bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small molecule and cell contact-inducible systems for controlling expression and differentiation in stem cells
Authors: Soliman Sarah S. , Shah Devan H. , El-Samad Hana , Weinberg Zara Y.
Published: March 2024

Synthetic developmental biology uses engineering approaches to understand multicellularity with goals ranging from recapitulating development to building synthetic organisms. Current approaches include engineering multicellular patterning, controlling differentiation, and implementing cooperative cellular behaviors in model systems. Synthetic biology tools enable these pursuits with genetic circuits that drive customized responses to arbitrary stimuli, synthetic receptors that enable orthogonal signaling channels, and light- or drug-inducible systems that enable precise spatial and temporal control of cell function. Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) offer a well-studied and genetically tractable pluripotent chassis for pursuing synthetic development questions however, there is minimal characterization of existing synthetic biology tools in mESCs and we lack genetic toolkits for rapid iterative engineering of synthetic development workflows. Here, we began to address this challenge by characterizing small molecule and cell contact-inducible systems for gene expression in and differentiation of mESCs. We show that small molecule and cell-contact inducible systems work reliably and efficiently for controlling expression of arbitrary genetic payloads. Furthermore, we show that these systems can drive direct differentiation of mESCs into neurons. Each of these systems can readily be used on their own or in combination, opening many possibilities for studying developmental principles with high precision.
Functional genetics reveals modulators of anti-microtubule drug sensitivity
Authors: Su Kuan-Chung , Radul Elena , Maier Nolan K , Tsang Mary-Jane , Goul Claire , Moodie Brittania , Keys Heather R. , Cheeseman Iain M
Published: March 2024

Microtubules play essential roles in diverse cellular processes and are important pharmacological targets for treating human disease. Here, we sought to identify cellular factors that modulate the sensitivity of cells to anti-microtubule drugs. We conducted a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9-based functional genetics screen in human cells treated with the microtubule-destabilizing drug nocodazole or the microtubule-stabilizing drug taxol. We further conducted a focused secondary screen to test drug sensitivity for ∼1400 gene targets across two distinct human cell lines and to additionally test sensitivity to the Kif11-inhibitor, STLC. These screens defined gene targets whose loss enhances or suppresses sensitivity to anti-microtubule drugs. In addition to gene targets whose loss sensitized cells to multiple compounds, we observed cases of differential sensitivity to specific compounds and differing requirements between cell lines. Our downstream molecular analysis further revealed additional roles for established microtubule-associated proteins and identified new players in microtubule function.
Adaptive landscapes unveil the complex evolutionary path to mammalian forelimb function and posture
Authors: Brocklehurst Robert J. , Mercado Magdalen , Angielczyk Kenneth D. , Pierce Stephanie E.
Published: March 2024

The ‘sprawling-parasagittal’ postural transition is a key part of mammalian evolution, associated with sweeping reorganization of the postcranial skeleton in mammals compared to their forebears, the non-mammalian synapsids. However, disputes over forelimb function in fossil synapsids render the precise nature of the ‘sprawling-parasagittal’ transition controversial. We shed new light on the origins of mammalian posture, using evolutionary adaptive landscapes to integrate 3D humerus shape and functional performance data across a taxonomically comprehensive sample of fossil synapsids and extant comparators. We find that the earliest pelycosaur-grade synapsids had a unique mode of sprawling, intermediate between extant reptiles and monotremes. Subsequent evolution of synapsid humerus form and function showed little evidence of a direct progression from sprawling pelycosaurs to parasagittal mammals. Instead, posture was evolutionarily labile, and the ecological diversification of successive synapsid radiations was accompanied by variation in humerus morphofunctional traits. Further, synapsids frequently evolve towards parasagittal postures, diverging from the reconstructed optimal evolutionary path; the optimal path only aligns with becoming increasingly mammalian in derived cynodonts. We find the earliest support for habitual parasagittal postures in stem therians, implying that synapsids evolved and radiated with distinct forelimb trait combinations for most of their recorded history.
Cell3DPositioning byOptical encoding(C3PO) and its application to spatial transcriptomics
Authors: Cotterell James , Swoger Jim , Robert-Moreno Alexandre , Cardona Heura , Musy Marco , Sharpe James
Published: March 2024

Current state-of-the-art spatial omics approaches suffer from the drawback that they are tissue section-based and thus inherently 2-dimensional. A full understanding of biological processes will only be possible when such data is available in 3-dimensions (3D). Here, we introduce Cell 3D Positioning by Optical encoding (C3PO) - the first technique capable of reconstructing the 3D positions of cells in a tissue, after they have been fully dissociated for single-cell omics analysis. It imposes a Cartesian coordinate system of positions on the tissue and cells of interest, before dissociation. This is created by multiple orthogonal spatial gradients of active fluorophores, carefully shaped by a 3D bleaching method, such that each position in the tissue is encoded by a unique fluorescent address. Upon dissociation of the tissue the fluorescent addresses of the cells can be read via an appropriate device (such as a FACS machine) to computationally reconstruct the tissue in 3D, before omics are performed downstream. Here, we show two proof-of-principle results for C3PO. First, pure C3PO without omics, to reconstruct the 3D geometry of a developing mouse limb bud. Second, an application of C3PO to spatial transcriptomics, revealing the expression patterns of 73 genes with interesting gene expression patterns in the developing limb.. C3PO is a genuinely novel approach to reconstruct the original 3D positions of cells in a tissue after dissociation. Combined with transcriptomics, it can play a significant role in the study of any tissue or organ in which 3D structure and geometry is important, such as developmental biology, cancer biology and neuroscience. It is not an omics techniqueper se, and in the future could be combined with the growing family of other omics technologies.

