bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transcriptome analysis ofDiplolepis rosae: revealing overexpression of genes potentially associated with insect immune response and gall formation at early larval stages
Authors: Mozhaitseva¹ Ksenia , Tourrain¹ Zoé , Branca¹ Antoine 
Published: November 2023

AbstractInsect parasites can provoke drastic changes in host plant physiology by affecting cell differentiation pathways and various metabolic processes. An intriguing example of such interaction is a gall, a novel outgrowing plant organ, induced by another organism for its own benefit. Cynipidae is a family of gall-inducing hymenopterans that induce galls with a complex anatomical structure. Gall formation involves three stages: initiation, growth, and maturation. Until today, the mechanism of gall initiation remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to reveal candidate genes involved in gall induction inDiplolepis rosae, a gall wasp inducing bedeguars in wild roses. We performed differential expression analysis of the gall wasp larva transcriptome. We observed the overexpression of genes encoding plant cell wall degrading enzymes. These enzymes may contribute to the formation of a chamber for a developing larva by lysing plant tissues. We also demonstrated the overexpression of genes encoding podocan, vasorin-like protein, toll-like receptor 7, tetraspanin, lipase, peroxidase, phospholipase A2, and venom acid phosphatase. These genes may be involved in insect development and the immune response against parasitoids, host plant microbiome, and host plant defense systems. Additionally, we performed a test for selection to detectD. rosaegenes under positive selection. However, we detected only one gene encoding a transposable element. This can be explained by the mostly asexual reproductive mode of this species. Thus, our study contributes to understanding the processes occurring in cynipid wasps during gall formation and creates opportunities for further investigations of other candidate genes.
Defects in AMPAR trafficking and microglia activation underlie socio-cognitive deficits associated to decreased expression of Phosphodiesterase 2A
Authors: Delhaye Sébastien , Jarjat Marielle , Boulksibat Asma , Sanchez Clara , Tempio Alessandra , Turtoi Andrei , Giorgi Mauro , Lacas-Gervais Sandra , Baj Gabriele , Rovere Carole , Trezza Viviana , Pellegrini Manuela , Maurin Thomas , Lalli Enzo , Bardoni Barbara 
Published: November 2023

AbstractPhosphodiesterase 2A (PDE2A) is an enzyme involved in the homeostasis of cAMP and cGMP and is the most highly expressed PDE in human brain regions critical for socio-cognitive behavior. In cortex and hippocampus, PDE2A expression level is upregulated inFmr1-KO mice, a model of the Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), the most common form of inherited intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Indeed, PDE2A translation is negatively modulated by FMRP, whose functional absence causes FXS. While the pharmacological inhibition of PDE2A has been associated to its pro-cognitive role in normal animals and in models of ID and ASD, homozygousPDE2Amutations have been identified in patients affected by ID, ASD and epilepsy. To clarify this apparent paradox about the role of PDE2A in brain development, we characterized herePde2a+/−mice (homozygote animals being not viable) at the behavioral, cellular, molecular and electrophysiological levels.Pde2a+/−females display a milder form of the disorder with reduced cognitive performance in adulthood, conversely males show severe socio-cognitive deficits throughout their life. In males, these phenotypes are associated with microglia activation, elevated glutathione levels and increased externalization of GluR1 in CA1, producing reduced mGluR-dependent LTD. Overall, our results reveal molecular targets of the PDE2A-dependent pathway underlying socio-cognitive performance. These results clarify the mechanism of action of pro-cognitive drugs based on PDE2A inactivation, which have been shown to be promising therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer Disease, schizophrenia, FXS as well as other forms of ASD.
Revisiting the Briggs ancient DNA damage model: a fast regression method to estimate postmortem damage
Authors: Zhao Lei , Heriksen Rasmus Amund , Ramsøe Abigail Daisy , Nielsen Rasmus , Korneliussen Thorfinn Sand 
Published: November 2023

