bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-frequency synthetic apomixis in hybrid rice
Authors: Vernet Aurore , Meynard Donaldo , Lian Qichao , Mieulet Delphine , Gibert Olivier , Bissah Matilda , Rivallan Ronan , Meunier Anne Cécile , Frouin Julien , Taillebois James , Shankle Kyle , Khanday Imtiyaz , Mercier Raphael , Sundaresan Venkatesan , Guiderdoni Emmanuel
Published: October 2022

Introducing asexual reproduction through seeds – apomixis – into crop species could revolutionize agriculture by allowing F1 hybrids with enhanced yield and stability to be clonally propagated. Engineering synthetic apomixis has proven feasible in inbred rice through the inactivation of three genes (MiMe), which results in the conversion of meiosis into mitosis in a line ectopically expressing the BABYBOOM1 (BBM1) parthenogenetic trigger in egg cells. However, only 10–30% of the seeds were clonal. We show here that synthetic apomixis can be induced in a F1 hybrid of rice by inducingMiMemutations and egg cell expression of BBM1 in a single step. We generated hybrid plants that produced more than 95% of clonal seeds across multiple generations. Clonal apomictic plants maintained the phenotype of the F1 hybrid along successive generations. Our results demonstrate that there is no barrier to almost fully penetrant synthetic apomixis in an important crop species, rendering it compatible with use in agriculture.
A proprioceptive feedback circuit drivesC. eleganslocomotor adaptation through dopamine signaling
Authors: Ji Hongfei , Fouad Anthony D. , Li Zihao , Ruba Andrew , Fang-Yen Christopher
Published: October 2022

An animal adapts its motor behavior to navigate the external environment. This adaptation depends on proprioception, which provides feedback on an animal’s body postures. How proprioception mechanisms interact with motor circuits and contribute to locomotor adaptation remains unclear. Here we describe and characterize proprioception-mediated homeostatic control of undulatory movement in the roundwormCaenorhabditis elegans. We found the worm responds to optogenetically or mechanically induced decreases in midbody bending amplitude by increasing its anterior amplitude. Conversely, it responds to increased midbody amplitude by decreasing the anterior amplitude. Using genetics, microfluidic and optogenetic perturbation response analyses, and optical neurophysiology, we elucidated the neural circuit underlying this compensatory postural response. The dopaminergic PDE neurons proprioceptively sense midbody bending and signal to AVK interneurons via the D2-like dopamine receptor DOP-3. The FMRFamide-like neuropeptide FLP-1, released by AVK, regulates SMB head motor neurons to modulate anterior bending. We propose that this homeostatic behavioral control optimizes locomotor efficiency. Our findings demonstrate a mechanism in which proprioception works with dopamine and neuropeptide signaling to mediate motor control, a motif that may be conserved in other animals.
The impact of the ABO/Rh blood group on susceptibility and severity among COVID-19 patients in Luanda, Angola
Authors: Sebastião Cruz S. , Teixeira Alice , Luísa Ana , Arrais Margarete , Tchonhi Chissengo , Cogle Adis , Sacomboio Euclides , Cardoso Bruno , Morais Joana , de Vasconcelos Jocelyne Neto , Brito Miguel
Published: October 2022

SARS-CoV-2 is a public health concern worldwide. Identification of biological factors that could influence transmission and worsen the disease has been the subject of extensive investigation. Herein, we investigate the impact of the ABO/Rh blood group on susceptibility and severity among COVID-19 patients in Luanda, Angola. This was a multicentric cohort study conducted with 101 COVID-19 patients. Chi-square and logistic regression were calculated to check factors related to the worsening of the disease and deemed significant when p<0.05. Blood type O (51.5%) and Rh-positive (93.1%) were the most frequent. Patients from blood type O had a high risk to severe disease [OR: 1.33 (95% CI: 0.42 - 4.18), p=0.630] and hospitalization [OR: 2.59 (95% CI: 0.84 - 8.00), p=0.099]. Also, Rh-positive blood type presented a high risk for severe disease (OR: 10.6, p=0.007) and hospitalization (OR: 6.04, p=0.026). We find a high susceptibility, severity, hospitalization, and mortality, respectively, among blood group O and Rh-positive patients, while blood group AB presented a low susceptibility, severity, hospitalization, and mortality, respectively. Our findings add to the body of evidence suggesting that ABO/Rh blood groups play an important role in the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
So ManyFolds, So Little Time: Efficient Protein Structure Prediction With pLMs and MSAs
Authors: Barrett Thomas D. , Villegas-Morcillo Amelia , Robinson Louis , Gaujac Benoit , Adméte David , Saquand Elia , Beguir Karim , Flajolet Arthur
Published: October 2022

