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Abstract Background The gaur (Bos gaurus) is the largest extant wild bovine species, native to South and Southeast Asia, with unique traits, and is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Results We report the first gaur reference genome and identify three biological pathways including lysozyme activity, proton transmembrane transporter activity, and oxygen transport with significant changes in gene copy number in gaur compared to other mammals. These may reflect adaptation to challenges related to climate and nutrition. Comparative analyses with domesticated indicine (Bos indicus) and taurine (Bos taurus) cattle revealed genomic signatures of artificial selection, including the expansion of sperm odorant receptor genes in domesticated cattle, which may have important implications for understanding selection for male fertility. Conclusions Apart from aiding dissection of economically important traits, the gaur genome will also provide the foundation to conserve the species.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009786.].

CRF19 is a recombinant form of HIV-1 subtypes D, A1 and G, which was first sampled in Cuba in 1999, but was already present there in 1980s. CRF19 was reported almost uniquely in Cuba, where it accounts for ∼25% of new HIV-positive patients and causes rapid progression to AIDS (∼3 years). We analyzed a large data set comprising ∼350 pol and env sequences sampled in Cuba over the last 15 years and ∼350 from Los Alamos database. This data set contained both CRF19 (∼315), and A1, D and G sequences. We performed and combined analyses for the three A1, G and D regions, using fast maximum likelihood approaches, including: (1) phylogeny reconstruction, (2) spatio-temporal analysis of the virus spread, and ancestral character reconstruction for (3) transmission mode and (4) drug resistance mutations (DRMs). We verified these results with a Bayesian approach. This allowed us to acquire new insights on the CRF19 origin and transmission patterns. We showed that CRF19 recombined between 1966 and 1977, most likely in Cuban community stationed in Congo region. We further investigated CRF19 spread on the Cuban province level, and discovered that the epidemic started in 1970s, most probably in Villa Clara, that it was at first carried by heterosexual transmissions, and then quickly spread in the 1980s within the "men having sex with men" (MSM) community, with multiple transmissions back to heterosexuals. The analysis of the transmission patterns of common DRMs found very few resistance transmission clusters. Our results show a very early introduction of CRF19 in Cuba, which could explain its local epidemiological success. Ignited by a major founder event, the epidemic then followed a similar pattern as other subtypes and CRFs in Cuba. The reason for the short time to AIDS remains to be understood and requires specific surveillance, in Cuba and elsewhere.

Abstract Background Recently developed genome resources in Salmonid fish provides tools for studying the genomics underlying a wide range of properties including life history trait variation in the wild, economically important traits in aquaculture and the evolutionary consequences of whole genome duplications. Although genome assemblies now exist for a number of salmonid species, the lack of regulatory annotations are holding back our mechanistic understanding of how genetic variation in non-coding regulatory regions affect gene expression and the downstream phenotypic effects. Results We present SalMotifDB, a database and associated web and R interface for the analysis of transcription factors (TFs) and their cis-regulatory binding sites in five salmonid genomes. SalMotifDB integrates TF-binding site information for 3072 non-redundant DNA patterns (motifs) assembled from a large number of metazoan motif databases. Through motif matching and TF prediction, we have used these multi-species databases to construct putative regulatory networks in salmonid species. The utility of SalMotifDB is demonstrated by showing that key lipid metabolism regulators are predicted to regulate a set of genes affected by different lipid and fatty acid content in the feed, and by showing that our motif database explains a significant proportion of gene expression divergence in gene duplicates originating from the salmonid specific whole genome duplication. Conclusions SalMotifDB is an effective tool for analyzing transcription factors, their binding sites and the resulting gene regulatory networks in salmonid species, and will be an important tool for gaining a better mechanistic understanding of gene regulation and the associated phenotypes in salmonids. SalMotifDB is available at https://salmobase.org/apps/SalMotifDB.