AbstractMotivationOne essential initial step in the analysis of ancient DNA is to authenticate its ancientness to ensure reliable conclusions. That is, meticulously assessing whether next-generation sequencing reads exhibit ancient characteristics, with a particular focus on the postmortem damage (PMD) signal induced by cytosine deamination in the fragments termini. We present a novel statistical method implementation in a fast multithreaded program ngsBriggs that enables the rapid quantification of PMD by calculation of the Briggs ancient damage model parameters (Briggs parameters).ResultsUsing a fast multinomial regression approach, ngsBriggs accurately models the Briggs parameters, quantifying the PMD signal from single and double-stranded DNA regions. We revisit and extend the original Briggs model, with ngsBriggs modeling PMD signals for contemporary sequencing platforms. Furthermore, ngsBriggs asserts itself as a reliable and consistent tool, by accurately estimating the Briggs parameters across a variety of contamination levels. The classification accuracy of ngsBriggs significantly exceeds the current tool available when discerning ancient-from modern sequencing reads to decontaminate samples. Our novel method and implementation ngsBriggs outperforms existing tools regarding computational speed and accuracy, establishing its practicality and usability. Our tool, ngsBriggs offers a practical and accurate toolset for researchers seeking to authenticate ancient DNA and improve the quality of their data.Availabilityhttps://github.com/lz398/metadamage_briggs
Knowledge by omission: the significance of omissions in the 5-choice serial reaction time task
Authors: Vouillac-Mendoza Caroline , Durand Audrey , Ahmed Serge H. , Guillem Karine 
Published: November 2023

AbstractThe 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is commonly used to assess attention in rodents. Manipulation of this task by decreasing the light stimulus duration is often used to probe attentional capacity and causes a decrease in accuracy and an increase in omissions. However, although a decrease in response accuracy is commonly interpreted as a decrease in attention, it is more difficult to interpret an increase in omissions in terms of attentional performance. Here we present a series of experiments in rats that seeks to investigate the origins of these key behavioral measures of attention in the 5-CSRTT. After an initial training in the 5-CSRTT, rats were tested in a variable stimulus duration procedure to increase task difficulty and probe visual attentional capacity under several specific controlled conditions. We found that response accuracy reflects visuospatial sustained attentional processing, as commonly interpreted, while response omission reflects rats’ ignorance about the stimulus location, presumably due to failure to pay attention to the curved wall during its presentation. Moreover, when rats lack of relevant information, they choose not to respond instead of responding randomly. Overall, our results indicate that response accuracy and response omission thus correspond to two distinct attentional states.
Host influence on the eukaryotic virome of sympatric mosquitoes and abundance of diverse viruses with a broad host range
Authors: Morel Côme , Gil Patricia , Exbrayat Antoni , Loire Etienne , Charriat Florian , Prepoint Baptiste , Condachou Celine , Gimonneau Geoffrey , Fall Assane G. , Biteye Biram , Seck Momar Talla , Eloit Marc , Gutierrez Serafin 
Published: November 2023

AbstractMosquitoes harbor a large diversity of eukaryotic viruses. Those viromes probably influence mosquito physiology and the transmission of human pathogens. Nevertheless, their ecology remains largely unstudied. Here, we address two key questions in virome ecology. First, we assessed the influence of mosquito species on virome taxonomic diversity and relative abundance. Contrary to most previous studies, the potential effect of the habitat was explicitly included. Thousands of individuals ofCulex poicilipesandCulex tritaeniorhynchus,two vectors of viral diseases, were concomitantly sampled in three habitats over two years. A total of 95 viral taxa from 25 families were identified with meta-transcriptomics, with 75% of taxa shared by both mosquitoes. Viromes significantly differed by mosquito species but not by habitat. Differences were largely due to changes in relative abundance of shared taxa. Then, we studied the diversity of viruses with a broad host range. We searched for viral taxa shared by the twoCulexspecies andAedes vexans, another disease vector, present in one of the habitats. Twenty-six out of the 163 viral taxa were found in the three mosquitoes. These taxa encompassed 14 families. A database analysis supported broad host ranges for many of those viruses, as well as a widespread geographical distribution. Thus, the viromes of mosquitoes from the same genera mainly differed in the relative abundance of shared taxa, whereas differences in viral diversity dominated between mosquito genera. Whether this new model of virome diversity and structure applies to other mosquito communities remains to be determined.
Implications of digital risks on teachers' motivation and intention to use digital tools: a PLS-POS perspective in Romanian preuniversity education system
Authors: Tilibașa Maria Andreea , Boncilică Alina Nicoleta , Popa Ion , Ștefan Simona Cătălina , Tărăban Irina 
Published: November 2023

