bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond Darwin - the general evolutionary theory as unification of biological and cultural evolution
Authors: Glötzl Erhard
Published: January 2024

The general evolutionary theory can be seen as a comprehensive generalization and extension of Darwin's theory. The basic idea is to consider not only the evolution of genetic information - as Darwin did - but also the evolution of very general information. It shows that evolution is characterized by the fact that new types of information have developed in leaps and bounds, each with new storage technologies, new duplication technologies and new processing technologies. This unified concept of evolution makes it possible, among other things, to 1) achieve a unified view of biological and cultural evolution; 2) find a natural periodization of the evolution from the formation of the earth until today; and 3) understand the exponential acceleration of evolution through the emergence of targeted variation mechanisms.
A Study on the Relation between Firm’s Information Protection Level and Audit Efforts
Authors:   Korean Association Of Computers And Accounting, Yang Joon－Sun , Kim Hee－Kwan
Published: January 2024

[Purpose]Recently, the importance of information protection has been emerged with the increasing number of cases of cyber security incidents toward companies. In this study, we examine whether there is relevant implication to the input of additional audit efforts from the auditor’s point of view, whose work includes checking additional efforts invested by companies to improve the level of information protection by linking them with internal control risks. [Methodology]A regression analysis was conducted based on a sample constructed from TS2000 and the information security disclosure portal sites. [Findings]Results of the study show that there is a positive (＋) relationship between the level of information protection (investment amount, manpower) and audit effort (fee, hour). In addition, there is a positive (＋) relationship between information protection investment per person and audit effort, but the higher amount of information protection investment among the amount of technology investment might influence relationship, which reminded us of the need to appropriately consider the size of investment and the size of manpower in information security. [Implications]This study contributes by suggesting that it is possible to study the accounting aspect in the field of information protection and, at the same time, contributes to the expansion of related literature. In addition, by selecting information protection rather than external intrusion (hacking) as a substitute for cyber security, it is differentiated from previous studies by showing that it is possible to identify a relatively small sample to conduct empirical tests. However, since the mandatory information security disclosure system is in its infancy and the sample was selected based on compulsory disclosure and voluntary disclosure, it did not cover the entire industry and various sizes of companies, so care must be taken in interpreting the results.
Development of practical thinking in the professional activities of future law officers
Authors: Piletsky Viktor
Published: January 2024

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the development of practical thinking in the professional activity of future law enforcement officers, as one of the types of thinking that regulates activity, ensuring its adequacy. Such thinking achieves its goals due to the fact that, along with the properties and nature of the object, as well as the peculiarities of the action situation, its conditions, as well as the means of implementation available in this case, are taken as the conditions of the task. The following psychological features are characteristic of practical thinking: observation, the ability to quickly move from thinking to action and back, the ability to see a problem, since the very formulation of a problem is an act of thinking that often requires a lot of hard work. Practical thinking is determined by such psychodynamic determinants as motivation - a set of psychological processes that direct human behavior (at high levels of development, future law enforcement officers are motivated to succeed); an attitude is an individual's tendency to a certain form of response, with the help of which this or that need can be satisfied; representative systems (auditory, visual, kinesthetic), the auditory sensory modality prevails in the subjects, which is expressed in the perception of information by ear and better memorization. All these psychodynamic determinants affect the development of practical thinking of future law enforcement officers.
Key words: practical thinking, future law enforcement officers, professional activity, motivation for success, representative systems (auditory, visual, kinesthetic).
Study of cutting forces during turning of high-hard cast irons
Authors: Derbaba V , Patsera S , Bohdanov O , Ruban V , Muzychka D
Published: January 2024

Purpose. Research of cutting force components during machining of high-hard cast iron by special prefabricated cutters with brazed niborite and ciborite inserts. Determination of the influence of geometric characteristics of the cutting tool, cutting modes and hardness of the material being machined on the cutting forces. The methods. The research methods were based on the fundamentals of cutting theory and cutting tools, material science properties of the tool and processed material. A research bench with special equipment was used. Findings. The nature of the change in the components of cutting forces with depth t, feed rate S and cutting speed v was experimentally investigated. The studies have shown an excess of the resulting force in the horizontal plane Pv over the circumferential one Pz, which is the main feature of turning high-hard metals. It has been established that the main limiting factors in the wear of tool cutting inserts are the permissible levels of forces. The hardness of HB has the greatest effect on the radial force Py. Under identical turning conditions for materials with a hardness of 220 to 610 HB, the forces Pz, Py and Px increase by 1,7; 3,3 and 2,3 times, respectively. In addition to the natural increase, the ratio of cutting forces also changes. Reducing the front angle of the blade causes a deterioration in chip formation conditions and leads to an increase in all components of the cutting forces. An increase in the radius at the top of the cutter r causes an increase in the width and decrease in the thickness of the layer to be cut, as well as a decrease in the main angle in the plan φr on the radial part of the blade. The originality. A complex dependence in the structural-stage form was obtained, which gives a clear picture of the influence of each parameter of the turning process on its performance. This dependence is a mathematical model for calculating the optimal operating and geometric parameters of the turning process of high-hard cast irons. The influence of the frontal angle γ, wear value h, and hardness of HB cast iron on the power characteristics during machining of high-hard cast irons has been studied. Practical implementation. It has been shown that it is economically advantageous to maximize the wear of cutting inserts made of relatively expensive composites. In this case, it is necessary to use a technological system of machine-workpiece-tool of high rigidity.
Specifics of customs relations of Ukraine with european trading partners
Authors: Ishchuk Yu. A , Barchuk K. V , Oryshko D. O
Published: January 2024

