bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial DNA Mutations Linking Leigh Syndrome and Carotid Atherosclerosis: A Study of Shared Genetic Pathways
Authors: Sharma Abdd , Shukla Dhruvam , Ravi Anand Kalambur , Simon Neha
Published: October 2024

Mitochondrial DNA encodes the genetic information necessary for mitochondrial function. In humans, mitochondrial DNA spans 16,569 base pairs while representing a small fraction of the genetic material in humans. Due to their higher mutation rates compared to nuclear DNA, Mitochondrial DNA mutations are emerging as promising biomarkers for assessing disease predisposition and progression. This in-silico analyzes the correlation between Mitochondrial DNA mutations and two conditions: Leigh syndrome, a severe neurodegenerative disorder, and carotid atherosclerosis, a major cardiovascular disease. We focus on five single nucleotide variants (SNVs) – m.14459G>A, m.13513G>A, m.12315G>A, m.1555A>G, and m.15059G>A – to explore their roles in both diseases. Our findings suggest that mutations m.14459G>A, m.1555A>G, and m.15059G>A contribute to the pathogenesis of both conditions. In contrast, m.12315G>A is linked to MELAS syndrome and carotid atherosclerosis. Interestingly, the m.13513G>A mutation is associated with Leigh syndrome but negatively correlated with atherosclerosis, suggesting a potential protective effect. These SNVs could serve as targets for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, enhancing our understanding of the genetic basis of these diseases.
Developing a Core Outcome Set for capturing and measuring nurse wellbeing: A Delphi study
Authors: Klepacz Naomi , Baldwin David S. , Simons Gemma
Published: October 2024

Background

Poor nurse wellbeing is a significant concern, adversely affecting patient care quality and satisfaction, contributing to poor job satisfaction, increased sickness absence and workforce retention issues. There are calls for evidence-based policies and interventions to address poor nurse wellbeing, but no consensus exists on how it should be captured and measured. We used a salutogenic and consensus approach to develop a core outcome set (COS) for capturing and measuring nurse wellbeing.

Methods

A Delphi methodology was employed. Participants were recruited from two stakeholder groups: 1) nurse wellbeing professionals, identified through relevant publications, conference/meeting attendance lists, and peer recommendations, and 2) Registered Nurses, recruited via social media, professional nursing bodies, and practitioner networks. The stakeholder panel completed two rounds of an online Delphi survey, rating 43 previously identified wellbeing outcomes on a nine-point Likert Scale, from ‘not important’ to ‘critical’. Consensus was defined as>75% of stakeholders agreeing a wellbeing outcome was critical for inclusion in the COS.

Results

Fifty-four stakeholders completed the first Delphi Round, and 45 participated in both rounds. Thirteen wellbeing outcomes met thea-priorithreshold for inclusion in the COS: General Wellbeing, Health, Sleep, Positive Relationships, Personal Safety, Psychological Needs Satisfaction, Psychological Safety, Job Satisfaction, Morale, Life Work Balance, Compassion Satisfaction, Satisfaction with Patient Care, and Good Nursing Practice. The final COS was agreed by the stakeholder panel, without amendments.

Conclusion

This study establishes a COS for capturing and measuring nurse wellbeing. Implementing this COS has the potential to enable consistent data collection and evidence synthesis needed to support the development of nurse wellbeing strategies, policies and interventions. Future research will focus on identifying valid and reliable measurement tools.

Trial Registration

This study was prospectively registered with the COMET initiativewww.comet-initiative.org(Registration: 2433)
Transitions from smoking to exclusive e-cigarette use, dual use, or stopping nicotine use in ALSPAC and their association with modifiable and sociodemographic factors
Authors: Andrayas Alexandria , Heron Jon , Khouja Jasmine , Jones Hannah , Sallis Hannah , Munafò Marcus R , Hines Lindsey , Curnow Elinor
Published: October 2024

Background

E-cigarettes can aid smoking cessation and reduce carcinogen exposure. Understanding differences in characteristics between young adults in the UK who quit smoking, with or without e-cigarettes, or who dual use can help identify and tailor interventions.

Methods

There were 858 participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children who reported smoking at 21 years. Transitions to the first reported non-exclusive smoking event were measured at 22-30 years and include stopping nicotine use (not currently smoking nor using e-cigarettes), exclusive e-cigarette use, and dual use (smoking and using e-cigarettes). Associations between these transitions and substance use, sociodemographic, and health characteristics were examined through discrete-time survival analysis. Analyses were adjusted for early life confounders, and weighted to mitigate bias. Multiple imputation was used to analyse partially-observed data.