PurposeThe study aims to analyze the different types of risks related to the use of technology and determine their positive or negative influence on teachers' motivation and behavioral intention to use digital tools.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on survey data from 200 teachers in the Romanian preuniversity education system. The data analysis followed a four-step approach, using a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) model for hypothesized relationships among research concepts and a PLS prediction-oriented segmentation (POS) procedure.FindingsThis study showed that increased risk awareness influences both motivation and, consequently, the intention to adopt digital tools in the preuniversity education system.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of research remains constrained with regard to the examined population, considering the substantial number of teachers within the preuniversity education system. Another limit lies in the basic classification of identified risk types.Practical implicationsSchool managers should design a strategy to increase the level of motivation for integrating digital tools in the educational process.Originality/valueLittle scholarly attention has been devoted to investigating the risks associated with digitalization in the preuniversity education system. In addition, no prior research has been conducted to assess the influence of risk perception on people's motivation and intention to use digital tools in preuniversity education.
Multinationals’ value chain configuration for product diversification in emerging markets: Western firms in China
Authors: Franz Sarah , Giroud Axele , Ivarsson Inge 
Published: November 2023

Purpose
This study aims to analyse how multinational corporations (MNCs) organise value chain activities to penetrate new market segments. It contributes by expanding traditional decisions regarding the vertical fine-slicing of value chain activities (whether performed internally or externally) and the consideration of resource-sharing decisions (integration or separation) for each value chain function.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw on primary data collected from two case study firms operating in the large emerging Chinese market: Volvo Construction Equipment AB and Epiroc AB. In-depth cases illustrate how foreign MNCs expand into new market segments and simultaneously target both the lower-priced mid-market and the premium segments in the Chinese mining and construction industry.

Findings
The results reveal that product diversification creates challenges for managers who must oversee new (vertical) value chains, often simultaneously. Beyond geography and modes of governance, managers must decide whether to integrate or separate value chain activities for the new product lines. The study identifies four main strategic choices for firms to address this complexity, focusing on the decision to internalise or externalise (i.e. within or across organisational boundaries) and integrate or separate value chain activities between different product lines.

Originality/value
This study builds upon the internalisation theory and recent international business contributions that focus on value chain configurations to explain MNCs’ product diversification as a growth strategy in a host emerging market. It also sheds light on the choice of conducting new activities in-house or externally and elucidates firms’ managerial decisions to operationally integrate or separate individual value chain activities. The study provides insights into the drivers explaining managerial decisions to configure value chain activities across product lines and contributes to the growing body of literature on MNC activities in emerging economies by highlighting that product diversification impacts entry mode diversity and resource sharing across units.
Efficacy of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in women with non‐male factor infertility: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yang Liu , Liang Fuxiang , Zhu Rongyan , Wang Qi , Yao Liang , Zhang Xuehong 
Published: November 2023

AbstractIntroductionThe use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has dramatically increased in patients with non‐male factor infertility during the last decades. However, whether ICSI provides a significant benefit over in vitro fertilization (IVF) in these patients is still controversial. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of ICSI on reproductive outcomes with non‐male factor infertility and to provide updated evidence for clinical practice.Material and methodsWe searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to March 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy between ICSI and IVF in patients with non‐male factor infertility were included. The main outcomes were the live birth rate (LBR), fertilization rate (FR), and total fertilization failure (TFF). The pooled estimates were calculated using the random‐effects models as relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). This systematic review and meta‐analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023427004).ResultsWe included 18 RCTs with 3249 cycles and 30 994 oocytes. The results demonstrated that ICSI reduced the risk of TFF (RR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.13–0.50, I2 = 58%) and increased FR per oocyte inseminated/injected (RR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08–1.20, I2 = 69%), but it did not improve LBR (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.94–1.30, I2 = 0%) or other outcomes compared with IVF. However, the difference in fertilization failure reduction between ICSI and IVF may be explained by different randomization methods (randomization based on patients vs. sibling oocytes). When considering only studies with randomization based on patients, we found no evidence of the difference between the groups (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.48–1.06, I2 = 0%). Furthermore, no differences were observed in subgroup analyses based on other factors, including female age, study period, and controlled ovarian stimulation protocols.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that ICSI leads to no difference in reproductive outcomes compared to IVF in patients with non‐male factor infertility. Considering the cost and safety of ICSI, we have no evidence to support the routine use of ICSI in these populations. High‐quality RCTs with large sample sizes will be needed to confirm our results and explore clinical and neonatal outcomes.
Workplace heating and gender discrimination
Authors: Albertsen Andreas , Pedersen Viki M. L. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractAcross Europe, countries are reducing CO2 emissions and energy demand by lowering the temperature in public office buildings. These measures affect men and women unequally because the latter prefer and, indeed, perform better under higher temperatures than the standard temperature. Lowering the temperature thus further increases an already existing inequality. We show that the philosophical literature on discrimination provides an interesting theoretical approach to understanding such measures. On prominent understandings of what discrimination is, the policy would be considered direct discrimination against women if it could be shown to reflect a broader inattentiveness to the needs of women in society. Alternatively, and more straightforwardly, the policies can be considered indirect discrimination because of their disparate effects on men and women. The final part of the paper shows that the policies are also wrong for the reasons it is often argued that discrimination is wrong—to wit, that it harms or disrespects those who are discriminated against. The final section suggests a range of measures to offset the discriminatory aspects of the policy.
Maternal beliefs about the benefits and costs of child and adolescent friendship
Authors: Weingarten Jenna P. , Bowker Julie C. , Coplan Robert J. , Rubin Kenneth H. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractThe goals of this study were to examine maternal beliefs about the primary benefits and costs of their children's time spent with friends, and to explore child age and gender differences in these beliefs. Participants were N = 512 mothers (Mchildage = 10.18 years; 11% ethnic minority). Open‐ended responses to questions about the benefits and costs were coded and analysed, with results indicating that mothers consider opportunities for social skills and social‐cognitive development a primary benefit of spending time with friends. Negative friend influence was the most commonly cited cost of friendship. Child age was associated with a number of maternal beliefs (e.g., mothers of adolescents were more likely than mothers of young children to report intimacy as a benefit), but child gender was not. Findings highlight the importance of considering child age in studies of maternal beliefs about friendship and set the stage for future research in this area.
Authoring Terrains with Spatialised Style
Authors: Perche Simon , Peytavie Adrien , Benes Bedrich , Galin Eric , Guérin Eric 
Published: November 2023