Methods. The results of the study are obtained by applying the methods of synthesis and generalisation to study the legislative and practical aspects of customs cooperation, as well as to highlight the prospects for cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in the field of trade. In order to scientifically address the identified issues, the author also used the methods of analysis and comparison to study the dynamics of Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods with certain EU countries; and the abstract and logical method to formulate conclusions. Results. The study analyses Ukraine's foreign trade and customs relations with the European Union. In particular, the dynamics of foreign trade in goods is analysed and the volumes of exports and imports with different EU countries are compared. The study considers both legislative and practical aspects of customs cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union. Novelty. As a result of the analysis of Ukraine’s customs relations with its main trading partner countries of the European Union, it is found that the current stage of implementation of Ukraine’s customs policy is marked by a constant increase in international trade and the complexity of trade processes. The advantages and challenges faced by Ukraine in expanding and improving trade relations with the European Union are identified. Practical value. The study is of practical importance for Ukraine’s economic development in the context of European integration. By analysing trade and economic relations between Ukraine and the European Union, the key aspects of Ukraine’s accession to the free trade area with the EU are identified and its results are revealed. The impact of the Russian aggression on foreign trade and customs relations with the EU is studied. The approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU standards is identified as a key factor that will contribute to the effective implementation of customs policy and create a favourable environment for improving trade processes, taking into account active cooperation with European partners.
Effectiveness Associated With Learning With Video and Multimedia Content in Engineering Students’ Classroom Sessions
Authors: More Valencia Rubén Alexander , Nizama Reyes Mario Enrique , Lizana Puelles Esther Yolanda , Sandoval Valdiviezo Jesus Maria
Published: January 2024

Video as an educational tool has evolved in response to the widespread engagement with multimedia content in the modern era. This approach adapts to the widespread access to the internet and online communication, transforming teaching methods in university environments. The inclusion of video in the educational process not only presents concepts in an engaging way but also encourages active student participation and contributes to the construction of knowledge. The versatility of videos enriches understanding by combining visual and auditory elements, promoting better retention of information. Adapting teaching methods to the multimedia era is fundamental in engineering education. Students recognize the value of videos in understanding practical solutions and engineering applications, highlighting their preference for viewing over reading. Clarity in the presentation and description of videos, together with their easy accessibility, is crucial to their effectiveness. The use of video as an academic resource not only allows for improved student performance but also fosters collaboration and independent learning. In this evolving educational environment, adaptability, collaboration, and individual reflection become essential factors in maximizing multimedia and video resources. The integration of artificial intelligence and the creation of digital scientific discourses reflect the ongoing transformation in education. Through visual and auditory elements, videos enhance the learning experience, fostering active participation and facilitating a deeper understanding of concepts. This, in turn, contributes to the educational development of engineering students.
From land to sea: the fall migration of the red phalarope through the Western Hemisphere
Authors: Saalfeld ST , Valcu M , Brown S , English W , Giroux MA , Harrison AL , Krietsch J , Kuletz K , Lamarre JF , Latty C , Lecomte N , McGuire R , Robards M , Scarpignato A , Schulte S , Smith PA , Kempenaers B , Lanctot RB
Published: January 2024

Understanding how and where individuals migrate between breeding and wintering areas is important for assessing threats, identifying important areas for conservation, and determining a species’ vulnerability to changing environmental conditions. Between 2017 and 2020, we tracked post-breeding movements of 72 red phalaropes Phalaropus fulicarius with satellite tags from 7 Arctic-breeding sites in the Alaskan and Central Canadian Arctic. All tracked red phalaropes left their Arctic breeding grounds (i.e. were obligate migrants) but then switched to a more facultative migration strategy with a fly-and-forage migration pattern once in the marine environment. We documented high variability in migration timing and routes, with birds often taking indirect, circuitous routes with numerous stops that greatly lengthened both the duration and distance of their southward migration. Across nearly 500 stopover areas, which were often associated with areas of presumed greater food availability, individuals spent an average of 6 d and traveled within an average area of 1880 km2. Stopover areas were concentrated in onshore and nearshore habitats of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, the western edge of the Bering Strait, along the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands, and near the Pribilof Islands in Alaska. Within the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, females frequently stopped within the marginal ice zone, whereas males tended to stay on land or in open water. Our results identified important marine areas that can aid future conservation and management decisions. However, conservation of the species will also need to address the numerous direct and indirect anthropogenic threats red phalaropes experience at sea, many of which are not site-specific.
Adrian Brunel and British Cinema of the 1920s
Authors: Botting Josephine
Published: January 2024