Results

More participants reported stopping nicotine use (52%) than using e-cigarettes (dual use = 27%; exclusive e-cigarette use = 9%). Smoking frequently at age 21 (Subdistribution Hazard Ratio [SHR] = 0.28, CI = 0.22-0.35) and having many friends who smoke at age 21 (SHR = 0.64, CI = 0.50-0.81) decreased the likelihood of stopping nicotine use, and increased the likelihood of dual use (frequent smoking SHR = 3.00, CI = 1.96-4.59; peer smoking SHR = 1.55, CI = 1.07-2.24) and exclusive e-cigarette use (frequent smoking SHR = 2.84, CI = 1.26-6.42). Participants with lower education at age 20 were less likely to stop using nicotine (SHR = 0.68, CI = 0.52-0.90), and more likely to dual use (SHR = 1.72, CI = 1.03-2.90). Cannabis use at age 20 (SHR = 0.67, CI = 0.49-0.92), drug use at age 20 (SHR = 0.77, CI = 0.59-0.99), less exercise at age 18 (SHR = 0.71, CI = 0.53-0.95), and parenthood at age 21 (SHR = 0.46, CI = 0.27-0.79) reduced the likelihood of stopping nicotine use. Higher BMI at age 18 (SHR = 1.58, CI = 1.08-2.31) increased the likelihood of dual use.

Conclusions

Young adults who smoke more frequently, have many peers who smoke, have lower education, exercise less, use cannabis or other drugs likely need greater efforts from stop smoking intervention. Those with greater smoking frequency, more friends who smoke or lower education may need additional support to completely switch to e-cigarettes. Others not engaging with e-cigarettes may benefit from targeted interventions to encourage harm reduction.
Light-guided actin polymerization drives directed motility in protocells
Authors: Matsubayashi Hideaki T. , Razavi Shiva , Rock T. Willow , Nakajima Daichi , Nakamura Hideki , Kramer Daniel A. , Matsuura Tomoaki , Chen Baoyu , Murata Satoshi , Nomura Shinichiro M. , Inoue Takanari
Published: October 2024

Motility is a hallmark of life’s dynamic processes, enabling cells to actively chase prey, repair wounds, and shape organs. Recreating these intricate behaviors using well-defined molecules remains a major challenge at the intersection of biology, physics, and molecular engineering. Although the polymerization force of the actin cytoskeleton is characterized as a primary driver of cell motility, recapitulating this process in protocellular systems has proven elusive. The difficulty lies in the daunting task of distilling key components from motile cells and integrating them into model membranes in a physiologically relevant manner. To address this, we developed a method to optically control actin polymerization with high spatiotemporal precision within cell-mimetic lipid vesicles known as giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Within these active protocells, the reorganization of actin networks triggered outward membrane extensions as well as the unidirectional movement of GUVs at speeds of up to 0.43 µm/min, comparable to typical adherent mammalian cells. Notably, our findings reveal a synergistic interplay between branched and linear actin forms in promoting membrane protrusions, highlighting the cooperative nature of these cytoskeletal elements. This approach offers a powerful platform for unraveling the intricacies of cell migration, designing synthetic cells with active morphodynamics, and advancing bioengineering applications, such as self-propelled delivery systems and autonomous tissue-like materials.
Tau load in select brainstem neurons predicts the severity and nature of balance deficits in the absence of cell death
Authors: Zhu Yunlu , Gelnaw Hannah , Leary Paige , Raghuraman Rhoshini , Kamath Nitika , Kraja Andy , Liu Jiahuan , Bai Qing , Higashijima Shin-ichi , Burton Edward A. , Schoppik David
Published: October 2024

Patients with tauopathies present with profoundly different clinical symptoms1, even within the same disorder2. A central hypothesis in the field, well-supported by biomarker studies3,4and post-mortem pathology5–7, is that clinical heterogeneity reflects differential degeneration of vulnerable neuronal populations responsible for specific neurological functions. Recent work has revealed mechanisms underlying susceptibility of particular cell types8–10, but relating tau load to disrupted behavior — es- pecially before cell death — requires a targeted circuit-level approach. Here we studied two distinct balance behaviors in larval zebrafish11expressing a human 0N/4R-tau allele12in select populations of evolutionarily-conserved and well-characterized brainstem vestibular circuits13,14. We observed that human tau load predicted the severity of circuit-specific deficits in posture and navigation in the ab- sence of cell death. Targeting expression to either mid- or hindbrain balance neurons recapitulated these particular deficits in posture and navigation. By parametrically linking tau load in specific neu- rons to early behavioral deficits, our work moves beyond cell type to close the gap between pathological and neurological conceptions of tauopathy.
Virulence-linked adhesin drives mutualist colonization of the bee gut via biofilm formation
Authors: Lariviere Patrick J. , Ashraf A. H. M. Zuberi , Gifford Isaac , Tanguma Sylvia L. , Barrick Jeffrey E. , Moran Nancy A.
Published: October 2024

