bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stunting and its associated factors among children living with HIV/AIDS: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Dagnew Zewdu , Mengist Zeleke , Tesema Cheru , Temesgen Tegegne , Kumlachew Lake , Teym Abraham , Yirdaw Getasew , Bewket Yenewa , Addisie Zemene , Ayele Kemachew , Ayele Agernesh , Adane Balew , Tegegne Eniyew
Published: March 2024

Background:

Growth failure is a common feature of children living with HIV/AIDS. This study was intended to assess the level of stunting and its associated factors among children living with HIV/AIDS.

Methods:

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 218 children living with HIV/AIDS. An interviewer-administered data collection tools and anthropometric measurements were used to collect data. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent variables. Adjusted odds ratio with a 95% CI at a P value of 0.05, which was considered to declare statistical significance.

Result:

The level of stunting among children infected with HIV/AIDS in selected northwest comprehensive specialized hospitals in western Amhara was 56.9%. Poor anti-retroviral therapy (ART) adherence [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=6.15, 95% CI, (3.88–9.69)], lack of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis [AOR=2.0, 95% CI, (1.88–2.98)], opportunistic infection [AOR=4.66, 95% CI, (3.24–6.11), and feeding twice [AOR=3.88, 95% CI, (1.94–5.14)] and feeding three times [AOR=1.52, 95% CI, (1.23–3.89)] were significantly associated with stunting.

Conclusion:

Stunting among HIV/AIDS-infected children was very high. Poor ART adherence, lack of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis, opportunistic infection, and low feeding frequency were significantly associated to stunting among HIV/AIDS-infected children. Strategies need to be devised to address factors amenable to modification to improve the growth of children living with HIV/AIDS.
Outcomes of discordant HIV screening test results at a southern academic medical center
Authors: Colbrunn Danielle K. , Jacks Courtney , Curry Scott R. , Gebregziabher Mulugeta , Meissner Eric G.
Published: March 2024

Objective:

The aim of this study was to examine outcomes of follow-up for persons with discordant fourth-generation HIV screening test results.

Design:

A retrospective chart review.

Methods:

We analyzed the electronic health record at the Medical University of South Carolina for a 10-year period spanning 2012–2022 to identify instances of discordant HIV screening test results, wherein initial antigen/antibody screening was positive, but reflex confirmatory testing for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies was negative. We reviewed individual records to evaluate clinical follow-up and determine if the discordant test represented an acute HIV infection, a false-positive result, or was unresolved.

Results:

We identified 199 testing instances with discordant results. Most discordant results (n = 115) were subsequently determined to reflect a false-positive test, while 56 were unresolved without documented follow-up testing. Twenty-eight cases of acute HIV infection were identified of which 26 were linked to care within a month of initial testing. Two acute HIV cases were not identified in real time leading to delay in diagnosis and care. Testing done in the context of infectious symptoms and testing performed in the emergency department were associated with increased odds of a discordant test ultimately reflecting acute HIV infection.

Conclusion:

These results demonstrate the importance of appropriate and timely follow-up for discordant HIV screening test results.
Clinical Presentation and Outcome of Enteric Fever in Adult Patients with Cancer; A Perspective from Pakistan
Authors: Aslam Seemal , Abbas Salma , Nizamuddin Summiya , Shehbaz Muhammad , Parveen Azra , Sultan Faisal , Raza Aun
Published: March 2024

Introduction:
Enteric fever is a significant health concern in endemic countries. While extensive research has been conducted to understand its presentation and outcomes in non-cancer patients, limited data exist on its impact on cancer patients. This descriptive study aims to investigate the clinical presentation and outcome in cancer patients.
Methodology:
This retrospective observational study analysed 90 adult cancer patients from a single centre in Pakistan from January 2017 to December 2022. Inclusion criteria involved documented blood culture infections with Salmonella typhi or paratyphi A, B, or C. We examined clinical presentation, laboratory parameters, antimicrobial resistance, complications, and outcomes. Additionally, we explored the effects of chemotherapy, comorbidities, type of malignancy, and patient age on complications and mortality.
Results:
Salmonella typhi was the most prevalent organism (72.2%), followed by Salmonella paratyphi A (22.2%) and B (5.5%). Non-resistant isolates constituted 51.5%, multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates accounted for 20%, extensively drug resistant (XDR) for 14.4% and ESBL-producing for 15.5%, of all enteric fever infections.. Enteric fever-associated complications were observed in 21.1% of cases. Chemotherapy in the preceding month did not affect mortality, nor did age, gender, or malignancy type. However, comorbidities were statistically significant for mortality (p-value 0.03). A total of 8.8% of patients required ICU care, and the all-cause 30-day mortality rate was 13.3%
Conclusion:
Enteric fever remains prevalent in our geographical region. Unlike Non-Typhoidal Salmonella (NTS), enteric fever does not behave differently in an immunocompromised population, including cancer patients.
Quality attributes and shelf-life of freshly cut beef coated with waste feather keratin-ginger starch composite enriched with avocado peel polyphenolic-rich extract
Authors: Oluba Olarewaju M , Ojeaburu Samuel I , Bayo-Olorunmeke Opeyemi A , Erifeta Georgina , Josiah Sunday J
Published: March 2024

