bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategies Used by Outpatient Oncology Nurses to Introduce Early Palliative Care
Authors: Mohammed Shan , Swami Nadia , Pope Ashley , Rodin Gary , Zimmermann Camilla
Published: July 2023

Background

Although early palliative care is linked to improved health-related quality of life, satisfaction with care, and symptom management, the clinical strategies that nurses use to actively initiate this care are unknown.

Objectives

The aims of this study were to conceptualize the clinical strategies that outpatient oncology nurses use to introduce early palliative care and to determine how these strategies align with the framework of practice.

Methods

A constructivist-informed grounded theory study was conducted in a tertiary cancer care center in Toronto, Canada. Twenty nurses (6 staff nurses, 10 nurse practitioners, and 4 advanced practice nurses) from multiple outpatient oncology clinics (ie, breast, pancreatic, hematology) completed semistructured interviews. Analysis occurred concurrently with data collection and used constant comparison until theoretical saturation was reached.

Results

The overarching core category, pulling it all together, outlines the strategies used by oncology nurses to support timely palliative care referral, drawing on the coordinating, collaborating, relational, and advocacy dimensions of practice. The core category incorporated 3 subcategories: (1) catalyzing and facilitating synergy among disciplines and settings, (2) promoting and considering palliative care within patients’ personal narratives, and (3) widening the focus from disease-focused treatment to living well with cancer.

Conclusion

Outpatient oncology nurses enact unique clinical strategies, which are aligned with the nursing framework and reflected multiple dimensions of practice, to introduce early palliative care.

Implications for Practice

Our findings have clinical, educational, and policy implications for fostering the conditions in which nurses are supported to maximize their full potential in the introduction of early palliative care.
Association between skeletal muscle mass index and falls in patients with functional impairment
Authors: Arai Hideki , Nozoe Masafumi , Kamiya Kuniyasu , Matsumoto Satoru , Morimoto Takeshi
Published: July 2023

Objective

This study aimed to assess the association between skeletal muscle mass index and falls in patients with functional impairment.

Design

This retrospective cohort study was implemented at a convalescent rehabilitation ward. Patients with no measurement of skeletal muscle mass index and bed-ridden patients were excluded from this study. Patients were dichotomized into the low skeletal muscle mass index group and the high skeletal muscle mass index group. The occurrence of fall was assessed according to skeletal muscle mass index groups.

Results

Out of the 327 included patients, 231 (71%) were assigned to the low skeletal muscle mass index group. In total, 66 patients (20%) experienced at least one fall, and a total of 102 falls occurred. The incidence of falls for the low skeletal muscle mass index group was not significantly greater than that for the high skeletal muscle mass index group (4.9 per 1000 patient-days vs. 4.5 per 1000 patient-days, P = 0.9). Low skeletal muscle mass index was not significantly associated with one or more incidents of falls (OR (95% CIs) = 0.6 (0.3–1.17)).

Conclusion

This study found that skeletal muscle mass index was not significantly associated with falls in patients undergoing convalescent rehabilitation.
From commensalism to parasitism within a genus-level clade of barnacles
Authors: Watanabe Hiromi Kayama , Uyeno Daisuke , Yamamori Luna , Jimi Naoto , Chen Chong
Published: July 2023

Understanding how animals evolve to become parasites is key to unravelling how biodiversity is generated as a whole, as parasites could account for half of all species richness. Two significant impediments to this are that parasites fossilize poorly and that they retain few clear shared morphological features with non-parasitic relatives. Barnacles include some of the most astonishingly adapted parasites with the adult body reduced to just a network of tubes plus an external reproductive body, but how they originated from the sessile, filter-feeding form is still a mystery. Here, we present compelling molecular evidence that the exceedingly rare scale-worm parasite barnacle
Rhizolepas
is positioned within a clade comprising species currently assigned to
Octolasmis
, a genus exclusively commensal with at least six different phyla of animals. Our results imply that species in this genus-level clade represent an array of species at various transitional stages from free-living to parasitic in terms of plate reduction and host-parasite intimacy. Diverging only about 19.15 million years ago, the route to parasitism in
Rhizolepas
was associated with rapid modifications in anatomy, a pattern that was likely true for many other parasitic lineages.
Signal size allometry inAnolislizard dewlaps
Authors: Stroud James T. , Petherick Ansley , Krasnoff Benjamin , Walker Kamau , Suh Jonathan J. , Losos Jonathan B.
Published: July 2023

