bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation and characterization of novel plasmid-dependent phages infecting bacteria carrying diverse conjugative plasmids
Authors: Parra Boris , Cockx Bastiaan , Lutz Veronika T. , Brøndsted Lone , Smets Barth F. , Dechesne Arnaud
Published: December 2023

Plasmid-dependent phages infect bacteria carrying conjugative plasmids by recognizing the plasmid-encoded pilus. Despite the high abundance of conjugative plasmids in diverse environments, plasmid-dependent phages have not been widely studied. Since conjugative plasmids often carry antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), interfering with conjugation could reduce the spread of ARGs and avoid the appearance of multiresistant superbugs. Our aim was to isolate and characterize plasmid-dependent phages able to infect bacteria carrying diverse conjugative plasmids belonging to the most common plasmid families among Gram-negative pathogens. We isolated two lytic phages from wastewater using an avirulent strain of
Salmonella enterica
carrying the conjugative IncN plasmid pKM101. Both phages, named Lu221 and Hi226, are novel dsDNA viruses within the class
Caudoviricetes
with genomes of approximately 76 kb. They showed broad host range infecting
Escherichia coli
,
S. enterica
,
Kluyvera
sp., and
Enterobacter
sp. carrying conjugative plasmids. They recognize plasmid-encoded receptors from 12 out of 15 tested plasmids, all of them carrying resistance determinants. Phages Lu221 and Hi226 could have the potential to help combat the antimicrobial resistance crisis by reducing ARGs present in conjugative plasmids.

IMPORTANCE

This work was undertaken because plasmid-dependent phages can reduce the prevalence of conjugative plasmids and can be leveraged to prevent the acquisition and dissemination of ARGs by bacteria. The two novel phages described in this study, Lu221 and Hi226, can infect
Escherichia coli
,
Salmonella enterica
,
Kluyvera
sp. and
Enterobacter
sp. carrying conjugative plasmids. This was verified with plasmids carrying resistance determinants and belonging to the most common plasmid families among Gram-negative pathogens. Therefore, the newly isolated phages could have the potential to help control the spread of ARGs and thus help combat the antimicrobial resistance crisis.
The facial microbiome and metabolome across different geographic regions
Authors: Tao Rong , Li Tingting , Wang Yalin , Wang Rong , Li Ruoyu , Bianchi Pascale , Duplan Hélène , Zhang Ying , Li Hang , Wang Ruojun
Published: December 2023

Facial skin is more exposed to the outside environment, and it is usually affected by environmental factors. Characterization of the skin microbiome and metabolome of individuals from different geographic regions will help to understand the factors behind the prevalence of skin disorders and support skincare product development. In the current study, volunteers from northern, southern, and northwestern China were recruited. Facial skin samples were collected for amplicon sequencing and metabolomic liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analyses. We demonstrated significant alterations in the abundances of multiple microorganisms and skin lipid compositions between individuals. People living in the northwest, which has a dry climate and high altitude, showed lower level of total lipids, and lower abundance of
Malassezia
, but higher levels of ceramides and fatty acids.
Malassezia
had a positive correlation with eicosanoids and a negative correlation with ceramides. This work highlights the effects of geographic factors on the skin microbial structures and skin lipids.

IMPORTANCE

Characterization of the skin microbiome and metabolome across geography will help uncover the climate factors behind the prevalence of skin disorders and provide suggestions for skincare products for people living in different geographic regions.
End-Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.08 Ga) epeiric seaway of the Nonesuch Formation, Wisconsin and Michigan, USA
Authors: Stewart Esther K. , Bauer Ann M. , Prave Anthony R.
Published: December 2023

The Nonesuch Formation and related sedimentary units of the Oronto Group, southern Lake Superior region, midwestern United States, are commonly held to have been deposited in a lacustrine rift basin within interior continental Laurentia. Here, we present new sedimentologic and stratigraphic evidence that shows a marine influence on deposition. Tidally influenced shallow-marine sandstone and evaporitic, sandy and muddy tidal flat facies pass upward into fine-grained estuarine and sandy turbidite deposits, which are sharply overlain by mixed sandy and muddy tidal flat and floodplain deposits. These observations are evidence that the lower Oronto Group was deposited in an epeiric seaway, one of several such seaways that developed during the final amalgamation of Rodinia at a time of globally high sea level. Retrogradational-aggradational-progradational-degradational stratal architecture records changes in the relative balance between generation of accommodation space and sedimentation rates, which we interpret to reflect the combined influence of Grenvillian Ottawan phase tectonic subsidence and thermal subsidence from earlier Midcontinent Rift magmatism.

