bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breaking barriers: pCF10 type 4 secretion system relies on a self-regulating muramidase to modulate the cell wall
Authors: Sun Wei-Sheng , Torrens Gabriel , ter Beek Josy , Cava Felipe , Berntsson Ronnie P.-A.
Published: June 2024

Conjugative type 4 secretion systems (T4SSs) are the main driver for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in bacteria. To deliver the DNA substrate to recipient cells, it must cross the cell envelopes of both donor and recipient bacteria. In the T4SS from the enterococcal conjugative plasmid pCF10, PrgK is known to be the active cell wall degrading enzyme. It has three predicted extracellular hydrolase domains: metallo-peptidase (LytM), soluble lytic transglycosylase (SLT), and cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolases/peptidases (CHAP). Here, we report the structure of the LytM domain and show that its active site is degenerate and lacks the active site metal. Furthermore, we show that only the predicted SLT domain is functional
in vitro
and that it unexpectedly has a muramidase instead of a lytic transglycosylase activity. While we did not observe any peptidoglycan hydrolytic activity for the LytM or CHAP domain, we found that these domains downregulated the SLT muramidase activity. The CHAP domain was also found to be involved in PrgK dimer formation. Furthermore, we show that PrgK interacts with PrgL, which likely targets PrgK to the rest of the T4SS. The presented data provides important information for understanding the function of Gram-positive T4SSs.

IMPORTANCE

Antibiotic resistance is a large threat to human health and is getting more prevalent. One of the major contributors to the spread of antibiotic resistance among different bacteria is type 4 secretion systems (T4SS). However, mainly T4SSs from Gram-negative bacteria have been studied in detail. T4SSs from Gram-positive bacteria, which stand for more than half of all hospital-acquired infections, are much less understood. The significance of our research is in identifying the function and regulation of a cell wall hydrolase, a key component of the pCF10 T4SS from
Enterococcus faecalis
. This system is one of the best-studied Gram-positive T4SSs, and this added knowledge aids in our understanding of horizontal gene transfer in
E. faecalis
as well as other medically relevant Gram-positive bacteria.
Casein kinase 1α mediates phosphorylation of the Merkel cell polyomavirus large T antigen for β-TrCP destruction complex interaction and subsequent degradation
Authors: Pham Alexander M. , Kwun Hyun Jin
Published: June 2024

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is a double-stranded tumor virus that is the main causative agent of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). The MCPyV large T antigen (LT), an essential viral DNA replication protein, maintains viral persistence by interacting with host Skp1-Cullin 1-F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes, which subsequently induces LT’s proteasomal degradation, restricting MCPyV DNA replication. SCF E3 ubiquitin ligases require their substrates to be phosphorylated to bind them, utilizing phosphorylated serine residues as docking sites. The MCPyV LT unique region (MUR) is highly phosphorylated and plays a role in multiple host protein interactions, including SCF E3 ubiquitin ligases. Therefore, this domain highly governs LT stability. Though much work has been conducted to identify host factors that restrict MCPyV LT protein expression, the kinase(s) that cooperates with the SCF E3 ligase remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that casein kinase 1 alpha (CK1α) negatively regulates MCPyV LT stability and LT-mediated replication by modulating interactions with the SCF β-TrCP. Specifically, we show that numerous CK1 isoforms (α, δ, ε) localize in close proximity to MCPyV LT through
in situ
proximity ligation assays (PLA) and CK1α overexpression mainly resulted in decreased MCPyV LT protein expression. Inhibition of CK1α using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and treatment of a CK1α inhibitor or an mTOR inhibitor, TORKinib, resulted in decreased β-TrCP interaction with LT, increased LT expression, and enhanced MCPyV replication. The expression level of the
CSNK1A1
gene transcripts is higher in MCPyV-positive MCC, suggesting a vital role of CK1α in limiting MCPyV replication required for establishing persistent infection.

IMPORTANCE

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) large tumor antigen is a polyphosphoprotein and the phosphorylation event is required to modulate various functions of LT, including viral replication. Therefore, cellular kinase pathways are indispensable for governing MCPyV polyomavirus infection and life cycle in coordinating with the immunosuppression environment at disease onset. Understanding the regulation mechanisms of MCPyV replication by viral and cellular factors will guide proper prevention strategies with targeted inhibitors for MCPyV-associated Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) patients, who currently lack therapies.
Elevated temperature alters bacterial community from mutualism to antagonism with
Skeletonema costatum
: insights into the role of a novel species,
Tamlana
sp. MS1
Authors: Lin Tenghui , Feng Yumeng , Miao Wenfei , Wang Shuqi , Bao Zhen , Shao Zeyuan , Zhang Demin , Wang Xinwei , Jiang Haibo , Zhang Huajun
Published: June 2024

