectro-microscopy signal can only be performed directly when absorption is negligible or where the absorption contribution is known and the contributions can be fitted.
Synthesis, crystal structure and DFT calculations of (2′,6′-difluoro-2,3′-bipyridine-κN
2)[2,6-difluoro-3-(pyridin-2-yl)phenyl-κ2
C
1,N
3]methylplatinum(II)
Authors: Moon Suk-Hee , Choi Seohyeon , Kang Youngjin
Published: November 2022

The title compound, [Pt(CH3)(C10H5F2N2)(C10H6F2N2)], displays a distorted cis-PtN2C2 square-planar geometry around the PtII ion consisting of the bidentate C,N chelating anion, a monodentate N-bonded neutral ligand and a methyl group. In the crystal, the molecules are linked by C—H...F, C—H...N and C—H...π interactions. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) at the B3LYP level with the 6–311++G(d,p) basis set was applied to optimize the ground-state geometry. The electronic properties, such as excitation energies and the HOMO–LUMO gap energies, were calculated and compared to related structures.
An improved generalized plasticity model for rockfill materials and its experimental and numerical verification
Authors: Wang Xiang-Nan , Gao Yi-Zhao , Zhang Xiang-Tao , Yu Yu-Zhen , Lv He
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The stress–strain behaviors of rockfill materials in dams are significantly affected by the anisotropy and grain crushing. However, these factors are rarely considered in numerical simulations of high rockfill dams. This study intends to develop a reasonable and practical constitutive model for rockfill materials to overcome the above problems.

Design/methodology/approach

The effects of anisotropy and grain crushing are comprehensively considered by the spatial position of the reference state line. After the improved generalized plasticity model for rockfill materials (referred to as the PZR model) is developed and verified by laboratory tests, it is used with the finite element method to simulate the stress–strain behaviors of the Nuozhadu high core rockfill dam.

Findings

The simulated results agree well with the laboratory tests data and the situ monitoring data, verifying the reliability and practicability of the developed PZR model.

Originality/value

A new anisotropic state parameter is proposed to reflect the nonmonotonic variation in the strength as the major principal stress direction angle varies. This advantage is verified by the simulation of a set of conventional triaxial tests with different inclination angles of the compaction plane. 2) This is the first time that the elastoplastic model is verified by the situ monitoring data of high core rockfill dams. The numerical simulation results show that the PZR model can well reflect the stress–strain characteristics of rockfill materials in high core rockfill dams and is better than the traditional EB model.
Le futur comme bien public: décoloniser le futur par la recherche-action participative anticipatoire
Authors: Bourgeois Robin , Feukeu Kwamou Eva , Karuri-Sebina Geci
Published: November 2022

Objectif

L'objectif visé est de nourrir les réflexions sur la colonisation du futur dans le présent en mettant particulièrement l’accent sur le continent africain. Nous visons à explorer comment la recherche participative, et plus particulièrement la recherche-action anticipatoire, peut contribuer au processus de décolonisation effective.

Conception/méthodologie/approche

Considérant le futur comme un bien public, nous mobilisons une réflexion sur les processus coloniaux qui l’ont transformé, à bien des égards, en bien de club ou en bien privé. Nous faisons ensuite appel aux notions de production participative de connaissances et de recherche-action locale comme moyens de décoloniser le futur et de libérer l'imagination. Nous revisitons ensuite les principes de la recherche-action participative pour atteindre cet objectif et nous examinons les principales caractéristiques d'une recherche-action anticipatoire non coloniale dans le contexte des futurs de l'Afrique.

Résultats

Nous mettons en évidence les défis issus de la relation entre les efforts d'anticipation axés sur la recherche-action, la création d'une intelligence collective et la co-conception (codesign), dans le but d'encourager le processus de décolonisation. Cette démarche inclut des principes de conception, établit les bases pour un processus anticipatoire, potentiellement décolonial et envisage une possible réaction du système dominant à l’encontre de ce processus de décolonisation.

Implications/limitations

Il s’agit d’un travail conceptuel, qui ne fournit pas d’éléments testés sur le terrain. Toutefois, nous espérons que cela constituera un apport permettant de concevoir des méthodologies qui préviendront la colonisation du futur lors de la participation à des activités de recherche tournées vers les futurs en Afrique et ailleurs.

