bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pathogen dependence and inter-individual variability of post-infection reproductive fitness in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Basu Aabeer , Gupta Vandana , Prasad Nagaraj Guru 
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTIn the experiments reported in this manuscript, we explore the effect of bacterial infections on the reproductive output of Drosophila melanogaster females. Canonical view of host-pathogen interactions supposes two possible outcomes. Because of immune defence being an energy/resource intensive function, an infected female reallocates resources away from reproductive processes and towards immune defence, therefore compromising its reproductive output. Alternatively, faced with impending mortality, an infected female increases its reproductive output to compensate for lost opportunities of future reproduction. We tested if pathogen identity, infection outcome (survival vs. death), and/or time of death determines the reproductive output of females infected with three bacterial pathogens. Our results show that pathogen identity is a reliable predictor of population level response of infected females but does not reliably predict the behaviour of individual females. Additionally, females succumbing to infection exhibit greater variability in reproductive output, compared to both survivors and controls, but this variability is not explained by either the time of death or the identity of the infecting pathogen. Furthermore, survivors of infection have reproductive output similar to control females.
Differential excretory/secretory proteome of the adult female and male stages of the human blood fluke,Schistosoma mansoni
Authors: Kenney Eric T. , Mann Victoria H. , Ittiprasert Wannaporn , Rosa Bruce A. , Mitreva Makedonka , Bracken Bethany K. , Loukas Alex , Brindley Paul J. , Sotillo Javier 
Published: May 2022

AbstractIntricate molecular communication between the schistosome (flatworms) and its mammalian host, as well as between paired male and female schistosomes has shaped the secreted proteome of these flatworms. Whereas the schistosome egg is responsible for the disease manifestations of chronic schistosomiasis, the long lived, adult female and male stages also release mediators that facilitate their long-lived intra-vascular existence in a hostile niche where they are bathed in immune cells and effector molecules. However, despite their importance, no studies have focused on analysing the excretory/secretory products (ESPs) from adult schistosomes.Herein, ESPs from culturedSchistosoma mansonimale or female adult worms were identified, quantified, compared and contrasted using a label-free proteomic approach. Approximately 1,000 proteins were identified, from which almost 800 could be finally quantified. Considering the proteins uniquely identified and proteins with a significantly regulated expression pattern in male or female flukes, a total of 370 and 140 proteins were more abundantly secreted by males and females, respectively. Using functional analysis networks showing the gene ontology terms and KEGG pathways with the highest significance, we observed that male schistosomes secrete proteins related to carbohydrate metabolism, cytoskeletal organisation more abundantly than females, while female worms secreted more hydrolases and proteins involved in cellular homeostasis than males.This analysis doubles the number of previously reported ESPs fromS. mansoni, contributing to a better understanding of the host-parasite dynamic interactions. Furthermore, these findings expand potential vaccine and diagnostic candidates for this neglected tropical disease pathogen, which will enable deeper understanding of the molecular communication critical to parasitism.
Patterns of lineage-specific genome evolution in the brood parasitic black-headed duck (Heteronetta atricapilla)
Authors: Wuitchik Sara JS , Hillier LaDeana W. , Balakrishnan Christopher N. , Sorenson Michael D. , Warren Wesley C. , Sackton Timothy B. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractOccurring independently at seven separate origins across the avian tree of life, obligate brood parasitism is a unique suite of traits observed in only approximately 1% of all bird species. Obligate brood parasites exhibit varied physiological, morphological, and behavioural traits across lineages, but common among all obligate brood parasites is that the females lay their eggs in the nest of other species. Unique among these species is the black-headed duck (Heteronetta atricapilla), a generalist brood parasite that is the only obligate brood parasite among waterfowl. This provides an opportunity to assess evolutionary changes in traits associated with brood parasitism, notably the loss of parental care behaviours, with an unspecialized brood parasite. We generated new high-quality genome assemblies and genome annotations of the black-headed duck and three related non-parasitic species (freckled duck, African pygmy-goose, and ruddy duck). With these assemblies and existing public genome assemblies, we produced a whole genome alignment across Galloanserae to identify conserved non-coding regions with atypical accelerations in the black-headed duck and coding genes with evidence of positive selection, as well as to resolve uncertainties in the duck phylogeny. To complement these data, we sequenced a population sample of black-headed ducks, allowing us to conduct McDonald-Kreitman tests of lineage-specific selection. We resolve the existing polytomy between our focal taxa with concordance from coding and non-coding sequences, and we observe stronger signals of evolution in non-coding regions of the genome than in coding regions. Collectively, the new high-quality genomes, comparative genome alignment, and population genomics provide a detailed picture of genome evolution in the only brood parasitic duck.
A modular intramolecular triplex photo-switching motif that enables rapid and reversible control of aptamer binding activity
Authors: Trinh Tuan , Thompson Ian A. P. , Clark Finley , Remington Jacob M. , Eisenstein Michael , Li Jianing , Soh H. Tom 
Published: May 2022