British cinema has been in the shadow of Hollywood for over a hundred years, constantly attempting to define itself in an effort to challenge its dominance. In the interwar years, a small group of intellectuals argued that injecting a level of ‘art’ into the medium was the way to do this, a view strongly opposed by the commercial forces of the industry. Using the experiences of Adrian Brunel, this book demonstrates how this clash affected the careers of filmmakers attempting to prove their theory. Brunel was cultured yet financially insecure, caught between the creative Bohemianism of 1920s London and a conventional, conservative film industry. Problems of financing, censorship and distribution beset the British film industry throughout the silent cinema period and, to some degree, still do. By providing detailed evidence of the problems facing the 1920s British film industry, the book provides a better understanding of their nature and causes, as well as the strategies that Brunel and his associates employed to try and obviate them. Tracing the ups and downs of Brunel’s biography during the decade, with detailed reference to his personal papers, the book exposes the various forces controlling the production, distribution and exhibition of films in Britain as Brunel tried to negotiate them and find a niche in the insecure and competitive arena of British film.
Noise and Noise Law
Authors: McManus Francis , Mckenzie Andy
Published: January 2024

The book contains an introduction to basic acoustics. Common law nuisance and statutory nuisance are discussed with special reference to noise. The authors then discuss the legal controls over neighbourhood noise, transport noise and noise in the workplace. A chapter is devoted to the role of human rights law in the control of noise. Separate chapters cover noise mapping and the role of planning in control of environmental noise.
Silicon Valley Cinema
Authors: Street Joe
Published: January 2024

Silicon Valley corporations now dominate our daily lives to the extent that many of us now question their ability to determine the direction of human life in the twenty-first century. The 2010s saw Hollywood filmmakers engaging in this very debate. Through a sequence of films ranging from biopics of key Silicon Valley leaders to science fiction action films and whimsical workplace comedies, Hollywood films probed Silicon Valley’s impact on our past, present, and future. Silicon Valley Cinema argues that these films seek to encourage scepticism about our Silicon Valley overlords and have us step back from our immersion in Silicon Valley’s world. It examines a sequence of biopics of two key Silicon Valley figures, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple founder Steve Jobs; a pair of films that reveal the seductively toxic working environment for tech workers; and a series of science fiction extravaganzas that present Silicon Valley tech leaders as existential threats to humanity thanks to their fidelity to a form of turbo capitalism that dismisses ethics and morals in search of profit. It concludes with an interrogation of a whimsical Silicon Valley-set comedy that encompasses Hollywood’s approach to the upstarts from upstate which reveals that Hollywood’s critique is necessarily hindered by its own position within American capitalism.
The American Vagrant in Literature
Authors: Yazell Bryan
Published: January 2024

This book argues that the rapid development of anti-vagrancy laws in the late nineteenth century, which were written alongside widespread public fascination with ‘tramps’, facilitated a transatlantic dialogue between sources eager to modernize the state’s ability to describe, catalogue, and manage this roving population. Almost always depicted as white, solitary, and artistic, the tramp character was once a menacing threat to society—only to disappear from the public eye by the postwar period.
The American Vagrant in Literature reconstructs this timeline by placing some of the most canonical figures in American literature (including Mark Twain, Jack Kerouac, and John Steinbeck) in dialogue with a range of ethnographers, activists, and governmental officials who together defined the tramp’s characteristics. Foremost amongst these features, the tramp’s vexed presentation of masculinity, whiteness, and mobility made the subject an especially rich one for sources interested in delimiting the values the state should endorse. Thanks to this literary history, one sees that the emergence and then appearance of the tramp reflects a much larger transformation in the technology of state power, especially in relation to questions of race and the so-called deserving poor.
Life as Metaphor in Derrida and Fink
Authors: Menegalle Giovanni
Published: January 2024

This article explains how Derrida’s notion of an originary or generalised metaphoricity can be understood in terms of the analyses presented in Voice and Phenomenon (1967) in response to Eugen Fink’s question of a ‘transcendental logos’ and of the paradoxical ontological status of phenomenological language. Tracing Fink’s impact on Derrida, as well as the key differences between them, the article shows that underlying Derrida’s reappropriation of the phenomenological concept of ‘life’ is an expansion of indicative relations—which in Husserl typify the function of signs within intersubjective communication and modes of judgement characterised by the non-presence of the intended object—to a general feature of the ‘living present’. While for Fink the indicative or metaphorical nature of the transcendental concept of ‘life’ does not threaten the founding unity it serves to name, for Derrida it is this very unity which is undermined by the proliferation of indication at the core of temporal experience.
The recent history of an insular bat population reveals an environmental disequilibrium and conservation concerns
Authors: Bochaton Corentin , Picard Rémi , Cochard David , Conche Valentin , Lidour Kevin , Lenoble Arnaud
Published: January 2024

