bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The determinants of child stunting and shifts in the growth pattern of children: A long‐run, global review
Authors: Schneider Eric B.
Published: October 2023

This article explores how child growth has changed over the past 150 years and links changes in child growth to the recent decline in child stunting in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). The article begins by defining the four characteristics of the growth pattern in height: size at birth, size at adulthood, the timing of the pubertal growth spurt, and the speed of maturation. It then shows how these characteristics have changed over time and links these characteristics to child stunting. Stunted children are too short for their age relative to healthy standards, and their share in the population is used as an indicator of malnutrition in LMICs today. The article then surveys the literature on the causes of changes in the growth pattern and reductions in child stunting, comparing research on current LMICs with historical research on current high‐income countries (HICs) in the past. To limit the scope of the contemporary literature, I focus on explanations of the so‐called “Indian enigma:” why Indian children are shorter than sub‐Saharan African children despite India's lead in many indicators of economic development. The article closes with ideas for what historical and contemporary researchers can learn from one another.
Sleep in a 1‐year diary from the mid‐18th century
Authors: Schulz Hartmut , Dirlich Gerhard
Published: October 2023

A 1‐year systematic diary was kept by an anonymous diarist in Hamburg in the year 1755–1756. Sleep, activities, food intake, urine volume, and meteorological data were documented daily. The systematic recording of sleep and naps, with an accuracy of a quarter of an hour allowed analysis of the placement, duration, and consistency of sleep. The mean (range) night sleep duration was 6 (3–9) h. The distribution of sleep interruptions showed two peaks, short (≤30 min) and long (≥45 min) interruptions. The latter indicted nights with segmented sleep. Time in bed was subject to strong seasonal variations. Bedtime and rise time were earlier in summer than in winter and sleep latency was shorter in summer than in winter. However, sleep duration displayed a large spread in all seasons and did not differ substantially between summer and winter. Seasonal variations of sleep timing were related to the varying daylight hours during the year. Finally, the results of this individual case may prompt a more detailed investigation of the variability of sleep behaviour in the pre‐industrial period.
Flexure wood formation via growth reprogramming in hybrid aspen involves jasmonates and polyamines and transcriptional changes resembling tension wood development
Authors: Urbancsok János , Donev Evgeniy N. , Sivan Pramod , van Zalen Elena , Barbut Félix R. , Derba‐Maceluch Marta , Šimura Jan , Yassin Zakiya , Gandla Madhavi L. , Karady Michal , Ljung Karin , Winestrand Sandra , Jönsson Leif J. , Scheepers Gerhard , Delhomme Nicolas , Street Nathaniel R. , Mellerowicz Ewa J.
Published: October 2023

Stem bending in trees induces flexure wood but its properties and development are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of low‐intensity multidirectional stem flexing on growth and wood properties of hybrid aspen, and on its transcriptomic and hormonal responses.

Glasshouse‐grown trees were either kept stationary or subjected to several daily shakes for 5 wk, after which the transcriptomes and hormones were analyzed in the cambial region and developing wood tissues, and the wood properties were analyzed by physical, chemical and microscopy techniques.

Shaking increased primary and secondary growth and altered wood differentiation by stimulating gelatinous‐fiber formation, reducing secondary wall thickness, changing matrix polysaccharides and increasing cellulose, G‐ and H‐lignin contents, cell wall porosity and saccharification yields. Wood‐forming tissues exhibited elevated jasmonate, polyamine, ethylene and brassinosteroids and reduced abscisic acid and gibberellin signaling. Transcriptional responses resembled those during tension wood formation but not opposite wood formation and revealed several thigmomorphogenesis‐related genes as well as novel gene networks including FLA and XTH genes encoding plasma membrane‐bound proteins.

Low‐intensity stem flexing stimulates growth and induces wood having improved biorefinery properties through molecular and hormonal pathways similar to thigmomorphogenesis in herbaceous plants and largely overlapping with the tension wood program of hardwoods.
Polymorphisms associated with oral clefts as potential markers for oral pre and malignant disorders
Authors: da Silva Adriana Mendonça , Freitas Valéria Souza , Vieira Alexandre Rezende
Published: October 2023

Objective

To investigate whether genes in the Wnt pathway, which have been previously associated with both oral clefts and oral squamous cell carcinoma, are also associated with oral potentially malignant disorders (leukoplakia, erythroplakia and lichen planus).

Materials and Methods

Case–control study: Dataset consisted of clinical information linked to DNA samples from affected subjects diagnosed with oral potential malignant disorders and oral cancer and their matched controls. Individual samples, clinical history, and potential risk factors were obtained through the Dental Registry and DNA Repository project of the School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh. The rs1533767 (WNT11), rs9879992 (GSK3B), and rs3923087 (AXIN2) were tested. After genomic DNA had been extracted, genotyping was performed blindly to clinical diagnosis status. Representation of genotypes and alleles in affected subjects in comparison to the unaffected individuals was determined using PLINK. Additional analysis was performed to investigate associations between environmental (socioeconomic/lifestyle) risk factors and the oral pathologies studied using STATA.

