bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
From amplicons to strains: The limitations of metabarcoding as criterium in the selection process of biocontrol strains against the pome fruit pathogenNeonectria ditissima
Authors: Russ Lina , Elena Jimenez Georgina , van den Beld Jean Luc , Nijhuis Els , Köhl Jürgen 
Published: December 2023

AbstractEuropean canker, caused by the fungal pathogenNeonectria ditissima, causes severe economic losses in apple production and conventional control measures are not sufficiently effective. Recently, parts of the endophyte community have been suggested to play a role in the response of the host to the pathogen, potentially leading to higher resistance of apple cultivars to disease outbreaks. In addition, advances on biologically controlling the disease have been booked by the application of fungi isolated at the boundary of cankered and healthy wood tissue. In this study we sought to evaluate if and how metabarcoding analysis can support decisions on selection of biological control agents in a two-steps process: first we profiled fungal and bacterial taxa using Illumina MiSeq sequencing on branches of potted apple trees that had been inoculated with either water or a suspension ofN. ditissimaspores. We combined the knowledge on the metataxonomic profile with quantitative data on theN. ditissimabranch colonisation (with relative abundances and absolute TaqMan qPCR concentrations) to identify taxa that show negative or positive correlations withN. ditissimaDNA concentration. Secondly, we compared our fungal metataxonomic profile to the ITS amplicons of fungal isolates that had been tested for biocontrol potential in bioassays in a previous study. The aim was to possibly link fungal taxa with proven efficacy against the pathogen to the microbiome composition. The only ASVs showing a consistent negative correlation to relative and absoluteN. ditissimaabundance belonged to the bacterial generaKineococcusandHymenobacter. For fungal taxa onlyN. ditissimaitself positively correlated to its increasing abundance, albeit only by rank and neither linearly nor beta binomially. Sequences belonging to the most promising antagonists from the study by Elena et al. (2022) could not be detected in the fungal microbiome profile at all. In addition, the combination of short reads length and high conservation within the chosen amplicon resulted in insufficient resolution to differentiate between a range of different efficacies of isolates belonging to the same genus (i.e.Aureobasidium).
Recovery from social isolation requires dopamine in males, but not the autism-related genenlg3in either sex
Authors: Yost Ryley T. , Scott Andrew M. , Kurbaj Judy M. , Walshe-Roussel Brendan , Dukas Reuven , Simon Anne F. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSocial isolation causes profound changes in social behaviour in a variety of species including humans, monkeys, mice, bees, and vinegar flies. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms modulating behavioural responses to both social isolation and social recovery remain to be elucidated. In this study, we quantified the behavioural response of vinegar flies to social isolation through the use of two distinct protocols, one involving flies’ social space preference and the other assessing flies’ sociability, defined as their spontaneous tendencies to form groups. We found that social isolation increased social space and reduced sociability. These effects of social isolation, however, were reversible and could be reduced after 3 days of group housing. Flies with a loss of function ofneuroligin3(ortholog of autism-relatedneuroligingenes) with known increased social space in a socially enriched environment, were still able to recover from social isolation. Using aUAS-TH-RNAi driven in all neurons, we show that dopamine is important for a response to social isolation and recovery in males but not in females. Furthermore, only in males, dopamine levels are reduced after isolation and are not recovered after group housing. Finally, in socially enriched flies with a loss of function ofneuroligin3, dopamine levels are reduced in males, but not in females. We propose a model to explain how dopamine andneuroligin3are involved in the behavioural response to social isolation and its recovery in a dynamic and sex-specific manner.
Mitochondrial network reorganization and transient expansion during oligodendrocyte generation
Authors: Bame Xhoela , Hill Robert A. 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACTOligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) give rise to myelinating oligodendrocytes of the central nervous system. This process persists throughout life and is essential for recovery from neurodegeneration. To better understand the cellular checkpoints that occur during oligodendrogenesis, we determined the mitochondrial distribution and morphometrics across the oligodendrocyte lineage in mouse and human cerebral cortex. During oligodendrocyte generation, mitochondrial content expanded concurrently with a change in subcellular partitioning towards the distal processes. These changes were followed by an abrupt loss of mitochondria in the oligodendrocyte processes and myelin, coinciding with sheath compaction. This reorganization and extensive expansion and depletion took 3 days. Oligodendrocyte mitochondria were stationary over days while OPC mitochondrial motility was modulated by animal arousal state within minutes. Aged OPCs also displayed decreased mitochondrial size, content, and motility. Thus, mitochondrial dynamics are linked to oligodendrocyte generation, dynamically modified by their local microenvironment, and altered in the aging brain.
Population suppression with dominant female-lethal alleles is boosted by homing gene drive
Authors: Zhu Jinyu , Chen Jingheng , Liu Yiran , Xu Xuejiao , Champer Jackson 
Published: December 2023

