bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Growth of Sodic Amphibole at the Greenschist- to Blueschist-facies Transition (Dent Blanche, Western Alps): Bulk-rock Chemical Control and Thermodynamic Modelling
Authors: Manzotti Paola , Ballèvre Michel , Pitra Pavel , Putlitz Benita , Robyr Martin , Müntener Othmar
Published: March 2020

The sodic amphibole glaucophane is generally considered as indicative of blueschist-facies metamorphism. However, sodic amphiboles display a large range in chemical compositions, owing principally to the Fe2+Mg–1 and Fe3+Al–1 substitutions. Therefore, the whole-rock composition (namely its Na2O and FeO* content, and the Fe2+–Fe3+ ratio), strongly controls the stability field of the sodic amphiboles at the transition from greenschist- to blueschist-facies conditions. Neglecting these variables can lead to erroneous estimates of the metamorphic conditions and consequently the tectonic framework of the rocks. This paper explores the mechanisms that control the development of sodic amphibole and sodic pyroxene within the basement of the Dent Blanche Tectonic System (Western Alps), as a result of the Alpine metamorphic history. Field, petrographic and geochemical data indicate that sodic amphibole and sodic pyroxene form in different rock types: (1) in undeformed pods of ultramafic cumulates (hornblendite), sodic amphibole (magnesioriebeckite) forms coronas around magmatic pargasite; (2) metatonalite displays patches of radiating sodic (magnesioriebeckite) and calcic (actinolite) amphiboles; (3) sodic amphibole (magnesioriebeckite–glaucophane) occurs with high-Si potassic white mica (phengitic muscovite) in fine-grained (blue) schists; (4) in mylonitized granitoids (amphibole-gneiss) metasomatized along the contact with ultramafic cumulates, sodic amphibole (magnesioriebeckite–winchite) mainly forms rosettes or sheaves, generally without a shape-preferred orientation. Only locally are the needles aligned parallel to the stretching lineation. Pale green aegirine–augite is dispersed in an albite–quartz matrix or forms layers of fine-grained fibrous aggregates. The bulk-rock chemical composition of the different lithologies indicates that sodic amphibole and sodic pyroxene developed in Na- and Fe-rich systems or in a system with high Fe3+/Fe*. Thermodynamic modelling performed for different rock types (taking into account the measured Fe2O3 contents) reveals that sodic amphibole appears at ∼8 ± 1 kbar and 400–450 °C (i.e. at the transition between the greenschist- and blueschist-facies conditions) about 5 kbar lower than previous estimates. To test the robustness of our conclusion, we performed a review of sodic amphibole compositions from a variety of terranes and P–T conditions. This shows (1) systematic variations of composition with P–T conditions and bulk-rock chemistry, and (2) that the amphibole compositions reported from the studied area are consistent with those reported from other greenschist- to blueschist-facies transitions.
Structural Change in Investment and Consumption—A Unified Analysis
Authors: Herrendorf Berthold , Rogerson Richard , Valentinyi Ákos
Published: March 2020

The structural-change literature typically assumes that investment is produced in manufacturing. We establish that this assumption is counterfactual: in the postwar U.S., the share of services value added in investment expenditure has been steadily growing. We develop a new model that features structural change in investment and consumption, characterize its equilibrium properties, and provide empirical support for it. We establish that modelling structural change in investment leads to three novel insights: constant TFP growth in all sectors is inconsistent with the existence of aggregate balanced growth with structural change; the sector with the slowest TFP growth absorbs all resources asymptotically; technical change is endogenously investment-biased.
A single mechanism for global and selective response inhibition under the influence of motor preparation
Authors: Raud Liisa , Huster René J. , Ivry Richard B. , Labruna Ludovica , Messel Mari S. , Greenhouse Ian
Published: March 2020

In our everyday behavior, we frequently cancel one movement while continuing others. Two competing models have been suggested for the cancellation of such specific actions: 1) the abrupt engagement of a unitary global inhibitory mechanism followed by reinitiation of the continuing actions, or 2) a balance between distinct global and selective inhibitory mechanisms. To evaluate these models, we examined behavioral and physiological markers of proactive control, motor preparation, and response inhibition using a combination of behavioral task performance measures, electromyography, electroencephalography, and motor evoked potentials elicited with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Healthy participants performed two versions of a stop signal task with cues incorporating proactive control: A unimanual task involving the initiation and inhibition of a single response, and a bimanual task involving the selective stopping of one of two prepared responses. Stopping latencies, motor evoked potentials, and frontal beta power (13-20 Hz) did not differ between the uni- and bimanual tasks. However, evidence for selective proactive control before stopping was manifest in the bimanual condition as changes in corticomotor excitability, mu (9-14 Hz), and beta (15-25 Hz) oscillations over sensorimotor cortex. Altogether, our results favor the recruitment of a single inhibitory stopping mechanism with the net behavioral output depending on the levels of action-specific motor preparation.