Results

Two of the SNPs tested (rs9879992 in GSK3B and rs3923087 in AXIN2) were statistically, significantly associated with the pathologies studied (p = 0.039 and 0.038, respectively).

Conclusion

Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in genes in the Wnt pathway were associated with oral potentially malignant disorders.
Intra‐operative Neurophysiological Monitoring in Patients Undergoing Posterior Spinal Correction Surgery with Pre‐operative Neurological Deficit: Its Feasibility and High‐risk Factors for Failed Monitoring
Authors: Liu Wanyou , Li Yinkun , Qiu Junyin , Shi Benlong , Liu Zhen , Sun Xu , Qiu Yong , Zhu Zezhang
Published: October 2023

Objective

Considering spinal deformity patients with pre‐operative neurological deficit were associated with more intra‐operative iatrogenic neurological complications than those without, intra‐operative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) has been used for detecting possible iatrogenic injury timely. However, the IONM waveforms are often unreliable. To analyze the performance of intra‐operative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) including somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and motor evoked potentials (MEP) in patients with pre‐operative neurological deficit undergoing posterior spinal correction surgery, and to identify the high‐risk factors for failed IONM.

Methods

Patients with pre‐operative neurological deficit undergoing posterior spinal correction surgery between October 2017 and January 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The presence or absence of SEP and MEP of target muscles were separately recorded. The P37/N50 latency and amplitude of SEP, and the MEP amplitude were measured. Any IONM alerts were also recorded. The IONM performance was compared among patients with different etiologies, levels responsible for neurological deficit, and strength of IONM‐target muscles. Patients' demographics were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and were presented with mean ± standard deviation. Comparison analysis was performed using χ2‐test and statistically significant difference was defined as p < 0.05.

Results

A total of 270 patients (147 males, 123 females) with an average age of 48.4 ± 36.7 years were involved. The SEP records were available in 371 (68.7%) lower extremities while MEP records were available in 418 (77.4%). SEP alerts were reported in 31 lower extremities and MEP alerts in 22, and new neurological deficit at post‐operation was observed in 11. The etiologies of neuromuscular and syndromic indicated relatively lower success rates of IONM, which were 44.1% and 40.5% for SEP, and 58.8% and 59.5% for MEP (p < 0.001). In addition, patients with pre‐operative neurological deficit caused by cervical spine and muscle strength lower than grade 4 suffered from higher risk of failed IONM waveforms (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Patients with pre‐operative neurological deficit suffered from a higher incidence of failed IONM results. The high‐risk for failed IONM waveforms included the neuromuscular and syndromic etiologies, neurological deficit caused by cervical spine, muscle strength lower than grade 4 in patients with pre‐operative neurological deficit undergoing posterior spinal correction surgery.
Consecutive Case Series of Uniportal Full‐endoscopic Unilateral Laminotomy for Bilateral Decompression in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Relationship between Decompression Range and Functional Outcomes
Authors: Tan Haining , Yu Lingjia , Xie Xuehu , Liu Ning , Zhang Guoqiang , Li Xiang , Yang Yong , Zhu Bin
Published: October 2023

Objective

Uniportal full‐endoscopic unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression (UFE‐ULBD) has been used to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with satisfactory outcomes. However, a limited number of studies have investigated the relationship between decompression range and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of UFE‐ULBD for single‐segment LSS and to explore the relationship between the decompression range and functional outcomes.

Methods

Single‐segment LSS patients who had undergone UFE‐ULBD using an interlaminar approach between November 2021 and February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Patient demographics, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for leg and back pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores, modified MacNab grades, and radiological outcomes, including the decompression ratio of the disc‐flava ligament space and osseous lateral recess, the enlargement ratio of superior articular process interval, lamina interval dural sac cross‐sectional area (DSCA), were collected. The independent sample t‐tests, paired sample t‐tests, chi‐square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and Pearson's and Spearman's correlation analyses were used.

Results

Forty patients (23 males, and 17 females) were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The mean follow‐up period was 12 months. At the last follow‐up, VAS scores for leg pain and back pain decreased from 6.0 ± 0.8 to 1.0 ± 1.9 (p < 0.001), and from 6.0 ± 0.8 to 1.2 ± 1.8 (p < 0.001) respectively; ODI score decreased from 71.7 ± 6.2 to 24.3 ± 21.3 (p < 0.001). According to the modified MacNab criteria, the results were excellent in 28 (70%), good in 5 (12.5%), fair in 6 (15%), and poor in 1 (2.5%), with an excellent‐good rate of 82.5%. The postoperative DSCA enlarged from 57.69 ± 21.86 to 150.75 ± 39.33 mm2 (p < 0.001), with an enlargement ratio of 189.43 ± 107.83%. No difference in clinical or radiological parameters was detected between patients with excellent, good, fair, or poor outcomes based on the modified MacNab criteria.