AbstractDNA switches that can change conformation in response to certain wavelengths of light could enable rapid and non-invasive control of chemical processes for a wide range of applications. However, most current photo-responsive DNA switches are limited either by irreversible switching or reversible switching with impractically slow kinetics. Here, we report the design of an intramolecular triplex photoswitch (TPS) design based on single-stranded DNA that undergoes rapid and reversible photoswitching between folded and unfolded states through isomerization of internal azobenzene modifications. After optimizing the performance of our photoswitch design, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to reveal how individual azobenzenes contribute to the stabilization or destabilization of the triplex depending on their photoisomerization state. By coupling our TPS to an existing aptamer, we can reversibly modulate its binding affinity with less than 15 seconds of UV light exposure. We further demonstrate reproducible shifting in affinity over multiple cycles of UV and blue light irradiation without substantial photobleaching. Given that our TPS can introduce switching functionality to aptamers without manipulating the aptamer sequence itself, we believe our design methodology should offer a versatile means for integrating photo-responsive properties into DNA nanostructures.
CRISPR loss of function screening to identify genes involved in human primordial germ cell-like cells development
Authors: Hwang Young Sun , Blanco M. Andrés , Sasaki Kotaro 
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTDespite our increasing knowledge of molecular mechanisms guiding various aspects of human reproduction, those underlying human primordial germ cell (PGC) development remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted custom CRISPR screening in an in vitro system of hPGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) to identify genes required for acquisition and maintenance of PGC fate in humans. Amongst our candidates, we identified TCL1A, an AKT coactivator. Functional assessment in our in vitro hPGCLCs system revealed that TCL1A played a critical role in later stages of hPGCLC development. Moreover, we found that TCL1A loss reduced AKT-mTOR signaling, downregulated expression of genes related to translational control, and subsequently led to a reduction in global protein synthesis and proliferation. Together, our study identifies novel regulators critical for hPGCLC development and demonstrates the importance of translational control in human reproduction.
Time-efficient relaxation measurements by 31P MR fingerprinting in human brain at 7T
Authors: Lim Song-I , Widmaier Mark Stephan , Wenz Daniel , Yun Jiang , Xin Lijing 
Published: May 2022

AbstractPurposeThe goal of the study is to develop 31P spectroscopic MRF at 7T to measure T1 and T2 relaxation times simultaneously and to compare time efficiency and test-retest reproducibility of MRF with conventional inversion recovery and multi-TE methods.MethodsA 31P MRF scheme was designed based on a balanced steady-state free precession type sequence. Dictionary was generated using the Bloch equations. B0 map was acquired experimentally and incorporated into the dictionary. 7 phantoms with different T1 and T2 relaxation times were prepared for MRF validation. Simulations were performed to evaluate estimation bias. 7 volunteers were scanned twice using both MRF and the conventional methods to evaluate the reproducibility.ResultsIn phantom measurements, T1 and T2 values between MRF and conventional methods demonstrated a good agreement with Pearson’s correlation coefficients of 0.99 and 0.97, respectively. In in vivo experiments, estimated T1 by MRF were in good agreement with those measured by the inversion recovery and in the literature. On the other hand, estimated T2 values by MRF were shorter than those measured by the multi-TE method. 31P MRF method can reduce the acquisition time by 15 min providing less than 10% of mean CV for T1 estimations and less than 20% of mean CV for T2 estimations of metabolites.ConclusionOur results shows the feasibility of simultaneous T1 and T2 measurement of 31P metabolites in human brain using MRF at 7T. High reproducibility can be achieved especially for T1 measurement with 40% time reduction over conventional methods.
Audit committee composition and earnings management in a specific institutional environment: the case of Russia
Authors: Nikulin Egor D. , Smirnov Marat V. , Sviridov Andrei A. , Bandalyuk Olesya V. 
Published: May 2022

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the specifics of the relationship between audit committee characteristics and earnings management in Russian listed companies. This research is driven by the possibility of placing this relationship within the context of a specific institutional environment for company performance.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply a panel study of 184 Russian listed companies for the period 2014–2018. In addition to the standard fixed effects model, the authors test the results for potential endogeneity with two-stage least squares (2SLS) analysis.