Positive allometry of signalling traits has often been taken as evidence for sexual selection. However, few studies have explored interspecific differences in allometric scaling relationships among closely related species that vary in their degree of ecological similarity.Anolislizards possess an elaborate retractable throat fan called a dewlap that is used for visual communication and differs greatly in size and colour among species. We observed thatAnolisdewlaps demonstrate positive allometry: relative dewlap size increases with body size. We also observed that coexisting species are divergent in signal size allometries, while convergent species—similar in other aspects of ecology, morphology and behaviour—typically share similar dewlap allometric scaling relationships. These patterns suggest that dewlap scaling relationships may follow the same pattern as other traits in the anole radiation, where ecologically different sympatric species have evolved a suite of divergent traits.
Molecular-scale substrate anisotropy, crowding and division drive collective behaviours in cell monolayers
Authors: Luo Yimin , Gu Mengyang , Park Minwook , Fang Xinyi , Kwon Younghoon , Urueña Juan Manuel , Read de Alaniz Javier , Helgeson Matthew E. , Marchetti Cristina M. , Valentine Megan T.
Published: July 2023

The ability of cells to reorganize in response to external stimuli is important in areas ranging from morphogenesis to tissue engineering. While nematic order is common in biological tissues, it typically only extends to small regions of cells interacting via steric repulsion. On isotropic substrates, elongated cells can co-align due to steric effects, forming ordered but randomly oriented finite-size domains. However, we have discovered that flat substrates with nematic order can induce global nematic alignment of dense, spindle-like cells, thereby influencing cell organization and collective motion and driving alignment on the scale of the entire tissue. Remarkably, single cells are not sensitive to the substrate’s anisotropy. Rather, the emergence of global nematic order is a collective phenomenon that requires both steric effects and molecular-scale anisotropy of the substrate. To quantify the rich set of behaviours afforded by this system, we analyse velocity, positional and orientational correlations for several thousand cells over days. The establishment of global order is facilitated by enhanced cell division along the substrate’s nematic axis, and associated extensile stresses that restructure the cells’ actomyosin networks. Our work provides a new understanding of the dynamics of cellular remodelling and organization among weakly interacting cells.
Meta-analyses in psychology often overestimate evidence for and size of effects
Authors: Bartoš František , Maier Maximilian , Shanks David R. , Stanley T. D. , Sladekova Martina , Wagenmakers Eric-Jan
Published: July 2023

Adjusting for publication bias is essential when drawing meta-analytic inferences. However, most methods that adjust for publication bias do not perform well across a range of research conditions, such as the degree of heterogeneity in effect sizes across studies. Sladekovaet al. 2022 (Estimating the change in meta-analytic effect size estimates after the application of publication bias adjustment methods.Psychol. Methods) tried to circumvent this complication by selecting the methods that are most appropriate for a given set of conditions, and concluded that publication bias on average causes only minimal over-estimation of effect sizes in psychology. However, this approach suffers from a ‘Catch-22’ problem—to know the underlying research conditions, one needs to have adjusted for publication bias correctly, but to correctly adjust for publication bias, one needs to know the underlying research conditions. To alleviate this problem, we conduct an alternative analysis, robust Bayesian meta-analysis (RoBMA), which is not based onmodel-selectionbut onmodel-averaging. In RoBMA, models that predict the observed results better are given correspondingly larger weights. A RoBMA reanalysis of Sladekovaet al.’s dataset reveals that more than 60% of meta-analyses in psychology notably overestimate the evidence for the presence of the meta-analytic effect and more than 50% overestimate its magnitude.
Increased initial task difficulty drives social foragers to develop sub-optimal conformity instead of adaptive diversity
Authors: Marković Đorđe , Aljadeff Na'ama , Aplin Lucy M. , Lotem Arnon
Published: July 2023

The extent to which animal societies exhibit social conformity as opposed to behavioural diversity is commonly attributed to adaptive learning strategies. Less attention is given to the possibility that the relative difficulty of learning a task socially as opposed to individually can be critical for social learning dynamics. Here we show that by raising initial task difficulty, house sparrows previously shown to exhibit adaptive social diversity become predominantly conformists. The task we used required opening feeding well covers (easier to learn socially) and to choose the covers with the rewarding cues (easy to learn individually). We replicated a previous study where sparrows exhibited adaptive diversity, but did not pre-train the naive sparrows to open covers, making the task initially more difficult. In sharp contrast to the previous study results, most sparrows continued to conform to the demonstrated cue even after experiencing greater success with the alternative rewarding cue for which competition was less intense. Thus, our study shows that a task's cognitive demands, such as the initial dependency on social demonstration, can change the entire learning dynamics, causing social animals to exhibit sub-optimal social conformity rather than adaptive diversity under otherwise identical conditions.
A diabetes-like biochemical and behavioural phenotype of
Drosophila
induced by predator stress
Authors: Krama Tatjana , Bahhir Diana , Ots Liina , Popovs Sergejs , Bartkevičs Vadims , Pugajeva Iveta , Krams Ronalds , Merivee Enno , Must Anne , Rantala Markus J. , Krams Indrikis , Jõers Priit
Published: July 2023

