bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel replication-competent reporter-expressing Rift Valley fever viruses for molecular studies
Authors: Nogales Aitor , Alonso Celia , Moreno Sandra , Lorenzo Gema , Borrego Belén , Martinez-Sobrido Luis , Brun Alejandro 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease that causes severe disease in both domestic and wild ungulates and humans, making it a significant threat to livestock and public health. The RVFV genome consists of three single-stranded, negative-sense RNA segments differing in size: small (S), medium (M), and large (L). Segment S encodes the virus nucleoprotein N and the virulence-associated factor non-structural (NSs) protein in opposite orientations, separated by an intergenic region (IGR). To overcome the current need to use secondary techniques to detect the presence of RVFV in infected cells, we used T7-driven polymerase plasmid-based reverse genetics to generate replication-competent recombinant (r)RVFV expressing Nanoluciferase (Nluc) or Venus fluorescent proteins. These reporter genes were used as valid surrogates to track the presence of RVFV in mammalian and insect cells. Notably, we explored the genome plasticity of RVFV and compared four different strategies by modifying the viral segment S to introduce the reporter gene foreign sequences. The reporter-expressing rRVFV were stable and able to replicate in cultured mammalian and insect cells, although to a lesser extent than the recombinant wild-type (WT) counterpart. Moreover, rRVFV-expressing reporter genes were validated to identify neutralizing antibodies or compounds with antiviral activity.
In vivo
, all mice infected with the reporter-expressing rRVFV displayed an attenuated phenotype, although at different levels. These rRVFV-expressing reporter genes provide a novel approach to better understand the biology and pathogenesis of RVFV and represent an excellent biotechnological tool for developing new therapeutics against RVFV infections.

IMPORTANCE
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne virus and zoonotic agent threat that can be deadly to domestic or wild ungulates, and humans. In this work, we used reverse genetics approaches to explore the genome plasticity of RVFV by generating a set of recombinant (r)RVFV that express fluorescent or luminescent proteins to track viral infection. All the generated reporter-expressing rRVFVs were able to propagate in mammalian or insect cells and a mouse model of infection. Our studies may contribute to advances in research on RVFV and other bunyaviruses and pave the way for the development of novel vaccines and the identification of new antivirals for the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment, respectively, of RVFV infections.
Refined methodology for quantifying
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
virulence using
Galleria mellonella
Authors: Axline Christopher M. R. , Kochan Travis J. , Nozick Sophie , Ward Timothy , Afzal Tania , Niki Issay , Mitra Sumitra D. , VanGosen Ethan , Nelson Julia , Valdes Aliki , Hynes David , Cheng William , Lee Joanne , Prashanth Prarthana , Turner Timothy L. , Pincus Nathan B. , Scheetz Marc H. , Bachta Kelly E. R. , Hauser Alan R. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT

Larvae of
Galleria mellonella
(the greater wax moth) are being increasingly used as a model to study microbial pathogenesis. In this model, bacterial virulence is typically measured by determining the 50% lethal dose (LD
50
) of a bacterial strain or mutant. The use of
G. mellonella
to study
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
pathogenesis, however, is challenging because of the extreme sensitivity of larvae to this bacterium. For some
P. aeruginosa
strains, as few as 1–5 colony-forming units are sufficient to kill
G. mellonella,
which poses challenges for determining LD
50
values. For this reason, some groups have used time-to-death as a measure of
P. aeruginosa
virulence, but methodologies have not been standardized. We provide a detailed protocol for using the time at which 50% of larvae have died (LT
50
) at a particular inoculum as a measure of
P. aeruginosa
virulence. We also describe a quality control metric for enhancing the reproducibility of LT
50
values. This approach provides an accurate and reproducible methodology for using
G. mellonella
larvae to measure and compare the virulence of
P. aeruginosa
strains.

