bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immobilization of perfluoroalkylated enzymes in a biologically active state onto Perflex support
Authors: Boivin P. , Kobos RK , Papa SL , Scouten WH
Published: October 2023

Perflex has been introduced by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Inc., as a new fluorocarbon‐based technology for protein immobilization. Due to the hydrophobic character of the support, however, significant loss of enzymatic activity may occur upon immobilization of certain enzymes, which appears to be due to a large conformational change of the protein (“inversion”). Pretreatment of the Perflex support with a neutral fluorosurfactant lessened the surface hydrophobicity, thus decreasing the hydrophobic interaction between the support and the protein. Modification of enzymes with a high number of fluorocarbon residues, which forms a hydrophobic “envelope” around the protein, also appears to prevent enzyme inactivation upon immobilization on Perflex support. Moreover, preactivation of the support with either perfluorooctylpropylisocyanate or reactive poly(fluoroalkyl) sugar reagents greatly improves the enzyme particle activity by increasing the amount of immobilized enzyme. Fluorosurfactant treatment of the support activated with perfluorooctylpropylisocyanate improves the retention of activity for sensitive enzymes such as alpha‐chymotrypsin and increases the wetability and ease of handling of the Perflex particles.
alpha‐Chymotrypsin in plastein synthesis: influence of substrate concentration on enzyme activity
Authors: Lozano P. , Combes D.
Published: October 2023

The role of alpha‐chymotrypsin in the plastein reaction was studied using a peptic hydrolysate of albumin as substrate. Study of this reaction simultaneously by different methods showed that the plastein reaction is enzyme catalyzed and is highly dependent on environmental conditions. A gel permeation chromatography study of the plastein reaction showed simultaneous increases in the high‐ and low‐molecular‐weight oligopeptide fractions; a transpeptidation mechanism may be involved in the reaction. A study of the effect of substrate concentration on the plastein reaction catalyzed by alpha‐chymotrypsin showed a profile with both hydrolytic and synthetic activities. This effect was also observed when the reaction course was followed by quantification of the free amino groups at different substrate concentrations, showing that a condensation mechanism is responsible for the synthetic activity when the substrate concentration is very high. These results have led us to conclude that the plastein reaction involves a transpeptidation and/or condensation mechanism, which is a function of the substrate concentration.
A large‐scale purification of beta‐glucuronidase from human liver by immunoaffinity chromatography
Authors: Ho KJ
Published: October 2023

We intend to purify beta‐glucuronidase from human liver in a large quantity in order to facilitate the study of its biochemical structure and pathophysiologic roles in cholelithiasis and carcinogenesis. The initial purification procedure involved: (1) liver homogenization, (2) 25–45% saturated ammonium sulfate fractionation, (3) heat denaturation of protein at 56 degrees C, (4) gel filtration with Bio‐Gel P‐300 gel, (5) anion exchange chromatography with DEAE agarose, (6) cation exchange chromatography with CM agarose, and (7) hydroxyapatite chromatography (overall yield, 1%; overall purification, 169X). The final product was used to immunize rabbits and BALB/c mice for production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, respectively. The antibodies, mainly IgG, were purified by using gamma‐Protein A agarose column chromatography. The purified IgG, after periodate oxidation, was coupled to hydrazide gel by formation of a stable covalent hydrazone bond linkage. The new purification procedure involved the initial first three steps, followed by (4) polyclonal IgG immunoaffinity chromatography and (5) monoclonal IgG immunoaffinity chromatography (overall yield, 6.1%; overall purification, 3720X). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated minor contaminants in the final product which could be further purified by electroelution. It is concluded that beta‐glucuronidase constitutes 0.016 mg per gram of wet liver tissue and can be obtained on a large scale in a highly purified form within a 2‐day cycle.
Authenticity and reconstitution of immobilized enzymes: characterization and denaturation/renaturation of glucoamylase II
Authors: Gottschalk N. , Jaenicke R.
Published: October 2023

Glucoamylase II (GA II) immobilized to Eupergit C and CIZ as a porous and nonporous matrix shows enzymatic characteristics indistinguishable from those of the free enzyme, except for reduced specific activity. Since this decrease is equally observed for both matrices, it has to be ascribed to nonproductive fixation of the enzyme or steric hindrance rather that perturbations caused by “inner diffusion” effects. Authenticity refers to the optimum pH for catalytic activity, Michaelis constants for starch and maltoheptaose, as well as identical stability toward temperature, pH, and guanidinium chloride (GdmCl). On the basis of these data, the two‐state mechanism observed for the equilibrium transitions of the free enzyme may be assumed to hold also for the immobilized enzyme. Renaturation after preceding denaturation in 6.4 and 7 M GdmCl leads to widely differing yields depending on the conditions. Shifting the denaturant concentration stepwise back to nondenaturing GdmCl concentrations leads to a broad range of “hysteresis” accompanied by aggregation. Rapid dilution of the free and immobilized enzymes at pH greater than 6 and sufficiently low protein concentration leads to reactivation yields of 80 and 45%, respectively. For the free enzyme, reconstitution at lower pH is determined by the kinetic competition of folding and aggregation. In the case of the immobilized enzyme, “entangling” of the matrix with the unfolded polypeptide chain competes with renaturation.
Role of oxygen and metal ions in the instability of streptolysin O
Authors: Shoeb HA
Published: October 2023

