scholarly journals Molecular Hydrogen, a Neglected Key Driver of Soil Biogeochemical Processes

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Piché-Choquette ◽  
Philippe Constant
Keyword(s):  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Atp Synthesis ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Biogeochemical Processes ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
C Cycling ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTThe atmosphere of the early Earth is hypothesized to have been rich in reducing gases such as hydrogen (H2). H2has been proposed as the first electron donor leading to ATP synthesis due to its ubiquity throughout the biosphere as well as its ability to easily diffuse through microbial cells and its low activation energy requirement. Even today, hydrogenase enzymes enabling the production and oxidation of H2are found in thousands of genomes spanning the three domains of life across aquatic, terrestrial, and even host-associated ecosystems. Even though H2has already been proposed as a universal growth and maintenance energy source, its potential contribution as a driver of biogeochemical cycles has received little attention. Here, we bridge this knowledge gap by providing an overview of the classification, distribution, and physiological role of hydrogenases. Distribution of these enzymes in various microbial functional groups and recent experimental evidence are finally integrated to support the hypothesis that H2-oxidizing microbes are keystone species driving C cycling along O2concentration gradients found in H2-rich soil ecosystems. In conclusion, we suggest focusing on the metabolic flexibility of H2-oxidizing microbes by combining community-level and individual-level approaches aiming to decipher the impact of H2on C cycling and the C-cycling potential of H2-oxidizing microbes, via both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, to give us more insight into the role of H2as a driver of biogeochemical processes.

scholarly journals Interphotoreceptor coupling: an evolutionary perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Cangiano ◽  
Sabrina Asteriti
Keyword(s):  
Visual Information ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Electrical Coupling ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Contact Points ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIn the vertebrate retina, signals generated by cones of different spectral preference and by highly sensitive rod photoreceptors interact at various levels to extract salient visual information. The first opportunity for such interaction is offered by electrical coupling of the photoreceptors themselves, which is mediated by gap junctions located at the contact points of specialised cellular processes: synaptic terminals, telodendria and radial fins. Here, we examine the evolutionary pressures for and against interphotoreceptor coupling, which are likely to have shaped how coupling is deployed in different species. The impact of coupling on signal to noise ratio, spatial acuity, contrast sensitivity, absolute and increment threshold, retinal signal flow and colour discrimination is discussed while emphasising available data from a variety of vertebrate models spanning from lampreys to primates. We highlight the many gaps in our knowledge, persisting discrepancies in the literature, as well as some major unanswered questions on the actual extent and physiological role of cone-cone, rod-cone and rod-rod communication. Lastly, we point toward limited but intriguing evidence suggestive of the ancestral form of coupling among ciliary photoreceptors.

The Evolution of the Role of U.S. School Nurses in Adolescent Mental Health at the Individual, Community, and Systems Level: An Integrative Review

2022 ◽  
pp. 105984052110681
Author(s):  
Ashwini R. Hoskote ◽  
Emily Croce ◽  
Karen E. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

School nurses are crucial to addressing adolescent mental health, yet evidence concerning their evolving role has not been synthesized to understand interventions across levels of practice (i.e., individual, community, systems). We conducted an integrative review of school nurse roles in mental health in the U.S. related to depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. Only 18 articles were identified, published from 1970 to 2019, and primarily described school nurses practicing interventions at the individual level, yet it was unclear whether they were always evidence-based. Although mental health concerns have increased over the years, the dearth of rigorous studies made it difficult to determine the impact of school nurse interventions on student mental health outcomes and school nurses continue to feel unprepared and under supported in this area. More research is needed to establish best practices and systems to support school nursing practice in addressing mental health at all levels of practice.

scholarly journals Who is Portrayed in Second Life: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? The Extent of Congruence Between Real Life and Virtual Identity

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadett Koles ◽  
Peter Nagy
Keyword(s):  
Second Life ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Virtual Identity ◽  
Digital Environments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Public Self Consciousness

Virtual social environments opened the door to individual experiences that may not be feasible or possible in real physical settings; in turn bringing to question the applicability of certain more traditional theories to digital environments. Addressing some of this gap in the available literature, in the current study, we compare virtual and real life identities simultaneously, as well as explore the impact of selfconsciousness on virtual identity. Our results indicate that while some of the overall trends are similar between identities constructed in the physical world and those constructed in virtual settings, different identity elements and dimensions tend to be emphasized to different degrees. Furthermore, we find evidence for the role of private in addition to public self-consciousness as influencing virtual existence. In other words, in addition to the general emphasis concerning the  role of socially influenced external elements in the formulation of virtual identities, the current study highlights the importance of more internalized and  individual level attitudes and perceptions, including one’s inner thoughts, emotions, and perspectives. Implications and future directions are discussed.

scholarly journals Immunotoxicity of Xenobiotics in Fish: A Role for the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR)?