Skeletonema costatum
, a cosmopolitan diatom primarily inhabiting coastal ecosystems, exhibits a typically close yet variable relationship with heterotrophic bacteria. The increasing temperature of surface seawater is expected to substantially affect the viability and ecological dynamics of
S. costatum
, potentially altering its relationship with bacteria. However, it remains unclear to what extent the elevated temperature could change these relationships. Here, the relationship between axenic
S. costatum
and natural seawater bacteria underwent a dramatic shift from mutualism to antagonism as the co-culture temperature increased from 20°C to 25°C. The co-occurrence network indicated significantly increased complexity of interaction between
S. costatum
and bacteria community after temperature elevation, especially with
Flavobacteriaceae
, implying their potential role in eliminating
S. costatum
under higher temperatures. Additionally, a
Flavobacteriaceae
isolate, namely MS1 identified as
Tamlana
genus, was isolated from the co-culture system at 25°C. MS1 had a remarkable ability to eliminate
S. costatum
, with the mortality rate at 25°C steadily rising from 30.2% at 48 h to 92.4% at 120 h. However, it promoted algal growth to some extent at 20°C. These results demonstrated that increased temperature promotes MS1 shifts from mutualism to antagonism with
S. costatum
. According to the comparative genomics analysis, changes in the lifestyle of MS1 were attributed to the increased gliding motility and attachment of MS1 under elevated temperature, enabling it to exert an algicidal effect through direct contact with alga. This investigation provided an advanced understanding of interactions between phytoplankton and bacteria in future warming oceanic ecosystems.

IMPORTANCE

Ocean warming profoundly influences the growth and metabolism of phytoplankton and bacteria, thereby significantly reshaping their interactions. Previous studies have shown that warming can change bacterial lifestyle from mutualism to antagonism with phytoplankton, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we found that high temperature promotes
Tamlana
sp. MS1 adhesion to
Skeletonema costatum
, leading to algal lysis through direct contact, demonstrating a transition in lifestyle from mutualism to antagonism with increasing temperature. Furthermore, the gliding motility of MS1 appears to be pivotal in mediating the transition of its lifestyle. These findings not only advance our understanding of the phytoplankton-bacteria relationship under ocean warming but also offer valuable insights for predicting the impact of warming on phytoplankton carbon sequestration.
Probing gene function in
Candida albicans
wild-type strains by Cas9-facilitated one-step integration of two dominant selection markers: a systematic analysis of recombination events at the target locus
Authors: Ramírez-Zavala Bernardo , Hoffmann Anna , Krüger Ines , Schwanfelder Sonja , Barker Katherine S. , Rogers P. David , Morschhäuser Joachim
Published: June 2024

The adaptation of gene deletion methods based on the CRISPR-Cas9 system has facilitated the genetic manipulation of the pathogenic yeast
Candida albicans
, because homozygous mutants of this diploid fungus can now be generated in a single step, allowing the rapid screening of candidate genes for their involvement in a phenotype of interest. However, the Cas9-mediated double-strand breaks at the target site may result in an undesired loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on the affected chromosome and cause phenotypic alterations that are not related to the function of the investigated gene. In our present study, we harnessed Cas9-facilitated gene deletion to probe a set of genes that are constitutively overexpressed in strains containing hyperactive forms of the transcription factor Mrr1 for a possible contribution to the fluconazole resistance of such strains. To this aim, we used gene deletion cassettes containing two different dominant selection markers,
caSAT1
and
HygB
, which confer resistance to nourseothricin and hygromycin, respectively, for simultaneous genomic integration in a single step, hypothesizing that this would minimize undesired LOH events at the target locus. We found that selection for resistance to both nourseothricin and hygromycin strongly increased the proportion of homozygous deletion mutants among the transformants compared with selection on media containing only one of the antibiotics, but it did not avoid undesired LOH events. Our results demonstrate that LOH on the target chromosome is a significant problem when using Cas9 for the generation of
C. albicans
gene deletion mutants, which demands a thorough examination of recombination events at the target site.

IMPORTANCE

Candida albicans
is one of the medically most important fungi and a model organism to study fungal pathogenicity. Investigating gene function in this diploid yeast has been facilitated by the adaptation of gene deletion methods based on the bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 system, because they enable the generation of homozygous mutants in a single step. We found that, in addition to increasing the efficiency of gene replacement by selection markers, the Cas9-mediated double-strand breaks also result in frequent loss of heterozygosity on the same chromosome, even when two different selection markers were independently integrated into the two alleles of the target gene. Since loss of heterozygosity for other genes can result in phenotypic alterations that are not caused by the absence of the target gene, these findings show that it is important to thoroughly analyze recombination events at the target locus when using Cas9 to generate gene deletion mutants in
C. albicans
.
Two high-quality
Prototheca zopfii
genomes provide new insights into their evolution as obligate algal heterotrophs and their pathogenicity
Authors: Jian Jianbo , Wang Zhaoyang , Chen Chunhai , Workman Christopher T. , Fang Xiaodong , Larsen Thomas Ostenfeld , Guo Jian , Sonnenschein Eva C.
Published: June 2024

The majority of the nearly 10,000 described species of green algae are photoautotrophs; however, some species have lost their ability to photosynthesize and become obligate heterotrophs that rely on parasitism for survival. Two high-quality genomes of the heterotrophic algae
Prototheca zopfii
Pz20 and Pz23 were obtained using short- and long-read genomic as well as transcriptomic data. The genome sizes were 31.2 Mb and 31.3 Mb, respectively, and contig N50 values of 1.99 Mb and 1.26 Mb. Although
P. zopfii
maintained its plastid genome, the transition to heterotrophy led to a reduction in both plastid and nuclear genome size, including the loss of photosynthesis-related genes from both the nuclear and plastid genomes and the elimination of genes encoding for carotenoid oxygenase and pheophorbide an oxygenase. The loss of genes, including basic leucine-zipper (bZIP) transcription factors, flavin adenine dinucleotide-linked oxidase, and helicase, could have played a role in the transmission of autotrophy to heterotrophs and in the processes of abiotic stress resistance and pathogenicity. A total of 66 (1.37%) and 73 (1.49%) genes were identified as potential horizontal gene transfer events in the two
P. zopfii
genomes, respectively. Genes for malate synthase and isocitrate lyase, which are horizontally transferred from bacteria, may play a pivotal role in carbon and nitrogen metabolism as well as the pathogenicity of
Prototheca
and non-photosynthetic organisms. The two high-quality
P. zopfii
genomes provide new insights into their evolution as obligate heterotrophs and pathogenicity.