IMPORTANCE

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The invertebrate
Galleria mellonella
is used as a model to determine the virulence of
P. aeruginosa
strains. We provide a protocol and analytical approach for using a time-to-death metric to accurately quantify the virulence of
P. aeruginosa
strains in
G. mellonella
larvae. This methodology, which has several advantages over 50% lethal dose approaches, is a useful resource for the study of
P. aeruginosa
pathogenicity.
Cultivated genome references for protein database construction and high-resolution taxonomic annotation in metaproteomics
Authors: Gao Xiaowei , Liang Hewei , Hu Tongyuan , Zou Yuanqiang , Xiao Liang 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT

Metaproteomics offers a profound understanding of the functional dynamics of the gut microbiome, which is crucial for personalized healthcare strategies. The selection of an appropriate database is a critical step for the identification of peptides and proteins, as well as for the provision of accurate taxonomic and functional annotations. The matched metagenomic-derived database is considered to be the best, but its limitations include the identification of low-abundance organisms and taxonomic resolution. Herein, we constructed a protein database (DBCGR2) based on Cultivated Genome Reference 2 (CGR2) and developed a complete peptide-centric analysis workflow for database searching and for the annotation of taxonomy and function. This workflow was subsequently appraised in comparison with metagenomics-derived databases for the analysis of metaproteomic data. Our findings suggested that the performance of DBCGR2 in identification was comparable with metagenomics-derived databases with improvement in identification rates of peptides from low-abundance species. The database searching results could be fully annotated using the pepTaxa taxonomic annotation approach developed in this study, and the taxonomic resolution was enhanced to strain level. Additionally, the results demonstrated that the sensitivity of functional annotation could be enhanced by employing DBCGR2. Overall, the DBCGR2 combined with pepTaxa can be considered an alternative for metaproteomic data analysis with superior analysis performances.

IMPORTANCE
Mass spectrometry-based metaproteomics offers a profound understanding of the gut microbial taxonomy and functionality. The databases utilized in the analysis of metaproteomic data are crucial, as they determine the identification of proteins that can be recognized and linked to overall human health, in addition to the quality of taxonomic and functional annotation. Among the most effective approaches for constructing protein databases is the utilization of metagenomic sequencing to create matched databases. However, the database, derived from isolated genomes, has yet to undergo rigorous testing for their efficacy and accuracy in protein identification and taxonomic and functional annotation. Here, we constructed a protein database DBCGR2 derived from Cultivated Genome Reference 2 (CGR2) and a complete workflow for data analysis. We compared the performances of DBCGR2 and metagenomics-derived databases. Our results indicated that DBCGR2 can be regarded as an alternative to metagenomics-derived databases, which contribute to metaproteomic data analysis.
Cigarette Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, and the Risk of Thyroid Cancer in Japan: The Japan Public Health Center–Based Prospective Study
Authors: Tanitame Marina , Inoue Manami , Yamaji Taiki , Iwasaki Motoki , Tsugane Shoichiro , Sawada Norie 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background:
Although cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption are established causes of cancer, most cohort studies and meta-analyses have reported inverse associations with thyroid cancer risk. However, epidemiologic evidence for this possibility is limited in Asia, where thyroid cancer histologic type differs from the West. In this study, we examined the association between cigarette smoking or alcohol consumption and the risk of thyroid cancer in Japanese.

Methods:
We analyzed data of 101,849 Japanese included in the Japan Public Health Center–Based Prospective Study. Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption were assessed at baseline using a self-administered questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results:
During a mean 18.7 years of follow-up, we identified 232 incident cases of thyroid cancer. The multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for current cigarette smoking with ≥20 pack-years compared with never-smoking were 0.65 (0.39–1.06) and 0.45 (0.23–0.88), respectively, combined for both sexes. After detailed adjustment for cigarette smoking, compared with no current alcohol consumption, HRs (95% CIs) were 0.90 (0.61–1.33) for any current consumption and 0.81 (0.33–1.97) for ≥300 g ethanol/week consumption combined for both sexes.