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (17) ◽  
pp. 9460
Author(s):  
Helmut Segner ◽  
Christyn Bailey ◽  
Carolina Tafalla ◽  
Jun Bo
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor ◽  
Disease Susceptibility ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Immune Systems ◽  
Aryl Hydrocarbon ◽  
The Impact

The impact of anthropogenic contaminants on the immune system of fishes is an issue of growing concern. An important xenobiotic receptor that mediates effects of chemicals, such as halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Fish toxicological research has focused on the role of this receptor in xenobiotic biotransformation as well as in causing developmental, cardiac, and reproductive toxicity. However, biomedical research has unraveled an important physiological role of the AhR in the immune system, what suggests that this receptor could be involved in immunotoxic effects of environmental contaminants. The aims of the present review are to critically discuss the available knowledge on (i) the expression and possible function of the AhR in the immune systems of teleost fishes; and (ii) the impact of AhR-activating xenobiotics on the immune systems of fish at the levels of immune gene expression, immune cell proliferation and immune cell function, immune pathology, and resistance to infectious disease. The existing information indicates that the AhR is expressed in the fish immune system, but currently, we have little understanding of its physiological role. Exposure to AhR-activating contaminants results in the modulation of numerous immune structural and functional parameters of fish. Despite the diversity of fish species studied and the experimental conditions investigated, the published findings rather uniformly point to immunosuppressive actions of xenobiotic AhR ligands in fish. These effects are often associated with increased disease susceptibility. The fact that fish populations from HAH- and PAH-contaminated environments suffer immune disturbances and elevated disease susceptibility highlights that the immunotoxic effects of AhR-activating xenobiotics bear environmental relevance.

Pathophysiology of β2-glycoprotein I in antiphospholipid syndrome

Lupus ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Matsuura ◽  
L. Shen ◽  
Y. Matsunami ◽  
N. Quan ◽  
M. Makarova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Disease ◽  
Antiphospholipid Syndrome ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Antiphospholipid Antibodies ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Physiological Functions ◽  
Glycoprotein I ◽  
The Impact

Since β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) was described as the major antigenic target for antiphospholipid antibodies, many studies have focused their attention to the physiological role of β2GPI and anti-β2GPI antibodies on autoimmune-mediated thrombosis. Studies reporting the physiological role of β2GPI have been numerous, but the exact mechanism of action(s) has yet to be completely determined. β2GPI’s epitopes for anti-β2GPI autoantibodies have been characterized, however, not all of the heterogeneous anti-β2GPI antibodies are pathogenic. The pathophysiologic role of β2GPI has been reported in the fields of coagulation, fibrinolysis, angiogenesis, and atherosclerosis. Our understanding of the impact of β2GPI, its metabolites and autoantibodies to β2GPI on these physiological functions may contribute to the development of better therapeutic strategies to treat and prevent autoimmune-mediated atherothrombotic vascular disease. Lupus (2010) 19, 379—384.

scholarly journals Targeted disruption of G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (Gpbar1/M-Bar) in mice

2006 ◽  
Vol 191 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takaharu Maruyama ◽  
Kenichi Tanaka ◽  
Jun Suzuki ◽  
Hiroyuki Miyoshi ◽  
Naomoto Harada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bile Acid ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fat Accumulation ◽  
Acid Receptor ◽  
Bile Acid Receptor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
G Protein Coupled

G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (Gpbar1/M-Bar) is a novel G protein-coupled receptor for bile acid. Tissue distribution and cell-type specificity of Gpbar1 mRNA suggest a potential role for the receptor in the endocrine system; however, the precise physiological role of Gpbar1 still remains to be elucidated. To investigate the role of Gpbar1 in vivo, the Gpbar1 gene was disrupted in mice. In homozygous mice, total bile acid pool size was significantly decreased by 21–25% compared with that of the wild-type mice, suggesting that Gpbar1 contributes to bile acid homeostasis. In order to assess the impact of Gpbar1 deficiency in bile acid homeostasis more precisely, Gpbar1 homozygous mice were fed a high-fat diet for 2 months. As a result, female Gpbar1 homozygous mice showed significant fat accumulation with body weight gain compared with that of the wild-type mice. These findings were also observed in heterozygous mice to the same extent. Although the precise mechanism for fat accumulation in female Gpbar1 homozygous mice remains to be addressed, these data indicate that Gpbar1 is a potential new player in energy homeostasis. Thus, Gpbar1-deficient mice are useful in elucidating new physiological roles for Gpbar1.

Voters and Voting in Context

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christof Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Media Coverage ◽  
Voting Behavior ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Contextual Effects ◽  
Opinion Formation ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Early Twenty ◽  
Campaign Communication ◽  
The Impact

This book investigates the role of context in affecting political opinion formation and voting behavior. Building on a model of contextual effects on individual-level voter behavior, the chapters of this volume explore contextual effects in Germany in the early twenty-first century. The contributions draw on manifold combinations of individual and contextual information gathered in the German Longitudinal Election Study (GLES) framework and employ advanced methods. In substantive terms, they investigate the impact of campaign communication on political learning, the effects of media coverage on the perceived importance of political problems, and the role of electoral competition on candidate strategies and perceptions. Other contributions deal with the role of social and economic contexts as well as parties’ policy stances in affecting electoral turnout. The chapters on vote choice explore the impact of social cues on candidate voting, effects of electoral arenas on vote functions, the role of media coverage on ideological voting, and effects of campaign communication on the timing of electoral decision-making. The volume demonstrates the key role of the processes of communication and politicization in bringing about contextual effects. Context thus plays a nuanced role in voting behavior. The contingency of contextual effects suggests that they should become an important topic in research on political behavior and democratic politics.

