Sex Reversal in Zebrafish fancl Mutants Is Caused by Tp53-Mediated Germ Cell Apoptosis

The molecular genetic mechanisms of sex determination are not known for most vertebrates, including zebrafish. We identified a mutation in the zebrafish fancl gene that causes homozygous mutants to develop as fertile males due to female-to-male sex reversal. Fancl is a member of the Fanconi Anemia/BRCA DNA repair pathway. Experiments showed that zebrafish fancl was expressed in developing germ cells in bipotential gonads at the critical time of sexual fate determination. Caspase-3 immunoassays revealed increased germ cell apoptosis in fancl mutants that compromised oocyte survival. In the absence of oocytes surviving through meiosis, somatic cells of mutant gonads did not maintain expression of the ovary gene cyp19a1a and did not down-regulate expression of the early testis gene amh; consequently, gonads masculinized and became testes. Remarkably, results showed that the introduction of a tp53 (p53) mutation into fancl mutants rescued the sex-reversal phenotype by reducing germ cell apoptosis and, thus, allowed fancl mutants to become fertile females. Our results show that Fancl function is not essential for spermatogonia and oogonia to become sperm or mature oocytes, but instead suggest that Fancl function is involved in the survival of developing oocytes through meiosis. This work reveals that Tp53-mediated germ cell apoptosis induces sex reversal after the mutation of a DNA–repair pathway gene by compromising the survival of oocytes and suggests the existence of an oocyte-derived signal that biases gonad fate towards the female developmental pathway and thereby controls zebrafish sex determination

The Artification of Luxury: How Art Can Affect Perceived Durability and Purchase Intention of Luxury Products

Luxury brands are currently addressing the issues arising from the “democratization” of luxury consumption by looking for new ways to reinforce their aesthetic, moral and symbolic value. Along with this challenge, luxury brands are facing the growing consumers’ concern about the social and environmental impact that luxury brands’ activities bring forth. In this chapter, we propose that associating luxury products and brands with the concept of art and artworks might help luxury companies tackle these issues. We start from the definition of luxury and the analysis of the motives behind luxury consumption and then discuss the role played by sustainability in luxury through an overview of the main characteristics of luxury goods, such as scarcity and durability, that make them be considerable as sustainable in nature. Next, we discuss the idea that luxury and art share some important elements, such as the inherent strong emotional value, the relevance of craftmanship and savoir faire, and, above all, the idea of durability (defined as the ability of a product to maintain its quality and value over time), which characterizes both luxury products and artworks. In particular, building on this premise as well as on previous studies documenting the existence of the so-called art infusion effect—defined as the general positive effect that the presence of art in product advertising has on product evaluation and perception—we propose that the relevance of the artist’s craftmanship in the process of the artwork creation positively influences consumers’ perceived durability of the product advertised, which, in turn, positively affects consumers’ purchase intention. Results of an experimental study discussed next support for our hypothesis. Theoretical contributions of our study and managerial implications of our findings are finally discussed in the chapter

The Artification of Luxury: How Art can affect Perceived Durability and Purchase Intention of Luxury Products

Luxury brands are currently addressing the issues arising from the \u201cdemocratization\u201d of luxury consumption by looking for new ways to reinforce their aesthetic, moral and symbolic value. Along with this challenge, luxury brands are facing the growing consumers\u2019 concern about the social and environmental impact that luxury brands\u2019 activities bring forth. In this chapter, we propose that associating luxury products and brands with the concept of art and artworks might help luxury companies tackle these issues. We start from the definition of luxury and the analysis of the motives behind luxury consumption, and then discuss the role played by sustainability in luxury through an overview of the main characteristics of luxury goods, such as scarcity and durability, that make them be considerable as sustainable in nature. Next, we discuss the idea that luxury and art share some important elements, such as the inherent strong emotional value, the relevance of craftmanship and savoir-faire, and, above all, the idea of durability (defined as the ability of a product to maintain its quality and value over time), which characterizes both luxury products and artworks. In particular, building on this premise as well as on previous studies documenting the existence of the so-called art infusion effect \u2013 defined as the general positive effect that the presence of art in product advertising has on product evaluation and perception \u2013 we propose that the relevance of the artist\u2019s craftmanship in the process of the artwork creation positively influences consumers\u2019 perceived durability of the product advertised, which, in turn, positively affects consumers\u2019 purchase intention. Results of an experimental study discussed next support our hypothesis. Theoretical contributions of our study and managerial implications of our findings are finally discussed in the chapter