PCDH19-Girls Clustering Epilepsy (PCDH19-GCE) is a childhood epileptic encephalopathy characterised by a spectrum of neurodevelopmental problems. PCDH19-GCE is caused by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the X-chromosome gene, Protocadherin 19 (PCDH19) encoding a cell-cell adhesion molecule. Intriguingly, hemizygous males are generally unaffected. As PCDH19 is subjected to random X-inactivation, heterozygous females are comprised of a mosaic of cells expressing either the normal or mutant allele, which is thought to drive pathology. Despite being the second most prevalent monogeneic cause of epilepsy, little is known about the role of PCDH19 in brain development. In this study we show that PCDH19 is highly expressed in human neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) and investigate its function in vitro in these cells of both mouse and human origin. Transcriptomic analysis of mouse NSPCs lacking Pcdh19 revealed changes to genes involved in regulation of neuronal differentiation, and we subsequently show that loss of Pcdh19 causes increased NSPC neurogenesis. We reprogramed human fibroblast cells harbouring a pathogenic PCDH19 mutation into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) and employed neural differentiation of these to extend our studies into human NSPCs. As in mouse, loss of PCDH19 function caused increased neurogenesis, and furthermore, we show this is associated with a loss of human NSPC polarity. Overall our data suggests a conserved role for PCDH19 in regulating mammalian cortical neurogenesis and has implications for the pathogenesis of PCDH19-GCE. We propose that the difference in timing or “heterochrony” of neuronal cell production originating from PCDH19 wildtype and mutant NSPCs within the same individual may lead to downstream asynchronies and abnormalities in neuronal network formation, which in-part predispose the individual to network dysfunction and epileptic activity.

The composition of fish species in the Ngan Pho River basin, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province, was studied from 2020 to 2022. The study aims to evaluate the diversity of fish species and their situation of exploitation in the area. Our results have found 78 species of fish distributed in 8 sampling points in the basin. Forty-eight fish species have been identified as high economic value, of which 16 species were found to be cultivated. Combined with the results of previous research, we have determined 107 fish species belonging to 72 genera of 20 subfamilies and 29 families belonging to 11 orders in the Ngan Pho River basin. Moreover, 39 species were discovered for the first time distributed here. In addition, some species were not reencountered during the field survey, including marine species migrating for food, such as Echidna polyzona, Ophichthus microcephalus, and Pisodonophis boro. They are possibly impacted by anthropogenic factors such as sand exploitation along the basin and changes in the flow from the Lam River estuary to the La River tributary and then to the Ngan Pho River.

Abstract In this paper, we study the formation of optical bistability (OB) and optical multistability (OM) in a degenerate four-level atomic system by an external magnetic field that is excited by a probe laser field, a coupling laser field and a signal laser field. The coupling field can cause electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) for the probe field in the atomic medium, while the signal field and/or external magnetic field can switch between single-EIT and two-EIT regimes. Based on these properties, OB and OM effects can be formed at two different frequency regions of the probe field (two channels). By adjusting the magnetic field or the intensity and the frequency of laser fields, the threshold intensity and the width of OB or OM can also be changed simply. The model can be useful for experimental observations and applications in modern photonic devices.

Economic raw materials such as low-grade ethanol and Tetraethyl Ortosilicate (TEOS) were adopted as reactants for the synthesis of monodisperse silica nanospheres using a Taylor Vortex flow reactor with a rotating cylinder system. Factors affecting the mean diameter and size distribution of the silica grains were investigated by changing the rotating speed of the inner cylinder and the composition of reactants. In the case of titania beads, grain diameter size was adjusted by changing the amount of precursor (titanium (IV) isopropoxide, TIP), hexadecylamine (HDA) or Potassium Chloride (KCl) and reaction temperature as well as the rotation speed of the cylinder. As a demonstrative application, titania beads could be used for the removal of organic dye as a model contaminant dissolved in an aqueous medium using a photocatalytic decomposition system.

The objective of the study is to assess the impact of circular economy practices on financial performance of construction enterprises in Vietnam. The study conducted a survey in 3 months using a survey resulting in 233 valid surveys representing 233 construction enterprises in Vietnam. Using Smart PLS 4.1 software to analyze data, the results show that circular economy practice positively impacts financial performance of circular economy construction and innovation enterprises that play a mediate role in the relationship between circular economy practice and financial performance. Finally, enterprise size has a role to play in moderating impact of circular economy practices on financial performance of construction enterprises in Vietnam.