Predation can have both lethal and non-lethal effects on prey. The non-lethal effects of predation can instil changes in prey life history, behaviour, morphology and physiology, causing adaptive evolution. The chronic stress caused by sustained predation on prey is comparable to chronic stress conditions in humans. Conditions like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress syndrome have also been implicated in the development of metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. In this study, we found that predator stress induced during larval development in fruit flies
Drosophila melanogaster
impairs carbohydrate metabolism by systemic inhibition of Akt protein kinase, which is a central regulator of glucose uptake. However,
Drosophila
grown with predators survived better under direct spider predation in the adult phase. Administration of metformin and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin, reversed these effects. Our results demonstrate a direct link between predator stress and metabolic impairment, suggesting that a diabetes-like biochemical phenotype may be adaptive in terms of survival and reproductive success. We provide a novel animal model to explore the mechanisms responsible for the onset of these metabolic disorders, which are highly prevalent in human populations.
Phylogenetic insight into the origin of tones
Authors: Wu Baihui , Zhang Hanzhi , Zhang Menghan
Published: July 2023

The origin of tone, also known as
tonogenesis
, has long been a topic of great interest in language evolution and human cognition studies. Several linguistic studies of tonal languages have proposed various hypotheses that tonal origin may be related to different changes of phonological structures. However, such hypotheses have not been quantitatively tested in an evolutionary framework. Here, we conducted phylogenetic comparative analyses to assess the likelihood of different hypotheses of tonogenetic mechanisms across 106 Sino-Tibetan languages, of which approximately 70% are tonal. Our results showed that the presence of tones has a strong phylogenetic pattern and that Proto-Sino-Tibetan languages were most likely non-tonal. Our findings identified that tonal origin was strongly associated with the evolution of specific phonological structures, such as the loss of syllable-final consonants and voice quality on vowels. Furthermore, we found that tonal origin probably did not influence the diversification rates of Sino-Tibetan languages. These findings enabled us to better understand that tone arose as a compensatory mechanism for the structural organization and evolution of languages.
Eco-evolutionary trade-offs in the dynamics of prion strain competition
Authors: Acevedo Saul , Stewart Alexander J.
Published: July 2023

Prion and prion-like molecules are a type of self-replicating aggregate protein that have been implicated in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Over recent decades, the molecular dynamics of prions have been characterized both empirically and through mathematical models, providing insights into the epidemiology of prion diseases and the impact of prions on the evolution of cellular processes. At the same time, a variety of evidence indicates that prions are themselves capable of a form of evolution, in which changes to their structure that impact their rate of growth or fragmentation are replicated, making such changes subject to natural selection. Here we study the role of such selection in shaping the characteristics of prions under the nucleated polymerization model (NPM). We show that fragmentation rates evolve to an evolutionary stable value which balances rapid reproduction of
PrP

Sc

aggregates with the need to produce stable polymers. We further show that this evolved fragmentation rate differs in general from the rate that optimizes transmission between cells. We find that under the NPM, prions that are both evolutionary stable and optimized for transmission have a characteristic length of three times the critical length below which they become unstable. Finally, we study the dynamics of inter-cellular competition between strains, and show that the eco-evolutionary trade-off between intra- and inter-cellular competition favours coexistence.
Long-read sequencing reveals genomic diversity and associated plasmid movement of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in a UK hospital over 6 years
Authors: Roberts Leah W. , Enoch David A. , Khokhar Fahad , Blackwell Grace A. , Wilson Hayley , Warne Ben , Gouliouris Theodore , Iqbal Zamin , Török M. Estée
Published: July 2023

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) affect the most vulnerable people in society and are increasingly difficult to treat in the face of mounting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Routine surveillance represents an effective way of understanding the circulation and burden of bacterial resistance and transmission in hospital settings. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to retrospectively analyse carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria from a single hospital in the UK over 6 years (n=165). We found that the vast majority of isolates were either hospital-onset (HAI) or HCAI. Most carbapenemase-producing organisms were carriage isolates, with 71 % isolated from screening (rectal) swabs. Using WGS, we identified 15 species, the most common being

Escherichia coli

and

Klebsiella pneumoniae

. Only one significant clonal outbreak occurred during the study period and involved a sequence type (ST)78

K

.

pneumoniae

carrying bla
NDM-1 on an IncFIB/IncHI1B plasmid. Contextualization with public data revealed little evidence of this ST outside of the study hospital, warranting ongoing surveillance. Carbapenemase genes were found on plasmids in 86 % of isolates, the most common types being bla
NDM- and bla
OXA-type alleles. Using long-read sequencing, we determined that approximately 30 % of isolates with carbapenemase genes on plasmids had acquired them via horizontal transmission. Overall, a national framework to collate more contextual genomic data, particularly for plasmids and resistant bacteria in the community, is needed to better understand how carbapenemase genes are transmitted in the UK.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING HYPERTENSION CLINICS IN MBARARA CITY, SOUTHWESTERN UGANDA
Authors: Night Atwongyeire , Maria Ssewanyana Anna , Racheal Namukwaya , Edward Mutesasira , Fred JJunju , Amon Nuwahereza , Damascene Niyonsenga Jean , Whitehouse Zillah , Herman Kazibwe , Wilfred Arubaku
Published: July 2023

Background

Physical activity has been shown to prevent mortality and morbidity among people with hypertension. Hypertension has been identified to affect about 33% of the adult population across the globe and 26.4% in Uganda. An increase in hypertension and its adverse outcomes have been observed and reported in Southwestern Uganda. This may be due to physical inactivity. However, there is limited evidence demonstrating physical activity among patients with hypertension within Southwestern Uganda. The current study investigated the extent of physical activity and associated factors among patients attending hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda.

