bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Where are the biggest gaps in phylogenetic coverage of insect diversity?
Authors: Chesters Douglas
Published: September 2024

Gaps in phylogenetic knowledge are unlikely to be filled in an optimal manner in the absence of a quantitative descriptive framework of phylogenetic coverage to date and a strategy for addressing the remainder (the Darwinian Shortfall). One strategy would be modelling phylogenetic progress on a framework of insect diversity, such as a taxonomic database. I herein sampled existing phylogenetic coverage by collating a machine‐readable tree from each of 1000 insect publications. Processing comprised primarily taxonomic harmonization, the standardization of terminal labels and pruning of uninformative terminal sets such as taxon duplicates. The phylogeny database contained 94,173 unique species IDs over 154,938 terminals in total, with a respective mean and median number of species per phylogeny of 155 and 44. Omics phylogenies contained the most species on average, though not the most novel species, and mitogenome phylogenies contributed the fewest novel species. Synthesis phylogenies were very few in number, but nonetheless predicted to contribute most to increasing phylogenetic coverage of insect diversity. 6.2% of the 970,000 species of the Catalogue of Life were contained amongst the terminals of the database of phylogenies. Phylogenetic coverage of insect families was often disproportionate to species‐richness; those most undersampled were beetles and included families Curculionidae, Staphylinidae, Cerambycidae, and Scarabaeidae, and those with disproportionately high phylogenetic coverage included families of the dragonflies, bees, butterflies and ants. The work herein provides a foundation for quantification of the Darwinian Shortfall, and for shifting to an objective strategy for completing the insect Tree of Life.
Consuming place: Women, wine and imagination
Authors: Aujard Janine
Published: September 2024

This paper examines wine drinking among English and Australian women to discover and analyse the connection between their consumption of wine and their experiences, thoughts and imaginings. Comparing the experiences of women from the English town of Halifax with women from the southern suburbs of Adelaide and McLaren Vale (South Australia), I show how imbibing wine enables both groups of women to consume place, space and time, thus extending a liminal experience. Importantly, both groups of women engage with notions of national or regional identity. However, whereas English women typically experience wine drinking as a temporal engagement of social imagination involving a form of armchair alco‐tourism, Australian women mostly engage their social memory, and experience wine drinking as embedded within imagined communities of belonging. As such, this study demonstrates that wine drinking is not just gendered, but a complex, culturally situated practice and experience.
Supporting Fire Response: Advanced Spatial Data Analytics for Hydrant Access Assessment
Authors: Figueroa Vanessa Echeverri , Murray Alan T. , Funk Thelonious
Published: September 2024

California faces increasing wildfire frequency and severity, necessitating effective firefighting strategies along with well‐located infrastructure. Hydrants are vital for urban safety and must comply with established standards to adequately protect people and property. One such standard involves hydrant spacing, critical for ensuring effective emergency response in the event of a fire. Traditional geographic information systems techniques are not well suited to fully assess hydrant networks, especially in the context of spacing given complex road network geographies. This paper introduces an innovative approach to assess hydrant spacing. The developed technique is applied in the evaluation of infrastructure in Santa Barbara, California. The results reveal significant code violations along streets throughout the region, suggesting clustered pockets of vulnerability and risk. Potential strategies emerge from this analysis to enhance firefighting preparedness, offering guidance to local agencies regarding hydrant system limitations across this fire‐prone region.
Vitabiotic: An alternative approach to diabetic foot
Authors: Erdem Hüseyin A. , Yalçın Nazlıhan , Kaya Arda , Taşbakan Meltem
Published: September 2024

Diabetic foot ulcers and infections are complications that can result in significant morbidity such as the need for amputations, especially in uncontrolled diabetes, thereby profoundly impacting quality of life. While traditional treatments like wound care and antibiotics are effective, there is growing interest in the role of micronutrients (such as vitamins C, D, E, zinc and magnesium) in improving outcomes. This study aims to evaluate how these micronutrients affect diabetic foot infections and the need for amputation, offering insights to enhance overall prognosis. Patients who were hospitalised with a diagnosis of diabetic foot infection in the Infectious Diseases Department of Ege University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between 1 April 2022, and 31 January 2023 were included in the study. The patients' socio‐demographic information, characteristics of diabetic wounds, operation history, as well as their levels of micronutrients recorded on the case report form. A total of 202 patients were included in the study. The most common micronutrient deficiencies were vitamin D (69%), vitamin C (64%) and zinc (49%). The amputation rates were significantly higher in patients with deficiencies vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin D (p < 0.005). Our research revealed a significant prevalence of vitamin deficiencies among the participants, and we observed a noteworthy correlation between amputation rates and these deficiencies. Although these findings show promise, it is essential to emphasise that micronutrient supplements should not replace traditional treatments but should rather be considered as a warning sign for preventing complications, particularly amputation or extremity loss.
Structure of the Kuranishi spaces of pairs of Kähler manifolds and polystable Higgs bundles
Authors: Ono Takashi
Published: September 2024