IMPORTANCE

The genus
Prototheca
, characterized by its heterotrophic nature and pathogenicity, serves as an exemplary model for investigating pathobiology. The limited understanding of the protothecosis infectious disease is attributed to the lack of genomic resources. Using HiFi long-read sequencing, both nuclear and plastid genomes were generated for two strains of
P. zopfii
. The findings revealed a concurrent reduction in both plastid and nuclear genome size, accompanied by the loss of genes associated with photosynthesis, carotenoid oxygenase, basic leucine-zipper (bZIP) transcription factors, and others. The analysis of horizontal gene transfer revealed the presence of 1.37% and 1.49% bacterial genes, including malate synthase and isocitrate lyase, which play crucial roles in carbon and nitrogen metabolism, as well as pathogenicity and obligate heterotrophy. The two high-quality
P. zopfii
genomes represent valuable resources for investigating their adaptation and evolution as obligate heterotrophs, as well as for developing future prevention and treatment strategies against protothecosis.
Skipped wells and scientific error during fosfomycin agar dilution and broth microdilution lead to inconsistent minimal inhibitory concentrations and may be cause for reevaluating testing methods for
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Bixby Morgan L. , Daley Ellora C. , Collins Lindsey B. , Salay Jenna M. , Bryson Alexandra L. , Hirsch Elizabeth B.
Published: June 2024

Despite the first-line recommendation of fosfomycin for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), there are pressing barriers for optimizing its use for the treatment of non-
Escherichia coli
Enterobacterales UTI. There are no approved breakpoints for oral use against other Enterobacterales, and the recommended agar dilution (AD) reference method for minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination is largely impractical. Using 160 clinical
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates, we sought to understand rates of skipped wells and MIC imprecision in broth microdilution (BMD) and how that compares to rates of error using AD. Though the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute refers to the skipped well phenomena in their recommendation against the use of BMD, there is a paucity of data on its frequency. While AD and BMD produced similar MIC
50/90
values (32/256 µg/mL for AD and 64/256 µg/mL for BMD), essential agreement was poor. No-growth wells at concentrations below the MIC occurred in up to 10.9% of wells at a given concentration, as the most frequent scientific error. Growth in concentrations above the measured MIC occurred in up to 3.3% of wells and was seen within three dilutions of the MIC for BMD. Observation of single colonies either at or beyond the measured MIC for AD was also common and occurred up to 8.3% and 2.5% of the time, respectively. The frequent scientific error in both testing methods should prompt re-evaluation of AD guidelines and expansion of MIC testing methods for fosfomycin susceptibility testing, as poor agreement with another method prone to scientific error should not be the main detractor from BMD use.

IMPORTANCE

Despite the recommendation of fosfomycin for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), there are barriers for optimizing its use. There are no approved breakpoints for oral use against other Enterobacterales, and the recommended agar dilution (AD) reference method for MIC determination is largely impractical. The use of broth microdilution (BMD) for fosfomycin testing is not recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute due to unsatisfactory precision and skipped wells—occurrence of no-growth in a single well before the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)—and trailing endpoints. We sought to understand rates of skipped wells and growth at concentrations above measured MICs in BMD and how that compares to scientific error using AD. No-growth wells at concentrations below the MIC occurred in up to 10.9% of wells for BMD and single colonies at or beyond measured MICs for AD were also common. Frequent scientific error in both methods should prompt re-evaluation of both AD and BMD for fosfomycin susceptibility testing.
A westerly dominated Early Cretaceous eolian system in the Hami Basin, NW China
Authors: Zhang Dehai , Wang Guocan , Pullen Alex , Abell Jordan T. , Cheng Feng , Shen Tianyi , Ji Junliang , Zhang Meng
Published: June 2024

Cretaceous eolian deposits provide evidence of variations in the tropical-subtropical atmospheric circulation under greenhouse conditions. However, the misinterpretation of many such deposits as fluvial or deltaic originally hindered precise paleoclimatic reconstructions. Here we report a newly identified Early Cretaceous desert in the Hami Basin, China, which helps understand spatial-temporal variations in aridity and atmospheric circulations within central East Asia during the Early Cretaceous. The Liushuquan Formation is composed of >300-m-thick eolian deposits interpreted as an intermontane erg environment. Paleocurrent indicators within the straight-crested dunes of the Liushuquan Formation yield a mean trend of 101.3° (± 10.1°, 1 standard deviation) throughout the formation, consistent with near-surface westerly winds. Paleo-atmospheric circulation superimposed on topographic effects led to widespread eolianite accumulation during the Early Cretaceous. Combined with the spatiotemporal changes in desert distributions and prevailing surface wind patterns in East Asia, these observations are consistent with the migration of the subtropical high-pressure belt during the Early Cretaceous. We propose the following paleo-atmospheric model: (1) During the late Berriasian–Valanginian, the subtropical high belt drifted southward and northward over shorter time scales within the spatial domain of the paleo-Ordos Basin, then shifted southward at least past the Ordos Basin; (2) until the late Hauterivian–Barremian, the subtropical high-pressure zone was primarily located between the northwestern Tarim Basin and the Ordos Basin; and (3) a significant southward shift of the subtropical high-pressure zone occurred during the Aptian–Albian.
Spontaneous hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm rupture as a first presentation of polyarteritis nodosa
Authors: Verigou Eleni-Anna , Skajaa Nicola , Tanwar Hitendra
Published: June 2024