Objective

To investigate the extent of physical activity and associated factors among patients attending hypertension clinics in Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda.

Methods

A descriptive, quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants’ data was obtained using a structured researcher-administered questionnaire consisting of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) long form, Motivation for Physical Activity Questionnaire (RM4-FM) and the Barrier to Being Active Quiz (BBAQ). Frequency distribution tables, Fischer’s exact test and multivariate logistic regression were used to describe data and establish associations during data analysis. A p-value less than 0.05 with 95% confidence interval was considered to be statistically significant.

Results

Less than half of the participants (45.39%) were found to be physically active. Level of education, having heard of physical activity, place of residence, sedentary behaviour and social influence were associated with physical activity with the Fischer’s exact test (p-value<0.05). On multivariate adjustment, only level of education (aOR=1.374; CI=1.055-1.790; p-value=0.018) and sedentary behaviour (aOR=0.276; CI=0.126-0.606; p-value=0.001) remained significant factors associated with physical activity. Majority of those who were active reported to be autonomously motivated. Most reported barriers were lack of skill, social influence and lack of willpower.

Conclusion

More than half of the patients with hypertension were physically inactive and almost half were inactive and sedentary. This is a double disaster especially for patients with hypertension; therefore, emphasis should be put on educating the public about the benefits of physical activity and availing a variety of physical activity options that engage all demographic groups.
Membrane Computing Simulation of Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Infections in Hotspots of Individuals with Various Risk Behaviors
Authors: Campos Marcelino , Galán Juan Carlos , Rodríguez-Dominguez Mario , Sempere José M. , Llorens Carlos , Baquero Fernando
Published: July 2023

The epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is complex due to the coexistence of various pathogens, the variety of transmission modes derived from sexual orientations and behaviors at different ages and genders, and sexual contact hotspots resulting in network transmission. There is also a growing proportion of recreational drug users engaged in high-risk sexual activities, as well as pharmacological self-protection routines fostering non-condom practices. The frequency of asymptomatic patients makes it difficult to develop a comprehensive approach to STI epidemiology. Modeling approaches are required to deal with such complexity. Membrane computing is a natural computing methodology for virtual reproduction of epidemics under the influence of deterministic and stochastic events with an unprecedented level of granularity. The application of the LOIMOS program to STI epidemiology illustrates the possibility of using it to shape appropriate interventions. Under the conditions of our basic landscape, including sexual hotspots of individuals with various risk behaviors, an increase in condom use reduces STIs in a larger proportion of heterosexuals than in same-gender sexual contacts and is much more efficient for reducingN. gonorrhoeaethanChlamydiaand lymphogranuloma venereum infections. Amelioration from diagnostic STI screening could be instrumental in reducingN. gonorrhoeaeinfections, particularly in men having sex with men (MSM), andC. trachomatisinfections in the heterosexual population; however, screening was less effective in decreasing lymphogranuloma venereum infections in MSM. The influence of STI epidemiology of sexual contacts between different age groups (<35 and ≥35 years) and in bisexual populations were also submitted for simulation.

Importance

The epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is complex and significantly influences sexual and reproductive health worldwide. Gender, age, sexual orientation, sexual behavior (including recreational drug use and physical and pharmacological protection practices), the structure of sexual contact networks, and the limited application or efficiency of diagnostic screening procedures creates variable landscapes in different countries. Modeling techniques are required to deal with such complexity. We propose the use of a simulation technology based on membrane computing, mimickingin silicoSTI epidemics under various local conditions with an unprecedented level of detail. This approach allows us to evaluate the relative weight of the various epidemic drivers in various populations at risk and the possible outcomes of interventions in particular epidemiological landscapes.
Comparative Analysis of Whole Transcriptome Single-Cell Sequencing Technologies in Complex Tissues
Authors: Salcher Stefan , Heidegger Isabel , Untergasser Gerold , Fotakis Georgios , Scheiber Alexandra , Martowicz Agnieszka , Noureen Asma , Krogsdam Anne , Schatz Christoph , Schäfer Georg , Trajanoski Zlatko , Wolf Dominik , Sopper Sieghart , Pircher Andreas
Published: July 2023

The development of single-cell omics tools has enabled scientists to study the tumor microenvironment (TME) in unprecedented detail. However, each of the different techniques may have its unique strengths and limitations. Here we directly compared two commercially available high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies - droplet-based 10X Chromiumvs.microwell-based BD Rhapsody - using paired samples from patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa) undergoing a radical prostatectomy.