One sentence summary

C3PO is a novel optical technique that can preserve the 3D positional coordinates of cells after tissue dissociation, enabling a radically new approach to spatial transcriptomics.
Sex Hormones AlterPseudomonas aeruginosaIron Acquisition and Virulence Factors
Authors: Ebrahim H , Bryan N , Collette A , Armstrong S D , Bronowski C , Floyd R V , Fothergill J L
Published: March 2024

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are one of the most widespread infections in healthcare and community settings worldwide.Pseudomonas aeruginosais the third most common pathogen associated with catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI).P. aeruginosainfections are highly resistant and difficult to treat and it is currently classified as priority 1 by the World Health Organisation.In vitrostudies of microbes typically employ laboratory media. The inadequacy of nutrient-rich media in simulating the physiological environment has led to the development of multiple media that mimic human body fluids, including Artificial Urine Medium (AUM). By studying growth andin vitrobiofilm assays along with proteomics, we sought to establish whether UTIP. aeruginosarespond differently in laboratory media, AUM and urine. To further probe the impact of environmental influences, sex hormones estradiol, progesterone and testosterone were added at physiologically relevant concentrations. The proteomic profiles were then compared between hormone supplemented AUM and urine.

Our findings indicate that bacterial responses in standard laboratory media, AUM and urine were distinct. Increased proteins associated with iron acquisition mechanisms were similar in both AUM and urine. However, differences were observed in other virulence and iron pathways, such as phenazine production. Treatment with hormones decreased the abundance ofP. aeruginosaproteins involved in iron acquisition. Individual hormones exhibited specific bacterial alterations. The presence of estradiol increased protein abundance of the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) quorum sensing system. This study suggests thatP. aeruginosapathogenesis in UTI infections may be influenced by the presence of specific hormones in the host. Understanding the individual role of host factors could contribute to a personalised treatment approach based on the potential impact on infection susceptibility and outcome.
Cooperative colonization of the host and pathogen dissemination involves stochastic and spatially structured expression of virulence traits
Authors: López-Pagán Nieves , Rufián José S. , Luneau Julien , Sánchez-Romero María-Antonia , Aussel Laurent , van Vliet Simon , Ruiz-Albert Javier , Beuzón Carmen R.
Published: March 2024

Bacteria respond to changing environments by altering gene expression. Some responses display probabilistic cell-to-cell variation within isogenic populations. A few paradigmatic examples in animal pathogens have demonstrated that this phenotypic heterogeneity has biological relevance for virulence.

We investigate single-cell flagellar expression in relation to type III secretion expression in the plant pathogenPseudomonas syringaeand describe that both systems undergo phenotypic heterogeneity throughout plant colonization. We establish that high expression of these system carries growth penalties. Stochastic, spatial and time factors shape dynamics of a phenotypically diverse population which displays division of labor during colonization: T3SSONbacteria effectors act as ‘common goods’ to suppress immunity, allowing the increase of motile bacteria that actively leave the infected tissue before necrosis. This study provides a comprehensive view of how processes underlying bacterial specialization play out in the context of complex and changing environments of biological and applied relevance such as host colonization.
Growth arrest is a DNA damage protection strategy in plants
Authors: Serrano-Mislata Antonio , Hernández-García Jorge , de Ollas Carlos , Blanco-Touriñán Noel , Gómez-Cadenas Aurelio , Sablowski Robert , Alabadí David , Blázquez Miguel A.
Published: March 2024

When exposed to stress, plants slow down their growth while activating defensive mechanisms. This behaviour has been proposed to help plants reallocate resources and meet the energy demands required for survival. In this study, we show instead that plants can grow under limited water availability without compromising their tolerance to the stress. However, cells that continue to divide under stress accumulate DNA damage, which frequently leads to cell death. Given that the DNA lesions are observed in the apical stem cells that give rise to all plant organs, including flowers, we propose that systemic growth arrest is used as a defense strategy that plants employ not only to maximize individual fitness, but also to ensure the accurate transmission of genetic information to their progeny.
Resolved Genomes of Wastewater ESBL-ProducingEscherichia coliand Metagenomic Analysis of Source Wastewater Samples
Authors: Cheney Clinton , Johnson Jared D. , Marie John P. Ste. , Gacosta Kayla Y.M. , Denlinger Drumm Natalie B. , Jones Gerrad , Waite-Cusic Joy , Navab-Daneshmand Tala
Published: March 2024