Conclusion

UFE‐ULBD can provide satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes in single‐segment LSS patients. With sufficient exposure to the dural sac boundary, the functional outcome was not related to the radiological decompression range in LSS patients who had undergone UFE‐ULBD.
Losing control is not an option. Resource allocation to police oversight agencies in Western states
Authors: Roché Sebastian , Varaine Simon
Published: October 2023

Independent police oversight is a specific government delegated function that has been neglected by scholars of regulation. The main goal of this article is to understand the allocation of state resources to independent police oversight agencies (POAs) in the post delegation stage. We test whether the aim of delegation is better governance in complex areas to increase police agents' accountability (“policy complexity”) or to avoid political costs of agencification (“agency losses”). A survey of 27 POAs in Europe and Canada shows that POAs tend to receive significantly fewer state resources when they have a high level of formal independence or strong legal empowerment. Resource allocation seems more congruent with an “agency losses” logic than with the goal of making regulation more efficient. Our findings have notable implications for international norm‐setting bodies (the UN, the Council of Europe), who have not sufficiently codified the allocation of resources.
WHIRLY1‐deficient chloroplasts display enhanced formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers during exposure to UV‐B radiation
Authors: Saeid Nia Monireh , Desel Christine , Pescheck Frauke , Krupinska Karin , Bilger Wolfgang
Published: October 2023

The single‐stranded DNA/RNA binding protein WHIRLY1 is a major chloroplast nucleoid‐associated protein required for the compactness of nucleoids. Most nucleoids in chloroplasts of WHIRLY1‐knockdown barley plants are less compact compared to nucleoids in wild‐type plants. The reduced compaction leads to an enhanced optical cross‐section, which may cause the plastid DNA to be a better target for damaging UV‐B radiation. To investigate this hypothesis, primary foliage leaves, chloroplasts, and nuclei from wild‐type and WHIRLY1‐knockdown plants were exposed to experimental UV‐B radiation. Thereafter, total, genomic and plastid DNA were isolated, respectively, and analyzed for the occurrence of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), which is a parameter for genome stability. The results of this study revealed that WHIRLY1‐deficient chloroplasts had strongly enhanced DNA damages, whereas isolated nuclei from the same plant line were not more sensitive than nuclei from the wild‐type, indicating that WHIRLY1 has different functions in chloroplasts and nucleus. This supports the hypothesis that the compaction of nucleoids may provide protection against UV‐B radiation.
Auxin biosynthesis, transport, and response directly attenuate hydrotropism in the latter stages to fine‐tune root growth direction in Arabidopsis
Authors: Akita Kotaro , Miyazawa Yutaka
Published: October 2023

Roots detect water potential gradients in the soil and orient toward moister areas, a response known as hydrotropism that aids drought avoidance. Although auxin is crucial in tropism, its polar transport is not essential for hydrotropism in Arabidopsis. Moreover, antiauxin treatments in Arabidopsis produced inconsistent outcomes: some studies indicated auxin action was necessary while others did not. In this study, we examined auxin's physiological role in hydrotropism. We found that inhibiting auxin biosynthesis or transport intensified hydrotropic bending not only in wild‐type, but also in hydrotropism defective mutants, namely miz1‐1 and miz2 plants. Given that miz1‐1 and miz2 exhibited compromised hydrotropism even under clinorotated conditions, we infer that auxin biosynthesis and transport directly suppress hydrotropism. Additionally, tir1‐10, afb1‐3, and afb2‐3 displayed augmented hydrotropism. We observed a significant delay in hydrotropic bending in arf7‐1arf19‐1, suggesting that ARF7 and ARF19 amplify hydrotropism in its early stages. To discern the functional ties of ARF7/19 with MIZ1 and MIZ2, we studied the hydrotropic phenotypes of arf7‐1arf19‐1miz1‐1 and arf7‐1arf19‐1miz2. Both triple mutants had diminished early‐stage hydrotropism yet showed partial but significant recovery in the later stages. Given MIZ1's role in reducing auxin levels and MIZ2's essentiality for MIZ1 functionality, we conclude that auxin inhibits hydrotropism downstream of MIZ1 in later stages to refine root bending. Furthermore, it is posited that gene expression driven by ARF7 and ARF19 is pivotal for early‐stage root hydrotropism.
Membrane barriers for guided bone regeneration: An overview of available biomaterials
Authors: Mizraji Gabriel , Davidzohn Alon , Gursoy Mervi , Gursoy Ulvi K. , Shapira Lior , Wilensky Asaf
Published: October 2023

Dental implants revolutionized the treatment options for restoring form, function, and esthetics when one or more teeth are missing. At sites of insufficient bone, guided bone regeneration (GBR) is performed either prior to or in conjunction with implant placement to achieve a three‐dimensional prosthetic‐driven implant position. To date, GBR is well documented, widely used, and constitutes a predictable and successful approach for lateral and vertical bone augmentation of atrophic ridges. Evidence suggests that the use of barrier membranes maintains the major biological principles of GBR. Since the material used to construct barrier membranes ultimately dictates its characteristics and its ability to maintain the biological principles of GBR, several materials have been used over time. This review, summarizes the evolution of barrier membranes, focusing on the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of available occlusive barrier membranes and presents results of updated meta‐analyses focusing on the effects of these membranes on the overall outcome.
Muscle dysmorphia symptomatology is prospectively associated with suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviors, and non‐suicidal self‐injury among a sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults
Authors: Ganson Kyle T. , Pang Nelson , Testa Alexander , Nagata Jason M.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Limited, primarily cross‐sectional research has identified associations between muscle dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts suicidal behaviors, and non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI). This study aimed to investigate the associations between muscle dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviors, and NSSI prospectively over a 1‐year period among a large, diverse sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults.