In recent years, machine learning approaches forde novoprotein structure prediction have made significant progress, culminating in AlphaFold which approaches experimental accuracies in certain settings and heralds the possibility of rapidin silicoprotein modelling and design. However, such applications can be challenging in practice due to the significant compute required for training and inference of such models, and their strong reliance on the evolutionary information contained in multiple sequence alignments (MSAs), which may not be available for certain targets of interest. Here, we first present a streamlined AlphaFold architecture and training pipeline that still provides good performance with significantly reduced computational burden. Aligned with recent approaches such as OmegaFold and ESMFold, our model is initially trained to predict structure from sequences alone by leveraging embeddings from the pretrained ESM-2 protein language model (pLM). We then compare this approach to an equivalent model trained on MSA-profile information only, and find that the latter still provides a performance boost – suggesting that even state-of-the-art pLMs cannot yet easily replace the evolutionary information of homologous sequences. Finally, we train a model that can make predictions from either the combination, or only one, of pLM and MSA inputs. Ultimately, we obtain accuracies in any of these three input modes similar to models trained uniquely in that setting, whilst also demonstrating that these modalities are complimentary, each regularly outperforming the other.
A context-dependent switch from sensing to feeling in the primate amygdala
Authors: Martin Anne B. , Cardenas Michael A. , Andersen Rose K. , Bowman Archer I. , Hillier Elizabeth A. , Bensmaia Sliman , Fuglevand Andrew J. , Gothard Katalin M.
Published: October 2022

The skin transmits affective signals that integrate into our social vocabulary. As the socio-affective aspects of touch are likely processed in the amygdala, we compared neural responses to social grooming and gentle airflow recorded from the amygdala and the primary somatosensory cortex of non-human primates. Neurons in the somatosensory cortex responded to both types of tactile stimuli. In the amygdala, however, neurons did not respond to individual grooming sweeps even though grooming elicited autonomic states indicative of positive affect. Instead, many showed changes in baseline firing rates that persisted throughout the grooming bout. Such baseline fluctuations were attributed to social context because the presence of the groomer alone could account for the observed changes in baseline activity. It appears, therefore, that during grooming, the amygdala stops responding to external inputs on a short time scale but remains responsive to social context (or the associated affective states) on longer time scales.
In vitrofloral development in poplar: Insights into seed trichome and trimonoecy regulation
Authors: Ortega María A. , Zhou Ran , Chen Margot S.S. , Bewg William P. , Simon Bindu , Tsai Chung-Jui
Published: October 2022

Woody perennials includingPopulusspp. (poplars) have a juvenile phase that ranges from several years to decades in length. This and the year-long floral development process are major impediments to breeding and to fundamental research of reproductive traits. Here we report a CRISPR-empoweredin vitroflowering system and demonstrate its application using three reproductive traits: sex, seed trichomes, and a previously undescribed potential for trimonoecy in poplar.
Mrj an Hsp40 family chaperone regulates the oligomerization of Orb2 and long-term memory
Authors: Desai Meghal , Hemant  , Deo Ankita , Naik Jagyanseni , Bose Tania , Majumdar Amitabha
Published: October 2022

Orb2 the Drosophila homolog of Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein (CPEB) forms prion-like oligomers. These oligomers consist of Orb2A and Orb2B isoforms and their formation are dependent on the oligomerization of the Orb2A isoform. Drosophila with a mutation diminishing Orb2A’s prion-like oligomerization forms long-term memory but fails to maintain it over time. Since, this prion-like oligomerization of Orb2A plays a crucial role in the maintenance of memory, here we aim to find what regulates this oligomerization. In an immunoprecipitation-based screen, we identify interactors of Orb2A in the Hsp40 and Hsp70 families of proteins. Amongst these, we find an Hsp40 family protein Mrj as a regulator of the conversion of Orb2A to its prion-like form. Mrj interacts with Hsp70 proteins and acts as a chaperone by interfering with the aggregation of pathogenic Huntingtin. Unlike its mammalian homolog, we find Drosophila Mrj is neither an essential gene nor causes any gross neurodevelopmental defect. We observe a loss of Mrj results in a reduction in Orb2 oligomers. Further, the knockdown of Mrj in the mushroom body neurons results in a deficit in long-term memory. Our work implicates a chaperone Mrj in mechanisms of memory regulation through controlling the oligomerization of Orb2A and its association with the translating polysomes.
Metabolically driven action potentials serve neuronal energy homeostasis and protect from reactive oxygen species
Authors: Chintaluri Chaitanya , Vogels Tim P.
Published: October 2022