Significance statement

Response inhibition is a core function of cognitive flexibility and movement control. Previous research has suggested separate mechanisms for selective and global inhibition, yet the evidence is inconclusive. Another line of research has examined the influence of preparation for action stopping, or what is called proactive control, on stopping performance, yet the neural mechanisms underlying this interaction are unknown. We combined transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroencephalography, electromyography and behavioral measures to compare selective and global inhibition models and to investigate markers of proactive control. The results favor a single inhibitory mechanism over separate selective and global mechanisms, but indicate a vital role for preceding motor activity in determining whether and which actions will be stopped.
OsNLP4is required for nitrate assimilation gene expressions and nitrate-dependent growth in rice
Authors: Wang Mengyao , Hasegawa Takahiro , Hayashi Makoto , Ohmori Yoshihiro , Yano Kenji , Teramoto Shota , Kamiya Takehiro , Fujiwara Toru
Published: March 2020

In plants, nitrate is important nutrient and signaling molecule that modulates the expression of many genes and regulates growth. In paddy grown rice, nitrogen is mostly supplied in the form of ammonium, but nitrate also shares substantial portion of available nitrogen. A number of nitrogen transporters and nitrate assimilation enzymes have been identified and functionally characterized. However, little is known about the nitrate sensor system and regulatory mechanisms of these nitrate related genes. In recent years, NIN-like proteins (NLPs) have been described as key transcription factors of nitrogen responses inArabidopsis thaliana. But the functions of OsNLPs in rice are still elusive. Here we report the characterization ofOsNLP4to reveal its function in rice. Growths ofOsNLP4knockout mutants were reduced under the nitrate supply, but not under ammonium supply. The mRNA accumulation of genes involved in nitrate assimilation were declined significantly and nitrate uptake rate and nitrate reductase activity were also impaired in the mutants. Using rice protoplast transient expression system, OsNLP4-GFP fusion was localized to nucleus irrespective of nitrate conditions.OsNLP4was also required for normal yield under paddy field conditions. We propose theOsNLP4is essential for regulation of genes involved in nitrate assimilation and nitrate-dependent growth in rice.

One sentence summary

Theosnlp4mutants exhibit abnormal nitrate response and poor growth under nitrate supply and in paddy field conditions.
Microbial contaminants cataloged as novel human sequences in recent human pan-genomes
Authors: Manni Mosè , Zdobnov Evgeny
Published: March 2020

Human pan-genome studies offer the opportunity to identify human non-reference sequences (NRSs) which are, by definition, not represented in the reference human genome (GRCh38). NRSs serve as useful catalogues of genetic variation for population and disease studies and while the majority consists of repetitive elements, a substantial fraction is made of non-repetitive, non-reference (NRNR) sequences. The presence of non-human sequences in these catalogues can inflate the number of “novel” human sequences, overestimate the genetic differentiation among populations, and jeopardize subsequent analyses that rely on these resources. We uncovered almost 2,000 contaminant sequences of microbial origin in NRNR sequences from recent human pan-genome studies. The contaminant contigs (3,501,302 bp) harbour genes totalling 4,720 predicted proteins (>40 aa). The major sources of contamination are related to Rhyzobiales, Burkholderiales, Pseudomonadales and Lactobacillales, which may have been associated with the original samples or introduced later during sequencing experiments. We additionally observed that the majority of human novel protein-coding genes described in one of the studies entirely overlap repetitive regions and are likely to be false positive predictions. We report here the list of contaminant sequences in three recent human pan-genome catalogues and discuss strategies to increase decontamination efficacy for current and future pan-genome studies.
Codon bias determines sorting of ion channel protein
Authors: Kithil Marina , Engel Anja Jeannine , Langhans Markus , Rauh Oliver , Cartolano Matea , Van Etten James L. , Moroni Anna , Thiel Gerhard
Published: March 2020

The choice of codons can influence local translation kinetics during protein synthesis. The question of whether the modulation of polypeptide folding and binding to chaperons influences sorting of nascent membrane proteins remains unclear. Here, we use two similar K+channels as model systems to examine the impact of codon choice on protein sorting. By monitoring transient expression of GFP tagged proteins in mammalian cells we find that targeting of one channel to the secretory pathway is insensitive to codon optimization. In contrast, sorting of the second channel to the mitochondria is very sensitive to codon choice. The protein with an identical amino acid sequence is sorted in a codon and cell cycle dependent manner either to mitochondria or the secretory pathway. The data establish that a gene with either rare or frequent codons serves together with a cell-state depending decoding mechanism as a secondary code for sorting intracellular proteins.
Different temporal trends in vascular plant and bryophyte communities along elevational gradients over four decades of warming
Authors: Becker-Scarpitta Antoine , Auberson-Lavoie Diane , Aussenac Raphael , Vellend Mark
Published: March 2020