The utilization of coatings composed of bio-based materials in the processing and preservation of meat presents an environmentally conscious, secure, cost-effective, and superior method for prolonging the storage life of meat while also preserving its nutritional value. In this study, changes in physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of freshly cut beef coated with distilled water (control) and keratin-starch composites (K-S) functionalized with 0.0-, 0.2-, 0.6-, and 1.0-mL avocado peel polyphenolic-rich extract (APPPE) kept at 4°C for 12 days were evaluated periodically at 3-day interval using standard techniques. Keratin was extracted from waste feathers, while starch was obtained from ginger rhizomes. Following a 12-day storage period, beef coated with APPPE-enriched K-S composites exhibited a significant (p<0.05) improvement in shelf life by minimizing deteriorative changes in pH and color (as determined by metmyoglobin level) in addition to inhibiting oxidative changes in lipids (as determined by TBARS level) and proteins (protein carbonyl level) in comparison to control and K-S composite without APPPE. Furthermore, microbial growth was significantly (p<0.05) suppressed in meat coated with K-S composite functionalized with APE at 0.6 and 1.0 mL compared to the control. The study suggested that APPPE-enriched K-S composite could offer an eco-friendly and safe food preservation technique for fresh meat.
Hygienic effect of modified atmosphere film packaging on ginseng sprout for microbial safety
Authors: Choi Jangnam , Kim Sosoo , Baek Jiseon , Lee Mijeong , Lee Jihyun , Jang Jayeong , Lee Theresa
Published: March 2024

This study evaluates the microbial safety of ginseng sprouts packaged in moss and a modified atmosphere (MA) film within Styrofoam boxes. Ginseng sprout samples were stored at 4°C for seven days, and the total fungi and aerobic bacteria counts, relative humidity, and moisture content were measured at 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days. During the storage period, both packaging treatments caused an increase in the total fungi and aerobic bacteria counts. However, by the seventh day, the ginseng sprouts packaged in the MA film demonstrated significantly lower counts of total fungi (3.03 log CFU/g) and aerobic bacteria (7.32 log CFU/g) than those in moss (3.66 and 7.63 log CFU/g, respectively). Moss packaging alone resulted in the total fungi count reaching up to 3.36 log CFU/g, with the aerobic bacteria count consistently exceeding 7 log CFU/g, highlighting the importance of hygienic management. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in the moisture content and relative humidity between the MA-film- and moss-packaged groups throughout storage. These findings indicate that the functional MA film is a more hygienic packaging solution for ginseng sprouts than moss.
Neuroprotective effect of Aster yomena ethanolic extract in HT-22 and SK-N-MC cells based on antioxidant activity
Authors: Kim In Young , Kim Jong Min , Lee Hyo Lim , Go Min Ji , Lee Han Su , Kim Ju Hui , Eo Hyun Ji , Kim Chul-Woo , Heo Ho Jin
Published: March 2024

The antioxidant potentials of ethanolic extracts derived from Aster yomena (A. yomena) were evaluated by assessing their total phenolic and flavonoid contents and radical scavenging activities. Our findings revealed that the 60% ethanolic extract of A. yomena exhibited the most robust antioxidant properties among all extracts tested. Specifically, the IC50 values for the 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activities of the 60% ethanolic extract from A. yomena were determined to be 1,640.30 μg/mL and 2,655.10 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the inhibitory effect on malondialdehyde increased with the 60% ethanolic extract from A. yomena. To assess the neuroprotective effects, we examined the impact of the 60% ethanolic extract from A. yomena against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in HT-22 (mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line) and SK-N-MC (human neuroblastoma cell line) cells. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in cell viability and reduced intracellular oxidative stress. Furthermore, the major bioactive compounds present in the 60% ethanolic extract from A. yomena were identified as chlorogenic acid and rutin through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis.
Benchmarking organ-specific responses to therapies in tissues differentiated from Cystic Fibrosis patient derived iPSCs
Authors: Daoud Abdelkader , Xia Sunny , Laselva Onofrio , Jiang Janet , Bear Christine E.
Published: March 2024