With the global pandemic of Covid-19, the putative threats related to the increasing contact between wild animals, including bats, and human populations have been highlighted. Bats are indeed known to carry several zoonoses, but at the same time, many species are currently facing the risk of extinction. In this context, being able to monitor the evolution of bat populations in the long term and predict future potential contact with humans has important implications for conservation and public health. In this study, we attempt to demonstrate the usefulness of a small-scale paleobiological approach to track the evolution of an insular population of Antillean fruit-eating bats (Brachyphylla cavernarum), known to carry zoonoses, by documenting the temporal evolution of a cave roosting site and its approximately 250 000 individuals bat colony. To do so, we conducted a stratigraphic analysis of the sedimentary infilling of the cave, as well as a taphonomic and paleobiological analysis of the bone contents of the sediment. Additionally, we performed a neotaphonomic study of an assemblage of scats produced by cats that had consumed bats on-site. Our results reveal the effects of human-induced environmental disturbances, as well as conservation policies, on the bat colony. They also demonstrate that the roosting site is currently filling at a very fast pace, which may lead to the displacement of the bat colony and increased contact between bats and human populations in the near future. Our research outcomes advocate for a better consideration of retrospective paleobiological data to address conservation questions related to bat populations.
Flowering margins support natural enemies between cropping seasons
Authors: Obanyi Janet N. , Ogendo Joshua O. , Mulwa Richard M. S. , Nyaanga Jane G. , Cheruiyot Erick K. , Bett Philip K. , Belmain Steven R. , Arnold Sarah E. J. , Nash-Woolley Victoria C. , Stevenson Philip C.
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Populations of natural enemies of insect pests are declining owing to agricultural intensification and indiscriminate use of pesticides, and this may be exacerbated in agricultural systems that clear all margin plants after the cropping season for other uses such as fodder. Retaining a diversity of non-crop flowering vegetation outside the cropping season may support more resilient and effective natural pest regulation.

Methods

We tested the potential for non-crop vegetation to support natural enemies in fields across two locations after harvesting the primary crops of lablab and maize.

Results

A total of 54 plant species were recorded across the sites in Kenya with 59% of them being annuals and 41% perennials. There was a significant seasonal variation in plant species richness (ANOVA: F1, 16 = 33. 45; P< 0.0001) and diversity (ANOVA: F1, 16 = 7.20; P = 0.0511). While time since harvesting was a significant factor influencing the overall abundance of natural enemies (ANOVA: F2, 1,133 = 8.11; P< 0.0001), they were generally higher in abundance in locations with margin plants or where a diversity of margin plants was observed.

Discussion

These findings demonstrate that flowering plants in agricultural systems offer refuge and alternative food for natural enemies and potentially other beneficial insects between cropping seasons. The conservation of natural enemies between crops may lead to more effective natural pest regulation early in the following crop, thus reducing reliance on insecticides application.
Quality control of Bradyrhizobium inoculant strains: detection of nosZ and correlation of symbiotic efficiency with soybean leaf chlorophyll levels
Authors: Brignoli Damián , Frickel-Critto Emilia , Sandobal Tamara J. , Balda Rocío S. , Castells Cecilia B. , Mongiardini Elías J. , Pérez-Giménez Julieta , Lodeiro Aníbal R.
Published: January 2024

Greenhouse gas emissions, such as N2O from excessive N-fertilizer use, are of concern. Symbiotic N2-fixation by pulses such as soybean might mitigate this issue, for which inoculants carrying locally adapted Bradyrhizobium strains are recommended. In the frame of this goal, enhancing the quality control of these inoculants is required on two key aspects: determining the presence of nosZ, for the strains being able to reduce N2O, and assessing N2-fixation potential. Previously it was demonstrated that, in soybean leaves, N-contents are well correlated with chlorophyll contents. However, no such correlations were made with either N obtained from N2-fixation or with nodules mass, which is an indicator of nodular activity. Here we aimed to leverage the correlation between N and chlorophyll levels to develop a simple and non-destructive laboratory method to be applied in quality control of inoculants, able to assess the N2-fixing capacity of rhizobial strains. To establish such correlations, we cultivated soybeans in vermiculite with N-free nutrient solution, and inoculated them with various Bradyrhizobium field isolates that displayed a range of symbiotic N2-fixing capacities. Subsequently, we measured chlorophyll with a portable chlorophyllometer, and correlated these measures with symbiotic parameters. Moreover, we tested for the presence of nosZ by PCR. We observed significant correlations between chlorophyll and shoot nitrogen obtained from N2-fixation and, in addition, we corroborated that chlorophyll contents were significantly correlated also with nodules mass. Two B. diazoefficiens strains stood out and possessed nosZ. In contrast, B. elkanii and B. japonicum isolates displayed lower chlorophyll and symbiotic performance, and lacked nosZ. Our findings highlight the potential of measuring chlorophyll contents and testing for the presence of nosZ as two straightforward techniques that may enhance laboratory tests for quality control, enabling selection of superior and safe locally isolated strains for soybean inoculants without increased production costs.
Assessing 2D visual encoding of 3D spatial connectivity
Authors: Baldi Benedetta F. , Vuong Jenny , O’Donoghue Seán I.
Published: January 2024