Originalité/valeur

Nous proposons une approche intégrale de la colonisation du futur, comme renouvellement d’une question ancienne. Nous articulons également cette démarche autour d’une réflexion sur la nature de ce que pourrait être une recherche-action anticipatoire décoloniale.
Narcissism and tradition: how competing needs result in more conflict, greater exhaustion, and lower performance
Authors: Harms P.D. , Bai Yuntao , Han Guohong (Helen) , Cheng Sheng
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Although there have been considerable amounts of research documenting the effects of narcissism on workplace outcomes, studies of the impact of narcissism on job performance have produced inconclusive results. This study aims to provide insight into this issue by using a new model of narcissism, the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept model to explore the processes by which narcissism can impact job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies (Study 1 with 1,176 employees and 217 managers cross-sectional data; Study 2 with 209 employees and 39 managers time-lagged data) were conducted and multilevel technique was used to test the research model.

Findings

Narcissistic rivalry is associated with higher levels of family–work conflict (FWC) and that these effects are magnified when narcissists also have competing demands in the form of expectations to conform to traditional values. Furthermore, this study documents that higher levels of FWC are associated with greater emotional exhaustion and lower job performance. However, narcissistic admiration only has direct effect on job performance.

Originality/value

This paper not only suggests that narcissism is a previously untested dispositional antecedent for FWC, but it also uses a facet-based approach to examine when and how narcissism impacts job performance.
Physical education teacher educators’ subjective theories about sustainability and education for sustainable development
Authors: Lohmann Julia , Goller Antje
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Physical education (PE) and PE teacher education have great potential to target goals that are important from an education for sustainable development (ESD) perspective. However, ESD has not been studied extensively in the PE context. The purpose of this paper is to explore subjective theories of PE teacher educators about the concepts of sustainability and ESD because they are important precursors of implementing ESD in PE teacher education.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted using a qualitative cross-sectional design. Subjective theories about sustainability and ESD from N = 9 PE teacher educators from a university in Germany were assessed in a multistage process, including semistructured interviews and the structure-formation technique. Subsequently, subjective theories were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings

The results reveal a wide range of subjective theories about the concept of sustainability. PE teacher educators described the dimensions of the sustainability concept (ecological, economic, social and political) to different depths and placed different emphases in terms of the levels of action needed to reach sustainable development. The subjective theories regarding the concept of ESD mostly include instrumental and emancipatory aspects of ESD. These subjective theories differ in that they emphasize different forms of ESD.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to examine subjective theories regarding the concepts of sustainability and ESD in the context of PE teacher education. This study is one of only a few studies to provide detailed insights into the subjective theories of teacher educators in the area of sustainability and ESD.
Does the conventional money market overnight rate influence the investment rate of Islamic deposits? Evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Li Jingya , Liu Ming-Hua , Shrestha Keshab
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The paper aims to examine whether the daily conventional money market overnight rate influences the monthly investment rate of Islamic deposits in Malaysia. The traditional approach, which averages the high-frequency data to match the low-frequency data, results in information loss for the high-frequency data.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the mixed data sampling (MIDAS) model to study the relationship between Islamic banking and conventional banking. The Malaysian data are used for the analysis as Malaysia has one of the most developed Islamic financial industries in the world, and it is well-known for its dual banking system.

Findings

The evidence shows that the conventional overnight rate has a positive effect on the Islamic deposit rate. The results are consistent for Islamic deposit rates with different maturities. The positive aggregate effect holds when the lag length of the daily conventional overnight rate goes up to 90 days. Additional evidence shows that the daily conventional overnight rate has a similar effect on the conventional deposit rate.

Originality/value

This paper documents that the relationship between Islamic banking and conventional banking is not monotonous. When high-frequency data is averaged with low-frequency data, the non-linear relationship will be masked. It highlights the importance of using high-frequency data to get a detailed picture.
A comparison of online and face-to-face teaching of economically oriented master's degree university studies
Authors: Šácha Jakub , Konderla Tomáš , Říhová Dana
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence of distance learning of the subject Operational Research in terms of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of teaching and the success of this course, to find out the satisfaction of students with the online learning, and the impact on the performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Grades of students from the subject were collected from the Faculty of Business and Economics of Mendel University in Brno between 2009 and 2021. A questionnaire concerning the views of students on online teaching of the subject and its comparison with face-to-face teaching was conducted, and the data obtained from 94 respondents were statistically processed by cluster analysis and the K-means method.

