bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hellebrigenin induces oral cancer cell apoptosis by modulating MAPK signalling and XIAP expression
Authors: Hsieh Ming‐Ju , Lin Chia‐Chieh , Lo Yu‐Sheng , Ho Hsin‐Yu , Chuang Yi‐Ching , Chen Mu‐Kuan
Published: December 2023

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which accounts for 90% of all oral cancers, has become a public health crisis worldwide. despite advances in therapeutic interventions, the prognosis remains poor for advanced‐stage OSCC. In this study, we investigate the anticancer activity and the mode of action of hellebrigenin in human OSCC. The findings demonstrated that hellebrigenin exerted cytotoxic effects in OSCC cells through cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and downregulation of cell cycle‐related proteins (cyclins A2, B1 and D3, Cdc2, CDK4 and CDK6). Moreover, hellebrigenin caused activation of PARP and caspase 3, 8 and 9, followed by downregulation of antiapoptotic proteins (Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐xL) and upregulation of pro‐apoptotic proteins (Bax and Bak). The hellebrigenin treatment also increased Fas, DR5, DcR2 and DcR3 expressions in oral cancer cells, indicating the compound causes oral cancer cell apoptosis through both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Regarding upstream signalling, hellebrigenin was found to reduce the phosphorylation of ERK, p38, and JNK, indicating that hellebrigenin triggers caspase‐mediated apoptosis by downregulating MAPK signalling pathway. Finally, the human apoptosis array findings revealed that hellebrigenin specifically suppressed the expression of XIAP to execute its pro‐apoptotic activities. Taken together, the study suggests that hellebrigenin can act as a potent anticancer compound in human OSCC.
The incidence and risk factors of unplanned removal of peripherally inserted central catheters among adult patients: A multi‐centre cohort study
Authors: Liu Yan , Huo Xiaopeng , Zhang Dingding , Liu Yue , Ge Ruibin , Zhang Jingyan , Liu Weinan , Shi Yanping , Yu Kunrong , Li Zhen , Chen Wei , Wu Xinjuan , Sun Wenyan
Published: December 2023

Aims and Objectives

(i) To estimate the national incidence of unplanned removal of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in China. (ii) To explore the associated risk factors to provide evidence for the prevention.

Design

A multi‐centre prospective cohort study.

Methods

A representative sample of 3222 Chinese adult patients with successful PICC insertion was recruited for the PICC Safety Management Research (PATH) using a two‐stage cluster sampling method from December 2020 to June 2022. Sixty hospitals from seven Chinese provinces representing all geographical regions were selected. Demographic information and PICC characteristics were collected using a standard online case report form. Risk factors for the unplanned removal of PICCs were assessed using a cause‐specific hazard model and verified using a sub‐distribution hazard model. STROBE guidelines were followed in reporting this study.

Results

Three thousand one hundred and sixty‐six patients were included in the final analysis with a mean age of 59 years and a total of 344,247 catheter days. The incidence of unplanned removal was 10.04%. Female, with thrombosis history, PICC insertion due to infusion failure, valved catheter and double‐lumen catheter were risk factors, whereas longer insertion and exposure length were protective factors in the cause‐specific hazard model. Higher BMI became an independent risk factor in the sub‐distribution hazard model.

Conclusions

Unplanned removal of PICCs is a serious clinical challenge in China. Our findings call for prevention strategies targeting the identified risk factors.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Our study characterised the epidemiology of unplanned removal of PICCs among Chinese adult inpatients, highlighting the need for prevention among this population and providing a basis for the formulation of relevant prevention strategies.

Patient or Public Contribution

Patients contributed through sharing their information required for the case report form. Healthcare professionals who provide direct care to the patient at each medical centre contributed by completing the online case report form.
Variable thermal plasticity of leaf functional traits in Andean tropical montane forests
Authors: Cox Andrew J. F. , González‐Caro Sebastián , Meir Patrick , Hartley Iain P. , Restrepo Zorayda , Villegas Juan C. , Sanchez Adriana , Mercado Lina M.
Published: December 2023

Tropical montane forests (TMFs) are biodiversity hotspots and provide vital ecosystem services, but they are disproportionately vulnerable to climate warming. In the Andes, cold‐affiliated species from high elevations are being displaced at the hot end of their thermal distributions by warm‐affiliated species migrating upwards from lower elevations, leading to compositional shifts. Leaf functional traits are strong indicators of plant performance and at the community level have been shown to vary along elevation gradients, reflecting plant adaptations to different environmental niches. However, the plastic response of such traits to relatively rapid temperature change in Andean TMF species remains unknown. We used three common garden plantations within a thermosequence in the Colombian Andes to investigate the warming and cooling responses of key leaf functional traits in eight cold‐ and warm‐affiliated species with variable thermal niches. Cold‐affiliated species shifted their foliar nutrient concentrations when exposed to warming, while all other traits did not significantly change; contrastingly, warm‐affiliated species were able to adjust structural, nutrient and water‐use efficiency traits from acquisitive to conservative strategies in response to cooling. Our findings suggest that cold‐affiliated species will struggle to acclimate functional traits to warming, conferring warm‐affiliated species a competitive advantage under climate change.
NLRP1‐associated autoinflammatory disease with epithelial dyskeratosis
Authors: Lemus‐Arteaga Kevin , Ballona‐Chambergo Rosalía , Córdova‐Calderón Wilmer , Ventura‐León Alex , Torrelo Antonio , Velásquez‐Valderrama Felipe
Published: December 2023