Introduction: When visualizing complex data, the layout method chosen can greatly affect the ability to identify outliers, spot incorrect modeling assumptions, or recognize unexpected patterns. Additionally, visual layout can play a crucial role in communicating results to peers.

Methods: In this paper, we compared the effectiveness of three visual layouts—the adjacency matrix, a half-matrix layout, and a circular layout—for visualizing spatial connectivity data, e.g., contacts derived from chromatin conformation capture experiments. To assess these visual layouts, we conducted a study comprising 150 participants from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, as well as a second expert study comprising 30 biomedical research scientists.

Results: The Mechanical Turk study found that the circular layout was the most accurate and intuitive, while the expert study found that the circular and half-matrix layouts were more accurate than the matrix layout.

Discussion: We concluded that the circular layout may be a good default choice for visualizing smaller datasets with relatively few spatial contacts, while, for larger datasets, the half- matrix layout may be a better choice. Our results also demonstrated how crowdsourcing methods could be used to determine which visual layouts are best for addressing specific data challenges in bioinformatics.
Assessment of the challenges influencing the adoption of smart building technologies
Authors: Baharetha Saleh , Soliman Ashraf M. , Hassanain Mohammad A. , Alshibani Adel , Ezz Mohamed Salah
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Over the past few decades, there has been an increasing focus on Smart Building Projects (SBP) and the technologies associated with them. Numerous studies have been conducted globally to define smart building technologies (SBT), identify challenges, and explore areas for improvement. This study aims to examine the concept and terminology of SBT and the expertise and experience of participants in SBP in the Arab Gulf countries, specifically Saudi Arabia. The study also investigates the challenges faced by SBT throughout its life cycle.

Methods: To identify and assess the challenges affecting the adoption of smart building technologies. This approach included a literature review, pilot-testing, and a questionnaire survey. The survey targeted a sample of 90 architects/engineers, managers, and contractors.

Results: A total of 55 challenges were identified and categorized into four groups, corresponding to the key phases of the project life cycle. These phases include the programming and feasibility analysis phase, design phase, installation and commissioning phase, and operation and maintenance phase. The findings of this research expand the body of knowledge by providing architects/engineers, managers, and contractors in the architecture, engineering, construction, and facility management (AEC/FM) industry with insights into the influential challenges related to the adoption of SBT. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the concept and terminology of smart building technologies and explores the challenges faced by SBT during its life cycle. By identifying and categorizing these challenges, the study provides valuable information to AEC/FM practitioners, enabling them to overcome obstacles and improve the adoption of SBT.
Invasive Streptococcus suis isolated in Spain contain a highly promiscuous and dynamic resistome
Authors: Uruén Cristina , Gimeno Jorge , Sanz Marina , Fraile Lorenzo , Marín Clara M. , Arenas Jesús
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Streptococcus suis is a major pathogen for swine and human. Here we aimed to know the rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in invasive S. suis isolates recovered along Spain between 2016 – 2021 and elucidate their genetic origin.

Methods

Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed for 116 isolates of different genetic backgrounds and geographic origins against 18 antibiotics of 9 families. The association between AMR and genotypes and the origin of the isolates were statistically analyzed using Pearson´s chi-square test and the likelihood ratio. The antimicrobial resistant genes were identified by whole genome sequencing analysis and PCR screenings.

Results

High AMR rates (>80%) were detected for tetracyclines, spectinomycin, lincosamides, and marbofloxacin, medium (20-40%) for sulphonamides/trimethoprim, tiamulin, penicillin G, and enrofloxacin, and low (< 20%) for florfenicol, and four additional β-lactams. The occurrence of multidrug resistance was observed in 90% of isolates. For certain antibiotics (penicillin G, enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, tilmicosin, and erythromycin), AMR was significantly associated with particular sequence types (STs), geographic regions, age of pigs, and time course. Whole genome sequencing comparisons and PCR screenings identified 23 AMR genes, of which 19 were previously reported in S. suis (aph(3’)-IIIa, sat4, aadE, spw, aac(6’)-Ie-aph(2’’)-Ia, fexA, optrA, erm(B), mef(A/E), mrs(D), mph(C), lnu(B), lsa(E), vga(F), tet(M), tet(O), tet(O/W/32/O), tet(W)), and 4 were novel (aph(2’’)-IIIa, apmA, erm(47), tet(T)). These AMR genes explained the AMR to spectinomycin, macrolides, lincosamides, tiamulin, and tetracyclines. Several genes were located on mobile genetic elements which showed a variable organization and composition. As AMR gene homologs were identified in many human and animal pathogens, the resistome of S. suis has a different phylogenetic origin. Moreover, AMR to penicillin G, fluoroquinolones, and trimethoprim related to mutations in genes coding for target enzymes (pbp1a, pbp2b, pbp2x, mraY, gyrA, parC, and dhfr). Bioinformatic analysis estimated traits of recombination on target genes, also indicative of gene transfer events.

