bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Examining the role of women’s engagement in khat production on child nutritional outcomes using longitudinal data in East Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Mechlowitz Karah , Singh Nitya , Li Xiaolong , Chen Dehao , Yang Yang , Ahmed Ibsa Abdusemed , Amin Jafer Kedir , Ibrahim Abdulmuen Mohammed , Seran Abadir Jemal , Usmane Ibsa Aliyi , Havelaar Arie H. , McKune Sarah L. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIn eastern Ethiopia, production of khat has increased in recent years, with significant implications for women in khat production and sale. Women have long been engaged in agricultural production in the region, yet the implications of the shift from food crop production to khat/cash crop production on degree and manner of women’s engagement in agriculture and any related changes in nutrition are largely unstudied. Using longitudinal data collected from December 2020 to June 2022 in Haramaya woreda, East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia, this study aimed to explore the relationship between women’s engagement in khat production and child nutritional outcomes, and to test whether an increase/decrease in women’s engagement in khat production over time was associated with a change in child nutritional outcomes. Primary outcome variables were child length-for-age z-score (LAZ), child weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), child weight-for-length z-score (WLZ), and child minimum dietary diversity (MDD). Mixed effect models using backward stepwise regression were conducted to assess the relationship between women’s engagement in khat production, child nutrition outcomes, and a set of covariates, including women’s empowerment. No relationship was found between women’s engagement in khat production at baseline and child LAZ, WAZ, or WLZ; however, women’s empowerment was positively associated with child LAZ (β = 0.513, p = 0.004) and child WAZ (β = 0.456, p = 0.010) in this model. Women’s high engagement in khat production over time (first year of child’s life) was negatively associated with child LAZ (β = −0.731, p = 0.033) when compared to those who had low engagement over the same time period; women’s empowerment was positively associated with child LAZ (β = 0.693, p < 0.001) in this model. The findings from this study point to a potentially important dynamic between sustained high levels of women’s engagement in khat production and poor child growth outcomes; and contribute to a growing literature linking women’s empowerment in agriculture to improved child growth outcomes. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between women’s engagement in khat production and women’s empowerment in agriculture.
Differential Adaptive Immune Responses Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children Compared to Adults
Authors: Nantel Sabryna , Arnold Corey , Bhatt Maala , Galipeau Yannick , Bourdin Benoîte , Bowes Jennifer , Zemek Roger L. , Langlois Marc-André , Quach Caroline , Decaluwe Hélène , Pham-Huy Anne 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundSARS-CoV-2 infection elicits distinct clinical features in children and adults. Profiling the adaptive immune response following infection in children is essential to better understand and characterize these differences.MethodsHumoral and cell-mediated immune responses from unvaccinated pediatric and adult participants were analyzed following asymptomatic or mild non-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection. Levels of IgG and IgA targeting spike (S), receptor-binding domain (RBD), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 were measured, while neutralizing antibody (nAb) titers were assessed against three viral strains (Wuhan, Omicron BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5). Specific T-cell memory responses were investigated by quantifying interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secreting cells after stimulation with ancestral and variant strains of SARS-CoV-2, and seasonal human β- coronaviruses (HCoV)-OC43 and -HKU1.ResultsThe study comprised 28 children (3 to 17 [median=10] years old) and 28 adults (19 to 62 [median=42]). At a mean time of seven months (± 2.8 months) after SARS-CoV-2 infection, children and adults mounted comparable antibody levels against S and RBD, as well as similar neutralization capacity. However, children displayed a weaker cellular memory response to SARS- CoV-2 than adults, with a median of 88 [28-184] spot forming units per million of PBMCs in children compared to 208 [141-340] in adults (***, P < .001). In children, the level of IFN-γ secreting cells in response to SARS-CoV-2 corresponds to that of seasonal coronaviruses.ConclusionLong-term memory T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 are enhanced in adults compared to children who demonstrate equivalent responses to SARS-CoV-2 and other HCoV.HIGHLIGHTSChildren infected with SARS-CoV-2 show comparable binding and neutralizing antibody levels as adults seven months after infection.There are notable differences in the intensity of the T-cell response following SARS-CoV- 2 infection between children and adults.Children have more pronounced T-cell immunodominance towards the spike versus non- spike proteins compared to adults at seven months post-infectionIn contrast, T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 are globally reduced in children compared to adults but are alike to other seasonal β-coronaviruses.
Metabolically-versatileCa.Thiodiazotropha symbionts of the deep-sea lucinid clamLucinoma kazanihave the genetic potential to fix nitrogen
Authors: Ratinskaia Lina , Malavin Stas , Zvi-Kedem Tal , Vintila Simina , Kleiner Manuel , Rubin-Blum Maxim 
Published: April 2024