Thiol‐containing preparations of streptolysin O (SLO) and pure cysteine generate superoxide radicals in alkaline buffer on autoxidation of the thiol groups. Autoxidation is stimulated by cupric ions. Reconstituted SLO preparations accumulate hydrogen peroxide with a concomitant loss of activity on storage at room temperature. Short‐term protection of hemolytic activity was achieved by inclusion of catalase in the preparation; no apparent protection was observed by superoxide dismutase, whereas 1,10‐O‐phenanthroline offered long‐term protection of the hemolysin.
Catalytic properties of Escherichia coli polyphosphate kinase: an enzyme for ATP regeneration
Authors: Haeusler PA , Dieter L. , Rittle KJ , Shepler LS , Paszkowski AL , Moe OA
Published: October 2023

Catalytic properties of Escherichia coli polyphosphate kinase (EC 2.7.4.1), a promising enzyme for use in ATP regeneration (Hoffman, et al., 1988, Biotechnol. Appl. Biochem. 10, 107–117), are reported here. E. coli polyphosphate kinase (PPK) is broadly active in the pH range 5.5 to 8.5, having an optimal Vmax at pH 7.2. The Km values for the substrates, ADP and polyphosphate (Pn), change little in the same pH range. The optimal concentration range for the Mg2+ activator is 1–20 mM, with an activity maximum at 10 mM Mg2+. In addition to Mg2+, Mn2+ and Co2+ can serve as activators of E. coli PPK, whereas Zn2+ and Cu2+ are highly inhibitory. E. coli PPK is most active with Pn substrates of chain length greater than 132 phosphoryl units. The enzyme activity decreases with decreasing Pn chain length and approaches zero (less than 1%) at a chain length less than or equal to 5. Equilibrium yields of ATP of greater than 85% are readily attained at substrate concentrations below 1 mM. An operational equilibrium constant for the PPK reaction, defined as [ATP]/[ADP][Pn], was determined to be 7.5 (+/‐ 3.4) × 10(5) M‐1. The data presented here serve as a base of information from which assessments of the suitability of E. coli PPK for specific ATP regeneration applications can be made.
Mechanistic and structural studies on Rhodococcus ATCC 39484 nitrilase.“
Authors: Stevenson DE , Feng R. , Dumas F. , Groleau D. , Mihoc A. , Storer AC
Published: October 2023

Rhodococcus ATCC 39484 produced a nitrilase when induced with isovaleronitrile. The enzyme was obtainable pure in milligram amounts, had a subunit Mr of 40 kDa, and demonstrated a substrate‐induced activation related to aggregation of subunits to form a 560‐kDa complex. The enzyme had a broad substrate specificity, had a pH optimum of 7.5, was stable up to 40 degrees C, and had one disulfide bridge and two free cysteine residues, one of which appeared to be catalytically essential. The N‐terminal sequence was determined and found to have 78.3% homology, in a 23‐residue overlap, with Klebsiella ozaenae nitrilase. The enzyme was inhibited competitively by benzylamine and benzaldehyde and irreversibly by benzyl bromide. However, benzyl bromide was shown to be nonspecific, causing multiple alkylation. Acid quenching of enzyme‐substrate mixtures allowed for the detection of covalent enzyme‐substrate complexes using mass spectrometry. The covalent intermediate is suggested to be either a thioimidate or an acylenzyme and a reaction mechanism consistent with this observation and also the inhibitor results is proposed. The rate of breakdown of the covalent intermediates was found to be rate limiting even for substrates with undetectable rates of hydrolysis or those with very slow rates of intermediate formation. For phenylacetonitrile, a poor substrate, in addition to acid, approximately 2% of the product was the corresponding amide. This result suggests that a tetrahedral intermediate is formed which, for selected substrates, can break down anomalously to produce amide in place of the normal acid product. Under the conditions used in this study all other substrates tested were converted to acid.
Immobilization of aminoacylase from Aspergillus oryzae on synthetic modified polyacrylamides
Authors: Wang D. , Li M. , He B.
Published: October 2023

A series of acrylamide‐bisacrylamide copolymers modified by the Mannich Reaction was prepared. The immobilization of aminoacylase from Aspergillus oryzae on the copolymers was studied. All the polymers adsorbed the enzyme and the activity of the immobilized enzyme dependent on the amine used, viz. secondary amine, diamine, or aniline derivative. However, the activity was also influenced by the degree of crosslinking of the polymer. The surface morphology of the dimethylamine‐modified polymer, with varying degrees of crosslinking, was analyzed by scanning electron microscope; the polymers having the largest pore diameter possessed the highest enzyme activity. One of the best polymers (DMA‐A9B8) was used for immobilization of aminoacylase and its properties were studied. It had high enzymatic activity and good operational stability, i.e., retaining 90% of its original activity after being used for 42 days. The use of these copolymers for the preparation of immobilized enzymes is discussed.
Preparative in vitro synthesis of bioactive human interleukin‐2 in a continuous flow translation system
Authors: Kolosov MI , Kolosova IM , Alakhov VYu , Ovodov SYu , Alakhov YB
Published: October 2023