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a life-shortening disease that is caused by mutations in theCFTRgene, a gene that is expressed in multiple organs. There are several primary tissue models of CF disease, including nasal epithelial cultures and rectal organoids, that are effective in reporting the potential efficacy of mutation-targeted therapies called CFTR modulators. However, there is the well-documented variation in tissue dependent, therapeutic response amongst CF patients, even those with the same CF-causing mutation. Hence, there is an interest in developing strategies for benchmarking therapeutic efficacy in different organs relative to isogenic controls. In this study, we evaluated the CFTR chloride channel response to the highly effective CFTR modulator: Trikafta, in CF patient specific, iPSC-derived colonic and airway cultures relative to mutation-corrected (non-CF) tissues from that same individual. We measured pharmacological rescue in both tissues, but interestingly, Trikafta treatment resulted in different levels of functional rescue in the two tissues relative to the relevant isogenic control. This proof-of-concept study lays the groundwork for future comparisons of patient-specific CF therapeutic responses in both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary systems.
Hsa_circ_0001304 promotes vascular smooth muscle cell autophagy and neointimal hyperplasia through the YTHDF2/mTOR axis
Authors: Mu Shi-Qing , Lin Jia-Jie , Wang Yu , Yang Li-Yun , Wang Sen , Wang Zhao-Yi , Zhao An-Qi , Luo Wen-Jun , Dong Zi-Qi , Cao Yu-Guang , Jiang Ze-An , Wang Si-Fan , Cao Shan-Hu , Meng Li , Li Yang , Yang Shu-Yan , Sun Shao-Guang
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Aberrant autophagy in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is associated with the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have gradually been reported to regulate autophagy in VSMCs.

Objectives

This study aims to investigate the role of hsa_circ_0001304 in VSMC autophagy and its underlying mechanism.

Methods

The combined use of dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, MeRIP-qRT-PCR, RIP-qRT-PCR, etc., was performed to verify the regulatory axis, hsa_circ_0001304/miR-636/YTHDF2/mTOR. Cell autophagy detection was performed to uncover the role of hsa_circ_0001304 on VSMC autophagy. The mouse carotid artery ligation model was conducted to assess the role of hsa_circ_0001304 on vascular neointimal hyperplasia.

Results

Hsa_circ_0001304 acts as a sponge for miR-636, leading to an increase in the protein levels of YTHDF2. Subsequently, the YTHDF2 promotes the degradation of mTOR mRNA by binding to the latter’s m6A modification sites. Thus, by regulating the miR-636/YTHDF2/mTOR axis, hsa_circ_0001304 activates VSMC autophagy, aggravating neointimal hyperplasia.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that autophagy-related hsa_circ_0001304 could serve as a novel therapeutic target for neointimal hyperplasia-related cardiovascular diseases.

Including spaces

Our study documents a novel VSMC autophagy-related circRNA, namely circ-1304, which activates VSMC autophagy through the miR-636/YTHDF2/mTOR axis, thereby exacerbating neointimal hyperplasia. Targeting autophagy-related circ-1304 may contribute to the treatment of neointimal hyperplasia-associated cardiovascular diseases.
Assessing fecal metaproteomics workflow and small protein recovery using DDA and DIA PASEF mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Angela , Fekete Emily E F , Creskey Marybeth , Cheng Kai , Ning Zhibin , Pfeifle Annabelle , Li Xuguang , Figeys Daniel , Zhang Xu
Published: March 2024

Aim

This study aims to evaluate the impact of experimental workflow on fecal metaproteomic observations, including the recovery of small and antimicrobial proteins often overlooked in metaproteomic studies. The overarching goal is to provide guidance for optimized metaproteomic experimental design, considering the emerging significance of the gut microbiome in human health, disease, and therapeutic interventions.

Methods

Mouse feces were utilized as the experimental model. Fecal sample pre-processing methods (differential centrifugation and non-differential centrifugation), protein digestion techniques (in-solution and filter-aided), data acquisition modes (data-dependent and data-independent, or DDA and DIA) when combined with parallel accumulation-serial fragmentation (PASEF), and different bioinformatic workflows were assessed.

Results

We showed that, in DIA-PASEF metaproteomics, the library-free search using protein sequence database generated from DDA-PASEF data achieved better identifications than using the generated spectral library. Compared to DDA, DIA-PASEF identified more microbial peptides, quantified more proteins with less missing values, and recovered more small antimicrobial proteins. We didn’t observe obvious impacts of protein digestion methods on both taxonomic and functional profiles. However, differential centrifugation decreased the recovery of small and antimicrobial proteins, biased the taxonomic observation with a marked over-estimation ofMuribaculumspecies, and altered the measured functional compositions of metaproteome.

Conclusion

This study underscores the critical impact of experimental choices on metaproteomic outcomes and sheds light on the potential biases introduced at different stages of the workflow. The comprehensive methodological comparisons serve as a valuable guide for researchers aiming to enhance the accuracy and completeness of metaproteomic analyses.
A genome-wide RNA interference screening reveals protectiveness of SNX5 knockdown in a Parkinson’s disease cell model
Authors: Höllerhage Matthias , Duan Linghan , Chua Oscar Wing Ho , Moebius Claudia , Bothe Svenja , Hopfner Franziska , Wahl-Schott Christian , Bickle Marc , Höglinger Günter U.
Published: March 2024

Background

Alpha-synuclein is a major player in the pathophysiology of a group of diseases called synucleinopathies, which include Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. To date, there is no disease-modifying therapy available for these synucleinopathies. Furthermore, the intracellular mechanisms by which alpha-synuclein confers toxicity are not yet fully understood. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to investigate the pathophysiology of alpha-synuclein-induced toxicity in order to identify novel molecular targets for the development of disease-modifying therapies.