Findings
The results show that audit committee representation on the board of directors results in some mitigation of earnings management. Results reveal that a higher level of audit committee independence and the presence of financial expertise on the committee are associated with lower earnings management. However, companies with relatively busy directors on audit committees are more inclined to practice earnings management. The study’s findings hold after testing for endogeneity of audit committee independence. The authors also reveal that some audit committee characteristics (for example, audit committee independence; its level of expertise) alleviate earnings management in listed state-owned companies (SOEs) more strongly than in listed non-SOEs.

Originality/value
The results add to the ongoing debate on the role of corporate governance mechanisms in mitigating earnings management in emerging markets by taking into account the type of ownership (state-owned vs private) as a moderating variable. This study reveals, in particular, that the effect of certain audit committee characteristics on earnings management is more prominent in listed SOEs than in listed non-SOEs.
Integration of deep learning and extended reality technologies in construction engineering and management: a mixed review method
Authors: Lee Yee Sye , Rashidi Ali , Talei Amin , Arashpour Mehrdad , Pour Rahimian Farzad 
Published: May 2022

PurposeIn recent years, deep learning and extended reality (XR) technologies have gained popularity in the built environment, especially in construction engineering and management. A significant amount of research efforts has been thus dedicated to the automation of construction-related activities and visualization of the construction process. The purpose of this study is to investigate potential research opportunities in the integration of deep learning and XR technologies in construction engineering and management.Design/methodology/approachThis study presents a literature review of 164 research articles published in Scopus from 2006 to 2021, based on strict data acquisition criteria. A mixed review method, consisting of a scientometric analysis and systematic review, is conducted in this study to identify research gaps and propose future research directions.FindingsThe proposed research directions can be categorized into four areas, including realism of training simulations; integration of visual and audio-based classification; automated hazard detection in head-mounted displays (HMDs); and context awareness in HMDs.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the body of knowledge by identifying the necessity of integrating deep learning and XR technologies in facilitating the construction engineering and management process.
Analysis of several factors influencing the effect of induction magnetic levitation
Authors: Yuan Meng , Ji Yinghui , Yang Fan 
Published: May 2022

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of the factors influencing the effect of magnetic levitation, including the impedance angle of the levitated coil, number of turns, material parameter, frequency of excitation and geometric parameters. The final purpose is to provide approaches to increasing the levitation effect.

Design/methodology/approach
Some design principles and strategies for levitation systems are suggested, such as selecting the number of turns of the levitated coil, choosing the frequency of excitation considering the saturation phenomenon of levitation force against frequency and deciding the section area of the excitation coil and its ratio of height and thickness.

Findings
The magnetic force is not always repulsive in a cycle. Therefore, the key approach to increasing the levitation is to increase the period when the force is repulsive and decrease the time when attractive. The impedance angle of the equivalent circuit of the levitated coil determines the ratio of the two periods, and the larger the angle, the longer the repulsion period. A valuable finding is that a saturation situation exists between the levitation force and frequency; that is, when the frequency increases to a certain value, the increasing degree of force tends to decrease as the frequency increases.

Originality/value
Some influential characteristics were found in some factors against the effect of the levitation system, which is beneficial for improving the efficiency of systems. For example, owing to the saturation phenomenon of the frequency, it is useless to continue increasing the frequency and the copper-levitated coil does not bring much greater force effectiveness than the aluminum coil.
Bank ties, institutional pressures, and capital structure of Vietnamese SMEs
Authors: Ngo Vi Dung , Nguyen Thang V. , Roy Achinto 
Published: May 2022

PurposeThis article studies the moderating effect of institutional pressures on the impact of bank ties on the capital structure of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThe study uses an unbalanced longitudinal dataset covering three years—2011, 2013 and 2015—from a project on small manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam. The sample consists of 7,680 firm-year observations.FindingsPressures from formal and informal institutions lessen the positive effect of bank ties on the capital structure of SMEs. These moderating effects are more salient in regions having lower institutional quality.Originality/valueEmpirically showing how institutional factors can be investigated together with relational factors to explain the capital structure of SMEs in a developing economy. Distinguishing between formal and informal institutional pressures and revealing their indirect effect on SMEs' capital structure through impacting the effect of bank ties.
Renewable energy consumption, CO2emissions and trade balance nexus in OECD countries: evidence from ARDL bounds approach
Authors: Mohammed Idris Fawzia , Seraj Mehdi , Özdeşer Hüseyin 
Published: May 2022