Several gain‐of‐function variants in NLRP1 cause a distinctive autoinflammatory disease reported under different names featuring mainly skin and mucosal involvement and variable systemic signs. Here, we report a new case of NLRP1‐associated autoinflammatory disease in a 6‐year‐old Peruvian girl, who presented with confluent hyperkeratotic plaques that drained purulent material with subsequent scarring. A c.3641C > G (p. Pro1214Arg) variant that has been previously been reported was found in NLRP1 and was not present in either parent. The term NLRP1‐associated autoinflammatory disease with epithelial dyskeratosis (NADED) is proposed to encompass all reported cases, which have received different nomenclature so far.
Social stratification and inequality in South Africa
Authors: McKeever Matthew
Published: December 2023

South Africa is the most economically unequal country in the world. Moreover, research shows that inequality has only risen since advent of multi‐party democracy in 1994. In this article, I review research that documents how economic inequality has formed over the past century, and the relationship between these structural conditions and contemporary social stratification. The literature shows that since the end of apartheid racial inequality has declined somewhat, but increases in inequality within race have more than offset this. Despite momentous political change and formal legal equality, economic equality remains elusive for most South Africans. Research on South Africa shows that accounting for the historical construction of institutions that shape inequality is crucial not only for understanding stratification within the country, but for explaining it in any contemporary industrial society.
PbrbZIP15 promotes sugar accumulation in pear via activating the transcription of the glucose isomerase gene PbrXylA1
Authors: Jia Luting , Zhang Xu , Zhang Zan , Luo Weiqi , Nambeesan Savithri U. , Li Qionghou , Qiao Xin , Yang Bing , Wang Libin , Zhang Shaoling
Published: December 2023

The composition and abundance of soluble sugars in mature pear (Pyrus) fruit are important for its acceptance by consumers. However, our understanding of the genes responsible for soluble sugar accumulation remains limited. In this study, a S1‐group member of bZIP gene family, PbrbZIP15, was characterized from pear genome through the combined analyses of metabolite and transcriptome data followed by experimental validation. PbrbZIP15, located in nucleus, was found to function in fructose, sucrose, and total soluble sugar accumulation in pear fruit and calli. After analyzing the expression profiles of sugar‐metabolism‐related genes and the distribution of cis‐acting elements in their promoters, the glucose isomerase 1 gene (PbrXylA1), whose corresponding protein catalyzed the isomerization of glucose and fructose in vitro, was identified as a downstream target gene of PbrbZIP15. PbrbZIP15 could directly bind to the G‐box element in PbrXylA1 promoter and activate its transcription, as evidenced by chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative PCR, yeast one‐hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and dual‐luciferase assay. PbrXylA1, featuring a leucine‐rich signal peptide in its N‐terminal, was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. It was validated to play a significant role in fructose, sucrose, and total soluble sugar accumulation in pear fruit and calli, which was associated with the upregulated fructose/glucose ratio. Further studies revealed a positive correlation between the sucrose content and the expression levels of several sucrose‐biosynthesis‐related genes (PbrFRK3/8, PbrSPS1/3/4/8, and PbrSPP1) in PbrbZIP15‐/PbrXylA1‐transgenic fruit/calli. In conclusion, our results suggest that PbrbZIP15‐induced soluble sugar accumulation during pear development is at least partly attributed to the activation of PbrXylA1 transcription.
Is Average Worrying? A Mixed Method Study of Malaysian Public University Administrative Staff’s Workplace Communication Apprehension
Authors: Mat Husin Mohd Zulfadli , Khamis Nor Yazi
Published: December 2023

Even when employed, English oral communication skills proficiency continues to be an asset; mastering the skill is advantageous. The notion has driven comprehensive studies on communication, including apprehension, yet the focus on workplace contexts remains minimal. Therefore, this investigation aims to discern communication apprehension’s effect on staff’s communication skills, their administrative tasks, and the institution, to support the skill enhancement. Utilizing the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension instrument and a purposive sampling, the study’s explanatory sequential mixed method design sampled institution’s one hundred fifteen administrative staff. The staff communication apprehension levels were recorded as moderate, with the highest in delivering public speeches. Nevertheless, interview results proved differently to extend worrying trends among staff. The trend could jeopardize staff’s personality and productivity in the long run. The mediocre level also hinted at skill’s stagnant inclination or deterioration if it is not consistently used in conducting workplace tasks or events. The need for an impactful lifelong learning professional development plan to improve staff English oral communication skills is apparent by the University. The university's plan also need to include supporting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for their employees.
Focus Group Discussion on Students’ Perception of Gamification in Learning Cohesion in Arabic
Authors: Mohd Ismath Nurul Hanilah , Mohtar Nor Zainiyah Norita , Johari Arina , Ahmad Siti Yuliandi , Abd Aziz Abdul Hadi
Published: December 2023