Methods

Data from wave one (2021) and wave two (2022) of the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors were analyzed (N = 912). Multiple modified Poisson regression analyses were used to determine the associations between muscle dysmorphia symptomatology at wave one and three items of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and one item of NSSI at wave two. Unadjusted models and adjusted models were estimated.

Results

Total muscle dysmorphia symptomatology and symptoms of Appearance Intolerance were prospectively associated with suicidal ideation and suicide planning at 12‐month follow‐up. These findings were significant across unadjusted and adjusted models.

Conclusions

Findings from this study expand prior research and underscore the clinical complexity of muscle dysmorphia. Future research should investigate mechanisms explaining the association between muscle dysmorphia and suicide and develop interventions to prevent suicide among people with muscle dysmorphia.
Sports‐related factors predicting maintained participation and dropout in organized sports in emerging adulthood: A four‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Rinta‐Antila Katja , Koski Pasi , Aira Tuula , Heinonen Olli J. , Korpelainen Raija , Parkkari Jari , Savonen Kai , Toivo Kerttu , Uusitalo Arja , Valtonen Maarit , Vasankari Tommi , Villberg Jari J. , Kokko Sami
Published: October 2023

This study explored sports‐related factors predicting organized sports participation in emerging adulthood. In the Finnish Health Promoting Sports Club (FHPSC) study, 354 sports club participants aged 15 at baseline reported their main sport, onset age, training volume, current competitive level, and future competitive orientation and participated in the follow‐up study at age 19. There were differences in the proportions of maintainers and dropouts in a few sports: football (maintainers 58.6%), and among females, skating (maintainers 60.7%), and swimming (dropouts 80.0%). A binary logistic regression analysis showed that those who had started their main sport by school age (females OR 3.05/95% CI 1.34, 6.98; males OR 3.97/95% CI 1.48, 10.64) and had competed at national top level plus had aimed at success at the adult level competitions in future (females OR 3.42/95% CI 1.16, 10.09; males OR 3.58/95% CI 1.12, 11.41; among females, also had competed at national top level plus had aimed at success at junior level competitions [OR 3.42/95% CI 1.20, 9.78]) were more likely maintainers than dropouts. Early onset in the main sport and competitiveness were related to maintained sports participation while the opposites were related to dropouts in the current organized sports system.
Is cardiorespiratory fitness associated with cognitive outcomes in mid‐adulthood? Findings from the 1958 British birth cohort
Authors: Pinto Pereira S. M. , Mitchell J. J. , Blodgett J. M. , Hamer M. , Norris T.
Published: October 2023

Identifying causal factors to intervene on to delay age‐related declines in cognitive function is urgently needed. We examined associations between non‐exercise testing cardiorespiratory fitness (NETCRF; estimated using sex, age, body mass index, resting heart rate, and physical activity) at 45 years and cognitive function outcomes (immediate and delayed verbal memory; verbal fluency; visual processing speed) at 50 years in 8130 participants from the 1958 British birth cohort. In unadjusted models, higher NETCRF was associated with better cognitive function across all outcomes. When adjusted for confounding factors, associations disappeared. In this cohort, associations between 45 years NETCRF and 50 years cognitive function likely result from confounding factors.
Repeated local ellipsoid protrusion supplements HLA surface characterization
Authors: Niemann Matthias , Matern Benedict M. , Spierings Eric
Published: October 2023

Allorecognition of donor HLA is a major risk factor for long‐term kidney graft survival. Although several molecular matching algorithms have been proposed that compare physiochemical and structural features of the donors' and recipients' HLA proteins in order to predict their compatibility, the exact underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. We hypothesized that the ElliPro approach of single ellipsoid fitting and protrusion ranking lacks sensitivity for the characteristic shape of HLA molecules and developed a prediction pipeline named Snowball that is fitting smaller ellipsoids iteratively to substructures. Aggregated protrusion ranks of locally fitted ellipsoids were calculated for 712 publicly available HLA structures and 78 predicted structures using AlphaFold 2. Amino‐acid sequence and protrusion ranks were used to train deep neural network predictors to infer protrusion ranks for all known HLA sequences. Snowball protrusion ranks appear to be more sensitive than ElliPro scores in fine parts of the HLA such as the helix structures forming the HLA binding groove in particular when the ellipsoids are fitted to substructures considering atoms within a 15 Å radius. A cloud‐based web service was implemented based on amino‐acid matching considering both protein‐ and position‐specific surface area and protrusion ranks extending the previously presented Snowflake prediction pipeline.
Detection of trait donors and QTL boundaries for early blight resistance using local ancestry inference in a library of genomic sequences for tomato
Authors: Anderson Taylor A. , Sudermann Martha A. , DeJong Darlene M. , Francis David M. , Smart Christine D. , Mutschler Martha A.
Published: October 2023