Let be a compact Kähler manifold and be a Higgs bundle over it. We study the structure of the Kuranishi space for the pair when the Higgs bundle admits a harmonic metric or equivalently when the Higgs bundle is polystable and the Chern classes are 0. Under such assumptions, we show that the Kuranishi space of the pair is isomorphic to the direct product of the Kuranishi space of and the Kuranishi space of . Moreover, when is a Riemann surface and is stable and the degree is 0, we show that the deformation of the pair is unobstructed and calculate the dimension of the Kuranishi space.
Neurovascular coupling during dynamic upper body resistance exercise in healthy individuals
Authors: Korad Stephanie , Mündel Toby , Perry Blake G.
Published: September 2024

During unilateral static and rhythmic handgrip exercise, middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAv) increases in the contralateral side to the exercising limb. However, whether this neurovascular coupling‐mediated increase in contralateral MCAv is apparent against a background of fluctuating perfusion pressure produced by dynamic resistance exercise (RE) is unclear. We examined the cerebral haemodynamic response to unilateral dynamic RE in 30 healthy individuals (female = 16, mean ± SD: age, 26 ± 6 years; height, 175 ± 10 cm; weight, 74 ± 15 kg; body mass index, 24 ± 5 kg m−2). Participants completed four sets of 10 paced repetitions (15 repetitions min−1) of unilateral bicep curl exercise at 60% of the predicted one‐repetition maximum (7 ± 3 kg). Beat‐to‐beat blood pressure, bilateral MCAv and end‐tidal carbon dioxide were measured throughout. One‐way ANOVA was used to analyse cardiovascular variables and two‐way ANOVA to analyse dependent cerebrovascular variables (side × sets, 2 × 5). A linear mixed model analysis was also performed to investigate the effects of end‐tidal carbon dioxide and mean arterial blood pressure on MCAv. In comparison to baseline, within‐exercise mean arterial blood pressure increased (P < 0.001) across the sets, whereas bilateral MCAv decreased (P < 0.001). However, no significant interaction effect was observed for any dependent variables (all P > 0.787). The linear mixed model revealed that end‐tidal carbon dioxide had the greatest effect on MCAv (estimate = 1.019, t = 8.490, P < 0.001). No differences were seen in contralateral and ipsilateral MCAv during dynamic RE, suggesting that neurovascular coupling contributions during dynamic RE might be masked by other regulators, such as blood pressure.
Ética espacializada enquanto mundos possíveis: ensaios sobre bioética em um conjunto habitacional limeirense
Authors: Sartori Cordova Vitor
Published: September 2024

Na pandemia, surgiram demasiadas reflexões relacionadas às urgentes formas de habitar eticamente o planeta. Propunham posicionamentos radicais que vislumbravam o fim do capitalismo. Porém, este salto centrou-se numa explanação verticalizada dos arranjos sociais, dado que o determinismo econômico arrogava-se uma interpretação dos lugares aonde estes arranjos eram concretizados. Portanto, a requerida busca por mais empatia com o planeta, este lugar habitado pelos humanos, sofreria de certo niilismo, o qual desconsideraria a potência das alternativas praticadas pelo senso comum. Assim, este artigo não discute demais possibilidades éticas para a renovação desta empatia neste vívido lugar. Apenas enfatiza que esta empatia subsiste em locais desconsiderados para tal empreitada, como nos conjuntos habitacionais populares. Desta forma, pretende-se discutir, com os relatos dos moradores do Conjunto Habitacional “Rubi” da cidade brasileira de Limeira, que a fundação de lugares éticos já é vivida nas situações que sentem na luta pela sobrevivência social, salutar e habitacional.
Regulación emocional, autoeficacia, salud y conflicto en parejas de pacientes con cardiopatía o cáncer
Authors: Torres Quintero Evelyn Aislyn , Sánchez Aragón Rozzana
Published: September 2024

Las enfermedades crónico-degenerativas afectan no solo a quienes las padecen, sino también a sus parejas, quienes suelen involucrarse en la problemática y experimentar emociones cuya regulación resulta fundamental evaluar con miras a su calidad de vida, brindándoles herramientas para enfrentar de mejor manera su situación; no obstante, la investigación en este terreno es pobre, por lo que el objetivo de este análisis fue explorar las posibles diferencias en el uso, frecuencia y autoeficacia en el ejercicio de las estrategias de regulación emocional, salud y motivos de conflicto por sexo, enfermedad de la pareja y escolaridad en 130 parejas de pacientes con cardiopatía y 131 parejas de pacientes con cáncer. Tras realizar algunos análisis de varianza (ANOVA) se encontró que las mujeres reportaron más motivos de conflicto, que las parejas de pacientes con cardiopatía hacían más uso de supresión expresiva y que las de pacientes con cáncer percibieron menor calidad de vida; en contraparte, quienes tenían alta escolaridad reportaron mejor calidad de vida, mientras que los de baja escolaridad indicaron más motivos de conflicto. Estos datos ponen en evidencia el impacto de las cardiopatías y el cáncer, así como su sobrecarga en la regulación emocional, la salud y el conflicto reportados por las parejas de los pacientes.
A Simplified Injection Model for Variable Area Turbine Fluidic Throttling
Authors: Spens Alexander , McFadden Evan J. , Westrick Cole D. , Bons Jeffrey P.
Published: September 2024

Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of using fluidic actuators to throttle the flow through a nozzle guide vane, enabling a variable area turbine (VAT) with no moving parts. A simplified model was developed to assess the driving design factors that influence the blocked flow fraction and throttling effectiveness of the actuators. The model approximates slot injection using a simplified stream tube analysis, neglecting mixing with the primary passage flow. Throttling performance is predicted for fluidic actuators with different widths, orientations, streamwise locations, and pressure ratios. This simplified model evaluates these actuators in a constant width straight duct and a variable width duct. Two-dimensional CFD of injection in the nozzle guide vane passage reported strong agreement with the results of the simple model using the variable width duct. Higher injection pressure ratios result in more injected mass flow but not significantly higher throttling effectiveness. Wider slots retain the effectiveness and block much more primary flow. Upstream oriented injection proves best for both effectiveness and blockage capabilities. Finally, there is an optimal injection location relative to the passage throat, which is extracted by both the model and CFD. This model has potential application for optimizing fluidic VAT throttling designs while saving on the cost of high-fidelity testing and production of these configurations.
An Automated Data-Driven Approach for Product Design Strategies to Respond to Market Disruption Following COVID-19
Authors: Park Seyoung , Lin Kangcheng , Joung Junegak , Kim Harrison
Published: September 2024

Online reviews provide a source to identify customer needs. While many studies have analyzed online reviews during the pandemic, it is worth noting that many customer preference studies in this period were not conducted within a product design context. The societal challenges presented by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, spanning nearly three years, have significantly impacted all facets of the population in a manner unparalleled in recent decades. Therefore, this research delves into the post-COVID-19 landscape, examining shifts in consumer preferences for diverse product features through an analysis of online reviews. Our framework unfolds in five stages: First, it collects online reviews and second, delves into customer interest in product features. Third, it analyzes customer sentiments toward these features. Fourth, employing interpretable machine learning techniques, it determines the significance of each feature. Fifth, an importance-performance analysis (IPA) and Kano models are utilized to formulate and analyze product strategies. The developed method is assessed on two real-world datasets—smartphone and laptop reviews. The results reveal that after the pandemic, customer satisfaction for the screen and camera in smartphones decreased, whereas it increased for those in laptops. In addition, the importance of battery features in smartphones and laptops has increased. These insights will aid companies in promptly formulating strategies to navigate dynamic market environments.
Representation Learning for Sequential Volumetric Design Tasks
Authors: Alam Md Ferdous , Wang Yi , Cheng Chin-Yi , Luo Jieliang
Published: September 2024

Volumetric design, also called massing design, is the first and critical step in professional building design, which is sequential in nature. As the volumetric design process requires careful design decisions and iterative adjustments, the underlying sequential design process encodes valuable information for designers. Many efforts have been made to automatically generate reasonable volumetric designs, but the quality of the generated design solutions varies, and evaluating a design solution requires either a prohibitively comprehensive set of metrics or expensive human expertise. While previous approaches focused on learning only the final design instead of sequential design tasks, we propose to encode the design knowledge from a collection of expert or high-performing design sequences and extract useful representations using transformer-based models. Later we propose to utilize the learned representations for crucial downstream applications such as design preference evaluation and procedural design generation. We develop the preference model by estimating the density of the learned representations, whereas we train an autoregressive transformer model for sequential design generation. We demonstrate our ideas by leveraging a novel dataset of thousands of sequential volumetric designs. Our preference model can compare two arbitrarily given design sequences and is almost 90% accurate in evaluation against random design sequences. Our autoregressive model is also capable of autocompleting a volumetric design sequence from a partial design sequence.
Numerical Simulation Study of Boiling Heat Transfer of R290 Flow in Horizontal Microtubes
Authors: Dai Yuande , Gong Haocheng , Ren Xueying , Pan Chuang , Li Jinye
Published: September 2024

R290 is considered to be an excellent alternative refrigerant for domestic air conditioners in the future. In this article, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation was used to obtain the flow field distribution of R290 in a microfine circular tube with an inner diameter of 2 mm under a specific range of working conditions, and the effects of saturation temperature, mass flow density, heat flow density, and tube type on the boiling heat transfer characteristics of R290 tube were investigated. The results show that the boiling heat transfer coefficient increases with the increase of saturation temperature, and the maximum value of the heat transfer coefficient increases by 8.1% when the saturation temperature increases from 284 K to 286 K. The boiling heat transfer coefficient increases with the increase of mass flow density, and the maximum value appears in the medium dryness range. The boiling heat transfer coefficient in the tube increases and then decreases when the heat flow density increases from 10 kW/m2 to 20 kW/m2 and increases faster at high heat flow density conditions. In addition, compared with the circular tube, the boiling heat transfer coefficient in the elliptical tube with an aspect ratio of 1.56 increases by 2.78% for R290 under the same flow area.
Kinetics and Modeling of the Heat and Mass Transfer During the Solar Drying of Cassava Slices Under Natural Convection Mode
Authors: Komolafe Clement A. , Mumuni Fuseini , Jimoh Kabiru A. , Akendola Frederick A.
Published: September 2024

