bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Elicitation of native bio protective microbial agents associated systemic defense responses and plant growth promotion against bacterial stalk rot pathogen in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)
Authors: Yadav Sujata Singh , Arya Anshul , Singh Vishal , Singh Yogendra 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDickeya dadantii is the causal agent of bacterial stalk rot and one of the most destructive and widespread diseases of the sorghum in the world. Here, we explored microbe-based approaches for managing this destructive pathogen, intending to provide alternatives for integrated disease management. The objective of the research was to decipher the effect of antagonistic microbes on systemic defense enzymes, histochemical changes, plant growth attributes, reduction in disease severity, and interaction of these antagonistic microbes with host. Trichoderma, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus isolates were collected from rhizospheric soil and characterized using morphological and molecular tools. ITS and 16S rRNA sequences were analyzed to determine the molecular characterization of all antagonist microbes, and they were identified as T. asperellum, T. viride, T. harzianum, B. subtilis, and P. flourescens. These isolates were evaluated for antibacterial properties against D. dadantii under in vitro conditions and showed the higher inhibition in a dual culture method. Further, the effects of seed bio-priming and soil application of these isolates were tested under glasshouse and field conditions. T. viride outperformed the other isolates, significantly enhancing the plant growth parameters and induced resistance to Dickeya dadantii (BSR). T. viride showed a significantly higher accumulation of defensive enzymes, viz. PAL (1.02), PO (1.70), PPO (1.25), CAT (1.11), and TPC (0.91) at 48 h after pathogen challenge, as compared to the control. Histochemical tests confirmed lignification and callose deposition in the cell walls of the treated plants. Antagonist microbes were further evaluated under field conditions against D. dadantii infection. Compared to the control, there is a significant enhancement of plant growth parameters and yield with a simultaneous decrease in disease severity in T. viride treated plants. Results showed that the potential benefits of T. viride could not only effectively induce resistance in plants, enhance plant growth, increase yield, and suppress pathogen infection but also reduce the use of hazardous pesticides. As a result of correlation, PCA and heat map analyses indicated that T. viride is interconnected to determine the crop ability to sustain its growth under pathogen stress.
Utilizing deliberative engagement for identifying implementation strategy priorities: lessons learned from an online deliberative forum with dental professionals
Authors: Gruß Inga , Dawson Tim , Kaplan Charles D. , Pihlstrom Daniel J. , Fellows Jeffrey L. , Polk Deborah E. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Selecting effective implementation strategies to support guideline-concordant dental care is a complex process. We are drawing on data collected during the DISGO study to reflect on barriers we encountered in implementing a deliberative engagement process for discussing implementation strategies relevant to the evidence-based guideline targeted in this intervention. The goal is to identify factors that may influence the success of deliberative engagement as a technique to involve healthcare staff in identifying priorities for implementation strategies.

Methods
We drew on online chat transcripts from the deliberative engagement forums collected during the DISGO study. The chat transcripts were automatically generated for each discussion and captured the written exchanges between participants and moderators in all participating dental clinics. Chat transcripts were analyzed following a content analysis approach.

Results
Our findings revealed barriers to the successful implementation of deliberative engagement in the context of the DISGO study. Participants were not familiar with the materials that had been prepared for the forum and lacked familiarity with the topic of deliberation. Participants also did not share divergent viewpoints and reinforced existing ideas rather than introducing new ideas.

Conclusions
In order to ensure that obstacles that were encountered in this study are not repeated, it is important to carefully consider how staff can effectively be prepared for the deliberations. Participants must be familiar with the content of the guideline, and most questions about the content and evidence should be answered before the deliberative engagement sessions. If perspectives among staff on a guideline are homogenous, briefing materials should introduce perspectives that complement existing views among staff. It is also necessary to create an environment in which staff are comfortable introducing opinions that may not be held by the majority of colleagues.