Although high technical consistency was observed in unraveling the whole transcriptome, the relative abundance of cell populations differed. Cells with low-mRNA content such as T cells were underrepresented in the droplet-based system, at least partly due to lower RNA capture rates. In contrast, microwell based scRNA-seq recovered less cells of epithelial origin. Moreover, we discovered platform-dependent variabilities in mRNA quantification and cell-type marker annotation. Overall, our study provides important information for selection of the appropriate scRNA-seq platform and for the interpretation of published results.

SYNOPSIS

Comparison of scRNA-seq protocols uncovers disparities in RNA-to-library conversion

Microwell-based scRNA-seq technology excels in capturing low-mRNA content cells

Biased transcriptomes due to gene specific RNA detection efficacies by both platforms

The study guides in informed scRNA-seq platform selection and data interpretation
Phosphorylation-dependent interactions of VAPB and ELYS contribute to the temporal progression of mitosis
Authors: James Christina , Möller Ulrike , König Sabine , Urlaub Henning , Kehlenbach Ralph H.
Published: July 2023

ELYS is a nucleoporin that localizes to the nuclear side of the nuclear envelope in interphase cells. In mitosis, it serves as an assembly platform that interacts with chromatin and then with nucleoporin subcomplexes to initiate the formation of novel nuclear pore complexes. Here we describe the interaction of ELYS with the membrane protein VAPB. In mitosis, ELYS becomes phosphorylated at many sites, including a predicted FFAT (two phenylalanines in an acidic tract) motif, which is shown to mediate interaction with the MSP (major sperm protein)-domain of VAPB. Phosphorylation-dependent binding of VAPB to ELYS is demonstrated by peptide binding assays and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. In anaphase, the two proteins co-localize to the non-core region of the newly forming nuclear envelope. Depletion of VAPB resulted in prolonged mitosis and slow progression from meta-to anaphase and also to chromosome segregation defects. Together, our results suggest an active role of VAPB in recruiting membrane fragments to chromatin and in the biogenesis of a novel nuclear envelope during mitosis.
WITHDRAWN: Neuron-dependent tuft cell expansion initiates sinonasal allergic Type 2 inflammation
Authors: Ortiz-Carpena Jorge F. , Inclan-Rico Juan M. , Pastore Christopher F. , Hung Li-Yin , Wilkerson William B. , Weiner Molly B. , Lin Cailu , Gentile Maria Elena , Cohen Noam A. , Saboor Ishmail Abdus , Vaughan Andrew E. , Rossi Heather L. , Herbert De’Broski R.
Published: July 2023

Withdrawal Statement

The authors have withdrawn this manuscript owing to inaccuracies in the calculation of tuft cell numbers and errors in the selection of immunofluorescence images used to support our claims. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.
Evolutionary Trajectory of Pattern Recognition Receptors in Plants
Authors: Ngou Bruno Pok Man , Wyler Michele , Schmid Marc W , Kadota Yasuhiro , Shirasu Ken
Published: July 2023

Plants perceive pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) via pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to activate PRR-triggered immunity (PTI). Despite extensive research on PTI in model plant species, the evolutionary trajectory and emergence of PRRs remain elusive. Here we conducted a comparative genomic analysis of cell-surface receptors and downstream signalling components among 350 plant species. Our findings reveal that cell-surface receptors comprise two major classes, receptor-like proteins (RLPs) and receptor-like kinases (RLKs), with RLP being more ancient whereas RLK families have undergone significant expansion. We also demonstrate that multiple downstream signalling components have an ancient origin within the plant lineage. To shed light on the immune-specificity of PRRs, we traced the evolutionary origin of immune-specific leucine-rich repeat-RLPs (LRR-RLPs) in plants. Surprisingly, we discovered that the last four LRR motifs crucial for co-receptor interaction in LRR-RLPs are closely related to those of the LRR-RLK subgroup Xb, which primarily governs growth and development. Functional characterisation further reveals that LRR-RLPs initiate immune responses through their juxtamembrane and transmembrane regions, while LRR-RLK-Xb members regulate development through their cytosolic kinase domains. Our data suggest modular evolution of cell-surface receptors in which immunity- and development-specific cell-surface receptors share a common origin. After diversification, their ectodomains, juxtamembrane, transmembrane, and cytosolic regions have either diversified or stabilised to recognize ligands that activate different downstream responses. We propose that cell-surface receptors and downstream signalling components are ancient, and likely predate the emergence of land plants, subsequently evolving to exhibit greater complexity and specificity within the land plant lineage.
Effects of Copy Number Variations on Longevity in Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Patients: Insights from a Causality Network Analysis
Authors: Hao Yanan , Li Chuhao , Wang He , Ming Chen
Published: July 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), particularly late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD), is a prevalent form of dementia that significantly affects patients’ cognitive and behavioral capacities and longevity. Although approximately 70 genetic risk factors linked with AD have been identified, their influence on patient longevity remains unclear. Further, recent studies have associated copy number variations (CNVs) with the longevity of healthy individuals and immune-related pathways in AD patients. This study aims to investigate the role of CNVs on the longevity of AD patients by integrating multi-omics data from the Religious Orders Study/Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP) cohort through causality network inference.