So-called spontaneous neuronal activity is a central hallmark of most nervous systems. Such non-causal firing is contrary to the tenet of spikes as a means of communication, and its origin and purpose remain unclear. Here, we propose that non-input driven firing can serve as a release valve to protect neurons from the toxic conditions arising in mitochondria from lower-than-baseline energy consumption. We built a framework of models that incorporate homeostatic control of metabolic products–ATP, ADP, and reactive oxygen species, among others–by way of changes in firing. Our theory can account for key features of neuronal activity observed in many experiments in studies ranging from ion channels function all the way to resting state dynamics. We propose an integrated, crucial role for metabolic spiking that bridges the gap between metabolic homeostasis and neuronal function. Finally, we make testable predictions to validate or falsify our theory.
Fluvoxamine for Outpatient Treatment of COVID-19: A Decentralized, Placebo-controlled, Randomized, Platform Clinical Trial
Authors: McCarthy Matthew W. , Naggie Susanna , Boulware David R. , Lindsell Christopher J. , Stewart Thomas G. , Felker G. Michael , Jayaweera Dushyantha , Sulkowski Mark , Gentile Nina , Bramante Carolyn , Singh Upinder , Dolor Rowena J. , Ruiz-Unger Juan , Wilson Sybil , DeLong Allison , Remaly April , Wilder Rhonda , Collins Sean , Dunsmore Sarah E. , Adam Stacey J. , Thicklin Florence , Hanna George , Ginde Adit A. , Castro Mario , McTigue Kathleen , Shenkman Elizabeth , Hernandez Adrian F. ,   the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV)-6 Study Group
Published: October 2022

Background

The effectiveness of fluvoxamine to shorten symptom duration or prevent hospitalization among outpatients in the US with mild to moderate symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear.

Design

ACTIV-6 is an ongoing, decentralized, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled platform trial testing repurposed medications in outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19. A total of 1288 non-hospitalized adults aged ≥30 years with confirmed COVID-19 experiencing ≥2 symptoms of acute infection for ≤7 days prior to randomization were randomized to receive fluvoxamine 50 mg or placebo twice daily for 10 days. The primary outcome was time to sustained recovery, defined as the third of 3 consecutive days without symptoms. Secondary outcomes included composites of hospitalization or death with or without urgent or emergency care visit by day 28.

Results

Of 1331 participants randomized (mean [SD] age, 48.5 [12.8] years; 57% women; 67% reported receiving at least 2 doses of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine), 1288 completed the trial (n=614 placebo, n=674 fluvoxamine). Median time to recovery was 13 days (IQR 12–13) in the placebo group and 12 days (IQR 11–14) in the fluvoxamine group (hazard ratio [HR] 0.96, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.86–1.07; posterior probability for benefit [HR>1]=0.22). Twenty-six participants (3.9%) in the fluvoxamine group were hospitalized or had urgent or emergency care visits compared with 23 (3.8%) in the placebo group (HR 1.1, 95% CrI 0.6–1.8; posterior probability for benefit [HR<1]=0.340). One participant in the fluvoxamine group and 2 in the placebo group were hospitalized; no deaths occurred. Adverse events were uncommon in both groups.

Conclusions

Treatment with fluvoxamine 50 mg twice daily for 10 days did not improve time to recovery, compared with placebo, among outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19. These findings do not support the use of fluvoxamine at this dose and duration in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.
Reptarenavirus Co- and Superinfection in Cell Culture Sheds Light on the S and L Segment Accumulation in Captive Snakes
Authors: Lintala Annika , Szirovicza Leonora , Kipar Anja , Hetzel Udo , Hepojoki Jussi
Published: October 2022

Boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) caused by reptarenaviruses affects collections of captive constrictor snakes worldwide. The disease manifests by formation of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies (IBs) in various tissues. Curiously, a snake with BIBD most often carries more than a single pair of genetically distinct reptarenavirus S and L segments, and the tissues of an infected individual can show variation in the variety of different S and L segment species. The role of reptarenavirus coinfection in development of BIBD remains unknown, and it is unclear how the infection affects the susceptibility to reptarenavirus superinfection or to secondary infection by other agents. Because cell culture studies with mammarenaviruses have demonstrated persistently infected cultures to resist superinfection by genetically similar viruses, we hypothesized that coinfection would only occur if the infecting viruses were of two different species. To study the hypothesis, we employed boa constrictor kidney- and brain-derived cell cultures to perform a set of co- and superinfection experiments with five reptarenavirus and one hartmanivirus isolates. Analysis of viral RNA released from coinfected cells using qRT-PCR did not demonstrate evident competition between reptarenaviruses of the same or different species in the boa constrictor kidney-derived cell line. The experiments on the brain-derived cell line revealed considerable differences in the replication ability of the reptarenaviruses tested, suggesting varying tissue specificity or target cell spectra for reptarenavirus species. Finally, experiments on persistently reptarenavirus infected cell lines showed reduced replication of closely related reptarenaviruses while the replication of reptarenaviruses from different species appeared unaffected.

IMPORTANCE

Snakes with boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) often display reptarenavirus coinfections, or presence of unbalanced S and L segment ratios. Studies on mammarenaviruses suggest replication interference between closely but not between more distantly related viruses. In the study, we provide evidence that similar interference or competition between segments occurs also in the case of reptarenaviruses. Conversely, the results show that there is very little or no competition between more distantly related L or S segments, the cells release similar amounts of viral RNA segments in the case of mono and coinfection. Successful superinfections of persistently infected cell cultures suggest that the unbalanced S and L segment pools often seen in the infected animals could be a result of segment accumulation through sequential reptarenavirus co- and superinfections during breeding in captivity.
RNA structural dynamics modulate EGFR-TKIs resistance through controllingYRDCtranslation in NSCLC cells
Authors: Shi Boyang , An Ke , Wang Yueqin , Fei Yuhan , Guo Caixia , Zhang Qiangfeng Cliff , Yang Yun-gui , Tian Xin , Kan Quancheng
Published: October 2022

Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) positively affect the initial control of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The rapidly acquired TKIs resistance accounts for a major hurdle in successful treatment. However, the mechanisms controlling EGFR-TKIs resistance remain largely unknown. RNA structures have widespread and crucial roles in various biological processes; but, their role in regulating cancer drug resistance remains unclear. Here, the PARIS method is used to establish the higher-order RNA structure maps of EGFR-TKI resistant- and sensitive-cells of NSCLC. According to our results, RNA structural regions are enriched in UTRs and correlate with translation efficiency. Moreover,YRDCfacilitates resistance to EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC cells, and RNA structure formation inYRDC3’UTR suppress ELAVL1 binding leading to EGFR-TKIs sensitivity by impairingYRDCtranslation. A potential cancer therapy strategy is provided by using antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) to perturb the interaction between RNA and protein. Our study reveals an unprecedented mechanism in which the RNA structure switch modulates EGFR-TKIs resistance by controllingYRDCmRNA translation in an ELAVL1-dependent manner.
Antiviral immune response reveals host-specific virus infections in natural ant populations
Authors: Viljakainen Lumi , Fürst Matthias A. , Grasse Anna V. , Jurvansuu Jaana , Oh Jinook , Tolonen Lassi , Eder Thomas , Rattei Thomas , Cremer Sylvia
Published: October 2022

Hosts can carry many viruses in their bodies, but not all of them cause disease. We studied ants as a social host to determine both their overall viral repertoire and the subset of actively infecting viruses across natural populations of three subfamilies: the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, Dolichoderinae), the invasive garden ant (Lasius neglectus, Formicinae) and the red ant (Myrmica rubra, Myrmicinae). We used a dual sequencing strategy to reconstruct complete virus genomes by RNA-seq and to simultaneously determine the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) by small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq), which constitute the host antiviral RNAi immune response. This approach led to the discovery of 41 novel viruses in ants and revealed a host-ant specific RNAi response (21 vs. 22 nt siRNAs) in the different ant species. The efficiency of the RNAi response (sRNA/RNA read count ratio) depended on the virus and the respective ant species, but not its population. Overall, we found the highest virus abundance and diversity per population inLi. humile, followed byLa. neglectusandM. rubra. Argentine ants also shared a high proportion of viruses between populations, whilst overlap was nearly absent inM. rubra. Only a single of the total 59 viruses in our study caused active infection in more than one ant species, whilst six viruses infected one, but only contaminated another ant species. Disentangling active infection from contamination thus allowed us to show high host-specificity of active viral infections versus a decent degree of spillover of non-infecting viral contaminants across ant species, providing relevant information for ecosystem management.
Overexpression of the plastidal pseudo-proteaseAtFtsHi3confers drought tolerance without penalizing growth
Authors: Cook Sam D. , Mishra Laxmi S. , Isaksson Hanna , Straub Isabella R. , Abele Miriam , Mishra Sanatkumar , Ludwig Christina , Libby Eric , Funk Christiane
Published: October 2022

Drought is one of the most severe environmental stresses affecting plant biomass production and quality, however, the molecular mechanisms of drought response in plants remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that overexpression of the Arabidopsis gene FTSHi3 under the influence of its endogenous, or the 35S constitutive promoter results in drought-tolerant phenotypes without penalising plant growth. FTSHi3 encodes a pseudo-protease located in the chloroplast envelope and knock-down mutants (ftshi3-1) have previously been found to be drought tolerant, but highly reduced in growth. Changes in FtsHi3 transcript abundance therefore seems to induce drought tolerance inArabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of FTSHi3 (pFTSHi3-OE) impacts leaf stomatal density, lowers stomatal conductance and increases water use efficiency. To explore the underlying mechanisms behind this, we compared the proteomes offtshi3-1andpFTSHi3-OEto wild type plants grown under drought and watered conditions. Under drought conditions, the drought related processes ‘osmotic stress’, ‘water transport’ and ‘response to abscisic acid’ were enriched, indicating thatpFtsHi3-OEandftshi3-1mutants are more active in their response to drought than the wild-type. The proteins HSP90, HSP93 and TIC110 were more abundant in the knock-down mutant, which suggests that FtsHi3 might play a downstream role in chloroplast pre-protein import. Increased abundance of FtsH7/9 and FtsH11, FtsH12 and FtsHi4 inftshi3-1combined with the fact that FtsH proteases function as homo- or heteromeric complexes suggests that these proteases may be possible interacting partners. To explore this, we constructed mathematical models that show FtsHi3 likely interacts with at least two other (pseudo-) proteases.
DOT1L regulates chromatin reorganization and gene expression during sperm differentiation
Authors: Blanco Mélina , Khattabi Laila El , Gobé Clara , Crespo Marion , Coulée Manon , de la Iglesia Alberto , Ialy-Radio Côme , Lapoujade Clementine , Givelet Maëlle , Delessard Marion , Seller-Corona Ivan , Yamaguchi Kosuke , Vernet Nadège , Van Leeuwen Fred , Lermine Alban , Okada Yuki , Daveau Romain , Oliva Rafael , Fouchet Pierre , Ziyyat Ahmed , Pflieger Delphine , Cocquet Julie
Published: October 2022

