Sort by
Transcriptome analysis reveals key regulatory networks and genes involved in the acquisition of cold stress memory in pepper seedlings

Temperature is an important limiting factor in the counter-seasonal cultivation of pepper. Currently, there are no studies on transcriptomic analysis of ‘cold stress memory’ in pepper. In this study, in order to understand the mechanism of ‘cold stress memory’ in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), seedlings were subjected to the following treatments: normal temperature treatment (P0), the first cold treatment for 3 days (P3), the recovery temperature treatment for 3 days (R3), and another cold treatment for 3 days (RP3). The results showed that P3 plants wilted the most, RP3 the second and R3 the least. Leaf reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electrolyte leakage were the most in P3, the second in RP3 and the least in R3. In addition, RP3 had the highest accumulation of zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin, followed by P3, and R3 had the least. These results suggest that pepper seedlings are characterized by ‘cold stress memory’. Transcriptomics was used to analyze the key genes and transcription factors involved in the biosynthesis of zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin during the formation of ‘cold stress memory’. This study provides candidate genes and transcription factors for an in-depth study of the cold tolerance mechanism in pepper.

Open Access Just Published
Relevant
Lack of progress in cancer related outcomes after Liver Transplantation: Mitigating risk & identifying future needs to move this needle

Malignancy has a crucial impact on long-term survival after liver transplantation. There has been enhanced early detection rates with refined cancer screening and improved prognosis for many cancer diagnoses in the general population with the advent of targetted anti-cancer therapies. Similar advancements have not occurred in the transplant population over this same timeframe. Individualized strategies to reduce the risk of cancer, are needed in this high risk population. Strict adherence to screening and surveillance specific to the transplant population is required. Lifestyle modifications and medication management (both immunosuppressive and non-immunosuppressive) that may impact cancer risk and outcome are highlighted here. As more effective anti-cancer therapies evolve, transplant recipient access to these agents is paramount to truly impact cancer related outcomes in this population. With adequate immunosuppression, rejection rates with immunotherapy are lower than previously purported. Prospective studies of immunosuppression modifications needed to minimize rejection and maximize cancer response are ongoing and will reduce the fear from oncology and transplant providers alike, allowing utilization of the most optimal therapy available to the individual. This review aims to assess current data to aid in clinical management and identify the needs to fascilitate further progress in this field.

Just Published
Relevant
Navigating the Gap Between Correlational and Intervention Studies of Fatherhood and Children’s Development: A Family Systems Ecological Perspective

SYNOPSIS Objective. In fatherhood research, a large gap has emerged between correlation-based studies and the design of interventions to increase the quantity and quality of fathers’ involvement in their families. The correlational research suggests that all family members could benefit from fatherhood intervention designs that attempt to reduce risks and strengthen protective conditions in multiple family domains—an approach consistent with family systems theories and ecological theories of child development. But most fatherhood interventions have been designed solely for fathers and focus primarily on parenting. Even in rare instances in which both parents are included in a father-focused parenting intervention, the curriculum rarely attends to the quality of relationship between the co-parents, despite the fact that this relationship is a prime correlate and predictor of father involvement and father-child relationship quality. Design. This narrative review describes the current gap between multidimensional correlational studies of fathers and families and the restricted designs of most father involvement interventions. We describe a family systems ecological intervention approach to bringing the correlational and intervention streams of fatherhood research closer together. Results. Evidence from empirical studies of correlations between risk/protective factors and outcomes supports a family systems ecological model of five domains relevant for inclusion in fatherhood intervention curricula and measurement protocols. Evaluations of interventions based on these five domains show that when both parents participate, the interventions have greater impact than interventions directed only to fathers. Fathering is not simply behavior that occurs between a father and his child. In addition to the quality of his direct interaction with his child, fathering is a dynamic product of his well-being, the quality of the relationship between the co-parents, the transmission of behavioral patterns across generations, and the balance between outside-the-family stressors and the supports available to cope with them. Conclusions. This family systems ecological approach has implications for theory testing, future intervention research, and policy decisions about fatherhood services.

Open Access Just Published
Relevant
Relative importance of competing marketing strategies on different customer metrics: a meta-analytic review of customer equity drivers

Purpose This meta-analytic study aims to generalize the impacts of three customer equity drivers (CEDs), including value equity (VE), brand equity (BE) and relationship equity (RE), on different customer metrics (e.g. loyalty, word of mouth [WoM] and satisfaction); examine the relative importance of CEDs on customer metrics; and explore boundary conditions, considering geographic and methodological characteristics. Design/methodology/approach This study used a meta-analytic approach, collected and coded 85 articles published between 2001 and 2022. After some exclusions, the authors used 272 observations (average of individuals’ sample M = 1,015, min = 10, max = 8,924). Findings The generalized effects of VE, BE, and RE on the selected customer metrics are positive. However, the importance of each CED differs for WoM and social equity. Between VE and BE, BE correlates more with WoM. RE correlates more with social equity than VE and BE That is, RE is effective in both WoM and social equity. In addition, the impacts of the CEDs on customer loyalty vary across multiple geographic and methodological characteristics. For example, the impacts of VE and RE on loyalty are stronger in more individualistic, more masculine, long-term orientation or more restraint cultures. Research limitations/implications While the authors examined VE, BE and RE as the most important marketing strategies, there might be other types of CEDs, such as interactions with others (e.g. employees and customers). Interactions with others at any touchpoints along the customer journey are important experiences (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016). Second, the authors limited the customer metrics to customer loyalty, WoM, customer satisfaction, customer trust and social equity. Practical implications The magnitudes of VE, BE and RE differ across the three customer metrics. Compared with VE, BE symbolizes customers’ identity, status and extended self, which motivates WoM. Compared with VE and BE, RE convinces customers of companies’ actions in social equity such as corporate social responsibilities. Originality/value The meta-analysis resolves the issue of inconsistent impacts of CEDs across studies. Moreover, including CEDs in a model provides insight into these strategies’ relative importance when considering different marketing objectives. Finally, this study enriches understanding of the boundary conditions on the CEDs–loyalty link.

Just Published
Relevant