Bacterial biofilms are stable multicellular structures that can enable long term host association. Yet, the role of biofilms in supporting gut mutualism is still not fully understood. Here, we investigateSnodgrassella alvi, a beneficial bacterial symbiont of honey bees, and find that biofilm formation is required for its colonization of the bee gut. We constructed fifteenS. alvimutants containing knockouts of genes known to promote colonization with putative roles in biofilm formation. Genes required for colonization includedstaAandstaB, encoding trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) andmltA, encoding a lytic transglycosylase. Intriguingly, TAAs are considered virulence factors in pathogens but support mutualism by the symbiontS. alvi. In vitro, biofilm formation was reduced in ΔstaBcells and abolished in the other two mutants. Loss ofstaAalso reduced auto-aggregation and cell-cell connections. Based on structural predictions, StaA/B are massive (>300 nm) TAAs with many repeats in their stalk regions. Further, we find that StaA/B are conserved acrossSnodgrassellaspecies, suggesting that StaA/B-dependent colonization is characteristic of this symbiont lineage. Finally,staAdeletion increases sensitivity to bactericidal antimicrobials, suggesting that the biofilm indirectly buffers against antibiotic stress. In all, the inability of two biofilm-deficient strains (ΔstaAand ΔmltA) to effectively mono-colonize bees indicates thatS. alvibiofilm formation is required for colonization of the bee gut. We envision the bee gut system as a genetically tractable model for studying the physical basis of biofilm-mutualist-gut interactions.
Covalent conjugation of glucose oxidase on single-walled carbon nanotubes for glucose sensing
Authors: Wang Hanxuan , Dehury Subhasis , Reggente Melania , Zubkovs Vitalijs , Boghossian Ardemis
Published: October 2024

Glucose sensing and monitoring are crucial for biological and medical applications. Compared to existing methods, real-time detection and long-term monitoring are still required. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have excellent optical properties for sensing applications, which provide the possibility for designing a new generation of glucose sensors. In this study, we describe a method for covalently conjugate glucose oxidase (GOx) on SWCNTs as an optical glucose sensor. The functional groups are introduced by a photocatalytic reaction which acts as the handle for protein loading on SWCNTs. In this sp3 defect reaction, the optical properties of SWCNTs can be maintained. With a convenient bioconjugation reaction, the GOx could be covalently linked with SWCNTs. Compared to the non-covalent immobilization conjugates, the covalent conjugate sensor exhibits a much stronger optical response toward glucose, and the stability of the biosensor also increases in harsh conditions. At the same time, we also report the changing ratio of the original E11and defected E11* peak during the bioconjugation reaction, which is also inspiring for reaction monitoring on SWCNTs.

Abstract Figure
Constitutive expression of Cas9 and rapamycin-inducible Cre recombinase facilitates conditional genome editing inPlasmodium berghei
Authors: Das Samhita , Unhale Tanaya , Marinach Carine , Valeriano Alegria Belsy del Carmen , Roux Camille , Madry Hélène , Mohand Oumoussa Badreddine , Amino Rogerio , Iwanaga Shiroh , Briquet Sylvie , Silvie Olivier
Published: October 2024

Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites of the genusPlasmodiumand remains a global health concern. The parasite has a highly adaptable life cycle comprising successive rounds of asexual replication in a vertebrate host and sexual maturation in the mosquito vectorAnopheles. Genetic manipulation of the parasite has been instrumental for deciphering the function ofPlasmodiumgenes. Conventional reverse genetic tools cannot be used to study essential genes of the asexual blood stages, thereby necessitating the development of conditional strategies. Among various such strategies, the rapamycin-inducible dimerisable Cre (DiCre) recombinase system emerged as a powerful approach for conditional editing of essential genes in human-infectingP. falciparumand in the rodent malaria model parasiteP. berghei. We previously generated a DiCre-expressingP. bergheiline and validated it by conditionally deleting several essential asexual stage genes, revealing their important role also in sporozoites. The advent of CRISPR enabled targeted genome editing with higher accuracy and specificity and greatly advanced genome engineering inPlasmodiumspp. Here, we developed newP. bergheiparasite lines by integrating the DiCre cassette and a fluorescent marker in parasites constitutively expressing Cas9. Owing to the dual integration of CRISPR-Cas9 and DiCre, these new lines allow unparalleled levels of gene modification and conditional regulation simultaneously. To illustrate the versatility of this new tool, we conditionally knocked-out the essential gene encoding the claudin-like apicomplexan micronemal protein (CLAMP) inP. bergheiand confirm the role of CLAMP during invasion of erythrocytes.
Optical imaging of treatment-naïve human NSCLC reveals changes associated with metastatic recurrence
Authors: Diaz Paola Monterroso , Ivers Jesse D. , Byrum Stephanie , Quick Charles M. , Arnaoutakis Konstantinos , Quinn Kyle P. , Rajaram Narasimhan
Published: October 2024

