bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of intelligent virtual reality first‐aid training outcomes among individuals with different demographic characteristics
Authors: Pan Jie , Liu Yu‐Juan , Yang Chuang , Zeng Peng , Gong Tao , Tao Lu , Zheng Ying , Ye Gui‐Ying , Zhang Nai
Published: August 2024

Objective

To compare the outcomes of intelligent first‐aid training based on virtual reality (VR) among individuals with different demographic characteristics.

Methods

A total of 50 nonmedical professional volunteers from Nanchang were conveniently sampled in March 2021. All participants underwent intelligent VR first‐aid training, and a comparative analysis was conducted by dividing them into different groups based on demographic characteristics.

Results

Male participants had a lower chest compression interruption time compared to female participants (7.40 ± 0.50 vs. 8.04 ± 0.56, t = −4.231, p < 0.001). Additionally, male participants had a higher proportion of compressions with correct compression depth (81.33 ± 1.24 vs. 79.78 ± 1.48, t = 4.038, p < 0.001), higher mean ventilation volume (518.11 ± 1.50 vs. 516.61 ± 2.17, t = 2.881, p = 0.006), and higher theoretical knowledge test score (8.74 ± 0.59 vs. 8.00 ± 0.43, t = 4.981, p < 0.001). There were statistically significant differences in the mean chest compression frequency (110.38 ± 5.74 vs. 105.00 ± 4.78 vs. 107.80 ± 5.97, F = 5.187, p = 0.009) among participants with different educational backgrounds. Pairwise comparisons showed that technical degree holders had a higher mean chest compression frequency than bachelor's degree holders, whereas no statistically significant difference was observed between master's degree holders and bachelor's degree holders.

Conclusion

The outcomes of first‐aid training differ among participants of different genders and with different educational backgrounds. With all participants meeting the training qualifications, it is believed that the application of intelligent VR first‐aid training platforms can improve the first aid capabilities of the public.
HCN channels are essential for the escape response of Paramecium
Authors: Kandabashi Daisuke , Kawano Mutsumi , Izutani Shinobu , Harada Hiyori , Tominaga Takashi , Hori Manabu
Published: August 2024

When mechanical stimulation was applied to free swimming Paramecium, forward swimming velocity transiently increased due to activation of the posterior mechanosensory channels. The behavior response, known as “escape response,” requires membrane hyperpolarization and the activation of K‐channel type adenylate cyclases. Our hypothesis is that this escape response also involves activation of hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐gated (HCN) channels. HCN channels are activated by hyperpolarization and are modulated by cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP and cGMP. They play a critical role in many excitable cells in higher animals. If HCN channels act in Paramecium, this should help to enhance and prolong hyperpolarization, thereby increasing the swimming speed of Paramecium. This study used RNAi to examine the role of the HCN channel 1 in the escape responses by generating hcn1‐gene knockdown cells (hcn1‐KD). These cells showed reduced mechanically‐stimulated escape responses and a lack of cGMP‐dependent increases in swimming speed. Electrophysiological experiments demonstrated reduced hyperpolarization upon injection of large negative currents in hcn1‐KD cells. This is consistent with a decrease in HCN1 channel activity and changes in the escape response. These findings suggest that HCN1 channels are K+ channels that regulate the escape response of Paramecium by amplifying the hyperpolarizations elicited by posterior mechanical stimulation.
Immune response and protection efficacy of formalin‐killed vaccines against Streptococcus iniae in four‐finger threadfin Eleutheronema tetradactylum
Authors: Shi Yin‐Ze , Giovanni Andre , Cheng Li‐Wu , Huang Wen‐Rou , Wang Pei‐Chi , Chen Shih‐Chu
Published: August 2024