Trial registration
This project is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with ID NCT04682730. The trial was first registered on 12/18/2020.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04682730.
Profiling bacterial communities of irrigation water and leafy green vegetables produced by small-scale farms and sold in informal settlements in South Africa
Authors: Kgoale D. M. , Gokul J. K. , Duvenage S. , Du Plessis E. M. , Korsten L. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMorogo is an African indigenous term used for leafy green vegetables harvested in the wild or cultivated in small-scale farms and consumed by the local populations of the region. Small-scale farmers have gained recognition as important suppliers of morogo to informal settlements. In commercial production systems, leafy green vegetables have increasingly been reported as associated with foodborne pathogens and disease outbreaks. Little is known of the presence of these organisms on leafy green vegetables in the informal unregulated food systems. This study aimed to profile bacterial communities in irrigation water (flooding and overhead irrigation water) and leafy green vegetables (Brassica rapa L. chinensis and Brassica rapa varieties of morogo) to establish the natural bacterial flora at the water-fresh produce interface from five small-scale farms in two provinces in South Africa. Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing showed that each farm exhibited a unique bacterial community composition, with an overall high relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, including prominent families such as Burkholderiaceae (48%), Enterobacteriaceae (34%), Bacillales Family XII (8%), Rhodobacteraceae (3%), Micrococcaceae (1.98%) and Pseudomonadaceae (1.79%). Specific Enterobacteriaceae Serratia, Enterobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Buchnera, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Proteus were identified, in addition to unique communities associated with plant or irrigation water source. These findings suggest that the edible plant microbiome can play an important role as transient contributor to the human gut and has the potential to affect overall health.
Economic analysis of early intervention for autistic children: findings from four case studies in England, Ireland, Italy, and Spain
Authors: Tinelli Michela , Roddy Aine , Knapp Martin , Arango Celso , Mendez Maria Andreina , Cusack James , Murphy Declan , Canitano Roberto , Oakley Bethany , Quoidbach Vinciane 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Background
Many autistic children experience difficulties in their communication and language skills development, with consequences for social development into adulthood, often resulting in challenges over the life-course and high economic impacts for individuals, families, and society. The Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) intervention is effective in terms of improved social communication and some secondary outcomes. A previously published within-trial economic analysis found that results at 13 months did not support its cost-effectiveness. We modeled cost-effectiveness over 6 years and across four European countries.

Methods
Using simulation modeling, we built on economic analyses in the original trial, exploring longer-term cost-effectiveness at 6 years (in England). We adapted our model to undertake an economic analysis of PACT in Ireland, Italy, and Spain. Data on resource use were taken from the original trial and a more recent Irish observational study.

Results
PACT is cost-saving over time from a societal perspective, even though we confirmed that, at 13 months post-delivery, PACT is more expensive than usual treatment (across all countries) when given to preschool autistic children. After 6 years, we found that PACT has lower costs than usual treatment in terms of unpaid care provided by parents (in all countries). Also, if we consider only out-of-pocket expenses from an Irish study, PACT costs less than usual treatment.

Discussion
PACT may be recommended as a cost-saving early intervention for families with an autistic child.
Association of DIO2 and MCT10 Polymorphisms With Persistent Symptoms in LT4-Treated Patients in the UK Biobank
Authors: Jensen Christian Zinck , Isaksen Jonas Lynggaard , Ahlberg Gustav , Olesen Morten Salling , Nygaard Birte , Ellervik Christina , Kanters Jørgen Kim 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Context
Some evidence suggests gene-treatment interactions might cause persistent symptoms in individuals receiving levothyroxine (LT4) treatment.

Objective
We investigated, as previously hypothesized, if single-nucleotide variations (SNVs; formerly single-nucleotide polymorphisms) in rs225014 (Thr92Ala), rs225015, or rs12885300 (ORFa-Gly3Asp) in the deiodinase 2 gene (DIO2), or rs17606253 in the monocarboxylate transporter 10 gene (MCT10) were associated with outcomes indicative of local tissue hypothyroidism in LT4-treated patients and controls.

Methods
We included 18 761 LT4-treated patients and 360 534 controls in a population-based cross-sectional study in the UK Biobank. LT4 treatment was defined as a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and self-reported use of LT4 without use of 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine. Outcomes were psychological well-being, cognitive function, and cardiovascular risk factors. Associations were evaluated by linear, logistic, or ordinal logistic multiple regression. Adjustments included sex, age, sex-age interaction, and genetic principal components 1 to 10.

Results
Compared to controls, LT4 treatment was adversely associated with almost all outcomes, most noteworthy: Increased frequency of tiredness (P &lt; .001), decreased well-being factor score (P &lt; .001), increased reaction-time (P &lt; .001), and increased body mass index (P &lt; .001). Except for a significant association between the minor rs225015 A allele and financial dissatisfaction, there was no association of rs225014, rs225015, rs12885300, or rs17606253 with any outcomes in LT4-treated patients. For all outcomes, carrying the risk allele at these 4 SNVs did not amplify symptoms associated with LT4 treatment compared to controls.