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths, comprising nearly 25% of all cancer deaths [1]. NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of all cases and encompasses major subtypes such as adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Despite advances in surgical and therapeutic options, NSCLC remains associated with poor prognosis due to a high rate of recurrence, even in early stages. Around 30-55% of patients who undergo complete resection will experience metastatic recurrence, significantly lowering survival outcomes [2]. There is a critical need to develop prognostic markers capable of predicting risk of recurrence at earlier timepoints in order to improve NSCLC management, as it could help clinicians tailor treatment plans, optimize follow-up schedules, and identify high-risk patients who might benefit from adjuvant therapies. Two photon microscopy (TPM) techniques provide non-invasive high-resolution information on cell metabolism within tissue by utilizing an optical redox ratio (ORR) of FAD/[NADH+FAD] autofluorescence. The goal of this study is to use the ORR and NADH fluorescence lifetime decay to identify measurable differences in optical endpoints of human NSCLC that are indicative of their long-term outcome. Twenty-five treatment-naïve NSCLC specimens were classified into metastatic and non-metastatic groups according to subject-detail reports. The ORR and mean NADH lifetime were determined for each sample, revealing a significant increase in the ORR for the metastatic group. Additionally, tumors presenting with high optical redox ratios were found to be correlated with low KEAP1, a prognostic indicator of poor clinical outcome in NSCLC. To evaluate the prognostic potential of optical metabolic endpoints, we trained three classifiers: logistic regression, SVM, and KNN on three different feature sets: optical endpoints, clinicopathological features, and combination of optical and clinical features. We found that SVM trained on optical endpoints alone (AUC = 0.74) outperformed the model built with only clinical features (AUC = 0.62), when classifying tumors based on their metastatic recurrence status. Together, these findings highlight the potential of optical metabolic imaging to provide markers of recurrence in NSCLC.
Avian predator-prey dynamics in a changing climate along the Western Antarctic Peninsula; a scoping review
Authors: Russell Tamara M. , Hermanson Victoria R.
Published: October 2024

A unique characteristic of the food web along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), one of the fastest warming regions in the world, is that the avian tertiary predators seasonally rely on avian secondary predators for their subsistence. We conducted a scoping review to 1.) provide a summary of research on Antarctic avian predator-prey relationships, 2.) investigate potential avian predator-prey relationships and trends with the environment, and 3.) highlight research gaps and provide recommendations for future research. We searched Web of Science and Google Scholar for publications in English during any years. For our first aim, we searched using the terms “predator-prey dynamics” AND “Antarctica.” We excluded results that did not include both avian predators and prey, which resulted in eight publications from around the Southern Ocean, and one along the WAP. For our second aim, we searched using the terms of each species’ common and scientific names (gentoo penguin,Pygoscelis papua, Adelie penguin,P. adeliae, chinstrap penguin,P. antarcticus, southern giant petrel,Macronectes giganteus, south polar skua,Stercorarius maccormicki, brown skua, S. antarcticus) AND “population” AND “Antarctic Peninsula.” We refined our results (N=59) to publications with data on at least one prey and one predator avian species of all papers found in Web of Science, and the first 100 records of Google Scholar. We selected five locations that had data spanning over 10 years and that spread across the northern WAP. We compared predator-prey species trends across time along with sea surface and air temperature. We found that predator-prey dynamics between avian secondary and tertiary predators have had limited investigations in Antarctica. Along the WAP, the relationship between different penguin species and avian tertiary predators are highly variable and many population trends are decoupled from local temperature change. We include recommendations for future data collection and research on these interactions.
Identification of Phosphotyrosine-Mutant Desmin in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Kendrick Nancy , Darie Costel C. , Hoelter Matt , Koll Andrew , Johansen Jon
Published: October 2024

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a deadly cancer with a 5-year survival rate of ∼12%, is characterized by frequently mutated KRAS, early metastasis, and extensive desmoplasia. The latter, a formation of dense fibrotic tissue generated by pancreatic stellar cells (PSC) and tumor cells, makes up to 80% of the tumor mass and leads to treatment failure. To search for novel protein biomarkers for actionable tyrosine kinases, we used a combination of two orthogonal protein analysis methods, western blotting (WB) and mass spectrometry (MS). That is, we used 1D/2D phosphotyrosine (pTyr) WB in combination with nano liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (NanoLC-MS/MS) to analyze homogenates of 6 PDAC tumor samples and 5 normal adjacent tissue controls. Surprisingly, we found a novel, abundant 55 kDa pTyr-protein in 2/6 tumor samples and identified it as mutated pTyr-desmin. Further proteomics analysis of the purified protein cut from multiple Coomassie-stained 2D gels revealed that the mutant amino acid, tyrosine (D399Y), is phosphorylated (pTyr). A possible role for mutant pTyr-desmin in PDAC metastasis is discussed, along with peptide inhibitor drugs.
Global transcription factors analyses reveal hierarchy and synergism of regulatory networks and master virulence regulators inPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Huang Jiadai , Sun Yue , Chen Fang , Li Shumin , Han Liangliang , Li Jingwei , He Zhe , Hua Canfeng , Yao Chunyan , Li Tianmin , Lu Beifang , Chang Yung-Fu , Deng Xin
Published: October 2024

