bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Haplotype-resolved genome of Prunus zhengheensis provides insight into its evolution and low temperature adaptation in apricot
Authors: Tan Wei , Zhou Pengyu , Huang Xiao , Liao Ruyu , Wang Xiaoan , Wu Yaoyao , Ni Zhaojun , Shi Ting , Yu Xiaqing , Zhang Huiqin , Ma Chengdong , Gao Feng , Ma Yufan , Bai Yang , Hayat Faisal , Omondi Ouma Kenneth , Coulibaly Daouda , Gao Zhihong 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Prunus zhengheensis, an extremely rare population of apricots, originated in warm South-East China and is an excellent material for genetic breeding. However, most apricots and two related species (P. sibirica, P. mandshurica) are found in the cold northern regions in China and the mechanism of their distribution is still unclear. In addition, the classification status of P. zhengheensis is controversial. Thus, we generated a high-quality haplotype-resolved genome for P. zhengheensis, exploring key genetic variations in its adaptation and the causes of phylogenetic incongruence. We found extensive phylogenetic discordances between the nuclear and organelle phylogenies of P. zhengheensis, which could be explained by incomplete lineage sorting. A 242.22-Mb pan-genome of the Armeniaca section was developed with 13 chromosomal genomes. Importantly, we identified a 566-bp insertion in the promoter of the HSFA1d gene in apricot and showed that the activity of the HSFA1d promoter increased under low temperatures. In addition, HSFA1d overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana indicated that HSFA1d positively regulated plant growth under chilling. Therefore, we hypothesized that the insertion in the promoter of HSFA1d in apricot improved its low-temperature adaptation, allowing it to thrive in relatively cold locations. The findings help explain the weather adaptability of Armeniaca plants.
Testing the Adaptive Sterilization Hypothesis in Mice Inoculated with Chlamydia muridarum
Authors: Place Ned J , Peck David T 
Published: April 2024

Synopsis
The “adaptive sterilization hypothesis” argues that the tendency of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to cause infertility likely reflects an evolutionary adaptation of these pathogens. For example, some STIs can lead to bilateral occlusions of the oviducts and sterile matings. Cycling females that do not spend time gestating and lactating are ready to mate sooner than fertile females, and therefore, likely to mate more frequently and possibly more promiscuously. These sexual activities are associated with enhanced transmissibility of STIs, and tubal occlusion is a proximate mechanism by which STIs can increase fitness. Our principal objectives were to determine whether female mice inoculated with Chlamydia muridarum mate more frequently than mice inoculated with sterile saline and to test the hypothesis that tubal occlusion following C. muridarum infection modulates mating behavior in a manner that might increase transmissibility of Chlamydia. Similar to C. trachomatis infections in human females, C. muridarum can ascend the reproductive tract of mice, damage and occlude the oviducts, and cause infertility. However, ovarian function and mating activity are maintained following tubal occlusion. A total of 20 C57Bl/6 mice with regular estrous cycles were given intravaginal inocula of C. muridarum and 32 days later paired with a male for 90 days. A total of nine saline-treated females served as controls. A total of three Chlamydia-inoculated females were rendered infertile due to bilateral oviductal damage and mated eight (±0.0) times. Control females mated on average 4.6 (±0.3) times, and 17 Chlamydia-inoculated fertile females, including six females with only a single oviduct occluded, mated on average 4.7 (±0.2) times. Chlamydia-inoculated fertile females with unilateral oviductal damage had significantly smaller average litter sizes as compared to females inoculated with saline. Females with unilateral tubal occlusion also tended to wean fewer pups than saline controls over the course of 90 days. Female mice with Chlamydia-induced tubal infertility mated more frequently (approximately every 11 d) than did fertile females (approximately every 20 days), which is consistent with the adaptive sterilization hypothesis. To determine whether Chlamydia-induced sterilization is truly adaptive, future studies will need to demonstrate increased sexual transmissibility, and possibly increased promiscuity, within populations of freely breeding mice.
Target strength measurements of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and acoustic discrimination of three tropical tuna species
Authors: Sobradillo Beatriz , Boyra Guillermo , Uranga Jon , Moreno Gala 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Tropical tuna fisheries support some of the largest artisanal and industrial fisheries worldwide. Approximately 37% of the tropical tuna catch by industrial purse seiners is obtained from tuna associated with drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs), where three tuna species coexist: skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), bigeye (Thunnus obesus), and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), with stocks subject to different health status. Purse seine fishers heavily rely on acoustic technology to detect and assess the quantity of tuna at DFADs. Yet, accurately distinguishing between species using solely acoustic methods is limited by insufficient knowledge about each species' acoustic response across frequencies. This study was carried out on six swimbladdered individuals belonging to two sets with mean lengths of 51.9 ± 9.5 and 52.9 ± 2 cm. It focuses on the frequency response obtained from ex situ measurements of yellowfin tuna recorded at 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz, which revealed a flat response across frequencies, with b20 values of −72.4 ± 9, −73.2 ± 8, -72.3 ± 8, and −72.3 ± 9 dB, respectively. These results, contrast with previous findings on bigeye and skipjack, demonstrating the discrimination potential of acoustics in these three species. To harness this potential, a discrimination algorithm was developed.
Morphologic prognostic factor for thoracoabdominal aortic dilation after acute type A dissection repair
Authors: Kitada Yuichiro , Okamura Homare , Hasui Hidenari , Akiyoshi Kei , Nomura Yohei , Adachi Hideo 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Risk factors for late-term aortic dilation after acute type A aortic dissection repair have not been well examined. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between the abdominal aortic true lumen location and thoraco-abdominal aortic dilation after surgical repair for acute type A aortic dissection.

