bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genotype-specific expression ofuncle festersuggests a role in allorecognition education in a basal chordate
Authors: Taketa Daryl A. , Cengher Liviu , Rodriguez Delany , Langenbacher Adam D. , De Tomaso Anthony W. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractHistocompatibility is the ability to discriminate between self and non-self tissues, and has been described in species throughout the metazoa. Despite its universal presence, histocompatibility genes utilized by different phyla are unique-those found in sponges, cnidarians, ascidians and vertebrates are not orthologous. Thus, the origins of these sophisticated recognition systems, and any potential functional commonalities between them are not understood. A well-studied histocompatibility system exists in the botryllid ascidians, members of the chordate subphylum, Tunicata, and provides an opportunity to do so. Histocompatibility in the botryllids occurs at the tips of an extracorporeal vasculature that come into contact when two individuals grow into proximity. If compatible, the vessels willfuse, forming a parabiosis between the two individuals. If incompatible, the two vessels willreject-an inflammatory reaction that results in melanin scar formation at the point of contact, blocking anastomosis. Compatibility is determined by a single, highly polymorphic locus called thefuhcwith the following rules: individuals that share one or bothfuhcalleles will fuse, while those who share neither will reject. Thefuhclocus encodes multiple proteins with roles in allorecognition, including one calleduncle fester,which is necessary and sufficient to initiate the rejection response. Here we report the existence of genotype-specific expression levels ofuncle fester, differing by up to 8-fold at the mRNA-level, and that these expression levels are constant and maintained for the lifetime of an individual. We also found that these differences had functional consequences: the expression level ofuncle festercorrelated with the speed and severity of the rejection response. These findings support previous conclusions thatuncle festerlevels modulate the rejection response, and may be responsible for controlling the variation observed in the timing and intensity of the reaction. The maintenance of genotype specific expression of uncle fester is also evidence of an education process reminiscent of that which occurs in mammalian Natural Killer (NK) cells. In turn, this suggests that while histocompatibility receptors and ligands evolve via convergent evolution, they may utilize conserved intracellular machinery to interpret binding events at the cell surface.
The Role of Sex in the Effects of Smoking and Nicotine in Cardiovascular Function, Atherosclerosis, and Inflammation
Authors: Centner Ann Marie , Cullen Abigail , Khalili Leila , Ukhanov Vladimir , Hill Stephanie , Deitado Riley , Hwang Hyun Seok , Azeez Tooyb , La Favor Justin D. , Laitano Orlando , Parvatiyar Michelle S. , Salazar Gloria 
Published: February 2024