By conducting hierarchical clustering along a sliding window, we generated haplotypes across hundreds of re‐sequenced genomes in a few hours. We leveraged our method to define cryptic introgressions underlying disease resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and to discover resistant germplasm in the tomato seed bank. The genomes of 9 accessions with early blight (Alternaria linariae) disease resistance were newly sequenced and analyzed together with published sequences for 770 tomato and wild species accessions, most of which are available in germplasm collections. Identification of common ancestral haplotypes among resistant germplasm enabled rapid fine mapping of recently discovered quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring resistance and the identification of possible causal variants. The source of the early blight QTL EB‐9 was traced to a vintage tomato named ‘Devon Surprise’. Another QTL, EB‐5, as well as resistance to bacterial spot disease (Xanthomonas spp.), was traced to Hawaii 7998. A genomic survey of all accessions forecasted EB‐9‐derived resistance in several heirloom tomatoes, accessions of S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme, and S. pimpinellifolium PI 37009. Our haplotype‐based predictions were validated by screening the accessions against the causal pathogen. There was little evidence of EB‐5 prevalence in surveyed contemporary germplasm, presenting an opportunity to bolster tomato disease resistance by adding this rare locus. Our work demonstrates practical insights that can be derived from the efficient processing of large genome‐scale datasets, including rapid functional prediction of disease resistance QTL in diverse genetic backgrounds. Finally, our work finds more efficient ways to leverage public genetic resources for crop improvement.
Attenuation of muscle spindle firing with artificially increased series compliance during stretch of relaxed muscle
Authors: Abbott Emily M. , Stephens Jacob D. , Simha Surabhi N. , Wood Leo , Nardelli Paul , Cope Timothy C. , Sawicki Gregory S. , Ting Lena H.
Published: October 2023

Muscle spindles relay vital mechanosensory information for movement and posture, but muscle spindle feedback is coupled to skeletal motion by a compliant tendon. Little is known about the effects of tendon compliance on muscle spindle feedback during movement, and the complex firing of muscle spindles makes these effects difficult to predict. Our goal was to investigate changes in muscle spindle firing using added series elastic elements (SEEs) to mimic a more compliant tendon, and to characterize the accompanying changes in firing with respect to muscle–tendon unit (MTU) and muscle fascicle displacements (recorded via sonomicrometry). Sinusoidal, ramp‐and‐hold and triangular stretches were analysed to examine potential changes in muscle spindle instantaneous firing rates (IFRs) in locomotor‐ and perturbation‐like stretches as well as serial history dependence. Added SEEs effectively reduced overall MTU stiffness and generally reduced muscle spindle firing rates, but the effect differed across stretch types. During sinusoidal stretches, peak and mean firing rates were not reduced and IFR was best‐correlated with fascicle velocity. During ramp stretches, SEEs reduced the initial burst, dynamic and static responses of the spindle. Notably, IFR was negatively related to fascicle displacement during the hold phase. During triangular stretches, SEEs reduced the mean IFR during the first and second stretches, affecting the serial history dependence of mean IFR. Overall, these results demonstrate that tendon compliance may attenuate muscle spindle feedback during movement, but these changes cannot be fully explained by reduced muscle fascicle length or velocity, or MTU force.
A single bout of prior resistance exercise attenuates muscle atrophy and declines in myofibrillar protein synthesis during bed‐rest in older men
Authors: Smeuninx Benoit , Elhassan Yasir S. , Sapey Elizabeth , Rushton Alison B. , Morgan Paul T. , Korzepa Marie , Belfield Archie E. , Philp Andrew , Brook Matthew S. , Gharahdaghi Nima , Wilkinson Daniel , Smith Kenneth , Atherton Philip J. , Breen Leigh
Published: October 2023

Impairments in myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) during bed rest accelerate skeletal muscle loss in older adults, increasing the risk of adverse secondary health outcomes. We investigated the effect of prior resistance exercise (RE) on MyoPS and muscle morphology during a disuse event in 10 healthy older men (65–80 years). Participants completed a single bout of unilateral leg RE the evening prior to 5 days of in‐patient bed‐rest. Quadriceps cross‐sectional area (CSA) was determined prior to and following bed‐rest. Serial muscle biopsies and dual stable isotope tracers were used to determine rates of integrated MyoPS (iMyoPS) over a 7 day habitual ‘free‐living’ phase and the bed‐rest phase, and rates of acute postabsorptive and postprandial MyoPS (aMyoPS) at the end of bed rest. Quadriceps CSA at 40%, 60% and 80% of muscle length significantly decreased in exercised (EX) and non‐exercised control (CTL) legs with bed‐rest. The decline in quadriceps CSA at 40% and 60% of muscle length was attenuated in EX compared with CTL. During bed‐rest, iMyoPS rates decreased from habitual values in CTL, but not EX, and were significantly different between legs. Postprandial aMyoPS rates increased above postabsorptive values in EX only. The change in iMyoPS over bed‐rest correlated with the change in quadriceps CSA in CTL, but not EX. A single bout of RE attenuated the decline in iMyoPS rates and quadriceps atrophy with 5 days of bed‐rest in older men. Further work is required to understand the functional and clinical implications of prior RE in older patient populations.