AbstractLucinid clams are one of the most diverse and widespread symbiont-bearing animal groups in both shallow and deep-sea chemosynthetic habitats. Lucicnids harborCa. Thiodiazotropha symbionts that can oxidize inorganic and organic substrates such as hydrogen sulfide and formate to gain energy. The interplay between these key metabolic functions, nutrient uptake and biotic interactions inCa. Thiodiazotropha is not fully understood. We collectedLucinoma kazaniindividuals from next to a deep-sea brine pool in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, at a depth of 1150 m and used Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing to obtain high-quality genomes of theirCa.Thiodiazotropha gloverae symbiont. The genomes served as the basis for transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to characterize thein situgene expression, metabolism and physiology of the symbionts. We found genes needed for N2fixation in the deep-sea symbiont’s genome, which, to date, were only found in shallow-waterCa. Thiodiazotropha. However, we did not detect the expression of these genes and thus the potential role of nitrogen fixation in this symbiosis remains to be determined. We also found the high expression of carbon fixation and sulfur oxidation genes, which indicates chemolithoautotrophy as the key physiology ofCa. Thiodiazotropha. However, we also detected the expression of pathways for using methanol and formate as energy sources. Our findings highlight the key traits these microbes maintain to support the nutrition of their hosts and interact with them.
Controlling mechanism of the Scc2-cohesin interaction to restrict peri-centromeric DNA loop expansion and facilitate mitotic chromosome segregation
Authors: Nguyen Sao Anh , Sakata Toyonori , Shirahige Katsuhiko , Sutani Takashi 
Published: April 2024

SummaryCohesin exhibits DNA loop extrusion activity when bound to an ATPase activator Scc2 (NIPBL in humans), thereby organizing higher-order chromosome folding. In budding yeast, the majority of the chromosome-bound cohesins lack association with Scc2. It remains unknown how the interaction between Scc2 and cohesin is regulated on the chromosome and what physiological consequences malfunction in this regulatory mechanism causes. Here, we show that simultaneous deletion of Wpl1 and Eco1, two of the known cohesin regulators, resulted in Scc2 co-localization with cohesin around the centromeres of metaphase chromosomes. In these cells, the pericentromeric DNA loops were enlarged to connect the centromere to the cohesin/Scc2 co-bound sites at distances of up to a few hundred kb, indicating highly active loop extrusion by the Scc2-associated cohesin. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Δwpl1Δeco1cells exhibited a delay in the progression of mitotic chromosome segregation, a phenotype dependent on the presence of Scc2 in metaphase. These findings suggest that Wpl1 and Eco1 cooperatively regulate Scc2-cohesin interaction on chromosomes, restrict the size of the pericentromeric DNA loops, and facilitate mitotic chromosome segregation.
Maize diterpenoid sensing via Ste3 a-pheromone receptor and rapid germination ofColletotrichum graminicolaoval conidia facilitating root infection
Authors: Rudolph A. Y. , Schunke C. , Sasse C. , Antelo L. , Gerke J. , Braus G. H. , Pöggeler S. , Nordzieke D.E. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractMost plant pathogenic microorganisms have evolved to infect distinct host tissues. The maize anthracnose fungusColletotrichum graminicolais known for its ability to invade above-ground tissues with asexual falcate conidia. In addition,C. graminicolaproduces a second asexual spore type, oval conidia. This study investigates the specific adaptations that make oval conidia suitable for maize root infection, demonstrating that only oval conidia exhibit root pathogen characteristics. These include the ability to germinate in soil and grow chemotropically toward root-secreted molecules. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) analyses combined with biological assays indicate that diterpenoids, such as dihydrotanshinone I, are likely responsible for the chemical attraction ofC. graminicola. Genetic analysis identified the a-pheromone receptor CgSte3 as responsible for diterpenoid perception by the fungal pathogen. In conclusion, the understanding of maize anthracnose disease must be expanded to include an elaborate root infection cycle by oval conidia.
Morphogen gradients are regulated by porous media characteristics of the developing tissue
Authors: Stark Justina , Harish Rohit Krishnan , Sbalzarini Ivo F. , Brand Michael 
Published: April 2024