PurposeRenewable energy is at the forefront of countries’ concerns due to its global economic and environmental impacts. Previous studies have thoroughly examined the impact of renewable energy on overall national income, and this paper aims to shed light on an indicator that has received insufficient attention in research regarding its impact on economic growth, using data from 2000 to 2018.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines the causal relationship between trade balance, renewable energy consumption and CO2emissions per capita in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries using an auto regression distributed lag model (ARDL) and Johansen Cointegration Test.FindingsThe findings reveal that there is evidence of a long-run and short-run cointegrating relationship and that renewable energy consumption in the long run impacts the trade balance positively and in the short run negatively.Originality/valueTherefore, bioenergy trade between countries and local investment should be prioritized to increase the trade balance surplus, since many of OECD countries suffer from deficit problems.
Regulatory bark and legal bite: how corruption and country institutional environments influence international logistics performance
Authors: Saldanha John , DeAngelo Gregory 
Published: May 2022

PurposeThis research uses theoretical perspectives from public choice and public policy to establish and test theory of the combined effects of institutional environments and bureaucratic corruption on international delivery performance.Design/methodology/approachA panel archival dataset is assembled from multiple public databases to test hypotheses based on public policy, public choice and supply chain theory using a fixed effects model.FindingsThe authors' theory demonstrates that institutional environments as constituted by the level of regulatory trade barriers and legal system effectiveness combined with bureaucratic corruption can influence the timeliness of international deliveries.Research limitations/implicationsThis research extends public choice and public policy with the insight that regulatory institutions' bark is not bad without the bite of effective legal institutions. The research uses archival data collected in mass surveys with data aggregated at the country level that can be unduly affected by selection effects, perceptual data, and unobserved underlying mechanisms.Practical implicationsThe results of this research can be used to inform supply chain managers working in trade compliance to be aware of the costs and effects on logistics performance that result from encountering different institutional environments and the concomitant corruption.Originality/valueThis is the first investigation of the complex and significant interaction effects of institutional environments and corruption on international delivery performance.
Race, poverty and unemployment as quantitative predictors of voter turnout in St. Louis amidst COVID-19 and a racial justice movement
Authors: Parker Gary , Hutti Ellen 
Published: May 2022

PurposeThe 2020 election season brought with it a global public health pandemic and a reenergized racial justice movement. Given the social context of the intertwined pandemics of COVID-19 and racialized violence, do the traditional predictors of voter turnout – race, poverty rates and unemployment rates – remain significant?Design/methodology/approachUsing county-level, publicly available data from twelve Midwest states with similar demographic and cultural characteristics, voter turnout in St. Louis City and St. Louis County were predicted using race, poverty rates and unemployment rates.FindingsFindings demonstrate that despite high concentration of poverty rates and above average percentages of Black residents, voter turnout was significantly higher than predicted. Additionally, findings contradict previous studies that found higher unemployment rates resulted in higher voter participation rates.Originality/valueThis study suggests that the threat of COVID-19 and fear of an increase in police violence may have introduced physical risk as a new theoretical component to rational choice theory for the general election in 2020.
Political violence: why conflicts can result from sub-Saharan African socioeconomic conditions
Authors: Fagbemi Fisayo , Fajingbesi Adeyemi 
Published: May 2022

PurposeThis study investigates the extent to which, and in what ways and capacities, the incidence of adverse economic conditions burdening the masses, on the macro-level, increases the propensity for the generation of political instability/violence.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on data from a cross-section of 25 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries for the period 2005–2019, fixed effects (FE) and generalized method of moments (GMM) estimations are used to determine the nature and significance of the independent variable (economic condition), complemented by three control variables, on the dependent WGI-defined variable political stability scored on the basis of a continuum from −2.5 (most unstable) to +2.5 (most stable). For the link between political instability and socioeconomic conditions, the study employs a construct derived from frustration-aggression and relative deprivation theory.FindingsThe study links socioeconomic adversity to political instability in the context of SSA. In addition, larger populated countries exhibit a greater propensity to political instability than smaller populated countries. In contrast, foreign direct investment (FDI) appears to have no real effect, positive or negative, on political stability.Practical implicationsPoor living conditions seem to be strongly associated with a high risk of political violence in SSA. To buoy socioeconomic status, poverty alleviation needs be elevated into a key initiative in the decision-making agenda, at all levels of governance, with real targeted strides achieved in terms of enhancement of the standard of living of the masses. In addition, policies that control population need to be inaugurated hand-in-hand with welfare measures and a more equitable balancing of the distribution of resources in the society.Originality/valueGiven the high regional incidence of civil strife and violence, combined with a dearth of research of an empirical nature on political risk in SSA, this study provides a largely ignored and useful context on SSA apart from studies on the incidence of violence that consider the developing countries as a monolithic whole.