Four‐finger threadfin, Eleutheronema tetradactylum farming in southern Taiwan has been facing disease problems caused by Streptococcus iniae since 2018. The development of a vaccine against infectious S. iniae in the cultured threadfin industry is necessary. Thus, this study aimed to examine the efficacy of threadfin immunized formalin‐killed cells (FKC) from S. iniae GSI‐111 for 42 days post‐vaccination (dpv) using two doses of FKC alone (a booster at 14 dpv) as group A, and FKC mixed with ISA763A adjuvant using a single dose as group B or double doses as group C. Immunoglobulin (Ig)‐M was purified from threadfin, and rabbit anti‐threadfin IgM polyclonal antibodies were used to detect antibody level in immunized fish; the vaccinated group A displayed higher levels at 3 dpv and all vaccinated treatments demonstrated high antibody levels between 14 and 42 dpv. All vaccine groups showed significantly higher values of lysozyme activity at 42 dpv compared with the control group; the vaccinated A group peaked at 14 dpv. The expression profiles of pro‐inflammatory and immune‐related genes, TNF‐α, IL‐12A, and C2 were upregulated at 3 dpv, while CD8A and chemokine receptor CXCR4 were upregulated at 42 dpv. Finally, the threadfins were challenged with S. iniae at 42 dpv. The average relative percent survival was 96% for vaccination A and B treatments, and 100% for vaccination C treatment. In summary, this study demonstrated that FKC vaccines whether formulated with an adjuvant could stimulate immune response and effective protect threadfins against S. iniae infection.
REFLEX—A novel method for the rapid estimation of flood extent
Authors: Arcorace Mauro , Libertino Andrea , Alfieri Lorenzo , Gabellani Simone , Matanò Alessia , Masoero Alessandro , Basso Valerio , Boni Giorgio
Published: August 2024

Reliable flood hazard mapping is crucial for enhancing flood preparedness, especially in poorly gauged and vulnerable areas. Yet, current flood models are either highly detailed and computationally intensive or oversimplified, failing to capture important flow dynamics. Here, we present the Rapid Estimation of FLood EXtent (REFLEX), a hydro‐geomorphological model for flood hazard mapping at multiple scales that improves upon the existing Height Above the Nearest Drainage model by constraining flood extent using physically‐coherent flood volumes. Input volume is distributed from channel to hillslope cells by using an iterative optimization based on the Manning's equation, bypassing the need for accurate rating curves. The model improves the accuracy of inundation extent in flat areas by accounting for backwater effects, and in coastal zones by extending the calculation boundaries beyond the direct watershed area. REFLEX was tested over five areas with different climatic conditions, including flash‐flood prone catchments in Italy and large floodplains in the Zambezi river basin. Results denote skillful representation of flooded areas in the Italian catchments, with critical success index (CSI) up to 0.62. In the African cases, REFLEX produced the best estimates of the flood extent and CSI comparable with two state of the art global inundation models. REFLEX is a competitive flood modelling tool for large scale and high resolution applications thanks to its limited input requirements and computing times two orders of magnitude shorter than equivalent hydraulic simulations.
Changes in neighborhood disadvantage over the course of 22 years among community‐living older persons
Authors: Gill Thomas M. , Becher Robert D. , Leo‐Summers Linda , Gahbauer Evelyne A.
Published: August 2024

Background

Among older persons, neighborhood disadvantage is a granular and increasingly used social determinant of health and functional well‐being. The frequency of transitions into or out of a disadvantaged neighborhood over time is not known. These transitions may occur when a person moves from one location to another or when the Neighborhood Atlas, the data source for the area deprivation index (ADI) that is used to identify disadvantaged neighborhoods at the census‐block level, is updated.

Methods

From a prospective longitudinal study of community‐living persons, aged 70 years or older in South Central Connecticut, neighborhood disadvantage was ascertained every 18 months for 22 years (from March 1998 to March 2020). ADI scores higher than the 80th state percentile were used to distinguish neighborhoods that were disadvantaged (81–100) from those that were not (1–80).