Spermatozoa have a unique genome organization: their chromatin is almost completely devoid of histones and is formed instead of protamines which confer a high level of compaction and preserve paternal genome integrity until fertilization. Histone-to-protamine transition takes place in spermatids and is indispensable for the production of functional sperm. Here we show that the H3K79-methyltransferase DOT1L controls spermatid chromatin remodelling and subsequent reorganization and compaction of spermatozoon genome. Using a mouse model in whichDot1lis knocked-out (KO) in postnatal male germ cells, we found thatDot1l-KO sperm chromatin is less compact and has an abnormal content, characterized by the presence of transition proteins, immature protamine 2 forms and a higher level of histones. Proteomics and transcriptomics analyses performed on spermatids reveal thatDot1l-KO modifies the chromatin prior to histone removal, and leads to the deregulation of genes involved in flagellum formation and apoptosis during spermatid differentiation. As a consequence of these chromatin and gene expression defects,Dot1l-KO spermatozoa have less compact heads and are less motile which results in impaired fertility.
Mutational scans reveal differential evolvability ofDrosophilapromoters and enhancers
Authors: Li Xueying C. , Fuqua Timothy , van Breugel Maria Elize , Crocker Justin
Published: October 2022

Rapid enhancer and slow promoter evolution have been demonstrated through comparative genomics. However, it is not clear how this information is encoded genetically and if this can be used to place evolution in a predictive context. Part of the challenge is that our understanding of the potential for regulatory evolution is biased primarily toward natural variation or limited experimental perturbations. Here, to explore the evolutionary capacity of promoter variation, we surveyed an unbiased mutation library for three promoters inDrosophila melanogaster. We found that mutations in promoters had limited to no effect on spatial patterns of gene expression. Compared to developmental enhancers, promoters are more robust to mutations and have more access to mutations that can increase gene expression, suggesting that their low activity might be a result of selection. Consistent with these observations, increasing the promoter activity at the endogenous locus ofshavenbabyled to increased transcription yet limited phenotypic changes. Taken together, developmental promoters may encode robust transcriptional outputs allowing evolvability through the integration of diverse developmental enhancers.

Quote

“Regulators, mount up [at transcriptional promoters].” - Warren G & Nate Dogg, 1994
RNAs undergo phase transitions with lower critical solution temperatures
Authors: Wadsworth Gable M. , Zahurancik Walter J. , Zeng Xiangze , Pullara Paul , Lai Lien B. , Sidharthan Vaishnavi , Pappu Rohit V. , Gopalan Venkat , Banerjee Priya R.
Published: October 2022

Co-phase separation of RNAs and RNA-binding proteins is thought to drive the biogenesis of ribonucleoprotein granules. RNAs can also undergo phase transitions in the absence of proteins. However, the physicochemical driving forces of protein-free, RNA-driven phase transitions remain unclear. Here, we report that RNAs of various types undergo phase transitions with system-specific lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs). This entropically-driven phase behavior requires Mg2+ions and is an intrinsic feature of the phosphate backbone that is modulated by RNA bases. RNA-only condensates can additionally undergo enthalpically favorable percolation transitions within dense phases. This is enabled by a combination of Mg2+-dependent bridging interactions among phosphate groups and RNA base-stacking / base-pairing. Phase separation coupled to percolation can cause dynamical arrest of RNAs within condensates and can suppress the catalytic activity of an RNase P ribozyme. Our work highlights the need to incorporate RNA-driven phase transitions into models for RNP granule biogenesis.
Myeloid deficiency of the intrinsic clock protein BMAL1 accelerates cognitive aging by disrupting microglial synaptic pruning
Authors: Iweka Chinyere Agbaegbu , Seigneur Erica , Hernandez Amira Latif , Paredes Sur Herrera , Cabrera Mica , Blacher Eran , Pasternak Connie Tsai , Longo Frank M. , de Lecea Luis , Andreasson Katrin I.
Published: October 2022

Aging is associated with loss of circadian immune responses and circadian gene transcription in peripheral macrophages. Microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, also show diurnal rhythmicity in regulating local immune responses and synaptic remodeling. To investigate the interaction between aging and microglial circadian rhythmicity, we examined mice deficient in the core clock transcription factor, BMAL1. AgingCd11bcre;Bmallox/loxmice demonstrated accelerated cognitive decline in association with suppressed hippocampal long-term potentiation and increases in immature dendritic spines. C1q deposition at synapses and synaptic engulfment were significantly decreased in agingBmal1-deficient microglia, suggesting that BMAL1 plays a role in regulating synaptic pruning in aging. In addition to accelerated age-associated hippocampal deficits,Cd11bcre;Bmallox/loxmice also showed deficits in the sleep-wake cycle with increased wakefulness across light and dark phases. These results highlight an essential role of microglial BMAL1 in maintenance of synapse homeostasis in the aging brain.

