bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase concept: Novel dynamic endoscopic assessment of intramural antireflux mechanisms (with video)
Authors: Inoue Haruhiro , Tanabe Mayo , Shimamura Yuto , Yamamoto Kazuki , Nishikawa Yohei , Ushikubo Kei , Iwasaki Miyuki , Tanaka Hidenori , Tanaka Ippei , Owada Kaori , Abiko Satoshi , Onimaru Manabu , Seewald Stefan
Published: September 2024

Objectives

The gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) consists of various anatomical components that together form a barrier to prevent reflux of gastric content. This study introduces a novel phase concept to dynamically evaluate the antireflux barrier (ARB) during endoscopy and analyzes its functionality.

Methods

We reviewed previously the recorded endoscopic videos of subjects who underwent the endoscopic pressure study integrated system (EPSIS) from February to April 2024 for indications other than gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. This device was used as an auxiliary tool to measure intragastric pressure (IGP) during endoscopy with a retroflex view. The ARB dynamic was divided into three phases: Phase I (gastric phase), Phase II (lower esophageal sphincter phase), and Phase III (esophageal clearance phase). We evaluated the morphological changes in the ARB during insufflation using EPSIS.

Results

The median age of the 30 subjects was 58 years (interquartile range [IQR] 46.5–68.8), including 20 men and 10 women. Endoscopic findings and IGPs were recorded during the three phases. In Phase I, at low IGP (median 6.75 mmHg), the gastroesophageal flap valve and longitudinal folds were observed in 80% of cases. In Phase II, at moderate IGP (median 11.8 mmHg), the scope holding sign was observed in 86.7%. In Phase III, at high IGP (median 19 mmHg) inducing belching, peristalsis was observed in 80% of cases with median recovery time of 5 s.

Conclusion

The phase concept provides a valuable framework for understanding the antireflux mechanism. Further research is needed to validate these findings in GEJ disorders and explore correlations with other modalities.
Progression of hippocampal subfield atrophy and asymmetry in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Xu Jingjing , Tan Sijia , Wen Jiaqi , Zhang Minming ,   For the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Xu Xiaojun
Published: September 2024

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the hippocampus during its progression, but the specific observable changes of hippocampal subfields during disease progression remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed an event‐based model (EBM) to determine the sequence of occurrence of hippocampal subfield atrophy in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD cohorts. Subjects (207) were included: 86 MCI, 53 AD, and 68 healthy controls from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to analyse the hippocampal subfields. We assigned each patient to a specific EBM stage, based on the number of their abnormal subfields. A combination of 2‐year follow‐up MRI scans were applied to demonstrate the longitudinal consistency and utility of the model's staging system. The model estimated that the earliest atrophy occurs in the hippocampal fissure, then spreading to other subregions in both MCI and AD. We identified a marked divergence between the sequences of left and right hippocampal subfields atrophy, so inter‐hemispheric asymmetry pattern was further analysed. The sequence of asymmetry index (AI) increases beginning in the molecular and granule cell layers of the dentate gyrus (GC‐ML‐DG), cornus ammonis (CA) 4, and the molecular layer (ML). Longitudinal analysis confirms the efficacy of the model. In addition, the model stages were significantly correlated with patients' memory scores (p < .05). Collectively, we used a data‐driven method to provide new insight into AD hippocampal progression. The present model could aid in understanding of the disease stages, as well as tracking memory decline.
Existence of equilibria in persuasion games with costly information acquisition
Authors: Montes Alfonso
Published: September 2024

This paper studies public information disclosure in games with rationally inattentive players. We establish how the existence of an optimal sender's strategy depends on the nature of the receivers' information cost. When the receivers' cost is strongly Uniformly Posterior Separable (UPS), selecting the sender's most preferred equilibrium (SPE) for every interim belief guarantees a solution to the information design problem. We provide an example with a (non‐strongly) UPS cost function in which an optimal sender's strategy does not exist despite the selection of the SPE.
The impact of calcium sequestration on the material and structural properties of acid milk gels and corresponding cream cheeses
Authors: Kim Jiuk , Watkinson Philip , Matia‐Merino Lara , Golding Matt
Published: September 2024

We report on the role of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in addition to the structural and material properties of acid milk gels formed via addition of glucono‐delta‐lactone (GDL) and these properties of corresponding analogue cream cheeses prepared from these gels. Increasing addition of EDTA to cheese milks prior to acidulation reduced the concentration of insoluble calcium in the milks. Acid gelation of milks, as measured by small deformation rheology, showed a decreased rate of gelation and lower relative elastic modulus of gels with increasing EDTA concentration. The sequestration of colloidal calcium phosphate from the casein micelle by the addition of EDTA led to the lower gelation rate and elastic modulus. The lower extent of ionic binding is considered the causative mechanism for formation of weaker gel structures. Cream cheeses prepared using acid gels with GDL acidulant were compositionally unaffected by EDTA concentration. However, variations in G′ observed in the acid gels containing increasing levels of EDTA correlated with large deformation material property changes in cream cheese analogues. In addition, the increasing inclusion of EDTA in cheese milks translated to reduced water‐holding capacity of the cream cheeses prepared from those milks. These results provide insights on the specific role of milk calcium on the structure, material and physical properties of acid milk gels and corresponding cream cheese analogues.
The role of dietary fibre in intestinal heat shock protein regulation
Authors: Rini Dina Mustika , Sitolo Gertrude Cynthia , Adesina Precious Adedayo , Suzuki Takuya
Published: September 2024

