bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The energy-saving design of prefabricated farm house in the middle of Anhui Province
Authors: Wei Lan
Published: May 2024

Masonry building has low construction requirements and it is widely used in agricultural houses in the middle of Anhui Province. However, the old farm houses have problems such as aging structure, high building energy consumption, irrational floor plan layout and poor living comfort. Nowadays, the structure of many farm houses has undergone major changes, among which the prefabricated farm houses have the advantages of high performance, short construction period and flexible construction, and the materials used and construction process conform to the principle of sustainable development. It is of great significance to carry out research on the construction of light steel prefabricated farm houses and its energy-saving optimization. Firstly, through field investigation and case analysis, the present situation of traditional farm houses in central Anhui was summarized. Secondly, the prefabricated energy-saving design of farm houses was optimized.
Dynamic prediction of steam consumption in beer production process based on Attention Mechanism CNN-BiLSTM
Authors: Lu Kun , Liu Jiong , Shi Yan
Published: May 2024

During the normal production process of the brewery, the steam consumption can be accurately predicted, and the boiler steam output can be planned to achieve a balance between steam production and use. In order to improve the accuracy of steam consumption prediction, this paper proposes a dynamic prediction method of steam consumption based on attention mechanism-convolution-bidirectional long short-term memory neural network (CNN-BiLSTM). In this paper, the real-time monitoring data of the brewery energy management system is selected as the experimental data for analysis, and the CNN-BiLSTM network model based on attention mechanism is compared with the results of CNN net-work, LSTM network, BiLSTM network and CNN-BiLSTM network prediction. The experimental results show that the mean absolute error, root mean square error and R-Square of the model are 0.0329, 0.0449 and 97.5%, which are better than the other four models, and can predict the steam consumption of brewery more accurately.
Research on the law of hydrogen production by supercritical water gasification of oily sludge
Authors: Duan Yuanwang , Wang Shuzhong , Li Yanhui , Wang Yulong
Published: May 2024

As China's oil consumption continues to increase, the amount of oily sludge generated increases yearly. Aiming at the limitations of the traditional oil-containing sludge treatment technology, supercritical water is used to dissolve and convert organic components into hydrogen for hydrogen energy recovery to realize the reduction, harmlessness, and resourcefulness of the oily sludge treatment. The influences of reaction temperature, pressure, time, material ratio, and other parameters on hydrogen production from supercritical water gasification of oily sludge were experimentally examined. Results indicated that hydrogen yield increases with increased response temperature, pressure, and time, and hydrogen yield decreases with increased response mass ratio.
Influence of decontamination process parameters on ultrasonic decontamination efficiency of pipeline
Authors: Liu Chengwei , Huang Xinming , Yao Zhimeng , Li Ke , Chen Zhiyuan , Wei Shaochong , Zou Yang , Shi Jingcan , Lu Zhuang , Chen Guoxing
Published: May 2024

Many radioactive pollutants will be deposited inside the nuclear power plant pipelines after long-term service, which will form radioactive hot spots and increase the radiation dose rate level of operators. The ultrasonic decontamination efficiency was studied through the establishment of ultrasonic decontamination dynamic test bench, under different decontamination process parameters. It has also been applied in the engineering filed. The results show that: Ultrasonic decontamination efficiency increases with the increase of decontamination power, and the maximum decontamination efficiency of pollutants is up to 62.69%. The main reason is that the mechanical effect and cavitation effect of ultrasonic are significant with the increase of power, which is conducive to the removal of pollutants in the pipeline. When the decontamination time is 60min, the ultrasonic decontamination efficiency is more than 90%. Meanwhile, after ultrasonic decontamination of the pipeline hot spots, the contact dose rate at the pipeline hot spots is reduced by 75.20% at the highest, and the environmental dose rate is reduced by more than 90%, which reduces the collective dose level of operators working near the pipeline hot spot greatly, and ensures the health of the operators and environmental safety.
Analysis of the impact of differentiated carbon tax policies on shore power technology selection by port and shipping enterprise
Authors: Liu Xudong , Zhang Shuyin
Published: May 2024

Reducing carbon emissions has become a common goal in today's world for the protection of the environment, and the shipping industry, as an important force in the development of global trade, will be unavoidably involved in this conversion. This research paper develops an evolutionary game model between port and shipping enterprise under the differentiated carbon tax policy, analyses the evolutionary stabilization strategies between port and shipping enterprise, and explores the influence of relevant influencing factors on the evolutionary path. The results show that the differentiated carbon tax policy can effectively incentive port and shipping enterprise to adopt shore power technology, and the greater the difference between carbon taxes the more obvious the promotion effect of shore power. In addition, lowering the construction and operation costs for port and shipping enterprise to use shore power technology, and increasing other costs of not using shore power technology can contribute effectively to the willingness of shipping companies to utilize shore power.
Evaluation of Carbon Emission Efficiency of Chinese Oil and Gas Enterprises
Authors: Wang Yanqiu , Liang Mingxin
Published: May 2024