Significance Statement

This study demonstrates that myeloid deficiency of the circadian clock geneBmal1disrupts microglial synaptic pruning in the hippocampus, accelerates age-associated cognitive decline, and disrupts the sleep-wake cycle.
Islamic crowdfunding practices in Malaysia: a case study on Nusa Kapital
Authors: Ramli Habibah Solehah , Abdullah Md. Faruk , Alam Md. Kausar
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Islamic crowdfunding, an alternative way to finance social projects, is a new development in Malaysia. Little is known about its operation. This study aims to explore the practice of Nusa Kapital, the first Islamic crowdfunding platform in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a descriptive approach. The data was collected through document analysis and interviews with two officials of Nusa Kapital. The data gathered was analyzed through the thematic analysis technique.

Findings

This research discovered that Nusa Kapital was established considering the financing needs of the growing number of small medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. It uses the murabahah concept to make financing arrangements for entrepreneurs. Murabahah is a debt-based concept where the investors, instead of giving cash to the entrepreneurs, purchase an asset and sell it to them at a cost-plus profit. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SCM) regulates the crowdfunding operation of Nusa Kapital, which sets guidelines for the different types of investors, entrepreneurs and platforms. Nusa Kapital conducts an extensive background check of the company for its creditworthiness and takes the necessary measures for the transparency of the project's operation.

Research limitations/implications

This study has unique implications for the regulatory authorities and practitioners in Malaysia and global industries. The study explored the practical scenario of the crowdfunding institution, which will be beneficial for similar industries within and outside of the country.

Originality/value

While previous literature provides a theoretical discussion of Islamic crowdfunding, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by demonstrating its practice.
Artientifique: a case study of transforming used cosmetics into creating wealth of art
Authors: Faridi Mohammad Rishad , Mir Aisha Javid Ali
Published: October 2022

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the case, students will be able to reflect the forces, which may disrupt the art industry through Artientifique initiatives and the ability to apply Phoenix encounter method with proactive scanning to remain competitive; create various multi-functional roles as a youth entrepreneur in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) capacity and be able to understand the level and review the competition and business trends from an art industry perspective; analyze how innovation clubbed with sustainability will create a competitive advantage in a circular economy; determine the leadership style most appropriate for MSMEs to indulge in innovation and sustainability in the fine arts business; and design and discover opportunities to promote women’s entrepreneurship in the art industry, especially in emerging markets.

Case overview/synopsis

On a cold Friday morning in November 2020, Aisha Mir was in utter confusion written all over her face. She had to decide on a prosperous pathway. Should it be customization or standardization of artwork? Also, whether she should continue investing in the existing in-house supply chain or outsource this to a third party. Being practicing sustainability in her personal and professional life, she had designed her art studio herself by using upcycled materials. While enjoying the pigeons and sparrows chirping and eating grains on her wide windowpane, she looked at the world map with keen interest and imagined herself flying to each country along with her gray and white pigeons. While sitting in Madina city, Saudi Arabia, she was concerned about the expired makeup collection hub being set up in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The collection and the painting processes had to be monitored; the artworks needed auditing, framing and packing before they were shipped to a customer. Centralizing would add unnecessary hassle, and outsourcing needed distribution of authority. Keeping the challenges in mind, she was struggling to find a solution for efficient community engagement.

Complexity academic level

This case has been particularly focused on undergraduate and postgraduate early-stage level students pursuing business or commerce programs, particularly those studying entrepreneurial and management courses in innovation and sustainability.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Environmental hazards and health rights of workers in shipbreaking in Bangladesh
Authors: Uddin Md. Kamal , Nobi Mohammad Nur , Islam ANM Moinul
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The shipbreaking sector in Bangladesh has spurred extensive academic and policy debates on relations between shipbreaking industries, environmental degradation and the health security of their workers. As shipbreaking is an economically significant industry in Bangladesh, it needs to implement both domestic and global mechanisms for environmental conservation and the protection of the labourers’ health from environmental risks. The purpose of this paper is to primarily explore the environmental and health security issues in shipbreaking activities in Bangladesh. It also identifies the challenges in implementing the rules and regulations for protecting the health of the workers at shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh and preserving the marine environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative paper based on secondary materials, including journal articles, books and national and international reports. It critically reviews the existing literature, rules, regulations and policing on shipbreaking with a particular focus on the environment and health security of the workers.

Findings

This paper finds that the implementation of the rules and regulations in shipbreaking in Bangladesh is complicated because of weak implementation mechanisms, political and economic interests of the yard owners, lack of coordination among different agencies, lack of adequate training and awareness among the workers and workers’ poor economic condition, which contribute to the degradation of marine and local environments and trigger health hazards among the workers. Therefore, degrading the environment and undermining occupational health and safety regulations have become regular; thus, accidental death and injury to the workers are common in this sector.