The gastrointestinal tract serves as a pivotal physical barrier that prevents the translocation of exogenous substances from the intestinal lumen into the systemic circulation. Dysfunction of intestinal barrier function has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases, such as metabolic disorders. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a critical role in maintaining the resilience and viability of epithelial cells when exposed to stressors. Evidence suggests that dietary fibre (DF), a known inducer of HSP production, may be a promising candidate for strengthening the intestinal barrier. Understanding the regulation of intestinal HSPs and the protective effect of DF is critical to defending against environmental threats and preserving human health. To date, six DFs—pectin, chicory, psyllium, guar gum, partially hydrolysed guar gum, and xylooligosaccharide—have been reported to have promotive effects on intestinal HSP induction. DF promotes intestinal HSP induction through gut microbiota‐dependent and independent mechanisms. DF is fermented by gut microbiota to produce short‐chain fatty acids, specifically butyrate and propionate, to promote HSP production. Meanwhile, DF also promotes intestinal HSP induction through direct interaction with intestinal epithelial cells, independent of gut microbiota activity, although the precise mechanism is still unclear. Regulation of intestinal HSP occurs by transcriptional modulation through activation of heat shock transcription factors, primarily heat shock factor 1, or at the post‐transcriptional level by modulation of the translation process. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the role of DF in improving intestinal barrier function, with particular emphasis on the regulatory mechanisms of intestinal HSPs.
The role of diversification in stabilizing bank credit over the business cycle
Authors: Šeho Mirzet , Haque Md. Mahmudul , Chowdhury Mohammad Ashraful Ferdous
Published: September 2024

We investigate whether diversification stabilizes bank lending cyclicality on a sample of 25 conventional and 18 Islamic banks from Malaysia spanning 2008 to 2021. Our findings reveal that both bank types are nonlinearly procyclical during economic expansions, with Islamic banks also exhibiting countercyclical behavior during economic contractions. Diversification is positively associated with credit growth in conventional banks and Islamic bank subsidiaries, and it amplifies procyclicality across all Islamic bank types. Conversely, loan concentration stabilizes credit in Islamic banks. These results are robust to an alternative credit measure. Further analyses indicate that public and foreign banks are procyclical during booms and countercyclical during busts. At the same time, diversification heightens procyclicality in private, local, and foreign banks, whereas concentration mitigates it in public and local banks.
Unearthing waste resources: Nano‐adsorbents from complex packaging waste for fluoride detoxification of water
Authors: Ghinangju Bikesh , Hossain Rumana , Sahajwalla Veena
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the synthesis and characterization of Al2O3 nanoparticles derived from multilayered packaging (MLP) waste, specifically postconsumer coffee capsules, and evaluates their efficacy in fluoride adsorption from aqueous solutions. The nanoparticles were synthesized using a facile thermal degradation technique followed by leaching and precipitation processes. Characterization techniques, including inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectroscopy, XRF, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscope, confirmed the formation of γ‐Al2O3 nanoparticles with a cubic crystal structure. The adsorption process was found to be endothermic and spontaneous, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 9.60 mg/g. Kinetic studies revealed that the pseudo‐second order model best described the adsorption process, indicating a complex multistep mechanism involving both physisorption in the initial rapid adsorption and chemisorption in the latter slower phase. The Freundlich–Langmuir isotherm provided the best fit for equilibrium data suggesting a complex adsorption mechanism involving both homogeneous and heterogeneous surface interactions. The presence of competing anions, particularly carbonate and phosphate, significantly affected the adsorption efficiency. This research demonstrates the potential of upcycling MLP waste into valuable adsorbents for wastewater treatment applications, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
Oxidation mechanism and kinetics of TiB2 submicron powders in air
Authors: Li Xin , Tang Jian , Qiao Jia , Chen Bin , Shen Hongfang
Published: September 2024

High‐activity TiB2 submicron powders were synthesized via microwave‐assisted carbothermal reduction, and their oxidation behavior at 550°C–1000°C for 0.5–1.5 h in air atmosphere was carried out by the isothermal oxidation test. The phase composition and microstructure evolution of the oxidation products were performed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was established that TiB2 submicron powders had been significantly oxidized at 550°C, and the oxidation products were TiO2 and B2O3. Hexagonal plate‐like TiB2 grains had been completely disappeared, and fragmented into uniform nano‐scale spherical TiO2 particles after being oxidized at 1000°C for 1 h, accompanied by the violent evaporation of B2O3 products at temperatures above 1000°C. In addition, the corresponding oxidation kinetics was investigated by using a non‐isothermal thermogravimetric (TG)–differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. The results showed that the Mample power law (n = 1) was the most probable mechanism function, and the oxidation activation energy E of TiB2 submicron powders was 640.58 kJ/mol.
Do Firms Gain From Managerial Overconfidence? Managerial Bargaining Power and the Role of Severance Pay
Authors: Graziano Clara , Luporini Annalisa
Published: September 2024