Results

At baseline, 205 (29.3%) of the 699 participants were living in a disadvantaged neighborhood. Changes in neighborhood disadvantage during 14 consecutive 18‐month intervals were relatively uncommon, ranging from 1.5% to 11.8%. Nearly 80% of participants had no change in neighborhood disadvantage and less than 4% had more than one change over a median follow‐up of more than 9 years. Overall, the rate of transitions into or out of neighborhood disadvantage was only 2.7 per 100 person‐years. These transitions were most common when the Neighborhood Atlas was updated (2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020). Comparable results were observed when decile changes in ADI scores during the 18‐month intervals were evaluated.

Conclusions

In longitudinal studies of older persons with extended follow‐up, it may not be necessary to update information on disadvantaged neighborhoods in circumstances when it is possible, and the degree of misclassification of neighborhood disadvantage should be relatively low in circumstances when updated information cannot be obtained.
An artists' reflection of her First Civil Rights Tour
Authors: Frazier Smith Gwendolyn
Published: August 2024

Embarking on an adventure to tour Black museums and Civil Rights sites provides one of the best opportunities to understand history and culture. It is accomplished via an expert tour guide, site visits, as well as through documentaries, and video footage. Imagine learning from such footage about the youngest child, a 4‐year‐old and hearing him questioning about his participation in a Civil Rights protest; he proudly responds “for Teedom” [Freedom] that is bound to stick with you. It stuck with me so much that it became a term used in my art for brave youth involved in social justice. These acts of “Teedom” were evident throughout the Civil Rights Tour, one of the best adventures of my life.
Nocturnal burst emissions of germacrene D from the open disk florets of pyrethrum flowers induce moths to oviposit on a nonhost and improve pollination success
Authors: Li Jinjin , Luo Yuanyuan , Li Maoyuan , Li Jiawen , Zeng Tuo , Luo Jing , Chang Xiangqian , Wang Manqun , Jongsma Maarten A. , Hu Hao , Wang Caiyun
Published: August 2024

Recent studies show that nocturnal pollinators may be more important to ecosystem function and food production than is currently appreciated. Here, we describe an agricultural field study of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) flower pollination. Pyrethrum is genetically self‐incompatible and thus is reliant on pollinators for seed set. Our pollinator exclusion experiment showed that nocturnal insects, particularly moths, significantly contribute to seed set and quality.

We discovered that the most abundant floral volatile, the sesquiterpene (−)‐germacrene D (GD), is key in attracting the noctuid moths Peridroma saucia and Helicoverpa armigera. Germacrene D synthase (GDS) gene expression regulates the specific GD production and accumulation in flowers, which, in contrast to related species, lose the habit of closing at night.

We did observe that female moths also oviposited on pyrethrum leaves and flower peduncles, but found that only a small fraction of those eggs hatched. Larvae were severely stunted in development, most likely due to the presence of pyrethrin defense compounds.

This example of exploitative mutualism, which blocks the reproductive success of the moth pollinator and depends on nocturnal interactions, is placed into an ecological context to explain why it may have developed.
Dry inside: progressive unsaturation within leaves with increasing vapour pressure deficit affects estimation of key leaf gas exchange parameters
Authors: Diao Haoyu , Cernusak Lucas A. , Saurer Matthias , Gessler Arthur , Siegwolf Rolf T. W. , Lehmann Marco M.
Published: August 2024

Climate change not only leads to higher air temperatures but also increases the vapour pressure deficit (VPD) of the air. Understanding the direct effect of VPD on leaf gas exchange is crucial for precise modelling of stomatal functioning.

We conducted combined leaf gas exchange and online isotope discrimination measurements on four common European tree species across a VPD range of 0.8–3.6 kPa, while maintaining constant temperatures without soil water limitation. In addition to applying the standard assumption of saturated vapour pressure inside leaves (ei), we inferred ei from oxygen isotope discrimination of CO2 and water vapour.

ei desaturated progressively with increasing VPD, consistently across species, resulting in an intercellular relative humidity as low as 0.73 ± 0.11 at the highest tested VPD. Assuming saturation of ei overestimated the extent of reductions in stomatal conductance and CO2 mole fraction inside leaves in response to increasing VPD compared with calculations that accounted for unsaturation. In addition, a significant decrease in mesophyll conductance with increasing VPD only occurred when the unsaturation of ei was considered.