Abstract Background With the aging of the population worldwide, extending healthy life expectancy is an urgent issue. Muscle mass has been reported to be associated with physical independence and longevity. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of food intake in urban community-dwelling older adults with low muscle mass. Methods This cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Bunkyo Health Study, which included 1618 urban community-dwelling older adults aged 65–84 years. All participants underwent measurement of body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis and evaluation of nutrient and food intake using the brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. Participants were stratified by sex and divided into robust or low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) groups according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria to compare differences in nutrient and food intake. Results The mean age and body mass index were 73.1 ± 5.4 years and 22.6 ± 3.1 kg/m2, respectively. The prevalence of low SMI was 31.1% in men and 43.3% in women. In men, all food intake, including total energy intake, was similar between the low SMI group and the robust group. In women, the low SMI group had less total energy intake, and consumed lower amounts of energy-producing nutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), but there were only small differences in the intake of specific foods. Conclusions There were sex differences in food intake characteristics between urban community-dwelling older adults with low SMI and those who were robust. Advising women to increase their energy intake may be important in preventing muscle loss, and further research is needed in men.

In this study, Taylor-vortex reactor was adopted to synthesize silica nanoparticles from sodium silicate solution and carbon dioxide. The outstanding advantages of the reactor have been demonstrated by comparing the synthesis results of silica nanoparticles by Erlenmeyer reactor. The results showed that silica particles synthesized from Taylor-vortex reactor are smaller in size than silica particles synthesized from the Erlenmeyer reactor. SEM images and histogram of particle size distribution obtained from experiments clearly exhibited that the concentration of SiO2 in the solution, reaction temperature, and rotation speed of the cylinder significantly affected morphology as well as size of the silica particles.

In CRNs, it is crucial to develop an efficient and reliable spectrum detector that consistently provides accurate information about the channel state. In this work, we investigate a CSS in a fully-distributed environment where all secondary users (SUs) are equipped with directional antennas and make decisions based solely on their local knowledge without information sharing between SUs. First, we establish a stochastic sequential optimization problem, which is an NP-hard, that maximizes the SU’s detection accuracy by the dynamic and optimal control of the energy sensing/detection threshold. It can enable SUs to select an available channel and sector without causing interference to the primary network. To address it in a distributed environment, the problem is transformed into a decentralized partially observed Markov decision process (Dec-POMDP) problem. Second, in order to determine the best control for the Dec-POMDP in a practical environment without any prior knowledge of state–action transition probabilities, we develop a multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient (MADDPG)-based algorithm, which is referred to as MA-DCSS. This algorithm adopts the centralized training and decentralized execution (CTDE) architecture. Third, we analyzed its computational complexity and showed the proposed approach’s scalability by the polynomial computational complexity, in terms of the number of channels, sectors, and SUs. Lastly, the simulation confirms that the proposed scheme provides enhanced performance in terms of convergence speed, accurate detection, and false alarm probabilities when it is compared to baseline algorithms.

The study was conducted on Pompano (Trachinotus sp.) cultured in the circulation water pond from June 2022 to September 2023. The results show that Pompano were negative for the viral pathogens (VNN and Iridovirus). Fish were infected with Vibrio alginolyticus bacteria in both farming crops. The infection rate is 20% and does not cause fish deaths in the June 2022 and April 2023 sampling periods. Meanwhile, in the July 2022 sample collection, the 60% infection rate caused the death of 4.2% of farmed fish. Doxycycline antibiotic used by mixing with food at a dose of 100 mg/kg of fish, feeding fish 1 meal/day for 5 consecutive days was effective in treatment, no fish died after the 6th day; Farmed fish weighing 30-55 g/fish are infected with the parasite Amyloodinium sp. at high infection intensity (100-190 parasites/market) caused 29.1% mortality; These fish were bathed with formol at a dose of 50 ppm. After 3 consecutive baths, 1 day apart each time, the fish stopped dying for 10 days. Parasites Trichodina sp. appear on Pompano with a weight of 80-120 g/fish, infection intensity is 0-5 infections per field (in gills) and 0-15 infections per field (in skin) but does not cause fish death. In larger fish, high intensity Trichodina sp. parasite infection has caused mortality. Specifically: Fish weighing 90-120 g/fish have an infection intensity of 100-250 infections per field, with an infection rate of 100%, causing 12.7% mortality; Fish with weight of 260-320 g/fish, intensity of 10-50 infections per field, infection rate 100%, causing 2.7% mortality. Using copper sulfate at a dose of 5 ppm completely eliminated Trichodina sp. after 3 consecutive baths, 1 day apart.