This paper constructs a carbon emission efficiency evaluation model using the non-expected output SBM model and the Global-Malmquist-Luenberger model to statically and dynamically evaluate the carbon emission efficiency of 69 oil and gas enterprises from 2016 to 2021. The results found that the overall carbon emission efficiency of China's oil and gas enterprises is at a relatively low level, but with an upward trend. The results also show that there are differences in carbon emission efficiency among oil and gas enterprises, and that the carbon emission efficiency of most oil and gas enterprises improves thanks to the improvement of technical efficiency.
Study on the cognitive system and key issues of green and lowcarbon production mode and lifestyle
Authors: Hu Jing , Yan Hu , Miao Yuxin
Published: May 2024

To promote the construction of ecological civilization and fundamentally solve ecological and environmental problems, it is necessary to form green and low-carbon production and lifestyle. This article focuses on the cognitive system of green and low-carbon production methods and lifestyles, analyzes the key elements of green and low-carbon production methods and lifestyle systems, and proposes typical scenarios and models of energy and electricity promoting terminal green energy consumption from an energy perspective. Based on economic and social perspectives, it constructs green cost guidance mechanisms and green behavior training mechanisms to comprehensively support the development of green and low-carbon production methods and lifestyles, and accelerate the construction of a green background for ecological civilization.
Application of Recycled Steel Fibre in Malaysia: A Review
Authors: Hamid Basyid , Asrah Hidayati , Zainal Abidin Sheikh Mohd Iqbal S.
Published: May 2024

The amount of waste tyres is expected to increase with the surge of vehicle ownership in Malaysia as tyres are vehicle vital components that require regular replacement. The improper disposal of waste tyres has generated environmental issues. Energy recovery through burning, recycling, and disposal in legal and illegal landfills are common methods in disposing of waste tyres in Malaysia. Studies show that waste tyres contain steel fibre that can be extracted and has the potential to be used in construction. In Malaysia, existing methods of material recovery are shredding and pyrolysis. The steel retrieved from waste tyres exhibits good adhesion with mechanical strength recorded up to 2165 MPa and a modulus of 300. However, the uneven shape, length, and geometry can lead to a balling effect when incorporated into concrete but with a proper mix proportion this issue can be managed. Addition of recycled steel fibre to concrete can enhance its structural strength and crack-bridging effect while the use of recycled steel fibre in hot mix asphalt can enhance its tensile strength and toughness. The utilisation of steel recovered from waste tyres presents an opportunity to address environmental concerns related to waste tyre disposal and its potential applications.
Feasibility of Recycled HDPE Planks for Sustainable Furniture Applications: A Physio-Mechanical Study
Authors: Bolong Nurmin , Saad Ismail , Asman Nurul Shadadahtul A. , Choong Wai Heng , Roslan Zazila
Published: May 2024

Plastic waste generation has become a pressing environmental challenge due to the widespread use of plastic materials, which offer versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness. This study investigates the feasibility of fabricating recycled high-density polyethene (HDPE) planks for furniture applications by evaluating their physio-mechanical properties. The research addresses the urgent need for effective waste management strategies, mainly plastic waste recycling, to mitigate environmental sustainability concerns. The study analyses the recycled HDPE planks’ tensile strength, flexural strength, and water absorption characteristics. The results indicate that the planks exhibit an average tensile strength of 14.36 ± 1.24 MPa and flexural strength of 46.57 ± 3.11 MPa, highlighting their suitability for furniture applications. Moreover, less than 0.01% water absorption rate confirms their capability to withstand outdoor conditions. A survey was conducted with 70 participants to gather feedback on the furniture product and gauge user perception. Most users expressed high satisfaction and appreciation for this sustainable initiative, recognizing the importance of promoting daily sustainability practices. This positive user feedback reinforces the significance of waste management practices and encourages the broader adoption of sustainable engineering solutions. This study offers compelling evidence supporting the utilization of recycled HDPE planks in furniture applications. It underscores the importance of effective waste management in addressing environmental concerns associated with plastic waste. The study’s findings highlight the feasibility of implementing sustainable engineering solutions to catalyze broader recycling practices adoption and promote a sustainable lifestyle.
Considering liberation beyond statehood (deferred)
Authors: Bhungalia Lisa
Published: May 2024

Complicating linear narratives of liberation, the Gaza Strip under Hamas rule, Somdeep Sen argues in Decolonizing Palestine, constitutes a microcosm of the Palestinian ‘long moment of liberation’ with Hamas assuming the dual role of an anticolonial force and postcolonial government. It is in this mix of the colonial and putatively postcolonial that this book treads. In so doing, Sen offers an important accounting of the messy temporalities of liberation that work against the grain of linear time. In this review, I think alongside Sen’s important provocation that we unbracket liberation from a unitary or single event to consider instead the punctuated, overlapping, and decisively non-linear temporalities that constitute decolonization. Equally, this review asks what dangers might inhere in tethering liberation to a governing authority? Bringing Sen’s work into conversation with contemporary Palestinian politics, movements, and revolutionary moments that cannot be contained within Hamas, this review asks how we might think with Sen about decolonisation as temporally unbounded but also as constituting heterogenous visions, forces, actors and practices that extend beyond formal structures and institutions. What might we gain, it asks, if we expand Sen’s invaluable ‘long moment of liberation’ to include this panoply of forces, visions, and instantiations of decoloniality in practice? It is here, in bridging the messy temporalities of liberation with the heterogenous forces and myriad of ways that Palestine’s decolonial futures are actively being made beyond formal parties and structures, that Sen’s thesis, it suggests, finds its liberatory potential.
Discrimination perception and problem behaviors of left-behind children in China: the mediating effect of grit and social support
Authors: Fu Wangqian , Zhu Yuehua , Chai Hongqin , Xue Rui
Published: May 2024