Recombinant human interleukin‐2 has been synthesized in vitro in a continuous flow translation system based on the wheat germ extract. In the course of translation of mRNA the interleukin‐2 becomes aggregated due to the adsorption of this protein onto the ribonucleoprotein complex. This process correlates with the cessation of translation that is usually observed in 25–30 min. This can be prevented by the use of a flow system that allows continuous removal of the synthesized protein and maintains a steady concentration of all the necessary components. This approach permitted a yield of 1,500 protein molecules per mRNA molecule. The interleukin obtained promotes the proliferation of the interleukin‐2‐dependent CTLL‐2 cell line. The biological activity of interleukin‐2 not subjected to oxidative refolding was 10(5) units per milligram of protein.
Red blood cells as an antigen‐delivery system
Authors: Magnani M. , Chiarantini L. , Vittoria E. , Mancini U. , Rossi L. , Fazi A.
Published: October 2023

The use of adjuvants is usually required to induce strong immunological responses to protein antigens. However, in many cases these adjuvants cannot be extensively applied in human and veterinary vaccinations because of associated inflammatory reactions or granuloma formation. We show here that protein antigens (bovine serum albumin, hog liver uricase, and yeast hexokinase), coupled to autologous red blood cells by way of a biotin‐avidin‐biotin bridge, elicit an immunological response in mice similar to or higher than that obtained by the use of Freund's adjuvant. Quantities as low as 0.5 micrograms/mouse are high enough to generate these immunological responses. Furthermore, splenocytes of mice immunized by red blood cell‐coupled antigens can be used to generate hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies. Thus, the delivery of antigens by autologous red blood cells is an effective way to avoid the use of adjuvants for producing anti‐peptide antibodies and possibly to generate peptide vaccines.
Isolation and characterization of a toxic phospholipase A2 from the venom of the Taiwan habu (Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus)
Authors: Chen LN , Liu CS , Chang CC
Published: October 2023

A toxic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was isolated from Taiwan‐habu‐snake (Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus) venom by sequential chromatographies on CM‐52, Sephadex G‐75 and S‐Sepharose columns. This basic PLA2 has a single polypeptide with an estimated M(r) of 15,000. The PLA2 activity was Ca(2+)‐dependent and inactivated by p‐bromophenacyl bromide and its specific antibody. The toxic PLA2‐induced myotoxic and direct haemolytic effects as well as respiratory distress in mice with an intraperitoneal LD50 of 1.17 micrograms/g body weight. The histological examination showed it caused haemorrhage and congestion in the viscera of mice. It was also cytotoxic to myeloma cells (NS‐1), baby‐hamster‐kidney (BHK) cells and human umbilical endothelial cells. By neutralization experiments with a specific antibody against toxic PLA2, it was found that the enzymic activity of toxic PLA2 is essential for its myotoxicity, but it is not the only factor responsible for the lethal toxicity.
Effect of environment on insulin‐like growth factor I refolding selectivity
Authors: RA Hart , DM Giltinan , PM Lester , Reifsnyder H. , JR Ogez , SE Builder
Published: October 2023

Recombinant human insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I), a 70‐amino‐acid peptide containing three disulphide bonds, produces two monomeric and several multimeric species during refolding. To optimize production of correctly folded IGF‐I, conditions which influence protein refolding, stability and solubility were systematically examined. Combinations of solution components and conditions were analysed to identify synergistic interactions which enhance or reduce refolding efficiency. IGF‐I concentration had the largest effect on formation of correctly folded peptide, due to competing association reactions. Solution polarity had the next largest individual effect, both on the level of multimeric peptide and on the relative proportion of correctly folded to misfolded monomeric peptide. Salt type and concentration and chaotrope type and concentration also had large individual effects on the distribution of IGF‐I forms produced. Solution polarity modulated the effects of many other conditions including chaotrope concentration, salt type and concentration, and osmolyte concentration. Simultaneously decreasing the solution polarity and increasing the salt concentration improved the yield of correctly folded IGF‐I relative to either individual change. Optimum solution conditions for refolding were 2M urea, 1M NaCl and 20% (v/v) ethanol. A possible mechanism for the importance of solution polarity on IGF‐I refolding is discussed.
Attitudes Toward Suicide in Japanese and American Medical Students
Authors: Domino George , Takahashi Yoshitomo
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT:The Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was administered to two samples of medical school students, from Japan (n= 80 males and 20 females) and the United States (n= 80 males and 20 females). A MANOVA followed by univariate tests indicated significant differences on theRight to die, Normality, andAggressionscales between Japanese and United States students, and significant gender differences on theReligionandImpulsivityscales. No gender by nationality interaction was obtained. An analysis of the individual SOQ items revealed substantial differences between Japanese and United States medical students in their views on suicide.
Suicide Prevention in the Pacific War (WW II) *
Authors: Suzuki Peter T.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT:During the war against Japan, there were two facets of an American program to prevent suicide among the Japanese. One was a research component in the Foreign Morale Analysis Division (FMAD), a subunit of the Office of War Information. The principal FMAD figure who did most of the research on Japanese suicide and ways to prevent suicide among the Japanese military was the anthropologist Ruth Benedict, assisted by her Japanese‐American aide Robert Hashima. The second facet was the suicide prevention program itself, which was put into effect toward the end of the war in the battles of Saipan and Okinawa. This program of action was undertaken by American GIs. These unheralded activities in suicide prevention merit a place in the annals of suicide prevention programs.
5 Suicide Notes of the Older Adult
Authors: Leenaars Antoon A.
Published: October 2023