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producingEscherichia colipose a serious threat to human health because of their resistance to the most commonly prescribed antibiotics: penicillins and cephalosporins. In this study, we provide a genomic and metagenomic context for the determinant ESBL genes ofE. coliisolated from various wastewater treatment utilities in Oregon, USA. Class A beta-lactamase genes on chromosomes (blaCTX-M,blaTEM)were clustered with antibiotic resistance genes associated with other classes of antibiotics (sulfonamides and aminoglycosides) along with insertional elements. ESBL genes such asblaCTX-M,blaTEM, andblaSHV were also detected on conjugable plasmids of IncF and IncI incompatibility types. One novel IncF plasmid (pSHV2A_ESBLF) was identified in which carried a multi-drug resistance genotype (blaSHV-2A,aadA22, aac(3), aph(6),tetA, andsul1) in addition to amer(mercury resistance) operon, colicin, and aerobactin genes. Shotgun metagenomic analysis of theE. coli-originating wastewater samples showed the presence of class A beta-lactamases; however, the ESBL genes identified in theE. coligenomes were below the detection limits. Other ESBL-associated genes (i.e.,blaOXA.11,blaFOX.7, andblaGES.17) were identified in the wastewater samples and their occurrences were correlated with the core microbial genera (e.g.,Paraprevotella). In both theE. coligenomes and the wastewater samples, tetracycline, aminoglycoside, and beta-lactam resistance determinants frequently co-occurred. The unique combination of whole-genome and metagenomic analysis provides a holistic description of ESBL-producing organisms and genes in the Oregonian wastewater system.
Autophagosome turnover requires Arp2/3 complex-mediated maintenance of lysosomal integrity
Authors: Theodore Corey J. , Wagner Lianna H. , Campellone Kenneth G.
Published: March 2024

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation process that maintains homeostasis, responds to stress, and plays key roles in the prevention of aging and disease. Autophagosome biogenesis, vesicle rocketing, and autolysosome tubulation are controlled by multiple actin nucleation factors, but the impact of actin assembly on completion of the autophagic pathway is not well understood. Here we studied autophagosome and lysosome remodeling in fibroblasts harboring an inducible knockout (iKO) of the Arp2/3 complex, an essential actin nucleator. Arp2/3 complex ablation resulted in increased basal levels of autophagy receptors and lipidated membrane proteins from the LC3 and GABARAP families. Under both steady-state and starvation conditions, Arp2/3 iKO cells accumulated abnormally high numbers of autolysosomes, suggesting a defect in autophagic flux. The inability of Arp2/3 complex-deficient cells to complete autolysosome degradation and turnover is explained by the presence of damaged, leaky lysosomes. In cells treated with an acute lysosomal membrane-damaging agent, the Arp2/3-activating protein WHAMM is recruited to lysosomes, where Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin assembly is crucial for restoring intact lysosomal structure. These results establish the Arp2/3 complex as a central player late in the canonical autophagy pathway and reveal a new role for the actin nucleation machinery in maintaining lysosomal integrity.
A metastasis-associated Pannexin1 mutant (Panx11-89) forms a minimalist ATP release channel
Authors: Wang Junjie , Mim Carsten , Dahll Gerhard , Barro-Soria Rene
Published: March 2024

A truncated form of the ATP release channel pannexin 1 (Panx1), Panx11–89, is enriched in metastatic breast cancer cells and has been proposed to mediate metastatic cell survival by increasing ATP release through mechanosensitive Panx1 channels. However, whether Panx11–89on its own (without the presence of wtPanx1) mediates ATP release has not been tested. Here, we show that Panx11–89by itself can form a constitutively active membrane channel, capable of releasing ATP even in the absence of wild type Panx1. Our biophysical characterization reveals that most basic structure-function features of the channel pore are conserved in the truncated Panx11–89peptide. Thus, augmenting extracellular potassium ion concentrations enhances Panx11–89-mediated conductance. Moreover, despite the severe truncation, Panx11–89retains the sensitivity to most of wtPanx1 channel inhibitors and can thus be targeted. Therefore, Panx1 blockers have the potential to be of therapeutic value to combat metastatic cell survival. Our study not only elucidates a mechanism for ATP release from cancer cells, but it also supports that the Panx11–89mutant should facilitate structure-function analysis of Panx1 channels.
Toward generalizable phenotype prediction from single-cell morphology representations
Authors: Tomkinson Jenna , Kern Roshan , Mattson Cameron , Way Gregory P.
Published: March 2024