The kinetics and modeling of heat and mass transfer during the solar drying of cassava slices integrated with the pebble's sensible thermal storage material (PSTSM) were investigated. Fifteen thin layer drying models were adopted to model the drying curves following standard criteria for fitness. The maximum temperatures were 52.5 °C and 55 °C for plywood drying chamber (PLC) and Perspex glass chamber (PGC), respectively. It took both drying systems with Perspex and plywood chambers 38 h to reduce the moisture content of cassava slices from 56% w.b. to 10.62 and 15.20% w.b., respectively. The effective moisture diffusivity (De) for the system with Perspex glass and plywood chambers were 6.28 × 10−10 m2/s and 4.53 × 10−10 m2/s, respectively. The activation energy values were 20.56 kJ/mol and 20.82 kJ/mol for the system with Perspex and plywood, respectively. The mass transfer coefficient values for the cassava slices dried in Perspex and plywood were 1.70 × 10−6 and 1.67 × 10−6 m/s, respectively. At the same time, the heat transfer coefficients were 2.63 and 2.08 W/m2.K. The Midilli et al. and modified Henderson and Pabis models were adjudged the best to describe the solar drying of cassava slices using the Perspex and plywood drying chamber, respectively. Therefore, the obtained results would be useful in the design of solar drying equipment for agricultural products under natural convection mode.
Exercise for the Treatment of Postpartum Lumbopelvic Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Yamamoto Akari , Radzak Kara N.
Published: September 2024

Focused Clinical Question: In individuals reporting low back pain postpartum, is exercise an effective intervention to reduce symptoms? Clinical Bottom Line: There is moderate evidence to support the use of an exercise intervention to reduce pain and improve functional disability in postpartum females with low back pain.
Effects of the Birthplace Altitude and Training Volume on Hematological Characteristics in Youth and Junior Male Colombian Cyclists
Authors: Mancera-Soto Erica , Garzon Mauricio , Comtois Alain S. , Millet Grégoire P.
Published: September 2024

Purpose: The long-term development of talent in endurance sports is a topic of interest. Among various factors, the importance of total hemoglobin mass (tHbmass) and the potential benefits of being an altitude-native athlete remain unclear, particularly in young categories. This study aimed to investigate the impact of altitude and training content on hematological characteristics by comparing young male cyclists age 15–16 and 17–18 years who were born and trained at a moderate altitude (ie, greater than or equal to 2500 m; MA) and cyclists who were born and trained at low altitude (below 1000 m; LA). Methods: tHbmass (in grams and grams per kilogram), measured by using the optimized carbon monoxide rebreathing method during an incremental test on a cycle ergometer; hematocrit percentage, hemoglobin concentration; and erythrocyte, blood, and plasma volume were measured in youth male cyclists age 15–16 years and junior cyclists age 17–18 years who were born and trained at MA versus LA. All variables were analyzed with a 2-way (age [youth cyclist vs junior cyclist] × altitude level [MA vs LA]) analysis of variance with subsequent Tuckey post hoc test. Results and Conclusion: Some altitude-induced benefits were reported in cyclists at age 15–16 years in the MA group with higher values in hematocrit percentage, hemoglobin concentration, and tHbmass (grams per kilogram) (P < .05) than their LA counterparts. This was also observed at age 17–18 years (P < .001), except for tHbmass, wherein no significant difference was found between MA and LA groups. In contrast, plasma volume was lower in MA than LA junior cyclists. New Findings: (1) The altitude of birth and residence could generate an advantage in tHbmass in young male cyclists age 15–16 and 17–18 years who train at MA compared with cyclists who are born and train at LA. (2) Altitude-induced benefits in physiological variables (hematocrit percentage, hemoglobin concentration, tHbmass in g·kg−1) were reported in cyclists at age 15–16 years and partially at age 17–18 years. In contrast, plasma volume was lower in MA than in LA junior cyclists. This may impact the strategies for identifying and developing talent in cycling.
Sensitivity of Minimally Invasive Protocols to Monitor Changes in Endurance Performance in Elite Junior Football (Soccer) Players
Authors: Schimpchen Jan , Correia Paulo F. , Meyer Tim
Published: September 2024