We use this revised stratigraphic framework to show that the geochemical proxies of the Nonesuch Formation are tied closely to sedimentary facies and reflect intrabasinal redox heterogeneity rather than global anoxia at the end-Mesoproterozoic. Further, our sedimentology shows that the microfossils recovered from the Nonesuch rocks are primarily associated with tidal flat facies. The combined influence of marine and local nonmarine conditions must be considered when invoking the Nonesuch Formation, or similar marine-influenced interior basin deposits, as global analogues.
Geochemical mapping of lithospheric architecture disproves Archean terrane accretion in the Yilgarn craton
Authors: Smithies R.H. , Gessner K. , Lu Y. , Kirkland C.L. , Ivanic T. , Lowrey J.R. , Champion D.C. , Sapkota J. , Masurel Q. , Thébaud N. , Quentin de Gromard R.
Published: December 2023

The basement of Mesoarchean to Neoarchean greenstone basins in the Yilgarn craton is composed of fragments of evolved crust up to 3.7 Ga old. New cratonwide geochemical and isotopic data with unparalleled spatial resolution image a NE- to ENE-trending architecture in pre–2.73 Ga crust. These trends cannot be reconciled with plate-tectonic models, as they persist across younger NNW-striking structural fabrics, including a proposed suture previously interpreted to result from exotic terrane accretion. Our results suggest that, in spite of their substantial strike length, the NNW-trending structures have limited horizontal displacement and, although important for understanding regional geology, may be a geodynamically insignificant overprint of the primary ENE-trending architecture. We propose that these greenstone provinces or belts include individual basins formed in rifts with location, size, and orientation influenced by the interaction between basement fragments and regional crustal extension.
Supplemental Material: Astronomical influence on Miocene continental environments in Tibet, east-central Asia
Authors: Yao Xu , et al.
Published: December 2023

Lithologic color rank and color chromaticity for the WHLX section in Jiuxi Basin, and lithologic color rank for the ASG section in Guide Basin.
Implementation of the Article 13 WHO FCTC measures and changes in cigarette smoking among youth in 42 countries
Authors: Ylitörmänen Tuija , Tarasenko Yelena N , Ruokolainen Otto , Hiilamo Heikki , Pekka Puska , Ollila Hanna
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Despite a decline in global smoking prevalence among adolescents, around 21 million youth report current cigarette smoking. Exposure to tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) is a risk factor for smoking initiation, and therefore the Article 13 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) requires comprehensive TAPS bans. We examined the associations between changes in youth cigarette smoking and implementation of Article 13.

Methods

We used two rounds of cross-sectional data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) for 42 countries: first between 2006 and 2015, and second between 2017 and 2020. The GYTS data were linked with the WHO FCTC implementation reports from 2016 and 2018. The outcome was current smoking. Multilevel binary logistic regression models, stratified by country income level, were used to test the prevalence differences between the latest and previous GYTS rounds and their associations with TAPS bans with postestimations using marginal analyses.

Results

The percentage of students currently smoking decreased from 10.0% (95% CI 8.0 to 12.1) to 7.7% (95% CI 6.1 to 9.3) from first to second GYTS rounds (p<0.001), adjusting for country clustering. In low-income and lower-middle-income countries, the degree of decrease significantly differed between countries with versus without bans on display, partial internet TAPS ban, ban on depiction of tobacco products and by number of TAPS measures, adjusting for age and sex of the respondents. In high-income and upper-middle-income countries, the degree of decrease significantly differed by presence (or absence) of partial or full internet TAPS ban, ban on product placement and by number of TAPS measures.

Conclusion

Implementation of TAPS bans is associated with decreased smoking among adolescents both in high-income and low-income countries. Enhanced and continuous efforts are necessary to protect youth from the promotion of tobacco and nicotine products.
Maternal diet and complementary food diversity on allergy prevention
Authors: Venter Carina
Published: December 2023

Diet diversity is a term used to define the number of foods or food groups eaten over a certain period. In turn, diet quality describes food patterns and is usually summarised by using diet indices. There are a wide range of dietary and environmental aspects that have been associated with the patho-ethiology of allergic diseases. One of the factors includes nutrition of the pregnant and breast feeding women, infant and child. Studies focusing on the intake of specific nutrients have failed to provide any clear guidance on allergy prevention. Allergen avoidance for the pregnant and breast feeding women is not recommended and timely introduction and consumption of food allergens when infants start to eat is recommended. Nutritional prevention strategies have shifted their focus from single nutrients and foods to addressing the to the overall during pregnancy, breast feeding, and early life. Only one diet index in pregnancy, as a measure of the overall diet, has shown a reduction in childhood allergic disease, referred to as the maternal diet index. Limited data exist to support the role of the Mediterranean diet in pregnancy and offspring respiratory outcomes. There no studies focusing on diet indices in infancy and childhood allergy outcomes. Infant diet diversity and maternal healthy diet diversity during pregnancy has been associated with a reduced prevalence of childhood allergic diseases. There is a need to perform randomised controlled trials using overall dietary intake to support international food allergy guidelines.
Psychological interventions for weight reduction and sustained weight reduction in adults with overweight and obesity: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Hamer Oliver , Bray Emma P , Harris Cath , Blundell Amy , Kuroski Jennifer A , Schneider Emma , Watkins Caroline , Clegg Andrew
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Overweight and obesity are growing public health problems worldwide. Both diet and physical activity have been the primary interventions for weight reduction over the past decade. With increasing rates of overweight and obesity, it is evident that a primary focus on diet and exercise has not resulted in sustained obesity reduction within the global population. There is now a case to explore other weight management strategies, focusing on psychological factors that may underpin overweight and obesity. Psychological therapy interventions are gaining recognition for their effectiveness in addressing underlying emotional factors and promoting weight loss. However, there is a dearth of literature that has mapped the types of psychological interventions and the characteristics of these interventions as a means of achieving weight reduction and sustained weight reduction in adults with overweight or obesity.