Functional cell processes (e.g., molecular signaling, response to environmental stimuli, mitosis, etc.) impact cell phenotypes, which scientists can easily and robustly measure with cell morphology. However, linking these morphology measurements with phenotypes remains challenging because biologically interpretable phenotypes require manually annotated labels. Automatic phenotype annotation from cell morphology would link biological processes with their phenotypic outcomes and deepen understanding of cell function. We propose that nuclear morphology can be a predictive marker for cell phenotypes that is generalizable across cell types. Nucleus morphology is commonly and easily accessible with microscopy, but annotating specific phenotypic information requires labels. Therefore, we reanalyzed a pre-labeled, publicly-available nucleus microscopy dataset from the MitoCheck consortium to predict single-cell phenotypes. We extracted single-cell morphology features using CellProfiler and DeepProfiler, which provide fast, robust, and generalizable data processing pipelines. We trained multinomial, multi-class elastic net logistic regression models to classify nuclei into one of 15 phenotypes such as ‘Anaphase,’ ‘Apoptosis’, and ‘Binuclear’. In a held-out test set, we observed an overall F1 score of 0.84, where individual phenotype scores ranged from 0.64 (indicating moderate performance) to 0.99 (indicating high performance). Notably, phenotypes such as ‘Elongated’, ‘Metaphase’, and ‘Apoptosis’ showed high performance. While CellProfiler and DeepProfiler morphology features were generally equally effective, combining feature spaces yielded the best results for 9 of the 15 phenotypes. However, leave-one-image-out (LOIO) cross-validation analysis showed a significant performance decline, indicating our model could not reliably predict phenotype in new single images. Poor performance, which we show was unrelated to factors like illumination correction or model selection, limits generalizability to new datasets and highlights the challenges of morphology to phenotype annotation. Nevertheless, we modified and applied our approach to the JUMP Cell Painting pilot data. Our modified approach improved dataset alignment and highlighted many perturbations that are known to be associated with specific phenotypes. We propose several strategies that could pave the way for more generalizable methods in single-cell phenotype prediction, which is a step toward morphology representation ontologies that would aid in cross-dataset interpretability.
Modeling alternative translation initiation sites in plants reveals evolutionarily conservedcis-regulatory codes in eukaryotes
Authors: Wu Ting-Ying , Li Ya-Ru , Chang Kai-Jyun , Fang Jhen-Cheng , Urano Daisuke , Liu Ming-Jung
Published: March 2024

mRNA translation relies on identifying translation initiation sites (TISs) in mRNAs. Alternative TISs are prevalent across plant transcriptomes, but the mechanisms for their recognition are unclear. Using ribosome profiling and machine learning, we developed models for predicting alternative TISs in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Distinct feature sets were predictive of AUG and nonAUG TISs in 5′ untranslated regions and coding sequences, including a novel CU-rich sequence that promoted plant TIS activity, a translational enhancer found across dicots and monocots, and humans and viruses. Our results elucidate the mechanistic and evolutionary basis of TIS recognition, wherebycis-regulatory RNA signatures affect start site selection. The TIS prediction model provides global estimates of TISs to discover neglected protein-coding genes across plant genomes. The prevalence ofcis-regulatory signatures across plant species, humans, and viruses suggests their broad and critical roles in reprogramming the translational landscape.
Molecular nature of the
Ωc(3120)
and its analogy with the
Ω(2012)
Authors: Ikeno Natsumi , Liang Wei-Hong , Oset Eulogio
Published: March 2024

We make a study of the Ωc(3120), one of the five Ωc states observed by the LHCb Collaboration, which is well reproduced as a molecular state from the Ξc*K¯ and Ωc*η channels mostly. The state with JP=3/2− decays to ΞcK¯ in the D wave, and we include this decay channel in our approach, as well as the effect of the Ξc* width. With all these ingredients, we determine the fraction of the Ωc(3120) width that goes into ΞcπK¯, which could be a measure of the Ξc*K¯ molecular component, but due to a relatively big binding, compared to its analogous Ω(2012) state, we find only a small fraction of about 3%, which makes this measurement difficult with present statistics. As an alternative, we evaluate the scattering length and effective range of the Ξc*K¯ and Ωc*η channels, which, together with the binding and width of the Ωc(3120) state, could give us an answer to the issue of the compositeness of this state when these magnitudes are determined experimentally, something feasible nowadays, for instance, measuring correlation functions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Searching for
H→hh→bb¯ττ
in the 2HDM type-I at the LHC
Authors: Arhrib A. , Moretti S. , Semlali S. , Shepherd-Themistocleous C. H. , Wang Y. , Yan Q. S.
Published: March 2024

