Follicular dendritic cell Fc gamma RIIB prevents survival of less-developed B cells: single cell sequence analysis from autoreactive germinal centers

BACKGROUND: Previous work has shown that follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) play an important role in selecting B cells such that antigens are responded to in a specific manner. FcγRΙΙB (CD32) is an antibody constant-region receptor found on FDCs and mutation of this receptor in humans is associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). In addition, previous work has demonstrated that autoreactive germinal centers are the product of expression of interferon alpha (ΙFNα) by FDCs, so FcγRIIB signaling may involve modulation of IFNα signaling. OBJECTIVE: Because FcγRIIB mutation is associated with SLE and FDCs have been shown to be important in orchestrating B cell responses, understanding FcγRIIB on FDCs helps characterize B cell repertoire development in response to antigen—whether the antigen is foreign or self, as is the case in autoimmunity. Better characterization of the role of FcγRIIB could have consequences for autoimmune and cancer therapy. This study seeks to determine the role of FcγRΙΙB on FDCs in germinal center B cell selection dynamics within single, autoreactive germinal centers. METHODS: This study compares transplanted wild-type (B6) B cells—that are driven to be autoimmune by simultaneously transplanted autoimmune B cells—in two stromal cell settings: first, in germinal centers containing wild-type FDCs and second, in germinal centers containing FcγRIIB-knockout FDCs. Transplanted B6 B cell populations express photoactivatable protein, which allows for sorting of B cells from individual germinal centers. B cell sequences from single germinal centers were analyzed to determine how focused each germinal center response was and how the B cells differ in maturity and affinity for antigen. Finally, mice expressing a lineage-tracing system were treated with IFNα in order to observe the cytokine’s effect on B cell selection. RESULTS: Cells sorted from germinal centers containing FcγRIIB-knockout FDCs contain a distinguished population of less-developed B cells, as quantified by population-based analysis of their variable heavy chain genes. Overall, the IgM sequences from B cells sorted from germinal centers (GCs) containing FcγRIIB-knockout follicular dendritic cells displayed lower levels of somatic hypermutation (SHM) (p<.05) and shorter hypervariable regions (CDR3) (p<.05) compared to other B cell populations. Values computed to summarize how many different B cell lineages were present in a GC—its “clonality”—did not vary between the two mouse populations, although FcγRIIB-knockout FDC germinal centers displayed a correlation between clonality and immunoglobulin (Ig) isotype expression (R2= .85). Finally, lineage tracing mice receiving injections of interferon alpha (IFNα) displayed no difference in GC clonality compared to those receiving vehicle and assays of IFNα downstream signaling genes also displayed no change. CONCLUSIONS: FcγRIIB encourages more stringent selection of immature B cells in germinal centers as evidenced by survival of less developed B cells as defined by degree of somatic hypermutation and CDR3 length in GCs comprising FcγRIIB-knockout FDCs. In spite of this, sequence-based measures of germinal center clonality as completed here may fail to capture the functional results of B cell selection. In addition, the link between FcγRIIB and IFNα requires further investigation.2019-07-03T00:00:00

Supplementary Data Figures for Manuscript: Selling Gender Through Kids’ Sport Team Merchandise: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis

Supplementary data figures for manuscript titled Selling Gender Through Kids’ Sport Team Merchandise: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis published in the Journal of Sport Management. Additional data figures created to provide more raw data and examples.https://scholarworks.umass.edu/data/1190/thumbnail.jp

The Perfect Game: An Ecological Systems Approach to the Influences of Elite Youth and High School Baseball Socialization

The purpose of this study was to examine the elite youth and high school baseball socialization process as a whole and the role of professionalization and corporatization in this process. The unique nature of baseball’s development model in the United States (U.S.), through a dual-track feeder system (college or minor leagues) allows for a wide-range of challenges and sociological factors to influence elite youth and high school prospects. Understanding players’ experiences exposes these challenges and sociological factors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four former elite youth and high school baseball players, one parent of a player, two coaches, and two media members. Using Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological systems theory, the authors examined multi-level sociological factors contributing to participants’ socialization experiences. Key findings revealed corporate-level factors including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) bylaws, Major League Baseball’s (MLB) collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and related commercialized changes in elite youth and high school baseball had a pronounced influence on baseball players’ socialization processes. Implications for policy and practice are discussed

Forage Radish Cover Crop Effects on Mycorrhizal Colonization and Soil Test Phosphorus

Forage radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. longipinnatus) and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crops were examined for their effects on arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and P acquisition of a subsequent corn (Zea mays L.) silage crop. Soil test P following these cover crops was also measured in bulk soil collected at three depths in the surface soil and in soil sampled within 3 cm of forage radish tap root holes. Forage radish never decreased mycorrhizal colonization and rye sometimes increased colonization of the subsequent crop compared to growing no cover crop. The extent of colonization of corn roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was positively correlated with corn shoot tissue P concentrations. Slight vertical soil test P stratification in the bulk soil occurred following both forage radish and rye cover crops at some sites. A large increase in soil test P occurred within 3 cm of forage radish tap root holes

EFFECT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ON FINANCIALPERFORMANCE. A STUDY OF SELECTED BANKING FINANCIALINSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA.

The study assessed ef ect of corporate governance on financial performance. Specifically, the study used First Bank of Nigeria PLC, GT Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, UBA Plc, and ACCESS bank Plc as case study. In line with the broad objective, thestudy investigated the ef ect of Audit Committee, Board Size, and board compositionon Return on Asset (ROA) of selected banks. The ex-post facto research designwasadopted in this study. Data was collected using secondary source of data, while thepooled regression model was used in this study to ascertain the relationship betweenthe variables in the study. Findings of the study revealed that: Audit Committee havea positive and significant ef ect on Return on Asset (ROA), Board size has a negativeand significant ef ect on ef ect on Return on Asset (ROA), while board compositiondoes not significantly af ect Return on Asset (ROA) of selected banks. It wasrecommended that: the audit committee members should be permitted to operateindependently, and the audit committee's membership should be reviewed onaregular basis to increase transparency in the audit committee's performance of itsduties. Additionally, banking financial institutions and other organizations shouldhave a reasonable board size that includes more non-executive directors(representatives of the shareholders) than executive directors. It was recommendedthat a balanced board composition be implemented in response to the observedassociation between board composition and the financial performance of depositmoney institutions as measured by ROA (with emphasis on women inclusion in board)

Physically Embodying the Oppressive Trinity: Engaging in Disruptive Identity Praxis as a White Middle Class Male

Abstract As an educator in multiple roles who embodies, what I contend is the oppressive trinity while working with individuals who possess identities vastly different than mine, I use this text discuss several practices and praxis that can disrupt the normative standard of American society. First, I discuss how capitalism, racism, and patriarchy operate not as autonomous and separate doctrines, but rather animate and give life to each other and thus should be thought of as one collective ideology as referred to as the oppressive trinity. Second, I discuss autoethnography as an experiential and narrative driven methodological approach incorporated in this analysis. This methodological approach is a unique stylistic and theoretical approach to research, which fuses theory and personal narrative together. Finally, I share a number of practices and praxis I have used to shred the veil obscuring my vision of how the oppressive trinity functions through its physical embodiment, material objects, cultural symbols, and social practices