Methods and analysis

The review will combine the methodology outlined by Arksey and O’Malley with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A total of six databases will be searched using a comprehensive search strategy. Intervention studies will be included if participants are 18 years and over, classified as overweight or obese (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2), and have received a psychological therapy intervention. The review will exclude studies that are not available in English, not full text, none peer reviewed or combine a lifestyle and/or pharmacological intervention with a psychological intervention. Data will be synthesised using a narrative synthesis approach.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required to conduct this scoping review. The findings will be disseminated through journal publication(s), social media and a lay summary for key stakeholders.
Prognostic impact of lung ultrasound detected B-lines on hospitalised ischaemic heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction patients
Authors: Zhang Hui , Zhou Yuying , Cheng Fangqun , Zhu Yunlong , Li Na , Peng Xin , Wu Mingxin , Huang Haobo , Zhang Lingling , Liao Min , Xiao Sha , Chen Yongliang , Chen Sihao , Liu Zhican , Yi Liqing , Fan Jie , Zeng Jianping
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Prognostic impact of lung ultrasound-derived B-lines (LUS-BL) in heart failure with mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFmrEF) patients remains elusive. We evaluated the correlation between LUS-BL and prognosis in HFmrEF patients.

Methods

This is a subgroup analysis based on our previously published retrospective study with 1691 HFmrEF patients. This subgroup analysis involved 574 patients with LUS-BL results at admission. After discharge, patients underwent clinical follow-up for a minimum of 1 year through telephone, clinical visits or community visits. The primary endpoint was defined as cardiovascular (CV) event, including CV-related mortality or HF hospitalisation at 90 days and 1 year after discharge.

Results

CV event at 90 days was significantly increased with higher LUS-BL number (0, 1–2, 3–9 and ≥10: 20%, 14%, 18% and 33%, p=0.008), while CV event rate at 1 year was similar among groups (45% vs 45% vs 42% vs 50%, p=0.573). Older age, hypertension (HR=2.06, 95% CI 1.31 to 3.25), higher right ventricular diameter (>23 mm, HR=2.008, 95% CI 1.37 to 2.94), increased ratio of early transmitral flow velocity to early mitral annular velocity (>24, HR=1.79, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.26) and higher LUS-BL number (>11, HR=1.510, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.26) were identified as independent determinants associated with increased risk of CV event at 90 days after discharge. The Harrell’s C-Statistic analysis, based on the Cox regression models, demonstrated a significant improvement in the predictive ability of the model that incorporated both clinical and echocardiographic risk factors along with LUS-BL (areas under the curve (AUC)=0.72) compared with the model comprising only clinical risk factors and LUS-BL (AUC=0.69, p=0.036), or to the model with echocardiographic risk factors and LUS-BL (AUC=0.68, p=0.025).

Conclusion

In HFmrEF patients with ischaemic heart disease, admission LUS-BL>11 is independently associated with an increased risk of CV event at 90 days following discharge.
Support for nicotine reduction in cigarettes: findings from the 2016 and 2020 ITC Four Country Smoking and Vaping Surveys
Authors: Fairman Robert T , Cho Yoo Jin , Popova Lucy , Cummings K Michael , Smith Tracy T , Fong Geoffrey T , Gravely Shannon , Borland Ron , McNeill Ann , Gartner Coral E , Morphett Kylie , Thrasher James F
Published: December 2023

Introduction

The USA and New Zealand have sought to establish a product standard to set a maximum nicotine level for cigarettes to reduce their addictiveness. This study examined support for very low nicotine cigarettes (VLNCs) in Australia, Canada, England and the USA between 2016 and 2020.

Methods

Repeated cross-sectional data were analysed from participants who currently smoke, formerly smoked or vaped and/or currently vape in the 2016 (n=11 150) and/or 2020 (n=5432) International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey. Respondents were asked if they would support a law that reduces the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to make them less addictive. Adjusted and weighted logistic regression analyses estimated the prevalence and predictors of support, such as country, age, sex, education, income, race and smoking/vaping status for VLNCs (support vs oppose/do not know).

Results

A majority of respondents supported a VLNC law, with support highest in Canada (69%; 2016 and 2020 combined), followed by England (61%), Australia (60%) and the USA (58%). Overall, support decreased from 62% in 2016 to 59% in 2020 (p=0.004), which did not differ by country. Levels of support differed by smoking/vaping status, where those who exclusively smoked daily showed the lowest level of support (59%) and those who exclusively vaped non-daily had the highest level of support (72%).