METHODS
Patients who were preoperatively diagnosed with acute type A aortic dissection between April 2014 and July 2022 were included in this study. We evaluated the renal artery-level dissected aortic morphology and classified the study population into 2 groups: the ventral (those with the true lumen located on the ventral side) and the dorsal (other patients not assigned to the ventral group) groups, based on the location of the true lumen. Aortic dilation was defined as thoraco-abdominal aortic expansion ≥5 mm on 1-year postoperative computed tomography images.

RESULTS
We examined 49 surgical patients who were assigned to the ventral (n = 22) and dorsal (n = 27) groups. The number of patients with ≥5 mm thoraco-abdominal aortic dilation after the operation was significantly higher in the ventral group than in the dorsal group (90.9% vs 51.9%, P = 0.009). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the ventral type was an independent prognostic factor for thoraco-abdominal aortic dilation after the operation (odds ratio, 6.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.56–23.77; P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS
The location of the true lumen of the abdominal aorta in acute type A aortic dissection may be a prognostic factor for thoraco-abdominal aortic dilation after surgical repair.
On the stability and convergence of discontinuous Galerkin schemes for incompressible flows
Authors: Gazca–Orozco Pablo Alexei , Kaltenbach Alex 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The property that the velocity $\textbf{u}$ belongs to $L^{\infty }(0,T;L^{2}(\varOmega )^{d})$ is an essential requirement in the definition of energy solutions of models for incompressible fluids. It is, therefore, highly desirable that the solutions produced by discretization methods are uniformly stable in the $L^{\infty }(0,T;L^{2}(\varOmega )^{d})$-norm. In this work, we establish that this is indeed the case for discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretizations (in time and space) of non-Newtonian models with $p$-structure, assuming that $p\geq \frac{3d+2}{d+2}$; the time discretization is equivalent to the RadauIIA Implicit Runge–Kutta method. We also prove (weak) convergence of the numerical scheme to the weak solution of the system; this type of convergence result for schemes based on quadrature seems to be new. As an auxiliary result, we also derive Gagliardo–Nirenberg-type inequalities on DG spaces, which might be of independent interest.
Vaccine-Elicited Antibodies Restrict Glucose Availability to Control Brucella Infection
Authors: Ponzilacqua-Silva Bárbara , Dadelahi Alexis S , Abushahba Mostafa F N , Moley Charles R , Skyberg Jerod A 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The impact of vaccine-induced immune responses on host metabolite availability has not been well studied. Here we show that prior vaccination alters the metabolic profile of mice challenged with Brucella melitensis. In particular, glucose levels were reduced in vaccinated mice in an antibody-dependent manner. We also found the glucose transporter gene gluP plays a lesser role in B melitensis virulence in vaccinated wild type mice relative to vaccinated mice unable to secrete antibodies. These data indicate that vaccine-elicited antibodies protect the host in part by restricting glucose availability. Moreover, Brucella and other pathogens may need to employ different metabolic strategies in vaccinated hosts.
Madonna versus “Mother Russia?” Visual Anthropology of Loneliness and Gendered Nationalism on Russian 2021–2023 Political Posters
Authors: Akopov Sergei 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This article is aimed at transdisciplinary (critical International Relations, visual anthropology, and existential philosophy) analysis of Russian gendered nationalism and masculine ontological insecurities. It explores and re-imagines how visual representations of “Mother Russia” became signifiers of the phallocentric voice of the Russian gendered state. What can return the voice back to the “invisible women”? I claim that the political activism of the singer Madonna in the spheres of resistance to warfare and protection of gender minorities may shed new light on hidden manipulations with masculine anxieties in modern Russia. Besides original empirics, the article proposes theoretical avenues to integrate into gendered nationalism studies research on what I call masculine “politics of loneliness.” I also look at the role such politics plays in constituting Russia's domestic narcissistic master narratives of the collective self and its frontiers with transnational celebrity activism. Based on feminism and narrative IR, this article investigates the “sociological dimension” of Russian loneliness. It examines the alienation of femininity as reflected on Russian street posters photographed during 2021–2023 and represented in the form of five “dialectical collages.”