Abstract This study explores the impacts of user adaptation and its antecedents, including perceived usefulness, self-efficacy, and subjective norm on continuance intention towards mobile banking. Based on (1) extended expectation-confirmation model, (2) adaptive structuration theory for individuals, and (3) decomposed theory of planned behavior, and by incorporating user adaptation and trust perspectives, this study proposes and validates a research model by using convenient and snowball sampling techniques, face-to-face survey with a sample of 523 consumers of large banks in Vietnam. The partial least squares structural equation modeling SmartPLS 4.0 software is employed for data analysis. The research findings reveal that (1) except for subjective norm, perceived usefulness, satisfaction, adaptation, and self-efficacy significantly impact continuance intention; (2) trust moderates the relationship between adaptation and continuance intention. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided to broaden the information technology continuance literature, suggesting how banks should sustain strong relationships with mobile banking customers.

This study examines the impact of capital structure on performance of state-invested enterprises (SIEs). Capital structure is measured by total debt ratio (TDR), long-term debt ratio (LTD), and short-term debt ratio (STD), and performance is measured by return on assets (ROA) and Tobin’s Q ratio. The panel data regression method is used to process data collected from 350 state-owned joint stock companies (non-financial companies) listed on the Vietnam stock market from 2015-2022. The research results confirm that TDR, LTD, and STD negatively impact ROA and positively impact Tobin’s Q (except LTD does not affect Tobin’s Q). In addition, several factors that belong to the characteristics of enterprises, such as firm size, liquidity, tangibility, revenue growth rate, and state ownership ratio, impact the performance of SIEs by following different directions in each capital structure. These results imply that capital structure significantly influences ROA and Tobin’s Q of SIEs in Vietnam. The SIEs in the research sample used assets and loans inefficiently according to their bookkeeping value, so they did not attract much attention from investors. However, increasing the debt ratio is considered a positive signal in expanding scale and stabilizing future income streams, creating confidence for investors about the development prospects of the enterprise. Finally, the study offers several important policy implications for policymakers and business managers in developing countries in establishing and disseminating impact mechanisms to help SIEs achieve optimal capital structure, thereby enhancing performance. It also aids lenders and investors in making informed financial or investment decisions.

AbstractEarnings management has been a subject of extensive research, experiencing substantial growth recently and anticipated to continue in the years ahead. This paper employs bibliometric analysis, examining the Scopus database of publications from 1993 to 2021, to enhance our understanding of earnings management. There is a remarkable growth in earnings management research, with 54% of publications emerging from 2016 to 2021, peaking at 226 papers in 2021. Kim Y. and Alahada M. are leading contributors with ten publications each, while Kim J.-B. stands out with an impressive 1,056 citations across eight documents. Active contributors to earnings research are from the US, China, the UK, and Australia. In addition, this paper discusses four distinct themes within earnings management, including the motives and characteristics of earnings management activities, real and accrual-based earnings management, the relationship between corporate governance and earnings management, and earnings management and market performance. More importantly, it highlights future research opportunities, emphasizing the need to explore real earnings management as an alternative measurement and addressing topics like gender diversity, family firms, and leverage in understanding the magnitude of earnings management. Notably, the study’s findings provide insights to develop the research on earnings management, especially in the emerging market finance context.