We suggest that the possibility of unsaturated ei should not be overlooked in measurements related to leaf gas exchange and in stomatal models, especially at high VPD.
‘Ain't I a Nurse’, implementing a digital illustration of resistance when challenging anti‐Black racism in nursing education
Authors: Prendergast Nadia
Published: August 2024

Since the COVID‐19 pandemic, ongoing reports have highlighted the urgency of addressing anti‐Black racism within Canada's healthcare system. The paucity of research within a Canadian context has created growing concerns among Millennials and Generation Zs for healthcare to address growing health disparities and health inequities that are attributed to institutional and structural racism. Recognizing the paradigm shift that has occurred because of the pandemic and the sleuth of racial killings, the nursing classroom has witnessed a change and a need for nursing education to be relevant for the cohort of nursing students who are seeking answers. The scarcity of nursing literature addressing diverse forms of learning demonstrates the need for nursing education to explore new ways of being diverse, inclusive and innovative when teaching intergenerationally. In this paper, the author challenges nurse educators to revisit the student–educator relationship by introducing critical digital pedagogy to dismantle anti‐Black racism and promote student–educator engagement for transformative learning to occur. As an educator, the author implements the use of digital illustration as a tool of resistance for students and educators to assess, engage, act and reflect on creating change within nursing education. Using Black feminist thought and culturally responsive learning, the author introduces an arts‐based approach through the innovative design of an illustration, titled, ‘Ain't I a Nurse. Combining historical stories with contemporary socio‐political experiences, the author demonstrates how students and educators can enter a cognitive learning experience where they can connect mentally and emotionally, and in so doing re‐envision and recreate a new world that centralizes equity, diversity and inclusivity through critical discourses. Through the illustration anti‐Black racism is challenged and anti‐Black racism resistance is discovered as an antidote in dismantling anti‐Black racism within nursing education.
Preliminary Outcomes of Calcaneal Body Lengthening for the Calcaneus Shortening
Authors: Cui Yidong , Xu Qingjia , Zang Jiancheng , Wang Gang , Liu Ben , Chen Bin , Lin Junhao , Zhu Lei
Published: August 2024

For lengthening irregular bones, such as calcaneus, there are few reports in the literature. This study aimed to introduce the treatment strategy and preliminary outcomes for calcaneus shortening using calcaneal body lengthening. From January 2017 to January 2022, calcaneal lengthening was conducted for three patients (two males and one female) who suffered from traumatic calcaneal shortening. The Achilles tendon was lengthened in one patient. After osteotomy of the calcaneus, an Ilizarov frame was used to gradually (1 mm/day) distract the calcaneal fragment. The lengthening procedure was stopped when the calcaneal height and length were restored based on radiography. The fixator was removed after bone union. The average follow‐up length was 18 months (range, 14–24 months). X‐ray was used for radiological assessments. Patients reported satisfaction using the 100‐mm visual analog scale (VAS). Clinical outcome was evaluated following the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle score. All data were assessed by two physicians blind to clinical assessments. The wound healed primarily in three cases. The bone got solid union without refracture and malunion. The distraction time was 30 days (range, 25–45 days). The fixation time was 113.3 days (average, 80–150 days). Calcaneal lengthening was 26 mm (range, 15–43 mm). The height and length of the calcaneus were restored nearly to the same as the opposite foot. The mean preoperative calcaneal pitch angle increased from 2.6 degrees to an average of 19.0 degrees after the surgery. The AOFAS score increased from 60.0 to 86.0. One patient experienced pin infection. The infection healed after changing the dressing. Calcaneal lengthening using an Ilizarov external fixator is a preferable technique to restore the length and height of the calcaneus and can achieve satisfactory foot function.
Rewatering after drought: Unravelling the drought thresholds and function recovery‐limiting factors in maize leaves
Authors: Liu Junzhou , Huang Jianliang , Peng Shaobing , Xiong Dongliang
Published: August 2024