Despite many studies showing biodiversity responses to warming, the generality of such responses across taxonomic groups remains unclear. Very few studies have tested for evidence of bryophyte community responses to warming, even though bryophytes are major contributors to diversity and functioning in many ecosystems. Here we report an empirical study comparing long-term change of bryophyte and vascular plant communities in two sites with contrasting long-term warming trends, using “legacy” botanical records as a baseline for comparison with contemporary resurveys. We hypothesized that ecological changes would be greater in sites with a stronger warming trend, and that vascular plant communities, with narrower climatic niches, would be more sensitive than bryophyte communities to climate warming. For each taxonomic group in each site, we quantified the magnitude of changes in species’ distributions along the elevation gradient, species richness, and community composition. We found contrasted temporal changes in bryophyte vs. vascular plant communities, which only partially supported the warming hypothesis. In the area with a stronger warming trend, we found a significant increase of local diversity and beta-diversity for vascular plants, but not for bryophytes. Presence absence data did not provide sufficient power to detect elevational shifts in species distributions. The patterns observed for bryophytes are in accordance with recent literature showing that local diversity can remain unchanged despite strong changes in composition. Regardless of whether one taxon is systematically more or less sensitive to environmental change than another, our results suggest that vascular plants cannot be used as a surrogate for bryophytes in terms of predicting the nature and magnitude of responses to warming. Thus, to assess overall biodiversity responses to global change, abundance data from different taxonomic groups and different community properties need to be synthesized.
Membrane-Interactive Compounds fromPistacia lentiscusL. ThwartPseudomonas aeruginosaVirulence
Authors: Tahrioui Ali , Ortiz Sergio , Azuama Onyedikachi Cecil , Bouffartigues Emeline , Benalia Nabiha , Tortuel Damien , Maillot Olivier , Chemat Smain , Kritsanida Marina , Feuilloley Marc , Orange Nicole , Michel Sylvie , Lesouhaitier Olivier , Cornelis Pierre , Grougnet Raphaël , Boutefnouchet Sabrina , Chevalier Sylvie
Published: March 2020

Pseudomonas aeruginosais capable to deploy a collection of virulence factors that are not only essential for host infection and persistence, but also to escape from the host immune system and to become more resistant to drug therapies. Thus, developing anti-virulence agents that may directly counteract with specific virulence factors or disturb higher regulatory pathways controlling the production of virulence armories are urgently needed. In this regard, this study reports thatPistacia lentiscusL. fruit cyclohexane extract (PLFE1) thwartsP. aeruginosavirulence by targeting mainly the pyocyanin pigment production by interfering with 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines molecules production. Importantly, the anti-virulence activity of PLFE1 appears to be associated with membrane homeostasis alteration through the modulation of SigX, an extracytoplasmic function sigma factor involved in cell wall stress response. A thorough chemical analysis of PLFE1 allowed us to identify the ginkgolic acid (C17:1) and hydroginkgolic acid (C15:0) as the main bioactive membrane-interactive compounds responsible for the observed increased membrane stiffness and anti-virulence activity againstP. aeruginosa. This study delivers a promising perspective for the potential future use of PLFE1 or ginkgolic acid molecules as an adjuvant therapy to fight againstP. aeruginosainfections.
Thymic rejuvenation via induced thymic epithelial cells (iTECs) fromFOXN1-overexpressing fibroblasts to counteract inflammaging
Authors: Oh Jiyoung , Wang Weikan , Thomas Rachel , Su Dong-Ming
Published: March 2020

Age-associated systemic, chronic, sterile inflammatory condition (inflammaging) is partially attributed to increased self (auto)-reactivity, resulting from disruption of central tolerance in the aged, involuted thymus. Age-related thymic involution causally results from gradually declined expression of the transcription factor forkhead box N1 (FOXN1) in thymic epithelial cells (TECs), while exogenousFOXN1in TECs can significantly rescue age-related thymic involution. Given the findings that induced TECs (iTECs) fromFOXN1-overexpressing embryonic fibroblasts can generate an ectopicde novothymus under the kidney capsule and intra-thymically injected natural young TECs can lead to middle-aged thymus regrowth, we sought to expand upon these two findings by applying them as a novel thymic rejuvenation strategy with two types of promoter-driven (Rosa26CreERTandFoxN1Cre) Cre-mediated iTECs. We engrafted iTECs, rather than natural young TECs, directly into the aged thymus and/or peri-thymus and found a significantly rejuvenated architecture and function in the native aged murine thymus. The engrafted iTECs drove regrowth of the aged thymus in both male and female mice, showing not only increased thymopoiesis, but also reinforcement of thymocyte negative selection, thereby, reducing senescent T cells and auto-reactive T cell-mediated inflammaging phenotypes in old mice. Therefore, this is a promising thymic rejuvenation strategy with preclinical significance, which can potentially rescue declined thymopoiesis and impaired negative selection to significantly, albeit partially, restore the defective central tolerance and reduce subclinical chronic inflammatory symptoms in the elderly.