AbstractMethods to suppress pest insect populations using genetic constructs and repeated releases of male homozygotes have recently been shown to be an attractive alternative to older sterile insect technique based on radiation. Female-specific lethal alleles have substantially increased power, but still require large, sustained transgenic insect releases. Gene drive alleles bias their own inheritance to spread throughout populations, potentially allowing population suppression with a single, small-size release. However, suppression drives often suffer from efficiency issues, and the most well-studied type, homing drives, tend to spread without limit. In this study, we show that coupling female-specific lethal alleles with homing gene drive allowed substantial improvement in efficiency while still retaining the self-limiting nature (and thus confinement) of a lethal allele strategy. Using a mosquito model, we show the required releases sizes for population elimination in a variety of scenarios, including different density growth curves, with comparisons to other systems. Resistance alleles reduced the power of this method, but these could be overcome by targeting an essential gene with the drive while also providing rescue. A proof-of-principle demonstration of this system inDrosophila melanogasterwas effective in both basing its inheritance and achieving high lethality among females that inherit the construct in the absence of antibiotic. Overall, our study shows that substantial improvements can be achieved in female-specific lethal systems for population suppression by combining them with a gene drive.
Integrative omics analysis reveals gene regulatory mechanisms distinguishing organoid-derived hepatocytes from primary human hepatocytes
Authors: Wu Haoyu , Yang Annie S. P. , Stelloo Suzan , Roos Floris J. M. , te Morsche René H. M. , Verkerk Anne H. , Luna-Velez Maria V. , Wingens Laura , de Wilt Johannes H. W. , Sauerwein Robert W. , Mulder Klaas W. , van Heeringen Simon J. , Verstegen Monique M. A. , van der Laan Luc J. W. , Marks Hendrik , Bártfai Richárd 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackground and AimsHepatic organoid cultures are considered a powerful model system to study liver development and diseasesin vitro. However, hepatocyte-like cells differentiated from such organoids remain immature compared to primary human hepatocytes. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of differences in gene regulatory mechanisms between primary human hepatocytes and hepatic organoids is essential to obtain functional hepatocyte-like cellsin vitrofor fundamental and therapeutic applications.MethodsWe obtained primary human hepatocytes at high purity from all zones of the liver lobule using an optimized two-step perfusion protocol. We captured the single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility landscape using scRNA-seq and ATAC-seq, respectively. We identified key transcription factors and compared the gene regulatory mechanisms in primary human hepatocytes and (un)differentiated intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids. Using siRNA-mediated perturbations, we showed the functional relevance of an organoid-enriched transcription factor duringin vitrodifferentiation of hepatocyte-like cells.ResultsOur integrative omics analysis revealed that Activator Protein 1 (AP-1) family members cooperate with hepatocyte-specific transcription factors, including HNF4A, in maintaining cellular functionality of mature human hepatocytes. Comparative analysis identified distinct transcription factor sets specifically active in human hepatocytes and organoids. Amongst these ELF3 is unique to intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids and its expression level negatively correlate with expression of hepatic marker genes. Functional analysis of ELF3 furthermore revealed thatELF3depletion optimizes the formation of hepatocyte-like cells from intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids.ConclusionsCollectively, our integrative analysis provides insights into the transcriptional regulatory networks of human hepatocytes and hepatic organoids, thereby informing future strategies for better establishment of urgently-needed hepatic model systemsin vitro.
Active Sampling in Primate Vocal Interactions
Authors: Varella Thiago T. , Takahashi Daniel Y. , Ghazanfar Asif A. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractActive sensing is a behavioral strategy for exploring the environment. In this study, we show that contact vocal behaviors can be an active sensing mechanism that uses sampling to gain information about the social environment, in particular, the vocal behavior of others. With a focus on the real-time vocal interactions of marmoset monkeys, we contrast active sampling to a vocal accommodation framework in which vocalizations are adjusted simply to maximize responses. We conducted simulations of a vocal accommodation and an active sampling policy and compared them with real vocal exchange data. Our findings support active sampling as the best model for marmoset monkey vocal exchanges. In some cases, the active sampling model was even able to predict the distribution of vocal durations for individuals. These results suggest a new function for primate vocal interactions in which they are used by animals to seek information from social environments.SignificanceWe found that marmoset monkeys use vocal exchanges with conspecifics in the same way that bats and electric fish use their self-generated signals: to sample the information space. The difference is that, while bats, electric fish and other echolocating animals emit signals and then interpret that signal’s reflection, for vocalizing marmoset monkeys the “reflection” is the vocal response from conspecifics. We show that marmosets produce variable vocalizations as a means to sample the acoustic space in which they can elicit a conspecific response. They are actively sampling--learning about their dyadic partner like a bat learns about its prey.
«Control of the phage defense mechanism by Quorum Sensing (QS) in clinical isolates ofKlebsiella pneumoniae»
Authors: Barrio-Pujante Antonio , Bleriot Inés , Blasco Lucía , Fernández-Garcia Laura , Pacios Olga , Ortiz-Cartagena Concha , López María , Fernández Cuenca Felipe , Oteo-Iglesias Jesús , Tomás María 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACTMultidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria and the shortage of new antibiotics are a serious health problem and have increased the interest in bacteriophages, with great potential as antimicrobial agents but they can induce resistance. The objective of the present study was to reduce the development of phage resistance inK. pneumoniaestrains by inhibiting the Quorum Sensing (QS). The QS inhibition by cinnamaldehyde (CAD) was confirmed indirectly by the reduction of biofilm production and directly by a proteomic analysis. Also, the infection assays showed that the phage resistance mechanisms of the bacteria were inhibited when phage-resistantK. pneumoniaestrains were treated with a combination of phages with CAD. Finally, these results were confirmed by proteomic analysis as proteins related to the phage defence such as CBASS (bacterial cyclic oligonucleotide-based anti-phage signalling) and R-M systems as well as tail fiber proteins were present under phage treatment but not with the combination.GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Fertility decline inAedesmosquitoes is associated with reduced maternal transcript deposition and does not depend on female age
Authors: David Olayinka G. , Arce Andrea V. , Costa-da-Silva Andre Luis , Bellantuono Anthony J. , DeGennaro Matthew 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACTFemale mosquitoes undergo multiple rounds of reproduction known as gonotrophic cycles. A gonotrophic cycle spans the period from bloodmeal intake to egg laying. Nutrients from vertebrate host blood are necessary for completing egg development. During oogenesis, a female pre-packages mRNA into her oocytes, and these maternal transcripts drive the first two hours of embryonic development prior to zygotic genome activation. In this study, we profiled transcriptional changes in 1-2 hours oldAedes aegyptiembryos across two gonotrophic cycles. We found that homeotic genes which are regulators of embryogenesis are downregulated in embryos from the second gonotrophic cycle. Interestingly, embryos produced byAe. aegyptifemales progressively reduced their ability to hatch as the number of gonotrophic cycles increased. We show that this fertility decline is due to increased reproductive output and not the mosquitoes’ age. Moreover, we found a similar decline in fertility and fecundity across three gonotrophic cycles inAe. albopictus. Our results are useful for predicting mosquito population dynamics to inform vector control efforts.
Hybrid Neural Networks of the Olfactory Learning Center in theDrosophilaBrain
Authors: Cheng Li-Shan , Charng Ching-Che , Chen Ruei-Huang , Feng Kuan-Lin , Chiang Ann-Shyn , Lo Chung-Chuan , Lee Ting-Kuo 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBiological signal encoding is shaped by the underlying neural circuitry. InDrosophila melanogaster, the mushroom body (MB) houses thousands of Kenyon cells (KCs) that process olfactory signals from hundreds of projection neurons (PNs). Previous studies debated the connectivity between PNs and KCs (random vs. structured). Our multiscale analysis of electron microscopic data revealed a hybrid network with diverse synaptic connection preferences and input divergence across different KC classes. Using MB connectome data, our simulation model, validated via functional imaging, accurately predicted distinct chemical sensitivities in the major KC classes. The model suggests that the hybrid network excels in detecting food odors while maintaining precise odor discrimination in different KC classes. These findings underscore the computational advantages of this hybrid network.
Effect of agriculture–tourism integration on in situ urbanization of rural residents: evidence from 1868 counties in China
Authors: Lu Juan , Li He 
Published: December 2023