Drought and subsequent rewatering are common in agriculture, where recovery from mild droughts is easier than from severe ones. The specific drought threshold and factors limiting recovery are under‐researched. This study subjected maize plants to varying drought degrees before rewatering, and measuring plant water status, gas exchange, hydraulic conductance, hormone levels, and cellular damage throughout. We discovered that stomatal reopening in plants was inhibited with leaf water potentials below about −1.7 MPa, hindering postdrought photosynthetic recovery. Neither hydraulic loss nor abscisic acid (ABA) content was the factor inhibited stomatal reopening on the second day following moderate drought stress and rewatering. But stomatal reopening was significantly correlated to the interaction between hydraulic signals and ABA content under severe drought. Extended drought led to leaf death at about −2.8 MPa or 57% relative water content, influenced by reduced rehydration capacity, not hydraulic failure. The lethal threshold remained relatively constant across leaf stages, but the recoverable safety margin (RSM), that is, the water potential difference between stomatal closure and recovery capacity loss, significantly decreased with leaf aging due to delayed stomatal closure during drought. Our findings indicate hydraulic failure alone does not cause maize leaf death, highlighting the importance of RSM in future research.
Perinatal adversities as a common factor underlying the association between atypical laterality and neurodevelopmental disorders: A developmental perspective
Authors: Hamaoui Jad , Ocklenburg Sebastian , Segond Hervé
Published: August 2024

Several neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with a higher prevalence of atypical laterality (e.g., left‐handedness). Both genetic and non‐genetic factors play a role in this association, yet the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are largely unclear. Recent studies have found that stress, mediated by the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, could be linked to laterality development. These findings provide an opportunity to explore new theoretical perspectives on the association between atypical laterality and neurodevelopmental disorders. This article aims to provide a theoretical framework demonstrating how perinatal adversities could disrupt the typical developmental trajectories of both laterality and neurodevelopment, potentially impacting both the HPA axis and the vestibular system. Additionally, we argue that the relationship between atypical laterality and neurodevelopmental disorders cannot be understood by simply linking genetic and non‐genetic factors to a diagnosis, but the developmental trajectories must be considered. Based on these ideas, several perspectives for future research are proposed.
Cystic lung in sarcoidosis: Clinico‐radiologic characteristic and evolution
Authors: Franco Giovanni , Debray Marie‐Pierre , Anzani Niccolò , Marruchella Almerico , Cazes Aurélie , Le Guen Pierre , Taillé Camille , Faverio Paola , Borie Raphaël , Luppi Fabrizio , Crestani Bruno
Published: August 2024

Background and Objective

Sarcoidosis can manifest with atypical findings on chest computed tomography (CT). Cysts are a rare manifestation of lung sarcoidosis. The aim of the study was to describe a series of patients with cystic sarcoidosis and their clinical‐radiological characteristics and progression.

Methods

In this retrospective, bicentric study we recruited all patients affected by sarcoidosis with lung cystic lesions at chest CT. We collected clinical characteristics, pulmonary tests and tracked number, distribution and size of the cysts at diagnosis and at the last evaluation.

Results

Twelve patients (6 males, median age 53 years) were identified (prevalence: 1.9%; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.8%–2.9%). All patients presented multiple cystic lesions (median number: 14 [range: 2–216]) with a bilateral distribution in 10/12, micronodules and nodules in 11/12 and fibrotic lesions in 4/12. Seven patients had normal lung function test, three had an obstructive syndrome, one had a restrictive syndrome and one had coexistence of both. During follow‐up (median: 10 years [range 1–16 years]), an increase of the number of cysts was observed in four patients. At last evaluation, 3/12 patients experienced a decline of forced vital capacity >10% and 3/12 patients a decline of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) >10%. A lower DLCO at diagnosis, and the presence of nodules or fibrotic lesions on CT were associated with an increase in the number of cysts.