Unlike other realizations of the 2-Higgs doublet model (2HDM), the so-called type-I allows for a very light Higgs boson spectrum. Specifically, herein, the heaviest of the two CP-even neutral Higgs states, H, can be the one discovered at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2012, with a mass of ≈125  GeV and couplings consistent with those predicted by the Standard Model (SM). In such a condition of the model, referred to as “inverted mass hierarchy,” the decay of the SM-like Higgs state into pairs of the lightest CP-even neutral Higgs boson, h, is possible, for masses of the latter ranging from MH/2≈65  GeV down to 15 GeV or so, all compatible with experimental constraints. In this paper, we investigate the scope of the LHC in accessing the process gg→H→hh→bb¯ττ by performing a Monte Carlo (MC) analysis aimed at extracting this signal from the SM backgrounds, in presence of a dedicated trigger choice and kinematic selection. We prove that some sensitivity to such a channel exists already at run 3 of the LHC while the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) will be able to either confirm or disprove this theoretical scenario over sizable regions of its parameter space.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Do social investment policies promote employment among the vulnerable? A case of single mothers
Authors: Sakamoto Takayuki
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether social investment (SI) policies improve employment among single mothers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyzes the potential effects of SI policies on vulnerable individuals and workers at the macro level by using the employment position of single mothers as a dependent variable. Time-series cross-national data from 18 OECD countries between 1998 and 2017 are analyzed. Multilevel model analysis is also used for robustness check.

Findings

I find that public spending on education and family support is positively associated with the employment rates of single mothers. In contrast, active labor market policy (ALMP) spending is negatively associated. ALMP’s negative effects stand out particularly with public spending on job training. Of all family support policies, family allowances are positively associated with single mothers’ employment, which runs counter to the conventional argument that family allowances are a disincentive for women’s or mothers’ employment. Paid leave (length and generosity) is also associated with higher employment for single mothers. There is also some tentative evidence that public spending on maternity leave benefits (spending level) may raise the odds of single mothers being employed, when individual-level factors are controlled for in multilevel analysis we implement for robustness check.

Research limitations/implications

This paper does not analyze the effects of the qualitative properties of SI policies. Future research is necessary in this respect.

Originality/value

The effects of SI policies on employment among single mothers have not yet been examined in the literature. This paper seeks to be a first cut at measuring the effects.
Knowledge trajectory of eSports as an emerging field of research
Authors: Zhu Jiantao , Cao Chuhan , Liu Hefu , Lim Eric Tze Kuan , Tan Chee-Wee
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Research on electric sports (eSports) has experienced significant growth in recent years as a consequence of increasing connectivity, institutionalization, and technological advances. However, the interdisciplinary nature of the eSports as a field and the burgeoning growth in eSports articles have rendered it necessary to conduct a systematic review of extant literature to take stock of the knowledge accumulated. To this end, we aim to undertake a comprehensive review of extant literature that takes stock of published research to derive opportunities for future research in the realm of eSports. In so doing, we contribute to the advancement of the field by mapping out the knowledge trajectory of eSports research and elucidating areas that have remained underexplored thus far.

Design/methodology/approach

To conduct systematic review of the eSports literature, we employed a framework that included six essential steps: protocol, search, appraisal, synthesis, analysis, and report. This comprehensive approach enables us to meticulously investigate the existing body of literature on eSports and identify key trends and topics addressed within the field. By conducting the multidisciplinary systematic literature review, we thoroughly assess the current state of eSports literature and subsequently outline potential research avenues that can contribute to eSports fields.

Findings

This study draws on a six-phase framework – member preparation, team formation, character selection, team coordination, team performance, and team reflection – to illustrate the roles played by different levels of analysis unit (i.e. characters, players, and teams) and three distinct yet interconnected stages (i.e. inputs, process, and outputs) within eSports games as well as the research opportunities it brings.

Originality/value

We conducted a rigorous systematic review of the eSports literature by using quantitative citation analysis and qualitative content analysis. Furthermore, we adopted team dynamic view of eSports to identify potential research avenues for future research that contribute to advancing our understanding of the eSports tournaments.
Transforming metaverse marketing into strategic agility in SMEs through mediating roles of IMT and CI: theoretical framework and research propositions
Authors: Abrokwah-Larbi Kwabena
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the conversion of metaverse marketing (MVM) into strategic agility among SMEs based on dynamic capabilities (DC) and dynamic management capabilities (DMC) theories. This paper discusses how constructs such as immersive marketing technologies (IMT), customer immersion (CI) and managerial capabilities (MC) play critical role in the transformation of MVM into strategic agility (SA).

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical framework based on DC and DMC theories, and a comprehensive review of the literature on MVM, IMT, CI, MC and SA, was developed in order to theoretically investigate the relationships between MVM and SA. In this theoretical framework, MVM is the independent variable, while the dependent variable is SA. Also, IMT and CI both mediate the association between MVM and SA, while MC moderate the association between MVM and SA in one stream; and CI and SA in another stream.

Findings

This research study develops a theoretical framework that recommends nine set of important research propositions in MVM. An extensive literature review was conducted to examine the theoretical framework on the effect of MVM on SA. The proposed theoretical framework suggests that brand community development and communication, experiential marketing and personalisation in MVM, once accessed through IMT (i.e. VR, AR, MR) and CI (i.e. customer engagement, customer absorption-customer acquisition and assimilation of knowledge, presence) can produce significant SA through customer experience management, value co-creation and process innovation.