Learning languages had been taught as a passive process. But in this era of Information and Communication Technology, a lot of educators use the technology provided on the Internet to attract students to focus on learning. Nowadays, gamification is widely used by educators while teaching online including Arabic language. Thus, this study aims to identify the students’ perception on gamification in learning Arabic cohesive devices. This study employed qualitative approach which the researchers used focus group discussion as a mode of data collection. The sampling method used is convenience sampling which all of them are students at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), 2nd year students, semester 2, 2018/2019 taking Arabic subject. In this study, researchers managed to recruit 14 participants for 3 focus group discussion whereby 5 participants respectively in the first group and 4 participants in another group. From the result of the research, the process of learning Arabic cohesive devices in the Arabic language takes place with all enjoyment which increases the students’ interest for learning.
The Use of Lexical Approach in Enhancing Vocabulary Skills among Upper Primary Learners
Authors: Krishenan Thurga AB , Kahar Rohayah
Published: December 2023

This study explored the impact of a lexical approach on enhancing the vocabulary skills of upper primary pupils in an ESL classroom in Malaysia. The research involved 30 elementary school pupils in Johor and used a mixed-method research design. Data collection methods included pre and post-tests, an observational checklist, and a focus group interview. The results indicated a significant improvement in the students' vocabulary skills after implementing the lexical approach. Additionally, this approach positively affected students' motivation and changed their negative perceptions about vocabulary. The paper concludes with recommendations and implications for educators and researchers, considering its limitations.
Comparative Analysis of Improved Dirichlet Process Mixture Model
Authors: Wu Lili , Fam Pei Shan , Majahar Ali Majid Khan , Tian Ying , Ismail Mohd. Tahir , Mohd Jamaludin Siti Zulaikha
Published: December 2023

Due to the development of information technology, large amounts of data are generated every day in various industries such as engineering, healthcare, finance, anomaly detection, image recognition, and artificial intelligence. This massive data poses the challenge of analyzing accurately and appropriate classifications. The traditional clustering methods require specifying the number of clusters and are mostly based on distance, which cannot effectively consider the correlations between different indicators of high-dimensional and multi-source data. Moreover, the number of clusters cannot automatically adjust when new data is generated. In order to improve the clustering analysis of high-dimensional and multi-source data in a big data environment, this study utilizes non-parametric mixture models based on distribution clustering, which does not require specifying the number of clusters and can auto update with the data. By combining Principal Component Analysis (PCA), t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding (t-SNE), and the non-parametric Bayesian method called Dirichlet Process Mixture Model (DPMM), the Bayesian non-parametric PCA model (PCA-DPMM) and Bayesian non-parametric t-SNE model (TSNE-DPMM) are proposed. The Chinese restaurant process of DPMM is used for sampling by introducing a finite normal mixture distribution. The clustering results on the iris dataset are compared and analyzed. The accuracy of DPMM and TSNE-DPMM reaches 0.97, while PCA-DPMM achieves a maximum accuracy of only 0.94. When different numbers of iterations are set, TSNE-DPMM maintains an accuracy ranging from 0.92 to 0.97, DPMM ranges from 0.66 to 0.97, and PCA-DPMM ranges from 0.73 to 0.94. Therefore, the proposed TSNE-DPMM ensures accuracy and exhibits better model stability in clustering results. Future research can explore the improvement of the model by incorporating deep learning algorithms, among others, to further enhance its performance. Additionally, applying the TSNE-DPMM model to data analysis in other fields is also a future research direction. Through these efforts, we can better tackle the challenges of analyzing high-dimensional and multi-source data in a big data environment and extract valuable information from it.
Probing the Electronic Properties of Cu and CuO Thin Films via XANES utilizing Powder XRD System
Authors: Saniman Siti Sarah , Omar Muhammad Firdaus
Published: December 2023

This research introduces an alternative approach on materials characterization by developing an in-house X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) system utilizing powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD) machine. The performance of the in-house XAS system was investigated by analysing the position of Cu K-edge and the absorption spectrum shape within the X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) region. Copper (Cu) based samples were used to test the performance of the system where Cu and Copper Oxide (CuO) thin film deposited on polyimide tape and silicon wafer (100) prepared through the deposition process carried out using RF Magnetron Sputtering machine. Phase confirmation analysis were conducted by XRD and the deposited films’ thickness were measured by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The laboratory-based XAS measurement was carried out using Rigaku SmartLab X-ray Diffractometer configured for Bragg-Brentano (BB) measurement mode. Molybdenum (Mo) target was used to produce white X-rays by energizing it near 20 keV ±0.01 keV. XRD measurements on XRD and SEM analysis proves successful deposition of pure Cu and CuO thin films and the film thickness measured is 1.432 μm and 0.680 μm respectively. The conclusive findings of the laboratory-based XAS measurements indicate successful acquisition of XAS data with similar spectrum shape of experimental Cu and CuO XANES in comparison with theoretical data. Next, experimental XANES shows clear observation of Cu K-edge peaks for Cu thin film at 8.9737 keV, while Cu K-edge for CuO thin films is not observable. Lastly, there is also presence of significant XANES broadening and which then effect consequent peak shiftings.
Quantitative Steinitz theorem: A polynomial bound
Authors: Ivanov Grigory , Naszódi Márton
Published: December 2023