Findings

A comparison of the results of examinations from the years taught in classical face-to-face form and from the period when teaching took place only online showed no significant effect on the final grades of the students. The results show that the students were basically divided into two-halves: one-half that preferred online teaching and the other that supported a more face-to-face form of teaching. Most of the students highly appreciated the tutorial videos provided because of the possibility of repeated viewing.

Originality/value

The paper shows that online teaching may be a suitable replacement for standard teaching. The paper answers the question whether some online elements can be integrated in the standard form of teaching.
What happens after psychosis? The support I have received
Authors: Makin Paul
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to describe Paul Makin’s psychiatric treatment after he developed a psychosis.

Design/methodology/approach

Paul describes how, after an acute episode of psychosis, he ended up in a psychiatric unit. This is his narrative account of his recovery and the support he had in the community.

Findings

Paul’s story shows how mental health services are stretched both in hospital and also in the community.

Research limitations/implications

This is only one story. It is unusual in that Paul’s first diagnosis was alcohol dependence. It was a few years, after he had stopped drinking completely, that he developed a psychosis. One man, two recoveries.

Practical implications

Reading his story, Paul had problems getting any continuity of care. He does not blame the staff who were all doing their best, but a mental health system that has insufficient resources.

Social implications

While mental health is constantly in the news, resources seem as stretched as they always have been. They remain underfunded and undervalued.

Originality/value

Paul’s is one story of many, but it will find resonance with others who have accessed mental health services in recent years.
Comparison of properties at the interface of deposited IN625 and mixture of IN625 SS304L by laser directed energy deposition and SS304L substrate
Authors: Tudu Nehem , Baruah Mayuri , Prasad Shashi Bhushan
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Prior to manufacturing, designing plays a vital role in the selection of materials and other design parameters. Therefore, during the deposition of materials, substrate materials provide support and affect the microstructure of the deposits, which may not be desirable in the manufactured product. Hence, the main purpose of the study is to analyse the behaviour of the microstructure at the interface of deposited material and substrate.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, two blocks of Inconel 625 (IN625) and Stainless steel 304L (SS304L) metal powders were deposited on an SS304L substrate using laser directed energy deposition (DED) technique. Deposited blocks comprised 50% IN625 + 50% SS304L or 100% IN625. After deposition, microstructural behaviour at the interface of the deposits and substrates was analysed using different tests such as optical microscopy (OM), microhardness testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). An improvement in microstructure was proposed by performing heat treatment of the deposited sample.

Findings

Formation of martensite and precipitates at the interface of the deposit and substrate was observed. Formation of martensite and precipitates such as α, carbide and δ phases were observed in OM and SEM images. Due to the formation of these phases, interface regions showed a peak in the hardness graphs. Post-heat treatment of the samples was one of the solutions to resolve these issues.

Originality/value

This paper suggests the formation of a heat-affected zone (HAZ) at the interface of the deposit and substrate, which may negatively affect the overall utility of the deposited part. The properties of the HAZ were investigated. To suppress these detrimental effects, post-heat treatment of the deposited sample was performed, and the samples were further analysed. The post-heat-treated samples exhibited as reduction in HAZ thickness and had more uniform hardness throughout the cross-section compared with the untreated samples.
Communication for destinations’ image in crises and disasters: a review and future research agenda
Authors: Pascual-Fraile María Del Pilar , Talón-Ballestero Pilar , Villacé-Molinero Teresa , Ramos-Rodríguez Antonio-Rafael
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to provide an overview, the state-of-the-art “research fronts”, the emerging themes of investigation and a research agenda of crisis communication for destinations’ image.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is conducted with a bibliographic coupling study, complemented with an H-Classic classification and a thematic analysis of the articles included in the four clusters provided by the bibliometric methodology (papers dating from 2017 to 2021, both years included).

Findings

Based on the bibliometric analysis, four thematic clusters were identified. Two of these clusters supply the “research fronts”, the most current themes in a scientific field: Cluster 1 addresses communication related to tourists’ safety, and cluster 2 enhances the role of stakeholders’ collaboration to create destinations resilience in crisis communication. The other two clusters highlight emerging themes for future investigation: Cluster 3 focuses on recovery marketing communication strategies for a post-crisis era, and cluster 4 analyses how crisis communication strategies contribute to reduce tourists’ risk perception and boosting travel intention. Finally, a future research agenda is proposed, based on the emerging themes from this study.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first bibliometric study to analyse crisis communication for destinations’ image (pre-crisis, crisis and post-crisis). This study, which covers the most recent academic literature in this field, provides insights of communication strategies from recent crises and disasters within the “research fronts”. Besides, a research agenda useful for future scholar investigation is proposed with its emerging themes. These rising topics and learnings from past events could be used by destination marketing organisations in crisis communication for destination image recovery in the current post-pandemic scenario or in upcoming crises or disasters.
Medical or relational language? Problem and goal formulation in family therapy with adolescents conducted in a psychiatric outpatient setting
Authors: Taurogiński Bartłomiej , Bryniarska Antonina , Józefik Barbara
Published: November 2022