Abstractcigarette smoke (CS) invokes an inflammatory response involving increased levels of circulating cytokines and chemokines, vascular dysfunction, and atherosclerosis. The role of sex and nicotine in CS effects in cardiovascular function and atherosclerosis is unexplored. To assess the role of sex, male and female C57Bl/6 WT (wild type) and ApoE-/-mice were exposed to CS and nicotine for 16 weeks to bridge this literature gap. Heart rate and endothelial function were measured in the aorta of WT mice, while plasma levels of lipids, cytokines and chemokines and aortic plaque burden was assessed in ApoE-/-mice. CS increased heart rate to similar levels in both sexes and induced a stronger impairment in endothelial function in males and more plaque in females than nicotine. Females showed a higher necrotic core area at basal compared with males, while males had a higher calcification area than females by CS. Senescence-associated GLB1/μ-galactosidase (SA-GLB1) activity was elevated similarly in both sexes by both treatments. Total cholesterol (TC) was elevated by CS in both sexes. CS increased triglycerides (TG), very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) only in males and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) only in females. Interleukin 17A (IL17A) was upregulated by CS and nicotine in both sexes, while CS upregulated C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5/LIX) and interleukin 1 alpha (IL1A) in males and females, respectively. Additionally, nicotine metabolism showed sex specific responses to nicotine, but not smoking. Overall, we identified sex-specific pro-atherogenic responses to CS in the lipid profile, plaque area and composition and inflammatory markers. Males present a stronger impairment in endothelia dysfunction in WT mice, while females a stronger plaque burden in ApoE-/-mice exposed to CS. Elevated HDL and estrogens in males may offer partial protection against the harmful effects of CS. In contrast, elevated LDL and a pro-inflammatory state may promote a stronger pro-atherogenic phenotype in females exposed to CS.
A systematic review and analysis of health risks associated with zootherapeutic practices in Africa
Authors: Fourchault Léa , Lamane Abdallah , Nguinwa Mbakop Dimitri Romaric , Saliu Ganiyat Temidayo , Gryseels Sophie , Verheyen Erik , Kreppel Katharina 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundOver five billion people globally rely on a plant- and animal-based pharmacopoeia for their healthcare needs. The inhalation, topical application, subcutaneous injection, or ingestion of animal products – such as faeces, fur, milk, blood, brain tissue, or meat – likely facilitates the spill over of zoonotic pathogens. Certain practices use species known to be involved in the transmission of pathogens of public health relevance, such as reservoir species for filoviruses, poxviruses, and coronaviruses. These practices and the public health risk they entail have not been previously reviewed and analysed for the African continent.MethodsWe first conducted a systematic review of literature using web-scraping algorithms targeted at peer-reviewed (PubMed) and peer-reviewed or grey literature (Google Scholar) databases, followed by manual search of reference lists published before July 30th, 2023. We used terms encompassing zoo*, animal*, health*, practice*, tradition* followed by a list of all 54 African countries in combination with Boolean operators. We then created a categorical score reflecting the risk of zoonotic pathogen spill over for each recorded zootherapeutic practice, and compared this risk between geographic regions and between demographic groups.FindingsA total of 53 studies were included, reporting the use of over 2,000 zootherapeutic practices. Half of the included studies were published after 2020. Nigerian, Ethiopian, Tanzanian and South African practices were comparatively well documented. The mean total risk score was significantly lower in western (13.27 ± 0.13, p < 0.0001), central (14.80 ± 0.27, p < 0.003), and southern (13.48 ± 0.23, p < 0.0001) Africa, compared to eastern Africa, while there was no significant difference between eastern and northern Africa (15.25 ± 0.26, p = 0.16). Further, we found that physically sick children are overall at increased risk for pathogen spill over (13.20 ± 0.36 out of a possible sub-score of 20, p = 0.001 < 0.05) compared to physically sick adults, and that pregnant or lactating women are exposed to animal tissues of significantly greater infectious potential (4.01 ± 0.15, p = 0.032 <0.05).InterpretationThe WHO recently hosted its first global summit on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM), highlighting its importance to fulfil SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. Where other forms of healthcare are unavailable or inefficient, zootherapeutic practices can provide valuable solutions to acute, chronic, physical, and psychological issues. However, significant risks of zoonotic disease transmission exist. This article aims to guide research on sustainable alternatives to mainstream medical treatments that balance cultural significance and public health.
Milteforan, a promising veterinary commercial product against feline sporotrichosis
Authors: García Carnero Laura C. , dos Reis Thaila F. , Diehl Camila , de Castro Patricia Alves , Pontes Lais , Pinzan Camila Figueiredo , Goldman Gustavo H. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractSporotrichosis, the cutaneous mycosis most commonly reported in Latin America, is caused by theSporothrixclinical clade species, includingSporothrix brasiliensisandSporothrix schenckii sensu stricto. In Brazil,S. brasiliensisrepresents a vital health threat to humans and domestic animals due to its zoonotic transmission. Itraconazole, terbinafine, and amphotericin B are the most used antifungals for treating sporotrichosis. However, many strains ofS. brasiliensisandS. schenckiihave shown resistance to these agents, highlighting the importance of finding new therapeutic options. Here, we demonstrate that milteforan, a commercial veterinary product against dog leishmaniasis whose active principle is miltefosine, is a possible therapeutic alternative for the treatment of sporotrichosis, as observed by its fungicidal activityin vitroagainst different strains ofS. brasiliensisandS. schenckii, and by its antifungal activity when used to treat infected epithelial cells and macrophages. Our results suggest milteforan as a possible alternative to treat feline sporotrichosis.
Functional biogeography of marine microbial heterotrophs