Our comprehensive analysis led to the construction of a CNV-gene-age of death (AOD) causality network. We successfully identified three key CNVs (DEL5006, mCNV14192, and DUP42180) and seven AD-longevity causal genes (PLGRKT, TLR1, PLAU, CALB2, SYTL2, OTOF,andNT5DC1) impacting AD patient longevity, independent of disease severity. This outcome emphasizes the potential role of plasminogen activation and chemotaxis in longevity. We propose several hypotheses regarding the role of identified CNVs and the plasminogen system on patient longevity.

However, experimental validation is required to further corroborate these findings and uncover precise mechanisms. Despite these limitations, our study offers promising insights into the genetic influence on AD patient longevity and contributes to paving the way for potential therapeutic interventions.
A neural mechanism for discriminating social threat from social safety
Authors: Kassraian Pegah , Bigler Shivani K. , Gilly Diana M. , Shrotri Neilesh , Siegelbaum Steven A.
Published: July 2023

The ability to distinguish a threatening from non-threatening conspecific based on past experience is critical for adaptive social behaviors. Although recent progress has been made in identifying the neural circuits that contribute to different types of positive and negative social interactions, the neural mechanisms that enable the discrimination of individuals based on past aversive experiences remain unknown. Here, we developed a modified social fear conditioning paradigm that induced in both sexes robust behavioral discrimination of a conspecific associated with a footshock (CS+) from a non-reinforced interaction partner (CS-). Strikingly, chemogenetic or optogenetic silencing of hippocampal CA2 pyramidal neurons, which have been previously implicated in social novelty recognition memory, resulted in generalized avoidance fear behavior towards the equally familiar CS-and CS+. One-photon calcium imaging revealed that the accuracy with which CA2 representations discriminate the CS+ from the CS-animal was enhanced following social fear conditioning and strongly correlated with behavioral discrimination. Moreover the CA2 representations incorporated a generalized or abstract representation of social valence irrespective of conspecific identity and location. Thus, our results demonstrate, for the first time, that the same hippocampal CA2 subregion mediates social memories based on conspecific familiarity and social threat, through the incorporation of a representation of social valence into an initial representation of social identity.
The neural basis of defensive behaviour evolution inPeromyscusmice
Authors: Baier Felix , Reinhard Katja , Tong Victoria , Murmann Julie , Farrow Karl , Hoekstra Hopi E.
Published: July 2023

Evading imminent predator threat is critical for survival. Effective defensive strategies can vary, even between closely related species. However, the neural basis of such species-specific behaviours is still poorly understood. Here we find that two sister species of deer mice (genusPeromyscus) show different responses to the same looming stimulus:P. maniculatus,which occupy densely vegetated habitats, predominantly dart to escape, while the open field specialist,P. polionotus,pause their movement. This difference arises from species-specific escape thresholds, is largely context-independent, and can be triggered by both visual and auditory threat stimuli. Using immunohistochemistry and electrophysiological recordings, we find that although visual threat activates the superior colliculus in both species, the role of the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) in driving behaviour differs. While dPAG activity scales with running speed and involves both excitatory and inhibitory neurons inP. maniculatus, the dPAG is largely silent inP. polionotus,even when darting is triggered. Moreover, optogenetic activation of excitatory dPAG neurons reliably elicits darting behaviour inP. maniculatusbut notP. polionotus. Together, we trace the evolution of species-specific escape thresholds to a central circuit node, downstream of peripheral sensory neurons, localizing an ecologically relevant behavioural difference to a specific region of the complex mammalian brain.
Cryo-EM structure of TMEM63C suggests it functions as a monomer
Authors: Qin Yuqi , Yu Daqi , Wu Dan , Dong Jiangqing , Li William Thomas , Ye Chang , Cheung Kai Chit , Zhang Yingyi , Xu Yun , Wang YongQiang , Shi Yun Stone , Dang Shangyu
Published: July 2023

The TMEM63 family proteins (A, B, and C), calcium-permeable channels in animals that are preferentially activated by hypo-osmolality, have been implicated in various physiological functions. Deficiency of these channels would cause many diseases including hearing loss. However, their structures and physiological roles are not yet well understood. In this study, we determined the cryo-EM structure of the mouse TMEM63C at 3.56 Å, and revealed structural differences compared to its plant orthologues OSCAs. Further structural guided mutagenesis and electrophysiological studies demonstrated the important roles of the coupling of TM0 and TM6 in channel activity. Additionally, we confirmed that the physiological state of TMEM63C is monomer, while TMEM63B is a mix of monomer and dimer in cells, suggesting that oligomerization is a novel regulatory mechanism for TMEM63 proteins.
New record ofDendronephthya hemprichi(Family: Nephtheidae) from Mediterranean, Israel- an evidence for tropicalization?
Authors: Nativ Hagai , Galili Ori , Almuly Ricardo , Einbinder Shai , Tchernov Dan , Mass Tali
Published: July 2023