Conclusions:
We observed an inverse association between cigarette smoking and thyroid cancer in Japan. Although an inverse association between alcohol consumption and thyroid cancer is suggested, the CI was wide and included 1.

Impact:
Cigarette smoking was shown to be potentially inversely associated with thyroid cancer in Japanese, providing insights into risk factors in Asians. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify these findings.
Pandemia y Salud Mental
Authors: Parisi Elio Rodolfo , Parisi Mercedes 
Published: December 2024

Este ensayo tiene más interrogantes que certezas. Acá se piensa sobre el tema de la pandemia y la salud mental. Entendemos a la pandemia como una verdadera tragedia contemporánea que se articula y se multiplica sobre otras tragedias. Nos preguntamos qué aprendizajes nos dejará. Seguramente que aprenderemos a enfrentar pandemias. Pero siempre a un aprendizaje le antecede una ignorancia. Todos y todas éramos ignorantes sobre qué era atravesar una pandemia y salir ilesos. ¿Saldremos ilesos? ¿Qué huellas quedaran de esta tragedia en nuestras psiquis? El tema/problema de lo traumático en salud mental es que los tiempos mentales no son homogéneos, sino que responden a características estrictamente personales: de acuerdo con la edad, el sexo, las experiencias tempranas, los contextos personales e históricos y geográficos, entre otros factores. Observamos también las consecuencias de la pandemia y, sumado a ello, del aislamiento social, que se traducen en una multiplicidad de síntomas, malestares y en algunos casos patologías. Concluimos en que el personal que trabaja en la salud mental deberá estar preparado para las etapas pos pandémicas porque es muy probable que surjan eventos inesperados.
DCBLD1 Modulates Angiogenesis by Regulation of the VEGFR-2 Endocytosis in Endothelial Cells
Authors: Feng Qi , Yu Chao , Guo Lingling , Liu Xiaoning , Lin Yanling , Li Chenyang , Zhang Wenjun , Zong Yanhong , Yang Weiwei , Ma Yuehua , Wang Runtao , Li Lijing , Pei Yunli , Wang Huifang , Liu Demin , Niu Honglin , Han Mei , Nie Lei 
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND:
Unwanted angiogenesis is involved in the progression of various malignant tumors and cardiovascular diseases, and the factors that regulate angiogenesis are potential therapeutic targets. We tested the hypothesis that DCBLD1 (discoidin, CUB, and LCCL domain-containing protein 1) is a coreceptor of VEGFR-2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2) and modulates angiogenesis in endothelial cells.

METHODS:

A carotid artery ligation model and retinal angiogenesis assay were used to study angiogenesis using globe knockout or endothelial cell–specific conditional
Dcbld1
knockout mice in vivo. Immunoblotting, immunofluorescence staining, plasma membrane subfraction isolation, Coimmunoprecipitation, and mass spectrum assay were performed to clarify the molecular mechanisms.

RESULTS:

Loss of
Dcbld1
impaired VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) response and inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation and migration.
Dcbld1
deletion interfered with adult and developmental angiogenesis. Mechanistically, DCBLD1 bound to VEGFR-2 and regulated the formation of VEGFR-2 complex with negative regulators: protein tyrosine phosphatases, E3 ubiquitin ligases (neuronal precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated gene 4, Nedd4 and c-Casitas B-lineage lymphoma, c-Cbl), and also
Dcbld1
knockdown promoted lysosome-mediated VEGFR-2 degradation in endothelial cells.