Although not true in all countries, older adults are the developmental age group at highest risk for death by suicide in the United States. Our knowledge of suicide in the elderly is, however, limited. The psychological characteristics for suicide cannot be attributed primarily or even solely to being old. One avenue to understanding this complicated act in the elderly is suicide notes. Despite their limitations, suicide notes contain special revelations of the human mind and there is much one can learn from them about suicide in the older adult. This paper outlines the sparse literature on the topic of suicide notes of the older adult and then presents the author's own life‐span research related to the elderly. The research indicated that long‐term instability was critical in understanding suicide in the older adult. However, indirect expressions (e.g., ambivalence, unconscious implications) were much less frequently observed in the notes of the elderly than other adults. The research also found that older males often wrote about painful problems in their interpersonal relations in their final letters and this pain was significant in making their final decision. Future research, specifically regarding a protocol analysis based on a review of the research on suicide in the elderly, will be discussed.
Presuicide Attempt Communications Between Parasuicides and Consulted Caregivers
Authors: Coombs David W. , Miller Howard L. , Alarcon Renato , Herlihy Charles , Lee James M. , Morrison David P.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: A high percentage of parasuicides visit professional caregivers prior to the attempted suicide. The content or outcome of these consultations is unknown. We interviewed hospitalized attempters and the professional caregivers they identified as having been consulted prior to their attempts. About half of these patients directly disclosed suicidal symptoms or intentions, especially to mental health professionals. These professionals more often inquired about suicidal ideations than did nonpsychiatric physicians. However, few caregivers noted suicidal thinking or probed suicidal symptoms. The data suggest that professional caregivers and especially nonpsychiatric physicians should be more sensitive and responsive to the signs and symptoms of suicidality.
Suicide and the Military Justice System
Authors: Lande Raymond G.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The United States military is sensitive to suicide. There are military policies that direct the formation of active suicide prevention programs. The U.S. military emphasizes a humanitarian approach. Modern military law, however, may view suicidal behavior as deviant. The prosecution of this behavior, although theoretically possible, has never occurred until recently. The U.S. military has now convicted soldiers for attempted suicide and assisted suicide. This article reviews these recent court decisions and suggests revisions in the military law.
Adolescent Suicide and Defensive Style
Authors: Recklitis Christopher J. , Noam Gil G. , Borst Sophie R.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: This empirical study investigated the relation between ego defense mechanisms, diagnoses, and suicidality among 200 adolescent psychiatric patients ages 12 to 16 years. Based on a structured diagnostic interview, adolescents were divided into three groups: suicide attempters, suicidal ideators, and nonsuicidal patients. Using the Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI), suicidal adolescents scored higher on the defense of turning‐against‐self and lower on reversal, as compared to nonsuicidal adolescents. Although suicide was significantly more common among adolescents with an affective disorder, turning‐against‐self remained significantly associated with suicide attempt even when diagnosis was controlled for. Results demonstrate the importance of defense mechanisms in understanding adolescent suicidal behavior.
Outpatient Standards of Care and the Suicidal Patient
Authors: Bongar Bruce , Maris Ronald W. , Berman Alan L. , Litman Robert E.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: This article is a review of the legal and clinical literature on standards of care for nonhospitalized adult suicidal patients. The authors discuss effective assessment, management, and treatment procedures that balance the need for high‐quality care by a reasonable and prudent practitioner with the requirements of court‐determined and statutory standards. Through a review of malpractice claims data and through an examination of the clinical literature we detail the essential guidelines for sound assessment, intervention, and management procedures. The authors specifically discuss common failure situations in outpatient care (e.g., problems in pharmacotherapy, the decision to hospitalize, inappropriate and dual relationships, the assessment of imminence and lethality, and so on). Details regarding practical considerations in developing an outpatient standard of care are provided, as are suggestions that such a standard of care must include an ongoing assessment of the therapeutic alliance.
Commercial weight‐loss diets, greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater consumption
Authors: Neff Roni A. , Ramsing Rebecca J. , Kim Brent F.
Published: October 2023

Background

Weight‐loss attempts are widespread in the United States, with many using commercial weight‐loss diet plans for guidance and support. Accordingly, dietary suggestions within these plans influence the nation's food‐related environmental footprint.