Graphical Abstract

A novel rejuvenation strategy via theFOXN1-TEC axis using induced two types ofFOXN1-overexpressing embryonic fibroblasts (termed iTECs) by intrathymic injection is able to counteract age-related thymic involution, which rescued negative selection, thereby, reducing peripheral T cell-associated inflammaging conditions.
Estimating the number of protein molecules in a plant cell: a quantitative perspective on proteostasis and amino acid homeostasis during progressive drought stress
Authors: Heinemann Björn , Künzler Patrick , Braun Hans-Peter , Hildebrandt Tatjana M.
Published: March 2020

During dehydration cellular proteostasis as well as amino acid homeostasis are severely challenged, since the decrease in photosynthesis induces massive proteolysis. Thus, we selected progressive drought stress inArabidopsis thalianaas a model to investigate the balance between protein and free amino acid homeostasis on a quantitative level. We analyze the mass protein composition of rosette leaves and estimate, how many protein molecules are present in a plant cell and its subcellular compartments. Under control conditions, an average Arabidopsis mesophyll cell contains about 25 billion protein molecules and 80% of them are localized in the chloroplasts. Severe water deficiency leads to degradation of more than 40% of the leaf proteome and thus causes a drastic shift towards the free amino acid pool. Stress induced proteolysis of half of the 400 million RubisCO hexadecamers present in the chloroplasts of an individual mesophyll cell alone doubles the cellular content in free amino acids. A major fraction of the amino acids released from proteins is channeled into the synthesis of proline as a compatible osmolyte. Complete oxidation of the remaining part as an alternative respiratory substrate can fully compensate the lack of carbohydrates derived from photosynthesis for several hours.
Biomechanical properties of a buzz-pollinated flower
Authors: Garcia Brito Vinicius Lourenço , Pereira Nunes Carlos Eduardo , Rocha Resende Caique , Montealegre-Zapata Fernando , Vallejo-Marín Mario
Published: March 2020

Approximately half of all bee species use vibrations to remove pollen from plants with diverse floral morphologies. In many buzz-pollinated flowers, these mechanical vibrations generated by bees are transmitted through floral tissues, principally pollen-containing anthers, causing pollen to be ejected from small openings (pores or slits) at the tip of the stamen. Despite the importance of substrate-borne vibrations for both bees and plants, few studies to date have characterised the transmission properties of floral vibrations. In this study, we use contactless laser vibrometry to evaluate the transmission of vibrations in the corolla and anthers of buzz-pollinated flowers ofSolanum rostratum, and measured vibrations in three spatial axes. We found that floral vibrations conserve their dominant frequency (300Hz) as they are transmitted through the flower, but that vibrations in anthers and petals can gain additional harmonics relative to the pure tone of input vibrations. We also found that vibrations are generally amplified (up to >400%) as they travel from the receptacle at the base of the flower to other floral structures, and that anthers vibrate with a higher amplitude velocity than petals. Together, these results suggest that vibrations travel differently through floral structures and across different spatial axes. As pollen release is a function of vibration amplitude, we conjecture that bees might benefit from applying vibrations in the axes associated with higher vibration amplification.
A role for the cortex in sleep-wake regulation
Authors: Krone Lukas B. , Yamagata Tomoko , Blanco-Duque Cristina , Guillaumin Mathilde C. C. , Kahn Martin C. , Akerman Colin J. , Hoerder-Suabedissen Anna , Molnár Zoltán , Vyazovskiy Vladyslav V.
Published: March 2020

The cortex and subcortical circuitry are thought to play distinct roles in the generation of sleep oscillations and global control of vigilance states. Here we silenced a subset of cortical layer 5 pyramidal and dentate gyrus granule cells in mice using a cell-specific ablation of the key t-SNARE protein SNAP25. We found a marked increase in wakefulness accompanied by a reduced rebound of EEG slow-wave activity after sleep deprivation. Our data illustrates an important role for the cortex in both global state control and sleep homeostasis.
Opa1overexpression protects from early onsetMpv17-/--related mouse kidney disease
Authors: Luna-Sanchez Marta , Benincà Cristiane , Cerutti Raffaele , Brea-Calvo Gloria , Yeates Anna , Scorrano Luca , Zeviani Massimo , Viscomi Carlo
Published: March 2020

Moderate overexpression ofOpa1, encoding a master regulator of mitochondrial cristae morphology, has been shown to improve significantly mitochondrial damage induced by drugs, surgical denervation, or genetically determined OXPHOS defects. However, this approach has been so far demonstrated in a limited number of genetically defective OXPHOS models characterized by specific impairment of a single mitochondrial respiratory chain complex. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of moderateOpa1overexpression in theMpv17-/-mouse, characterized by profound, multisystem mtDNA depletion. In naïveMpv17-/-individuals, whose genetic background was crossed with individuals belonging to theOpa1tgstrain, we found a surprising anticipation of severe, progressive focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, previously described inMpv17-/-animals as a late-onset clinical feature (after 12-18 months of life). In contrast, kidney failure ledMpv17-/-individuals from this new “mixed” strain leading to death 8-9 weeks after birth. However,Mpv17-/-::Opa1tgmice lived much longer thanMpv17-/-littermates, and developed much later severe proteinuria associated with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. MtDNA content and OXPHOS activities were significantly higher inMpv17-/-::Opa1tgthan inMpv17-/-kidneys, and similar to WT littermates. Mitochondrial network and cristae ultrastructure were largely preserved inMpv17-/-::Opa1tgvs.Mpv17-/-kidney and isolated podocytes. Mechanistically, the protective effect ofOpa1overexpression in this model was mediated by a block in apoptosis due to the stabilization of the mitochondrial cristae, consequently increasing the levels of mitochondrial morphology proteins like MFN2 and MIC19 as well as stabilizing ATP synthase oligomers. These results demonstrate that strategies aiming at increasingOpa1expression or activity can be an effective aid against mtDNA depletion syndromes.
Spontaneous retinal waves generate long-range horizontal connectivity in visual cortex
Authors: Kim Jinwoo , Song Min , Paik Se-Bum
Published: March 2020