We analyze the effects of optimism and overconfidence when the manager has bargaining power and the compensation package includes severance pay. Optimism implies that the manager overestimates the probability of success, while overconfidence induces the manager to overestimate the increase in the probability of success due to her investment. If the manager can renegotiate the initial contract, the advantage of using severance pay to induce the manager to invest, commonly found in the literature, is reduced by the presence of the biases. Optimism increases severance pay and managerial entrenchement with a negative effect on expected profit. Overconfidence reduces incentive pay, as shown by the previous literature, but its effect on severance pay depends on the intensity of the bias. A moderate overconfidence reduces severance pay and increases expected profit. Conversely, extreme overconfidence increases severance pay and this may offset the beneficial effect on incentive pay. Thus, the attempt to exploit managerial overconfidence to reduce incentive pay may backfire if the manager is replaced. Our model suggests that the large severance payments documented by the empirical literature represent a form of efficient contracting when the optimistic and overconfident manager has bargaining power.
The “Kill Zone”: When a Platform Copies to Eliminate a Potential Threat
Authors: Motta Massimo , Shelegia Sandro
Published: September 2024

A monopoly platform may prevent a startup which sells a complementary product from developing a competing platform by copying it. Imitation reduces the potential rival's profits from the new platform and thus its incentives to invest. The anticipation of the incumbent's aggressive behavior may also create an “ex ante” effect, by inducing the rival not to challenge the incumbent with a new platform (i.e., not to enter the “kill zone”) and to develop another (noncompeting) product instead. This finding is robust to several extensions.
Association between pathological T1 colorectal cancer with lymphoid follicular replacement and risk of lymph node metastasis
Authors: Inaba Atsushi , Ikematsu Hiroaki , Kojima Motohiro , Sakamoto Naoya , Wakabayashi Masashi , Sunakawa Hironori , Nakajo Keiichiro , Murano Tatsuro , Kadota Tomohiro , Shinmura Kensuke , Yano Tomonori
Published: September 2024

Background and Aim

Endoscopic resection (ER) is widely performed to treat early colorectal cancer. However, additional surgery for pathological T1 colorectal cancer (pT1CRC) after ER is controversial because of the imprecise prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM). Recently, several patients of pT1CRC with lymphoid follicular replacement (LFR) without LNM have been reported. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features and risk of LNM in patients with pT1CRC with LFR.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent ER or surgical resection and were diagnosed with pT1CRC between January 2010 and December 2020. We defined pT1CRC with LFR as the replacement of a part of the lymphoid follicular component within the submucosal area by adenocarcinoma, with no invasion into other submucosal areas.

Results

Among the 600 eligible patients, the incidence rate of pT1CRC with LFR was 6.7% (40/600). Patients with pT1CRC with LFR represented 14.3% (37/258) of the endoscopically treated patients and 0.9% (3/342) of the surgically treated patients. For patients with pT1CRC with LFR, 80.0% (32/40) had flat and depressed lesions, and 35.0% (14/40) had submucosal invasion depth ≥1000 μm. Patients with pT1CRC with LFR had negative lymphovascular invasion, differentiated type, and budding grade 1. In the median follow‐up of 61 months, patients with pT1CRC with LFR had no LNM.

Conclusions

The presence of LFR in pT1CRC may be associated with a low risk of LNM. In patients with pT1CRC with LFR, follow‐up without additional surgery is possible even if the submucosal invasion depth is ≥1000 μm.
Toward inclusive and equitable LGBTIQ+ measurement: Assessing gender and sexual orientation measures and scale validity in national surveys across 21 countries
Authors: Li K. Colin , van Berlekom Elli , Atwood S. , Wang Yu‐Chi
Published: September 2024

Despite growing global interest in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer/questioning (LGBTIQ+) research, variations in measurement practices across countries have remained underexplored. In this work, we focused on two fundamental aspects of measurement vital to understanding the experiences of LGBTIQ+ people. Specifically, we documented current measures of sex, gender, and sexual orientation used in national mental well‐being‐related surveys and reviewed whether the mental well‐being scales in those surveys have been validated for LGBTIQ+ people. We employed a stratified sampling strategy and evaluated national surveys from a list of randomly selected countries representing 10% of global nations (N = 21). Fewer than half of the countries measured sexual orientation and fewer than one‐third measured gender beyond the binary in their national surveys. Among the countries that measured gender or sexual orientation, the response options and question phrasing were often not inclusive. In addition, most of the mental well‐being scales lacked validity evidence for LGBTIQ+ populations. Finally, we outline recommendations for the future of reimagining LGBTIQ+ research in terms of measurement, highlighting the importance of research engagement with the global LGBTIQ+ community.
Exome Sequencing of a Blastomycosis Case–Control Cohort From Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Jankowski Paul , Lee Emma R. , Embil John , Keynan Yoav , McLaren Paul J.
Published: September 2024