The constructionist view assumes that therapy participants' maps of understanding depend on the institutional context and their personal perspectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the initial maps of difficulties reported by family members starting family therapy. 106 families that were referred to a psychiatric institution for outpatient family therapy were asked open‐ended questions regarding the context of the referral, and goal and problem formulation for the therapy. The data were analysed via the consensual qualitative research‐modified (CQR‐M) method, and comparisons between groups were performed. The obtained results show a diversity of perspectives. Of interest was the predominance of medical language in describing the problem and relational language in describing the goal of therapy. An analysis of differences between mothers, fathers, adolescent patient and their siblings was also performed. The findings highlight the complexity of notions that families start family therapy with and may help therapists navigate through the therapeutic contract formulation process.
Survival after minimally invasive radical hysterectomy without using uterine manipulator for early‐stage cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Li Rui‐Zhe , Sun Li‐Fei , Li Rui , Wang Hong‐Jing
Published: November 2022

Background

Minimally invasive radical hysterectomy has been reported to increase the risk of cancer relapse and death compared with open surgery in women with early‐stage cervical cancer. The use of a uterine manipulator is considered one of the risk factors.

Objectives

To investigate whether women with early‐stage cervical cancer treated with minimally invasive radical hysterectomy without using uterine manipulator have oncological outcomes similar to those of open surgery.

Search strategy

Searches were performed in MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL from their inception until 31 March 2022.

Selection criteria

Inclusion criteria were: (1) randomised controlled trials or observational cohort studies published in English, (2) studies comparing minimally invasive radical hysterectomy without using a uterine manipulator with open radical hysterectomy in women with early‐stage cervical cancer, and (3) studies comparing survival outcomes.

Data collection and analysis

Two authors independently conducted data extraction and assessed study quality. We calculated the hazard ratios (HR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) using the inverse variance approach for survival outcome.

Main results

Six observational studies with 2150 women were included. The minimally invasive surgery group had a significantly higher risk of cancer relapse compared with open surgery group (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.15–2.10).

Conclusions

Minimally invasive radical hysterectomy without using a uterine manipulator resulted in an inferior recurrence‐free survival compared with open radical hysterectomy in the treatment of women with early‐stage cervical cancer.
Infection density pattern of Cardinium affects the responses of bacterial communities in an invasive whitefly under heat conditions
Authors: Yang Kun , Qin Peng‐Hao , Yuan Meng‐Ying , Chen Lei , Zhang You‐Jun , Chu Dong
Published: November 2022

Communities of bacteria, especially symbionts, are vital for the growth and development of insects and other arthropods, including Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (MED), a destructive and invasive insect pest. However, the infection density patterns and influence factors of bacteria in whiteflies, which mainly include symbionts, remain largely unclear. To reveal the different density patterns of Cardinium in B. tabaci MED populations and the impacts of high temperatures on whiteflies with different Cardinium density infection patterns, 2 isofemale lines isolated from B. tabaci MED from the same geographical population of China and from B. tabaci MED collected from other countries and locations were examined using several techniques and methods, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and 2b‐RAD sequencing. The results showed that there were 2 different infection density patterns of Cardinium in B. tabaci MED (including 1 high‐density pattern and 1 low‐density pattern). For whiteflies with low‐density Cardinium, conventional PCR could not detect Cardinium, but the other techniques confirmed that there was a low level of Cardinium within hosts. High temperature significantly decreased the diversity of bacterial communities: the relative titer of Cardinium increased but the density of Rickettsia decreased in the isofemale line with high‐density Cardinium. However, high temperature did not influence the diversity and symbiont density in the line with low‐density Cardinium. Moreover, high temperature influenced the functions of bacterial communities in whiteflies with high‐density Cardinium but did not affect the bacterial functions in whiteflies with low‐density Cardinium. Our results provide novel insights into the complex associations between symbionts and host insects.