Originality/value

This paper is an important study on the issues of workers' health and safety and environmental hazards in the shipyard. It reports how the health security of the workers in shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh is vulnerable, and environmental rules are challenged. Finally, this paper frames some policy implications to safeguard the workers’ health rights and the marine environment.
Dotaqwaandsyukrpredict Muslims’ proclivity to emotional intelligence? An empirical analysis
Authors: Wahab Mastura Ab. , Masron Tajul Ariffin , Karia Noorliza
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effects oftaqwa(God-consciousness) andsyukr(gratitude to God) on emotional intelligence (EI) in a Muslim population in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modelling tool AMOS was used to test the study’s hypotheses. In total, data were sourced from 302 Muslim employees working in Malaysia's public and private sectors.

Findings

Taqwa and syukr positively influence EI, and people with taqwa and syukr demonstrate greater levels of self-emotional appraisal compared with other emotional appraisals. This study also shows that people with taqwa and syukr give increased priority to understanding and distinguishing positive and negative emotions because of their understanding of Islamic teachings. They also exhibit concern with knowing their emotions well before advising or responding to the emotions of others. This may increase their sense of empathy, thereby improving their emotional competency and EI.

Originality/value

The findings indicate that taqwa and syukr predispose Muslims to EI. This study applied the Qur’anic model of self-development, which connects the origin of emotion with the soul, thereby further enriching the literature on the subject. It also highlights the importance of taqwa and syukr to Muslim employees for achieving EI that is useful in creating a harmonious atmosphere in the workplace and prosperous relationships in society.
Impact of financial inclusion on economic growth: review of existing literature and directions for future research
Authors: Ozili Peterson K. , Ademiju Adekemi , Rachid Semia
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The impact of financial inclusion on economic growth is a topic that is generating widespread interest among researchers and practitioners. In this paper, the authors review the existing literature to highlight the state of research in the literature and identify new opportunities for innovative research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a thematic literature review methodology which involves dividing the review along relevant themes.

Findings

The authors find that significant research on the topic emerged in the post-2016 years. Most of the existing studies are from developing countries and from the Asian and African regions. Existing studies have not utilized relevant theories in explaining the impact of financial inclusion on economic growth. Most studies report a positive impact of financial inclusion on economic growth while very few studies show a negative impact. The most common channel through which financial inclusion affects economic growth is through greater access to financial products and services offered by financial institutions that increases financial intermediation and translates to positive economic growth. The common empirical methodology used in the literature are causality tests, cointegration and regression methods. Multiple proxies of financial inclusion and economic growth were used in the literature which partly explains the conflicting result among existing studies. The review paper concludes by identifying some directions for future research.

Originality/value

This paper presents the first rigorous thematic review of the existing literature on the impact of financial inclusion on economic growth. It highlights the main approach that researchers have taken on this topic and identifies some important research areas for future investigation.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2022-0339.
Social media marketing activities on brand equity and purchase intention among Chinese smartphone consumers during COVID-19
Authors: Shuyi Jiang , Mamun Abdullah Al , Naznen Farzana
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The world has been forced to implement movement restriction strategy because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and industries have to embrace online technologies and social media marketing activities (SMMAs) to continue their business operations. Considering the aftermath of COVID-19 on the business world, this study aims to explore the determining elements of SMMAs and analyse how these factors affect brand equity (BE), relationship equity (RE) and purchase intention (PI) among smartphone consumers in China. Five constructs of SMMAs, namely, entertainment (EN), interactivity (IN), trendiness (TR), customisation (CU) and electronic word-of-mouth (WM), were examined to examine the effects of SMMAs on BE and RE. Subsequently, the mediation effects of BE and RE on the relationships of all constructs of SMMAs with PI were analysed.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted with the participation of 347 Chinese consumers who used social media platform managed by the smartphone brands as their marketing activities during COVID-19. The data were analysed via structural equation modelling using SmartPLS.

Findings

This study’s result showed the significant and positive influence of CU, TR and WM on BE and the strong and positive influence of CU, IN and TR on RE. Furthermore, BE was found to fully mediate the relationships of CU, TR and WM with PI, while RE was found to mediate the relationships of TR and CU with PI. The performance and impact factor analysis revealed RE as the most important factor for PI, followed by BE, CU and TR.

Originality/value

This study extended the authors’ knowledge and understanding about social media marketing, BE and smart phone PI during COVID-19. Findings of this study can assist smartphone brands in China to develop the most effective strategies for SMMAs, which can be tailored for consumers to maximise profits, even during any crisis when physical business activities are deemed difficult. Moreover, this study’s findings can benefit the government and policymakers in developing and regulating rules and regulations for e-commerce and social media commerce for all industries and areas.
Helical tool path generation based on the triangle mesh model for a rotary four-DOF 3D printer
Authors: Zhao Donghua , He Jiapeng , Zhu Gaohan , Han Youcheng , Guo Weizhong
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The rapid development of three-dimensional (3D) printing makes it familiar in daily life, especially the fused deposition modeling 3D printers. The process planning of traditional flat layer printing includes slicing and path planning to obtain the boundaries and the filling paths for each layer along the vertical direction. There is a clear division line through the whole fabricated part, inherited in the flat-layer-based printed parts. This problem is brought about by the seam of the boundary in each layer. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to propose a novel helical filling path generation with the ideal surface-plane intersection for a rotary 3D printer.