The Construction of Terrorist Threat in Mali: Agency and Narratives of Intervention
Authors: Gazeley Joe 
Published: April 2024

AbstractsThrough a close textual analysis of US diplomatic cables and other relevant documents, this article provides new empirical data to trace the mutual construction of Mali as a site of terrorist threat. It argues that this mutual construction paradoxically enhanced the agency of Malian foreign policy elites in negotiations with their US interlocutors and highlights the effectiveness of Malian deployment of this discourse to shape the terms upon which intervention took place in the 2002–2012 period. It shifts the focus of the analysis of intervention in Mali both in space and in time through centering the US–Mali relationship pre-2012, displacing the dominant post-2013 France–Mali frame. This opens up a new dialectical and interimperial perspective on the agency of the Malian foreign policy elite in shaping the terms upon which intervention took place. This demonstrates the need for both a wider lens and a longer historical scope on investigations of intervention, particularly relevant as this discourse of terrorist threat has since 2013 spread beyond Mali to the wider Sahel region.
Recognizing feeding injury to corn ears in the United States
Authors: Hodgson Erin W , Dean Ashley N , Rice Marlin E 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Corn is one of the major commodities in the United States, and is grown for fuel, feed, and food around the world. Much of the production is centered in the Midwest, but corn is grown throughout the country and has a national production value of $91.7 billion. Because of the substantial national economic impact of corn production, as well as the profitability of individual farming operations, crop protection from pests is critical. Corn is most vulnerable during ear and kernel formation, and pest infestations during this time can have a substantial impact on grain quality and yield. Detecting pests is one of the most important components of integrated pest management, and regular scouting can allow farmers to make timely management decisions for pests in corn. However, farmers and crop consultants sometimes do not notice ear-feeding pests of corn until the fall, or near harvest, when pests are nearly done feeding or have vacated the ear. When this happens, it can be difficult to diagnose the problem, which can be important for assessing management tactics that were used in the field during the current growing season or making decisions for the following growing season based on pest activity in the field. This article provides profiles of common ear-feeding pests, with written descriptions and photographs of typical injury to corn ears for those pests.
Decolonizing democratic aims of education in Botswana: Kagisano and outcome-based education
Authors: Major Thenjiwe , Fraser-Burgess Sheron 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Botswana’s history is one of an unwavering exercise of self-determination and quest for self-rule. Post-independence, self-government prioritized an overarching philosophy of Kagisano or social harmony within which the aims of education were framed, in conjunction with a political commitment to Botho through democracy. For economic and social reasons the current educational policy of Botswana is driven by outcome-based education (OBE), with its metrics of quantifiable outcomes. This article argues that Olúfemi Táíwò’s analysis of decolonization provides a philosophical lens through which to interpret Botswana’s current educational pathway within the prevailing decolonization discourse. OBE clearly exhibits features of neocolonialism, as it pertains to the national value principles. We draw on Ndlovu-Gatsheni’s decolonial epistemic perspective to frame the discussions. Insofar as OBE can be integrated with Botswana’s ethnically inclusive, community-based view of democracy and associated virtues, this is a worthy goal for education, and it could lead to a particular form of indigenized democracy. Substantive distinctions among the concepts of decolonization, neocolonialism, and decoloniality underwrite this thesis. We see the project of envisaging a future of education in Botswana as having to do with disentangling colonialist–imperialist cultural reproduction from indigenous aspirations.
Exploring parental awareness and attitudes towards human papillomavirus infection and vaccination for 9–15-year-old adolescents in Jordan
Authors: Alyahya Linda A , Abu Farha Rana , Mukattash Tareq L , Mohamed Noor Dzul Azri 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Objectives
This study aimed to analyze knowledge and beliefs regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV) disease and its vaccine among the public, particularly parents of adolescents aged 9–15, who constitute the target group for the HPV vaccine, and to identify factors affecting their knowledge and beliefs.