Originality/value

This current study develops a theoretical framework that theorise the relationship between MVM and SA rooted in literature on MVM and SA, and also based on DC and DMC perspective. The moderating effect of MC on the relationship between IMT and SA on one hand, and CI and SA on the other, provides support to IMT and CI as mediators in the transformation of MVM into SA. This study also provides insight into SME adoption of MVM and how it generates SA. Lastly, the current study contributes to the body of knowledge on MVM, IMT, CI, MC and SA.
Research on the evolution law of dynamic performance of CR400BF EMU train based on stochastic dynamics simulation
Authors: Cheng Di , Wen Yuqing , Guo Zhiqiang , Hu Xiaoyi , Wang Pengsong , Song Zhikun
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to obtain the evolution law of dynamic performance of CR400BF electric multiple unit (EMU).

Design/methodology/approach

Using the dynamic simulation based on field test, stiffness of rotary arm nodes and damping coefficient of anti-hunting dampers were tested. Stiffness, damping coefficient, friction coefficient, track gauge were taken as random variables, the stochastic dynamics simulation method was constructed and applied to research the evolution law with running mileage of dynamic index of CR400BF EMU.

Findings

The results showed that stiffness and damping coefficient subjected to normal distribution, the mean and variance were computed and the evolution law of stiffness and damping coefficient with running mileage was obtained.

Originality/value

Firstly, based on the field test we found that stiffness of rotary arm nodes and damping coefficient of anti-hunting dampers subjected to normal distribution, and the evolution law of stiffness and damping coefficient with running mileage was proposed. Secondly stiffness, damping coefficient, friction coefficient, track gauge were taken as random variables, the stochastic dynamics simulation method was constructed and applied to the research to the evolution law with running mileage of dynamic index of CR400BF EMU.
Investigation on the influence of wall thickness on the reception signal in a PFA-made ultrasonic flow sensor
Authors: Hu Liang , Liu Chengwei , Su Rui , Liu Weiting
Published: March 2024

Purpose

In a coaxial ultrasonic flow sensor (UFS), wall thickness is a vital parameter of the measurement tube, especially those with small inner diameters. The paper aims to investigate the influence of wall thickness on the transient signal characteristics in an UFS.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the problem was researched experimentally using a series of measurement tubes with different wall thicknesses. Second, a finite element method–based model in the time domain was established to validate the experimental results and further discussion. Finally, the plane wave assumption and oblique incident theory were used to analyze the wave propagation in the tube, and an idea of wave packet superposition was proposed to reveal the mechanism of the influence of wall thickness.

Findings

Both experimental and simulated results showed that the signal amplitude decreased periodically as the wall thickness increased, and the corresponding waveform varied dramatically. Based on the analysis of wave propagation in the measurement tube, a formula concerning the phase difference between wave packets was derived to characterize the signal variation.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new and explicit explanation of the influence of wall thickness on the transient signal in a co-axial UFS. Both experimental and simulated results were presented, and the mechanism was clearly described.
Overwintering strategy regulates phenological sensitivity and consequences for ecological services in a clade of temperate North American insects
Authors: Larsen Elise A. , Belitz Michael W. , Di Cecco Grace J. , Glassberg Jeffrey , Hurlbert Allen H. , Ries Leslie , Guralnick Robert P.
Published: March 2024

Recent reports of insect declines have raised concerns about the potential for concomitant losses to ecosystem processes. However, understanding the causes and consequences of insect declines is challenging, especially given the data deficiencies for most species. Needed are approaches that can help quantify the magnitude and potential causes of declines at levels above species.

Here we present an analytical framework for assessing broad‐scale plant–insect phenologies and their relationship to community‐level insect abundance patterns. We intentionally apply a species‐neutral approach to analyse trends in phenology and abundance at the macroecological scale. Because both phenology and abundance are critical to ecosystem processes, we estimate aggregate metrics using the overwintering (diapause) stage, a key species trait regulating phenology and environmental sensitivities. This approach can be used across broad spatiotemporal scales and multiple taxa, including less well‐studied groups.

Using community (‘citizen’) science butterfly observations from multiple platforms across the Eastern USA, we show that the relationships between environmental drivers, phenology and abundance depend on the diapause stage. In particular, egg‐diapausing butterflies show marked changes in adult‐onset phenology in relation to plant phenology and are rapidly declining in abundance over a 20‐year span across the study region. Our results also demonstrate the negative consequences of warmer winters for the abundance of egg‐diapausing butterflies, irrespective of plant phenology.

In sum, the diapause stage strongly shapes both phenological sensitivities and developmental requirements across seasons, providing a basis for predicting the impacts of environmental change across trophic levels. Utilizing a framework that ties thermal performance across life stages in relation to climate and lower‐trophic‐level phenology provides a critical step towards predicting changes in ecosystem processes provided by butterflies and other herbivorous insects into the future.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Individual and combined effects of non‐native earthworms and native white‐tailed deer on understorey plant survival, growth and reproduction
Authors: Dobson Annise , Bowe Audrey , Nuzzo Victoria , Dávalos Andrea , Fahey Timothy , Blossey Bernd
Published: March 2024

Forests in northeastern North America have undergone dramatic transformations due to losses and gains of species, changes in land use and pollution. Historic stressors combined with new threats of white‐tailed deer and non‐native earthworms are threatening native plant diversity.