A man in his 70s presented with a sudden onset stabbing back pain radiating to the chest and pre-syncopal symptoms. He underwent urgent investigations, including a CT angiogram aorta which did not reveal any abnormalities within the thorax, abdomen or pelvis and no cause of symptoms was identified. After being discharged, he re-presented 2 days later with syncopal episodes, abdominal pain and a significant drop in haemoglobin levels. This time, a CT mesenteric angiogram showed two hepatic artery pseudoaneurysms and a large haemoperitoneum. Following a hepatic artery embolisation, a workup showed that the likely cause of the pseudoaneurysms was a rare first presentation of polyarteritis nodosa. This case highlights the importance of considering the possibility of an aneurysmal rupture, especially when common causes of an acute abdomen have been excluded, and not relying on previous negative investigations to exclude pathology, as the outcomes can be detrimental.
Pulmonary venous thrombosis in a healthy pregnancy
Authors: Gomaa Nourhan Gamal Fouad , Rajasi Aylur , Elliott Kim
Published: June 2024

We describe an unusual case of bilateral pulmonary venous thrombosis in a pregnant woman in her mid 30s, who presented at 34 weeks of gestation with symptoms of sudden onset chest pain, shortness of breath and near syncope attacks. The patient was treated with enoxaparin and made an excellent clinical and hemodynamic recovery.
Idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis
Authors: Gupta Latika , Semple Thomas , Padley Simon , Bossley Cara J
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we report the case of a boy in early childhood who presented with iron-deficiency anaemia, initially thought to be nutritional, who had a subsequent diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis (IPH). This is a slowly progressive and life-threatening disorder and is of paramount importance that this is identified early and treated appropriately. His first chest CT was not typical for IPH, and this appearance should be highlighted (small cystic changes alone initially). He also had focal disease, which allowed us to make the diagnosis using CT-guided biopsy. During his treatment, he experienced an uncommon side effect to a commonly prescribed medication (bradycardia with methylprednisolone). Since starting azathioprine as a steroid-sparing agent, he has been doing well.
How predictive is peer review for gauging impact? The association between reviewer rating scores, publication status, and article impact measured by citations in a pain subspecialty journal
Authors: Weitzner Aidan S , Davis Matthew , Han Andrew H , Liu Olivia O , Patel Anuj B , Sites Brian D , Cohen Steven P
Published: June 2024

Background

Peer review represents a cornerstone of the scientific process, yet few studies have evaluated its association with scientific impact. The objective of this study is to assess the association of peer review scores with measures of impact for manuscripts submitted and ultimately published.

Methods

3173 manuscripts submitted toRegional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine (RAPM)between August 2018 and October 2021 were analyzed, with those containing an abstract included. Articles were categorized by topic, type, acceptance status, author demographics and open-access status. Articles were scored based on means for the initial peer review where each reviewer’s recommendation was assigned a number: 5 for ‘accept’, 3 for ‘minor revision’, 2 for ‘major revision’ and 0 for ‘reject’. Articles were further classified by whether any reviewers recommended ‘reject’. Rejected articles were analyzed to determine whether they were subsequently published in an indexed journal, and their citations were compared with those of accepted articles when the impact factor was<1.4 points lower thanRAPM’s 5.1 impact factor. The main outcome measure was the number of Clarivate citations within 2 years from publication. Secondary outcome measures were Google Scholar citations within 2 years and Altmetric score.

Results

422 articles met inclusion criteria for analysis. There was no significant correlation between the number of Clarivate 2-year review citations and reviewer rating score (r=0.038, p=0.47), Google Scholar citations (r=0.053, p=0.31) or Altmetric score (p=0.38). There was no significant difference in 2-year Clarivate citations between accepted (median (IQR) 5 (2–10)) and rejected manuscripts published in journals with impact factors>3.7 (median 5 (2–7); p=0.39). Altmetric score was significantly higher forRAPM-published papers compared withRAPM-rejected ones (median 10 (5–17) vs 1 (0–2); p<0.001).

Conclusions

Peer review rating scores were not associated with citations, though the impact of peer review on quality and association with other metrics remains unclear.
Calycosin Enhances Heat Shock Related-Proteins in H9c2 Cells to Modulate Survival and Apoptosis against Heat Shock
Authors: Lai Pei-Fang , Mahendran Ramasamy , Tsai Bruce Chi-Kang , Lu Cheng-You , Kuo Chia-Hua , Lin Kuan-Ho , Lu Shang-Yeh , Wu Yu-Ling , Chang Yung-Ming , Kuo Wei-Wen , Huang Chih-Yang
Published: June 2024