This study investigated the relationship between MiPs, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and water quality in the Red River Delta. MiPs were collected from water samples at four locations: Hanoi, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, and Cat Ba Island. Bacteria isolated from MiPs and the surrounding water were analyzed for β-lactamase genes. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polytridecanolactone (PTDL) exhibited notable correlations with coefficients with microbial abundance on MiPs. Aeromonas (99.2 % of all isolates) were the most common bacteria isolated from MiPs, with a fewer Escherichia coli (0.83 %). Of 207 bacterial strains isolated from microplastic, 23 (~11 % of total) were found to carry antibiotic resistance genes, mostly blaTEM (13/23; 56.5 %), blaSHV (9/23; 39.1 %) and blaCTXM-9 (1/23; 4.3 %). All seven environmental factors measured were found to affect the distribution of ARGs and ARBs on MiP surfaces. Chlorophyll-a showed a strong positive correlation with ARB abundance, suggesting a potential link between primary productivity and bacterial colonization. This study is one of the first to report the association of MPs with antibiotic-resistant microbiota and genes. The presence of ARGs on MiPs in areas with high human population highlights the need for effective pollution management strategies to mitigate the risks associated with AMR.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommend the consumption of less than 2,000 mg of sodium/day to reduce blood pressure and the risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. The sodium intake among Vietnamese was reported to be 7,200 mg/d or more. Free L-glutamate enhances flavor when it is added to food and improves the taste of sodium-reduced foods.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate whether the intake of free L-glutamate-rich seasonings contributes to maintaining a low sodium intake in a cross-over study.MethodsFrom a total of 145 subjects, 42 participants were screened for participation in the cross-over design study. Subjects were randomly allocated to the Low free L-glutamate group (Low free L-Gl) and the Normal free L-glutamate group (Normal free L-Gl). Both received a direct educational guideline to reduce sodium intake. The Low free L-Gl group started with a restriction in the variety of free L-glutamate-rich seasonings, and the Normal free L-Gl group had no restriction in the variety of seasonings. Blood pressure was measured at week 0 (baseline), week 2, week 4, and week 6, while body weight, height, urine sodium and potassium excretion, chromogranin-A (CgA pmol/mg protein) from saliva, and free L-glutamate from food were measured at week 0, week 3, and week 6.ResultsIn Low free L-Gl, the amount of free L-glutamate in food decreased significantly from baseline to week 6 (p 0.05). However, the reduction of sodium excretion at week 6 was 22% in Low free L-Gl (5,875 mg/d vs. 4,603 mg/d, p

This paper aims to explore the effect of ethical leadership on employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment through the potential mediator of psychological capital (PsyCap). In total, 418 employees in Ho Chi Minh City—Vietnam completed the survey. Partial least square–structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. The results of the study indicated a positive relationship between ethical leadership and employees’ PsyCap, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Furthermore, the results revealed the partial mediating effect of PsyCap on the relationship between ethical leadership and job satisfaction and between ethical leadership and organizational commitment. Since the mechanism of ethical leadership has rarely been explored, the results of this study could provide important references for further research. These results could also be greatly beneficial to organizational leaders in evaluating ethical leadership.

This study examines mobile commerce continuance intention based on integrating expectation-confirmation and task-technology models and incorporating flow experience and user adaptation perspectives in an emerging context of Vietnam. The dataset ( n = 519) of face-to-face responses from mobile commerce consumers utilizing convenience and snowball sampling techniques was examined employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling SmartPLS4.0. The findings confirm that confirmation, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction are all positively related to continuance intention. Additionally, the findings show that while task-technology fit affects perceived usefulness and user adaptation, it does not directly predict satisfaction. Furthermore, the study indicates that flow and task-technology fit impact continuance intention. Remarkably, this study is the first to unveil the significant moderating effect of flow on the relationship between adaptation and continuation intention. The study offers insightful implications for firms to retain customers effectively by boosting the factors forming continuance intention.

IntroductionAtherosclerosis, a leading cause of global cardiovascular mortality, is characterized by chronic inflammation. Central to this process is the NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which significantly influences atherosclerotic progression. Recent research has identified that the olfactory receptor 2 (Olfr2) in vascular macrophages is instrumental in driving atherosclerosis through NLRP3- dependent IL-1 production.MethodsTo investigate the effects of Corilagin, noted for its anti-inflammatory attributes, on atherosclerotic development and the Olfr2 signaling pathway, our study employed an atherosclerosis model in ApoE−/− mice, fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, alongside cellular models in Ana-1 cells and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages, stimulated with lipopolysaccharides and oxidized low-density lipoprotein.ResultsThe vivo and vitro experiments indicated that Corilagin could effectively reduce serum lipid levels, alleviate aortic pathological changes, and decrease intimal lipid deposition. Additionally, as results showed, Corilagin was able to cut down expressions of molecules associated with the Olfr2 signaling pathway.DiscussionOur findings indicated that Corilagin effectively inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, consequently diminishing inflammation, macrophage polarization, and pyroptosis in the mouse aorta and cellular models via the Olfr2 pathway. This suggests a novel therapeutic mechanism of Corilagin in the treatment of atherosclerosis.