The classical Steinitz theorem states that if the origin belongs to the interior of the convex hull of a set , then there are at most points of whose convex hull contains the origin in the interior. Bárány, Katchalski, and Pach proved the following quantitative version of Steinitz's theorem. Let be a convex polytope in containing the standard Euclidean unit ball . Then there exist at most vertices of whose convex hull satisfies
with . They conjectured that holds with a universal constant . We prove , the first polynomial lower bound on . Furthermore, we show that is not greater than .
The Portable Antiquities Scheme and the potential of non-metallic finds: A Viking Comb from Shotley, Suffolk
Authors:   University of York, Ashby Steven , Tomlinson Lewis ,   University of York, Presslee Samantha ,   University of York, Hendy Jessica ,   University of York, Bliss Alex ,   Cotswold Archaeology, Minter Faye ,   Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Brock Dan ,   University of York
Published: December 2023

This article presents a case study in maximising the potential of publicly collected archaeological finds, through collaboration between finder, recorder, curating institution and the research community. It focuses on an object reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme, of a type not usually well represented among metal-detected finds: an early-medieval antler hair comb. Typological and biomolecular analysis of the comb - found on the shores of the river Orwell, Suffolk - shows that it was manufactured in Scandinavia in the mid-10th century, before being brought to south-east England. This is the first comb found in England to be identified as Scandinavian via biomolecular means, and represents an important, scientifically-verified demonstration of contact between the regions in the period following initial settlement.
Effect of Post-Deposition Heat Treatment on the Mechanical Behavior and Deformation Mechanisms of a Solid-State Additively Manufactured Al–Mg–Si Alloy
Authors: Rutherford B. A. , Avery D. Z. , Phillips B. J. , Zhu N. , Beck S. C. , Brewer L. N. , Allison P. G. , Jordon J. B.
Published: December 2023

The effects of post-deposition heat treatment on the fatigue behavior of AA6061 processed by additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) were investigated for the first time in this work. A heat treatment to recover the T6 temper was performed on AFSD AA6061 is then subjected to strain-controlled fatigue and monotonic tension testing. Microstructural analysis revealed abnormal grain growth resulting in bimodal grain size distribution. Mechanical testing indicated a full recovery of the strength of the AA6061-T6 temper with comparable fatigue performance to the as-deposited AFSD AA6061. Fractography revealed deformation mechanisms in the post-deposition heat treatment not observed in the as-deposited samples, however, the fatigue resistance remained unchanged. A microstructure-sensitive fatigue model was implemented to capture the effects of the heat treatment process on the fatigue performance of the post-deposition heat-treated AFSD AA6061.
Loss Analysis in Radial Inflow Turbines for Supercritical CO2 Mixtures
Authors: Aqel Omar , White Martin , Sayma Abdulnaser
Published: December 2023

Recent studies suggest that CO2 mixtures can reduce the costs of concentrated solar power plants. Radial inflow turbines (RIT) are considered suitable for small to medium-sized CO2 power plants (100 kW to 10 MW) due to aerodynamic and cost factors. This paper quantifies the impact of CO2 doping on RIT design by comparing 1D mean-line designs and aerodynamic losses of pure CO2 RITs with three CO2 mixtures: titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and hexafluorobenzene (C6F6). Results show that turbine designs share similar rotor shapes and velocity diagrams for all working fluids. However, factors like clearance-to-blade height ratio, turbine pressure ratio, and fluid viscosity cause differences in turbine efficiency. When normalized for these factors, differences in total-to-static efficiency become less than 0.1%. However, imposing rotational speed limits reveals greater differences in turbine designs and efficiencies. The imposition of rotational speed limits reduces total-to-static efficiency across all fluids, with a maximum 15% reduction in 0.1 MW CO2 compared to a 3% reduction in CO2/TiCl4 turbines of the same power. Among the studied mixtures, CO2/TiCl4 turbines achieve the highest efficiency, followed by CO2/C6F6 and CO2/SO2. For example, 100 kW turbines achieve total-to-static efficiencies of 80.0%, 77.4%, 78.1%, and 75.5% for CO2/TiCl4, CO2/C6F6, CO2/SO2, and pure CO2, respectively. In 10 MW turbines, efficiencies are 87.8%, 87.3%, 87.5%, and 87.2% in the same order.
Oxidation properties of quaternary Zr-based diboride thin films grown by hybrid high-power impulse/DC magnetron co-sputtering
Authors: Bakhit Babak
Published: December 2023