Methods

In the present study, we performed the first genome-wide siRNA modifier screening in a human postmitotic neuronal cell model using alpha-synuclein-induced toxicity as read-out. In a multi-step approach, we identified several genes, whose knockdown protected from alpha-synuclein-induced toxicity. The main hit was further validated by different methods, including immunofluorescence microscopy, qPCR, and Western blot.

Results

The highest protection was achieved by knockdown ofSNX5, which encodes the SNX5 protein, a component of the retromer complex. We confirmed the protective efficacy ofSNX5knockdown with an independent siRNA system. SNX5 protein is part of SNX-BAR heterodimers, which are part of the retromer complex. We found that extracellular and overexpressed intracellular alpha-synuclein led to fragmentation of the trans-Golgi network, which was prevented bySNX5knockdown by confining alpha-synuclein in early endosomes.

Conclusion

In summary, our data suggest that SNX5 plays an important role in trafficking and toxicity of alpha-synuclein. Therefore, SNX5 appears to be a possible target for therapeutic interventions in synucleinopathies.
Expanding the human gut microbiome atlas of Africa
Authors: Maghini Dylan G , Oduaran Ovokeraye H , Wirbel Jakob , Olubayo Luicer A Ingasia , Smyth Natalie , Mathema Theophilous , Belger Carl W , Agongo Godfred , Boua Palwendé R , Choma Solomon SR , Gómez-Olivé F Xavier , Kisiangani Isaac , Mashaba Given R , Micklesfield Lisa , Mohamed Shukri F , Nonterah Engelbert A , Norris Shane , Sorgho Hermann , Tollman Stephen , Wafawanaka Floidy , Tluway Furahini , Ramsay Michèle , Bhatt Ami S , Hazelhurst Scott
Published: March 2024

Population studies are crucial in understanding the complex interplay between the gut microbiome and geographical, lifestyle, genetic, and environmental factors. However, populations from low- and middle-income countries, which represent ∼84% of the world population, have been excluded from large-scale gut microbiome research. Here, we present the AWI-Gen 2 Microbiome Project, a cross-sectional gut microbiome study sampling 1,803 women from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. By intensively engaging with communities that range from rural and horticultural to urban informal settlements and post-industrial, we capture population diversity that represents a far greater breadth of the world’s population. Using shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we find that study site explains substantially more microbial variation than disease status. We identify taxa with strong geographic and lifestyle associations, including loss ofTreponemaandCryptobacteroidesspecies and gain ofBifidobacteriumspecies in urban populations. We uncover a wealth of prokaryotic and viral novelty, including 1,005 new bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes, and identify phylogeography signatures inTreponema succinifaciens. Finally, we find a microbiome signature of HIV infection that is defined by several taxa not previously associated with HIV, includingDysosmobacter welbionisandEnterocloster sp.This study represents the largest population-representative survey of gut metagenomes of African individuals to date, and paired with extensive clinical biomarkers, demographic data, and lifestyle information, provides extensive opportunity for microbiome-related discovery and research.
ACE2 fromPipistrellus abramusbats is a receptor for HKU5 coronaviruses
Authors: Catanzaro Nicholas J. , Wu Ziyan , Fan Chengcheng , Schäfer Alexandra , Yount Boyd L. , Bjorkman Pamela J. , Baric Ralph , Letko Michael
Published: March 2024

The merbecovirus subgenus of coronaviruses includes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a zoonotic pathogen transmitted from dromedary camels to humans that causes severe respiratory disease. Viral discovery efforts have uncovered hundreds of merbecoviruses in different species across multiple continents, but few have been studied under laboratory conditions, leaving basic questions regarding their human threat potential unresolved. Viral entry into host cells is a critical step for transmission between hosts. Here, a scalable approach that assesses novel merbecovirus cell entry was developed and used to evaluate receptor use across the entire merbecovirus subgenus. Merbecoviruses are sorted into clades based on the receptor-binding domain of the spike glycoprotein. Receptor tropism is clade-specific, with the clade including MERS-CoV using DPP4 and multiple clades using ACE2, including HKU5 bat coronaviruses. Mutational analysis identified possible structural limitations to HKU5 adaptability and a cryo-EM structure of the HKU5-20s spike trimer revealed only ‘down’ RBDs.
Integrating dynamical modeling and phylogeographic inference to characterize global influenza circulation
Authors: Parino Francesco , Gustani-Buss Emanuele , Bedford Trevor , Suchard Marc A. , Trovão Nídia Sequeira , Rambaut Andrew , Colizza Vittoria , Poletto Chiara , Lemey Philippe
Published: March 2024