Conclusions

Our work evidences that S. suis is a major contributor to AMR dissemination across veterinary and human pathogens. Therefore, control of AMR in S. suis should be considered from a One Health approach in regions with high pig production to properly tackle the issue of antimicrobial drug resistance.
On (not) becoming machine: countering algorithmic thinking through digital performance art
Authors: Putnam EL
Published: January 2024

Regular engagement with technologies through habit enables these to infiltrate our lives as we are constituted through our machines. This provocation underpins the digital performance art worksGhost WorkandFriction, which involve creative repurposing of everyday digital technologies as poetic operations, presenting an embodiment of algorithms that engages with their performativity. The execution of these performance algorithms are interventions into data collection, crafting feminist fabulations in the algorithmic empire of what Couldry and Mejias refer to as data colonialism. Using methods of data feminism in conjunction with Hui's philosophy of technology, these performances cultivate aesthetic experiences that are multifaceted instances of data visceralization.Ghost workandFrictionuse artistic idioms thick with meaning, reflexively engaging with processes of contingency and recursivity present in human-technological relations. The resulting digital performances are aesthetic experiences that are affective and ambivalent, introducing alternative logics to hegemonic algorithmic thinking that emphasizes extraction and optimization.
Epidemiology of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in polygenic hypercholesterolemia with or without high lipoprotein(a) levels
Authors: Vinci Pierandrea , Fiotti Nicola , Panizon Emiliano , Tosoni Letizia Maria , Cerrato Carla , Pellicori Federica , Pirulli Alessia , Altamura Nicola , Schincariol Paolo , Di Girolamo Filippo Giorgio , Biolo Gianni
Published: January 2024

Background and aims

Epidemiology of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease might be different in patients with polygenic hypercholesterolemia plus high levels (≥30 mg/dl) of Lp(a) (H-Lpa) than in those with polygenic hypercholesterolemia alone (H-LDL). We compared the incidence of peripheral artery disease (PAD), coronary artery disease (CAD), and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in patients with H-Lpa and in those with H-LDL.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of demographics, risk factors, vascular events, therapy, and lipid profile in outpatient clinical data. Inclusion criteria was adult age, diagnosis of polygenic hypercholesterolemia, and both indication and availability for Lp(a) measurement.

Results

Medical records of 258 patients with H-Lpa and 290 H-LDL were reviewed for occurrence of vascular events. The median duration of follow-up was 10 years (IQR 3–16). In spite of a similar reduction of LDL cholesterol, vascular events occurred more frequently, and approximately 7 years earlier (P = 0.024) in patients with H-Lpa than in H-LDL (HR 1.96 1.21–3.17, P = 0.006). The difference was around 10 years for acute events (TIA, Stroke, acute coronary events) and one year for chronic ones (P = 0.023 and 0.525, respectively). Occurrence of acute CAD was higher in H-Lpa men (HR 3.1, 95% CI 1.2–7.9, P = 0.007) while, among women, PAD was observed exclusively in H-Lpa subjects with smoking habits (P = 0.009).

Conclusions

Patients with high Lp(a) levels suffer from a larger and earlier burden of the disease compared to those with polygenic hypercholesterolemia alone. These patients are at higher risk of CAD if they are men, and of PAD if they are women.
CRISPR-mediated promoter editing of a cis-regulatory element of OsNAS2 increases Zn uptake/translocation and plant yield in rice
Authors: Ludwig Yvonne , Dueñas Conrado , Arcillas Erwin , Macalalad-Cabral Reena Jesusa , Kohli Ajay , Reinke Russell , Slamet-Loedin Inez H.
Published: January 2024

Developing nutritious rice with a higher yield is one approach to alleviating the problem of micronutrient deficiency in developing countries, especially human malnutrition involving zinc and iron (Fe) deficiency, and achieving better adoption. The transport of micronutrients such as Fe and Zn is mainly regulated via the nicotianamine synthase (OsNAS) gene family, whereas yield is a complex trait that involves multiple loci. Genome editing via CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-Cas9, focusing on the OsNAS2 promoter, particularly the deletion of the cis-regulatory element ARR1AT at position −933, was conducted for an enhanced accumulation of Zn in the grain and per plant. The results showed that our promoter editing increased Zn concentration per plant. Evidence also showed that an improved spikelet number per main panicle led to increased grain per plant. The traits were inherited in “transgene-free” and homozygous plant progenies. Further investigation needs to be conducted to validate trait performance under field conditions and elucidate the cause of the spikelet increase.
Liver function indicators and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study
Authors: Qin Shanshan , Wang Jing , Yuan Haiqing , He Jingzhen , Luan Shoujing , Deng Yan
Published: January 2024