Sputter-deposited transition metal diborides are subject of increasing attention for protective hard coatings. However, they suffer from high brittleness and rapid oxidation. Alloying with Ta increases their toughness, but their oxidation resistance requires further enhancement. Here, the influence of adding Si on the microstructure, mechanical, and oxidation properties of quaternary Zr1−(x + y)TaxSiyBz thin films grown by hybrid high-power impulse/DC magnetron co-sputtering (ZrB2-DCMS/Ta-HiPIMS/Si-DCMS) is studied. The layers are deposited at two different conditions of Ta-target HiPIMS powers and frequencies (30 W/100 Hz and 60 W/200 Hz series) with Si-target DCMS powers PSi = 0, 10, 15, and 20 W, while the ZrB2-target DCMS power is maintained constant at 200 W. For the 30 W/100 Hz series, x decreases from 0.20 to 0.15, y increases from 0 to 0.22, and z decreases from 2.0 to 1.8 by increasing PSi. The Ta/metal ratio remains constant at x = 0.3 for the 60 W/200 Hz series, while y increases from 0 to 0.1, and z decreases from 1.7 to 1.4. All layers show columnar growth and crystallize in a hexagonal-diboride structure, but crystal orientations change by increasing PSi. The 60 W/200 Hz series have much denser microstructure than the 30 W/100 Hz series. The 60 W/200 Hz series have high hardness values (≥35 GPa), while the hardness of the 30 W/100 Hz series significantly decreases from ∼37 to ∼21 GPa as a function of PSi. Zr0.7Ta0.3B1.7 has markedly better high-temperature oxidation resistance than Zr0.8Ta0.2B2.0 due to the formation of protective B-containing oxide scales. Alloying with Si considerably decreases the oxidation rate of the 30 W/100 Hz series owing to the formation of oxide scales containing a ZrSiO4 phase with a thin Si oxide top layer; however, the oxidation rate increases for the 60 W/200 Hz series as these quaternary alloys do not contain sufficiently high B and Si to form oxidation protective barriers.
Love wave on a flexoelectric piezoelectric-viscoelastic stratified structure with dielectrically conducting imperfect interface
Authors: Kumar Santan , Kumari Richa , Singh Abhishek Kumar
Published: December 2023

The present work investigates the propagation of Love wave in a flexoelectric piezoelectric-viscoelastic stratum imperfectly bonded to a piezoelectric-viscoelastic substrate. To study the impact of imperfect interfaces, the non-traditional boundary conditions for two different types of imperfect interfaces have been taken into account. The frequency relation has been obtained in complex form employing a suitable variable separable technique. The dispersion and damping equations of Love wave have been analytically determined in the closed form by separating the real and imaginary part of the frequency relation for two distinct interfaces, i.e., mechanically compliant and dielectrically weakly/highly conducting interfaces in both electrically open and electrically short cases. Numerical calculations are carried out to reveal the impact of the width of stratum, imperfectness parameter, flexoelectric parameters, and flexoelectric loss moduli on the phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of Love wave and are also depicted through graphs for both the interfaces. For validation purposes, the expressions derived as a result of the present study are matched with the standard Love wave equation.
A low-cost, portable, dual-function readout device for amplification-based point-of-need diagnostics
Authors: Zou Yiping , Mason Michael Glenn , Botella Jose Ramon
Published: December 2023

Amplification-based diagnostics has been widely used in plant disease diagnostics due to its sensitivity, rapidness, and flexibility. The modules to interpret amplification results rapidly, reliably, and easily in resource-limited settings (e.g., field-based environments) are in high demand. Therefore, we have designed and developed a simple, low-cost, easy-to-perform, and portable device named Dr. Diagnose to aid accurate, unbiased, and user-friendly readout of amplification reactions outside the model laboratory environment. Dr. Diagnose is an Arduino microcontroller-based light meter that can operate with a portable power bank. It allows the user to select to analyze either fluorescence or turbidity levels in amplification reactions by simply touching the button and informs the user of whether the reaction’s fluorescence or turbidity exceeds a set threshold and is thus considered positive within seconds. The sensitivity of Dr. Diagnose was found to be comparable to gel electrophoresis-based detection. Dr. Diagnose has a simple circuit containing only 13 electronic components, which means it can be easy to generate, affordable, and accessible to the broader community. The development of Dr. Diagnose provides a practical and inexpensive readout tool for amplifications at point-of-need in a rapid, accurate, and user-friendly manner.

IMPORTANCE

The first critical step in timely disease management is rapid disease identification, which is ideally on-site detection. Of all the technologies available for disease identification, nucleic acid amplification-based diagnostics are often used due to their specificity, sensitivity, adaptability, and speed. However, the modules to interpret amplification results rapidly, reliably, and easily in resource-limited settings at point-of-need (PON) are in high demand. Therefore, we developed a portable, low-cost, and easy-to-perform device that can be used for amplification readout at PON to enable rapid yet reliable disease identification by users with minimal training.
Symbionts in
Hodgkinia
-free cicadas and their implications for co-evolution between endosymbionts and host insects
Authors: Zhang Wenzhe , Wang Jiali , Huang Zhi , He Xiaohua , Wei Cong
Published: December 2023