Conclusion
rs225014, rs225015, rs12885300, and rs17606253 could not explain changed psychological well-being, cognitive function, or cardiovascular risk factors in LT4-treated patients. Our findings do not support a gene-treatment interaction between these SNVs and LT4 treatment.
Fertility and Labor Supply Responses to Child Allowances: The Introduction of Means-Tested Benefits in France
Authors: Elmallakh Nelly 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
This article examines fertility and labor supply responses to a 2014 French policy reform that consisted of conditioning the amount of child allowances on household income. Employing regression discontinuity design and French administrative income data, I find that restricting family allowance eligibility criteria decreases fertility among the richest households. The results also highlight that receiving half the amount of the allowances or none leads to an increase in both male and female labor supply through an increase in overtime work. The implied change in earned income, due to an increase in weekly working hours, is found to be comparable to the euro value reduction in benefits. Auxiliary regression analyses show that the fertility decline reflects a decrease in the probability of having an additional child for parents rather than in the probability of becoming parents for households without children.
Does Early Childhood BCG Vaccination Improve Survival to Midlife in a Population With a Low Tuberculosis Prevalence? Quasi-experimental Evidence on Nonspecific Effects From 32 Swedish Birth Cohorts
Authors: Theilmann Michaela , Geldsetzer Pascal , Bärnighausen Till , Sudharsanan Nikkil 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) is widely used globally. Many high-income countries discontinued nationwide vaccination policies starting in the 1980s as the TB prevalence decreased. However, there is continued scientific interest in whether the general childhood immunity boost conferred by the BCG vaccination impacts adult health and mortality in low-TB contexts (known as nonspecific effects). While recent studies have found evidence of an association between BCG vaccination and survival to ages 34–45, it is unclear whether these associations are causal or driven by the unobserved characteristics of those who chose to voluntarily vaccinate. We use the abrupt discontinuation of mandatory BCG vaccination in Sweden in 1975 as a natural experiment to estimate the causal nonspecific effect of the BCG vaccine on cohort survival to midlife. Applying two complementary study designs, we find no evidence that survival to age 40 was affected by the discontinuation of childhood BCG vaccination. The results are consistent among both males and females and are robust to several sensitivity tests. Overall, despite prior correlational studies suggesting large nonspecific effects, we do not find any population-level evidence for a nonspecific effect of the BCG vaccine discontinuation on survival to age 40 in Sweden.
Ecophysiology of neotropical amphibians and reptiles: lessons learned from Colombia
Authors: Agudelo-Cantero Gustavo A. , Cruz-Rodríguez Erika X. , Lamadrid-Feris Faride , Ortega-Chinchilla Jesús E. 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACTEcophysiology and herpetology share a close historical relationship, but earlier work at the interface of these disciplines was carried out in temperate regions. Tropical regions like the Neotropics exhibit the highest species richness for amphibians and reptiles, but the pace for ecophysiological research on tropical herpetofauna has been slower relative to temperate counterparts. We are a group of early-career, Latin American researchers interested in the physiological diversity exhibited by neotropical herpetofauna. As such, we have engaged in the organization of the Symposium on the Ecophysiology of Neotropical Amphibians and Reptiles (ECOPHYSHERP) to integrate the scientific community interested on these topics. ECOPHYSHERP has been held three times already within the Colombian Congress of Herpetology, and collectively it has hosted &gt;60 contributions from researchers at 26 institutions and eight countries. Participation has been diverse in terms of gender, age, and career stage, but most participants have been young undergraduate biology students. This generation of early-career researchers is producing excellent research in a broad range of topics, but difficulties to convert this research into scientific publications may exist. Identifying and contributing in order to solve such problems are priorities for this organizing committee, and also our endeavours towards ECOPHYSHERP 4.0 in Santa Marta in 2025.
The SARS-CoV-2 protein NSP2 enhances microRNA-mediated translational repression
Authors: Naeli Parisa , Zhang Xu , Snell Patric Harris , Chatterjee Susanta , Kamran Muhammad , Ladak Reese Jalal , Orr Nick , Duchaine Thomas , Sonenberg Nahum , Jafarnejad Seyed Mehdi 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACT
Viruses use microRNAs (miRNAs) to impair the host antiviral response and facilitate viral infection by expressing their own miRNAs or co-opting cellular miRNAs. miRNAs inhibit translation initiation of their target mRNAs by recruiting the GIGYF2–4EHP (or EIF4E2) translation repressor complex to the mRNA 5′-cap structure. We recently reported that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-encoded non-structural protein 2 (NSP2) interacts with GIGYF2. This interaction is critical for blocking translation of the Ifnb1 mRNA that encodes the cytokine interferon β, and thereby impairs the host antiviral response. However, it is not known whether NSP2 also affects miRNA-mediated silencing. Here, we demonstrate the pervasive augmentation of miRNA-mediated translational repression of cellular mRNAs by NSP2. We show that NSP2 interacts with argonaute 2 (AGO2), the core component of the miRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC), via GIGYF2 and enhances the translational repression mediated by natural miRNA-binding sites in the 3′ untranslated region of cellular mRNAs. Our data reveal an additional layer of the complex mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 and likely other coronaviruses manipulate the host gene expression program by co-opting the host miRNA-mediated silencing machinery.
Pin-point Surgery of Proton-deuterium Substitution to Enhance Polybenzimidazole Thermoresistances
Authors: Zhong Xianzhu , Nag Aniruddha , Zhou Jiabei , Takada Kenji , Kusano Motoyuki , Kaneko Tatsuo 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Thermal stability plays a crucial role in determining polymer suitability as high-performance thermoresistant materials, which are highly desirable as lightweight substitutes for metal or ceramic materials in a sustainable society. We here present an innovative approach involving the in-situ substitution of imidazole protons of polybenzimidazole (PBI) derivatives with deuterium using deuterated solvents to enhance thermal stability. The resulting substituted polymers exhibited significantly higher thermal decomposition temperatures compared to their original counterparts. This notable improvement can be attributed to the N-D bond, which possesses a low stretching frequency, demanding a greater amount of activating energy compared to the N-H bond, enabling the polymer to withstand higher temperatures. This discovery presents a novel and promising avenue for enhancing polymer thermoresistance, providing valuable insights for the development of advanced materials with enhanced thermal stability.
Go West Young Firm: The Impact of Startup Migration on the Performance of Migrants
Authors: Guzman Jorge 
Published: September 2023