Background

Blastomycosis is a pulmonary disease caused by Blastomyces spp., a group of pathogenic dimorphic fungi endemic to a number of geographic regions, specifically Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, Canada. Immunosuppression is a major risk factor affecting disease susceptibility, yet host immunity is not well understood. Genetic immunodeficiencies can also influence disease, with variants in IL6, GATA2 and VDBP shown to influence susceptibility. Additional genetic factors in disease susceptibility and severity remain undetected. Our study seeks to identify potential genetic risk factors in a blastomycosis case–control cohort from Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Methods

Exomes from 18 blastomycosis cases and 9 controls were sequenced, variants were identified and filtered for accuracy and quality. We performed candidate gene prioritisation and variant aggregation to identify genetic associations and explored the full exome dataset.

Results

Ninety‐nine genetic variants in 42 candidate genes were identified in the exome dataset. No variants associated with susceptibility were identified in a single‐variant analysis although two non‐synonymous variants in TYK2 were enriched among cases suggesting a possible role in susceptibility. Gene‐based association analysis found variants in TLR1 enriched in controls (p = 0.024) suggesting a possible protective effect. Gene cluster analysis identified genetic variants in genes of chromatin remodelling, proteasome and intraflagellar transport significantly enriched in cases (false discovery rates < 14%).

Conclusions

The findings in this study show novel associations with blastomycosis susceptibility. A better understanding of host immunity and genetic predisposition to Blastomyces infection can help to inform clinical practice for improved outcomes.
The blue–green light‐dependent state transition in the marine phytoplankton Ostreococcus tauri
Authors: Kubota Masato , Kim Eunchul , Ishii Asako , Minagawa Jun
Published: September 2024

We explored the adaptive mechanisms of Ostreococcus tauri, a marine picophytoplankton with a ubiquitous ocean presence. We aimed to understand its photosynthetic acclimation, as featured in the cryo‐EM structure of its photosystem I (PSI) supercomplex. This structure revealed a unique composition involving a phosphorylated Lhcp trimer bound to the PSI core along with two additional Lhcp trimers, suggesting potential state transitions for photoacclimation.

To investigate this hypothesis, we conducted a series of biochemical and physiological experiments. We analyzed absorption spectra to differentiate between PSI and PSII, particularly focusing on blue–green wavelengths, and examined the effects of specific excitation of Lhcp with green light, including its phosphorylation and the formation of the PSI‐LHCI‐Lhcp supercomplex.

Our experiments clarified the distinctive effects attributable to absorption by pigments associated with Lhcp. Exciting Lhcp with green light induced its phosphorylation, leading to the formation of the PSI‐LHCI‐Lhcp supercomplex. Notably, the functional antenna size of PSI could reversibly expand in response to green light, demonstrating its state transition capability.

These findings not only highlight the unique photosynthetic acclimation adapted to the marine environment but also suggest a possible ancestral role of state transitions in green plants, given the phylogenetic position of Prasinophyceae.
SUPERMAN Targets PHRAGMOPLAST ORIENTING KINESIN to Negatively Regulate Leaf Cell Division in Poplar
Authors: Jiang Cheng , Zhao Chunyan , Gao Hesheng , Gu Ziqi , Wu Yuehong , Wen Shuangshuang , Chen Ningning , An Yi , Huang Lichao , Lu Yongquan , Zhang Jin , Lu Meng‐Zhu
Published: September 2024

Plant organs achieve their specific size and shape through the coordination of cell division and cell expansion, processes that are profoundly influenced by environmental cues. Cytokinesis during cell division depends on the position of the cytokinetic wall, but how this process responses to environment fluctuations remains underexplored. Here, we investigated a regulatory module involving C2H2‐type zinc finger protein (C2H2‐ZFP) in leaf morphology during drought stress. A total of 123 C2H2‐ZFP members were identified through a comparative genome survey in Populus alba × P. glandulosa ‘84K’. Among them, PagSUPa, an orthologous gene of Arabidopsis SUPERMAN, was selected due to its responsiveness to drought stress and was further confirmed to play a role in leaf development. Phenotypic characterization and cellular analysis revealed that PagSUPa fine‐tunes the duration of cell proliferation in the adaxial epidermis, thereby influencing leaf morphology by modulating leaf adaxial‐abaxial polarity. Additionally, we found that PagSUPa directly suppresses the expression of PHRAGMOPLAST ORIENTING KINESIN1 (PagPOK1) and PagPOK2, genes encoding proteins involved in phragmoplast orientation and position, which results in impaired cytokinesis and cell wall organization. This study provides novel insights into the regulatory network governed by the SUP gene during leaf development, specifically in relation to cell division.
Effectiveness of Message Framing Interventions on Improving Health Outcomes for Individuals in Diabetes Health Education Communication: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zhang Wei , Ye Xiaoli , Shen Tong , Zhao Fangfang
Published: September 2024

Objectives

To identify the effects of message‐framing interventions on improving health outcomes of individuals in diabetes health education communication.