Purpose: Adequate physical fitness is a key requirement for elite footballers. Maximal fitness tests are the standard for evaluating fitness but are often fatiguing and time consuming. This study investigated the ability of various minimally invasive protocols to reflect changes in standard parameters of football players’ physical fitness. Methods: Twenty-one elite junior footballers performed 2 standard fitness tests (stepwise incremental treadmill test with blood-lactate and heart-rate [HR] measurements and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery 1 test) and various proxy fitness evaluations (submaximal runs with measurement of exercise HR and HR recovery and external-to-internal load ratios with data collected during match play) 3 times over the course of 19 weeks. Changes in the standard parameters were compared with changes in proxy parameters. Results: Changes in maximal endurance performance showed small to moderate associations with HR-based proxy parameters (r = −.1 to −.46; P = .004–.56), whereas changes in the running velocity at anaerobic threshold had trivial to moderate associations (r = −.07 to −.39; P = .01–.67). Alterations in HR recovery following 2 short, submaximal runs were very largely correlated with changes in the running velocity corresponding to an HR of 170 beats·min−1 (r = −.74 and r = –.75; P < .001). Changes in external-to-internal load ratios derived from match play were not significantly correlated with changes in any of the standard parameters (r = −.03 to .31; P > .05). Conclusions: Parameters of maximal running performance and parameters describing physiological thresholds do not seem to be adequately captured by different minimally invasive protocols. In contrast, HR recovery following short, submaximal runs may be a valid tool to monitor changes in aerobic endurance adaptations.
Associations Between Substitution of Sedentary Behavior Patterns With Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescents: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Volpato Leonardo Alex , Weber Vinícius Muller Reis , Lopes Wendell Arthur , Sasaki Jeffer Eidi , Romanzini Catiana Leila Possamai , Ronque Enio Ricardo Vaz , Romanzini Marcelo
Published: September 2024

Background: Little is known on how the substitution of time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) patterns with time spent in physical activity impacts cardiovascular risk factors during adolescence. The study aimed to investigate how the substitution of time spent in SB and sedentary bouts with time spent in different physical activity intensities was associated with longitudinal changes in cardiovascular risk factors in analyses stratified by sex. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study with a mean follow-up period of 3.2 (±0.34) years, involving 109 (60 girls and 49 boys) Brazilian adolescents. Body mass index, waist circumference, and cardiorespiratory fitness were the cardiovascular risk factors considered. A cardiovascular risk score was calculated. Sedentary bouts, light physical activity (LPA), and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured by accelerometers. Multivariate linear regression models adopting the isotemporal substitution were used to analyze the association between substitution of 10 minutes per day of sedentary bouts with LPA and MVPA and risk factors. All analyses considered 5% significance levels. Results: Substitutions of SB, short and long bouts, with MVPA were associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness in boys (β = 0.077; 95% confidence interval, 0.001 to 0.55; β = 0.076; 95% confidence interval, 0.003 to 0.154; and β = 0.084; 95% confidence interval, 0.001 to 0.167, respectively). No associations were observed when analyses involved substitution of sedentary bouts with LPA, adiposity, cardiovascular risk score, and girls. Conclusions: Substituting SB bouts with MVPA appears to favorably influence changes of cardiorespiratory fitness in boys during adolescence. Greater benefits appear to occur when longer sedentary bouts are substituted by MVPA.
Are the Relationships of Physical Activity and Television Viewing Time With Mortality Robust to Confounding? A Study, Utilizing E-Values, From the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study
Authors: Kwan Baldwin Pok Man , Lynch Brigid M. , Edbrooke Lara , Hodge Allison , Swain Christopher T.V.
Published: September 2024

Background: Physical activity and sedentary behavior are associated with health outcomes. However, evidence may be affected by confounding bias. This study aimed to examine the relationships of physical activity and television (TV) viewing time with all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in a cohort of Australian adults, and determine the robustness of these relationships to residual and unmeasured confounding. Methods: Data from 27,317 Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study participants (mean age = 66) were used. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Short Form and categorized as insufficient, sufficient, or more than sufficient. TV viewing time was categorized as low, moderate, or high. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to evaluate associations of interest. E-values were calculated to assess the strength of unmeasured confounders required to negate the observed results. Results: For highest versus lowest physical activity category, the hazard ratio was 0.67 (95% confidence interval, 0.56–0.81) for all-cause mortality; E-values ranged between 1.79 and 2.44. Results were similar for cardiovascular mortality; however, hazard ratios were lower (0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–1.01) and E-values much smaller (1.00–2.12) for cancer mortality. For highest versus lowest TV viewing time category, the hazard ratio was 1.08 (1.01–1.15) for all-cause mortality; E-values ranged between 1.00 and 1.37. Results were similar for cardiovascular and cancer mortality. Conclusions: Physical activity and TV viewing time were associated with mortality. The robustness to unmeasured/residual confounding was moderate for physical activity (all-cause and cardiovascular mortality), but weaker for physical activity (cancer mortality) and TV viewing time in this study of Australian adults.
Engagement in Sedentary and Physically Active After-School Programs Among African American Children with ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders
Authors: Ramer Jared D. , Santiago-Rodriguez María Enid , Rusch Dana B. , Mehta Tara G. , Cua Grace E. , Frazier Stacy L. , Atkins Marc S. , Hamstra-Wright Karrie L. , Bustamante Eduardo E.
Published: September 2024