Purpose This study aims to clarify the impact of agriculture–tourism integration (ATI) on in situ urbanization (ISURB) of rural residents, to highlight the role of industrial integration in the process of China's ISURB and to provide industrial integration suggestions for promoting urbanization quality in Chinese counties.Design/methodology/approach By sorting out the panel data of China's 1868 counties, the evaluation index system of ISURB was constructed. Difference in difference (DID) and spatial Durbin-difference in difference (SDM-DID) model is used for estimate the relationship between ATI and ISURB.Findings First, ATI can improve ISURB by 11.4% higher than other regions. Second, theoretical analysis model of ATI on ISURB is constructed from four aspects of “drive–push–pull–block.” The results show that ATI can promote ISURB by increasing upgrading of rural industries, rural employment demand and income capacity, whereas ATI may inhibit ISURB by reducing farmland. Third, considering changes in institutional, hard and soft factors, rural collective economy, information infrastructure and digital finance all promote positive impact of ATI on ISURB. Fourth, ATI will produce spillover effects on ISURB in neighboring regions, which is more pronounced in the central and western regions.Research limitations/implications This study lacks quantification of ATI, so future studies are encouraged to further quantify ATI at the county level.Practical implications This study has policy significance for constructing ATI demonstration counties and promoting ISURB in China's counties.Social implications It is of great practical value to promote China's ISURB. By stimulating ATI, it can improve income and employment capacity of rural residents and stimulate ISURB of China.Originality/value This study enriches the theoretical and practical research on industrial integration behaviors during the process of ISURB.HighlightsUse county data to measure in situ urbanization (ISURB)Agriculture–tourism integration (ATI) can increase ISURBConstructs a “drive-push-pull-block” model to explain the influence mechanismUse spatial Durbin-difference in difference (SDM-DID) modelsConsider collective economy, rural information infrastructure and digital financeGraphical abstract
Coincidental brand origins influence persuasion based on need for cognition
Authors: Cheng Yimin , Orazi Davide Christian 
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Many brands claim they were born by coincidence, yet the effects and contingencies of this communication strategy are little understood by extant marketing research on unexpected events. This study aims to investigate how consumers react to brand communications portraying a coincidental vs planned origin.