Authors: Zakem Emily J. , McNichol Jesse , Weissman J.L. , Raut Yubin , Xu Liang , Halewood Elisa R. , Carlson Craig A. , Dutkiewicz Stephanie , Fuhrman Jed A. , Levine Naomi M. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractHeterotrophic bacteria and archaea (‘heteroprokaryotes’) drive global carbon cycling, but how to quantitatively organize their functional complexity remains unclear. We generated a global-scale understanding of marine heteroprokaryotic functional biogeography by synthesizing genetic sequencing data with a mechanistic marine ecosystem model. We incorporated heteroprokaryotic diversity into the trait-based model along two axes: substrate lability and growth strategy. Using genetic sequences along three ocean transects, we compiled 21 heteroprokaryotic guilds and estimated their degree of optimization for rapid growth (copiotrophy). Data and model consistency indicated that gradients in grazing and substrate lability predominantly set biogeographical patterns, and identified deep-ocean ‘slow copiotrophs’ whose ecological interactions control the surface accumulation of dissolved organic carbon.
Aberrant axon initial segment is an indicator for task-independent neural activity in autism model mice
Authors: Otani Yoshinori , Koga Kohei , Kawabata Ryo , Liu Xinglang , Miyajima Hisao , Takumi Toru , Fujitani Masashi 
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACTAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by impairments in several communicative behaviors. Identification of biomarkers for ASD based on task-independent neural activity has been elusive. The axonal initial segment (AIS), located at the proximal part of the axon, is crucial for initiating action potentials (APs) and adaptable through activity-dependent AIS plasticity. In our study, we discovered decrease in AIS length in layer V pyramidal neurons (PyNs) of the prelimbic cortex (PrL) and increase in layer II/III PyNs in the somatosensory cortex of duplicated human15q11-13region (15q dup) ASD model mice. Electrophysiological studies using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in the PrL revealed diminished ability to generate APs. We discovered lack of AIS plasticity in 15q dupmice under conditions of elevated potassium chloride. Retrograde tracing demonstrated that AIS shortening depends on the projection targets. These results indicate that activity-dependent aberrant AIS structures can serve as indicators of altered task-independent neural activity in ASD mouse models.
Comparing arm to whole-body motor control disambiguates age-related deterioration from compensation
Authors: Mathieu Robin , Chambellant Florian , Thomas Elizabeth , Papaxanthis Charalambos , Hilt Pauline , Manckoundia Patrick , Mourey France , Gaveau Jérémie 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAs the global population ages, it is crucial to understand sensorimotor compensation mechanisms. These mechanisms are thought to enable older adults to remain in good physical health, but despite important research efforts, they remain essentially chimeras. A major problem with their identification is the ambiguous interpretation of age-related alterations. Whether a change reflects deterioration or compensation is difficult to determine. Here we compared the electromyographic and kinematic patterns of different motor tasks in younger (n = 20; mean age = 23.6 years) and older adults (n = 24; mean age = 72 years). Building on the knowledge that humans take advantage of gravity effects to minimize their muscle effort, we probed the ability of younger and older adults to plan energetically efficient movement during arm-only and whole-body movements. In line with previous studies and compared to younger adults, muscle activation patterns revealed that older adults used a less efficient movement strategy during whole-body movement tasks. We found that this age-related alteration was task-specific. It did not affect arm movements, thereby supporting the hypothesis that healthy older adults maintain the ability to plan energetically efficient movements. More importantly, we found that the reduced whole-body movement efficiency was correlated with kinematic measures of balance control (i.e., the center-of-mass movement amplitude and speed). The more efficient the movement strategy, the more challenging the balance. Overall, these results suggest that reduced movement efficiency in healthy older adults does not reflect a deterioration but rather a compensation process that adapts movement strategy to the task specificities. When balance is at stake, healthy older adults prefer stability to energy efficiency.
Search for the decay
Bs0→J/ψπ0
at Belle experiment
Authors: Kumar D. , Bhuyan B. , Aihara H. , Asner D. M. , Aushev T. , Ayad R. , Babu V. , Banerjee Sw. , Bauer M. , Behera P. , Belous K. , Bennett J. , Bessner M. , Bilka T. , Biswas D. , Bobrov A. , Bodrov D. , Borah J. , Bračko M. , Branchini P. , Browder T. E. , Budano A. , Campajola M. , Červenkov D. , Chang M.-C. , Chen C. , Cheon B. G. , Chilikin K. , Cho K. , Choi S.-K. , Choi Y. , Choudhury S. , Das S. , Dash N. , De Nardo G. , De Pietro G. , Dhamija R. , Doležal Z. , Dong T. V. , Ecker P. , Epifanov D. , Ferlewicz D. , Fulsom B. G. , Garg R. , Gaur V. , Garmash A. , Giri A. , Goldenzweig P. , Graziani E. , Gudkova K. , Hadjivasiliou C. , Hayasaka K. , Hayashii H. , Hazra S. , Herrmann D. , Hou W.-S. , Hsu C.-L. , Ipsita N. , Ishikawa A. , Itoh R. , Iwasaki M. , Jacobs W. W. , Jia S. , Jin Y. , Kalita D. , Kaliyar A. B. , Kiesling C. , Kim C. H. , Kim D. Y. , Kim K.-H. , Kim Y.-K. , Kinoshita K. , Kodyš P. , Korobov A. , Korpar S. , Kovalenko E. , Križan P. , Krokovny P. , Kuhr T. , Kumar R. , Kumara K. , Kumita T. , Kuzmin A. , Kwon Y.-J. , Lam T. , Lee S. C. , Levit D. , Li L. K. , Li Y. , Li Y. B. , Li Gioi L. , Libby J. , Liventsev D. , Ma Y. , Masuda M. , Matsuda T. , Matvienko D. , Maurya S. K. , Meier F. , Merola M. , Metzner F. , Miyabayashi K. , Mizuk R. , Mohanty G. B. , Mussa R. , Nakao M. , Natkaniec Z. , Natochii A. , Nayak L. , Nayak M. , Nishida S. , Ogawa S. , Ono H. , Pakhlov P. , Pakhlova G. , Pardi S. , Park J. , Park S.-H. , Passeri A. , Paul S. , Pedlar T. K. , Pestotnik R. , Piilonen L. E. , Podobnik T. , Prim M. T. , Rout N. , Russo G. , Sandilya S. , Santelj L. , Savinov V. , Schnell G. , Schwanda C. , Seino Y. , Sevior M. E. , Shan W. , Sharma C. , Shen C. P. , Shiu J.-G. , Singh J. B. , Solovieva E. , Starič M. , Stottler Z. S. , Sumihama M. , Takizawa M. , Tanida K. , Tenchini F. , Tiwary R. , Uglov T. , Unno Y. , Uno S. , Ushiroda Y. , Vahsen S. E. , Varvell K. E. , Vinokurova A. , Wang D. , Wang X. L. , Watanuki S. , Won E. , Yabsley B. D. , Yan W. , Yelton J. , Yin J. H. , Yuan L. , Zhang Z. P. , Zhilich V. , Zhukova V. ,   Belle Collaboration
Published: February 2024