Methods
In Jordan, a cross-sectional study surveyed 386 parents of 9–15-year-olds. Data were collected through surveys to assess knowledge and attitudes about HPV and the HPV vaccine. Statistical analysis using SPSS provided insights.

Key findings
A total of 386 individuals participated in the survey. Approximately two-thirds were female (n = 245, 63.5%), and more than half of the participants were aged above 35 (n = 224, 58%). Concerning participants’ beliefs about HPV vaccines, around 19% believed that the efficacy of the HPV vaccine is unclear (n = 74, 19.2%), and only 35.5% trusted HPV vaccination (n = 137). Linear regression analysis revealed that female participants (mothers) and those with higher income (&gt;1000 JD) tend to have better knowledge and belief scores compared to others (P &lt; 0.05).

Conclusion
In summary, this study highlights the pressing need for improved HPV education campaigns in Jordan. Heightening awareness of HPV and its associated health risks is paramount. The absence of the HPV vaccine in Arab national schedules exacerbates this awareness gap. Focusing on parents of adolescents is critical for vaccination efforts, and community pharmacies may aid in expanding vaccine coverage and awareness.
Madecassoside modulates lipid metabolism in visceral adipocytes: exploring the browning, lipolysis, and lipogenesis mechanisms for potential obesity treatment
Authors: Cho Wonjun , Hong Mineui , Mobarak Enas H , Birdal Oğuzhan , Lim Min Chan , Jung Min Seok , Hong Soon Auck , Jeong Ji Hoon , Jung Tae Woo 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Madecassoside (MA) is a triterpene derived from Centella asiatica that has been recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in various disease models. However, its direct impact on cultured white adipocytes and the underlying mechanisms, mainly through gene knockdown, have not been thoroughly explored.

Methods
Western blot analysis was utilized to assess the expression levels of various proteins, while oil red O staining was used to measure lipid deposition. The adipocyte shapes were confirmed using H&E staining.

Key findings
MA treatment enhanced browning and lipolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and adipose tissue from experimental mice while suppressing lipogenesis. Furthermore, MA treatment increased the expression of PPARα and FGF21 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes as well as the secretion of FGF21 into the culture medium. Knockdown of PPARα or FGF21 using siRNA diminished the effects of MA on lipid metabolism in cultured adipocytes.

