bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of berberine on growth performance, intestinal microbial, SCFAs, and immunity for Ira rabbits
Authors: Lu Jianing , Ye Xiaoxing , Jiang Xinghui , Gu Mingming , Ma Zhiyi , Gan Qianfu 
Published: November 2023

AbstractBerberine (BBR), recognized for its anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties, has been extensively studied for its effects on mammalian gut microbiota. This study specifically addresses the need for more research on the regulatory effects of BBR on the gut microbiota of Ira rabbits. To fill this gap, we administered varying concentrations of BBR to weaned Ira rabbits to assess its impact on their growth and gut microbiota. In our experiment, 245 healthy weaned rabbits, aged 33 days, were randomly assigned into five groups. The CG group received a standard diet, while groups I, II, III, and IV were given diets supplemented with BBR at doses of 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, and 40 mg/kg, respectively. A 7-day pre-feeding period was implemented for acclimatization, followed by a 30-day experimental phase. The results revealed that BBR significantly improved the Average Daily Feed Intake (ADFI) and Average Daily Gain (ADG) of the rabbits. Notably, group III showed a significantly higher final weight compared to other groups (P<0.05). BBR supplementation also increased serum levels of GSH-Px, SOD, and T-AOC, while decreasing MDA levels compared to the control group (P<0.05). It also upregulated pro-inflammatory mediators IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and downregulated anti-inflammatory mediators IL-10 and TGF-β1. Furthermore, BBR treatment led to a significant increase in Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs), specifically acetic and butyric acids (P<0.05). Regarding gut microbiota, BBR significantly enhanced the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Verrucomicrobiota at the phylum level and reduced Firmicutes (P<0.05). At the genus level, there was a significant increase inAkkermansiaandAlistipesand a decrease inRuminococcus(P<0.05). Overall, BBR appears to promote the growth of Ira rabbits by enriching beneficial bacteria, modulating inflammatory mediators in the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Among the tested dosages, 20 mg/kg BBR had the most substantial impact.
Bone elongation in the embryo occurs without column formation in the growth plate
Authors: Rubin Sarah , Agrawal Ankit , Seewald Anne , Villoutreix Paul , Baule Adrian , Zelzer Elazar 
Published: November 2023

AbstractChondrocyte columns, which are a hallmark of growth plate architecture, play a central role in bone elongation. Columns are formed by clonal expansion following rotation of the division plane, resulting in a stack of cells oriented parallel to the growth direction. However, despite decades of research, column structure has thus far been studied only in two dimensions. To fill this knowledge gap, we analyzed hundreds of Confetti multicolor clones in growth plates of mouse embryos using a pipeline comprising 3D imaging and algorithms for morphometric analysis. Surprisingly, analysis of the elevation angles between neighboring pairs of cells revealed that most cells did not display the typical stacking pattern associated with column formation, implying incomplete rotation of the division plane. Morphological analysis revealed that although embryonic clones were elongated, they formed clusters oriented perpendicular to the growth direction. Analysis of growth plates of postnatal mice revealed both complex columns, composed of both ordered and disordered cell stacks, and small, disorganized clusters located in the outer edges. Our finding that embryonic growth plates function without forming columns suggests that longitudinal bone growth is regulated by different cellular mechanisms during pre- and postnatal development. Moreover, the observed complex columnar and cluster arrangements may serve other, yet unknown morphogenetic functions. More broadly, our findings provide a new understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying growth plate activity and bone elongation during development.
SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 endoribonuclease antagonizes dsRNA-induced antiviral signaling
Authors: Otter Clayton J. , Bracci Nicole , Parenti Nicholas A. , Ye Chengjin , Tan Li Hui , Asthana Abhishek , Pfannenstiel Jessica J. , Jackson Nathaniel , Fehr Anthony R. , Silverman Robert H. , Cohen Noam A. , Martinez-Sobrido Luis , Weiss Susan R. 
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACTSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 has caused millions of deaths since emerging in 2019. Innate immune antagonism by lethal CoVs such as SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for optimal replication and pathogenesis. The conserved nonstructural protein 15 (nsp15) endoribonuclease (EndoU) limits activation of double-stranded (ds)RNA-induced pathways, including interferon (IFN) signaling, protein kinase R (PKR), and oligoadenylate synthetase/ribonuclease L (OAS/RNase L) during diverse CoV infections including murine coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV. To determine how nsp15 functions during SARS-CoV-2 infection, we constructed a mutant recombinant SARS-CoV-2 (nsp15mut) expressing a catalytically inactive nsp15. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 nsp15mutled to increased activation of the IFN signaling and PKR pathways in lung-derived epithelial cell lines and primary nasal epithelial air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures as well as significant attenuation of replication in ALI cultures compared to wild-type (WT) virus. This replication defect was rescued when IFN signaling was inhibited with the Janus activated kinase (JAK) inhibitor ruxolitinib. Finally, to assess nsp15 function in the context of minimal (MERS-CoV) or moderate (SARS-CoV-2) innate immune induction, we compared infections with SARS-CoV-2 nsp15mutand previously described MERS-CoV nsp15 mutants. Inactivation of nsp15 had a more dramatic impact on MERS-CoV replication than SARS-CoV-2 in both Calu3 cells and nasal ALI cultures suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 can better tolerate innate immune responses. Taken together, SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 is a potent inhibitor of dsRNA-induced innate immune response and its antagonism of IFN signaling is necessary for optimal viral replication in primary nasal ALI culture.SIGNIFICANCESevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 causes a spectrum of respiratory disease ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe pneumonia and death. Innate immune responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection have been associated with clinical disease severity, with robust early interferon responses in the nasal epithelium reported to be protective. Thus, elucidating mechanisms through which SARS-CoV-2 induces and antagonizes host innate immune responses is crucial to understanding viral pathogenesis. CoVs encode various innate immune antagonists, including the conserved nonstructural protein 15 (nsp15) which contains an endoribonuclease (EndoU) domain. We demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 EndoU is a crucial interferon antagonist, by providing further evidence for the role of the conserved CoV nsp15 in antagonizing innate immune activation, thereby optimizing CoV replication.
AMPK regulates small RNA pathway prevalence to mediate soma-to-germ line communication and establish germline stem cell quiescence
Authors: Jurczak Elena M. , Wong Christopher , Li Shaolin , Braukmann Fabian , Sawh Ahilya N. , Duchaine Thomas F. , Miska Eric A. , Roy Richard 
Published: November 2023