Conclusion

More than half of respondents in all four countries—including those who smoked daily—supported a hypothetical VLNC standard to render cigarettes less addictive. It is important to examine if support is sustained after policies are implemented.
Sex differences in mouse placental metabolite profiles: an NMR metabolomics study
Authors: Hanrahan Jenna , Steeves Katherine L. , Mercer Grace V. , O'Brien Thomas M. , Locke Drew P. , Harvey Nikita E. , Maekawa Alexandre S. , Stephenson Amy N. , Schneider Céline M. , Cahill Lindsay S.
Published: December 2023

A proper functioning placenta is essential for normal fetal development. The placenta has a vital function as a protective barrier and is critical for nutrient and waste exchange for the developing fetus. Our group and others have reported sex differences in both placental structure and function; however, differences in the placental metabolome between female and male fetuses have been understudied. Here, placental tissue samples were collected from healthy pregnant CD-1 mice in late gestation ( n = 26 female and n = 27 male placentas from 17 dams at embryonic day 17.5). Metabolite profiles were determined using 1H magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance. The relative concentration of alanine was significantly higher in male placentas whereas, threonine was higher in female placentas ( p < 0.05). This study adds to the growing literature demonstrating sex differences in healthy placental function and emphasizes the importance of examining both female and male placentas in metabolomics studies.
Synthesis and preliminary characterization of two copper(I) chromophore–acceptor dyads as potential photoredox catalysts
Authors: Ricardo-Noordberg Joseph , Singh Zujhar , Nikpayam Mohammadamin , Francis Jahnai , Majewski Marek B.
Published: December 2023

The development of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-derived chemical feedstocks is imperative as we move towards decarbonization. Here, we report two Cu(I) chromophore–acceptor dyads bearing a 1,8-naphthalene monoimide electron-accepting moiety with a pendant Lewis basic pyridine for halogen bonding in the hopes of driving C–Br cleavage reactions using visible light. The photophysical and electrochemical properties are documented and both complexes were found to have favourable driving force for intramolecular charge shift in the excited state. However, neither complex was capable of C–Br cleavage and C–C bond formation in our hands. This study highlights that there are many structural and electronic factors that must be considered to successfully drive photoredox transformations, and the reported photosensitizers have potential uses in other applications owing to the synthetically versatile pyridine on the accepting ligand.
Wild fish from a highly urbanized river (Orge, France) as vectors of culturable Enterobacterales resistant to antibiotics
Authors: Vivant Anne-Laure , Marchand Etienne , Janvier Benjamin , Berthe Thierry , Guigon Elodie , Grall Nathalie , Alliot Fabrice , Goutte Aurélie , Petit Fabienne
Published: December 2023

This study shows how wild fishes from urbanized rivers could be involved in the spread of antibiotic-resistant Enterobacterales. Antibiotic resistance profiles and molecular detection of clinical integron ( IntI1) were carried out on 105 Enterobacterales isolated from 89 wildfish (skin or gut) belonging to 8 species. The proportion of isolates resistant to at least one antibiotic was independent of fish species and reached 28.3% within the Escherichia coli ( E. coli) population and 84.7% in the non- E.coli Enterobacterales. Bacteria involved in nosocomial infections were isolated, such as E. coli, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter, as well as the environmental bacteria ( Lelliottia, Butiauxella, and Kluyvera).
Estimating the effects of roads on migration: a barren-ground caribou case study
Authors: Boulanger John , Kite Robin , Campbell Mitch , Shaw Jason , Lee David , Atkinson Stephen
Published: December 2023

A challenge for management of wildlife species is the assessment of the effect of roads on migration. We developed models to estimate the spatial (zone of influence (ZOI)) and temporal (delays in migration) effects of roads, and test whether road closures reduced delays in migration. We analyzed collar (2011–2019) and road survey data from two barren-ground caribou ( Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus (Borowski, 1780)) herds to assess the impact of a 171 km mine road that bisects their migration corridor. We estimated ZOIs of 16–17 km prior to crossing the road during 2018 and 2019, and 3.0 km after crossing. Estimates of mean delay were 4.3 and 2.5 days for 2018 and 2019, which were reduced by 28%–68% (1.2–1.7 days) if roads were closed when caribou were within the ZOI. In 2017–2018, when the road was extended 64 km north, caribou were 12% less likely to deflect north around the road, therefore increasing delays. Road surveys indicated aggregation of caribou prior to crossing the road, with few caribou observed after crossing, a finding supported by collar data. Our methods can estimate the spatial and temporal effects of roads for any wildlife species and assess mitigation strategies in reducing delays in migration.
Positronium transmission through graphene thin films supported with lacy carbon in the energy range of a few keV
Authors: Mikami Riki , Nagata Yugo , Sada Yuhi , Nagashima Yasuyuki
Published: December 2023

We studied the transmission of positronium through thin graphene films supported with lacy carbon using an energy-tunable positronium beam recently developed based on photodetachment of positronium negative ions. By analysing the results of the measurements conducted with different number of graphene layers, the transmittance per single-layer graphene without lacy carbon was estimated to be 70% and 74% at 2.3 keV and 3.3 keV, respectively.