Bioinvasions have the potential to provoke cascade effects that can disrupt natural ecosystems, and cause ecological regime shifts. The Mediterranean Sea is particularly prone to bioinvasions as the changing water conditions, evoked by climate change, are creating advantageous conditions for Lessepsian migrants from the Red Sea. Recently, in May 2023, a new alien species was documented in the Mediterranean Sea - a soft coral of the genusDendronephthya. This discovery was made by divers conducting ‘Long Term Ecological Research’ surveys, along the coast of Israel, at a depth of 42 m. Genetic and morphological testing were utilized to confirm the species identity asDendronepthya hemprichi, an Indo-Pacific coral, common in the Red Sea. According to life history traits of this species such as accelerated attachment to available surfaces and fast growth, we expect it to rapidly expand its distribution and abundance across the Mediterranean.

Highlights

Potential ‘Tropicalization’ of the Mediterranean Sea

Increasing water temperatures are an important vector for marine bioinvasion

A second soft coral species, associated with Lessepsian migration, was identified in the Mediterranean

The importance of a long-term ecological monitoring program for identifying ecosystem changes
Metabolism regulates muscle stem cell self-renewal by connecting the microenvironment and histone acetylation
Authors: Ly C. Hai , Chung Jin D. , Nguyen John H.V. , Tian Luyi , Schroeder Jan , Knaupp Anja S. , Su Shian , Trieu Jennifer , Salmi Talhah M. , Zalcenstein Daniela , Jabbari Jafar S. , Boughton Berin A. , Cox Andrew G. , Naik Shalin H. , Polo Jose M. , Ritchie Matthew E. , Lynch Gordon S. , Ryall James G.
Published: July 2023

Skeletal muscle contains a resident population of somatic stem cells capable of both self-renewal and differentiation. The signals that regulate this important decision have yet to be fully elucidated. Here we use metabolomics and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to identity a state of localized hyperglycaemia following skeletal muscle injury. We show that committed muscle progenitor cells exhibit an enrichment of glycolytic and TCA cycle genes and that extracellular monosaccharide availability regulates intracellular citrate levels and global histone acetylation. Muscle stem cells exposed to a reduced (or altered) monosaccharide environment demonstrate reduced global histone acetylation and transcription of myogenic determination factors (includingmyod1). Importantly, reduced monosaccharide availability was linked directly to increased rates of asymmetric division and muscle stem cell self-renewal in regenerating skeletal muscle. Our results reveal an important role for the extracellular metabolic environment in the decision to undergo self-renewal or myogenic commitment during skeletal muscle regeneration.
Synergism Study for Investigating Possible Mechanisms of Insecticide Resistance in Mosquitoes
Authors: Li Ting , Wang Yifan , Liu Nannan
Published: July 2023

Metabolic detoxification, in which insecticides are metabolized by enzymes, including cytochrome P450s, hydrolases, and glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), to become more polar and less toxic, is one of the major mechanisms involved in the development of insecticide resistance. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO),S,S,S,-tributylphosphorotrithioate (DEF), and diethyl maleate (DEM) are inhibitors of P450s, hydrolases, and GSTs, respectively, and are frequently used as insecticide synergists in assessing the metabolic mechanisms that may be involved in the detoxification of insecticides and in the development of insecticide resistance. Synergistic assays can be used to identify the detoxification enzyme that leads to resistance to a specific insecticide. Here, we describe the procedures used in synergist studies of insecticides in both mosquito larvae and adults. The synergist is applied at a maximum sublethal concentration, which is the highest concentration that produces no apparent mortality in the experimental population, above which mortality appears. Insecticide synergistic experiments measure (1) the synergism ratio (SR), which is the difference in the levels of toxicity of a specific insecticide to a strain with and without the presence of the synergists; and (2) the synergism resistance ratio (SRR), which compares SR in the resistant strain with SR in a susceptible strain. In effect, SR indicates the levels of specific enzymes involved in the detoxification of insecticide and SRR identifies the detoxification enzymes/mechanisms that may be involved in the insecticide resistance of insects.
MCDM model to rank the performance outcomes in the implementation of Industry 4.0
Authors: Kumar Veepan , Vrat Prem , Shankar Ravi
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Industry 4.0 has received significant attention in today's competitive business market, necessitating a restructuring of functional domains in nearly every manufacturing organization. A comprehensive strategy to improve performance in preparation for Industry 4.0 implementation necessitates several steps, one of which is the establishment of performance outcomes (POs). The aim of this paper is to identify and rank the POs realized due to the adoption of Industry 4.0 enablers.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an extensive literature review and inputs received from experts, a comprehensive list of enablers and the POs was prepared and finalized. This paper proposes a framework based on hybrid solution methodology, namely Neutrosophic Analytical Hierarchy Process (N-AHP) and Neutrosophic Combined Compromise Solution (N-CoCoSo), to rank the POs realized due to the adoption of Industry 4.0 enablers. The N-AHP methodology has been adopted to calculate the relative weights of the Industry 4.0 enablers. In comparison, the N-CoCoSo method has been adopted to rank the POs of Industry 4.0.