In the primary visual cortex (V1) of higher mammals, long-range horizontal connections (LHCs) are observed to develop, linking iso-orientation domains of cortical tuning. It is unknown how this feature-specific wiring of circuitry develops before eye opening. Here, we show that LHCs in V1 may originate from spatio-temporally structured feedforward activities generated from spontaneous retinal waves. Using model simulations based on the anatomy and observed activity patterns of the retina, we show that waves propagating in retinal mosaics can initialize the wiring of LHCs by co-activating neurons of similar tuning, whereas equivalent random activities cannot induce such organizations. Simulations showed that emerged LHCs can produce the patterned activities observed in V1, matching topography of the underlying orientation map. We also confirmed that the model can also reproduce orientation-specific microcircuits in salt-and-pepper organizations in rodents. Our results imply that early peripheral activities contribute significantly to cortical development of functional circuits.

Highlights

Developmental model of long-range horizontal connections (LHCs) in V1 is simulated

Spontaneous retinal waves generate feature-specific wiring of LHCs in visual cortex

Emerged LHCs induce orientation-matching patterns of spontaneous cortical activity

Retinal waves induce orientation-specific microcircuits of visual cortex in rodents

Significance statement

Long-range horizontal connections (LHCs) in the primary visual cortex (V1) are observed to emerge before the onset of visual experience, selectively connecting iso-domains of orientation maps. However, it is unknown how such tuning-specific wirings develop before eye-opening. Here, we show that LHCs in V1 originate from the tuning-specific activation of cortical neurons by spontaneous retinal waves during early developmental stages. Our simulations of a visual cortex model show that feedforward activities from the retina initialize the spatial organization of activity patterns in V1, which induces visual feature-specific wirings of V1 neurons. Our model also explains the origin of cortical microcircuits observed in rodents, suggesting that the proposed developmental mechanism is applicable universally to circuits of various mammalian species.
Robust HIV-1 replication in the absence of integrase function
Authors: Irwan Ishak D. , Karnowski Heather L. , Bogerd Hal P. , Tsai Kevin , Cullen Bryan R.
Published: March 2020

Integration of the proviral DNA intermediate into the host cell genome represents an essential step in the retroviral life cycle. While the reason(s) for this requirement remains unclear, it is known that unintegrated proviral DNA is epigenetically silenced. Here, we demonstrate that HIV-1 mutants lacking functional integrase can mount a robust, spreading infection in cells expressing the Tax transcription factor encoded by human T-cell leukemia virus 1. In these cells, HIV-1 forms episomal DNA circles, analogous to Hepatitis B virus covalently closed circular DNAs (cccDNAs), that are transcriptionally active and fully capable of supporting viral replication. This rescue correlates with the loss of inhibitory epigenetic marks, and the acquisition of activating marks, on histones bound to unintegrated HIV-1 DNA. Thus retroviral DNA integration may have evolved, at least in part, as a mechanism to avoid the epigenetic silencing of extrachromosomal viral DNA by host innate antiviral factors.

Significance

While retroviral DNA is synthesized normally after infection by integrase-deficient viruses, the resultant episomal DNA is then epigenetically silenced. Here, we show that expression of the Tax transcription factor encoded by a second human retrovirus, HTLV-1, prevents the epigenetic silencing of unintegrated HIV-1 DNA and instead induces the addition of activating epigenetic marks, and the recruitment of NF-kB/Rel proteins, to the HIV-1 LTR promoter. Moreover, in the presence of Tax, the HIV-1 DNA circles that form in the absence of integrase function are not only efficiently transcribed but also support a spreading, pathogenic IN- HIV-1 infection. Thus, retroviruses have the potential to replicate without integration, as is indeed seen with HBV.
Dynamic switching between intrinsic and extrinsic mode networks as demands change from passive to active processing
Authors: Riemer Frank , Grüner Renate , Beresniewicz Justyna , Kazimierczak Katarzyna , Ersland Lars , Hugdahl Kenneth
Published: March 2020