AbstractLong-range morphogen gradients have been proposed to form by morphogen diffusion from a localized source to distributed sinks in the target tissue. The role of the complex tissue geometry in this process is, however, less well understood and has not been explicitly resolved in existing models. Here, we numerically reconstruct pore-scale 3D geometries of zebrafish epiboly from light-sheet microscopy images. In these high-resolution 3D geometries, we simulate Fgf8a gradient formation in the tortuous extracellular space. Our simulations show that when realistic embryo geometries are considered, a source-diffusion-degradation mechanism with additional binding to extracellular matrix polymers is sufficient to explain self-organized emergence and robust maintenance of Fgf8a gradients. The predicted normalized gradient is robust against changes in source and sink rates but sensitive to changes in the pore connectivity of the extracellular space, with lower connectivity leading to steeper and shorter gradients. This demonstrates the importance of considering realistic geometries when studying morphogen gradients.Abstract Figure
Guardian of Excitability: Multifaceted Role of Galanin in Whole Brain Excitability
Authors: Rieser Nicolas N. , Ronchetti Milena , Hotz Adriana L. , Neuhauss Stephan C. F. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractGalanin is a neuropeptide, which is critically involved in homeostatic processes like controlling arousal, sleep, and regulation of stress. This extensive range of functions aligns with implications of galanin in diverse pathologies, including anxiety disorders, depression, and epilepsy. Here we investigated the regulatory function of galanin on whole-brain activity in larval zebrafish using wide-field Ca2+imaging. Combining this with genetic perturbations of galanin signaling and pharmacologically increasing neuronal activity, we are able to probe actions of galanin across the entire brain. Our findings demonstrate that under unperturbed conditions and during epileptic seizures, galanin exerts a sedative influence on the brain, primarily through the galanin receptor 1a (galr1a). However, exposure to acute stressors like pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) compromises galanin’s sedative effects, leading to overactivation of the brain and increased seizure occurrence. Interestingly, galanin’s impact on seizures appears to be bidirectional, as it can both decrease seizure severity and increase seizure occurrence, potentially through different galanin receptor subtypes. This nuanced interplay between galanin and various physiological processes underscores its significance in modulating stress-related pathways and suggests its potential implications for neurological disorders such as epilepsy. Taken together, our data sheds light on a multifaceted role of galanin, where galanin regulates whole-brain activity but also shapes acute responses to stress.
Intracranial Mapping of Response Latencies and Task Effects for Spoken Syllable Processing in the Human Brain
Authors: Viswanathan Vibha , Rupp Kyle M. , Hect Jasmine L. , Harford Emily E. , Holt Lori L. , Abel Taylor J. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractPrior lesion, noninvasive-imaging, and intracranial-electroencephalography (iEEG) studies have documented hierarchical, parallel, and distributed characteristics of human speech processing. Yet, there have not been direct, intracranial observations of the latency with which regionsoutside the temporal loberespond to speech, or how these responses are impacted by task demands. We leveraged human intracranial recordings via stereo-EEG to measure responses from diverse forebrain sites during (i) passive listening to /bi/ and /pi/ syllables, and (ii) active listening requiring /bi/-versus-/pi/ categorization. We find that neural response latency increases from a few tens of ms in Heschl’s gyrus (HG) to several tens of ms in superior temporal gyrus (STG), superior temporal sulcus (STS), and early parietal areas, and hundreds of ms in later parietal areas, insula, frontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. These data also suggest parallel flow of speech information dorsally and ventrally, from HG to parietal areas and from HG to STG and STS, respectively. Latency data also reveal areas in parietal cortex, frontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala that are not responsive to the stimuli during passive listening but are responsive during categorization. Furthermore, multiple regions—spanning auditory, parietal, frontal, and insular cortices, and hippocampus and amygdala—show greater neural response amplitudes during active versus passive listening (a task-related effect). Overall, these results are consistent with hierarchical processing of speech at a macro level and parallel streams of information flow in temporal and parietal regions. These data also reveal regions where the speech code is stimulus-faithful and those that encode task-relevant representations.New & NoteworthyWe leverage direct, intracranial electroencephalography recordings to document speech information flow through diverse sites in the human forebrain, including areas where reported electrode coverage has historically been limited. Our data are consistent with hierarchical processing of speech at a macro level and parallel streams of information flow in temporal and parietal regions. They also reveal regions in the auditory pathway where stimulus-faithful speech codes are transformed to behaviorally relevant representations of speech content.
Ca2+binding to Esyt is required to modulate membrane contact site density inDrosophilaphotoreceptors
Authors: Nath Vaisaly R , Krishnan Harini , Mishra Shirish , Raghu Padinjat 
Published: April 2024