Graphical Abstract
Adipose Tissue Inflammation: Linking Physiological Stressors to Disease Susceptibility
Authors: Bradford Barry J. , Contreras G. Andres
Published: December 2023

The study of adipose tissue (AT) is enjoying a renaissance. White, brown, and beige adipocytes are being investigated in adult animals, and the critical roles of small depots like perivascular AT are becoming clear. But the most profound revision of the AT dogma has been its cellular composition and regulation. Single-cell transcriptomic studies revealed that adipocytes comprise well under 50% of the cells in white AT, and a substantial portion of the rest are immune cells. Altering the function of AT resident leukocytes can induce or correct metabolic syndrome and, more surprisingly, alter adaptive immune responses to infection. Although the field is dominated by obesity research, conditions such as rapid lipolysis, infection, and heat stress impact AT immune dynamics as well. Recent findings in rodents lead to critical questions that should be explored in domestic livestock as potential avenues for improved animal resilience to stressors, particularly as animals age.
The Restructuring of Ecological Networks by the Pleistocene Extinction
Authors: Pires Mathias Mistretta
Published: December 2023

Most terrestrial large mammals went extinct on different continents at the end of the Pleistocene, between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago. Besides the loss in species diversity and the truncation of body mass distributions, those extinctions were even more impactful to interaction diversity. Along with each extinction, dozens of ecological interactions were lost, reorganizing species interaction networks, which attained species-poor configurations with low functional redundancy. Extinctions of most large herbivores impacted energy flow and the rates of nutrient cycling, reconfiguring ecosystem-level networks. Because large mammals have high mobility, their loss also shortened seed-dispersal distance and reduced nutrient diffusivity, disrupting spatial networks. This review examines the recent advances in understanding how different types of ecological networks have been restructured by megafaunal extinctions and how this reorganization affected ecosystem functions.
▪Megafaunal extinctions resulted in the loss of multiple ecological interactions in terrestrial systems.▪Interaction loss reshaped different types of ecological networks including food webs and spatial networks.▪The reorganization of ecological networks changed how terrestrial ecosystems are structured and function.
Strategies to Reduce Fossil Fuel Use in Food Manufacturing
Authors: Grossmann Lutz , Smetana Sergiy , Bakalis Serafim
Published: December 2023

Our food production relies on the input of fossil fuels to create the high variety of different food products currently on the market. This reliance has caused challenges due to the inherent emissions generated by the combustion of fossil fuels and the dependence of many countries on only a small number of fossil fuel suppliers. This review aims to look at these challenges and discusses several mitigation strategies to reduce the usage of fossil fuels in the food processing part of the food value chain. In this specific step, there is substantial potential to change the type of energy that is used to transform the raw materials into an edible food matrix because the operations mainly include processes that rely often on natural gas for heating and electricity that is used for machine operation and cooling. Both energy sources can be replaced by clean and renewable alternatives, especially with alternative heating options such as geothermal heating and electrical boilers being installed and offered more frequently. However, short-term solutions like energy reduction through process optimization and the integration of smart sensors can also help to reduce the overall energy use in the short term. These strategies are outlined in this review along with in-depth analyses of the types of energy used in food processing, the available clean and renewable energy technologies that do not rely on fossil fuels, and the current hurdles and limitations. It becomes evident that most of the required technologies are already available on the market and that considerable investments are necessary to implement a comprehensive energy strategy that does not rely on fossil fuels in food manufacturing.
Cross-Cultural Leadership: What We Know, What We Need to Know, and Where We Need to Go
Authors: Den Hartog Deanne N. , De Hoogh Annebel H.B.
Published: December 2023

While leadership is an important way to coordinate around the globe, societal culture may shape leadership processes and their effects. In this review, we discuss conceptualizations of culture and address what is known about the role culture plays in shaping leadership processes. For example, societal culture shapes people's implicit theories of leadership, and these affect how leaders and followers behave toward each other. Also, culture can moderate the relationship between leadership and important outcomes. We review research done in these areas as well as research on emerging topics in the field, such as followership across cultures and leading groups of employees who are from different areas of the world. As we review the findings of the literature to date, we also acknowledge some of the problems and methodological challenges faced in this field and discuss practical implications and areas for future research.
Effect of Hydrophilic Layer in Double Microporous Layer Coated Gas Diffusion Layer on Performance of a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell
Authors: Wang Peng , Nakajima Hironori , Kitahara Tatsumi
Published: December 2023

Water flooding under high current and humidity conditions is a main barrier to enhancing the performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). This study evaluated a double microporous layer (MPL) coated gas diffusion layer (GDL) consisting of a thin hydrophilic layer coated on a hydrophobic MPL coated GDL. An accurate measurement of the contact angle was introduced to assess the wettability of the MPL. Besides, the water breakthrough pressure and water vapor permeance values were measured to evaluate the water transport ability of the MPL. The oxygen transport resistance was measured using the limiting current density in polarization curves. Appropriate hydrophilic MPL containing 5% Nafion, 25% TiO2, and carbon black in the double MPL enhanced the ability of the GDL to discharge water at the catalyst layer, effectively reducing water flooding. The total oxygen transport resistance obtained with the double MPL was reduced by about 20% compared to that obtained with a hydrophobic MPL. Moreover, the pressure-independent and pressure-dependent resistances were separated from the total oxygen transport resistance measured under various back pressure conditions. The double MPL exhibited a substantially reduced pressure-independent resistance at the interface between the MPL and the catalyst layer.
Enhanced Seebeck Coefficient of Cu-Bi-S Heterogeneous Composite Synthesized via Solvothermal Method
Authors: Aishwarya K. , Maruthasalamoorthy S. , Thenmozhi R. , Mani J. , Nirmala R. , Anbalagan G. , Navamathavan R.
Published: December 2023