Design/methodology/approach

The detailed algorithm and implementation steps are given with several worked examples to enable readers to understand it better. The adjacent points obtained from the planar slicing are combined to generate each layer's helical points. The contours of all layers are traversed to obtain the helical surface layer and helical path. Meanwhile, the novel rotary four-degree of freedom 3D printer is briefly introduced.

Findings

As a proof of concept, this paper presents several examples based on the rotary 3D printer designed in the authors’ previous research and the algorithms illustrated in this paper. The preliminary experiments successfully verify the feasibility and versatility of the proposed slicing method based on a rotary 3D printer.

Originality/value

This paper provides a novel and feasible slicing method for multi-axis rotary 3D printers, making manufacturing thin-wall and complex parts possible. To further broaden the proposed slicing method’s application in further research, adaptive tool path generation for flat and curved layer printing could be applied with a combination of flat and curved layers in the same layer, different layers or even different parts of structures.
Sexual selection moderates heat stress response in males and females
Authors: Moiron Maria , Winkler Lennart , Martin Oliver Yves , Janicke Tim
Published: October 2022

A widespread effect of climate change is the displacement of organisms from their thermal optima. The associated thermal stress imposed by climate change has been argued to have a particularly strong impact on male reproduction but evidence for this postulated sex‐specific stress response is equivocal.

One important factor that may explain intra‐ and interspecific variation in stress responses is sexual selection, which is predicted to magnify negative effects of stress. Nevertheless, empirical studies exploring the interplay of sexual selection and heat stress are still scarce.

We tested experimentally for an interaction between sexual selection and thermal stress in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum by contrasting heat responses in male and female reproductive success between enforced monogamy and polygamy.

We found that polygamy magnifies detrimental effects of heat stress in males but relaxes the observed negative effects in females. Our results suggest that sexual selection can reverse sex differences in thermal sensitivity, and may therefore alter sex‐specific selection on alleles associated with heat tolerance.

Assuming that sexual selection and natural selection are aligned to favour the same genetic variants under environmental stress, our findings support the idea that sexual selection on males may promote the adaptation to current global warming.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Tripartite networks show that keystone species can multitask
Authors: Timóteo Sérgio , Albrecht Jörg , Rumeu Beatriz , Norte Ana C. , Traveset Anna , Frost Carol M. , Marchante Elizabete , López‐Núñez Francisco A. , Peralta Guadalupe , Memmott Jane , Olesen Jens M. , Costa José M. , da Silva Luís P. , Carvalheiro Luísa G. , Correia Marta , Staab Michael , Blüthgen Nico , Farwig Nina , Hervías‐Parejo Sandra , Mironov Sergei , Rodríguez‐Echeverría Susana , Heleno Ruben
Published: October 2022

Keystone species are disproportionately important for ecosystem functioning. While all species engage in multiple interaction types with other species, keystone species importance is often defined based on a single dimension of their Eltonian niche, that is, one type of interaction (e.g. keystone predator). It remains unclear whether the importance of keystone species is unidimensional or if it extends across interaction types.

We conducted a meta‐analysis of tripartite interaction networks examining whether species importance in one dimension of their niche is mirrored in other niche dimensions, and whether this is associated with interaction outcome, intimacy or species richness.

We show that keystone species importance is positively associated across multiple ecological niche dimensions, independently of abundance, and find no evidence that multidimensionality of keystone species is influenced by the explanatory variables.

We propose that the role of keystone species extends across multiple ecological niche dimensions, with important implications for ecosystem resilience and conservation.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
‘Don’t think that we die from AIDS’: Invisibilised uncertainty and global transgender health
Authors: Farber Reya
Published: October 2022

The invisibilisation of social groups in health research and survey data is a source of medical uncertainty, long seen as a hallmark of the medical field. However, scholarship has not thoroughly assessed how medical uncertainty is structured by state‐level processes and global health agendas, especially for people beyond the Global North. This article introduces invisibilised uncertainty as a type of medical uncertainty structured by global organisational and state‐level priorities, which can invisibilise social groups and health problems from research and data collection, exacerbating medical uncertainty and health disparities for people worldwide. Based on 14 months of fieldwork in Thailand and in‐depth interviews with 62 participants, the article illuminates how state‐level processes and global clinical research agendas have structured knowledge gaps and uncertainties for Thai transgender women. As omissions in health research and data collection become embodied on a world scale, the article expands our understandings of how gendered health disparities are structured nationally and globally. It advances a sociology of medical ignorance by analysing the uneven landscape of holistic transgender health research, parsing how institutional dynamics can prioritise or invisibilise people and health issues in research and data, and structure uncertainties.