Global seasonal influenza circulation involves a complex interplay between local (seasonality, demography, host immunity) and global factors (international mobility) shaping recurrent epidemic patterns. No studies so far have reconciled the two spatial levels, evaluating the coupling between national epidemics, considering heterogeneous coverage of epidemiological and virological data, integrating different data sources. We propose a novel combined approach based on a dynamical model of global influenza spread (GLEAM), integrating high-resolution demographic and mobility data, and a generalized linear model of phylogeographic diffusion that accounts for time-varying migration rates. Seasonal migration fluxes across global macro-regions simulated with GLEAM are tested as phylogeographic predictors to provide model validation and calibration based on genetic data. Seasonal fluxes obtained with a specific transmissibility peak time and recurrent travel outperformed the raw air-transportation predictor, previously considered as optimal indicator of global influenza migration. Influenza A subtypes supported autumn-winter reproductive number as high as 2.25 and an average immunity duration of 2 years. Similar dynamics were preferred by influenza B lineages, with a lower autumn-winter reproductive number. Comparing simulated epidemic profiles against FluNet data offered comparatively limited resolution power. The multiscale approach enables model selection yielding a novel computational framework for describing global influenza dynamics at different scales - local transmission and national epidemics vs. international coupling through mobility and imported cases. Our findings have important implications to improve preparedness against seasonal influenza epidemics. The approach can be generalized to other epidemic contexts, such as emerging disease out-breaks to improve the flexibility and predictive power of modeling.
Adherence to a healthful plant-based diet and risk of chronic kidney disease among individuals with diabetes: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Thompson Alysha S. , Tresserra-Rimbau Anna , Jennings Amy , Bondonno Nicola P. , Candussi Catharina J. , O’Neill Joshua K. , Hill Claire , Gaggl Martina , Cassidy Aedín , Kühn Tilman
Published: March 2024

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent among people with diabetes. While identifying modifiable risk factors to prevent a decline in kidney function among those living with diabetes is pivotal, there is limited evidence on dietary risk factors for CKD. In this study we examined the associations between healthy and less healthy plant-based diets (PBDs) and the risk of CKD among those with diabetes, and to identify potential underlying mechanisms.

Methods

We conducted a prospective analysis among 7,747 UK Biobank participants with prevalent diabetes. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to examine the associations between healthful and unhealthful PBDs and the risk of CKD. Causal mediation analyses were further employed to explore the underlying mechanisms of the observed associations.

Results

Among 7,747 study participants with diabetes, 1,030 developed incident CKD over 10.2 years of follow-up. Higher adherence to a healthy PBD was associated with a 24% lower CKD risk (HRQ4 versus Q1: 0.76 [95%CI: 0.63-0.92], ptrend= 0.002), while higher adherence to an unhealthy PBD was associated with a 35% higher risk (HRQ4 versus Q1: 1.35 [95%CI: 1.11-1.65], ptrend= 0.006). The observed associations were predominantly mediated by markers of body fatness (proportion mediated: 11-25%) and kidney function (23-89%).

Conclusions

In this prospective cohort study of middle-aged adults with diabetes, adherence to a healthy PBD was associated with lower CKD risk, whereas adherence to an unhealthy PBD was associated with a higher CKD risk. Associations were primarily mediated by markers of lower body fatness and improved kidney function.
The replication properties of a contemporary Zika virus from West Africa depends on NS1/NS4B proteins
Authors: Machmouchi Dana , Courageot Marie-Pierre , El-Kalamouni Chaker , Kohl Alain , Desprès Philippe
Published: March 2024

Zika virus (ZIKV) have become a global health problem over the past decade due to the extension of the geographic distribution of ZIKV of Asian genotype. Epidemics of Asian ZIKV have been associated with developmental disorders in humans. ZIKV of African lineage would have an epidemic potential associated to fetal pathogenicity requiring a greater attention towards the most recently isolated viral strains from West Africa. In the present study, an infectious molecular clone GUINEA-18 has been obtained from viral strain ZIKV-15555 that had been sequenced from an individual infected by ZIKV in Guinea in 2018. A molecular clone-based comparative study between GUINEA-18 and viral clone MR766MCfrom historical African ZIKV strain MR766 revealed a lower replication rate for GUINEA-18 associated to a weaker cytotoxicity and reduced innate immune system activation in Vero E6, A549 and HCM3 cell lines. Analysis of chimeric viruses between MR766MCand GUINEA-18 stressed the importance NS1/NS4B proteins with a particular focus for NS4B on GUINEA-18 replication properties. ZIKV has developed strategies to prevent cytoplasmic stress granule formation which occurs in response to virus infection. Study of G3BP protein showed that GUINEA-18 but not MR766MCwas efficient to inhibit stress granule assembly in A549 cells subjected to a physiological stressor. GUINEA-18 depends on NS1/NS4B proteins for suppressing stress granule response to environmental stress. The involvement of GUINEA-18 NS1/NS4B proteins on virus replication capability and host-cell responses to ZIKV infection raises the question of the importance of nonstructural proteins in the pathogenicity of contemporary viral strains from West Africa.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