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Key points

Age‐related skeletal muscle deterioration, linked to numerous adverse health outcomes, is driven by impairments in muscle protein synthesis that are accelerated during periods of disuse.

Resistance exercise can stimulate muscle protein synthesis over several days of recovery and therefore could counteract impairments in this process that occur in the early phase of disuse.

In the present study, we demonstrate that the decline in myofibrillar protein synthesis and muscle atrophy over 5 days of bed‐rest in older men was attenuated by a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise performed the evening prior to bed‐rest.

These findings suggest that concise resistance exercise intervention holds the potential to support muscle mass retention in older individuals during short‐term disuse, with implications for delaying sarcopenia progression in ageing populations.
Characterization of High-Pressure Hydrogen Leakages
Authors: Cerbarano Davide , Tieghi Lorenzo , Delibra Giovanni , Lo Schiavo Ermanno , Minotti Stefano , Corsini Alessandro
Published: October 2023

Reduction of gas turbine (GT) carbon emissions relies on a strategy for fueling the engines with pure or blended hydrogen. The major technical challenges to solve are (i) the adjustments to the engine and in particular the combustion chamber and (ii) a series of issues to solve to guarantee safe operations. In fact, compared to natural gas, hydrogen fueling implies higher risks of explosion in case of leak in the turbine enclosure and a more careful design of the ventilation system. Thus, a deeper comprehension of hydrogen leak scenarios is needed to adjust the safe design strategy of the enclosure. To this aim, a series of numerical investigations was carried out to understand how different methane–hydrogen blends (from pure methane to pure hydrogen) behave when leaking from a pipeline with fuel pressure that span from 1.5 to 4.5 MPa. The different fuel blends' leaks in form of underexpanded jets were studied under different cross-flow ventilation conditions, with ventilation velocity spanning from 0 m/s to 5 m/s. When compared to pure methane, the outcome is a three times longer penetration distance for pure hydrogen axisymmetric flammable clouds, whereas in cross-flow conditions a more complex three-dimensional behavior was found, potentially opening a safety-related concerns discussed in the paper.
Tilting Pad Journal Bearing Computational Fluid Dynamic Parametric Modeling for New Energy Transition Challenges
Authors: Gheller Edoardo , Vardhan Reddy Vishnu , Koyyalamudi Satish , Chatterton Steven , Panara Daniele , Pennacchi Paolo
Published: October 2023

The necessity of increasing the efficiency and reducing the carbon foot-print of machines is pushing centrifugal compressor bearings design to higher and higher peripheral speed and lower oil consumptions especially in the new energy transition fields, resulting in an increase in the bearing temperatures. Therefore, the bearing thermal management starts to play a major role in extending the machine operability and reducing the maintenance frequency. A full three-dimensional (3D) parametric conjugate heat transfer computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model for tilting pad journal bearings (TPJBs) is introduced in this paper to address the temperature aspects of oil-film bearings. The parametric geometry of the model and the automatic mesh update, allow the equilibrium position search to be obtained without adopting any dynamic mesh algorithms. The tilting pad and rotating shaft equilibrium position are automatically calculated with a Newton–Raphson algorithm. The static performance of the TPJB is investigated for different journal diameters, bearing clearance, and operating conditions. The numerical results obtained are compared with experimental data from compressor mechanical running tests to demonstrate the reliability of the model presented. The 3D distributions of the oil pressure, velocity, and temperature given by the CFD model, can be locally optimized to face the new energy transition challenges.
Escape Narratives and Regional Identity: A Case Study of the Story of Joe Burrow
Authors: Carey Michael Clay , Emmons Betsy
Published: October 2023

This case study analyzes the news media’s framing of National Football League (NFL) quarterback Joe Burrow and his background during the 2019 football season, from the announcement of Burrow as a Heisman trophy finalist to the aftermath of his selection as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. With his heightened visibility on the field, Burrow’s background was increasingly of interest to football fans and sports journalists. It was not Burrow’s fairly “typical” family background as the child of a football coach in a nuclear family that received the most attention, but the Appalachian town of Athens, OH, where Burrow was a high school student, that became an important narrative. Emerging theme analysis suggests that sports journalists often extended idealized narratives to frame Burrow as an overcomer of a systemic cultural background with which he did not immediately identify. That narrative often utilized stereotypical representations of rural Appalachia as a place dominated by cultural poverty, highlighted representations of engrained hopelessness and lack of agency in the region, and reinforced problematic understandings of the nature of structural poverty and the ways it may be effectively challenged. The research addresses gaps in the literature about the college student-athlete in nuanced conversations about race and class in athlete-to-career narratives and notes the ways an athlete may call on such mediated tropes to extend a narrative for possible community or self-benefit.
Elucidating the cellular determinants of targeted membrane protein degradation by lysosome-targeting chimeras
Authors: Ahn Green , Riley Nicholas M. , Kamber Roarke A. , Wisnovsky Simon , Moncayo von Hase Salvador , Bassik Michael C. , Banik Steven M. , Bertozzi Carolyn R.
Published: October 2023