Context: Sport and physical activity (PA) programs are an important developmental resource for youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Disruptive Behavior Disorders. The purpose of this study is to assess sport participation rates, PA participation, and after-school supervision rates among African American children with ADHD and/or Disruptive Behavior Disorders. Design: In this cross-sectional study, parents of African American children with elevated symptoms of ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and/or conduct disorder (N = 175, 6- to 12-y-old, 31% female) reported after-school program participation over the past year. Methods: Logistic regression analyses tested relationships between ADHD symptoms, oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, and conduct disorder symptoms, likelihood of regular participation (≥2 d/wk) in sport, PA, and sedentary after-school programs, and likelihood of being supervised and unsupervised after school. All regressions controlled for age, sex, income, and medication status. Sample participation rates were descriptively compared with participation rates of same-aged peers regionally, and nationally, reported in 3 national surveys. Results: Parents in the local sample reported higher rates of sedentary after-school program participation (54%) but lower rates of PA program participation (31%), and sport participation (12%) compared with same-aged peers. The local sample was less likely to be unsupervised after-school compared with same-aged peers with only 27% of parents reporting that their child was unsupervised ≥ 2 days per week. Children endorsing oppositional defiant disorder (odds ratio = 2.05; P < .05) and conduct disorder (odds ratio = 5.74; P < .05) were more likely to be unsupervised more frequently after-school as compared with those not meeting endorsement. Conclusions: Given demonstrated benefits of youth sport programming and observed inequities in participation, there is a need to develop support models that connect parents, coaches, and social services agencies to facilitate inclusion. Sports medicine professionals are uniquely positioned to contribute to these efforts, as they are often key opinion leaders in both the youth sport and health care contexts.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Does Not Increase the Risk for a Future Concussion: A Unidirectional Phenomenon
Authors: McPherson April L. , Larson Dirk R. , Shirley Matthew B. , Dancy Malik E. , Bates Nathaniel A. , Schilaty Nathan D.
Published: September 2024

Context: Epidemiological studies have shown an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury after concussion. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the reverse relationship exists, specifically whether there is an increased risk of concussion after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in a population-based cohort. Design: Retrospective cohort. Methods: The Rochester Epidemiology Project was searched between 2000 and 2017 for International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th Revision codes relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of concussion and ACL tear. A total of 1294 unique patients with acute, isolated ACL tears and no previous history of concussion were identified. Medical records for cases were reviewed to confirm ACL tear diagnosis and to determine history of concussion after the ACL injury. Cases were matched by age, sex, and Rochester Epidemiology Project availability to patients without an ACL tear (1:3 match), resulting in 3882 controls. Medical records of matched control patients were reviewed to rule out history of ACL injury. The hazard ratio of concussion injury following an ACL injury was determined. Results: Nine patients with an ACL injury suffered concussion up to 3 years after the ACL injury. The rate of concussion was no different between ACL-injured cases (0.7%) compared with matched controls with no ACL injury (1.2%), which corresponded to a hazard ratio of 0.55 (95% confidence interval, 0.3–1.1; P = .10). Conclusions: Based on the current evidence, there does not appear to be a significant association between ACL injury and subsequent concussion, which suggests that a concussion uniquely affects the risk of future subsequent musculoskeletal injury.
Sport and Transnational Indigenous Solidarity From Turtle Island to Palestine? Examining Iroquois Nationals’ 2018 Trip to Israel
Authors: Chen Chen
Published: September 2024

The Iroquois Nationals’ participation in the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship was welcomed by the hosting Israeli state despite the call for boycott from the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and pro-Palestinian groups’ appeal for Indigenous solidarity. This paper discusses the historical/geopolitical contexts of this event and examines the responses from multiple parties, including the team representatives, pro-Israel groups, and Indigenous media/activists. By bringing together literature in Indigenous studies, settler colonial studies, Palestinian studies, and critical sport studies, it highlights the challenges for transnational solidarity in the sport industry as well as the urgency for deepening an internationalist anticolonial/anti-imperialist political consciousness among athletes and sport organizations, Indigenous or non-Indigenous alike.
Attosecond impulsive stimulated X-ray Raman scattering in liquid water
Authors: Alexander Oliver , Egun Felix , Rego Laura , Gutierrez Ana Martinez , Garratt Douglas , Cárdenas Gustavo Adolfo , Nogueira Juan J. , Lee Jacob P. , Zhao Kaixiang , Wang Ru-Pan , Ayuso David , Barnard Jonathan C. T. , Beauvarlet Sandra , Bucksbaum Philip H. , Cesar David , Coffee Ryan , Duris Joseph , Frasinski Leszek J. , Huse Nils , Kowalczyk Katarzyna M. , Larsen Kirk A. , Matthews Mary , Mukamel Shaul , O'Neal Jordan T. , Penfold Thomas , Thierstein Emily , Tisch John W. G. , Turner James R. , Vogwell Josh , Driver Taran , Berrah Nora , Lin Ming-Fu , Dakovski Georgi L. , Moeller Stefan P. , Cryan James P. , Marinelli Agostino , Picón Antonio , Marangos Jonathan P.
Published: September 2024