AbstractIt is well established that cells communicate with each other via signaling molecules and pathways. Recent work has further indicated that this transfer of information can breach the soma-to-germ line barrier, thus permitting changes in germline gene expression in response to cellular decisions made in somatic lineages. We show that during periods of extended energy stress AMPK alters small RNA biogenesis in somatic cells, which non-autonomously regulates the quiescence of germline stem cells. By combining both genetic analyses and a novel method of miRNA imaging, we show that AMPK-mediated phosphorylation acts as a molecular switch that drives the re-allocation of the key RNA endonuclease Dicer to the miRNA synthesis pathway during the dauer stage ofC. elegans. By modifying Dicer and other components of the miRNA synthesis machinery, AMPK fine-tunes the production of a population of somatic miRNAs that act as a “pro-quiescence” signal to maintain germline integrity during periods of extended energy stress, thus bridging the gap between the soma and the germ line by altering small RNA homeostasis.
Computational Tools for the Analysis of Meiotic Prophase I Images
Authors: Crichton James H , Adams Ian R 
Published: November 2023

SummaryProphase I is a remarkable stage of meiotic division during which homologous chromosomes pair together and exchange DNA by meiotic recombination. Fluorescence microscopy of meiotic chromosome spreads is a central tool in the study of this process, with chromosome axis proteins being visualised as extended filaments upon which recombination proteins localise in focal patterns.Chromosome pairing and recombination are dynamic processes, and hundreds of recombination foci can be present in some meiotic nuclei. As meiotic nuclei can exhibit significant variations in staining patterns within and between nuclei, particularly in mutants, manual analysis of images presents challenges for consistency, documentation, and reproducibility. Here we share a combination of complementary computational tools which can be used to partially automate the quantitative analysis of meiotic images. 1) The segmentation of axial and focal staining patterns, to automatically measure chromosome axis length and count axis-associated (and non-axis associated) recombination foci; 2) Quantification of focus position along chromosome axes to investigate spatial regulation; 3) Simulation of random distributions of foci within the nucleus or along the chromosome axes to statistically investigate observed foci-axis associations and foci-foci associations; 4) Quantification of chromosome axis proximity to investigate relationships with chromosome synapsis/asynapsis; 5) Quantification of and orientation of focus-axis distances. Together these tools provide a framework to perform routine documentation and analysis of meiotic images, as well as opening up routes to build on this initial output and perform more detailed analyses.
Chronic alcohol induces subcircuit-specific striatonigral plasticity shifting action control to the sensorimotor striatum
Authors: Sitzia Giacomo , Bariselli Sebastiano , Gracias Alexa , Lovinger David M. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractWhile cortico-striatal circuit deficits contribute to Alcohol Use Disorder, the impact of alcohol on synaptic function in the basal ganglia output, the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), remains unclear. Here, we found that the inputs from the dorsomedial (DMS) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) differ in their presynaptic properties and target molecularly distinct subpopulations of SNr neurons. We also discovered that indirect pathway subthalamic (STN) inputs to the medial and lateral SNr have different presynaptic properties and that STN inputs are stronger in the lateral SNr. Chronic alcohol exposure (CIE) potentiated DLS inputs but did not affect the strength and presynaptic release properties of DMS and subthalamic inputs to SNr neurons. Chemogenetic inhibition of DLS direct pathway projection neurons impaired action performance in an operant conditioning task in CIE mice but not control mice. Overall, our work identifies a synaptic mechanism whereby chronic alcohol induces a gain of function for action control in direct pathway neurons in the dorsolateral striatum.TeaserChronic alcohol selectively potentiates DLS synaptic inputs to the SNr, enhancing their role in action control.
Semantic search using protein large language models detects class II microcins in bacterial genomes