Methods

Four electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were the search engines used. The period of literature search was from their inception until December 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi‐experimental trials reporting the effects of message‐framing interventions for diabetes were included.

Results

The review included 10 studies. Many studies have investigated multiple health outcomes. Of the seven studies that evaluated behavioral health‐related outcomes, all studies (7/7, 100%) found a positive effect, and four studies (4/7, 57.1%) found that there was no significant difference between gain and loss framing. Of the seven studies that assessed nonbehavioral health‐related outcomes, six studies (6/7, 85.7%) reported a positive postintervention effect, whereas four studies (4/7, 57.1%) found that loss‐framed messages were more effective. One study (1/7, 14.3%) reported that there was no effect of the message framing on mental health‐related outcomes.

Conclusions

In diabetes health education communication, message framing of gain and loss framing has a positive effect on health outcomes for individuals. The advantage of the loss framing is more significant in improving nonbehavioral health‐related outcomes.

Practice Implications

When constructing a message to promote health outcomes for patients with diabetes, the message framing is worth applying, and the advantages of loss framing can be considered more.

Trial Registration

PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42023445074. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=445074
The use of a solar simulator device to standardize microbiological decontamination of contaminated water by solar disinfection by the SODIS and MB/SODIS protocols
Authors: Rurr Janine Simas Cardoso , Paiva Juliana Patrão de , Diniz Raiane Rosales , Leitao Alvaro Augusto da Costa , Hossy Bryan Hudson , Miguel Nádia Campos de Oliveira , de Alencar Santos Lage Claudia
Published: September 2024

Consuming microbiologically‐contaminated water is the primary cause of many water‐borne diseases and deaths worldwide. Governments aim at providing drinking water for vulnerable populations, especially through low‐cost interventions. Therefore, the solar disinfection (SODIS) of such pathogens provides a simple and cost‐effective way to obtain good quality water. In this procedure, PET bottles are filled with contaminated water and exposed to sunlight for 1–2 days. To accelerate decontamination, methylene blue (MB) dye added as a photocatalyst, boosts singlet oxygen generation upon absorbing red‐band sunlight. This study explores the use of a Sunlight Simulator (SSL) device to research and standardize the SODIS method with a vital dye as MB. PET bottles were filled with artificially‐contaminated water with Streptococcus epidermidis and Deinococcus radiodurans Gram‐positive bacteria, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium Gram‐negative bacteria, or bacteriophage λ as well. In all experiments, 50 ng/mL MB ensued a synergistic lethal effect after SSL exposure. The results indicate that bacterial and bacteriophage inactivation can be achieved in shorter times with MB‐SSL treatment compared to SSL without MB. In this sense, when compared to previous sunlight‐SODIS results, the SSL source is a reliable tool to study the parameters of both SODIS and MB‐SODIS protocols, and also a feasible tool to afford assays whenever there are unfavorable climate conditions.
What is social organizing?
Authors: Hyska Megan
Published: September 2024

While scholars of, and participants in, social movements, electoral politics, and organized labor are deeply engaged in contrasting different theories of how political actors should organize, little recent philosophical work has asked what social organizing is. This paper aims to answer this question in a way that can make sense of typical organizing‐related claims and debates. It is intuitive that what social organizing does is bring about some kind of collectivity. However, I argue that the varieties of collectivity most amply theorized by analytic philosophers in recent years, including grouphood and collective intentionality, are not the right kinds to embed in a theory of social organizing. I ultimately argue that the sort of collectivity that organizing characteristically brings about is a special kind of causal complementarity among agents' actions— and that while this can exist alongside grouphood and collective intentionality, it is not the same thing as either. The notion of social organizing that emerges is one that can clarify, without trivializing, a number of pressing contemporary debates about how normal people should conduct themselves as interconnected political actors.
Isolation and characterization of plant‐pathogenic Streptomyces species associated with potato common scab disease in Türkiye
Authors: Uysal Nida , Bozkurt Adem , Elçi Eminur
Published: September 2024

Potato common scab (PCS), a significant potato disease, negatively impacts tuber quality. The present study was conducted to isolate and characterize pathogenic Streptomyces species associated with PCS disease in Türkiye based on their morphological, physiological and molecular characteristics. Field‐grown potatoes that exhibited scab lesions were collected from four provinces in 2020–2021, and 200 bacterial isolates were obtained from netted, superficial and deep‐pitted common scab lesions. Pathogenicity assays, including in vitro tuber slice and in planta radish seedling bioassays, identified 150 pathogenic isolates. Morphological and physiological characterization of 92 selected isolates revealed several Streptomyces species that exhibited diverse mycelium colours, sporulation patterns and pigmentation. Molecular analysis using 16S rRNA sequencing, species‐specific primers, PCR‐RFLP of the 16S‐23S (ITS) region with Hpy99I restriction enzyme, and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on atpD, recA, rpoB and trpB genes revealed that S. scabiei was the dominant species, followed by S. europaeiscabiei, S. caniscabiei, S. bottropensis, S. stelliscabiei and S. turgidiscabies. PCR analysis revealed the presence of the thaxtomin synthetase genes (txtAB) in all tested samples, while the necrogenic protein (nec1) and tomatinase (tomA)‐encoding genes were absent from three and two isolates, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of 32 representative isolates conducted with sequences from 16S rRNA, species‐specific PCR and MLSA confirmed their morphological identification and clustered them with reference strains. This study contributes to the understanding of distribution of Streptomyces species associated with PCS, and to our knowledge, is the first molecular confirmation of S. caniscabiei and S. turgidiscabies causing potato scab in Türkiye.
Identification of Magnaporthe oryzae candidate secretory effector proteins through standardizing the filtering process of the canonical parameters
Authors: Teli Basavaraj , Sarma Birinchi Kumar
Published: September 2024