The study aims to explore the protection effect of grit as a personal quality and social support as an environmental factor in the association between left-behind children’s discrimination perception and problem behavior. A total of 457 left-behind children in China were recruited to complete the Discrimination Perception questionnaire, Social Support Scale, Short Grit Scale, and Problem Behavior Questionnaire. It found discrimination perception could positively associate with the problem behaviors of left-behind children. Grit played a mediating role in the relationship of left-behind children’s discrimination perception on problem behaviors. Social support played a mediating role in the association of left-behind children’s discrimination perception on problem behaviors. The higher the left-behind children’s discrimination perception, the lower their grit level, and the less social support led to the more prone to problem behaviors.
A One Health approach for the genomic surveillance of AMR
Authors: Jarocki Veronica M. , Cummins Max L. , Donato Celeste M. , Howden Benjamin P. , Djordjevic Steven P.
Published: May 2024

In the face of an escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis, genomic technologies have emerged as indispensable allies, providing innovative tools for a nuanced understanding of the abundance, persistence and mobilisation of antimicrobial resistance genes within microbial populations. This article explores advancements in genomic surveillance, including the integration with advanced computational tools to enhance our ability to predict AMR trends, detect outbreaks, and inform mitigation strategies. It highlights the critical role of a One Health approach, emphasising the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration among scientists, health care professionals, industry and policymakers to leverage genomic data for AMR management. The article showcases pioneering initiatives in Australia, such as the Melbourne Genomics Alliance’s Controlling Superbugs Clinical Flagship, the Australian Centre for Genomic Epidemiological Microbiology and AusTrakka, and discusses the need to both build global genomic databases that promote equitable analytics, and secure data-sharing platforms that support comprehensive surveillance networks. Through national and international collaborative efforts, One Health genomic surveillance represents a key strategy in enhancing our understanding and control of AMR and should be integrated into public health frameworks to safeguard against ever emerging AMR threats.
Multimodal joint fantasising as a category‑implicative and category‑relations‑implicative action in online
multi‑party interaction
Authors: Sinkeviciute Valeria
Published: May 2024

Drawing on interactional pragmatics and membership categorisation analysis, with a focus on (un)accomplished
intersubjectivity, categories and social action, this paper explores some new aspects of multimodal joint fantasising in online
interaction. The data for this study comes from the public Facebook event page regarding the ‘ski field opening’ in Brisbane, a
sub-tropical city in Australia. The first part of the analysis examines how intersubjectivity is accomplished through joint
fantasising co-constructed among the posters, serving entertainment purposes. Invoking their membership in the category
‘fantasisers’, this is done in two ways: (1) flat co-construction gradient; and (2) upgraded
co-construction gradient. The second part focusses on the instances wherein intersubjectivity in relation to the
fantasy world is unaccomplished. It is indexed through (1) metapragmatic labels of humour types; (2) treating the event as real;
and (3) doubting the authenticity of the event and challenging the joint fantasising posts. As a result, additional categories
emerge, thereby constructing category relations, namely, oppositional categories such as ‘fantasisers’-‘the gullible’ and
‘fantasisers’-‘sceptics’. This in situ change, I argue, creates a shift in the pragmatic function of joint
fantasising, moving from a category-implicative action (serving entertainment) to a
category-relations-implicative action (serving jocular criticism). This paper adds to the research on joint
fantasising, categorial work and social action, and broadly contributes to our understanding of how members of the society orient
to contexts and categories in and through talk-in-interaction.
Quantum block coherence with respect to projective measurements
Authors: Wang 王 Pu 璞 , Li 李 Zhong-Yan 忠艳 , Meng 孟 Hui-Xian 会贤
Published: May 2024

Quantum coherence serves as a defining characteristic of quantum mechanics, finding extensive applications in quantum computing and quantum communication processing. This study explores quantum block coherence in the context of projective measurements, focusing on the quantification of such coherence. Firstly, we define the correlation function between the two general projective measurements P and Q, and analyze the connection between sets of block incoherent states related to two compatible projective measurements P and Q. Secondly, we discuss the measure of quantum block coherence with respect to projective measurements. Based on a given measure of quantum block coherence, we characterize the existence of maximal block coherent states through projective measurements. This research integrates the compatibility of projective measurements with the framework of quantum block coherence, contributing to the advancement of block coherence measurement theory.
The aortic paradox: a nationwide analysis of 523 994 individual echocardiograms exploring fatal aortic dissection
Authors: Paratz Elizabeth D , Nadel James , Humphries Julie , Rowe Stephanie , Fahy Louise , La Gerche Andre , Prior David , Celermajer David , Strange Geoffrey , Playford David
Published: May 2024

Aims

Increasing aortic dilation increases the risk of aortic dissection. Nevertheless, dissection occurs at dimensions below guideline-directed cut-offs for prophylactic surgery. Currently, there are no large-scale population imaging data assessing aortic dimensions before dissection.