We report on a heterogeneous composite Cu-Bi-S system for thermoelectric applications. This composite was synthesized by an efficient solvothermal method. The dominant phase of Cu3BiS3 showed a weak polymorphic nature at room temperature. The low polymorphic to first-order phase transition was obtained at 391.5 K where the carriers dominated the transport properties. The structure changed from P212121 to modulated intermediate polymorphic continues up to 463 K followed by changes to high polymorph. The ionic conduction switched in the intermediate modulate structure above 408 K. The phase boundary scattering mechanism was attributed to the enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient. The maximum power factor of 2.76 μWm−1K−2 at 443 K persisted in this heterogeneous composite where Cu3BiS3 phase existed as an intermediate polymorph.
MicroRNAs regulating signaling pathways in cardiac fibrosis: potential role of the exercise training
Authors: Improta-Caria Alex Cleber , Rodrigues Luis Felipe , Joaquim Victor Hugo Antonio , De Sousa Ricardo Augusto Leoni , Fernandes Tiago , Oliveira Edilamar Menezes
Published: December 2023

Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity develop long-term fibrotic processes in the heart, promoting pathological cardiac remodeling, including after myocardial infarction, reparative fibrotic processes also occur. These processes are regulated by many intracellular signaling pathways that have not yet been completely elucidated, including those associated with microRNA (miRNA) expression. miRNAs are small RNA transcripts (18–25 nucleotides in length) that act as posttranscriptionally regulators of gene expression, inhibiting or degrading one or more target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and proven to be involved in many biological processes such as cell cycle, differentiation, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, directly affecting the pathophysiology of several diseases, including cardiac fibrosis. Exercise training can modulate the expression of miRNAs and it is known to be beneficial in various cardiovascular diseases, attenuating cardiac fibrosis processes. However, the signaling pathways modulated by the exercise associated with miRNAs in cardiac fibrosis were not fully understood. Thus, this review aims to analyze the expression of miRNAs that modulate signaling pathways in cardiac fibrosis processes that can be regulated by exercise training.
Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Explore the Mechanism of Mubiezi‐Yinyanghuo Herb Pair in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Meng Fuxue , Tao Xiaomai , Li Longkuan , Jia Wei , Yang Xin , Yang Yuchen
Published: December 2023

Objective. Our previous studies have shown that the Mubiezi‐Yinyanghuo (MBZ‐YYH) herb pair inhibits rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cell proliferation and glycolysis, promising results with an obscure mechanism of action. Methods. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the main components of MBZ‐YYH and unravel the potential mechanism in RA based on network pharmacology and molecular docking methods. Components and targets of MBZ‐YYH were retrieved from the TCMSP. Relevant targets of RA were searched in GeneCards, therapeutic target database (TTD), and DisGeNET databases; the common targets of the MBZ‐YYH compounds and RA were obtained by comparison; and a component‐target interaction network was established by Cytoscape 3.9.1. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed through the David database. Molecular docking was performed by PyMoL2.3.0 and AutoDock Vina1.1.2 software. Results. 7 active ingredients and 58 putatively identified target genes were screened from MBZ, and 16 effective components of YYH and 230 potential targets were identified. There were 29 mutual targets between the two herbs and RA. Through the PPI network, 9 hub targets which contain JUN, CASP3, PPARG, PTGS2, GSK3B, CASP8, HMOX1, ICAM1, and HK2 were screened out. GO term enrichment analysis indicated that positive regulation of the apoptotic process, response to drugs, and response to hypoxia were significantly enriched. Based on KEGG analysis, it was mainly associated with the IL‐17 signaling pathway, the TNF signaling pathway, and the p53 signaling pathway. The docking analysis revealed that the effective components showed strong binding activity with the receptors. Conclusion. The effects of the MBZ‐YYH herb pair on RA were coordinated by the interaction of diverse components, which may be through the IL‐17 signaling pathway and the TNF signaling pathway, which target GSK3B, HK2, caspase 3, and caspase 8, inhibiting the proliferation and glycolysis of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast‐like synovial cells (RA‐FLS) and tending towards an increasing efficacy and decreasing toxicity effect on RA.
Vehicle Speed and Position Estimation considering Microscopic Heterogeneous Car-Following Characteristics in Connected Vehicle Environments
Authors: Xia HanQing , Liu XiaoMing , Ma ZeChao , Zhu Fang , Zhang Lin , Zhao YingJie , Wang YuanRong
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes a method for estimating the speed and position of unsampled vehicles using sampled data from connected automated vehicles (CAVs). The determination of vehicle speed and position on the road is a challenging and crucial task, as they can effectively reflect traffic flow characteristics and contribute to traffic state estimation and intersection signal timing optimization. Connected automated vehicles have the capability to upload their own trajectory data while also capturing trajectory data of surrounding vehicles through onboard sensors. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel approach to estimate the speed and position of unsampled vehicles. Firstly, using real vehicle trajectory data, the correlation between the velocity of following vehicles and the velocity of leading vehicles under different densities is analyzed, leading to the development of a velocity estimation model incorporating a speed correction factor. Secondly, the correlation between time headway, the rate of change of following vehicle acceleration, and traffic density is examined. To address the issue of heterogeneous behavior in vehicle following described by the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM), a real-time optimization model for estimating vehicle position by optimizing IDM parameters is proposed. The velocity estimation model and the position estimation model are summarized as two nonlinear optimization problems. Finally, the proposed method is validated using actual vehicle trajectory data. Experimental results demonstrate that when the number of connected automated vehicles (CAVs) is 2, the proposed method reduces the average absolute error by 30.73% and the standard deviation of the average absolute error by 42.8% compared to a linear model-based speed estimation method under different density conditions. Compared to a method that estimates vehicle position by calibrating desired gaps, the proposed method reduces the average absolute error by 38.2% and the standard deviation of the average absolute error by 41.7% under different density conditions. Furthermore, the proposed method exhibits good practicality under different CAV penetration rates.
Prevalence of Subjective Unmet Mental Healthcare Needs, Barriers, and Socioeconomic Inequality among Adult Individuals with Physical, Visual, Hearing, and Speech Disabilities in West of Iran
Authors: Azeez Hawzheen Mahmood , Piroozi Bakhtiar , Zarezadeh Yadolah , Shokri Azad
Published: December 2023