Heat shock proteins (HSPs), which function as chaperones, are activated in response to various environmental stressors. In addition to their role in diverse aspects of protein production, HSPs protect against harmful protein-related stressors. Calycosin exhibits numerous beneficial properties. This study aims to explore the protective effects of calycosin in the heart under heat shock and determine its underlying mechanism. H9c2 cells, western blot, TUNEL staining, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining were used. The time-dependent effects of heat shock analyzed using western blot revealed increased HSP expression for up to 2[Formula: see text]h, followed by protein degradation after 4[Formula: see text]h. Hence, a heat shock damage duration of 4[Formula: see text]h was chosen for subsequent investigations. Calycosin administered post-heat shock demonstrated dose-dependent recovery of cell viability. Under heat shock conditions, calycosin prevented the apoptosis of H9c2 cells by upregulating HSPs, suppressing p-JNK, enhancing Bcl-2 activation, and inhibiting cleaved caspase 3. Calycosin also inhibited Fas/FasL expression and activated cell survival markers (p-PI3K, p-ERK, p-Akt), indicating their cytoprotective properties through PI3K/Akt activation and JNK inhibition. TUNEL staining and flow cytometry confirmed that calycosin reduced apoptosis. Moreover, calycosin reversed the inhibitory effects of quercetin on HSF1 and Hsp70 expression, illustrating its role in enhancing Hsp70 expression through HSF1 activation during heat shock. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated HSF1 translocation to the nucleus following calycosin treatment, emphasizing its cytoprotective effects. In conclusion, calycosin exhibits pronounced protective effects against heat shock-induced damages by modulating HSP expression and regulating key signaling pathways to promote cell survival in H9c2 cells.
New Topological Horseshoe in the Chen System
Authors: Cheng Junfeng , Yang Xiao-Song
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we explore the rich dynamics in the Chen system using Runge–Kutta method and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). Compared with the Lorenz system, we find that the first return map [Formula: see text] of the Chen system exhibits a more complex structure of continuous regions in the Poincaré section. Moreover, the existence of six crossing blocks with respect to the second return map implies that there is a closed invariant set [Formula: see text] in the Poincaré section such that [Formula: see text] is semi-conjugate to a 6-shift map, thus demonstrating remarkably chaos in the Chen system.
Spin polarization in relativistic heavy-ion collisions
Authors: Becattini Francesco , Buzzegoli Matteo , Niida Takafumi , Pu Shi , Tang Ai-Hong , Wang Qun
Published: June 2024

Polarization has opened a new physics chapter in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Since the first prediction and experimental observation of global spin polarization, a lot of progress has been made in understanding its features, both at experimental and theoretical levels. In this paper, we give an overview on the recent advances in this field. The covered topics include a review of measurements of global and local spin polarization of hyperons and the global spin alignment of vector meson’s. We account for the basic theoretical framework to describe spin polarization in a relativistic fluid such as the Quark–Gluon Plasma, including statistical quantum field theory and local thermodynamic equilibrium, spin hydrodynamics, relativistic kinetic theory with spin and coalescence models.
FRACTAL DIMENSION PRESERVATION BY GABOR FILTERS IN IMAGE PROCESSING
Authors: MONTESINOS-IBAÑEZ JUAN FELIPE , PÉREZ-BECERRA TOMÁS , SÁNCHEZ-PERALES SALVADOR
Published: June 2024

Gabor filters are parametric functions that are located in both the spatial and frequency domains, they are used in digital signal processing and have been combined with the fractal dimension in the biometric recognition of the iris of the eye and oil exploration to identify the layers that form a soil structure. In this work, we present an example of a Gabor filter that does not preserve fractal dimension, which affects the efficiency of the methods of recognition. In this sense, S. Albeverio, M. Pratsiovytyi, and G. Torbin provide a study on the functions that preserve the fractal dimension and show that those that have a decomposable domain such that they have the property of being bi-Lipschitz on each element of the decomposition, then they will preserve the dimension, however, in this investigation, it is proven that the Gabor filter is not a function of this kind. Therefore, as a main result, the conditions on the parameters are provided for the Gabor filters to preserve it.
Role Balance Assignment Based on OCAT Method in Human Resource Planning
Authors: Que Xiaoping
Published: June 2024

The core of human resources is the division of labour of enterprise employees. A human resource allocation method based on the E-CARGO model was designed to improve the development potential of enterprises and balance the preferences of managers and the task execution of employees in human resource allocation. This method was used to analyse the preferences of enterprise managers for employees and describe their preferences using the E-CARGO model. Then the OCAT method was used to mine the relationship between the team execution and the preferences of managers to find the balance between the two. The results showed that the experimental Scheme found the balance between the team execution and the preferences of managers. The original experimental scheme found three balance points, the improved scheme found three balance points, and the improved scheme found one balance point and one balance interval. Among the three experimental schemes, the improvement Scheme 1 achieved the highest execution ability and the shortest time. The research successfully analyses the relationship between the team execution and the preferences of managers in enterprise human resource assignment and puts forward a human resource assignment scheme that takes both into account.
Hydrogeology of southeastern coastal parts of Great Nicobar Island, India: development of an integrated conceptual model for a hitherto unexplored island in the Indian Ocean
Authors: Roy Indranil , Sarkar Sujit , Kumar Awadhesh , Mukherjee Mahasweta , Nandi Rajyashree , Chowdhuri Atalanta Narayan , Barman Nilamoni , Choudhury Anirvan , Gayen Anadi
Published: June 2024