Methods and results

Patients within the National Echo Database of Australia were stratified according to absolute, height-indexed, and body surface area (BSA)-indexed aortic dimensions. Fatal thoracic aortic dissections (ICD-10-AM Code I71) were identified via linkage with the National Death Index. A total of 524 994 individuals were assessed, comprising patients with normal aortic dimensions (n = 460 992), mild dilation (n = 53 402), moderate dilation (n = 10 029), and severe dilation (n = 572). A total of 274 992 (52.4%) were males, with a median age of 64 years and a median follow-up time of 6.9 years. Eight hundred and ninety-nine fatal aortic dissections occurred (normal diameter = 610, mildly dilated aorta = 215, moderately dilated = 53, and severely dilated = 21). Using normal aortas as the reference population, odds of fatal dissection increased with aortic diameter [mild = odds ratio (OR) 3.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.61–3.56; moderate = OR 4.0, 95% CI 3.02–5.30; severe = OR 28.72, 95% CI 18.44–44.72]. Due to the much larger number of patients without severe aortic dilation, 97.7% of fatal aortic dissections occurred in non-severely dilated aortas. Following sensitivity analysis, severe aortic dilation was responsible for at most 24.4% of fatal aortic dissections. The results were robust for absolute, height-indexed, or BSA-indexed aortic measurements.

Conclusion

Although severe aortic dilatation is associated with a near-30-fold increase in fatal dissections, severely dilated aortas are implicated in only 2.3–24.4% of fatal dissections. This highlights the ‘aortic paradox’ and limitations of current guidelines. Future studies should seek to refine risk predictors in patients without severe aortic dilation.
Chemical genomic analysis reveals the interplay between iron chelation, zinc homeostasis, and retromer function in the bioactivity of an ethanol adduct of the feijoa fruit–derived ellagitannin vescalagin
Authors: Mokhtari Mona , Amiri Pegah , Miller Darach , Gresham David , Bloor Stephen J , Munkacsi Andrew B
Published: May 2024

Nature has been a rich source of pharmaceutical compounds, producing 80% of our currently prescribed drugs. The feijoa plant, Acca sellowiana, is classified in the family Myrtaceae, native to South America, and currently grown worldwide to produce feijoa fruit. Feijoa is a rich source of bioactive compounds with anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal activities; however, the mechanism of action of these compounds is largely not known. Here, we used chemical genetic analyses in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate the mechanism of action of a feijoa-derived ethanol adduct of vescalagin (EtOH-vescalagin). Genome-wide barcode sequencing analysis revealed yeast strains lacking genes in iron metabolism, zinc metabolism, retromer function, or mitochondrial function were hypersensitive to 0.3 µM EtOH-vescalagin. This treatment increased expression of iron uptake proteins at the plasma membrane, which was a compensatory response to reduced intracellular iron. Likewise, EtOH-vescalagin increased expression of the Cot1 protein in the vacuolar membrane that transports zinc into the vacuole to prevent cytoplasmic accumulation of zinc. Each individual subunit in the retromer complex was required for the iron homeostatic mechanism of EtOH-vescalagin, while only the cargo recognition component in the retromer complex was required for the zinc homeostatic mechanism. Overexpression of either retromer subunits or high-affinity iron transporters suppressed EtOH-vescalagin bioactivity in a zinc-replete condition, while overexpression of only retromer subunits increased EtOH-vescalagin bioactivity in a zinc-deficient condition. Together, these results indicate that EtOH-vescalagin bioactivity begins with extracellular iron chelation and proceeds with intracellular transport of zinc via the retromer complex. More broadly, this is the first report of a bioactive compound to further characterize the poorly understood interaction between zinc metabolism and retromer function.
Advocating for Alignment in Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Definitions
Authors: Naureckas Li Caitlin , Bonebrake Amanda , Mansavage Erica , Moravec Amy , Schroeder Sangeeta K
Published: May 2024

Reporting definitions for Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are frequently used to identify cases for quality improvement purposes. Here we highlight the discrepancies in reporting criteria for pediatric cardiac surgery procedures and call for alignment in definitions.
Can a charitable trust be valid, notwithstanding the existence of non-charitable purposes? The landmark decision of the Royal Court of Jersey In the Matter of the Estate of the Late Constantin Mattas
Authors: Alexander Stephen , Brennan Kiara
Published: May 2024