Targeted protein degradation can provide advantages over inhibition approaches in the development of therapeutic strategies. Lysosome-targeting chimeras (LYTACs) harness receptors, such as the cation-independent mannose 6–phosphate receptor (CI-M6PR), to direct extracellular proteins to lysosomes. In this work, we used a genome-wide CRISPR knockout approach to identify modulators of LYTAC-mediated membrane protein degradation in human cells. We found that disrupting retromer genes improved target degradation by reducing LYTAC recycling to the plasma membrane. Neddylated cullin-3 facilitated LYTAC-complex lysosomal maturation and was a predictive marker for LYTAC efficacy. A substantial fraction of cell surface CI-M6PR remains occupied by endogenous M6P-modified glycoproteins. Thus, inhibition of M6P biosynthesis increased the internalization of LYTAC-target complexes. Our findings inform design strategies for next-generation LYTACs and elucidate aspects of cell surface receptor occupancy and trafficking.
Phage therapy in noncommunicable diseases
Authors: Kviatcovsky Denise , Valdés-Mas Rafael , Federici Sara , Elinav Eran
Published: October 2023

Bacteriophages have potential as suppressors of disease-contributing commensal bacteria
Periodical cicadas disrupt trophic dynamics through community-level shifts in avian foraging
Authors: Getman-Pickering Zoe L. , Soltis Grace J. , Shamash Sarah , Gruner Daniel S. , Weiss Martha R. , Lill John T.
Published: October 2023

Once every 13 or 17 years within eastern North American deciduous forests, billions of periodical cicadas concurrently emerge from the soil and briefly satiate a diverse array of naive consumers, offering a rare opportunity to assess the cascading impacts of an ecosystem-wide resource pulse on a complex food web. We quantified the effects of the 2021 Brood X emergence and report that more than 80 bird species opportunistically switched their foraging to include cicadas, releasing herbivorous insects from predation and essentially doubling both caterpillar densities and accumulated herbivory levels on host oak trees. These short-lived but massive emergence events help us to understand how resource pulses can rewire interaction webs and disrupt energy flows in ecosystems, with potentially long-lasting effects.
NASA launches spacecraft to a mysterious metal-rich asteroid
Authors: Greshko Michael
Published: October 2023

The asteroid Psyche could be the remnant of a protoplanet, offering insight into the formation of planetary cores
Variations in microbial assemblage between rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiomes contribute to host plant growth under cadmium stress
Authors: Shao Li , Li Xiupin , Xiao Tangfu , Lu Ting , Li Jiajun , Deng Jinmei , Xiao Enzong
Published: October 2023

Microbial assemblages in the rhizosphere and root endosphere compartments exhibit variations in response to environmental stressors. However, whether these variations contribute to plant growth under abiotic stress remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a comparative study to characterize the assembly of the rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiome between two ecotypes of
Sedum alfredii
, a perennial herb plant across Asia, under cadmium (Cd) stress. Our results revealed that under Cd stress, the fresh weight of the Cd-accumulating ecotype (AE) was significantly higher than the non-accumulating ecotype (NAE). The evenness and diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome were significantly reduced, but the complexity was significantly increased in AE compared to NAE. Crucially, we found that the changes in microbial dissimilarity were correlated with plant performance under Cd stress. Moreover, we identified that microbial network complexity has a greater number of positive associations with the rhizosphere keystone operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified from the AE than from the NAE. Our results also demonstrated that phenolic compounds, including benzenoids and flavonoids, play a crucial role in shaping the distribution of keystone OTUs in both AEs and NAEs by functioning as carbon sources and semiochemicals. In summary, our study provides new insights into how changes in microbial assemblage between rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiomes contribute to plant growth under abiotic stress.

IMPORTANCE

In this study, we revealed that the variation in rhizosphere and root endosphere microbial assemblage between host plant ecotypes contribute to their differential abilities to withstand cadmium (Cd) stressors. Furthermore, our study found that phenolic compounds, such as benzenoids and flavonoids, could function as both essential carbon sources and semiochemicals, thereby contributing to the assemblage of rhizosphere microbiome to resist Cd stress. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms that drive the differential assemblage of rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiomes to enhance plant growth under abiotic stress.
Discovery of Nanosota-2, -3, and -4 as super potent and broad-spectrum therapeutic nanobody candidates against COVID-19
Authors: Ye Gang , Pan Ruangang , Bu Fan , Zheng Jian , Mendoza Alise , Wen Wei , Du Lanying , Spiller Benjamin , Wadzinski Brian E. , Liu Bin , Perlman Stanley , Li Fang
Published: October 2023

Nanobodies are single-domain antibodies derived from camelid animals. Here, we discovered three anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies, namely, Nanosota-2, -3, and -4, from an alpaca immunized with SARS-CoV spike protein. We further characterized the antiviral activities of these Fc-tag-fused nanobodies. Notably, Nanosota-2 inhibits the prototypic SARS-CoV-2 strain
in vitro
(with an IC
50
of 2 pM) and in mice (at a dosage of 4 mg/kg or administered 18 hours post-challenge). These potency metrics are the best among known SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors. Moreover, Nanosota-3 effectively inhibits the omicron variant, both
in vitro
and in mice, regardless of the administration route (intraperitoneal or intranasal). Furthermore, Nanosota-3 has been biochemically engineered to inhibit both early and currently circulating subvariants of omicron. Additionally, Nanosota-4 uniquely inhibits both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Cryo-EM data revealed that the three nanobodies bind to functionally critical and non-overlapping regions in the spike protein. Given their cost-effectiveness, ease of adaptation to new viral strains, and potential use as inhalers, the Nanosota series are powerful therapeutic tools against coronavirus pandemics.