Authors: Kulikova Anastasiya V. , Parker Jennifer K. , Davies Bryan W. , Wilke Claus O. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractClass II microcins are antimicrobial peptides that have shown some potential as novel antibiotics. However, to date only ten class II microcins have been described, and discovery of novel microcins has been hampered by their short length and high sequence divergence. Here, we ask if we can use numerical embeddings generated by protein large language models to detect microcins in bacterial genome assemblies and whether this method can outperform sequence-based methods such as BLAST. We find that embeddings detect known class II microcins much more reliably than does BLAST and that any two microcins tend to have a small distance in embedding space even though they typically are highly diverged at the sequence level. In datasets ofEscherichia coli,Klebsiellaspp., andEnterobacterspp. genomes, we further find novel putative microcins that were previously missed by sequence-based search methods.
Changes in food consumption behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: a dual process approach on female college students in China
Authors: Liu Rongduo , Grunert Klaus G. 
Published: November 2023

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate changes in food consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown period in a sample of female college students in China. The study employed a dual processing approach that simultaneously investigates the effects of students' beliefs about the importance of healthy eating and the effect of emotional eating due to anxiety induced by the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 645 female college students in China using a self-administered questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used for the data analysis.FindingsBeliefs about the importance of healthy eating have a greater impact on changes in food consumption than anxiety. Emotional eating was positively associated with changes in vegetable consumption. The findings reveal that a shift from “food as health” to “food as well-being” in the role of food in the food-related life of Chinese consumers is underway. “Food as health” remains important in food-related decision-making in China during the pandemic. Concurrently, a well-being centered or a more holistic perspective, including the psychological and emotional aspects of food, should be included in food-related research and health promotion in China.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic by simultaneously investigating both the cognitive impact of beliefs regarding the importance of healthy eating and the affective impact of anxiety on changes in food consumption due to COVID-19.
Technological innovation under trade disputes: how does product market competition matter?
Authors: Hu Shuchuan , Xia Qinghua , Xie Yi 
Published: November 2023

PurposeThis study investigates firms' innovation behaviour under environmental change. Therefore, it examines the effect of trade disputes on corporate technological innovation and how product market competition moderates this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis research tests the hypotheses using the fixed effects model based on panel data of publicly listed enterprises in China from 2007–2020.FindingsThe empirical results validate the positive association between trade disputes and corporate research and development (R&D) intensity as well as the U-shaped relationship between trade disputes and radical innovation. Additionally, the moderating effect of product market competition is verified: a concentrated market with less competition flattens the U-shaped curve of radical innovation induced by trade disputes; as the market becomes more concentrated and less competitive, the U-shaped relationship eventually turns into an inverted U.Originality/valueFirst, this study contributes to the corporate innovation and trade dispute literature by expanding the environmental antecedents of technological innovation and the firm-level consequences of trade disputes. Second, this study enriches the theoretical framework of the environment–innovation link through an integrated perspective of contingency theory and dynamic capabilities view. Third, instead of the traditional linear mindset which had led to contradictory results, this study explores a curvilinear effect in the environment–innovation relationship.
Influence of task-related diversity of R&D employees on the development of organisational innovations: a gender perspective
Authors: Testera Fuertes Adrian , Herrera Liliana 
Published: November 2023

Purpose
This paper aims to analyse the influence of workforce diversity on the firm’s likelihood to develop organisational innovations. Operationalising human resources diversity is not straightforward, and its effect has been rather overlooked in the context of non-technological innovations. This study analyses the impact of task-related diversity among research and development (R&D) unit workers and women R&D workers, in particular.