In a recent judgment regarding the Jersey moveable estate of a Greek national (In the Matter of the Estate of the Late Constantin Mattas  [2024]JRC068), the Royal Court decided several issues of trusts and probate law, some novel, and some which go to the very heart of the question of what constitutes a valid Jersey trust. Most notably, the Court held that, in the present case involving a trust for both charitable and non-charitable purposes, the failure of the non-charitable purpose resulted in the whole of the assets of the Trust being held for the benefit of the charitable purpose, rather than the failure of the trust as a whole.
Lactate metabolism and acute kidney injury
Authors: Li Hui , Ren Qian , Shi Min , Ma Liang , Fu Ping
Published: May 2024

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinically critical syndrome in hospitalized patients with high morbidity and mortality. At present, the mechanism of AKI has not been fully elucidated, and no therapeutic drugs exist. As known, glycolytic product lactate is a key metabolite in physiological and pathological processes. The kidney is an important gluconeogenic organ, where lactate is the primary substrate of renal gluconeogenesis in physiological conditions. During AKI, altered glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in kidneys significantly disturb the lactate metabolic balance, which exert impacts on the severity and prognosis of AKI. Additionally, lactate-derived posttranslational modification, namely lactylation, is novel to AKI as it could regulate gene transcription of metabolic enzymes involved in glycolysis or Warburg effect. Protein lactylation widely exists in human tissues and may severely affect non-histone functions. Moreover, the strategies of intervening lactate metabolic pathways are expected to bring a new dawn for the treatment of AKI. This review focused on renal lactate metabolism, especially in proximal renal tubules after AKI, and updated recent advances of lactylation modification, which may help to explore potential therapeutic targets against AKI.
The Aurora B-controlled PP1/RepoMan complex determines the spatial and temporal distribution of mitotic H2B S6 phosphorylation
Authors: Pfisterer Maximilian , Robert Roman , Saul Vera V. , Pritz Amelie , Seibert Markus , Feederle Regina , Schmitz M. Lienhard
Published: May 2024

The precise spatial and temporal control of histone phosphorylations is important for the ordered progression through the different phases of mitosis. The phosphorylation of H2B at S6 (H2B S6ph), which is crucial for chromosome segregation, reaches its maximum level during metaphase and is limited to the inner centromere. We discovered that the temporal and spatial regulation of this modification, as well as its intensity, are governed by the scaffold protein RepoMan and its associated catalytically active phosphatases, PP1α and PP1γ. Phosphatase activity is inhibited at the area of maximal H2B S6 phosphorylation at the inner centromere by site-specific Aurora B-mediated inactivation of the PP1/RepoMan complex. The motor protein Mklp2 contributes to the relocalization of Aurora B from chromatin to the mitotic spindle during anaphase, thus alleviating Aurora B-dependent repression of the PP1/RepoMan complex and enabling dephosphorylation of H2B S6. Accordingly, dysregulation of Mklp2 levels, as commonly observed in tumour cells, leads to the lack of H2B S6 dephosphorylation during early anaphase, which might contribute to chromosomal instability.
Successful Management of Anaerobic Meningitis Caused by Propionibacterium acnes: A Case Report
Authors: Ma Xinyue , Zhang Weiting , Sun Guodong , Ye Xiangnan , Yang Wei
Published: May 2024

Meningitis due to Propionibacterium acnes is very rare in the absence of neurosurgical intervention. This article reports the treatment and prognosis of a case of meningitis caused by Propionibacterium acnes. Pathogenic bacteria can be detected by mNGS, and the application of appropriate antibacterial treatment can obtain a good prognosis.
SEIR: a novel multi-locus GWAS method that provides higher statistical power for fast identifying variant-phenotype associations
Authors: Zhou Guang-liang , Zhao Yun-xia , Qiao Jia-kun , Xu Fang-jun , Kuang Ren-zuo , Li Mi-lin , Wang Dao-yuan , Hu Ming-yang , Liu Xiao-lei , Li Xin-yun , Zhao Shu-hong , Zhu Meng-jin
Published: May 2024

Multi-locus genome-wide association study (GWAS) methods have considered the joint effects of multiple variants to more accurately unravel the genetic basis of complex traits. Here, we developed a novel multi-locus GWAS method named Selector-Embedded Iterative Regression (SEIR), which integrates the embedded selector with fast single-marker scanning in an iterative manner. SEIR has excellent adaptability and flexibility under various genetic architectures for qualitative and quantitative traits. Reliability of SEIR was experimentally supported by integrating GWAS with 3D epigenomics in a real trait. Conclusively, SEIR exhibits higher statistical power for fast identifying putative variants compared to other single- and multi-locus methods.
Butyrate ameliorates inflammation in colon biopsy samples of IBD patients and experimental colitis in mice involving RNA binding protein, AUF1-IL-27 axis and accelerating B1a to B10 polarization
Authors: Masid Aaheli , Das Oishika , Roy Diganta , Dutta Ankita , Sikdar Sohini , Ghosh Atanu , Banerjee Arpan , Ghosh Ujjal , Chowdhury Sutanu Acharya , Majumder Sankhasubhro , Yahya Mohammad , Sinha Surajit , Bhaumik Moumita
Published: May 2024

The pathophysiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is significantly influenced by the decline in B regulatory (B10) cells, which produce IL-10. Therefore, it is important to identify the key genes and pathways that regulate the B10 cell generation in order to develop more effective therapies. Here, we have shown that one of the short chain fatty acid, butyrate regulates the expression of RNA binding protein, AUF1 which is responsible for increasing the half-life of p28 mRNA, coding for p28 protein which associates with overexpressed EBI3 and forms functional IL-27. This effect is mediated through AUF1 binding to 3’UTR of IL-27p28 mRNA. As a consequence, IL-27 signals splenic CD19+CD5+(B1a) cells but not CD19+CD23+(B2) cells to polarize to B10 cells. We proved the importance of AUF1 and the sequential downstream players in unique cell penetrating morpholino induced AUF1 knockdown (AUF1-KD) in mice, establishing the roster of events in splenic B1a cells: butyrate-AUF1-IL-27-IL-10. We showed that there was a significant decrease in AUF1, IL-27 and IL-10 expression in the colon biopsy of IBD patients compared to non-IBD control. We have used DSS induced colitis in mice as a surrogate of IBD in human and showed the reduction in AUF1 in spleen and colon could be correlated with the decrease in IL-27 and B10 cells in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes which were reversed with butyrate treatment. We further established AUF1 as the role player by showing adoptive transfer of butyrate stimulated B1a cells from wild type mice conferring protection against colitis while adoptive transfer of butyrate stimulated B1a cells from AUF1 KD mice failed to suppress the disease. Finally, we propose that butyrate driven B1a cells as a glimmer of new hope of therapeutic possibility against colitis.
Culture wars: Empirically determining the best approach for plasmid library amplification
Authors: Mateyko Nicholas , de Boer Carl
Published: May 2024

DNA libraries are critical components of many biological assays. These libraries are often kept in plasmids that are amplified inE. colito generate sufficient material for an experiment. Library uniformity is critical for ensuring that every element in the library is tested similarly, and is thought to be influenced by the culture approach used during library amplification. We tested five commonly used culturing methods for their ability to uniformly amplify plasmid libraries: liquid, semisolid agar, cell spreader-spread plates with high or low colony density, and bead-spread plates. Each approach was evaluated with two library types: a random 80-mer library, representing high complexity low coverage of similar sequence lengths, and a human TF ORF library, representing low complexity high coverage of diverse sequence lengths. We found that no method was better than liquid culture, which produced relatively uniform libraries regardless of library type. However, when libraries were transformed with high coverage, culturing method had minimal impact on uniformity or amplification bias. Plating libraries was the worst approach by almost every measure for both library types, and, counter-intuitively, produced the strongest biases against long sequence representation. Semisolid agar amplified most elements of the library uniformly but also included outliers with orders of magnitude higher abundance. For amplifying DNA libraries, liquid culture, the simplest method, appears to be best.
Driving proteomic imbalance to combat Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1)-associated malignancy
Authors: Ram Babul Moni , Chuang Kun-Han , Dai Chengkai
Published: May 2024

Unlike genomic instability, the implications of proteomic instability in cancer remain ambiguous. By governing the proteotoxic stress response, heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) sustains proteomic stability upon environmental insults. Apart from its importance to stress resistance and survival, HSF1 is emerging as a powerful, generic oncogenic enabler. In the Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1)-deficient malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) cells,HSF1depletion prompted protein polyubiquitination, aggregation, and even tumor-suppressive amyloidogenesis. In stark contrast,HSF1is dispensable for the proteome of non-transformed human Schwann cells. Mechanistically, in MPNST cells HSF1 defends the essential mitochondrial chaperone HSP60 against the direct assault from soluble amyloid oligomers. To survive and adapt to impaired protein quality, owing toHSF1deficiency, MPNST cells mobilized JNK to repress mTORC1 and protein translation, thereby attenuating protein quantity to alleviate proteomic imbalance. mTORC1 stimulation, via either pharmacological JNK blockade, geneticTSC2depletion, or supplement with the leucine analog NV-5138, markedly aggravated the proteomic imbalance elicited byHSF1deficiency. This profound proteomic imbalance instigated non-apoptotic cell death partly through unchecked amyloidogenesis. Thus, HSF1 safeguards the cancer proteome to enable the oncogenic potential of mTORC1. Counterintuitively, this proof-of-concept study highlights driving proteomic imbalance as a new therapeutic concept to combat malignancies.
Cell-free synthesis and purification of recombinant nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and envelope (E) proteins
Authors: Wang Lin , Fei Mingming , Zhang Wenhui , Lin Sen , Jiang Zhihui , Zhang Shun , Wang Yao
Published: May 2024