The vulnerability of oceanic islands in the face of climate change, vis-a-vis human development, is a serious issue at present. The island of Great Nicobar in the Nicobar archipelago in the Indian Ocean will face major challenges owing to its impending development activities. The eastern coastal part of the island was investigated through exploratory drilling, geophysical investigations, and water-table monitoring. Field investigations show that coralline sand is the major groundwater repository and is commonly developed through dug wells. Exploratory drilling down to 100 m depth revealed that the underlying Tertiary consolidated aquifer is of limited potential and showed increased salinity with depth. Water is also present along the contacts of shale–sandstone. The mean seasonal fluctuations in the depth to the water table was 0.18 m. Geoelectrical sections identified promising fresh groundwater zones along the east coast, with freshwater-bearing semi-weathered coralline limestone and coralline sand having a resistivity of 146–622 ohm m. Based on generated data, a 3D model of the aquifer system was constructed. The observed soil infiltration rate was 0.3–0.5 cm h
−1
. The specific capacity of the dug wells was
c
. 5 m
2
 min
−1
. The permeability of the phreatic aquifer was 5–11 m/day and the transmissivity was 0.11–0.2 m
2
 min
−1
. The optimum yield of the unconfined aquifer was 17–21 m
3
/day. The tidal influences on the aquifer system also added complexity to the island's hydrogeological dynamics. Despite the challenges of restricted access due to the presence of aboriginal tribes in the island, the present study provides the maiden set of hydrogeological data for the island, revealing the disposition of the aquifers, their properties and their spatio-temporal behaviour.
The BPC Relevance of Common Assessment in the Introductory Sequence
Authors: Brodley Carle E. , Gill Catherine
Published: June 2024

Ensuring course outcomes by using the same assignments and exams across all sections.
Ethical Tech Begins with Ethical Workplaces: Power Dynamics in Companies and Universities
Authors: Widder David Gray
Published: June 2024

My research shows how engineers in companies often feel little power to account for the ethics of what they create, and my student activism shows how universities often reproduce similar dynamics, harming their community in the process. Here are some ways students can---and must---resist.
Lessons from Workers' Inquiry: A Sociotechnical Approach to Audits of Algorithmic Management Systems
Authors: Dalal Samantha
Published: June 2024

How can we support audits of algorithms in the workplace? Throughout U.S. labor history, unions have led investigations into management technologies to advocate for and win systematic change in the workplace. This piece draws lessons from the historical practices of worker inquiry to identify the socio-technical infrastructures needed to translate audit findings into impactful change in the workplace.
Anti-Caste Lessons for Computing: Educate, Agitate, Organize
Authors: Singh Divyanshu Kumar , Vaghela Palashi
Published: June 2024

South Asian caste systems are one of the many forms of historical, social hierarchies like race, gender, sexuality, and disability that shape the worlds of technology and media. The experiences of Dalits in hyper-Brahmanical spaces show how caste needs to be navigated in worlds of technology.
Phosphorus-Doped Silicon for Li-ion Battery Applications: Studied with Electrochemical Isothermal Microcalorimetry, ATR-FTIR and XPS
Authors: Ren Xiaoming , Cresce Arthur V. , Read Jeffrey A. , Gordon Isabelle P. , Welty Connor , Stadie Nicholas P. , Jow T. Richard
Published: June 2024

Silicon (Si) has garnered significant attention as a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, there are considerable challenges to address before practical implementation, primarily stemming from issues such as very large volume changes upon Li insertion/extraction, poor electrical conductivity, and an unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). We report here investigations on P-doped Si (SiPx) using electrochemical isothermal micro-calorimetry (EIMC), attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. The EIMC measurements on SiPx revealed decreased parasitic reaction heat flows during the lithiation/de-lithiation cycles. The first cycle cell voltage profiles show decreased electrochemical reactivity for the SiPx. Analyses using ATR-FTIR and XPS on cycled electrodes suggest that the parasitic reaction products originate from solvent and electrolyte salt decomposition, with significantly lower amounts observed on the SiPx. Collectively, these findings endorse P-doping of Si as a promising strategy for Li-ion battery applications and demonstrate the unique advantages of performing EIMC measurements by focusing on the intrinsic losses from parasitic reactions, regardless of the electrode and cell configurations being optimized. In contrast, fully optimized configurations are necessary when using coulombic efficiency as the metric for cycle stability of the battery chemistry.
Inactive Overhang in Silicon Anodes
Authors: O’Brien Aidin I. , Trask Stephen E. , Salpekar Devashish , Son Seoung-Bum , Dunlop Alison R. , Veith Gabriel M. , Lu Wenquan , Ingram Brian J. , Abraham Daniel P. , Jansen Andrew N. , Rodrigues Marco-Tulio F.
Published: June 2024

Li-ion batteries contain excess anode area to improve manufacturability and prevent Li plating. These overhang areas in graphite electrodes are active but experience decreased Li+ flux during cycling. Over time, the overhang and the anode portions directly opposite to the cathode can exchange Li+, driven by differences in local electrical potential across the electrode, which artificially inflates or decreases the measured cell capacity. Here, we show that lithiation of the overhang is less likely to happen in silicon anodes paired with layered oxide cathodes. The large voltage hysteresis of silicon creates a lower driving force for Li+ exchange as lithium ions transit into the overhang, rendering this exchange highly inefficient. For crystalline Si particles, Li+ storage at the overhang is prohibitive, because the low potential required for the initial lithiation can act as thermodynamic barrier for this exchange. We use micro-Raman spectroscopy to demonstrate that crystalline Si particles at the overhang are never lithiated even after cell storage at 45 °C for four months. Because the anode overhang can affect the forecasting of cell life, cells using silicon anodes may require different methodologies for life estimation compared to those used for traditional graphite-based Li-ion batteries.
Rates, Risk Factors, and Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy in Children with Type 1 Diabetes: A 15‐Year Retrospective Study from a Regional Center in New Zealand
Authors: Winter Thomas , Derraik José G. B. , Jefferies Craig A. , Hofman Paul L. , Shand James A. D. , Braatvedt Geoffrey D. , Misra Stuti L.
Published: June 2024

