bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A trait or a state - how consistent are tail biting phenotypes in pigs?
Authors: Chou Jen-Yun , D’Eath Rick B. , Sandercock Dale A. , O’Driscoll Keelin 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe physiological, psychological and behavioural traits of tail biting/bitten pigs have been widely studied, with most research focusing on identifying traits to predict tail biting phenotypes (biters, victims, or uninvolved ‘neutrals’). However, it is not clear if these traits persist once pigs are no longer involved in performing or receiving tail bites. This study investigated whether there was a difference in behavioural responses to a novel object test (NOT) between pigs which were tail biting performers (BITER), recipients (VICTIM), or not involved in the biting events (NEUTRAL). We then investigated whether these differences in responses were still evident six weeks later, when tail biting was less prevalent. We hypothesised that biters would exhibit more behaviours indicative of boldness, but also stress, than victims or neutrals, and that these differences would still be present later. A total of 120 undocked pigs (BITER, n = 48; VICTIM, N = 48; NEUTRAL, n = 24; 60 male, 60 female) were selected for testing. At the time of the first test (one week after pigs were moved into the finisher house at 12 weeks of age; T1), the prevalence of tail biting peaked. The same test was repeated six weeks later (T2) when biting had eased. Each pig was tested separately in a novel arena. After a minute of habituation, a brush head was introduced by dropping it down from above, at which point the 5 min test began. A saliva sample was taken immediately before the habituation (baseline) and after each test to evaluate cortisol concentration. Direct continuous behaviour observation was conducted. Overall, salivary cortisol concentrations were higher after than before the NOT (P< 0.001), although VICTIM pigs had a reduced elevation in cortisol after the test (P= 0.02) compared to BITER and NEUTRAL pigs in T2. Between phenotypes, baseline saliva cortisol concentrations were similar. BITER pigs approached the object quicker than VICTIM pigs (P = 0.01), but also had more high-pitched vocalisations (P < 0.01), but these differences observed in T1 were no longer present in T2. The results suggested that the NOT was sensitive to detect different levels of behavioural response; however, differences in BITER pigs’ behavioural responses were transient and did not persist once biting behaviour ceased. The long-term consequence of chronic stress caused by being tail bitten was manifested in VICTIM pigs’ blunted cortisol elevation six weeks later, after severe tail biting events.
Comparison of sporulation and germination conditions forClostridium perfringensstrains
Authors: Liggins Marc , Ramírez Norma Ramírez , Abel-Santos Ernesto 
Published: February 2023

AbstractClostridium perfringensis a spore forming, obligate anaerobe, Gram-positive bacterium that causes a range of diseases in humans and animals. The infectious form ofC. perfringensis the spore, a structure that is derived from the vegetative cell under conditions of nutrient deprivation. The first step inC. perfringenspathogenesis is the differentiation of spores into replicating bacteria. Previous work in analyzingC. perfringensspore germination has produced contradictory, strain-specific results. Hence, we analyzed the requirements for spore formation and germination in seven differentC. perfringensstrains. Our data showed thatC. perfringenssporulation conditions are strain specific, but germination responses are homogenous.C. perfringensspores can germinate using two distinct pathways. The first germination pathway (the amino acid-only pathway or AA) requires L-alanine, L-phenylalanine, and sodium ions (Na+) as co-germinants. L-arginine is not a required germinant but potentiates germination. The AA pathway is inhibited by aromatic amino acids and potassium ions (K+). Bicarbonate (HCO3-), on the other hand, bypasses potassium-mediated inhibition ofC. perfringensspore germination through the AA pathway. The second germination pathway (the bile salt and amino acid pathway or BA) is more promiscuous and is activated by several bile salts and amino acids. In contrast to the AA pathway, the BA pathway is insensitive to Na+, but can be activated by either K+or HCO3-. We hypothesize thatC. perfringensmay have evolved these two distinct germination pathways to ensure spore response to different host environments.Manuscript contribution to the fieldClostridium perfringensis a ubiquitous bacterium that can infect a wide variety of animal hosts, including humans.C. perfringenscounts with a veritable arsenal of toxins that are differentially expressed depending on the host infected. Besides toxin production,C. perfringenscan also form dormant and resistant spores that serve as infective vehicles.C. perfringensspores need to germinate back into vegetative cells to cause disease. Befitting to its wide host range,C. perfringensspore germination seems to use strain specific. In this study, we tested the ability of sevenC. perfringensstrains to produce spores under different conditions. We also tested the requirements for spore germination. We found that whileC. perfringenssporulation was highly varied, the germination response for all strains could be divided into two distinct pathways. SinceC. perfringensspores need to germinate to cause infection, understanding the germination behavior could lead to approaches for the prevention of diseases in humans and veterinary animals.