CONCLUSION:
These findings demonstrated the essential role of endothelial DCBLD1 in regulating VEGF signaling and provided evidence that DCBLD1 promotes VEGF-induced angiogenesis by limiting the dephosphorylation, ubiquitination, and lysosome degradation after VEGFR-2 endocytosis. We proposed that endothelial DCBLD1 is a potential therapeutic target for ischemic cardiovascular diseases by the modulation of angiogenesis through regulation of the VEGFR-2 endocytosis.
New Ways of Reading Drones in Art: Drones as Existential Technologies
Authors: Chua Han Au 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Scholars of drone technologies have focused on how consumer drones are regularly exploited for surveillance and violence. But the emphasis on how consumer drones are associated with brutality and reconnaissance narrows drone research and remains unfair to those who have used these technologies differently. This article studies consumer drones in Korakrit Arunanondchai’s video installation Painting with history in a room filled with people with funny names 3 and the documentary film Human Flow by Ai Weiwei. It argues that reading these drones as existential technologies helps us see how these artists use them in ways that undermine putative assumptions of human vision and knowledge, gesturing toward a more meaningful coexistence with these machines.
Constructing an Alternative African Literature Canon in Socialist China (1959–1964)
Authors: Chen Qiyu 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
This essay examines the emergence and canonization of African literature in China from 1959 to 1964. Focusing on Ousmane Sembène and Lusophone African literature in two Chinese literary journals, Literary Gazette and World Literature, and full-length translations, as well as tracing the routes through which they were circulated and translated into Chinese, I argue that the construction of this alternative African literature canon was contingent, improvisational, but nevertheless, strategic. This alternative canon was both a product of the collaborative efforts of numerous cultural institutions and individuals, and a product of Cold War politics reflected through Socialist China’s entanglement within the bipolar Cold War structure and, at times, its transcendence of it. Ultimately, this essay challenges the normative story of postcolonial African literary canonization that centers on the Anglophone African novel based in the West and reveals the processes of how powers operated and shaped this alternative canon.
Over There
Authors: Roussel Flora 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
In Talisman (1996) and Überseezungen (2002), Yoko Tawada destabilizes languages in their nationalized definition. Through exophony, she develops a process of defamiliarization. She fruitfully reshapes literary perspectives and opens new horizons by transgressing borders. The intertwining of both the sensuality and the fragility of language provides two key texts, “Erzähler ohne Seele” and “Zungentanz”, with a broader discussion of the desire for what I call an “over there”. Eroticism and death are central to an understanding of Tawada’s practice of defamiliarization that critiques the national and gendered aspects of language and reveals the problematic family romance attributed to language. By elaborating on Yildiz’s postmonolingualism and Tawada’s exophony through nuanced Deleuzian and Guattarian concepts, I analyze the author’s poetic of multiple desires through multiple languages by exaggerating the senses (notably, hearing and sight) and propose the “over there” as an alternative way of experiencing world literature.
“Rock’s Land and Goullart’s”
Authors: Poupard Duncan 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site, Lijiang in China’s mountainous southwest is not a renowned city in world history, yet there is no doubt that, after reading the works of Joseph Rock (1884–1962) and Peter Goullart (1901–1978), Ezra Pound perceived it as befitting such a status. Lijiang in Pound’s Cantos becomes both an ideal construct of the poetic mind and a real, achievable paradiso terrestre. In this glorified hieratic landscape, Pound places his friends who introduced him to the Naxi people and culture: Rock and Goullart. While Rock’s influence on Pound is clear to see in the published Cantos, to find Goullart’s name we must read Pound’s unpublished poetry drafts. By investigating Goullart’s previously unstudied correspondence, this essay makes the case that Goullart played an equally important role in Pound’s poetic construction of Lijiang.
Is Artificial Intelligence the Future of Collective Memory?
Authors: Gensburger Sarah , Clavert Frédéric 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
This Memory Studies Review special issue explores the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence (ai) and collective memory. In the one hand, the emergence of generative ai, exemplified by ChatGPT’s 2022 release, appears to herald a new infrastructure for collective memory. On the other, the memory studies work highlights the limits and the backlashes of this new form of memory in its social dimension. This leads to raise a provocative, open-ended question: Is artificial intelligence the future of collective memory? Our issue brings together diverse perspectives from memory studies scholars of different backgrounds and machine learning practitioners, fostering critical engagement with ai in memory practices. This multidisciplinary approach offers an initial exploration of the interactions between ai-powered software, platforms, and collective memory. The articles herein present a multifaceted analysis of ai’s role in shaping collective memory’s future. We advocate for increased interdisciplinary collaboration and ethical reflection in this rapidly evolving domain, providing memory studies scholars with a foundation for understanding and engaging with these technological transformations.
An analysis of perceptions and thoughts of rapid weight loss in Olympic weightlifters
Authors: Gee Thomas I , Campbell Paul , Bargh Melissa J , Martin Daniel 
Published: December 2024