Methods

We modelled United States (US) per capita greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) and water footprints associated with seven commercial weight‐loss diets, the US baseline, and selected other dietary patterns. We characterised consumption in commercial weight‐loss diets both via modelling from provided guidelines and based on specific foods in 1‐week meal plans. Cradle‐to‐farmgate GHGe and water footprints were assessed using a previously developed model. GHGe results were compared to the EAT‐Lancet 2050 target. Water footprints were compared to the US baseline.

Results

Weight‐loss diets had GHGe footprints on average 4.4 times the EAT‐Lancet target recommended for planetary health (range: 2.4–8.5 times). Bovine meat was by far the largest contributor of GHGe in most diets that included it. Three commercial diets had water footprints above the US baseline. Low caloric intake in some diets compensated for the relative increases in GHGe‐ and water‐intensive foods.

Conclusions

Dietary patterns suggested by marketing materials and guidelines from commercial weight‐loss diets can have high GHGe and water footprints, particularly if caloric limits are exceeded. Commercial diet plan guidance can be altered to support planetary and individual health, including describing what dietary patterns can jointly support environmental sustainability and weight loss.
Financial literacy among autistic adults
Authors: Galizzi Monica , Hillier Ashleigh , Schena David
Published: October 2023

Financial literacy is highly correlated to long‐term positive economic outcomes. Research examining the financial literacy of autistic adults is virtually nonexistent which is concerning given the implications of financial decision‐making for quality of life. This study assessed conceptual understanding and financial behaviors of autistic adults compared with a matched group of nonautistic adults. An online questionnaire assessed income, use of financial tools, feelings toward finances, use of financial literacy programs, financial knowledge, and preference for receiving financial education. The findings indicated that autistic adults showed lower financial literacy and greater uncertainty around many financial issues. They were less confident in their financial knowledge and ability to deal with daily financial matters. The autistic group showed less liking for some specific learning tools for receiving financial education. Our findings inform efforts to design specific curricula to improve the financial knowledge and understanding of autistic and other neurodiverse populations.
Attachment style and attention bias to emotional information: The moderating effect of stress, stimulus characteristics, and attention stage
Authors: Peng Xinyuan , Gillath Omri , Jiang Mengjie , Wang Beiyi , Zhang Jianxin , Wu Lili
Published: October 2023

Objective

We examined whether insecurely attached individuals exhibit an attention bias to emotional information, and further tested the potential moderating role of stress, information valence, information attachment relevance, and attention stage.

Background

Attachment style can predict people's attention to emotional information. However, the empirical findings are inconsistent, making it difficult to determine the associations between attachment style and attention bias to emotional information.

Method

We included 68 studies (N = 5417) across 46 published and unpublished articles (the initial pool was 627 articles) in the meta‐analysis.

Results

People high on attachment avoidance exhibited decreased attention toward emotional stimuli (d = −0.129, p = 0.020), which was not affected by stress, information valence, information attachment relevance, or attention stage. Conversely, people high on attachment anxiety exhibited increased attention toward emotional stimuli, especially under stress, if the information was attachment‐related, and during late‐stage attentional processing. They exhibited an early bias away from and a late bias toward emotional information, which was intensified under stress.

Conclusion

Our findings support the proposition that people high on attachment avoidance use deactivating strategies in attentional processing; whereas people high on attachment anxiety use hyperactivating strategies, especially when resources are limited (under stress). When resources are available, and it is relatively early in the process, people high on attachment anxiety respond similarly to those high on attachment avoidance.
Rumen‐protected l‐carnitine supplementation during mating period altered metabolic status and reproductive performance of ewes
Authors: Masoomi Maziar , Kheirandish Parisa , Javadmanesh Ali , Danesh Mesgaran Sadjad , Izadi Hooman , Danesh Mesgaran Mohsen
Published: October 2023

Current study hypothesized that dietary l‐carnitine (LC) inclusion during the mating period ameliorates both metabolic status and reproductive performance of ewes. Seventy Baluchi ewes (52 ± 4.2 kg of bodyweight and 18 ± 6 months old of age) were enrolled in this study. Animals were randomly allocated into two dietary treatments, control (only basal diet) or basal diet plus supplementation with a rumen‐protected LC (Carneon 20 Rumin‐pro; 20% LC; Kaesler Nutrition GmbH) at the rate of 10 g/head/day from 21 days before until 35 days after introducing rams to the ewes (MP). Feed intake was monitored by subtracting the ort from feed offered. Blood sample collection was conducted on Days −10, +10 and +20 relative to MP. Pregnancy was confirmed on Day 30 post‐MP. Feed intake of the ewes in the LC group was higher than the control (p < 0.05). LC supplementation increased the cholesterol concentration in the ewes (p < 0.05). Blood urea concentration of animals in the LC group was significantly lower than the control (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of toll‐like receptor 4 was evidently lower in animals supplemented with LC than the control (p < 0.05). Both lambing and fecundity rates in the LC group tended to be higher compared with the control. LC supplementation showed potential to alter certain metabolites in the ewes. A tendency for higher lambing rate may partly be driven by dams efficient energy partitioning to support foetal growth and maintaining pregnancy.
Healthy lifestyle is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease, depression and mortality in people at elevated risk of sleep apnea
Authors: Melaku Yohannes Adama , Appleton Sarah , Reynolds Amy C. , Milne Roger L. , Lynch Brigid M. , Eckert Danny J. , Adams Robert
Published: October 2023