We report the measurement of impulsive stimulated x-ray Raman scattering in neutral liquid water. An attosecond pulse drives the excitations of an electronic wavepacket in water molecules. The process comprises two steps: a transition to core-excited states near the oxygen atoms accompanied by transition to valence-excited states. Thus, the wavepacket is impulsively created at a specific atomic site within a few hundred attoseconds through a nonlinear interaction between the water and the x-ray pulse. We observe this nonlinear signature in an intensity-dependent Stokes Raman sideband at 526 eV. Our measurements are supported by our state-of-the-art calculations based on the polarization response of water dimers in bulk solvation and propagation of attosecond x-ray pulses at liquid density.
Investigations of microbial adaptation to singular, binary, and fully formulated quaternary ammonium compounds
Authors: Willmott Thomas , Kelly Paul P. , Jadaan Layali , Gifford Danna R. , Mercer Steven D. , Humphreys Gavin J. , Knight Christopher G. , Lu Jian R. , McBain Andrew J.
Published: September 2024

The study was conducted to inform risk assessments concerning microbial exposure to quaternary ammonium biocides (QUATs) by investigating their effects on 10 microbial strains of hygiene relevance. Biocides were divided into three categories: simple aqueous solutions, biocide mixtures, and formulated biocides. Organisms were grown in the presence of biocides for 10 generations and then subsequently for another 10 generations in biocide-free media. Control organisms were passaged 20 times in biocide-free media. Strains were then assessed for biocide and antibiotic susceptibility, changes in growth dynamics, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Biocide mixtures demonstrated greater antimicrobial potency than singular and formulated biocides. Susceptibility changes of under twofold were observed for all biocides tested. Susceptibility decreased significantly for organisms passaged with singular biocides (1.29- to 4.35-fold) and biocide mixtures (1.4- to 1.5-fold), but not for formulated biocides (1.3- to 1.84-fold) compared to controls. Antibiotic susceptibility both increased and decreased in passaged organisms, with heightened susceptibility occurring more frequently in the singular biocide group. Changes in susceptibility and growth dynamics were similar in the passaged and unexposed controls for fitness measures of adapted bacteria; there were no significant differences between biocide groups, but significantly lower generation and doubling times in organisms exposed to singular biocides. Similar frequencies in SNPs occurred for the three biocide groups and unexposed controls. While some adaptations occurred, particularly with singular biocides, the impact on antibiotic resistance and genomic mutations was limited. These findings suggest that the use of formulated QUATs may pose a comparatively lower risk for antimicrobial resistance.

IMPORTANCE

Biocides are used globally to control microbial growth and effective assessment of the risks and benefits of their use is therefore a high priority. Much of the data used to assess risk has been based on sub-lethal exposure of bacteria to singular biocides in simple aqueous solutions. This work builds on limited prior realism-based studies to demonstrate enhanced potency in biocidal mixtures; the mitigation of resistance selection by formulations and inconsistent cross-resistance effects with both increases and decreases in susceptibility for a wide range of antibiotics. These data can be used to better inform risk assessments of biocide deployment.
MecE, MecB, and MecC proteins orchestrate methyl group transfer during dichloromethane fermentation
Authors: Soder-Walz Jesica M. , Deobald Darja , Vicent Teresa , Marco-Urrea Ernest , Adrian Lorenz
Published: September 2024

Dichloromethane (DCM), a common hazardous industrial chemical, is anaerobically metabolized by four bacterial genera:
Dehalobacter
,
Dehalobacterium
,
Ca
. Dichloromethanomonas, and
Ca
. Formimonas. However, the pivotal methyltransferases responsible for DCM transformation have remained elusive. In this study, we investigated the DCM catabolism of
Dehalobacterium formicoaceticum
strain EZ94, contained in an enriched culture, using a combination of biochemical approaches. Initially, enzymatic assays were conducted with cell-free protein extracts, after protein separation by blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the slices with the highest DCM transformation activity, a high absolute abundance of the methyltransferase MecC was revealed by mass spectrometry. Enzymatic activity assays with heterologously expressed MecB, MecC, and MecE from strain EZ94 showed complete DCM transformation only when all three enzymes were present. Our experimental results, coupled with the computational analysis of MecB, MecC, and MecE sequences, enabled us to assign specific roles in DCM transformation to each of the proteins. Our findings reveal that both MecE and MecC are zinc-dependent methyltransferases responsible for DCM demethylation and re-methylation of a product, respectively. MecB functions as a cobalamin-dependent shuttle protein transferring the methyl group between MecE and MecC. This study provides the first biochemical evidence of the enzymes involved in the anaerobic metabolism of DCM.