Observational studies have shown an association between liver dysfunction and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the causality relationship between them is unclear. We aimed to determine whether there is a bidirectional causal relationship between liver function indicators (alanine aminotransferase, ALT; aspartate aminotransferase, AST; alkaline phosphatase, ALP; γ-glutamyltransferase, GGT) and HCC. Our two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study acquired single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with liver function indicators (ALT, n = 134,182; AST, n = 134,154; GGT, n = 118,309; ALP, n = 105,030) and with HCC (n = 197,611) from publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of East Asian ancestry in Japan (BioBank Japan, BBJ). Univariable MR analyses were performed to identify whether the genetic evidence of exposure was significantly associated with outcome. Multivariable MR analysis was conducted to estimate the independent effects of exposures on outcome. Univariable MR analysis indicated that the level of ALT, AST, and GGT was the risk factor for HCC incidence. Meanwhile, multivariable MR analysis revealed that AST was an independent risk factor for HCC. The hazard ratio (HR) of the probability of HCC was 3.045 [95% confidence interval (95%CI), 1.697–5.463, p = 0.003] for AST. The results of reverse MR analyses showed that gene-predictive HCC incidence could increase the levels of AST (HR = 1.031, 95%CI: 1.009–1.054, p = 2.52 × 10−4) and ALT (HR = 1.040, 95%CI: 1.019–1.063, p = 0.005). Meanwhile, HCC may be negatively correlated with ALP levels (HR = 0.971, 95%CI: 0.947–0.995, p = 0.018). This study provides evidence to support that genetically predicted higher levels of AST are related to increased risk of HCC, with no strong evidence of a causal effect of genetically predicted ALP, ALP, and GGT on HCC. In addition, genetic predisposition to HCC could influence blood concentration of ALT, AST, and ALP. Thus, this may create a vicious cycle.
Associations between post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 vaccination and HIV infection: a United States cohort study
Authors: Yendewa George A. , Perez Jaime Abraham , Patil Nirav , McComsey Grace A.
Published: January 2024

Background

People with HIV (PWH) are at higher risk of complications from acute COVID-19, but their risk of subsequent post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV2 (PASC) remains unclear. Although vaccination is protective of PASC among survivors in the general population, its effectiveness in PWH has not been explored.

Methods

We used the TriNetX health research database to identify patients with and without HIV aged ≥18 years with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 between January 1, 2020 and July 20, 2023. We employed 1:1 propensity score matching to balance HIV and non-HIV cohorts based on demographics and key comorbidities. The primary outcomes accessed odds of PASC and mortality and secondary outcomes assessed odds of PASC and mortality by vaccination status. PASC was defined as new-onset conditions ≥ 28 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. We reported odd ratios (OR) of outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (CI), with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results

Of 3,029,340 people with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, 0.5% (n=13,214) were PWH, with 7.5% of PWH (n=989) vaccinated. After 28 days post-COVID-19, PWH had higher odds of mortality compared with their non-HIV counterparts (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.40) and developing new-onset HTN (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.03-1.36), heart disease (OR 1.35 95% CI 1.18-1.54), malignancy (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.22-1.81), and mental disorders (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.42-1.85). Furthermore, vaccinated PWH had significantly lower odds of death (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.42-0.93) and new-onset PASC outcomes: DM (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.99), heart disease (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.4-0.85), mental disorders (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.43-1.00), fatigue (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.67-0.98), respiratory (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.95) and gastrointestinal symptoms (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.67-0.90).

Conclusion

HIV-positive status increased PASC odds, while COVID-19 vaccination reduced PASC and all-cause mortality risks in PWH.
Brief research report: in-depth immunophenotyping reveals stability of CD19 CAR T-cells over time
Authors: Odak Ivan , Bayir Lâle M. , Riemann Lennart , Sikora Ruth , Schneider Jessica , Xiao Yankai , Möhn Nora , Skripuletz Thomas , Beutel Gernot , Eder Matthias , Ganser Arnold , Förster Reinhold , Schultze-Florey Christian R. , Koenecke Christian
Published: January 2024