Conclusions
These findings demonstrate that MA promotes thermogenic browning and lipolysis while inhibiting adipocyte lipogenesis, thus showing the potential for attenuating obesity. The study suggested that MA could be a viable therapeutic approach for treating obesity.
Experimental approaches to studying translation in plant semi-autonomous organelles
Authors: Kwasniak-Owczarek Malgorzata , Janska Hanna 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Plant mitochondria and chloroplasts are semi-autonomous organelles originated from free-living bacteria that have retained reduced genomes during evolution. As a consequence, relatively few of the mitochondrial and chloroplast proteins are encoded in the organellar genomes and synthesized by the organellar ribosomes. Since both organellar genomes encode mainly components of the energy transduction systems, oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria and photosynthetic apparatus in chloroplasts, understanding organellar translation is critical for a thorough comprehension of key aspects of mitochondrial and chloroplast activity affecting plant growth and development. Recent studies have clearly shown that translation is a key regulatory node in the expression of plant organellar genes, underscoring the need for an adequate methodology to study this unique stage of gene expression. The organellar translatome can be analysed by studying newly synthesized proteins or the mRNA pool recruited to the organellar ribosomes. In this review, we present experimental approaches used for studying translation in plant bioenergetic organelles. Their benefits and limitations, as well as the critical steps, are discussed. Additionally, we briefly mention several recently developed strategies to study organellar translation that have not yet been applied to plants.
Repurposing streptomycin and chloramphenicol against bacterial pathogens by combination with diminazene aceturate
Authors: Rios Thuanny Borba , Silva Osmar Nascimento , de Souza Camila Maurmann , Fensterseifer Isabel Cristina Marques , Mehta Angela , Franco Octávio Luiz 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Bacterial resistance is a threat to health worldwide, mainly due to reduced effective treatment. In this context, the search for strategies to control such infections and suppress antimicrobial resistance is necessary. One of the strategies that has been used is combination therapy. In the present work, we investigated the in vitro efficacy of the antimicrobials diminazene aceturate (DA), chloramphenicol (CHL), and streptomycin (STP) alone and in combination against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates. DA was capable of inhibiting all strains with MIC of 25–400 μg mL−1, while STP and CHL showed antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) of ≤3.12–400 μg mL−1. The combination of aceturate with STP showed synergism toward almost all Gram-negative bacteria, with fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICIs) of 0.09–0.37. In addition, for CHL and aceturate, synergisms for Gram-negative and -positive strains were observed. A time-kill assay against E. coli revealed that the aceturate and STP combination can inhibit bacterial growth in a shorter time when compared with single antibiotics. In addition, antimicrobials did not show hemolytic activity even at the highest concentrations used. Therefore, the antimicrobial combinations presented in this work showed important results, demonstrating that combined therapy can be used as an alternative strategy for pathogen control.
Bacterial and yeast communities in raw milk from three dairy animal species in Nigeria
Authors: Akinyemi Muiz O , Ezeokoli Obinna T , Mthiyane Doctor M N , Adeleke Rasheed A , Ezekiel Chibundu N 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The present study aimed to reveal the microbial (bacteria and yeast) composition of raw milk from dairy camel (n = 10), cow (n = 10) and goat (n = 10) in North-western Nigeria. High-throughput DNA metabarcoding was used to compare microbial compositions in raw milk among the three species. Although the three species had similar dominant bacterial (Firmicutes and Proteobacteria) and yeast (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) phyla, their microbial compositions at the genus level were noticeably different. The top differentially abundant bacterial and yeast genera (percentage abundance) were Lactobacillus (36%), Streptococcus (34%), Enterococcus (12%), Kluyveromyces (28%), Saccharomyces (24%), and Candida (18%), respectively. Principal coordinate analysis based on unweighted UniFrac values revealed significant differences in the structure of bacterial communities and no differences in yeast communities in milk samples from the three species. This study provides insight into the rich and diverse bacterial and yeast communities in raw animal milk consumed in Nigeria, which could play beneficial roles or pose health threats to consumers. However, further research on the economic significance of the microbial community in animal milk consumed in Nigeria is required.