The transcription factor regulatory network inPseudomonas aeruginosais complex and involves multiple regulators that respond to various environmental signals and physiological cues by regulating gene expression. However, the biological functions of at least half of its 373 putative transcription factors (TFs) remain uncharacterised. Herein, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) was used to investigate the binding sites of 172 TFs in theP. aeruginosaPAO1 strain. The results revealed 81,009 significant binding peaks in the genome, more than half of which were located in the promoter regions. To further decode the diverse regulatory relationships among TFs, a hierarchical network was assembled into three levels: top, middle, and bottom. Thirteen ternary regulatory motifs revealed flexible relationships among TFs in small hubs, and a comprehensive co-association atlas was established, showing the enrichment of seven core associated clusters. Twenty-four TFs were identified as the master regulators of virulence-related pathways. The pan-genome analysis revealed the conservation and evolution of TFs inP. aeruginosacomplex and other species. A Web-based database combining existing and new data from ChIP-seq and the high-throughput systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment was established for searching TF-binding sites. This study provides important insights into the pathogenic mechanisms ofP. aeruginosaand related bacteria and is expected to contribute to the development of effective therapies for infectious diseases caused by this pathogen.
Multiplexed single-cell imaging reveals diverging subpopulations with distinct senescence phenotypes during long-term senescence induction
Authors: Sessions Garrett A. , Loops Madeline V. , Diekman Brian O. , Purvis Jeremy E.
Published: October 2024

Cellular senescence is a phenotypic state that contributes to the progression of age-related disease through secretion of pro-inflammatory factors known as the senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Understanding the process by which healthy cells become senescent and develop SASP factors is critical for improving the identification of senescent cells and, ultimately, understanding tissue dysfunction. Here, we reveal how the duration of cellular stress modulates the SASP in distinct subpopulations of senescent cells. We used multiplex, single-cell imaging to build a proteomic map of senescence induction in human epithelial cells induced to senescence over the course of 31 days. We map how the expression of SASP proteins increases alongside other known senescence markers such as p53, p21, and p16INK4a. The aggregated population of cells responded to etoposide with an accumulation of stress response factors over the first 11 days, followed by a plateau in most proteins. At the single-cell level, however, we identified two distinct senescence cell populations, one defined primarily by larger nuclear area and the second by higher protein concentrations. Trajectory inference suggested that cells took one of two discrete molecular paths from unperturbed healthy cells, through a common transitional subpopulation, and ending at the discrete terminal senescence phenotypes. Our results underscore the importance of using single-cell proteomics to identify the mechanistic pathways governing the transition from senescence induction to a mature state of senescence characterized by the SASP.
NeKo: a tool for automatic network construction from prior knowledge
Authors: Ruscone Marco , Tsirvouli Eirini , Checcoli Andrea , Turei Denes , Barillot Emmanuel , Saez-Rodriguez Julio , Martignetti Loredana , Flobak Åsmund , Calzone Laurence
Published: October 2024

Biological networks provide a structured framework for analyzing the dynamic interplay and interactions between molecular entities, facilitating deeper insights into cellular functions and biological processes. Network construction often requires extensive manual curation based on scientific literature and public databases, a time-consuming and laborious task. To address this challenge, we introduce NeKo, a Python package to automate the construction of biological networks by integrating and prioritizing molecular interactions from various databases. NeKo allows users to provide their molecules of interest (e.g., genes, proteins or phosphosites), select interaction resources and apply flexible strategies to build networks based on prior knowledge. Users can filter interactions by various criteria, such as direct or indirect links and signed or unsigned interactions, to tailor the network to their needs and downstream analysis. We demonstrate some of NeKo’s capabilities in two use cases: first we construct a network based on transcriptomics from medulloblastoma; in the second, we model drug synergies. NeKo streamlines the network-building process, making it more accessible and efficient for researchers. The tool is available athttps://sysbio-curie.github.io/Neko/.
The Prevalence of Killer Yeasts in the Gardens of Fungus-Growing Ants and the Discovery of Novel Killer Toxin named Ksino
Authors: Bizarria Rodolfo , Creagh Jack W. , Badigian Tanner J. , Corrêa dos Santos Renato A. , Coss Sarah A. , Tekle Rim T. , Fredstrom Noah , Ytreberg F. Marty , Dunham Maitreya J. , Rodrigues Andre , Rowley Paul A.
Published: October 2024

Killer toxins are proteinaceous antifungal molecules produced by yeasts, with activity against a wide range of human and plant pathogenic fungi. Fungus gardens of attine ants in Brazil were surveyed to determine the presence of killer toxin-producing yeasts and to define their antifungal activities and ecological importance. Our results indicate that up to 46% of yeasts isolated from specific fungal gardens can be killer yeasts, with an overall prevalence of 17% across all strains tested. Killer yeasts were less likely to inhibit the growth of yeasts isolated from the same environment but more effective at inhibiting yeast isolated from other environments, supporting a role for killer yeasts in shaping community composition. All killer yeasts harbored genome-encoded killer toxins due to the lack of cytoplasmic toxin-encoding elements (i.e., double-stranded RNA satellites and linear double-stranded DNAs). Of all the killer yeasts identified, an isolate ofCandida sinolaborantiumshowed a broad spectrum of antifungal activities against 57% of yeast strains tested for toxin susceptibility. The complete genome sequence ofC. sinolaborantiumidentified a new killer toxin, Ksino, with primary and tertiary structure homology to theSaccharomyces cerevisiaekiller toxin named Klus. Genome-encoded homologs of Ksino were found in yeast strains ofSaccharomycetesandPichiomycetes, as well as other species of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota filamentous fungi. This demonstrates that killer yeasts can be widespread in attine ant fungus gardens, possibly influencing fungal community composition and the importance of these complex microbial communities for discovering novel antifungal molecules.