Findings

The proposed framework is applied to an Indian manufacturing organization to test the organization's practical applicability. Additionally, sensitivity analysis is also carried out to check the steadiness of the proposed framework. The findings of this study revealed that “Improved responsiveness to market conditions in today's competitive business environment” is the top-ranked PO of Industry 4.0, followed by “Enhanced competitiveness and better market share”, “Better product quality, through smart management of production process” and “Reduction in manufacturing waste and environmental sustainability” which could be realized due to adoption of its enablers.

Practical implications

This research would aid practitioners by enhancing the practitioners' capacity to understand and prioritize the various POs resulting from implementing Industry 4.0 enablers. Embracing a clear strategic plan will further assist practitioners in improving the efficiency of Industry 4.0 implementation.

Originality/value

Previous literature has only addressed the relationship between Industry 4.0 enablers and POs in a limited way. This paper attempts to compile a comprehensive list of Industry 4.0 enablers relevant to manufacturing organizations in order to fill this knowledge and research gap.
Executive compensation incentives, innovation openness and green innovation: evidence from China's heavily polluting enterprises
Authors: Zhao Jianfei , Chankoson Thitinan , Cheng Wenjin , Pongtornkulpanich Anan
Published: July 2023

Purpose

A green innovation strategy is an important step for enterprises to balance economic and environmental. As the executors of strategic decisions, the attitude and capabilities of senior managers determine the effectiveness of implementing green innovation. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the relationship between executive compensation incentives and green innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the data of heavily polluting enterprises listed in China's A-share market from 2015 to 2020, this study constructs an OLS model with fixed effects of time and industry, and uses the mediation three-step method to verify the correlation between executive compensation incentives, innovation openness and green innovation. Meanwhile, the grouping regression was used to test the moderating effect of environmental regulation on executive compensation incentives.

Findings

The empirical results show that executive salary incentives promote green innovation and equity incentives inhibit green innovation; the openness breadth partially mediates the relationship between salary incentives, equity incentives and green innovation, while the openness depth only partially mediates the relationship between equity incentives and green innovation; and environmental regulation positively moderates executive incentives.

Research limitations/implications

Due to sample selection and variable measurement, the study lacks certain generality. Therefore, future research needs to further analyze the internal factors affecting green innovation from multiple dimensions.

Practical implications

This study provides a new evidence for analyzing how executive compensation measures affect green innovation, and further enhances the mediating mechanism of open innovation.

Originality/value

This study has significant theoretical implications for examining the intra-firm factors that affect green innovation.
Exploring the generational influence on social media-based tourist decision-making in India
Authors: Gulati Shruti
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore how social media affects decision-making among tourists and whether there is a potential effect of age, which is studied through generations. For this purpose, baby boomers, Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z tourists are studied and real-time implications are offered.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a descriptive and exploratory design where the conceptual model of social media-based decision-making is developed through a review of the literature. Quantitative analysis is conducted on primary data from 600 Indian tourists. This is done using a self-administered questionnaire adopted from Gulati (2022) after checking its validity and reliability. The statistical analysis for hypothesis testing is done using PLS-SEM path modelling on pooled data. To study the categorical moderating effect of generations, partial least squares multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA) is performed as a paired comparison on every successive generation.

Findings

After testing every successive younger generation with an older generation through PLS-MGA, none of the pairs found any significant differences in path coefficients, as the values obtained were 0.05 < p < 0.95 for all five paths (SM → NR, SM → IS, SM → E, SM → P, SM → PPB). This indicates all the generations behave in a similar manner irrespective of them being older or younger, and age does not moderate social media’s impact on decision-making among Indian tourists.

Research limitations/implications

The study establishes India as a unique geographical market and suggests tourism marketers to treat all generations at par, irrespective of age, as they behave and interact with social media in a similar manner. But, because this study is restricted to a single geographical location, i.e. India, further regions can be explored for global generalisation. Future research can also explore other demographics for combined, moderated analysis. Findings from the study suggest that marketers should ensure that equal attention is given to all generations as they engage with social media in a similar manner. Targeted marketing using artificial intelligence can help in ensuring custom ads. Personalisation according to generations can also facilitate greater purchases.

Originality/value

The study fills a major population and knowledge gap by exploring a topic that has been highly under-researched. Also, the study adopts an inclusive approach by analysing all the generations, both younger and older, to understand the potential effect of age on moderating the impact that social media has on tourist decision-making. Further, real-time suggestions and implications are offered to tourism marketers with special reference to the Indian tourism industry.