This paper studies how regional migration to tech clusters impacts the performance of startups within the United States. Startups that move to Silicon Valley experience a significant improvement in performance. This improvement is higher than migrations to other regions in the United States, many of which report null treatment effects. The startups that benefit the most from migration are those leaving low performing entrepreneurial ecosystems and moving to high performing ecosystems, consistent with an agglomeration mechanism. Within different measures of the ecosystem, the level of local patenting predicts startup improvements more than venture capital or the quality-adjusted number of startups, suggesting the local innovation environment is more important to migrant performance than financing or the presence of other startup peers. This paper was accepted by Toby Suart, entrepreneurship and innovation. Funding: This work was supported by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Jean Hammond (1986) and Michael Krasner (1974) Entrepreneurship Fund at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the Edward B. Roberts (1957) Entrepreneurship Fund at MIT. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4924 .
An Advanced Robotic System for Precision Chemical Thinning of Apple Blossoms
Authors: Mu Xinyang , Hussain Magni , He Long , Heinemann Paul , Schupp James , Karkee Manoj , Zhu Minghui 
Published: September 2023

Highlights

A cartesian robotic spraying system was developed for precision apple blossom thinning.

Flower clusters were detected and localized with deep learning model for target spraying.

A communication algorithm was developed for positioning the spray end-effector to the target flowers.

The cartesian robotic system greatly reduced chemical usage while maintaining thinning effectiveness in the final green fruit set.

Abstract. Crop thinning, including blossom thinning, is one of the critical management strategies that determines the annual profitability of apple orchards. Challenges still remain for applying appropriate amounts of chemical thinner; if thinning is inadequate and too many fruits remain on the tree, fruit size will be small, fruit quality will be poor, and flower bud initiation for the following year’s crop may be either reduced or eliminated. Over-thinning also carries economic perils since yield and crop value in the year of application will be reduced. In addition, chemical thinning with excessive spray volume may cause leaf damage and fruit russeting. Thus, a robotic apple blossom thinning system was proposed, aiming to reduce the usage of chemical thinner while maintaining good thinning performance. The robotic system consisted of three major components: (1) a machine vision system that can identify and localize the apple flower clusters in tree canopies, (2) a cartesian robotic system with the guidance of a machine vision system to reach target flower clusters, and (3) a flat-shaped spraying nozzle connected with a solenoid valve as a spraying end-effector to deposit chemical thinner to the targeted flower clusters. A set of field tests was conducted to evaluate the performance of the robotic thinning system by comparing it to conventional air-blast and boom-type sprayers. In the test, the flower cluster detection reached a precision of 93.82%. The integrated robotic system used 2.3 L of chemical thinner to finish the chemical thinning for 18 apple trees, followed by the boom sprayer and air blast sprayer with 4.2 and 6.8 L usage, respectively. The robotic system also obtained an average fruit set of 2.4 per cluster after thinning, which was comparable to that of the air blast sprayer. The results showed that the robotic thinning system saved 66.7% and 45.5% of chemicals compared to the air-blast sprayer and boom-typed sprayers, respectively, while achieving a similar fruit set per cluster. The outcomes of the study provided guidance for developing a full-scale robotic chemical thinning system for modern apple orchards. Keywords: Apple orchard, Blossom thinning, Cartesian robot, Chemical thinning, Machine vision.