Importance

Attine ants perform essential ecosystem services through the harvesting of substrates for fungiculture. Cultured fungi are a food source for attine ants. Characterizing antifungal toxin-producing yeasts (killer yeasts) is vital to understanding how they might protect gardens from invasion by unwanted fungal species. This study describes a new toxin named Ksino from the yeastCandida sinolaborantium, a member of a new group of putative toxins found across many different species of fungi. This work supports the role of killer yeasts in the ecology of fungicultures and competition between fungi. The observed high prevalence of killer yeasts in fungal gardens also enables the discovery of novel antifungal molecules with the potential to be applied against disease-causing fungi.
TGF-β induces an atypical EMT to evade immune mechanosurveillance in lung adenocarcinoma dormant metastasis
Authors: Wang Zhenghan , Elbanna Yassmin , Godet Inês , Peters Lila , Lampe George , Chen Yanyan , Xavier Joao , Huse Morgan , Massagué Joan
Published: October 2024

The heterogeneity of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) programs is manifest in the diverse EMT-like phenotypes occurring during tumor progression. However, little is known about the mechanistic basis and functional role of specific forms of EMT in cancer. Here we address this question in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells that enter a dormancy period in response to TGF-β upon disseminating to distant sites. LUAD cells with the capacity to enter dormancy are characterized by expression of SOX2 and NKX2-1 primitive progenitor markers. In these cells, TGF-β induces growth inhibition accompanied by a full EMT response that subsequently transitions into an atypical mesenchymal state of round morphology and lacking actin stress fibers. TGF-β induces this transition by driving the expression of the actin-depolymerizing factor gelsolin, which changes a migratory, stress fiber-rich mesenchymal phenotype into a cortical actin-rich, spheroidal state. This transition lowers the biomechanical stiffness of metastatic progenitors, protecting them from killing by mechanosensitive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells. Inhibiting this actin depolymerization process clears tissues of dormant metastatic cells. Thus, LUAD primitive progenitors undergo an atypical EMT as part of a strategy to evade immune-mediated elimination during dormancy. Our results provide a mechanistic basis and functional role of this atypical EMT response of LUAD metastatic progenitors and further illuminate the role of TGF-β as a crucial driver of immune evasive metastatic dormancy.
Optimal network sizes for most robust Turing patterns
Authors: Ahmad Shaberi Hazlam S. , Kappassov Aibek , Matas-Gil Antonio , Endres Robert G.
Published: October 2024

Many cellular patterns exhibit a reaction-diffusion component, suggesting that Turing instability may contribute to pattern formation. However, biological gene-regulatory pathways are more complex than simple Turing activator-inhibitor models and generally do not require fine-tuning of parameters as dictated by the Turing conditions. To address these issues, we employ random matrix theory to analyze the Jacobian matrices of larger networks with robust statistical properties. Our analysis reveals that Turing patterns are more likely to occur by chance than previously thought and that the most robust Turing networks have an optimal size, surprisingly consisting only of a handful of molecular species, thus significantly increasing their identifiability in biological systems. This optimal size emerges from a tradeoff between the highest stability in small networks and the greatest instability with diffusion in large networks. Furthermore, we find that with multiple immobile nodes, differential diffusion ceases to be important for Turing patterns. Our findings may inform future synthetic biology approaches and provide insights into bridging the gap to complex developmental pathways.
Imaging atomic-scale magnetism with energy-filtered differential phase contrast method
Authors: Negi Devendra Singh , van Aken Peter A. , Rusz Jan
Published: October 2024

We propose differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging using energy-filtered electrons to image the magnetic properties of materials at the atomic scale. Compared to DPC measurements with elastic electrons, our simulations predict about two orders of magnitude higher relative magnetic signal intensities and sensitivity to all three vector components of magnetization.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Higher-twist generalized parton distributions of the pion and kaon at zero skewness in the light-cone quark model
Authors: Luan Xiaoyan , Lu Zhun
Published: October 2024

We investigate the higher-twist generalized parton distributions (GPDs) of the pion and kaon at zero skewness by adopting the overlap representation within the light-cone formalism. Using the wave functions of pion and kaon deduced from a light-cone quark model (LCQM), we calculate the twist-3 and twist-4 GPDs E2(x,0,t), G2(x,0,t), F3(x,0,t), and H3(x,0,t) of valence quarks inside the pion and kaon mesons. Numerical results for these higher-twist GPDs of valence quark and antiquark are presented. By taking the forward limit, we also present the numerical results for the corresponding twist-3 and twist-4 parton distribution functions (PDFs) e(x) and f3(x) of pion and kaon. We further study the relations between e(x) or f3(x) and the twist-2 unpolarized PDF f1(x).