We have analyzed 121.4  fb−1 of data collected at the ϒ(5S) resonance by the Belle experiment using the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e− collider to search for the decay Bs0→J/ψπ0. We observe no signal and report an upper limit on the branching fraction B(Bs0→J/ψπ0) of 1.21×10−5 at 90% confidence level. This result is the most stringent, improving the previous bound by 2 orders of magnitude.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Emergent Macroscopic Bistability Induced by a Single Superconducting Qubit
Authors: Sett Riya , Hassani Farid , Phan Duc , Barzanjeh Shabir , Vukics Andras , Fink Johannes M. 
Published: February 2024

The photon blockade breakdown in a continuously driven cavity QED system has been proposed as a prime example for a first-order driven-dissipative quantum phase transition. However, the predicted scaling from a microscopic behavior—dominated by quantum fluctuations—to a macroscopic one—characterized by stable phases—and the associated exponents and phase diagram have not been observed so far. In this work we couple a single transmon qubit with a fixed coupling strength g to a superconducting cavity that is bandwidth κ tunable to controllably approach this thermodynamic limit. Even though the system remains microscopic, we observe its behavior becoming increasingly macroscopic as a function of g/κ. For the highest realized g/κ of approximately 287, the system switches with a characteristic timescale as long as 6 s between a bright coherent state with approximately 8×103 intracavity photons and the vacuum state. This exceeds the microscopic timescales by 6 orders of magnitude and approaches the perfect hysteresis expected between two macroscopic attractors in the thermodynamic limit. These findings and interpretation are qualitatively supported by neoclassical theory and large-scale quantum-jump Monte Carlo simulations. Besides shedding more light on driven-dissipative physics in the limit of strong light-matter coupling, this system might also find applications in quantum sensing and metrology.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Shifting work competencies in an emerging economy: a comparison of accounting students’ perceptions of demand and supply
Authors: Chandler Nicholas 
Published: February 2024