We here report on the relationship between default and extrinsic mode networks across alternating brief periods of rest and active task processing. We used three different visual tasks: mental rotation, working memory and mental arithmetic in a classic fMRI ON-OFF block design where task (ON) blocks alternated with equal periods of rest (OFF) blocks. By analysing data in two ways, using an ON-OFF contrast, we showed the existence of a generalized task-positive network, labelled the extrinsic mode network (EMN) which was anti-correlated with the default mode network (DMN) as processing demands shifted from rest to active processing. We then identified two key regions of interest (ROIs) in the SMA and Precuneus/PCC regions as hubs for the extrinsic and intrinsic networks, and extracted the time-course from these ROIs. The results showed a close to perfect correlations for the SMA and Precuneus/PCC time-courses for ON-respective OFF-blocks. We suggest the existence of two large-scale networks, an extrinsic mode network and an intrinsic mode network, respectively, which are up- and down-regulated as environmental demands change from active to passive processing.
Generation of excitatory and inhibitory neurons from common progenitors via Notch signaling in the cerebellum
Authors: Zhang Tingting , Liu Tengyuan , Mora Natalia , Guegan Justine , Bertrand Mathilde , Contreras Ximena , Hansen Andi H. , Streicher Carmen , Anderle Marica , Danda Natalia , Tiberi Luca , Hippenmeyer Simon , Hassan Bassem A.
Published: March 2020

Brain neurons arise from relatively few progenitors capable of giving rise to an enormous diversity of neuronal types. Nonetheless, a cardinal feature of mammalian brain neurogenesis in both the cortex and the cerebellum is that excitatory neurons and inhibitory neurons derive from separate, spatially segregated, progenitors. Whether bi-potential progenitors with an intrinsic capacity to generate both excitatory and inhibitory lineages exist and how such a fate decision may be regulated is unknown. Using cerebellar development as a model, we discover that individual embryonic cerebellar progenitors give rise to both inhibitory and excitatory lineages. We find that gradations of Notch activity levels determine the fates of the progenitors and their daughters. Daughters with the highest levels of Notch activity retain the progenitor fate. Daughters with intermediate levels of Notch activity become fate restricted to generate inhibitory neurons, while daughters with very low levels of Notch signaling adopt the excitatory fate. Therefore, Notch mediated binary cell fate choice is a mechanism for regulating the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons from common progenitors.

Graphical summary
Assembly and Annotation of an Ashkenazi Human Reference Genome
Authors: Shumate Alaina , Zimin Aleksey V. , Sherman Rachel M. , Puiu Daniela , Wagner Justin M. , Olson Nathan D. , Pertea Mihaela , Salit Marc L. , Zook Justin M. , Salzberg Steven L.
Published: March 2020

Here we describe the assembly and annotation of the genome of an Ashkenazi individual and the creation of a new, population-specific human reference genome. This genome is more contiguous and more complete than GRCh38, the latest version of the human reference genome, and is annotated with highly similar gene content. The Ashkenazi reference genome, Ash1, contains 2,973,118,650 nucleotides as compared to 2,937,639,212 in GRCh38. Annotation identified 20,157 protein-coding genes, of which 19,563 are >99% identical to their counterparts on GRCh38. Most of the remaining genes have small differences. 40 of the protein-coding genes in GRCh38 are missing from Ash1; however, all of these genes are members of multi-gene families for which Ash1 contains other copies. 11 genes appear on different chromosomes from their homologs in GRCh38. Alignment of DNA sequences from an unrelated Ashkenazi individual to Ash1 identified ~1 million fewer homozygous SNPs than alignment of those same sequences to the more-distant GRCh38 genome, illustrating one of the benefits of population-specific reference genomes.
Autophagy promotes mammalian survival by suppressing oxidative stress and p53
Authors: Yang Yang , Karsli-Uzunbas Gizem , Poillet-Perez Laura , Sawant Akshada , Hu Zhixian Sherrie , Zhao Yuhan , Moore Dirk , Hu Wenwei , White Eileen
Published: March 2020

Autophagy captures intracellular components and delivers them to lysosomes for degradation and recycling. Conditional autophagy deficiency in adult mice causes liver damage, shortens life span to 3 mo due to neurodegeneration, and is lethal upon fasting. As autophagy deficiency causes p53 induction and cell death in neurons, we sought to test whether p53 mediates the lethal consequences of autophagy deficiency. Here, we conditionally deleted Trp53 (p53 hereafter) and/or the essential autophagy gene Atg7 throughout adult mice. Compared with Atg7Δ/Δ mice, the life span of Atg7Δ/Δp53Δ/Δ mice was extended due to delayed neurodegeneration and resistance to death upon fasting. Atg7 also suppressed apoptosis induced by p53 activator Nutlin-3, suggesting that autophagy inhibited p53 activation. To test whether increased oxidative stress in Atg7Δ/Δ mice was responsible for p53 activation, Atg7 was deleted in the presence or absence of the master regulator of antioxidant defense nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Nrf2−/−Atg7Δ/Δ mice died rapidly due to small intestine damage, which was not rescued by p53 codeletion. Thus, Atg7 limits p53 activation and p53-mediated neurodegeneration. In turn, NRF2 mitigates lethal intestine degeneration upon autophagy loss. These findings illustrate the tissue-specific roles for autophagy and functional dependencies on the p53 and NRF2 stress response mechanisms.
Transition effect on aerodynamic performance of compressor profile
Authors: Szwaba Ryszard , Kaczyński Piotr , Doerffer Piotr
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study experimentally the effect of transition and also the roughness height on the flow structure of the shock wave boundary layer interaction in the blades passage of a compressor cascade.