Design/methodology/approach
This research presents five experimental studies embedding coincidental brand origins into different types of marketing communications (i.e. crowdfunding campaigns, visual ads and brand biographies).

Findings
This research finds that coincidental brand origins increase persuasion (measured as money pledged to a crowdfunding campaign, overall brand equity and purchase intention) but only for consumers high in need for cognition (NFC). This effect is mediated by processing enjoyment, as the intrinsic need for thinking that characterizes high NFC consumers is satisfied by the opportunity to process the coincidence. Further to process, the authors show that explicitly providing an explanation for the coincidence makes the effect disappear, as this deprives high-NFC consumers of the opportunity to autonomously engage in and enjoy the cognitive process.

Practical implications
Brand managers able to leverage coincidences in their storytelling efforts should target high-NFC consumers and should not provide an explanation for the coincidences.

Originality/value
This research advances the limited literature on how consumers react to coincidences in a marketing context, the understanding of how brand communication strategies persuade consumers through information processing and the NFC literature.
Do advisory directors increase discretionary accruals?
Authors: Salma Ummya , Bhuiyan Md. Borhan Uddin 
Published: December 2023

Purpose
This study aims to examine whether the presence of advisory directors affects firm discretionary accruals (DACC), a widely used proxy for financial reporting quality. The authors argue that the advisory director weakens the board monitoring role and impairs the firm financial reporting quality by increasing DACC.

Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of listed firms on the Australian Stock Exchange from 2001 to 2015 using 7,649 firm-year observations. The authors perform descriptive statistics, regression and propensity score matching analyses to examine the research hypothesis.

Findings
The research evidence that firms with a higher presence of advisory directors have more DACC, indicating poor financial reporting quality. Furthermore, the authors categorize the DACC and find that the firm has higher income-increasing DACC in the presence of higher advisory directors. The findings are robust concerning endogeneity issues.

Research limitations/implications
The research evidence that firms with a higher presence of advisory directors have more DACC, indicating poor financial reporting quality. Furthermore, the authors categorize the DACC and find that the firm has higher income-increasing DACC in the presence of higher advisory directors. The findings are robust concerning endogeneity issues.

Practical implications
The research contributes valuable insights for regulators and policymakers seeking to comprehend the implications of firms using more advisory directors. Additionally, the authors recognize the potential significance of the findings for the institution of directors, as they can provide a nuanced understanding of the specific roles played by advisory directors in organizational dynamics.

Originality/value
While the extensive body of literature on corporate governance and financial reporting quality has been well-established, a noticeable void exists in academic research delving into the relationship between advisory directors and DACC management. This study seeks to fill this gap, making a distinctive and original contribution to the existing literature on corporate governance.
Assessing the efficacy of a German‐inspired intervention on occupational contact dermatitis in Denmark: A randomised controlled trial with 3‐month follow‐up
Authors: Dietz Jojo Biel‐Nielsen , Simonsen Anne Birgitte N. , Menné Torkil , Ahlstrøm Malin G. , Flyvholm Mari‐Ann , Blomberg Maria H. , Erichsen Christina Y. , Meyer Harald W. , Viskum Sven , Ahrensbøll‐Friis Ulrik , John Swen M. , Johansen Jeanne D. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundOccupational contact dermatitis (OCD) is a prevalent, often chronic disease that poses a risk for job loss and decreased quality of life. In Germany, a multi‐step prevention programme emphasising early detection and highly specialised multidisciplinary treatment has been implemented with great success.ObjectivesTo examine the effectiveness of a Danish‐adapted version of the German prevention effort on OCD severity, quality of life and occupational consequences at 3‐month follow‐up.MethodsRandomised, controlled trial. Participants were recruited after the first referral from General Practitioner to Dermatologist with suspected OCD. The intervention group (IG) received a Danish‐adapted, multidisciplinary intervention, while the control group (CG) navigated the Danish healthcare system without interference from the study. OCD severity, occupational consequences and quality of life were assessed at 3‐month follow‐up using self‐reported questionnaires.ResultsA statistically significant decrease in the severity of eczema was found at 3‐month follow‐up in the IG compared to the CG. The IG were statistically significantly more likely to have seen a dermatologist at 3‐month follow‐up. Higher treatment level in the IG was indicated by the results but was not statistically significant. No significant difference was found in quality of life or occupational consequences.ConclusionsThese initial findings suggest that early and specialised treatment of OCD improves OCD prognosis.