scholarly journals Understanding the role of diabetes in the osteoarthritis disease and treatment process: a study protocol for the Swedish Osteoarthritis and Diabetes (SOAD) cohort

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e032923
Author(s):  
Andrea Dell'Isola ◽  
Johanna Vinblad ◽  
Stefan Lohmander ◽  
Ann-Marie Svensson ◽  
Aleksandra Turkiewicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Diabetes Control ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Quality Register ◽  
National Quality ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Metabolic comorbidities such as type II diabetes occur with a higher rate in people with OA than in the general population. Several factors including obesity, hyperglycaemia toxicity and physical inactivity have been suggested as potential links between diabetes and OA, and have been shown to negatively impact patients’ health and quality of life. However, little is known on the role of diabetes in determining the outcome of non-surgical and surgical management of OA, and at the same time, how different OA interventions may affect diabetes control. Thus, the overall aim of this project is to explore (1) the impact of diabetes on the outcome of non-surgical and surgical OA treatments and (2) the impact of non-surgical and surgical OA treatments on diabetes control.Methods and analysisThe study cohort is based on prospectively ascertained register data on a national level in Sweden. Data from OA patients who received a first-line non-surgical intervention and are registered in the National Quality Register for Better Management of Patients with Osteoarthritis will be merged with data from the Swedish Knee and Hip Arthroplasty Registers and the National Diabetes Register. Additional variables regarding patients’ use of prescribed drugs, comorbidities, socioeconomic status and cause of death will be obtained through other national health and population data registers. The linkage will be performed on an individual level using unique personal identity numbers.Ethics and disseminationThis study received ethical approval (2019-02570) from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority. Results from this cohort will be submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals and reported at the leading national and international meetings in the field.

Corruption and its Impact on Protest Activities in Post-communist Europe

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Milan Školník
Keyword(s):  
Political Participation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Public Protest ◽  
State Administration ◽  
Communist Countries ◽  
The Impact

Corruption is a phenomenon that affects societies. It lowers trust in public institutions, lowers trust among people, undermines economic development, undermines democracy, and has implications for political participation. This article contributes to current debates on the impact of corruption by looking at other possible consequences of corruption. Specifically, this article looks at the impact of the perception of corruption on the approval of public protest meetings and demonstrations because, if corruption leads to these non-institutionalized forms of political participation, this may lead to security problems or a direct outbreak of violence. This study analyses this relationship by using seven post-communist countries that have undergone specific developments in terms of corruption. These developments were largely due to large-scale privatizations, politicized state administration, and the linking of politicians to the private sector. This research was conducted with individual-level data. The module ‘The Role of Government V’ from the International Social Survey Programme was used. Descriptive charts have revealed that in six out of the seven countries, most respondents considered politicians to be very corrupt. Around 80% of respondents in all seven countries approve of the organization of public protest meetings. Around 70% of respondents in all seven countries approve of demonstrations. Regression analysis revealed that there is a relationship between the perception of corruption among politicians and the approval of protest activities. Specifically, the more politicians are corrupt, the more people approve of holding public protest meetings and demonstrations.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF INTENTIONAL CHANGE THEORY AND INTRINSIC MOTIVATION ON AGILE TEACHERS

2021 ◽  
pp. 10-22
Author(s):  
Mrs. P. Naga Usha Sree ◽  
Dr.V.Tulasi Das
Keyword(s):  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Change Theory ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Operational Strategies ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Intentional Change ◽  
Agile Learning ◽  
The Impact

Higher educational institutions are in constant need of developing new operational strategies to prepare students to be responsive to ongoing demands from different avenues. Agility is most needed in educational institutions who prepare the future talent. Agility is all about maintaining a balance between learning, people and change. Students who experience agile learning environment can easily understand the importance of being relevant to any kind of change including pandemics. Teacher’s agility is the key ingredient to the successful accomplishment of this goal. With this intention this article focuses on to explore to understand the role of individual in transforming teacher to agile teacher. In this systematic attempt the insight of Intentional Change Theory (ICT) has been discussed in developing agility. It also attempts to bring forth the inspiration and impact of individual level desired change to organizational level, especially in Universities. A total of 525 teachers as sample respondents in the study from the select universities of Telangana State. The impact of adoption of five discoveries or stages of ICT on the development of the attributes of agility at workplace has been observed and analyzed through regression. The study also attempted to understand how intrinsic motivation of individual moderates the association of ICT and teachers agility. The outcome model of the study contributes to every teacher seeking to explore and understand or facilitate the sustainable change with the advancement of agility. KEYWORDS: Teacher’s Agility, Intentional Change, Intrinsic Motivation, Talents, Operational Strategies.

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