Design/methodology/approach
To estimate the impact of task-related diversity on firm propensity to undertake organisational innovation, this study uses a generalised linear model (GLM) – with a binomial family and log–log extension. GLMs are used to control problems of over-dispersion, which, in models with binary response variables, could generate inaccurate standard error estimates and provide inconsistent results.

Findings
This paper provides three important results. Firstly, employee diversity increases the firm’s propensity to engage in organisational innovations. Secondly, the influence of each facet of task-related diversity varies depending on the type of organisational innovation considered. Thirdly, gender has an effect on the innovation process; this study shows that women play a different role in the production of non-technological innovations.

Originality/value
This paper makes several contributions to the literature. Firstly, it makes a theoretical contribution to research on innovation management by considering the influence of human resources diversity on the development of non-technological innovations. Secondly, this study analyses the role of workforce diversity in an R&D department context to clarify the contribution made by women R&D workers.
A win-win situation: uncovering the relationship between CSR reporting and financial performance in Indian companies
Authors: Singhania Shubham , Arora Akshita , Sardana Varda 
Published: November 2023

Purpose
This study aims to evaluate the relationship of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting with the financial performance of firms using various market and accounting-based parameters in a developing economy, India.

Design/methodology/approach
The study uses content analysis to develop a CSR reporting index for the Indian firms listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The two-step system generalized methods of moments has been used for the estimation of the panel data.

Findings
The results from the study suggest that the CSR reporting-based activities of the firms may impact the financial performance of the firms, but at the same time, the need of the hour is to create awareness among the investors and market players so that they realize the relevance of CSR reporting, which can further improve other dimensions of financial performance as well.

Research limitations/implications
The study relies on Tobin’s Q and return on assets while measuring financial performance, though there are various other parameters that can be used to gauge the performance. The outcomes of this study have practical implications for the practitioners as well as policymakers, incentivizing them to integrate CSR aspects into their decision-making frameworks.

Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first Indian study to develop a unique index for CSR reporting and linking it with financial performance. This study shall assist the researchers in broadening the scope of CSR studies in India and can be used to draw a systematic comparison with developed nations.
Howdo organizational career management activities influence employees’ career outcomes? The mediating role of career capital
Authors: Yildiz Didem , Bozbura F. Tunc , Tatoglu Ekrem , Zaim Selim 
Published: November 2023

Purpose
This study addresses a critical research gap by examining the pivotal role of organizational career management (OCM) in shaping employees’ career outcomes while also investigating the mediating influence of career capital in this relationship. This study aims to shed light on the importance of OCM as a strategic approach for enhancing employees’ career trajectories, filling a significant gap in the existing literature.

Design/methodology/approach
Using a cross-sectional research design, primary data were gathered through a structured questionnaire administered to a diverse sample of 426 Turkish working adults representing various organizations. The study uses structural equation modelling with AMOS to analyse the direct and indirect relationships within the proposed research model.

Findings
The study findings underscore the essential connection between OCM and employees’ career outcomes, revealing its positive influence on subjective career success, employability and innovative work behaviour. Moreover, career capital emerges as a critical intermediary mechanism that mediates the impact of OCM on these career outcomes, further highlighting the strategic significance of OCM practices.

Research limitations/implications
It is important to note that this study relies on self-report surveys to gauge employees’ perceptions about their career outcomes and OCM. Additionally, the study data are confined to the Turkish context, which may influence the generalizability of the findings to other contexts.

Practical implications
Organizations can bolster career outcomes through strategic investment in OCM. Industries can customize approaches, leveraging insights to optimize workforce potential. Policymakers should integrate career development principles, cultivating a culture of perpetual learning, thus fortifying organizational resilience and fostering sustainable success.

Originality/value
This study adds substantial value to the current body of knowledge by investigating the mediating role of career capital in the relationship between OCM and individual career outcomes, particularly within the context of emerging economies like Turkey. The study’s comprehensive approach to understanding careers from both individual and organizational perspectives contributes to a more nuanced and holistic understanding of career dynamics.