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to ascertain which competences are seen by employers as important for accounting students in an emerging economy, to triangulate this list with the experiences of working students and compare with those work competencies acquired during the period of study.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a novel mixed-method approach, with interviews of employers (n = 11) to identify key work competencies, and then with a quantitative study of working students (n = 184) to examine the work competency gap, using paired T-tests and mean weight discrepancy scores. The study was undertaken between September and December 2022.FindingsThe paper provides empirical insights into key work competencies in an emerging economy. There is a focus on technical skills at the university, whilst soft skills are preferred by employers. New key work competencies were uncovered relating to intuition, innovation and communicating in a foreign language. The key personal characteristics required for the job relate to change and uncertainty.Research limitations/implicationsA qualitative assessment of key work competencies of employers and the use of mean weighted discrepancy scores is recommended in further studies in this field.Practical implicationsPractical approaches for educators, government and employers are offered to address the increasing demand for soft skills and other work competencies specific to an emerging economy.Originality/valueThe study is set in an emerging economy, which is underdeveloped in this field. The findings inform key stakeholders with a vested interest in reducing the work competency gap.
Enhancing creditor decision-making in South African business rescue proceedings: a comprehensive analysis of information requirements in business rescue plans
Authors: Kekana Mamekwa Katlego , Pretorius Marius , De Abreu Nicole Varela Aguiar 
Published: February 2024

Purpose
Business rescue, as a mechanism to aid financially distressed companies in South Africa, has received considerable academic and practical recognition. However, the business rescue plan is an overlooked and, perhaps, underdeveloped aspect of the regime. For stakeholders, this is the ultimate decision-making document. Creditors are the most influential stakeholders in business rescue proceedings owing to their voting rights. For creditors to make informed decisions and exercise their votes meaningfully, the business rescue plan should be transparent and adequately disclose relevant and reliable information. This study aims to identify creditors’ primary information needs to enhance the sufficiency and decision-usefulness of business rescue plans, not only to entice the vote of creditors but to enforce accountability from practitioners.

Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 executives from 10 South African financial institutions.

Findings
The findings reveal that comprehensive disclosure of financial, commercial and legal information in business rescue plans was a critical antecedent for stakeholder decision-making. Additionally, leadership and social impact information were influential determinants. This study advances academic knowledge and, for practitioners, adds value to the development of business rescue plans. This can enhance creditors' confidence in supporting the rescue effort and approving the plan.

Practical implications
This study advances academic knowledge and, for practitioners, adds value to the development of business rescue plans. This can enhance creditors' confidence in supporting the rescue effort and approving the plan.

Originality/value
The originality of this article lies in its investigation of how creditors assess the information in BR plans as a precursor to supporting the company’s reorganisation in a creditor-friendly business rescue system such as South Africa. This study provides novel insights into the decision-making process, particularly how creditors assess BR plans, address information asymmetry and vote on the plan.