Investigating insecticide susceptibility status of adult mosquitoes against some class of insecticides in Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria
Authors: Raheem H. O. , Iwalewa Z. O. , Busari L. O. , Fasasi K. A. , Adeleke M. A. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe study evaluates the resistance and susceptibility of adult femaleAnopheles gambiaes. l.,Aedes aegyptiandCulex quinquefasciatusmosquitoes sourced within Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria to four groups of insecticides [Permethrin, Deltamethrin, Pirimiphos-methyl and DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethan)] and the distribution of their larval habitat within the metropolis. Mosquito larvae of the three genera were collected during the wet season and reared to adult stage in the laboratory. Emerged adult female mosquitoes were exposed to insecticide impregnated papers of the four insecticide groups for 60mins using WHO kits to determine the knock down rate (kdr). Thereafter, they were to holding tubes and left for 24hrs to assess their resistance and susceptibility according to the WHO protocol. Four types of larval habitats were identified (tires, ground pools, gutters and plastic containers).Anopheles gambiaes. l. showed the greatest resistance to Permethrin (49%) (p=0.04, p<0.05) while the highest susceptibility was recorded with Pirimiphos-methyl (69%) with the lowest against Permethrin (16%) (P=0.002; p<0.05). The greatest resistance ofA. aegyptiwas against OC-Control (45%) (p=0.031; p<0.05). Permethrin had the highest susceptibility (60%) againstA. aegyptiwhile OC-control had the lowest (11%) (p= 0.005; p< 0.05).Culex quinquefasciatushad a lesser resistance to OC-control (38%) as compared withAedes aegypti(45%). However, it was most least susceptible to Pirimiphos-methyl (52%) and DDT (17%) respectively (p=0.013; p<0.05). The susceptibility ofA. gambiaes. l. andC. quinquefasciatusto Pirimiphos-methyl andA. aegyptito Permethrin is an indication of the possibility of success if employed for vector control ofA. gambiaes. l.,C. quinquefasciatusandA. aegyptirespectively. This could be through their inclusion as active ingredients in insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spray (IRS) with a view to abating malaria and other life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases constituting global public health scourge.
Starvation induces extracellular accumulation of polyphosphate inDictyostelium discoideumto inhibit macropinocytosis, phagocytosis, and exocytosis
Authors: Rijal Ramesh , Ismail Issam , Jing Shiyu , Gomer Richard H. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractDictyostelium discoideumis a soil-dwelling unicellular eukaryote that accumulates extracellular polyphosphate (polyP). At high cell densities, when the cells are about to overgrow their food supply and starve, the corresponding high extracellular concentrations of polyP allow the cells to preemptively anticipate starvation, inhibit proliferation, and prime themselves to begin development. In this report, we show that starvedD. discoideumcells accumulate cell surface and extracellular polyP. Starvation reduces macropinocytosis, exocytosis, and phagocytosis, and we find that these effects require the G protein-coupled polyP receptor (GrlD) and two enzymes, Polyphosphate kinase 1 (Ppk1), which is required for synthesizing intracellular polyP, cell surface polyP, and some of the extracellular polyP, and Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase (I6kA), which is required for cell surface polyP and polyP binding to cells, and some of the extracellular polyP. PolyP reduces membrane fluidity, and we find that starvation reduces membrane fluidity, and this effect requires GrlD and Ppk1 but not I6kA. Together, these data suggest that in starved cells, extracellular polyP decreases membrane fluidity, possibly as a protective measure. In the starved cells, sensing polyP appears to decrease energy expenditure from ingestion, and decrease exocytosis, to both decrease energy expenditures and retain nutrients.
Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 isolation in cell culture from nasal/nasopharyngeal swabs or saliva specimens of patients with COVID-19
Authors: Yazawa Shunsuke , Yamazaki Emiko , Saga Yumiko , Itamochi Masae , Inasaki Noriko , Shimada Takahisa , Oishi Kazunori , Tani Hideki 
Published: February 2023

ABSTRACTIt has been revealed that SARS-CoV-2 can be efficiently isolated from clinical specimens such as nasal/nasopharyngeal swabs or saliva in cultured cells. In this study, we examined the efficiency of viral isolation including SARS-CoV-2 mutant strains between nasal/nasopharyngeal swab or saliva specimens. Furthermore, we also examined the comparison of viral isolation rates by sample species using simulated specimens for COVID- 19. As a result, it was found that the isolation efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva specimens was significantly lower than that in the nasal/nasopharyngeal swab specimens. In order to determine which component of saliva is responsible for the lower isolation rate of saliva specimens, we tested the abilities of lactoferrin, amylase, cathelicidin, and mucin, which are considered to be abundant in saliva, to inhibit the infection of SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped viruses (SARS-CoV-2pv). Lactoferrin and amylase were found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2pv infection. In conclusion, even if the same number of viral genome copies was detected by the real-time RT-PCR test, infection of SARS-CoV-2 present in saliva is thought to be inhibited by inhibitory factors such as lactoferrin and amylase, compared to nasal/nasopharyngeal swab specimens.
A burns and COVID-19 shared stress responding gene network deciphers CD1C-CD141-DCs as the key cellular components in septic prognosis
Authors: Liang Qiao , Wang Lei , Xu Jing , Lin Anqi , Wu Yongzheng , Tao Qing , Zhang Bin , Min Haiyan , Song Shiyu , Gao Qian 
Published: February 2023

AbstractDifferential body responses to various stresses, infectious or noninfectious, govern clinical outcomes ranging from asymptoma to death. However, the common molecular and cellular nature of the stress responsome across different stimuli is not described. In this study, we compared the expression behaviors between burns and COVID-19 infection by choosing the transcriptome of peripheral blood from related patients as the analytic target since the blood cells reflect the systemic landscape of immune homeostasis. We identified an immune co-stimulator (CD86)-centered network, named stress-response core (SRC), which coordinated multiple immune processes and was robust in membership and highly related to the clinical traits in both burns and COVID-19. An independent whole blood single-cell RNA sequencing of COVID-19 patients demonstrated that the monocyte-dendritic cell (Mono-DC) wing was the major cellular source of the SRC, among which the higher expression of the SRC in the monocyte was associated with the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, while the quantity-restricted and function-defected CD1C-CD141-DCs were recognized as the key signature which linked to bad consequences in COVID-19. Specifically, the proportion of the CD1C-CD141-DCs and their SRC expression levels were step-wise reduced along with worse clinic conditions while the sub-cluster of CD1C-CD141-DCs of the critical COVID-19 patients was characterized of IFN signaling quiescence, high mitochondrial metabolism and immune-communication inactivation. Thus, our study identified an expression-synchronized and function-focused gene network which was decreased under burns and COVID-19 stress and argued the CD1C-CD141-DC as the prognosis-related cell population which might serve as a new target of diagnosis and therapy.
Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: A multi‐trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change
Authors: Shah Alisha A. , Hotaling Scott , Lapsansky Anthony B. , Malison Rachel L. , Birrell Jackson H. , Keeley Tylor , Giersch J. Joseph , Tronstad Lusha M. , Woods H. Arthur 
Published: February 2023

AbstractVulnerability to warming is often assessed using short‐term metrics such as the critical thermal maximum (CTMAX), which represents an organism's ability to survive extreme heat. However, the long‐term effects of sub‐lethal warming are an essential link to fitness in the wild, and these effects are not adequately captured by metrics like CTMAX.The meltwater stonefly,Lednia tumana, is endemic to high‐elevation streams of Glacier National Park, MT, USA, and has long been considered acutely vulnerable to climate‐change‐associated stream warming. As a result, in 2019, it was listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This presumed vulnerability to warming was challenged by a recent study showing that nymphs can withstand short‐term exposure to temperatures as high as ~27°C. But whether they also tolerate exposure to chronic, long‐term warming remained unclear.By measuring fitness‐related traits at several ecologically relevant temperatures over several weeks, we show thatL. tumanacannot complete its life‐cycle at temperatures only a few degrees above what some populations currently experience.The temperature at which growth rate was maximized appears to have a detrimental impact on other key traits (survival, emergence success and wing development), thus extending our understanding ofL. tumana's vulnerability to climate change.Our results call into question the use of CTMAXas a sole metric of thermal sensitivity for a species, while highlighting the power and complexity of multi‐trait approaches to assessing vulnerability.Read the freePlain Language Summaryfor this article on the Journal blog.
The Missing Generation: Grandparents and Agency in Early Modern England
Authors: CAPP BERNARD 
Published: February 2023

AbstractGrandparents have been largely overlooked in the otherwise rich historiography of the family in early modern England. This article shows how many were able to play significant roles in family life, in both emotional and practical terms. Some forged close bonds with their young grandchildren, or took them in for a period to relieve hard‐pressed parents, while others were willing to raise and educate the orphaned. Some also provided moral or religious guidance, assuming responsibilities conventionally assigned to godparents, and in some cases even challenging parental decisions of which they disapproved. Grandchildren were almost always remembered in wills, with testators also careful to protect the interests of any potentially at risk. The article then turns to explore the role of grandparents acting as welfare providers, whether voluntarily or through a court order, for grandchildren left as orphans or born to unmarried mothers. It assesses the often contentious issue of grandparents’ moral and legal responsibilities under the parish relief system established by the Poor Law in 1601, and disputes between the paternal and maternal kin. Finally, the article touches briefly on grandparents as repositories of information, whose memories and experience could be of value to their community as well as to their own families.
A needle in a haystack: A new metabarcoding approach to survey diversity at the species level of Arcellinida (Amoebozoa: Tubulinea)
Authors: González‐Miguéns Rubén , Cano Emilio , Guillén‐Oterino Antonio , Quesada Antonio , Lahr Daniel J. G. , Tenorio‐Rodríguez Daniel , de Salvador‐Velasco David , Velázquez David , Carrasco‐Braganza María Isabel , Patterson R. Timothy , Lara Enrique , Singer David 
Published: February 2023

AbstractEnvironmental DNA‐based diversity studies have increased in popularity with the development of high throughput sequencing technologies. This permits the potential simultaneous retrieval of vast amounts of molecular data from many different organisms and species, thus contributing to a wide range of biological disciplines. Environmental DNA protocols designed for protists often focused on the highly conserved small subunit of the ribosome gene, that does not permit species‐level assignments. On the other hand, eDNA protocols aiming at species‐level assignments allow a fine level ecological resolution and reproducible results. These protocols are currently applied to organisms living in marine and shallow lotic freshwater ecosystems, often in a bioindication purpose. Therefore, in this study, we present a species‐level eDNA protocol designed to explore diversity of Arcellinida (Amoebozoa: Tubulinea) testate amoebae taxa that is based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). These organisms are widespread in lentic water bodies and soil ecosystems. We applied this protocol to 42 samples from peatlands, estuaries and soil environments, recovering all the infraorders in Glutinoconcha (with COI data), except for Hyalospheniformes. Our results revealed an unsuspected diversity in morphologically homogeneous groups such as Cylindrothecina, Excentrostoma or Sphaerothecina. With this protocol we expect to revolutionize the design of modern distributional Arcellinida surveys. Our approach involves a rapid and cost‐effective analysis of testate amoeba diversity living in contrasted ecosystems. Therefore, the order Arcellinida has the potential to be established as a model group for a wide range of theoretical and applied studies.