We assessed: (1) the independent and joint association of obstructive sleep apnea risk and healthy lifestyle with common consequences (excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, cardiovascular disease and stroke) of obstructive sleep apnea; and (2) the effect of healthy lifestyle on survival in people with increased obstructive sleep apnea risk. Data from 13,694 adults (median age 46 years; 50% men) were used for cross‐sectional and survival analyses (mortality over 15 years). A healthy lifestyle score with values from 0 (most unhealthy) to 5 (most healthy) was determined based on diet, alcohol intake, physical activity, smoking and body mass index. In the cross‐sectional analysis, obstructive sleep apnea risk was positively associated with all chronic conditions and excessive daytime sleepiness in a dose–response manner (p for trend < 0.001). The healthy lifestyle was inversely associated with all chronic conditions (p for trend < 0.001) but not with excessive daytime sleepiness (p for trend = 0.379). Higher healthy lifestyle score was also associated with reduced odds of depression and cardiovascular disease. We found an inverse relationship between healthy lifestyle score with depression (p for trend < 0.001), cardiovascular disease (p for trend = 0.003) and stroke (p for trend = 0.025) among those who had high obstructive sleep apnea risk. In the survival analysis, we found an inverse association between healthy lifestyle and all‐cause mortality for all categories of obstructive sleep apnea risk (moderate/high‐ and high‐risk groups [p for trend < 0.001]). This study emphasises the crucial role of a healthy lifestyle in mitigating the effects of obstructive sleep apnea risk in individuals with an elevated obstructive sleep apnea risk.
Deciphering the mechanism of anti‐quorum sensing post‐biotic mediators against Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Pallavi Preeti , Kumar Vikas , Sen Sudip Kumar , Raut Sangeeta
Published: October 2023

Objective

Glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) and quorum sensing (QS) mediated transduction genes play critical roles in the pathogenesis of Streptococcus mutan‐mediated dental caries. Therefore, targeting gtfs and QS‐mediated virulence genes have therefore emerged as an intriguing goal for efficient therapeutic approaches that block cariogenic biofilms.

Methods

Post‐biotic mediators (PMs) obtained from our previously isolated and characterized beneficial bacteria Enterobacter colacae PS‐74 was assessed for its antibiofilm potential against S. mutans. According to the transcriptome method, qRT‐PCR analysis was performed against virulence genes. For microscopic visualization, SEM and CLSM analyses were used to confirm the inhibitory effects of PMs.

Results

PMs dramatically reduced the expression of QS signal transduction, glucan metabolism, and biofilm‐regulated genes such gtfB, gtfC, ComDE, VicR, brpA in S. mutans, which validates the outcomes of in vitro result. Their unique metabolites may help to control biofilm formation by eluding antimicrobial resistance.

Conclusion

Considering the above findings, PMs may deem to be an innovative, alluring, and secure method for preventing dental caries due to their biological activity. Our study unravels the inhibitory effect of PMs, which will contribute to instruct drug design strategies for effective inhibition of S. mutans biofilms.
The first two chromosome‐scale genome assemblies of American hazelnut enable comparative genomic analysis of the genus Corylus
Authors: Brainard Scott H. , Sanders Dean M. , Bruna Tomas , Shu Shengqiang , Dawson Julie C.
Published: October 2023