The virulence of Magnaporthe oryzae largely hinges on its secretory effectors. Therefore, identification and thorough understanding of the effector functionality is crucial for unravelling the pathogenicity of the pathogen. In the present study, we employed a modified computational pipeline with deep machine learning techniques with an integration of Magnaporthe effector reference datasets (MOED) that predicted 434 M. oryzae candidate secretory effector proteins (MoCSEPs) from the genomic data. The reliability of the modified CSEP prediction workflow through utilization of precise parametric filtering is considered valid as it predicted 100 functional effectors (97.08%) out of 103 previously identified effector proteins within the Magnaporthe genus. Insights into secretion patterns and subcellular localization elucidated the role of these proteins in host cell recognition. Furthermore, structural classification of MoCSEPs, based on conserved motifs, combined with an exploration of their biological functions, revealed their significance in host adaptability and localization. Experimental validation done through examining expression of the MoCSEPs revealed varied secretion patterns in the resistant (40 expressed) and susceptible (92 expressed) rice cultivars at different time intervals after pathogen inoculation owing to different degrees of resistance by the host cultivars. The present work thus provides the strategic model of canonical parametric evaluation within the MOED and deepens the understanding on the role of secretory proteins of M. oryzae in establishing successful parasitic infection in rice. The predicted MoCSEPs could be used as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and tracking evolutionary shifts in M. oryzae.
Spatial variability in aeolian abrasion: Ibex Dune Field, Death Valley National Park
Authors: Dorn Taylor , Day Mackenzie
Published: September 2024

Wind‐driven sediment transport drives significant landscape evolution in arid regions. Wind‐blown sand can form large dunes, or can erode exposed surfaces via abrasion. Previous works on aeolian abrasion have focused on the geomorphological features resulting from abrasion (for example, ventifacts and yardangs) through both field and wind‐tunnel experiments. However, relatively little attention has been given to how abrasion varies spatially as sand flux converges on a sand sink, such as a dune field. This work studied an arid landscape using field measurements and collected weather data to quantitatively measure how abrasion varies in space around the Ibex Dune Field. From March 2021 to October 2022, the wind conditions at two separate locations in the region were monitored, saltating sand flux was captured using fully rotating sediment traps, ventifacts were mapped along several transects, and abrasion‐related mass loss on mounted gypsum plaster samples was measured. These results suggest that the magnitude of abrasion is approximately inversely proportional to the distance away from the dune field, increasing in magnitude as sands converge and fluxes increase at the dune field sink. Comparison between modern winds and ventifact orientations suggests that additional complexity, not aeolian processes alone, may be shaping the morphology of surface cobbles.
The normative stakes of Foucault's engagement with neoliberalism: Seduction, invention, and normalization
Authors: D'Cruz Leonard
Published: September 2024

This article critically examines Foucault's engagement with neoliberalism. While Foucault declares that his analysis of this tradition is primarily descriptive, I argue that he continually questions whether neoliberalism is less disciplinary and biopolitically normalizing than traditional forms of liberalism. Although Foucault does not endorse neoliberalism as a prescriptive solution to these problems of normalization, his interest in such problems is consistent with his tendency to privilege freedom over other values like justice and equality. This helps to clarify the normative stakes of Foucault's analysis while rejecting any suggestion that he was invested in neoliberalism as a comprehensive political program. Indeed, I repudiate the claim that he was “seduced” by neoliberalism. Furthermore, I reject the idea that he was trying to “invent” a distinctively socialist governmentality through the prism of neoliberalism. Finally, I consider the broader significance of this discussion for normative political philosophy.
Pre‐engraftment bacteremia after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation without primary fluoroquinolone antibacterial prophylaxis
Authors: Nguyen Aude , Fender Jordan , Courjon Johan , Fischer Adrien , Mappoura Maria , Morin Sarah , Giannotti Federica , Mamez Anne‐Claire , Chalandon Yves , Masouridi‐Levrat Stavroula , Neofytos Dionysios
Published: September 2024

Background

Bacteremia is a common complication in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients (alloHCTr), especially during the pre‐engraftment period. International guidelines recommend antibacterial prophylaxis (ABP), despite potential selection for multidrug‐resistant organisms (MDRO). Limited contemporary data exist on the epidemiology of pre‐engraftment bacteremia in alloHCTr, who do not receive ABP.