Disseminated Mycobacterium chelonae infection complicating rheumatoid arthritis: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Pham James P. , Boot Madison , Stefani Maurizio , Chapman Scott , Byrne Anthony , Abdel‐Shaheed Christina , Girgis Laila 
Published: February 2023

AbstractIntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) may predispose patients to opportunistic infections—either from innate immune dysregulation, or as a result of immunosuppressant use to treat the RA. Particularly concerning opportunistic infections are those caused by non‐tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) organisms, the incidence of which has been increasing in epidemiological studies. Despite this, guidelines on the management of patients with RA who develop NTM infections are scarce, particularly with respect to immunosuppressant regimen modulation and duration of antibiotic therapy.Case ReportHerein, we present a case of disseminated Mycobacterium chelonae infection, manifesting as arthralgia and cutaneous nodules.DiscussionIn addition, a review of the literature was conducted to Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines to identify similar cases in the literature—revealing that all RA‐associated M. Chelonae infections occurred in immunosuppressed patients (the majority with corticosteroids or tumor necrosis factor inhibitors), and considerable heterogeneity in management approaches. Further research regarding risk factors, preventative approaches and best management of such NTM infections in vulnerable patients with RA is required in order to establish consensus guidelines and consistency.
Pretreatment changes in drinking: A test of a tailored treatment approach
Authors: Stasiewicz Paul R. , Bradizza Clara M. , Lucke Joseph F. , Zhao Junru , Dermen Kurt H. , Linn Braden K. , Slosman Kim S. , LaBarre Charles 
Published: February 2023

AbstractBackgroundPretreatment reductions in drinking are well documented and have been demonstrated to predict posttreatment drinking outcomes. Making use of the predictive value of pretreatment change has great appeal in settings that place a premium on efficient clinical decisions regarding appropriate type and intensity of treatment.MethodsThis study investigates whether different types and intensities of treatment are appropriate and beneficial for individuals entering treatment for an alcohol use disorder (AUD; N = 201) who make more vs. less pretreatment change in their drinking during a 2‐month pretreatment period. Based on an algorithm derived from pilot research, we derived two independent pretreatment change arms that we called Substantial Change and Minimal Change. Each arm was a parallel, sequentially randomized design consisting of a treatment group and an active control. The Substantial Change arm compared six sessions of relapse prevention treatment (RPT) with 12 sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy for AUD (CBT) as an active control. Both CBT and RPT occurred over a 12‐week period. The Minimal Change arm compared 12 sessions of an integrated motivational intervention combined with CBT (MI/CBT) with 12 sessions of CBT as an active control. The outcome variables were changes in number of days abstinent (NDA) and number of days heavy drinking (NDH) per week.ResultsFor the Substantial Change arm, a noninferiority analysis revealed that six sessions of RPT were noninferior to 12 sessions of CBT at each posttreatment assessment for both NDA and NDH. For the Minimal Change arm, a superiority analysis failed to detect that MI/CBT was superior to CBT at any posttreatment assessment for both NDA and NDH.ConclusionsIn the substantial change arm, results suggest that offering a less intensive initial treatment, like RPT, may lower costs and conserve clinical resources. In the Minimal Change arm, results indicate the need to continue searching for a treatment or treatment enhancements to improve alcohol outcomes.