Rapid production of soluble recombinant antigens is important for developingin vitrodiagnostics, vaccines, and drugs against virus such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this research, hard-to-express nucleocapsid, membrane, and envelope proteins were successfully expressed by an Escherichia coli-based cell-free protein synthesis system. The solubility of the proteins was optimized using various amphipathic molecules. Most of the impurities were easily removed by a one-step Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. This study provides an easy and quick alternative for virus’s trans-membrane and nucleotides associated recombinant protein expression, which has potential downstream application for early screening of newly emerging viruses.
Michaelis-like complex of mouse ketohexokinase isoform C
Authors: Gasper William C. , Gardner Sarah , Ross Adam , Oppelt Sarah A. , Allen Karen N. , Tolan Dean R.
Published: May 2024

Over the past forty years there has been a drastic increase in fructose-related diseases, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Ketohexokinase (KHK), the first enzyme in the liver fructolysis pathway, catalyzes the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of fructose to fructose 1-phosphate. Understanding the role of KHK in disease-related processes is crucial for the management and prevention of this growing epidemic. Molecular insight into the structure–function relationship in ligand binding and catalysis by KHK is needed for the design of therapeutic inhibitory ligands. Ketohexokinase has two isoforms: ketohexokinase A (KHK-A) is produced ubiquitously at low levels, whereas ketohexokinase C (KHK-C) is found at much higher levels, specifically in the liver, kidneys and intestines. Structures of the unliganded and liganded human isoforms KHK-A and KHK-C are known, as well as structures of unliganded and inhibitor-bound mouse KHK-C (mKHK-C), which shares 90% sequence identity with human KHK-C. Here, a high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of mKHK-C refined to 1.79 Å resolution is presented. The structure was determined in a complex with both the substrate fructose and the product of catalysis, ADP, providing a view of the Michaelis-like complex of the mouse ortholog. Comparison to unliganded structures suggests that KHK undergoes a conformational change upon binding of substrates that places the enzyme in a catalytically competent form in which the β-sheet domain from one subunit rotates by 16.2°, acting as a lid for the opposing active site. Similar kinetic parameters were calculated for the mouse and human enzymes and indicate that mice may be a suitable animal model for the study of fructose-related diseases. Knowledge of the similarity between the mouse and human enzymes is important for understanding preclinical efforts towards targeting this enzyme, and this ground-state, Michaelis-like complex suggests that a conformational change plays a role in the catalytic function of KHK-C.
New insights into the domain of unknown function (DUF) of EccC5, the pivotal ATPase providing the secretion driving force to the ESX-5 secretion system
Authors: Ceballos-Zúñiga Fernando , Menéndez Margarita , Pérez-Dorado Inmaculada
Published: May 2024

Type VII secretion (T7S) systems, also referred to as ESAT-6 secretion (ESX) systems, are molecular machines that have gained great attention due to their implications in cell homeostasis and in host–pathogen interactions in mycobacteria. The latter include important human pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the etiological cause of human tuberculosis, which constitutes a pandemic accounting for more than one million deaths every year. The ESX-5 system is exclusively found in slow-growing pathogenic mycobacteria, where it mediates the secretion of a large family of virulence factors: the PE and PPE proteins. The secretion driving force is provided by EccC5, a multidomain ATPase that operates using four globular cytosolic domains: an N-terminal domain of unknown function (EccC5
DUF) and three FtsK/SpoIIIE ATPase domains. Recent structural and functional studies of ESX-3 and ESX-5 systems have revealed EccCDUF to be an ATPase-like fold domain with potential ATPase activity, the functionality of which is essential for secretion. Here, the crystal structure of the MtbEccC5
DUF domain is reported at 2.05 Å resolution, which reveals a nucleotide-free structure with degenerated cis-acting and trans-acting elements involved in ATP binding and hydrolysis. This crystallographic study, together with a biophysical assessment of the interaction of MtbEccC5
DUF with ATP/Mg2+, supports the absence of ATPase activity proposed for this domain. It is shown that this degeneration is also present in DUF domains from other ESX and ESX-like systems, which are likely to exhibit poor or null ATPase activity. Moreover, based on an in silico model of the N-terminal region of MtbEccC5
DUF, it is hypothesized that MtbEccC5
DUF is a degenerated ATPase domain that may have retained the ability to hexamerize. These observations draw attention to DUF domains as structural elements with potential implications in the opening and closure of the membrane pore during the secretion process via their involvement in inter-protomer interactions.
Identifying factors influencing women academics in STEM careers: evidence from a Latin American country
Authors: Avolio Beatrice , Chávez Cajo Jessica Marleny
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This phenomenological study, conducted within the discourse on the underrepresentation of women in academia, examined the factors influencing the advancement of women academics in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Design/methodology/approach

The sample comprised twenty-one women academics from both public and private universities in Peru. Data were collected through in-depth interviews based on the women's experiences and subsequently processed using Moustakas’ (1994) stages for encoding, categorization, and analysis.

Findings

The study introduces a conceptual framework of nine factors – personal tastes and preferences, attitudes towards science as a vocation, care work, work–life balance, congruent gender roles, occupational segregation, lack of opportunities, low salaries, and lack of gender equality policies – that impact the career progression of women in STEM fields.