We developed a transplant approach to gauge the importance of deer and earthworms in allowing understorey species recovery. This approach, instead of censusing existing individuals, avoids problems imposed by past land use, dispersal limitation or climate change. We selected 20 native species in different taxonomic and functional groups, with different palatability to herbivores, different life‐history strategies and a range of plant traits (%N, specific leaf area [SLA]) and our selection included species indicative of primary or secondary forests.

Using a 2 × 2 full factorial design, we planted species into fenced and unfenced plots with and without existing earthworm invasions in five secondary hardwood forests. We measured survival, plant growth and reproduction over 4–6 years.

Earthworm biomass was associated with increased survival of 13 and decreased survival of five species. Surviving transplants grew taller (eight of 12 species measured) and wider (seven of nine species measured) in earthworm plots but were more likely to be attacked by insects. Excluding deer benefitted most species' survival and growth.

Taxonomic class, SLA or foliar N did not affect species sensitivity to deer or earthworms.

Synthesis. Secondary forests in our region continue to provide suitable habitat for native species. Earthworms and deer are major structuring forces affecting survival and growth of our transplant species, but their impacts are species‐specific and change over time. We observed poorly recognized indirect negative impacts of deer on many unpalatable species. Taxonomic class and differences in plant traits offered no important insights regarding vulnerability to deer or earthworms. Transplanting native species into secondary forests can succeed in restoring understorey communities, but will require fencing or substantial deer population reductions to be successful long term.
Dataset of the impacts of invasive alien species in Brazil
Authors: Sampaio Franco Ana Clara , da Rocha Rosana Moreira , Pivello Vania R. , Magalhães André Lincoln Barroso , de Castro Camila Fediuk , da Cruz Neto Claudiano C. , da Silva Matos Dalva M. , Brown George Gardner , Heringer Gustavo , Saulino Hugo Henrique Lanzi , Oliveira Igor , Braga Raul Rennó , Miranda Ricardo Jessouroun , Mormul Roger Paulo , Vitule Jean Ricardo Simões
Published: March 2024

This dataset summarizes the research on the impacts of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) documented in Brazil from 1981 to 2022 and was used to subsidize the Brazilian Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Impacts of non‐native plants and animals, but not microorganisms and fungi, on terrestrial and aquatic (freshwater and marine) environments were included in this review. Most of the literature reviewed consisted of published articles, plus a few book chapters, dissertations, theses, and reports. We found 1003 records of ecological and economic impacts (970 negative and 33 positive) caused by 239 different species, as well as effects on people's well‐being. Understanding and assessing all ecological interactions of IAS in nature, as well as evaluating their contributions to humans, can be a complex task. However, the current scientific evidence from Brazil suggests that negative impacts of IAS are far more common than positive impacts, highlighting the importance of avoiding novel introductions. From a conservationist perspective, the simple presence of IAS may cause the negative impact of changing the original structure and processes of nature. This is of special concern in megadiverse countries like Brazil, where interactions among species are multiple and complex. Therefore, we believe this extensive review is an important contribution to the national knowledge of IAS and the improvement of global databases, which must be periodically reviewed. The complete dataset for this abstract published in the Data Article section of the journal is available in electronic format in MetaCat in JaLTER at http://db.cger.nies.go.jp/JaLTER/metacat/metacat/ERDP-2024-01.1/jalter-en.
Validation of the extinction probe trial as a measure of motivation in male and female Long Evans rats
Authors: Ortelli Olivia A. , Weiner Jeffrey L.
Published: March 2024

Background

Ethanol self‐administration is governed by appetitive and consummatory behaviors. The sipper model procedurally separates these behaviors by training rats to meet a response requirement within 20 min to obtain continuous access to a sipper tube for an additional 20 min. Variations of this paradigm have been developed to quantify appetitive strength by evaluating lever presses during an extinction probe trial (EPT) or by deriving a break point (BP) from a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. However, no study has assessed the relationship between these tasks, within subjects, in both sexes.

Methods

Male and female rats (n = 16) were trained to meet a response requirement of 20 to access a slightly sweetened ethanol solution (10% ethanol + 1% sucrose). Two EPTs, during which no operant behavior was reinforced, were interleaved between 18 reinforced sessions. Next, rats completed an across‐session PR schedule, where the response requirement increased each session. BP was defined as the highest completed response requirement. We then replicated the methodology in the same subjects responding for a 3% sucrose solution. Finally, the experiment was replicated in a separate cohort of rats (n = 24) trained to a response requirement of 4 to earn access to the ethanol solution and paradigm order (EPT vs. PR) was counterbalanced.

Results

We report strong, positive correlations between average EPT lever presses and BP across all experiments. No sex differences were observed in appetitive behaviors. However, the two cohorts revealed mixed results when assessing sex differences in consummatory measures.