Methods

We performed a retrospective observational single‐center cohort study including all consecutive adult alloHCTr (2015–2021), investigating the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of bacteremia during the engraftment period. Primary fluoroquinolone (FQ) ABP is not routinely administered in our center.

Results

Among 421 patients identified, 124 bacteremia episodes were observed in 121/421 (29%) alloHCTr. The median time to the 1st bacteremia episode was 9 days (IQR 6–11). Most (105/124, 85%) episodes were monomicrobial, while >1 pathogens were identified in 19/124 (15%) episodes. Overall, 152 pathogens were isolated, with a predominance of Gram‐positive (118/152, 78%), including coagulase‐negative staphylococci (n:47), streptococci (n:46), and enterococci (n:15), followed by Gram‐negative bacteria (GNB, 30/152, 20%), and anaerobes (4/152, 3%). There were 2/152 (1%) MDRO (extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamase producing) GNB. Multivariable analyses identified age >40‐year‐old (OR 2.4, P = 0.02), male gender (OR 1.8, P = 0.02), and a haploidentical/mismatched unrelated donor (OR 2.5, P < 0.001) as independent risk factors for bacteremia. All cause 30‐day mortality among alloHCTr with bacteremia was 0.8% (1/121): one patient died due to an HCT‐related complication.

Conclusion

Despite lack of primary FQ ABP, low rates of bacteremia were observed during the pre‐engraftment period, with low MDRO prevalence and mortality. Our findings may allow to revisit the need for primary universal FQ ABP in high‐risk neutropenic hematology patients.

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Dosier Comunicación + Ciencia, Tecnología y Sociedad
Authors: Escobar-Ortiz Jorge , Moreno-Martínez Óscar , Guerrero-Castro Javier
Published: September 2024

La política científica es un campo de reflexión y acción reciente. Se inauguró a mediados del siglo XX tras las guerras mundiales, con documentos fundacionales, como el famoso informe de Vannevar Bush, intitulado Science: The Endless Frontier (1945). La política científica, como campo perteneciente a las políticas públicas, se propuso desde el inicio la resolución de problemáticas sociales asociadas con la ciencia y la tecnología. Esto incluía un foco importante en procesos de investigación, referidos a su apoyo, promoción e infraestructura, así como a la formación de capacidad humana para realizarlos, pero también apelaba a elementos mucho más amplios que buscaban crear un ambiente favorable para la ciencia y la tecnología en la sociedad. Museos, publicaciones especializadas y divulgativas, programas de radio y televisión, bibliotecas y sistemas de información fueron algunos de los elementos que se tomaron como centrales para fortalecer el conjunto de la política científica.
Circulación no comercial de revistas especializadas editadas en Colombia. Análisis de los repertorios y las geografías de circulación de Caldasia, 1940-1952
Authors: Hernández-Socha Yuirubán
Published: September 2024

Durante el siglo XX, Colombia edificó un ecosistema de publicación científica no comercial. No obstante, pese al significativo número de revistas que optó por esta circulación, aún desconocemos empleados para lograr este cometido. En este artículo partimos de este vacío en la literatura y proponemos un análisis histórico espacial de la circulación de Caldasia, revista de ciencias biológicas. Se reflexiona sobre las geografías de circulación de la revista con relación a su repertorio de circulación: la suscripción no paga, entendiéndolo como un repertorio de circulación basado en el intercambio de dones. Para ello, se consultaron actas de envío y correspondencia del director de la revista. Se concluye que: la economía del don fue una condición característica de la circulación de Caldasia; el análisis de los mecanismos no comerciales de circulación es central para comprender algunas formas de trabajo colaborativo que forjaron las geografías del conocimiento científico del siglo XX.
Las decisiones judiciales en órganos colegiados y el sesgo de retrospectiva en grupos
Authors: Valencia Rodríguez Natalia
Published: September 2024

Desde la psicología legal, se han adelantado varios estudios que analizan la incidencia y el impacto del sesgo de retrospectiva en las decisiones judiciales, puntualmente, en aquellas tomadas por los jurados y los jueces unipersonales. Por medio de diferentes experimentos, se ha evaluado cómo la presencia de dicho sesgo puede afectar la valoración que estos agentes hacen de diferentes conceptos jurídicos, como la culpa, por ejemplo. Sin embargo, los estudios se han centrado en el proceso de toma de decisiones individuales, dejando a un lado los procesos de toma de decisiones colectivos que están presentes en diferentes estructuras de poder judicial de gran relevancia, como los tribunales y las cortes. Estos órganos judiciales colegiados deciden mediante procesos deliberativos que podrían verse afectados por el sesgo de retrospectiva de diferentes formas. Por medio de este artículo, se plantearán algunas reflexiones sobre el alcance y las dimensiones del sesgo de retrospectiva en las decisiones tomadas en grupo, particularmente, en aquellas tomadas por órganos judiciales colegiados.
Reduction of the Emission Footprint of Gas Turbines in Future Energy System Scenarios Through Optimized Hydrogen Admixture Strategies
Authors: Goßrau Christian , Petersen Nils Hendrik , Wirsum Manfred
Published: September 2024