Originality/value

The results offer valuable insights for policymakers and academic authorities to address the barriers affecting women academics in STEM. The uniqueness of this paper lies in its investigation in Peru, a country with the highest female labor force participation in Latin America, where women constitute the majority of undergraduate program graduates.
The productivity and income effects of adopting improved rice varieties by smallholder farmers in Indonesia
Authors: Amrullah Eka Rastiyanto , Takeshita Hironobu , Tokuda Hiromi
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study identified the determinants of improved rice variety adoption and measured their impact on farm productivity and the income of smallholder farmers in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach

We used a multistage sampling procedure and data from household surveys in four districts in the Banten region of Indonesia. An endogenous switching regression (ESR) model was used to estimate the impact of adoption, and the propensity score matching (PSM) non-parametric method tested the strength of the ESR findings.

Findings

The farm productivity of adoption increased by 11.45% and the income of smallholder farmers increased by 12.10% when compared to that of traditional methods.

Research limitations/implications

The positive and significant effects of improved rice variety adoption indicated that research programs that develop improved rice varieties can optimize the productivity and income of smallholder farmers.

Originality/value

Adopting improved rice varieties increases the productivity and income of smallholder farmers, and the level of education, rice farming experience, access to extension workers, off-farm work, and mobile phone ownership have positive and significant effects on the adoption of improved rice varieties.
Sustainability performance measurement – a framework for context-specific applications
Authors: Damtoft Nadja Fugleberg , van Liempd Dennis , Lueg Rainer
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Researchers and practitioners have recently been interested in corporate sustainability performance (CSP). However, knowledge on measuring CSP is limited. Many CSP-measurements are eclectic, without guidance for contextual applications. This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework that categorizes, explains and evaluates measurements based on their accuracy and precision and provides a guideline for their context-specific application.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a systematic literature review of an initial sample of 1,415 papers.

Findings

The final sample of 74 papers suggested four measurement categories: isolated indicators, indicator frameworks, Sustainability Balanced Scorecards (SBSC) and Sustainability Performance Measurement Systems (SPMS). The analysis reveals that isolated indicators are inaccurate and imprecise, limiting their application to organizations with delimited, specific measurements of parts of CSP due to the risk of a GIGO-effect (i.e. low-quality input will always produce low-quality output). CSP-indicator frameworks are imprecise but accurate, making them applicable to organizations that handle a more significant amount of CSP data. They have a risk of greensplashing, i.e. many indicators not connected to the industry, organization or strategy. In contrast, SBSCs are precise but inaccurate and valuable for organizations desiring a comprehensive strategic management tool with limited capacity to handle sustainability issues. They pose a risk of the streetlight effect, where organisations do not measure relevant indicators but what is easy to measure.

Originality/value

The ideal CSP-measurement was identified as SPMSs, which are both precise and accurate. SPMSs are useful for organizations with complex, comprehensive, connected and tailored indicators but are methodologically challenging.
Brand pride: concept and measurement
Authors: Kaur Harleen , Verma Harsh V.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to conceptualize and define a construct of brand pride and develop a measurement instrument for the construct.

Design/methodology/approach

A scale development procedure comprising a qualitative prestudy and four quantitative studies for item generation and content validity, scale refinement using exploratory factor analyses, scale confirmation using confirmatory factor analysis and scale validity using PLS-SEM is followed to develop the measure of brand pride.

Findings

The scale development procedure yields a two-dimensional measurement instrument for brand pride with affective and utilitarian dimensions. The proposed scale is reliable and has convergent, discriminant and nomological validity.

Originality/value

This study highlights the need to study brand pride by reviewing literature from both psychology and marketing. The definition and conceptualization of brand pride help uniquely identify and describe the phenomenon. By developing a scale to measure the construct of brand pride, this study will enable research into the phenomenon, its causes and effects and its significance for consumer–brand relationships.
Re-imagining African millennials’ brand buying and distribution channel selection behaviour in a technologically disrupted world
Authors: Chikweche Tendai , Lappeman James , Egan Paul , Mohammed Hossain
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the factors that influence millennial purchase behaviour, brand choice and distribution channel selection in an evolving technology-driven environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was exploratory, using qualitative methods of personal interviews and some ethnographic observations to collect data from 585 millennials from ten cities in nine African countries.

Findings

Findings from the study confirm and support the critical role of e-commerce in facilitating millennials engagement with brands, highlighting how brand purchases are integral to their lifestyle choices. There is an overwhelming confirmation of the importance of influencer marketing and social media in shaping purchase decisions, with new insights into the role of local micro-influencers and social networks. The findings from the study highlight the pivotal role of a brand’s country of origin in influencing millennials’ brand preferences. The study supports and advances insights into the importance of online shopping and diverse factors influencing millennials’ selection of distribution channels.

Practical implications

There is an opportunity to leverage the growing mobile telephone penetration and social media usage to develop innovative integrated marketing communications strategies. There are opportunities for co-creating marketing communication campaigns with millennials in different settings. These are outlined in the practical implications section.

Originality/value

The paper is based on original empirical data collected from ten countries and explores the behaviour of a growing but under-researched segment of millennials in Africa.