AbstractMembrane Contact Sites (MCS) between the plasma membrane (PM) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) have been shown to regulate Ca2+influx into animal cells. However, the mechanisms by which cells modulate ER-PM MCS density is not understood and the role of Ca2+, if any, in regulating this process is not known. We report that inDrosophilaphotoreceptors, MCS density is dependent on the activity of the Ca2+permeable channels-TRP and TRPL. This regulation of MCS density by Ca2+is mediated by extended synaptotagmin (dEsyt), a protein localised to ER-PM MCS in photoreceptors and previously shown to regulate MCS density. We find that the Ca2+binding activity of dEsyt is required for its functional activityin vivo. dEsytCaBM, a Ca2+non-binding mutant of dEsyt is unable to modulate MCS structure in a manner equivalent to its wild type counterpart. Further, when reconstituted in dEsyt null photoreceptors, in contrast to wild type dEsyt, dEsytCaBMis unable to rescue ER-PM MCS density and other key phenotypes. Finally, when expressed in wild type photoreceptors, dEsytCaBMphenocopies loss of dEsyt function. Taken together, our data supports a role for the Ca2+binding activity of dEsyt in regulating the ER-PM MCS density in photoreceptors thus tuning signal transduction in response to Ca2+influx triggered by ambient illumination.Abstract Figure
Social enterprises in supply chains: driving systemic change through social impact
Authors: Longoni Annachiara , Luzzini Davide , Pullman Madeleine , Seuring Stefan , van Donk Dirk Pieter 
Published: April 2024

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a starting point to discuss how social enterprises can drive systemic change in terms of social impact through operations and supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews existing literature and the four papers in this special issue and develops a conceptual framework of how social enterprises and their supply chains create social impact and further enable systematic change.FindingsOur paper finds that social impact and systemic change can be shaped by social enterprises at three different levels of analysis (organization, supply chain and context) and through three enablers (cognitive shift, stakeholder collaboration and scalability). Such dimensions are used to position current literature and to highlight new research directions.Originality/valueThis paper proposes a novel understanding of operations and supply chain management in social enterprises intended as catalysts for systemic change. Based on this premise we distinguish different practices and stakeholders to be considered when studying social impact at different levels. The conceptual framework introduced in the paper provides a new pathway for future research and debate by scholars engaged at the intersection of social impact, sustainable operations and supply chain management.
Learning from medieval Italy: urban sustainability concepts from the heritage of hydraulic infrastructures. The cases of Venice, Siena and Bologna
Authors: López-Bravo Celia , López José Peral 
Published: April 2024