People with disabilities are susceptible to mental disorders, so it is very important to check and monitor their access to mental health services. There has been no study in this regard in Iran. This study aimed to measure the prevalence and socioeconomic inequality of subjective unmet needs for mental healthcare services (SUNMH) among individuals with disabilities and the various reasons behind them in the west of Iran. This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted on 613 people with disabilities over 18 years of age in Sanandaj city in 2023. Simple random sampling was used, and a questionnaire was applied to collect the data. The multivariate logistic regression was used to determine significant predictors of SUNMH. The concentration index (C) and concentration curve (CC) were calculated to measure inequality in the prevalence of SUNMH. Data were analyzed using STATA software version 16.0 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, USA. About 47% of people had experienced SUNMH. Lack of financial ability with 45%, insufficient payment of basic health insurance for mental health services with 27%, and noncoverage of mental health services by basic health insurance with 25% were the three main reasons for SUNMH. According to the logistic regression model, unemployment (OR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.31–5.53), not having supplementary insurance (OR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.11–4.74), having another member with a disability in the household (OR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.34–8.29), and poor economic status increased the odds of experiencing unmet need for mental health services by about 3, 2, 3, and 21 times, respectively (OR: 21.11, 95% CI: 13.72–48.11). The concentration index was −0.496, indicating a greater concentration of SUNMH in people with low socioeconomic status. Access to health services is not suitable among people with disabilities and a significant percentage of them suffer from SUNMH. Policy recommendations are proposed to address the primary obstacle of financial barriers to SUNMH and increase access to the necessary services, which include increasing the allocation of financial resources to specialized mental health services for individuals with disabilities and expanding disability-specific health insurance coverage with government financial support.
Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveals Pre-existing COVID-19 Vulnerability Factors in Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Liu Wendao , Li Wenbo , Zhao Zhongming
Published: December 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and cancer are major health threats, and individuals may develop both simultaneously. Recent studies have indicated that patients with cancer are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the associations remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we collected single-cell RNA-sequencing data from COVID-19, lung adenocarcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma patients, and normal lungs to perform an integrated analysis. We characterized altered cell populations, gene expression, and dysregulated intercellular communication in diseases. Our analysis identified pathologic conditions shared by COVID-19 and lung cancer, including upregulated TMPRSS2 expression in epithelial cells, stronger inflammatory responses mediated by macrophages, increased T-cell response suppression, and elevated fibrosis risk by pathologic fibroblasts. These pre-existing conditions in patients with lung cancer may lead to more severe inflammation, fibrosis, and weakened adaptive immune response upon COVID-19 infection. Our findings revealed potential molecular mechanisms driving an increased COVID-19 risk in patients with lung cancer and suggested preventive and therapeutic targets for COVID-19 in this population.