Aims. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the primary microvascular complication associated with diabetes. Evidence on DR prevalence among children in New Zealand is scarce. We examined DR rates and associated risk factors in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) aged <16 years receiving care from a regional diabetes service in January 2006–December 2020. Materials and Methods. DR diagnosis followed the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes guidelines. The study included 646 participants; mean age (±SD) at T1D diagnosis was 7.4 ± 3.6 years, 47% were female, and 69% identified as NZ Europeans. Results. The initial DR screening occurred at a mean age of 12.6 ± 2.4 years and 5.2 ± 2.2 years after T1D diagnosis. At the first DR screen, 23.5% of participants (152/646) were diagnosed with DR: 69.1% (105/152) with minimal, 30.3% (46/152) with mild, and one moderate case (0.7%). Older age at diagnosis (p = 0.029) and longer diabetes duration (p = 0.015) were predictors of DR at first screen. Patients with at least one positive DR screen had a higher average HbA1c at their first screen (+2.6 mmol/mol; p = 0.042). Overall, 55.6% (359/646) of patients had a positive DR screen, whose worst grade was mostly either minimal (58.2%) or mild (40.7%) DR, with only three moderate cases (0.8%) and one severe (0.3%). Children diagnosed with T1D before age 10 were 72% more likely to have DR than older children (p < 0.0001), and DR risk was 32% and 41% higher among Pacific children than NZ European (p = 0.008) and Māori (p = 0.014) children. Lastly, the only predictor of DR at discharge from paediatric services was HbA1c at the first screen (p < 0.0001). Conclusions. In this regional cohort of children with T1D, there was a high rate of low‐grade DR overall and at first retinal screen, with an increasing rate until transfer to adult services. Our findings underscore the importance of ongoing DR screening, reducing glycaemic levels, and supporting vulnerable high‐risk groups.
Helminth Parasite Prevalence in the Endangered Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis) in Web Valley, Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
Authors: Mengistu Girma Ayalew , Kebede Nigatu , Abdella Fedlu
Published: June 2024

Ethiopian wolves (EWs), Canis simensis, are the rarest canids in the world and Africa’s most endangered carnivore, found in only six isolated habitat fragments in the highlands of Ethiopia. Previous reports on the prevalence of parasites in the EW in Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) are limited, with little information on their helminth fauna. This study seeks to understand the prevalence of helminth parasites in the EW in BMNP, Ethiopia. In this study, fecal samples were collected from 43 EWs in Web Valley (WV), BMNP, from June to October 2020, and the presence of helminth eggs was assessed using fecal sedimentation and centrifugal floatation methods with microscopy. Forty‐two out of 43 fecal samples from wolves (98%) contained eggs from two taxonomic groups of helminths. Eggs from Capillaria spp. and Trichuris vulpis were found most frequently, followed by Toxocara canis, Diphyllobothrium spp., Toxascaris leonina, and Capillaria aerophila. One EW (2%) was recorded for harboring the cestode Moniezia expansa. About 9 of the 43 EWs (21%) presented monospecific infection: 9 EWs (21%) harbored 2 parasite species, 9 EWs (21%) hosted 3 parasite species, 11 EWs (26%) had infection involving 4 parasite species, 2 EWs (5%) were infected with 5 parasite species, 1 EW (2%) presented 6 parasite species, 1 EW (2%) harbored 7 parasite species, and 1 EW (2%) was diagnosed without parasite species. Concurrent helminth infection was highly associated with female EW. Megeti 3 was associated with a low level of concurrent helminth infection. The prevalence of helminth parasites found in wolves in the study area suggests that the environment is highly contaminated with intestinal parasites. Regular control of parasite transmission in EW, domestic dogs, and humans in and around BMNP, public education, and further parasite epidemiological studies must be conducted.
TABLE 1 from First-line Avelumab plus Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors: Results from the Phase Ib/II JAVELIN Chemotherapy Medley Study
Authors: Wheatley Duncan A. , Berardi Rossana , Climent Duran Miguel A. , Tomiak Anna , Greystoke Alastair P. , Joshua Anthony M. , Arkenau Hendrik-Tobias , Géczi Lajos , Corbacho Javier Garciá , Paz-Ares Luis G. , Hussain Syed A. , Petruželka Lubos , Delmonte Angelo , Chappey Colombe , Masters Joanna C. , Michelon Elisabete , Murphy Danielle A. , Mwewa Sandrine , Cesari Rossano , Doger de Spéville Bernard
Published: June 2024

Summary of safety in the urothelial carcinoma and NSCLC cohorts
Supplementary Data from First-line Avelumab plus Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors: Results from the Phase Ib/II JAVELIN Chemotherapy Medley Study
Authors: Wheatley Duncan A. , Berardi Rossana , Climent Duran Miguel A. , Tomiak Anna , Greystoke Alastair P. , Joshua Anthony M. , Arkenau Hendrik-Tobias , Géczi Lajos , Corbacho Javier Garciá , Paz-Ares Luis G. , Hussain Syed A. , Petruželka Lubos , Delmonte Angelo , Chappey Colombe , Masters Joanna C. , Michelon Elisabete , Murphy Danielle A. , Mwewa Sandrine , Cesari Rossano , Doger de Spéville Bernard
Published: June 2024