The native, perennial shrub American hazelnut (Corylus americana) is cultivated in the Midwestern United States for its significant ecological benefits, as well as its high‐value nut crop. Implementation of modern breeding methods and quantitative genetic analyses of C. americana requires high‐quality reference genomes, a resource that is currently lacking. We therefore developed the first chromosome‐scale assemblies for this species using the accessions ‘Rush’ and ‘Winkler’. Genomes were assembled using HiFi PacBio reads and Arima Hi‐C data, and Oxford Nanopore reads and a high‐density genetic map were used to perform error correction. N50 scores are 31.9 Mb and 35.3 Mb, with 90.2% and 97.1% of the total genome assembled into the 11 pseudomolecules, for ‘Rush’ and ‘Winkler’, respectively. Gene prediction was performed using custom RNAseq libraries and protein homology data. ‘Rush’ has a BUSCO score of 99.0 for its assembly and 99.0 for its annotation, while ‘Winkler’ had corresponding scores of 96.9 and 96.5, indicating high‐quality assemblies. These two independent assemblies enable unbiased assessment of structural variation within C. americana, as well as patterns of syntenic relationships across the Corylus genus. Furthermore, we identified high‐density SNP marker sets from genotyping‐by‐sequencing data using 1343 C. americana, C. avellana and C. americana × C. avellana hybrids, in order to assess population structure in natural and breeding populations. Finally, the transcriptomes of these assemblies, as well as several other recently published Corylus genomes, were utilized to perform phylogenetic analysis of sporophytic self‐incompatibility (SSI) in hazelnut, providing evidence of unique molecular pathways governing self‐incompatibility in Corylus.
Appearance‐based rejection sensitivity mediates the relationship between Instagram addiction and dysmorphic concerns in young adult women
Authors: Pitiruţ Ioana Bianca , Swami Viren , Poamă‐Neagră Tania , Enea Violeta
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Dysmorphic concerns refer to excessive preoccupations with one's physical characteristics. There is a need to better understand the factors associated with these experiences, especially in young adult women. Given emergent research suggesting a link between the use of Instagram, dysmorphic concerns, and appearance pressures, we tested a mediation model in which appearance‐based rejection sensitivity mediated the relationship between Instagram addiction and dysmorphic concerns.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, 300 young adult women from Romania with mean age of 22.19 years (SD = 2.07) and who possessed an Instagram account were asked to complete an online survey consisting of measures of dysmorphic concerns, Instagram addiction, and appearance‐based rejection sensitivity.

Results

Correlational analyses revealed that all three variables were positively and moderately inter‐correlated. Mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that appearance‐based rejection sensitivity mediates the relationship between Instagram addiction and dysmorphic concerns.

Conclusions

Implications of this study are discussed in terms of the urgency of prevention and intervention strategies, especially given the link between dysmorphic concerns and more extreme manifestations of severity, such as body dysmorphic disorder.
Gender and Family Financial Support in the Transition to Adulthood1
Authors: Johnson Monica Kirkpatrick , Ridgeway Sadie
Published: October 2023

This study examines gender differences in the financial support young adults receive from their families and in the associations between adult role occupancy and financial assistance. Drawing on data from the Transition to Adulthood Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics between 2005 and 2015, this study analyzes patterns of receiving any family financial support among 17–27 year olds and explores the types of expenses for which young adults receive assistance (e.g., tuition). Findings indicate that young women are more likely to receive familial financial assistance in the young adult years, especially for tuition, and that associations between adult social role occupancy and assistance involve both similarities and differences for young men and women. Key differences include that young women are substantially less likely to receive assistance in the form of personal loans from family, and that their partnering and parenting roles are associated with assistance with rent or a mortgage in opposing ways compared to young men's. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the ways family relationships and young adult pathways to independence are gendered.
Why Fight? The Combatant Careers of the Anti‐Kyiv Fighters in the Donbas War1
Authors: Savelyeva Natalia , Erpyleva Svetlana
Published: October 2023

Based on original qualitative data on the mobilization of anti‐Kyiv combatants during the war in eastern Ukraine (started in 2014), this article suggests an approach for understanding the spontaneous mobilization of nonstate armed groups during contemporary military conflicts. This approach is based on the notion of career as a collective path of mobilization unfolding over time. It explains how different mobilization factors usually proposed in the literature on contemporary civil wars acquire their mobilization power. The article identifies five combatant careers leading to joining the anti‐Kyiv armed groups: evolving localists, disrupted outcasts, nationalist warriors, adventurous ideologues, and inspired sympathizers. It demonstrates that (1) mobilization requires the combination of factors such as economic incentives, ideological affinity, social connections, and conflict dynamics in a particularly sequenced way, (2) this combination is different for each career path, and (3) these factors acquire their mobilizing capacity only in the context of particular social trajectories.
What Role Do Occupational Differences Play in Subjective Working Conditions Throughout the COVID‐19 Pandemic?
Authors: Zwan Roos van der , Yerkes Mara A. , Besamusca Janna W. , Kruyen Peter M. , Remery Chantal L. H. S.
Published: October 2023

Evidence on the role of occupational differences in subjective working conditions during the pandemic is limited. However, an understanding of how such inequalities develop throughout the pandemic is needed to prevent an overall worsening of social inequality in society. We study occupational inequalities in subjective working conditions—work pressure and work‐life balance—throughout the pandemic. We use four waves of the representative, probability‐based COVID Gender (In)equality Survey Netherlands (COGIS‐NL), collected between April 2020 and November 2020 in The Netherlands. The results show that higher work pressure is reported during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic, particularly among managers and professionals and white‐collar workers. Occupational differences are also found in the probability of having difficulty combining work and care during the pandemic, with managers and professionals most likely to report having difficulty. These differences are no longer evident after controlling for respondent and job characteristics. This longitudinal evidence on occupational differences in subjective working conditions within the working population contributes to a better understanding of social inequalities arising and developing throughout the pandemic.
Middle school students' development of an understanding of the concept of function using an applet with no algebraic representations
Authors: Meagher Michael S. , Lovett Jennifer N. , McCulloch Allison W.
Published: October 2023