Symbiotic systems of sap-feeding auchenorrhynchan insects of the order Hemiptera provide a unique perspective for uncovering complicated insect-microbe symbiosis. Previous evidence suggested that cicadas lacking the symbiont
Hodgkinia
harbor
Sulcia
in the bacteriomes and the yeast-like fungal symbiont (YLS) in the fat bodies; however, YLSs were also detected from the bacteriome sheath in three cicada species which separately belong to two phylogenetically closely related tribes, Sonatini and Polyneurini. We comprehensively investigated the symbionts associated with bacteriomes and fat bodies in Sonatini and Polyneurini and analyzed the co-phylogeny between 65 cicada species and related symbionts (
Sulcia
and YLSs). We revealed that YLSs can commonly colonize the bacteriome sheath besides the fat bodies in these two tribes. Although the phylogeny of YLSs associated with Sonatini, Polyneurini, and some other taxa is locally concordant with that of host cicadas, relationships of YLSs harbored in different host lineages are generally incongruent with that of Cicadidae. More independent replacement events in the loss of
Hodgkinia
/acquisition of YLS were revealed in Cicadidae, reinforcing the hypothesis that the pathogenic ancestor of YLSs independently infected different lineages of host cicadas. The phylogeny of the very conservative
Sulcia
generally mirrors the host phylogeny, but
Sulcia
associated with some taxa (e.g., Sonatini, Platypleurini) of Cicadidae are incongruent with their hosts. This indicates that genetic variation of
Sulcia
occurred in these cicada lineages. Results of this study contribute to a better understanding of symbiont colonization in the symbiotic system of auchenorrhynchan insects and co-evolutionary relationships between Auchenorrhyncha and related symbionts.

IMPORTANCE

Obligate symbionts in sap-sucking hemipterans are harbored in either the same or different organs, which provide a unique perspective for uncovering complicated insect-microbe symbiosis. Here, we investigated the distribution of symbionts in adults of 10
Hodgkinia
-free cicada species of 2 tribes (Sonatini and Polyneurini) and the co-phylogeny between 65 cicada species and related symbionts (
Sulcia
and YLSs). We revealed that YLSs commonly colonize the bacteriome sheath besides the fat bodies in these two tribes, which is different with that in most other
Hodgkinia
-free cicadas. Co-phylogeny analyses between cicadas and symbionts suggest that genetic variation of
Sulcia
occurred in Sonatini and some other cicada lineages and more independent replacement events in the loss of
Hodgkinia
/acquisition of YLS in Cicadidae. Our results provide new information on the complex relationships between auchenorrhynchans and related symbionts.
Chromatin regulator Eaf3p regulates nitrogen metabolism in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
as a trans-acting factor
Authors: Chen Yu , Gao Song , Zhou Jingwen , Zeng Weizhu
Published: December 2023

Nitrogen metabolism in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
is complex and tightly regulated, involving multiple regulatory factors. Eaf3p has been identified as a central regulator of nitrogen metabolism in
S. cerevisiae
, but its mechanism of action is unclear. In this study, the effect of overexpressing histone H4 acetylation gene
EAF3
on nitrogen metabolic genes was investigated. The results indicated that Eaf3p regulates the expression of multiple nitrogen metabolic genes by regulating histone acetylation of the promoter regions via the histone acetyltransferase NuA4 complex. Eaf3p regulated the nitrogen metabolic genes
GAT1
,
CAN1
,
LYP1
,
GLN3
, and
HIP1
by binding to their respective promoters. Eaf3p was recruited with Pho2p, as well as other transcription factors, to up-regulate the expression of target genes. These findings make a significant contribution to improving understanding of the mechanism of
S. cerevisiae
nitrogen metabolism regulation, which will contribute to future metabolic engineering of
S. cerevisiae
to improve its suitability for industrial applications.

IMPORTANCE

In this study, the mechanism of chromatin regulator Eaf3p regulating nitrogen metabolism in
S. cerevisiae
was investigated. It provides theoretical support for epigenetic modifications of cells to alter the level of histone modifications, coordinate the expression of multiple genes, and make it more conducive to the co-metabolism of multiple nitrogen sources. Moreover, it provides new ideas for industrial brewing yeast strains to achieve nitrogen source metabolism balance, reduce the accumulation of harmful nitrogen metabolites, and improve fermentation efficiency. This study provides a reference for changing the performance of microbial strains and improving the quality of traditional fermentation products and provides a theoretical basis for studying epigenetic modification and nitrogen metabolism regulation. It has an important theoretical explanation and practical application value. In addition, this study also provides useful clues for the study.
Bacillus subtilis
YisK possesses oxaloacetate decarboxylase activity and exhibits Mbl-dependent localization
Authors: Guo Tingfeng , Sperber Anthony M. , Krieger Inna V. , Duan Yi , Chemelewski Veronica R. , Sacchettini James C. , Herman Jennifer K.
Published: December 2023

YisK is an uncharacterized protein in
Bacillus subtilis
previously shown to interact genetically with the elongasome protein Mbl. YisK overexpression leads to cell widening and lysis, phenotypes that are dependent on
mbl
and suppressed by
mbl
mutations. In the present work, we characterize YisK’s localization, structure, and enzymatic activity. We show that YisK localizes as puncta that depend on Mbl. YisK belongs to the fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) superfamily, and crystal structures revealed close structural similarity to two oxaloacetate (OAA) decarboxylases: human mitochondrial FAHD1 and
Corynebacterium glutamicum
Cg1458. We demonstrate that YisK can also catalyze the decarboxylation of OAA (
K
m
= 134 µM,
K
cat
= 31 min
−1
). A catalytic dead variant (YisK E148A, E150A) retains wild-type localization and still widens cells following overexpression, indicating these activities are not dependent on YisK catalysis. Conversely, a non-localizing variant (YisK E30A) retains wild-type enzymatic activity
in vitro
but localizes diffusely and no longer widens cells following overexpression. Together, these results suggest that YisK may be subject to spatial regulation that depends on the cell envelope synthesis machinery.