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Searching for heavy neutral leptons at a future muon collider
Authors: Kwok Tsz Hong , Li Lingfeng , Liu Tao , Rock Ariel
Published: October 2024

As the planning stages for a high energy muon collider enter a more concrete era, an important question arises as to what new physics could be uncovered. A TeV-scale muon collider is also a vector boson fusion (VBF) factory with a very clean background, and as such it is a promising environment to look for new physics that couples to the electroweak (EW) sector. In this paper, we explore the ability of a future TeV-scale muon collider to search for Majorana and Dirac heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) produced via EW bosons. Employing a model-independent, conservative approach, we present an estimation of the production and decay rate of HNLs over a mass range between 200 GeV and 9.5 TeV in two benchmark collider proposals with s=3, 10 TeV, as well as an estimation of the dominant Standard Model (SM) background. We find that exclusion limits for the mixing between the HNLs and SM neutrinos can be as low as O(10−6). Additionally, we demonstrate that a TeV-scale muon collider allows for the ability to discriminate between Majorana and Dirac type HNLs for a large range of mixing values.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
How does brand authenticity influence brand loyalty? Exploring the roles of brand attachment and brand trust
Authors: Deng Yiran , Wang Xianliang , Li Dandan
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The study aims to delve into the interactive relationships among brand authenticity, brand attachment, brand trust and brand loyalty using the ERC authenticity framework, exploring the potential mechanisms and different configurations affecting brand loyalty through brand authenticity.

Design/methodology/approach

About 446 valid samples were collected through an online survey of Chinese consumers of international sports brands. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) were employed to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

SEM results indicate significant positive correlations among brand true-to-ideal authenticity, true-to-fact authenticity and true-to-self authenticity. All dimensions of brand authenticity exert notable positive impacts on brand attachment, brand trust and brand loyalty. Brand true-to-ideal authenticity, true-to-fact authenticity and true-to-self authenticity not only directly influence consumer brand loyalty but also indirectly affect it through brand attachment and brand trust; fsQCA results reveal five heterogeneous configurations to predict brand loyalty.

Originality/value

This study not only uses SEM to validate the structural relationships among the three dimensions of brand authenticity and their linear relationships with brand attachment, brand trust and brand loyalty but also uses fsQCA to identify nonlinear relationships between concepts. It extends complexity theory to the research field of brand authenticity–brand loyalty. Furthermore, based on the research results, this study provides management suggestions for brand managers and marketers.
Get ready: disaster preparedness and response for people with chronic illnesses living in hazard-prone Petone, Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Kearns Nardia , Blake Denise , Parton Chloe
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to understand how people living with chronic illness understand their healthcare needs, particularly as they can be disrupted by natural hazards events (e.g. earthquakes, flooding and landslides), which can result in chronic health conditions becoming acute. Research has shown that, because of such disruption, people with chronic illness face the greatest risk of adverse health outcomes during a disaster, placing significant demand on healthcare systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The research draws on a narrative analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight people who have a chronic illness and live in a hazard-prone location, namely Petone, Lower Hutt, Aotearoa New Zealand.

Findings

Two major narrative themes were identified: “Social Capital”, which included the three subthemes of community, social connection and support and family and friends. Tellers also experienced a strong sense of “Independence”, as demonstrated through seven subthemes that included declaration, defiance, rules, experience, acceptance, responsibility, self-surveillance and self-management.

Practical implications

Practice output from this research includes the development of fit for purpose emergency management policies and other educational resources to ensure equity, access and choice for people with a chronic illness and their communities.

Social implications

This research produces in-depth knowledge and insight into the preparedness and response needs of people who live with a chronic illness. This is an under-research area in disaster management in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Originality/value

Routine medical treatment for people living with chronic illness can be disrupted by natural hazard events (e.g. earthquakes, flooding and landslides), which can result in chronic health conditions becoming acute. Research has shown that, because of such disruption, the chronically ill face the greatest risk of adverse health outcomes during a disaster, placing significant demand on healthcare. This research investigates how people living with chronic illness experience disaster preparedness and response while residing in a hazard-prone location, namely Petone, Lower Hutt, Aotearoa New Zealand. The study argues that it is imperative to acknowledge the experiences of people with chronic illness as they provide specific insights into their needs during a disaster.
Coordinated strategy for path tracking and dynamic stability considering extreme obstacle avoidance in distributed drive electric vehicles
Authors: Zhou Sheng , Liu Fei , Weng Xiaofeng , Mai Jiacheng , Feng Shaoxiang
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This research aims to investigate the trajectory tracking problem for a four-wheel independent drive autonomous vehicle (4WID) and propose an integrated, coordinated control strategy to address the mutual interference between trajectory tracking and stability control in extreme cases.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors establish an adaptive preview model that modifies the preview distance based on vehicle speed. They utilize a three-degrees-of-freedom vehicle model and employ model predictive control to calculate the necessary front wheel angle for trajectory tracking. In terms of longitudinal control, a longitudinal coordinated control mechanism is established to achieve the two conflicting objectives of trajectory tracking accuracy and dynamic stability through early deceleration. A stability controller based on sliding mode control (SMC) is designed, considering tire constraints and tracking the optimal yaw angle and sideslip angle. Furthermore, a lateral coordinated control strategy is developed, considering the weight coefficient of stability control, and the yaw moment is calculated and distributed based on the vehicle torque requirements.