Conclusions

This study further validates the EPT as a measure of motivation and suggests that similar levels of motivation exist to procure alcohol in males and females. The findings complement the literature showing that appetitive and consummatory processes are distinct and thus should be independently assessed in self‐administration paradigms.
A population‐based time‐series analysis of opioid agonist treatment dispensed during pregnancy
Authors: Schmidt Rose A. , Everett Karl , Perez‐Brumer Amaya , Strike Carol , Rush Brian , Gomes Tara
Published: March 2024

Background and aims

Identifying effective opioid treatment options during pregnancy is a high priority due to the growing prevalence of opioid use disorder across North America. We assessed the temporal impact of three population‐level interventions on the use of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) during pregnancy in Ontario, Canada.

Design

This was a population‐based time‐series analysis to identify trends in the monthly prevalence of pregnant people dispensed methadone and buprenorphine. The impact of adding buprenorphine/naloxone to the public drug formulary, the release of pregnancy‐specific guidance and the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic were assessed.

Setting and participants

The study was conducted in Ontario, Canada between 1 July 2013 and 31 March 2022, comprising people who delivered a live or stillbirth in any Ontario hospital during the study period.

Measurements

We identified any prescription for methadone or buprenorphine dispensed between the estimated conception date and delivery date and calculated the monthly prevalence of OAT‐exposed pregnancies among all pregnant people in Ontario.

Findings

Overall, rates of OAT during pregnancy have declined since mid‐2018. Methadone‐exposed pregnancies decreased from 0.46% of all pregnancies in Ontario in 2015 to a low of 0.16% in 2022. In the primary analysis, none of the interventions had a statistically significant impact on overall OAT rates; however, in the stratified analyses, there was a small increase in buprenorphine after the formulary change [0.006%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.0032−0.0081, P < 0.0001] and a decrease in buprenorphine after the release of the 2017 guidelines (−0.005%, 95% CI = −0.0080 to −0.0020, P = 0.001) and the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic (−0.003%, 95% CI = −0.0054 to −0.0006, P = 0.015).

Conclusion

Despite changes in guidance and funding, opioid agonist treatment during pregnancy has been declining in Ontario, Canada since 2018.
Exploring the molecular mechanisms network of breast cancer by multi‐omics analysis
Authors: Jiang Wei , Zhang Yanjun , Wang Qiuqiong
Published: March 2024

Background

Breast cancer (BC), the most prevalent malignancy in women globally, still lacks comprehensive research on its molecular targets and necessitates further investigation into the underlying molecular mechanisms driving its initiation and progression.

Methods

The GSE20685 Series Matrix File downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database was divided into a high‐risk group (n = 49) and a low‐risk group (n = 278) to construct the co‐expression network.

Results

Four hub genes were identified based on the Weighted Gene Co‐expression Network Analysis. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional enrichment analyses were performed. Hub gene immune infiltration was investigated using the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource database, and CD4+ T cell expression levels were substantially correlated with hub gene expression. Based on the CancerRxGene database (Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer database), it was found that the hub genes were highly sensitive to common chemotherapy drugs such as AKT inhibitor VIII and Erlotinib. The expression of Secreted Frizzled‐Related Protein 1, melanoma‐inhibiting activity (MIA), and Keratin 14 was related to tumor mutation burden, and the expression of MIA also affected the microsatellite instability of the tumor. This study employs multi‐omics analysis to investigate the molecular network associated with the prognosis of BC, highlighting its intricate connection with the immune microenvironment.

Conclusion

These findings pinpoint four crucial genes in BC progression, offering targets for further research and therapy. Their connections to immune infiltration and chemotherapy sensitivity underscore complex interactions in the tumor microenvironment.
Pathway to Power: Shifts in Electoral Support for the Australian Labor Party Between the 1966 and 1969 Federal Elections
Authors: Williams Paul D.
Published: March 2024

The House of Representatives election of 2 December, 1972, was a watershed in Australian political history. That election saw the Australian Labor Party terminate the Liberal–Country Party (LCP) Coalition's twenty‐three‐year hegemony and bring to office not only a different type of Labor government but a different prime ministerial style in leader Gough Whitlam. Yet, just six years before, Labor at the 1966 election had suffered a 4.30 per cent two‐party preferred (2PP) swing and the loss of nine seats following Labor's lowest primary vote since 1934. Labor's dramatic reversal of fortunes in just six years therefore remains of enormous historical interest. But, given the 1972 election saw a modest 2.5 per cent 2PP swing to Labor, with the party seizing twelve seats from the Coalition and losing four back to the LCP, the 1969–72 triennium offers little insight into Labor's recovery. In that context, this article, via analyses of House of Representatives election results and public opinion poll data, explores the chronology, demography, and geography of Labor's electoral recovery to argue the 1966–69 triennium remains of far greater value when identifying exactly when, among whom, and where Labor began its pathway to power.