AbstractVarious terrain modelling methods have been proposed for the past decades, providing efficient and often interactive authoring tools. However, they seldom include any notion of style, which is critical for designers in the entertainment industry. We introduce a new generative network method that bridges the gap between automatic terrain synthesis and authoring, providing a versatile set of authoring tools allowing spatialised style. We build upon the StyleGAN2 architecture and extend it with authoring tools. Given an input sketch or existing elevation map, our method generates a terrain with features that can be authored, enhanced, and augmented using interactive brushes and style manipulation tools. The strength of our approach lies in the versatility and interoperability of the different tools. We validate our method quantitatively with drainage calculation against other previous techniques and qualitatively by asking users to follow a prompt or freely create a terrain.
Controllable Garment Image Synthesis Integrated with Frequency Domain Features
Authors: Liang Xinru , Mo Haoran , Gao Chengying 
Published: November 2023

AbstractUsing sketches and textures to synthesize garment images is able to conveniently display the realistic visual effect in the design phase, which greatly increases the efficiency of fashion design. Existing garment image synthesis methods from a sketch and a texture tend to fail in working on complex textures, especially those with periodic patterns. We propose a controllable garment image synthesis framework that takes as inputs an outline sketch and a texture patch and generates garment images with complicated and diverse texture patterns. To improve the performance of global texture expansion, we exploit the frequency domain features in the generative process, which are from a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and able to represent the periodic information of the patterns. We also introduce a perceptual loss in the frequency domain to measure the similarity of two texture pattern patches in terms of their intrinsic periodicity and regularity. Comparisons with existing approaches and sufficient ablation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of our method that is capable of synthesizing impressive garment images with diverse texture patterns while guaranteeing proper texture expansion and pattern consistency.
Continuous Layout Editing of Single Images with Diffusion Models
Authors: Zhang Zhiyuan , Huang Zhitong , Liao Jing 
Published: November 2023

AbstractRecent advancements in large‐scale text‐to‐image diffusion models have enabled many applications in image editing. However, none of these methods have been able to edit the layout of single existing images. To address this gap, we propose the first framework for layout editing of a single image while preserving its visual properties, thus allowing for continuous editing on a single image. Our approach is achieved through two key modules. First, to preserve the characteristics of multiple objects within an image, we disentangle the concepts of different objects and embed them into separate textual tokens using a novel method called masked textual inversion. Next, we propose a training‐free optimization method to perform layout control for a pre‐trained diffusion model, which allows us to regenerate images with learned concepts and align them with user‐specified layouts. As the first framework to edit the layout of existing images, we demonstrate that our method is effective and outperforms other baselines that were modified to support this task. Code is available at our project page.