Most of studies having for objectives to understand the biology of Zika virus (ZIKV) were carried out using epidemic viral strains of Asian lineage. It is now admitted that ZIKV of African genotype would have also a great epidemic potential associated a high risk of fetal pathogenicity. Today, it is urgent to improve our knowledge on recently isolated ZIKV strains in West Africa. In our study, we used the sequence of viral strain from an individual infected by ZIKV in Guinea in 2018 to generate an infectious molecular clone. Analysis of viral clone highlighted the preponderant role of NS1/NS4B proteins in virus replication strategy and cell interactions with a particular focus on ZIKV-specific stress granule formation blockade. We believe that our data will improve our knowledge on the biology of contemporary West Africa ZIKV opening perspectives towards a better understanding on the pathogenicity of African viral strains.
Dental radiography as a low-invasive field technique to estimate age in small rodents, with the mole voles (Ellobius) as an example
Authors: Nikonova Varvara R. , Naumova Anna E. , Bergaliev Arman M. , Dymskaya Margarita M. , Rudyk Anna I. , Volodina Elena V. , Smorkatcheva Antonina V.
Published: March 2024

Most studies which deal with natural populations require a reliable and convenient way of age estimation. However, even rough aging of live individuals is often a real challenge. In this study, we develop a radiographic method of age estimation inEllobius talpinus, a promising model species for population and behavioral ecology. Using a portable X-ray equipment, we radiographed wild, non-sedated animals from the population that had been subjected to extensive mark-recaptures for 3 years. Two molar metrics strongly dependent on age and easy to measure on radiographs were selected: the lengths of synclinal folds of the 1stupper and 1stlower molars. No influence of sex on the molar condition age dynamics was found. Discriminant function analysis based on molar condition and date of radiography in 86 animals of known age classes assigned X-ray images to three age classes (young of the year, yearlings, and 2 years or older) with an accuracy of 99%. Leave-one-out cross-validation yielded 97% of correct assignments. All age estimates for 52 repeatedly radiographed individuals were consistent across images. The analysis of the repeated X-ray images obtained from the same animals showed that 1stlower molars change faster in the first summer of life than later whereas the change rate of the 1stupper molars decreases little throughout life. We propose X-ray technique as a useful alternative to direct skull and dental morphometry for age estimation of wild small mammals, saving the investigator’s time and lives of animals.
An unscheduled switch to endocycles induces a reversible senescent arrest that impairs growth of theDrosophilawing disc
Authors: Huang Yi-Ting , Hesting Lauren L. , Calvi Brian R.
Published: March 2024

A programmed developmental switch to G / S endocycles results in tissue growth through an increase in cell size. Unscheduled, induced endocycling cells (iECs) promote wound healing but also contribute to cancer. Much remains unknown, however, about how these iECs affect tissue growth. Using theD. melanogasterwing disc as model, we find that populations of iECs initially increase in size but then subsequently undergo a heterogenous arrest that causes severe tissue undergrowth. iECs acquired DNA damage and activated a Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, but, unlike other stressed cells, were apoptosis-resistant and not eliminated from the epithelium. Instead, iECs entered a JNK-dependent and reversible senescent-like arrest. Senescent iECs promoted division of diploid neighbors, but this compensatory proliferation did not rescue tissue growth. Our study has uncovered unique attributes of iECs and their effects on tissue growth that have important implications for understanding their roles in wound healing and cancer.
FlɛX: a computer vision program to evaluate strain in flexible crystals
Authors: Hsieh Benjamin , Wu Lai-Chin , Grosjean Arnaud
Published: March 2024

The program FlɛX (flexural ɛ for xtals) has been developed for a quick, easy and accurate evaluation of the maximum deformation reached in flexible crystals from a simple optical microscope picture. The program takes advantage of computer vision libraries to find the contours of a bent crystal and fit these to semicircles. It can then calculate the theoretical maximum deformation along its long axis using equations from the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory.
Three-dimensional electron diffraction on clinkers: the belite α′
H
incommensurate modulated structure
Authors: Plana-Ruiz Sergi , Götz Emilia , Neumann Thomas , Schwesig Peter , Kolb Ute
Published: March 2024

Traditional X-ray methods are extensively applied to commercial cement samples in order to determine their physical and chemical properties. Powder patterns are routinely used to quantify the composition of these phase mixtures, but structure determination becomes difficult because of reflection overlapping caused by the high number of different crystal structures. The fast-growing 3D electron diffraction technique and its related automated acquisition protocols arise as a potentially very interesting tool for the cement industry, since they enable the fast and systematic acquisition of diffraction data from individual particles. In this context, electron diffraction has been used in the investigation of the different crystalline phases present in various commercial clinkers for cement. Automated data collection procedures and subsequent data processing have enabled the structural characterization of the different crystal structures from which the α′
H
polymorph of Ca2SiO4 (belite) exhibited satellite reflections. Its average crystal structure has been known since 1971 and satellite reflections have been reported previously, yet the modulation was never fully described by means of the superspace formalism. Here, the incommensurately modulated structure is solved and refined using harmonic and crenel functions in the superspace group Pnma(α00)0ss, showing the potential of 3D electron diffraction for systematic crystallographic characterizations of cement. A full description of the different belite polymorphs is provided considering this modulated structure.
Efficient in situ screening of and data collection from microcrystals in crystallization plates
Authors: Thompson Amy J. , Sanchez-Weatherby Juan , Williams Lewis J. , Mikolajek Halina , Sandy James , Worrall Jonathan A. R. , Hough Michael A.
Published: March 2024