Background Weight-class athletes commonly engage in rapid weight loss (RWL) practices. Aim Investigate attributed RWL perceptions and thoughts of UK-based Olympic weightlifters. Methods Participants (n: 39, male: 22, female: 17) were selected from International Weightlifting Federation populations, 85% had previously acutely reduced pre-competition body mass. The ‘Pre-competition weight management practices questionnaire’ featured open-ended questions concerning feelings, mood and thoughts during RWL. Qualitative responses were subsequently analysed using content analysis principles. Results Negative thoughts and perceptions were commonly attributed concerning RWL, of which codes: irritation, hunger, fatigue, anxiety and low mood accounted for 72% of the 72 data extracts. Females more frequently attributed codes of anxiety, hunger and low mood. Conclusion The prevalence of negative thoughts and perceptions of RWL accord to previous reports within strength-sport athletes. Olympic weightlifting athletes and coaches should contemplate if negative feelings/mood perceived during RWL are a tolerable factor within pre-event preparation to compete in a desired weight class.
Risk factors for recurrence in patients with uterine fibroids treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound
Authors: Bian Xiaoyan , Gu Xiaofeng 
Published: December 2024

Background Uterine fibroids, benign smooth muscle tumors prevalent in the female genital tract, affecting up to 40% of women of childbearing age. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has emerged as a promising non-invasive approach for treating uterine fibroids, but some patients may still experience recurrence of uterine fibroids after treatment. Objective This study aims to explore the risk factors associated with uterine fibroid recurrence following HIFU treatment, and to provide a basis for formulating response measures to prevent uterine fibroid recurrence after surgery in clinical practice. Methods In this regression observational study, 120 patients with uterine fibroids who underwent HIFU therapy at our institution from Jan 2018 to Dec 2021 were included as the study subjects. Collect clinical data of all included patients, and follow up for a total of 2 years every 6 menstrual periods with gynecological ultrasound or related examinations after surgery. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for recurrence in potential uterine fibroid patients receiving HIFU knife treatment. Results Patients were divided into a relapse group (n = 27) and a non-relapse group (n = 93) based on recurrence during the follow-up period. The outcome of univariate analysis indicated no statistically significant difference in age, BMI, age at menarche, history of preoperative pregnancy, history of postoperative pregnancy, family history of uterine fibroids, Bcl-2, FSH, LH, E2, PRL, P, and T between the two groups ( p > 0.05). Notably, significant differences were observed in fibroid diameter, ER, and PR ( p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed uterine fibroid diameter (OR = 28.032, 6.074 ∼ 129.372), PR (OR = 4.642, 2.382 ∼ 9.049), and ER (OR = 3.435, 1.820 ∼ 6.483) were independent risk factors for uterine fibroid recurrence after HIFU knife treatment. ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of uterine fibroid recurrence predicted by fibroid diameter, ER, and PR after HIFU knife treatment were 0.791, 0.738, and 0.785, respectively. Conclusion The diameter, ER, and PR of uterine fibroids are closely related to the recurrence of uterine fibroids after surgical treatment, and it is worth implementing key perioperative management in clinical practice to prevent and manage the recurrence of uterine fibroids.