Findings

The proposed integrated, coordinated control strategy successfully addresses the mutual interference between trajectory tracking and stability control in extreme cases for the 4WID vehicle. The strategy achieves trajectory tracking accuracy, dynamic stability and reduced energy consumption while taking into account tire constraints.

Originality/value

We have proposed a cooperative control strategy for the trajectory tracking problem of autonomous driving vehicles. This strategy is different from previous methods in that we have taken into account the integrated dynamic control in both longitudinal and lateral directions, balancing the conflicting control requirements and reducing energy consumption, improving trajectory tracking accuracy and vehicle dynamic stability. We have verified the feasibility of this strategy through joint simulation under different driving conditions.
Role of workforce analytics in fulfillment experience of employees through work volition
Authors: Asadullah Muhammad Ali , Malik Ayesha , Haq Muhammad Zia Ul , Khalifa Ali Haj
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Labor process theory explains that employers prefer technology and systems over employees for efficiency gains. However, the mechanisms explaining the influence of technology and systems on different work-related employee outcomes are still a question mark. The purpose of this study is to test a mediation mechanism explaining how workforce analytics influence the work fulfillment experience of employees through work volition.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected dyadic data from 55 HR managers and 350 employees serving in 55 different subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in Pakistan.

Findings

The statistical results demonstrate that workforce analytics negatively affect fulfillment at work. However, work volition may reduce the negative relationship between workforce analytics and fulfillment at work. This study also found a significant but negative relationship between work volition and fulfillment at work.

Originality/value

This study found that integrating the use of workforce analytics with the work volition of employees is critical for positive employee outcomes.
The utility of smart government services apps solutions in the post-pandemic era
Authors: Rehman Shafique Ur , Qatawneh Nour , Al-Okaily Aws , Al-Okaily Manaf , Shiyyab Fadi Shehab , Alsharairi Malek , Masa’deh Ra’ed , Bani Mohmmad Ashraf
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to determine the antecedent factors of smart government service apps intention and its impact on actual use by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) in the Jordanian context.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the main purpose, a quantitative method was used to test collected data, and hypotheses testing through using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and smart partial least squares software.

Findings

The findings indicate that social media advertising has a positive effect on both social influence and peer influence. Furthermore, it demonstrated a significant effect of social influence on performance expectancy. In addition, there is a direct correlation between the government capacity, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions and the intention to use e-government services. Lastly, the results mainly show that the actual use of e-government services is significantly and positively influenced by intention and self-isolation. Next, as expected, self-isolation moderated the relationship between intention to use and actual use of e-government services via the Sanad application, and hence the related hypothesis was supported.

Originality/value

This study provides practical recommendations for the policy-makers in the Jordanian e-government and Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship (MoDEE) in Jordan.
You say you can, but can you? The impact of entrepreneurship education on unwarranted and gendered entrepreneurial self-efficacy - a calibration study
Authors: Van Ewijk Anne Rienke
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) has a dark side largely ignored in the field of entrepreneurship education. Research in educational psychology indicates that self-efficacy is prone to misjudgment, with novice learners often displaying overconfidence. Furthermore, this misjudgment is gendered; studies suggest that men are more likely to display overconfidence and less likely to correct erroneous self-assessments. However, realistic self-assessments are essential for effective learning strategies, pivotal for performance in the ambiguous entrepreneurial context. Therefore, this study explores whether entrepreneurship education helps mitigate overconfidence, and if this impact varies by gender.

Design/methodology/approach

Common in educational psychology, but new in the field of entrepreneurship education, a calibration design captures discrepancies between perceived and actual performance. Data from before and after an introductory undergraduate entrepreneurship course (N = 103) inform descriptive analyses, statistical comparison tests and calibration plots.

Findings

As expected, nearly all novice students showed significant overconfidence. Curiously, gender difference was only significant at the end of the course, as overconfidence had decreased among female students and increased among male students.

Originality/value

The paper advocates a more nuanced stance toward ESE, and introduces ESE accuracy as a more fitting measure of entrepreneurial overconfidence. The findings flag the common use of self-perception as a proxy for actual competence, and evoke new research avenues on (gender differences in) learning motivations of aspiring entrepreneurs. Finally, the study shares guidance for entrepreneurship educators on fostering a “healthier” level of self-efficacy for better entrepreneurial learning.