A considerable bottleneck in serial crystallography at XFEL and synchrotron sources is the efficient production of large quantities of homogenous, well diffracting microcrystals. Efficient high-throughput screening of batch-grown microcrystals and the determination of ground-state structures from different conditions is thus of considerable value in the early stages of a project. Here, a highly sample-efficient methodology to measure serial crystallography data from microcrystals by raster scanning within standard in situ 96-well crystallization plates is described. Structures were determined from very small quantities of microcrystal suspension and the results were compared with those from other sample-delivery methods. The analysis of a two-dimensional batch crystallization screen using this method is also described as a useful guide for further optimization and the selection of appropriate conditions for scaling up microcrystallization.
The double-edged sword of envy: effects of envy type and regulatory focus on consumer decision-making
Authors: Roy Rajat , Rabbanee Fazlul K. , Awad Diana , Mehrotra Vishal
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the fit of a promotion (prevention) focus with malicious (benign) envy and how this fit influences positive and negative behaviours, depending on the context.

Design/methodology/approach

Four empirical studies (two laboratory and two online experiments) were used to test key hypotheses. Study 1 manipulated regulatory focus and envy in a job application setting with university students. Study 2 engaged similar manipulations in a social media setting. Studies 3 and 4 extended the regulatory focus and envy manipulations to the general population in pay-what-you-want (PWYW) and pay-it-forward (PIF) restaurant contexts.

Findings

The findings showed that a promotion (prevention) focus fits with the emotion of malicious (benign) envy. In the social media context, promotion and prevention foci demonstrated negative behaviour, including unfollowing the envied person, when combined with malicious and benign envy. In the PWYW and PIF contexts, combining envy with a specific type of regulatory focus encouraged both positive and negative behaviours through influencing payments.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could validate and extend this study’s findings with different product/service categories, cross-cultural samples and research methods such as field experiments.

Practical implications

The four studies’ findings will assist managers in formulating marketing strategies to enhance their positioning of target products/services, possibly leading to higher prices for PWYW and PIF businesses.

Originality/value

The conceptual model is novel as, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior research has proposed and tested the fit between envy type and regulatory foci.
Equal employment opportunity and diversity in restaurant labor: perspectives of restaurant employees and managers in the USA
Authors: Seyitoğlu Faruk , Atsız Ozan , Acar Ayşegül
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study was designed to contribute to the extant literature by discovering the perceptions of restaurant employees and managers toward equal opportunities in restaurant labor and working in a diversity-rich restaurant work environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research approach was utilized. Through in-depth interviews, data were collected purposefully from restaurant workers in different positions (e.g. managers, servers, chefs and cooks) in the USA.

Findings

As a result of content analysis, different perspectives emerged on equal employment opportunity and diversity in restaurant labor. While some employees and managers believe that restaurant labor has equal employment opportunities, others think there is a lack of equal employment opportunity and partial equal employment opportunity in the industry. Most participants perceive working in a diversity-rich restaurant work environment as beneficial (an opportunity to learn about different cultures and an opportunity to learn different experiences and approaches).

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to explore employees' and managers' perceptions of equal employment opportunity and diversity in the hospitality labor context, specifically restaurant labor. Therefore, the research findings will create value for scholars to understand the view on equal employment opportunity and diversity in restaurant labor. Further, it will assist practitioners in designing their labor structure regarding equal employment opportunity and diversity management for the future.
Action research of lean 4.0 application to the maintenance of hydraulic systems in steel industry
Authors: Torre Nuno Miguel de Matos , Bonamigo Andrei
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Maintenance represents an indispensable role in the productive sector of the steel industry. The increasing use of operating with a high level of precision makes hydraulic systems one of the issues that require a high level of attention. This study aims to explore an empirical investigation for decreasing the occurrences of corrective maintenance of hydraulic systems in the context of Lean 4.0.

Design/methodology/approach

The maintenance model is developed based on action-research methodology through an empirical investigation, with nine stages. This approach aims to build a scenario to analyze and interpret the occurrences, seeking to implement and evaluate the actions to be performed. The undertaken initiatives demonstrate that this approach can be applied to optimize the maintenance of an organization.

Findings

The main contribution of this paper is to demonstrate that the applied method allows the overviewing results, with a qualitative approach concerning the maintenance actions and management processes to be considered, allowing a holistic understanding and contributing to the current literature. The results also indicated that Lean 4.0 has direct and mediating effects on maintenance performance.

Originality/value

This research intends to propose an evaluation framework with an interdimensional linkage between action research methodology and Lean 4.0, to explore an empirical investigation and contributing to understanding the actions to reduce the occurrences of hydraulic systems corrective maintenance in a production line in the steel industry.
MSMEs' innovation: a barrier approach
Authors: Aggarwal Ansita , Joshi Nisarg
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of innovation in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India, focusing on the barriers and facilitators within their internal and external ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 1430 MSMEs across India, employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze the relationships between internal and external factors and innovation adaptation.