Design/methodology/approach

A model of a turbine compressor passage was designed and assembled in a transonic wind tunnel. In the experiment, the distributed roughness with different heights and locations was used to induce transition upstream of the shock wave.

Findings

Recommendation regarding the roughness parameters for the application depends on what is more important as goal, whether the reduction of losses or unsteadiness. In case if more important are the losses reduction, a good choice for the roughness location seems to be the one close to the shock wave position.

Research limitations/implications

The knowledge gained by this paper will enable the implementation of an effective laminar flow technology for engines in which the interaction of a laminar boundary layer with a shock wave takes place in the propulsion system and causes severe problems.

Originality/value

The paper focuses on the influence of the boundary layer transition induced by different roughness values and locations on aerodynamic performance of a compressor cascade. Very valuable results were obtained in the roughness application for the boundary layer transition control, demonstrating a positive effect in changing the nature of the interaction and also some negative influence in case of oversized roughness height, which cannot be found in the existing literature.
A new approach for improving work distribution in business processes supported by BPMS
Authors: Pereira José-Luís , Varajão João , Uahi Robbie
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is regarding the execution of business processes by Business Process Management Systems (BPMS), during design-time modelers have to specify the potential performers of a work activity according to their organizational position or role. Once several workers may share the same role, at run-time all of them (indistinctively) can be assigned by BPMS to execute a work activity. However, distinct individuals have different personality traits and, for certain instances of work (requiring, for example, specific soft skills) some of them might perform better. A new approach to work distribution in business processes supported by BPMS, which takes into account the psychological characteristics of workers was proposed.

Design/methodology/approach

As stated in Section 3 of the paper, in this work the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, as proposed by Kuechler and Vaishnavi (2008) was used. All the five steps, from the “Awareness of problem” to the “Conclusion” were accomplished, being described in the paper.

Findings

It is demonstrated that, by using the proposed approach, BPMS might deliver work to people in a more effective way, by selecting those workers that seem to be more suitable to accomplish each particular piece of work, taking into account the characteristics of the work itself and the specific profiles of the workers eligible to execute it.

Originality/value

BPMSs are responsible for the execution of business process models, by delivering work activities to suitable agents (human or artificial), which execute them. Addressing a gap in the BPM literature, this paper presents a new approach for improving work distribution in business processes supported by BPMS, enabling to assign (in run-time) the most suitable workers to perform specific work activities, grounded on the concept of psychological profile and taking into account technical, human and social aspects.
Critical success factors for the receptiveness of Islamic home financing in Malaysia
Authors: Amin Hanudin
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the critical success factors (CSFs) for the receptiveness of Islamic home financing in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

A framework of the CSFs for the receptiveness of Islamic home financing is developed. The framework evaluates the effects of product type, competitive value proposition, Islamic debt collection policy, Islamic bankers' knowledge and maqasid al-Shariah compliance on the receptiveness. Data from 744 usable questionnaires are analysed to confirm the applicability of the framework in Islamic home financing context.

Findings

The results suggest that product type, competitive value proposition, Islamic debt collection policy, Islamic bankers' knowledge and maqasid al-Shariah compliance are significantly related to the receptiveness of Islamic home financing.

Research limitations/implications

Two limitations are available for future studies. Firstly, the respondents of this study are limited to Malaysians, signifying further testing of the proposed model across different geographies is required to determine the generalisability of the model. Secondly, the contributions of the proposed framework are confined to a specific area of Islamic banking products. Thus, extending the framework to other banking products or conducting a comparative study between Islamic home financing and its conventional peer can improve its generalisability.

Practical implications

The results obtained offer a fresh direction on how to market Islamic home financing products successfully, where the new CSFs are brought into play.

Originality/value

This study examines the new proposed CSFs for the receptiveness of Islamic home financing in Malaysia.
Empirical analysis on corporate environmental performance and environmental disclosure in an emerging market context
Authors: Acar Merve , Temiz Hüseyin
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between environmental performance of firms and the level of voluntary environmental disclosure in emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

We used tobit regression OLS andt-test methods to reveal the association between environmental performance and the level of voluntary environmental disclosure.

Findings

We find a significant positive association between the level of discretionary environmental disclosures and corporate environmental performance. The result is in line with the arguments of economics disclosure theory that argues environmentally good performers disclose more.

Practical implications

Many of the environmentally good firms in Turkey are also listed in the “BIST Sustainability Index,” and this situation can be the result of the relative power of external regulations. Accordingly, it can be suggested to increase the community and governmental pressures for environmental reporting but also gives importance to increase intrinsic motivations for companies to engage in disclosure practices.