PurposeFaced with the growing need to find new viable water supply models for urban areas, this article studies and maps the strategies and identifies the key criteria of sustainable development present in pioneering water supply systems in the medieval period. The main aim is to determine which of its innovative principles could be applied in present-day cities.Design/methodology/approachFrom a methodological perspective, two types of cases were established, such as water supply models for human consumption and pre-industrial hydraulic systems, all of which are located in Italy. For the first group, the cases of Venice and Siena were analysed, while for the second, in the context of the cities along the Aemilian Way, the case of Bologna was selected.FindingsFive key criteria resulted from the analysis of the cases: exploitation, self-sufficiency, maintenance, rationalisation and reuse. The said concepts were defined and contextualised within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.Originality/valueThe Middle Ages were a historic moment in technological reinvention, before the development of modern systems of sanitation. With very limited resources, these traditional systems focused on rational use and deep cultural and geographical knowledge. This is why its recognition is of great importance today, in a time full of instabilities, with a view to the work that needs to be done for the development of more sustainable communities.
An ADAM-based approach to unveiling entrepreneurial ecosystems in selected European countries
Authors: Popovic Gabrijela , Fedajev Aleksandra , Mitic Petar , Meidute-Kavaliauskiene Ieva 
Published: April 2024

PurposeThis study aims to integrate the resource-based view (RBV) with other theories that consider external factors necessary to respond successfully to dynamic and uncertain entrepreneurial business conditions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper introduces an multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach, utilizing the axial-distance-based aggregated measurement (ADAM) method with weights determined by the preference selection index (PSI) method, to rank eight European countries based on the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data. Additionally, the paper extends the existing entrepreneurial ecosystem taxonomy (EET), offering an additional classification.FindingsThe performed analysis emphasizes the importance and necessity of involving different dimensions of EE in assessing the countries' entrepreneurship performance, which facilitates creating adequate policy measures.Research limitations/implicationsThe crucial limitations are assessments based only on the GEM data from a particular period, possibly leading to a certain bias. Future research should involve data from various resources to increase the results' reliability.Originality/valueThe ranking results and country classification obtained using the ADAM-based approach and two distinct taxonomies served as the basis for formulating tailored policy recommendations, aiming to formulate tailored policy implications for increasing the number of new entrepreneurs and improving innovativeness, sustainability and internationalization of existing entrepreneurs for each group of countries.
Managed honeybee hives negatively affect the reproduction of native plants in a dryland nature reserve
Authors: Pascual Tudanca María Paula , Debandi Hugo , Vázquez Diego P. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

The honeybee, Apis mellifera, stands out for its positive image due to its contribution to crop pollination and honey production, which facilitated its widespread distribution. However, large apiaries resulting in high honeybee densities could increase pollination frequency while increasing competition for floral resources, ultimately affecting native plant fitness.

We studied the impact of managed honeybee hives on pollination and reproductive success of native plants in Villavicencio Nature Reserve, Mendoza, Argentina. During the flowering peak, we studied pollination and reproduction of three native plant species (Larrea divaricata, L. cuneifolia and Zuccagnia punctata) near and far from the hives. We estimated pollen deposition on flower stigmas, pollen tubes developed in flower pistils, fruit set, seed set and seed viability.

We found that the honeybee hives had a positive effect on the reproduction of the self‐compatible species, L. divaricata. For the self‐incompatible species, results differed among species: Hives had positive effects on the pollination and negative effects on the reproduction of L. cuneifolia, while they had negative effects on the reproduction of Z. punctata.

Synthesis and applications. Beekeeping is increasingly turning to natural areas in search of better quality honey; however, increased honeybee abundance in the field could influence the reproduction of native plants. Our results show that the introduction of managed hives negatively affected the reproduction of self‐incompatible native plants. This result allows us to make several recommendations for conservation and management actions concerning beekeeping in natural areas, regarding the among‐year rotation of the location of hives, the number of hives per site, and the need to monitor the reproduction of self‐incompatible species.