IMPORTANCE

Dichloromethane (DCM) is a priority regulated pollutant frequently detected in groundwater. In this work, we identify the proteins responsible for the transformation of DCM fermentation in
Dehalobacterium formicoaceticum
strain EZ94 using a combination of biochemical approaches, heterologous expression of proteins, and computational analysis. These findings provide the basis to apply these proteins as biological markers to monitor bioremediation processes in the field.
Campylobacter
infection of young children in Colombia and its impact on the gastrointestinal environment
Authors: Burcham Zachary M. , Tweedie Jessie L. , Farfán-García A. E. , Nolan Vikki G. , Donohoe Dallas , Gómez-Duarte Oscar G. , Johnson Jeremiah G.
Published: September 2024

Campylobacter
infections are a leading cause of bacterial-derived gastroenteritis worldwide with particularly profound impacts on pediatric patients in low- and middle-income countries. It remains unclear how
Campylobacter
impacts these hosts, though it is becoming increasingly evident that it is a multifactorial process that depends on the host immune response, the gastrointestinal microbiota, various bacterial factors, and host nutritional status. Since these factors likely vary between adult and pediatric patients in different regions of the world, it is important that studies define these attributes in well-characterized clinical cohorts in diverse settings. In this study, we analyzed the fecal microbiota and the metabolomic and micronutrient profiles of asymptomatic and symptomatic pediatric patients in Colombia who were either infected or uninfected with
Campylobacter
during a case-controlled study on acute diarrheal disease. Here, we report that the microbiome of
Campylobacter-
infected children only changed in their abundance of
Campylobacter
spp. despite the inclusion of children with or without diarrhea. In addition to increased
Campylobacter,
computational models were used to identify fecal metabolites that were associated with
Campylobacter
infection and found that glucose-6-phosphate and homovanillic acid were the strongest predictors of infection in these pediatric patients, which suggests that colonocyte metabolism is impacted during infection. Despite changes to the fecal metabolome, the concentrations of intestinal minerals and trace elements were not significantly impacted by
Campylobacter
infection but were elevated in uninfected children with diarrhea.

IMPORTANCE

Gastrointestinal infection with pathogenic
Campylobacter
species has long been recognized as a significant cause of human morbidity. Recently, it has been observed that pediatric populations in low- and middle-income countries are uniquely impacted by these organisms in that infected children can be persistently colonized, develop enteric dysfunction, and exhibit reduced development and growth. While the association of
Campylobacter
species with these long-term effects continues to emerge, the impact of infection on the gastrointestinal environment of these children remains uncharacterized. To address this knowledge gap, our group leveraged clinical samples collected during a previous study on gastrointestinal infections in pediatric patients to examine the fecal microbiota, metabolome, and micronutrient profiles of those infected with
Campylobacter
species and found that the metabolome was impacted in a way that suggests gastrointestinal cell metabolism is affected during infection, which is some of the first data indicating how gastrointestinal health in these patients may be affected.
Isolation and characterization of the new
Streptomyces
phages Kamino, Geonosis, Abafar, and Scarif infecting a broad range of host species
Authors: Rackow Bente , Rolland Clara , Mohnen Isabelle , Wittmann Johannes , Müsken Mathias , Overmann Jörg , Frunzke Julia
Published: September 2024

Streptomyces
, a multifaceted genus of soil-dwelling bacteria belonging to the phylum
Actinomycetota
, features intricate phage-host interactions shaped by its complex life cycle and the synthesis of a diverse array of specialized metabolites. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of four novel
Streptomyces
phages infecting a variety of different host species. While phage Kamino, isolated on
Streptomyces kasugaensis
, is predicted to be temperate and encodes a serine integrase in its genome, phages Geonosis (isolated on
Streptomyces griseus
) and Abafar and Scarif, isolated on
Streptomyces albidoflavus
, are virulent phages. Phages Kamino and Geonosis were shown to amplify well in liquid culture leading to a pronounced culture collapse already at low titers. Determination of the host range by testing >40 different
Streptomyces
species identified phages Kamino, Abafar, and Scarif as broad host-range phages. Overall, the phages described in this study expand the publicly available portfolio of phages infecting
Streptomyces
and will be instrumental in advancing the mechanistic understanding of the intricate antiviral strategies employed by these multicellular bacteria.

IMPORTANCE

The actinobacterial genus
Streptomyces
is characterized by multicellular, filamentous growth and the synthesis of a diverse range of bioactive molecules. These characteristics also play a role in shaping their interactions with the most abundant predator in the environment, bacteriophages—viruses infecting bacteria. In this study, we characterize four new phages infecting
Streptomyces
. Out of those, three phages feature a broad host range infecting up to 15 different species. The isolated phages were characterized with respect to plaque and virion morphology, host range, and amplification in liquid culture. In summary, the phages reported in this study contribute to the broader collection of publicly available phages infecting
Streptomyces
, playing a crucial role in advancing our mechanistic understanding of phage-host interactions of these multicellular bacteria.