IMPORTANCE

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed limitations of conventional antibodies as therapeutics, including high cost, limited potency, ineffectiveness against new viral variants, and primary reliance on injection-only delivery. Nanobodies are single-domain antibodies with therapeutic potentials. We discovered three anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies, named Nanosota-2, -3, and -4, from an immunized alpaca. Nanosota-2 is super potent against prototypic SARS-CoV-2, Nanosota-3 is highly potent against the omicron variant, and Nanosota-4 is effective against both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. In addition to their super potency and combined broad antiviral spectrum, these nanobodies are cost-effective, can be easily adapted to new viral variants through phage display, and can potentially be administered as inhalers. The Nanosota series are powerful therapeutic candidates to combat circulating SARS-CoV-2 and prepare for possible future coronavirus pandemics.
Acinetobacter baumannii
coordinates central metabolism, plasmid dissemination, and virulence by sensing nutrient availability
Authors: Feng Zhengshan , Wang Lidong , Guan Qingtian , Chu Xiao , Luo Zhao-Qing
Published: October 2023

Plasmid conjugation plays an important role in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes. The emergence of multidrug-resistant isolates of
Acinetobacter baumannii
poses grave challenges in treating infections caused by this notorious nosocomial pathogen. Yet, the composition, functionality, and regulation of conjugative machinery utilized by
A. baumannii
remain poorly understood. Here, we found that conjugation of the major plasmid pAB3 of
A. baumannii
is mediated by a type IVB secretion system similar to the Dot/Icm transporter of
Legionella pneumophila
. Furthermore, the expression of the structural genes of the Dot/Icm-like system is co-regulated with genes involved in central metabolism by the GacS/GacA two-component system in response to various metabolites, including intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Loss of GacS/A also severely impaired bacterial virulence. These results establish that
A. baumannii
coordinates metabolism with plasmid conjugation and virulence by sensing nutrient availability, which may be exploited to develop inhibitory agents for controlling the spread of drug-resistance genes and virulence factors.

IMPORTANCE

Plasmid conjugation is known to be an energy-expensive process, but our understanding of the molecular linkage between conjugation and metabolism is limited. Our finding reveals that
Acinetobacter baumannii
utilizes a two-component system to co-regulate metabolism, plasmid transfer, and virulence by sensing reaction intermediates of key metabolic pathways, which suggests that nutrient availability dictates not only bacterial proliferation but also horizontal gene transfer. The identification of Dot/Icm-like proteins as components of a conjugation system involved in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes by
A. baumannii
has provided important targets for the development of agents capable of inhibiting virulence and the spread of anti-microbial-resistance genes in bacterial communities.
Gene of the month: cancer testis antigen gene 1b (NY-ESO-1)
Authors: Julve Max , Kennedy Oliver , Frampton Adam Enver , Bagwan Izhar , Lythgoe Mark P
Published: October 2023

Cancer testis antigen gene 1B (CTAG1B) and its associated gene product; New York oesophageal squamous carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1), represent a unique and promising target for cancer immunotherapy. As a member of the cancer testis antigen family (CTA), the protein’s restricted expression pattern and ability to elicit spontaneous humoural and cellular immune responses has resulted in a plethora of novel modalities and approaches attempting to harness its immunotherapeutic anti-cancer potential. Here, we discuss the structure and function of CTAG1B/NY-ESO-1 in both health and disease, immunohistochemical detection, as well as the most promising advances in the development of associated anti-cancer therapies. From cancer vaccines to engineered cellular therapy approaches, a multitude of immunotherapies targeting CTA’s are coming to the forefront of oncology. Although the efficacy of such approaches have yet to provide convincing evidence of durable response, early phase clinical trial data has resulted in some exciting findings which will have significant potential to act as a platform for future practice changing technologies.
Returning research results to individuals who are incarcerated in the USA
Authors: Raghunathan Sahana
Published: October 2023

The return of research results to populations and individuals is increasingly recognised as both important but ethically complicated. In the USA, there are few studies or detailed evidence-based practices on the return of research results to individuals who are incarcerated. In general, return of research results is not required with some exceptions; however, there are reasons to believe that in many cases returning results is most consistent with the ethical conduct of research. With individuals who are incarcerated, specific considerations for this historically disadvantaged population should be addressed. These are privacy, therapeutic misconception, paternalism, actionability and communication. If research results are returned, the initial consent process should consider thoroughness regarding privacy rights, the researchers’ role, clarity around next steps and communication methods. Prison leadership should be key stakeholders in the process to streamline communication. Returning research results can be a method to counter historical and current paternalism in the carceral setting, while shifting the culture on how research is understood and conducted in carceral settings. The decision to return results should balance benefits, risks and research ethics. Further research is needed to identify and implement optimal approaches for returning results in this population.