Within the energy sector, the mitigation of climate change necessitates a paradigm change toward the replacement of conventional with sustainable power generation technologies. Due to the inherent volatility of renewable power generation technologies, dispatchable components, such as gas turbines (GT) will have to be used increasingly for residual load balancing. In addition, GTs are expected to operate fewer hours per year, more flexibly, and at lower capacities. However, fuel utilization in GT is inherently linked to emissions. As a potentially CO2-free energy carrier, hydrogen is a promising fuel for GTs and manufacturers are working on suitable combustor technologies. However, the availability of large quantities of CO2-free H2 remains unclear in the near future. Other pollutants such as NOx and emissions due to incomplete combustion are formed differently in part load. Therefore, optimizing natural gas substitution based on available H2 quantities and load profiles can improve the overall emission footprint beyond just reducing CO2 emissions. In this study, a physical-based gas turbine performance model and an emission calculation tool are used to derive an optimized H2 admixture strategy for different load profiles. Characteristic load demand scenarios are derived from actual load profiles of gas power plants and the emission footprints are comprehensively evaluated by different environmental impact categories. In general, the emission footprint is increased significantly and moderately for capacity reduction and flexibility increase of GT operation. The availability of H2 in the near future is derived from forecasts for Germany, and the corresponding quantities are allocated to the partial loads according to the optimized strategy. In most scenarios, the addition of H2 is associated with a reduction in emissions compared to conventional fossil fuel operation. The greatest leverage of H2 admixture in reducing the environmental footprint is found when applied from the lowest load up, thus assisting in the startup and shut-down process.
Performance of sCO2 Cycles for Waste Heat Recovery and Techno-Economic Perspective as Gas Turbine Bottoming Cycle
Authors: Thielens Vincent , Demeyer Frederiek , Paepe Ward De
Published: September 2024

Supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycles are compact, cost-effective and widely adaptable to various heat sources, including the waste heat from gas turbine (GT) exhaust gases. While the addition of a steam cycle enhances the typical 40% efficiency of GTs up to 60%, their substantial investments render them less appealing for smaller GTs. This creates an opportunity for sCO2 cycles, but a comprehensive comparison of their performance with that of steam across a range of applications remains lacking. Moreover, their applicability to various industrial scenarios based on existing installations is missing from a techno-economic standpoint. To address these needs, four promising sCO2 cycles are evaluated and optimized using Aspen, and compared with the simple steam cycle. Their techno-economic performances are then investigated for 20 industrial GTs of different size up to the larger combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) units incorporating amine-based carbon capture systems. Due to the significant investments required by the carbon capture unit, the implementation of a CC unit is only investigated for the largest CCGT units. The analysis yielded performance maps demonstrating comparable performances for sCO2 and steam cycles, as well as significant techno-economic advantages for sCO2 bottoming cycles for smaller GTs. However, when it comes to larger GTs combined with reheats and expansions steam cycles, sCO2 cannot outperform them in current technological standards. Nevertheless sCO2 cycles offers an attractive alternative, facilitating cogeneration. Among the different approaches designed to integrate the heat requirements of amine-based capture, steam cycles have always proved more suitable because of the thermal stability of amines. In conclusion, the research underscores the cost-effectiveness and adaptability of sCO2 cycles for heat recovery applications, particularly as bottoming cycles for smaller GTs, while larger GTs present a challenge. The work conducted sheds light on the substantial promise of sCO2 cycles, encouraging further exploration and implementation of these systems in the energy sector.
Fatigue Failure of Steam Turbine Disks—A Centenary Tribute to Wilfred Campbell
Authors: Gowreesan Vamadevan , Grebinnyk Kirill , Ramamoorthy Mahesh Pemmasani
Published: September 2024

The year 2024 marks one hundred years since Wilfred Campbell published his landmark work on vibrational analysis of rotating disk following a series of disk failures in steam turbines. Despite the absence of advanced engineering analytical tools, Campbell came up with an elegant method to visually demonstrate and capture the mode shapes in rotating disks. The first part of this paper reviews Campbell's life and analytical and experimental work in this area. Regardless of the current advanced engineering capabilities to predict nodal shapes in turbine disks, turbine disks still experience failures related to vibration. The second part of the paper discusses a recent case study where a turbine disk failure occurred as a result of vibration. The discussion includes metallurgical root cause failure analysis and engineering analysis to predict the vibrational characteristics. Metallurgical failure analysis confirmed that the primary mode of failure was fatigue and did not have any issues with the disk material or its mechanical properties. Finite element modeling and analysis were used for the engineering analysis to predict the natural frequencies of the bladed-disk. The engineering analysis showed the evidence of potential resonance, and the failure was related to nodal vibration issues.
Human Co-infection with Rickettsia spp., Borrelia garinii, and Orientia tsutsugamushi in South Korea
Authors: Oh Won Sup , Kim Jeoungyeon , Choi Yeon-Joo , Kang Taeuk , Park Hye-Jin , Lee Kwang Jun , Jang Won-Jong
Published: September 2024

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