Supplementary Figure 1
Supplementary Data from First-line Avelumab plus Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors: Results from the Phase Ib/II JAVELIN Chemotherapy Medley Study
Authors: Wheatley Duncan A. , Berardi Rossana , Climent Duran Miguel A. , Tomiak Anna , Greystoke Alastair P. , Joshua Anthony M. , Arkenau Hendrik-Tobias , Géczi Lajos , Corbacho Javier Garciá , Paz-Ares Luis G. , Hussain Syed A. , Petruželka Lubos , Delmonte Angelo , Chappey Colombe , Masters Joanna C. , Michelon Elisabete , Murphy Danielle A. , Mwewa Sandrine , Cesari Rossano , Doger de Spéville Bernard
Published: June 2024

Supplementary Table 2
Incidence and Progression of Foot Osteoarthritis in a Longitudinal Cohort: The Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project
Authors: Eltaraboulsi Rami , Nelson Amanda E. , Alvarez Carolina , Renner Jordan B. , Bowen Catherine , Gates Lucy S. , Golightly Yvonne M.
Published: June 2024

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the incidence and progression of foot osteoarthritis (OA), as well as associated factors, in a community-based cohort. Methods: Baseline (2013–2015) and follow-up (2016–2018) foot radiographs were available for 541 participants (71% women, mean age 69 years; 35% black, 53% with obesity). The LaTrobe Foot Atlas was used to examine osteophytes (OPs, score 0–3) and joint space narrowing (JSN, score 0–3) at 5 joint sites. Incident foot radiographic OA (rOA) was a baseline score <2 OP and JSN in all 5 joints with ≥2 OP or JSN at follow-up in any of the joints. Progression was a worsening OP or JSN score in a joint with baseline foot rOA. At baseline and follow-up, participants reported the presence/absence of foot symptoms and completed the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) for each foot. Joint-based logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 95% confidence interval [CI]) of foot rOA incidence and progression and with covariates. Results: Among 928 feet without baseline rOA, 4% developed incident foot rOA (2% of those developed symptoms). Among 154 feet with baseline foot rOA, 55% had radiographic progression (16% of those had symptoms). Women and those with higher body mass index (BMI) were more likely to have incident foot rOA (aOR [95% CI] = 4.10 [1.22, 13.8] and 1.60 [1.31, 1.97], respectively); history of gout was associated with incidence or progression of foot rOA (2.75 [1.24, 6.07]). BMI was associated with worse scores on all FAOS subscales (aORs range 1.21–1.40). Conclusion: Progression of foot rOA is common but not necessarily related to worsening symptoms. BMI may be a modifiable risk factor for foot OA.
Abundance and microhabitat association of Barbourula busuangensis (Anura: Bombinatoridae) in Busuanga Island, Philippines
Authors: Flores Gerrie Mae A. , Flores Andrie Bon A. , Mabitasan Ronnie Jann Ian B. , Lopus Jay Martin F. , Paguntalan Lisa J.
Published: June 2024

Barbourula busuangensis, popularmente conhecida como rã-de- cabeça-chata-das-filipinas, é uma espécie quase ameaçada e endêmica de Palau, Filipinas. Apesar de seu nicho ecológico distinto e características únicas, como a cabeça e o corpo achatados que suportam seu estilo de vida totalmente aquático, são limitados os estudos efetuados para compreender seus requisitos de habitat e status populacional. Realizamos levantamentos visuais e capturas manuais ao longo de transectos de 30–100 m em dois distritos, Cheey e New Busuanga. Um total de 270 indivíduos foi registado, e as variáveis de micro-habitat foram comparadas entre os dois locais. A abundância de B. busuangensis foi significativamente maior em Cheey do que em New Busuanga. Encontramos diferenças significativas em seis variáveis-chave do micro-habitat (umidade relativa, temperatura, profundidade e largura do riacho/rio, percentagem de rochas, fluxo e turbidez da água) entre os dois locais, sugerindo condições ambientais diversas com impacto nas populações. Além disso, 14% das rãs capturadas (23 indivíduos) apresentavam deformações morfológicas, embora a causa permaneça indeterminada. Nossas descobertas ressaltam a necessidade urgente de mais pesquisas e esforços de conservação direcionados a garantir a sobrevivência dessa espécie. Este estudo fornece dados essenciais sobre a distribuição e as preferências de habitat de B. busuangensis, sugerindo estratégias de conservação para mitigar o declínio da população e abordar os desafios ambientais que afetam esse anfíbio único.
The Art and Chemistry of Replicating Oil Paintings into Woven Textiles
Authors: Linden Delanie
Published: June 2024

The prominence of chiaroscuro in late eighteenth-century French oil painting posed significant challenges for tapestry weavers, which led artisans and chemists to seek chemical solutions for replicating in textiles the style’s high contrast between light and dark. Textile manufacturers struggled to reproduce the intense gradations of painters like Jacques-Louis David, and innovations in dye technology were driven by the need to match the naturalism and Enlightenment symbolism of contemporary paintings. Napoleon’s investment in dye chemistry and the establishment of a dyeing school aimed to standardize colorants and rebrand traditional arts with political imagery. The integration of scientific expertise in the decorative arts led to advancements that laid the groundwork for future developments in synthetic colorants.