Implications:

Our work reveals the potential molecular mechanisms contributing to the vulnerability to COVID-19 in patients with lung cancer.
Intracellular K+ Limits T-cell Exhaustion and Preserves Antitumor Function
Authors: Collier Camille , Wucherer Kelly , McWhorter Matthew , Jenkins Chelsea , Bartlett Alexandra , Roychoudhuri Rahul , Eil Robert
Published: December 2023

T cells are often compromised within cancers, allowing disease progression. We previously found that intratumoral elevations in extracellular K+, related to ongoing cell death, constrained CD8+ T-cell Akt–mTOR signaling and effector function. To alleviate K+-mediated T-cell dysfunction, we pursued genetic means to lower intracellular K+. CD8+ T cells robustly and dynamically express the Na+/K+ ATPase, among other K+ transporters. CRISPR-Cas9–mediated disruption of the Atp1a1 locus lowered intracellular K+ and elevated the resting membrane potential (i.e., Vm, Ψ). Despite compromised Ca2+ influx, Atp1a1-deficient T cells harbored tonic hyperactivity in multiple signal transduction cascades, along with a phenotype of exhaustion in mouse and human CD8+ T cells. Provision of exogenous K+ restored intracellular levels in Atp1a1-deficient T cells and prevented damaging levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and both antioxidant treatment and exogenous K+ prevented Atp1a1-deficient T-cell exhaustion in vitro. T cells lacking Atp1a1 had compromised persistence and antitumor activity in a syngeneic model of orthotopic murine melanoma. Translational application of these findings will require balancing the beneficial aspects of intracellular K+ with the ROS-dependent nature of T-cell effector function.

See related Spotlight by Banuelos and Borges da Silva, p. 6
CD8+ T Cells Keep Their (K+)urrency for Function
Authors: Banuelos Alma , Borges da Silva Henrique
Published: December 2023

CD8+ T-cell responses are influenced by ion abundance, which can widely vary within the tumor microenvironment. In this issue, Collier and colleagues investigated how intracellular versus extracellular potassium ion (K+) regulates intratumoral CD8+ T cells. They show that, while excessive extracellular K+ induces exhaustion, intracellular K+ is needed for protection from dysfunction. This work shows additional evidence that the regulation of CD8+ T-cell responses depends on a fine balance between intracellular and extracellular metabolite levels.

See related article by Collier et al., p. 36 (2) .
Table S3 from Statin-induced Mitochondrial Priming Sensitizes Multiple Myeloma Cells to BCL2 and MCL-1 Inhibitors
Authors: Juarez Dennis , Buono Roberta , Matulis Shannon M. , Gupta Vikas A. , Duong Madeleine , Yudiono Jacob , Paul Madhuri , Mallya Sharmila , Diep Grace , Hsin Peter , Lu Alexander , Suh Sang Mi , Dong Vy M. , Roberts Andrew W. , Leverson Joel D. , Jalaluddin Muhammad , Liu Zhuangzhuang , Bueno Orlando F. , Boise Lawrence H. , Fruman David A.
Published: December 2023

Supplementary Table S3 presents statistical analysis of pooled clinical trial data on R/R MM patient response to venetoclax treatment, comparing t11;14 patients to non-t11;14.
The Severity and Frequency of Systemic Reactions to Hazelnut Are Significantly Higher in Hazelnut Allergic Patients Monosensitized to Cor a 8 than in Patients Polysensitized to Cor a 1, Cor a 8, and Cor a 9
Authors: Pastorello Elide Anna , Scibilia Joseph , Rossi Carlo Maria , Toscano Alessandro , Losappio Laura Michelina , Nichelatti Michele , Aversano Maria Gloria , Farioli Laura
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Hazelnuts are a leading trigger of food allergy. To date, several molecular components of hazelnut are available for component-resolved diagnosis. However, little is known about how simultaneous sensitization to multiple allergens affects the severity of the hazelnut-induced reaction. In a previous study, our group demonstrated a lower risk of systemic reactions to peach in patients sensitized to both Pru p 3 and Pru p 1 than in the patient monosensitized to peach LTP. We aimed to assess whether this was also true in hazelnut allergy in a cohort of adult patients. Methods: Patients were selected based on a history of symptoms such as urticaria, vomiting, diarrhea, asthma, and anaphylaxis indicative of hazelnut IgE-mediated food allergy and graded according to a clinical severity scale. For all patients, specific IgE was determined for Cor a 1 and Cor a 8 and, for most patients, also Cor a 9. Patients were offered an oral food challenge in open format (OFC) with a cocoa-based roasted hazelnut spread on a voluntary basis in order to prescribe an appropriate diet. Results: A total of two hundred and fourteen patients were recruited. Among these, 43 patients were monosensitized to Cor a 8. One hundred and seventy-one patients were sensitized to Cor a 1 (79.9%), and, among them, 48/171 (28.1%) were also Cor a 8 positive. Cor a 9 was evaluated in 124/214 patients, testing positive in 21/124 (16.9%). Patients monosensitized to Cor a 8 experienced systemic reactions more frequently than those sensitized to Cor a 1 ± Cor a 8 (p < 0.00001), with significantly more severe reactions (p < 0.0005) and testing more frequently positive at OFC (p < 0.0001). Regarding Cor a 9, the sensitized patients were significantly younger (p = 0.0013) and showed reactions of similar severity to patients who tested Cor a 9 negative, and these reactions were milder than in patients monosensitized only to Cor a 8. Discussion/Conclusion: Sensitization to Cor a 1 seems to protect from the development of the severe systemic reactions induced by Cor a 8 sensitization, Cor a 9 does not influence the severity of symptoms in adult patients. The OFC with roasted hazelnut may help in dietary guidance.