Findings

The findings indicate that factors such as top management and organization structure, communication, technological capability and adaptation and organizational culture have a positive impact on innovation adaptation within the internal environment. Conversely, employee and market orientation, as well as financial factors, have a negative influence. Regarding the external environment, industry and competitive analysis, internationalization and partner alliances were found to positively affect innovation adaptation, whereas the country's infrastructure and policies had a negative impact.

Originality/value

The study emphasizes that MSMEs have the potential to leverage their internal and external environments to foster innovation within their organizations.
Police relationships and engagement with rural citizens: perspectives of front-line police in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France
Authors: Mulrooney Kyle , Bullock Karen , Mouhanna Christian , Harkness Alistair
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This article examines challenges and strategies related to police relationships and engagement with rural communities in England and Wales, Australia and France. It aims to bridge a gap in knowledge around how police balance public demands with organisational and contextual constraints, exploring the role of communication technology in overcoming geographical and cultural barriers in rural policing.

Design/methodology/approach

The research draws upon 121 semi-structured interviews conducted across three distinct jurisdictions. In the United Kingdom and Australia, interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams, while face-to-face interviews were conducted in France. Participants were recruited through the purposive sampling of police working in rural areas. The data were thematically analysed using NVivo Software.

Findings

Rural communities have low expectations of policing services, a consequence of geography, organisational structures and limited resource allocation. Building relationships can be challenging owing to isolation and terrain, the need for officers to have local and cultural knowledge, and difficulties in recruiting officers in rural posts. Technology-mediated communication has played a part in the solutions (e.g. social media). However, this may not always be suitable owing to limited connectivity, citizen and police preferences for communication and engagement, and the institutional and cultural nuances surrounding the application of technology.

Originality/value

This article provides empirical insights into the attitudes and experiences of rural police officers, highlighting the distinctive policing context and engagement needs of rural communities. The research underscores the necessity for contextually aware engagement. It suggests that while technology-mediated communication offers some solutions to spatial challenges, its effectiveness may be limited by access, generational preferences and the adaptability of police institutions and cultures.
The impact of ICT capabilities on supply chain fraud and sustainability – a dynamic capability perspective
Authors: Abdul Mumin Mubarik , Adam Ibrahim Osman , Alhassan Muftawu Dzang
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities on supply chain fraud and sustainability within the context of Ghana’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the research explores the mediating role of supply chain fraud in the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 102 respondents within Ghana’s SME sector, and the research employed the dynamic capability theory as the conceptual framework. The study utilized partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to develop and analyze the proposed model.

Findings

The results of the study reveal a significant reduction in supply chain fraud attributable to enhanced ICT capabilities within Ghanaian SMEs. Moreover, ICT capabilities exert a significant positive influence on supply chain sustainability. Importantly, supply chain fraud emerges as a mediator, elucidating its role at the nexus of supply chain sustainability and ICT capabilities.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the limited body of evidence on the interconnectedness of ICT capabilities, supply chain fraud and supply chain sustainability, particularly within the context of Ghanaian SMEs. Notably, this study pioneers an examination of the mediating impact of supply chain fraud on the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.
Insights into preferences for irrigation pumps in West Bengal: An application of best‐worst‐scaling
Authors: Lountain Sophie , Cooper Bethany , Crase Lin , Burton Michael , Rigby Daniel
Published: March 2024

This paper presents an analysis of the heterogeneous preferences of farmers towards groundwater pump technologies. The research uses primary field data drawn from West Bengal, India, where the progressive feminisation of agriculture has been well‐documented. We employ a paired comparison technique to explore how gender impacts the preferences towards different attributes of pumping technology. Our findings illustrate that preferences for irrigation pump attributes vary significantly between farmer groups, and policies that put technologies in the hands of some groups versus others could have significantly different impacts on how pumps are ultimately used.
Sharing and hiding knowledge under pandemics: The role of stressor appraisals, perceived supervisor behaviors and attributions of supervisor motives
Authors: Montani Francesco , Sommovigo Valentina , Staglianò Raffaele
Published: March 2024

This study aims to shed light on the dual impact of appraisals of pandemic‐induced job stressors on employee knowledge sharing and hiding behaviors. Drawing on the transactional attribution model, we hypothesize that employee perceptions of supervisor compassionate and self‐serving behavior would positively mediate the impact of employee challenge and hindrance appraisals of pandemic‐induced job stressors on employee knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding, respectively. Moreover, stressor appraisals are expected to interact with employee attributions of supervisor compassionate and self‐serving motives in shaping perceptions of supervisor compassionate and self‐serving behavior, respectively. To test our hypotheses, we conducted two independent studies—a three‐wave full longitudinal study with 230 employees from UK and U.S. firms during the first COVID‐19 outbreak and a randomized scenario‐based experiment with 210 U.S. employees. Cross‐lagged structural equation analyses, analyses of variance, and path analyses fully supported our predictions, thus providing a nuanced understanding of the role of perceived supervisor behavior and attributions of supervisor motives in accounting for the differential effects of employee appraisals of pandemic‐induced job stressors on knowledge behaviors.