bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
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

AbstractPopulation 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

SUMMARYThe 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

AbstractGlobal 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

AbstractBackgroundChronic 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.MethodsWe 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.ResultsAmong 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%).ConclusionsIn 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

ABSTRACTZika 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 SUMMARYMost 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

AbstractMost 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

SummaryA 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.
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

PurposeThis 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/approachA 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.FindingsAs 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/valueTo 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

PurposeMaintenance 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/approachThe 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.FindingsThe 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/valueThis 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

PurposeThis 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/approachA 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.FindingsThe 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/valueThe 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

PurposeThis 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/approachThe 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.FindingsRural 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/valueThis 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.