Variability or stability might have an impact on treatment success and toxicity of CD19 CAR T-cells. We conducted a prospective observational study of 12 patients treated with Tisagenlecleucel for CD19+ B-cell malignancies. Using a 31-color spectral flow cytometry panel, we analyzed differentiation stages and exhaustion markers of CAR T-cell subsets prior to CAR T-cell infusion and longitudinally during 6 months of follow-up. The majority of activation markers on CAR T-cells showed stable expression patterns over time and were not associated with response to therapy or toxicity. Unsupervised cluster analysis revealed an immune signature of CAR T-cell products associated with the development of immune cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. Warranting validation in an independent patient cohort, in-depth phenotyping of CAR T-cell products as well as longitudinal monitoring post cell transfer might become a valuable tool to increase efficacy and safety of CAR T-cell therapy.
Cross-protection induced by highly conserved human B, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cell epitopes-based vaccine against severe infection, disease, and death caused by multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern
Authors: Prakash Swayam , Dhanushkodi Nisha R. , Zayou Latifa , Ibraim Izabela Coimbra , Quadiri Afshana , Coulon Pierre Gregoire , Tifrea Delia F. , Suzer Berfin , Shaik Amin Mohammed , Chilukuri Amruth , Edwards Robert A. , Singer Mahmoud , Vahed Hawa , Nesburn Anthony B. , Kuppermann Baruch D. , Ulmer Jeffrey B. , Gil Daniel , Jones Trevor M. , BenMohamed Lbachir
Published: January 2024

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created one of the largest global health crises in almost a century. Although the current rate of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections has decreased significantly, the long-term outlook of COVID-19 remains a serious cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with the mortality rate still substantially surpassing even that recorded for influenza viruses. The continued emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), including multiple heavily mutated Omicron sub-variants, has prolonged the COVID-19 pandemic and underscores the urgent need for a next-generation vaccine that will protect from multiple SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.

Methods

We designed a multi-epitope-based coronavirus vaccine that incorporated B, CD4+, and CD8+ T- cell epitopes conserved among all known SARS-CoV-2 VOCs and selectively recognized by CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells from asymptomatic COVID-19 patients irrespective of VOC infection. The safety, immunogenicity, and cross-protective immunity of this pan-variant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were studied against six VOCs using an innovative triple transgenic h-ACE-2-HLA-A2/DR mouse model.

Results

The pan-variant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (i) is safe , (ii) induces high frequencies of lung-resident functional CD8+ and CD4+ TEM and TRM cells , and (iii) provides robust protection against morbidity and virus replication. COVID-19-related lung pathology and death were caused by six SARS-CoV-2 VOCs: Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma or P1 (B.1.1.28.1), Delta (lineage B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529).

Conclusion

A multi-epitope pan-variant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine bearing conserved human B- and T- cell epitopes from structural and non-structural SARS-CoV-2 antigens induced cross-protective immunity that facilitated virus clearance, and reduced morbidity, COVID-19-related lung pathology, and death caused by multiple SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.
Single cell analysis revealed that two distinct, unique CD4+ T cell subsets were increased in the small intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes of aged mice
Authors: Yonemoto Yuki , Nemoto Yasuhiro , Morikawa Ryo , Shibayama Nana , Oshima Shigeru , Nagaishi Takashi , Mizutani Tomohiro , Ito Go , Fujii Satoru , Okamoto Ryuichi
Published: January 2024

Recent advances in research suggest that aging has a controllable chronic inflammatory disease aspect. Aging systemic T cells, which secrete pro-inflammatory factors, affect surrounding somatic cells, and accelerate the aging process through chronic inflammation, have attracted attention as potential therapeutic targets in aging. On the other hand, there are few reports on the aging of the intestinal immune system, which differs from the systemic immune system in many ways. In the current study, we investigated the age-related changes in the intestinal immune system, particularly in T cells. The most significant changes were observed in the CD4+ T cells in the small intestinal IEL, with a marked increase in this fraction in old mice and reduced expression of CD27 and CD28, which are characteristic of aging systemic T cells. The proliferative capacity of aging IEL CD4+ T cells was significantly more reduced than that of aging systemic T cells. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of inflammatory cytokines was not upregulated, whereas Cd8α, NK receptors, and Granzymes were upregulated in aging IEL CD4+ T cells. Functional analysis showed that aging IEL T cells had a higher cytotoxic function against intestinal tumor organoids in vitro than young IEL T cells. scRNAseq revealed that splenic T cells show a transition from naïve to memory T cells, whereas intestinal T cells show the emergence of a CD8αα+CD4+ T cell fraction in aged mice, which is rarely seen in young cells. Further analysis of the aging IEL CD4+ T cells showed that two unique subsets are increased that are distinct from the systemic CD4+ T cells. Subset 1 has a pro-inflammatory component, with expression of IFNγ and upregulation of NFkB signaling pathways. Subset 2 does not express IFNγ, but upregulates inhibitory molecules and nIEL markers. Expression of granzymes and Cd8a was common to both. These fractions were in opposite positions in the clustering by UMAP and had different TCR repertoires. They may be involved in the suppression of intestinal aging and longevity through anti-tumor immunity, elimination of senescent cells and stressed cells in the aging environment. This finding could be a breakthrough in aging research.