Originality/value

This study shed light on relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure in an emerging market context. Also, it is revisited that the relation between environmental performance and the level of environmental disclosure by testing two different predictions on the level of environmental disclosures.
Hardening model of severe plastically deformed AA2024 by high-pressure torsion
Authors: Lamin Fauziana , Mohd Ihsan Ahmad Kamal Ariffin , Mohamed Intan Fadhlina , Nuphairode Cheeranan Krutsuwan
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate the validity of bilinear hardening model to represent the stress flow of high-pressure torsion (HPT)-strengthened lightweight material, AA2024.

Design/methodology/approach

Finite-element HPT simulation was performed by applying a simultaneous prescribed displacement on the axial and rotational axis that is equivalent to 4 GPa pressure and 30° torsion. The material behaviour incorporates plasticity attributes with a bilinear constitutive equation that consists of elastic and tangent modulus.

Findings

As a result, the von Mises stress generated from the simulation is in good agreement with the experiment, indicating that the assumptions of plasticity properties applied for the FEM simulation model are acceptable. The model verification confirms the anticipated plasticity parameters’ effect on the generated von Mises stress. The disc centre also evidenced an insignificant stress increment due to the limited shear straining.

Research limitations/implications

A reliable hardening model would assist in understanding the stress flow associated with mechanical properties enhancement.

Practical implications

The bilinear hardening model exhibits a satisfactory stress estimation. It simplifies the ideal strain variable hardening procedures and lessens the total computation time that is valuable in solving severe plastic deformation problems.

Originality/value

An integration of well-defined input parameters, concerning the hardening behaviour and the plasticity properties, contributes to the establishment of a validated HPT simulation model, particularly for AA2024. This study also proved that perfectly plastic behaviour is inappropriate to represent hardening in the HPT-strengthened materials due to the remarkable stress deviation from the experimental data.
Identification of effective criteria to improve lighting quality in existing art museums
Authors: Hassanizadeh Negar , Noorzai Esmatullah , Mohseni AbdolReza
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify effective lighting criteria in the museum from two theoretical and practical points of view.

Design/methodology/approach

Assessment of theoretical and practical weight of criteria was taken with the aim of concurrent attention in scientific and executive. Finally, ten effective criteria were identified by the Pareto chart.

Findings

The findings of this study represents a centralized reference source of the most important criteria and also effective guidance to improve the lighting quality and effective guideline to improve the lighting quality and operational fluency.

Practical implications

The paper can help the lighting experts, contemporary designers and future researchers to enhance the lighting function in art museums and design based on needs as well as up-to-date techniques.

Originality/value

Lighting as a fundamental element in the existing art museum has a significant impact on the better understanding of the artworks by the viewers. On the other hand, according to the importance of protecting valuable museum artefacts, lighting can have an effective or destructive impact on them directly. But with consideration of different museum lighting, there is a large range of effective lighting criteria that can choose the right methods harder.
Helping or intervening? Modes of ordering in public sector digitalization
Authors: Jørgensen Bastian , Schou Jannick
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper examines how digital reforms affect the relationship between frontline workers and citizens in Danish public sector institutions. Using ethnographic research in two branches of public administration, the study highlights how frontline workers act in accordance with seemingly contradictory modes of ordering. Their acts problematize linear conceptualizations of change that often prevail in digital reforms.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a comparative ethnographic study of frontline workers in the Danish tax and customs administration and municipal citizen service centers. The concept of modes of ordering is used to highlight new tensions that arise as frontline workers adapt to make digital reforms work.

Findings

Frontline workers act according to two different modes of ordering based on the separation between helping citizens help themselves and helping citizens directly. National policies and strategies promote the underlying rationale of the first mode but, as this paper shows, this mode is sustained by a second mode, which involves the intervention of professionals when citizens cannot be helped to help themselves.

Originality/value

The paper, which contributes to our understanding of how digitalization is changing public administrations and the relationship between frontline workers and citizens, challenges applying a linear, technocratic focus in discourses on public sector digitalization and highlights the contradictory practices of frontline work. It demonstrates the necessity of going beyond policy narratives and calls for increased attention to how frontline workers adapt to make reforms work.
Do you pass it on? An examination of the consequences of perceived cyber incivility
Authors: McCarthy Kimberly , Pearce Jone L. , Morton John , Lyon Sarah
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The emerging literature on computer-mediated communication at the study lacks depth in terms of elucidating the consequences of the effects of incivility on employees. This study aims to compare face-to-face incivility with incivility encountered via e-mail on both task performance and performance evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

In two experimental studies, the authors test whether exposure to incivility via e-mail reduces individual task performance beyond that of face-to-face incivility and weather exposure to that incivility results in lower performance evaluations for third-parties.

Findings

The authors show that being exposed to cyber incivility does decrease performance on a subsequent task. The authors also find that exposure to rudeness, both face-to-face and via e-mail, is contagious and results in lower performance evaluation scores for an uninvolved third party.

Originality/value

This research comprises an empirically grounded study of incivility in the context of e-mail at study, highlights distinctions between it and face-to-face rudeness and reveals the potential risks that cyber incivility poses for employees.