IMPORTANCE

The elongasome is a multiprotein complex that guides lengthwise growth in some bacteria. We previously showed that, in
B. subtilis
, overexpression of an uncharacterized putative enzyme (YisK) perturbed function of the actin-like elongasome protein Mbl. Here, we show that YisK exhibits Mbl-dependent localization. Through biochemical and structural characterization, we demonstrate that, like its mitochondrial homolog FAHD1, YisK can catalyze the decarboxylation of the oxaloacetate to pyruvate and CO
2
. YisK is the first example of an enzyme implicated in central carbon metabolism with subcellular localization that depends on Mbl.
Draft genome sequence of
Lactococcus lactis
subsp.
lactis
RTIII518: a potent dairy starter isolated from traditional
lait caillé
in Burkina Faso
Authors: Bayili Geoffroy Romaric , Diaz Maria , Parkouda Charles , Sawadogo-Lingani Hagrétou
Published: December 2023

Lactococcus lactis
subsp.
lactis
RTIII518 was isolated from
lait caillé
, a traditional fermented milk product from Burkina Faso. The draft genome size is 25,554,260 base pairs with 76 contigs, 34.26% average content of GC, 50 tRNAs, 4 rRNA, and 2,498 coding genes.
Yeast profilin mutants inhibit classical nuclear import and alter the balance between actin and tubulin levels
Authors: Stochaj Ursula
Published: December 2023

Profilin is a small protein that controls actin polymerization in yeast and higher eukaryotes. In addition, profilin has emerged as a multifunctional protein that contributes to other processes in multicellular organisms. This study focuses on profilin (Pfy1) in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The primary sequences of yeast Pfy1 and its metazoan orthologs diverge vastly. However, structural elements of profilin are conserved among different species. To date, the full spectrum of Pfy1 functions has yet to be defined. The current work explores the possible involvement of yeast profilin in nuclear protein import. To this end, a panel of well-characterized yeast profilin mutants was evaluated. The experiments demonstrate that yeast profilin ( i) regulates nuclear protein import, ( ii) determines the subcellular localization of essential nuclear transport factors, and ( iii) controls the relative abundance of actin and tubulin. Together, these results define yeast profilin as a moonlighting protein that engages in multiple essential cellular activities.
Detecting cool-climate Riesling vineyard variation using unmanned aerial vehicles and proximal sensors
Authors: Dorin Briann , Reynolds Andrew G. , Lee Hyun-Suk , Carrey Marilyne , Shemrock Adam , Shabanian Mehdi
Published: December 2023

The ability to detect and respond to vineyard spatial variation can lead to improved management—a practice known as precision viticulture. The goal of this study was to determine if remote sensors can enhance precision viticulture applications by detecting vineyard spatial variation. The hypothesis was that differences in vine spectral reflectance, as detected by remote sensors, would be associated with variations in viticultural variables due to known relationships with vine size, structure, and pigmentation. Riesling grapevines were geolocated within six commercial vineyards across Niagara, Ontario. Water status, vine size, winter hardiness, virus titer, yield components, and berry composition were measured on these vines. Remote sensing technologies subsequently collected multispectral data by unmanned aerial vehicles and by proximal sensing technology (GreenSeeker™), which were transformed into the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Direct relationships between NDVI and vine size, water status, yield, berry weight, and titratable acidity were observed, as well as inverse relationships between NDVI and Brix and potentially volatile terpenes. Remote sensing demonstrated the ability to detect vineyard areas differing in measures of vine health, yield, and berry composition in certain sites and years; however, more research is needed to determine when these technologies should be used for precision viticulture applications.
Baryon correlations in Pythia
Authors: Lönnblad Leif , Shah Harsh
Published: December 2023

We present the results from our investigation of angular correlations between baryons pairs in the Pythia8 event generator. We show how colour reconnection models and hadronization mechanisms influence such angular correlations and in particular address the effect of gluons on the baryon production mechanism in the Lund string fragmentation model. We conclude by discussing the new theoretical ideas in comparison with the ALICE $$\textrm{pp} $$
pp
collision results for the baryon angular correlations. We propose a hypothesis for suppressing baryons produced in gluon jets and show how that may influence the angular correlations.
Linking physical violence to women’s mobility in Chile
Authors: Contreras Hugo , Candia Cristian , Troncoso Rodrigo , Ferres Leo , Bravo Loreto , Lepri Bruno , Rodriguez-Sickert Carlos
Published: December 2023