Middle school students (n = 144) worked with an applet specially designed to introduce the concept of function without using algebraic representations. The purpose of the study was to examine whether the applet would help students understand function as a relationship between a set of inputs and a set of outputs and to begin to develop a definition of function based on that relationship. Results indicate that, by focusing on consistency of the outputs, the students, at a rate of approximately 80%, are able to distinguish functions from nonfunctions. Also, students showed some promise in recognizing constant functions as functions, a known area of common misconceptions. Students' main conceptual difficulty, likely caused by the context, was accepting nonintuitive outputs even if those outputs were consistent.
Reason monolithism: A Darwinian dilemma for “relaxed” realism
Authors: Mähringer Gloria
Published: October 2023

Street formulated a Darwinian Dilemma for realist theories of value. Much criticism of her formulation of the dilemma targets the second horn, posed by the scientifically implausible assumption of a tracking relation between our attitudes and evaluative truth. This paper shows how a recent wave of metaethical realism, most prominently defended by Scanlon, succeeds without a tracking relation and thus avoids the Darwinian Dilemma in Street's formulation. However, Scanlon's approach, which builds on the concept of a reason relation and defends a metaphysically pluralist, domain‐specific conception of truth, runs into another version of the Darwinian Dilemma. The problem is not that Scanlon's realism assumes a tracking relation but that it assumes what I call reason monolithism – the idea that there is one possible expression of the faculty of reason and that this cognitive faculty could not be otherwise, which is scientifically implausible on similar grounds.
In vitro and in vivo immune assessments of genetically‐engineered pig skin grafts in New World (squirrel) monkeys
Authors: Hara Hidetaka , Foote Jeremy B. , Hansen‐Estruch Christophe , Bikhet Mohamed H. , Nguyen Huy Q. , Javed Mariyam , Oscherwitz Max , Collins Dalis E. , Ayares David , Yamamoto Takayuki , King Timothy W. , Cooper David K. C.
Published: October 2023

Half a million patients in the USA alone require treatment for burns annually. Following an extensive burn, it may not be possible to provide sufficient autografts in a single setting. Genetic manipulations (GM) of pigs offer the possibility of reducing primate humoral and cellular rejection of pig skin xenografts and thus extending graft survival. We compared the survival of skin grafts from pigs with 9‐GM with that of autografts and allografts in squirrel monkeys. Monitoring for rejection was by (1) macroscopic examination, (2) histopathological examination of skin biopsies, and (3) measurement of anti‐monkey and anti‐pig IgM and IgG antibodies. Autografts (n = 5) survived throughout the 28 days of follow‐up without histopathological features of rejection. Median survival of allografts (n = 6) was 14 days and of pig xenografts (n = 12) 21 days. Allotransplantation was associated with an increase in anti‐monkey IgM, but the anticipated subsequent rise in IgG had not yet occurred at the time of euthanasia. Pig grafts were associated with increases in anti‐pig IgM and IgG. In all cases, histopathologic features of rejection were similar. 9‐GM pig skin xenografts survive at least as long as monkey skin allografts (and trended to survive longer), suggesting that they are a realistic clinical option for the temporary treatment of burns. Although monkeys with pig skin grafts developed anti‐pig IgM and IgG antibodies, these did not cross‐react with monkey antigens, indicating that a primary 9‐GM pig skin graft would not be detrimental to a subsequent monkey skin allograft.
Aeroacoustic Effects on the Forcing of Fan and Compressor Blades Due to Distortion
Authors: Mårtensson Hans , Billson Mattias
Published: October 2023

A distorted air stream entering an aeroengine fan or compressor leads to harmonic forces on the rotating blades. These aerodynamically induced forces are well-known causes of blade vibration and associated fatigue problems. Significant levels of distortion arise from different sources like side wind and high angles of attack that occur at specific operating conditions. For aircraft with the engine closely integrated with the fuselage, the engine will be exposed to distortion during the entire flight cycle. With a focus on understanding the aeroacoustic interaction the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses used here consider harmonics of the distortion. Harmonic responses are calculated from low to transonic speeds for a range of cases. Major phenomena and driving parameters affecting the forcing strength and pressure amplitudes in the blade passage are identified from the analyses. It is demonstrated that the forcing strength is strongly affected by the cut-on/cutoff conditions upstream and downstream of the blades. Also, depending on design parameters of the blade, the aeroacoustics of the blade passage is important for the resulting forcing. All analyses are made in two-dimensional over a wide range of flow conditions as well as geometric variations. The results of the study provide an increased understanding of the harmonic forcing of blades. A simple model is proposed that can identify conditions where increased pressure amplitudes in the blade passage may be expected. The sensitivities to parameters may also give some guidance in how design and operation can be adapted to reduce the aerodynamic forcing.