Despite increased global attention on violence against women, understanding the factors that lead to women becoming victims remains a critical challenge. Notably, the impact of domestic violence on women’s mobility—a critical determinant of their social and economic independence—has remained largely unexplored. This study bridges this gap, employing police records to quantify physical and psychological domestic violence, while leveraging mobile phone data to proxy women’s mobility. Our analyses reveal a negative correlation between physical violence and female mobility, an association that withstands robustness checks, including controls for economic independence variables like education, employment, and occupational segregation, bootstrapping of the data set, and applying a generalized propensity score matching identification strategy. The study emphasizes the potential causal role of physical violence on decreased female mobility, asserting the value of interdisciplinary research in exploring such multifaceted social phenomena to open avenues for preventive measures. The implications of this research extend into the realm of public policy and intervention development, offering new strategies to combat and ultimately eradicate domestic violence against women, thereby contributing to wider efforts toward gender equity.
A Design and Intelligent Recommendation Method for Ballistic Missile Early Warning Operation Plan
Authors: Qu Shi , Meng Cangzhen , Jin Hongbin , Zheng Yi , Li Xiaobo
Published: December 2023

Ballistic missile attack-defense confrontation is a typical system-of-systems confrontation process. Ballistic missile early warning operations have the characteristics of high time-sensitivity, high complexity and high dynamic. It is impossible to deal with complex battlefield situations at the moment of decision. It is necessary to develop a detection plan in advance for possible battlefield situations, and intelligently recommend the optimal detection plan for the commander to make decisions based on the battlefield situation. The ballistic missile early warning detection plan is designed from three aspects: the design of search screen parameters, the determination of search data rate, and the allocation strategy of search resources in different airspace; Establish the evaluation indicator system and evaluation model of the ballistic missile early warning detection plan, evaluate and optimize multiple detection plans, and automatically recommend them to the commander according to the advantages and disadvantages of the operational effectiveness, connect the auxiliary decision-making chain of “design evaluation recommendation decision”, providing support for the intelligent decision-making of the ballistic missile early warning operation.
Rotating regular black holes and other compact objects with a Tolman-type potential as a regular interior for the Kerr metric
Authors: Masa Angel D. D. , Zanchin Vilson T.
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we obtain a new class of stationary axisymmetric spacetimes by using the Gürses–Gürsey metric with an appropriate mass function in order to generate a rotating core of matter that may be smoothly matched to the exterior Kerr metric. The same stationary spacetimes may be obtained by applying a slightly modified version of the Newman–Janis algorithm to a nonrotating spherically symmetric seed metric. The starting spherically symmetric configuration represents a nonisotropic de Sitter-type fluid whose radial pressure [Formula: see text] satisfies an state equation of the form [Formula: see text], where the energy density [Formula: see text] is chosen to be the Tolman-type-VII energy density [R. C. Tolman, Phys. Rev. 55, 364 (1939)]. The resulting rotating metric is then smoothly matched to the exterior Kerr metric, and the main properties of the obtained geometries are investigated. All the solutions considered in this study are regular in the sense they are free of curvature singularities. Depending on the relative values of the total mass m and rotation parameter a, the resulting stationary spacetimes represent different kinds of rotating compact objects such as regular black holes, extremal regular black holes, and regular starlike configurations.
Primordial black hole collision with neutron stars and astrophysical black holes and the observational signatures
Authors: Rahvar Sohrab
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we examine whether low-mass Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) can be considered a plausible dark matter candidate in galactic halos. We derive the relativistic dynamics of PBHs around the heavy compact objects and evaluate their collision rate, as well as the likelihood of PBH capture in neutron stars and black holes. Although the rate of these collisions in the Milky Way is lower than our lifetime (i.e. almost one collision per hundred years), it may still be observable on cosmological scales. Additionally, we investigate the gravitational wave emission as an important observable window for PBH-astrophysical black hole merging. For the allowed range of PBH mass, gravitational wave signal is smaller than the sensitivity of present gravitational wave detectors. We provide observational prospect for detection of these events in future.
A template augmented distant supervision framework for Chinese named entity recognition
Authors: Qi Chengwen , Laili Yuanjun , Ren Lei , Zhang Lin , Li Bowen
Published: December 2023

Distant supervision has been proven to be an efficient way of generating labeled instances for Named Entity Recognition (NER). However, it suffers from dictionary biases and ambiguous entities, resulting in noisy and incomplete labels. To overcome this drawback, this paper proposes a template augmented distant supervision framework, which generates high-quality labeled training data with minimal human effort. Specifically, we use distant supervision to extract sentences that contain entities and apply a pre-trained language model to encode these sentences. The encoded sentences are clustered and then for each cluster, three sentences are sampled out to form a seed template pool. The seed templates are calibrated and decomposed to decouple the connection between different parts. Finally, the seed templates and entity dictionary are combined with pre-trained language model to generate semantically coherent and precisely labeled training data. Experimental results on the EC and NEWS datasets and a practical electronic after-sale Q&A dataset with multiple pre-trained language models demonstrate that the proposed framework is able to improve the F1 score of the distantly supervised NER models by 7.9%–12.9%.