Conclusion

Cystic lung lesions are rare in patients with sarcoidosis and do not influence long term prognosis.
Asymptotic Fermat's last theorem for a family of equations of signature (2,2n,n)$(2, 2n, n)$
Authors: Cazorla García Pedro‐José
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we study the integer solutions of a family of Fermat‐type equations of signature , . We provide an algorithmically testable set of conditions which, if satisfied, imply the existence of a constant such that if , there are no solutions of the equation. Our methods use the modular method for Diophantine equations, along with level lowering and Galois theory.
Extreme Heat in the Caribbean: Impacts on Wellbeing and Buildings Energy Infrastructure—The 2023 Summer Case
Authors: Boakye Oppong Frederick , Keneshia Hibbert , Jorge Gonzalez-Cruz
Published: August 2024

The summer of 2023 in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands witnessed an unprecedented surge in extreme heat, surpassing historical norms prompting the analysis of the broader implications for the Caribbean region. This study presents the initial analysis of this remarkable heatwave, the broader context of global climate change, and its potential impacts on people's well-being and energy demand. Historical and 2023 summer daily maximum heat index (HI) are calculated using local stations and regional gridded data. The results show that summer 2023 exhibited a significant departure from the historical climate. For about 70% of summer days, HI values above 100 °F were recorded. It was found that the extreme summer is part of a broader regional pattern. The summer of 2023 recorded higher sea surface temperatures with anomalies above 2.07 °C and the weakening of the Azores High resulting in reduced wind speed in the region. This diminished the cooling effect associated with cooler maritime air aiding the stagnation of air masses over the region. The analysis sets a threshold of HI of 103 °F to assess human exposure. A significant portion of the region's population, especially in urban areas, was exposed to HI above this threshold. Concurrently, the intense heat led to increased energy demands, with about a 25% increase in peak energy demand in buildings. Per capita consumption exceeded 200 kWh/month for cooling and human comfort and anomalies adding around 15 kWh/month. The study is a step forward in developing adaptive strategies to safeguard vulnerable communities due to global warming-induced extreme events.
NMPC for Collision Avoidance by Superellipsoid Separation
Authors: Moran Ruairi , Bagley Sheila , Kasmann Seth , Martin Rob , Pasley David , Trimble Shane , Dianics James , Sopasakis Pantelis
Published: August 2024

This paper introduces a novel nonlinear model predictive controller (NMPC) formulation for real-time obstacle avoidance on heavy equipment by modeling both vehicle and obstacles as convex superellipsoids. The combination of this approach with the separating hyperplane theorem and optimization engine (OpEn) allows to achieve efficient obstacle avoidance in autonomous heavy equipment and robotics. We demonstrate the efficacy of the approach through simulated and experimental results, showcasing a skid-steer loader’s capability to navigate in obstructed environments.
A Lightweight and Transferable Design for Robust Lego Manipulation
Authors: Liu Ruixuan , Sun Yifan , Liu Changliu
Published: August 2024

Lego is a well-known platform for prototyping pixelized objects. However, robotic Lego prototyping (i.e., manipulating Lego bricks) is challenging due to the tight connections and accuracy requirements. This paper investigates safe and efficient robotic Lego manipulation. In particular, this paper reduces the complexity of the manipulation by hardware-software co-design. An end-of-arm tool (EOAT) is designed, which reduces the problem dimension and allows large industrial robots to manipulate small Lego bricks. In addition, this paper uses evolution strategy to optimize the robot motion for Lego manipulation. Experiments demonstrate that the EOAT can reliably manipulate Lego bricks and the learning framework can effectively and safely improve the manipulation performance to a 100% success rate. The co-design is deployed to multiple robots (i.e., FANUC LR-mate 200id/7L and Yaskawa GP4) to demonstrate its generalizability and transferability. In the end, we show that the proposed solution enables sustainable robotic Lego prototyping, in which the robot can repeatedly assemble and disassemble different prototypes.
Verification of Draft Standards of 8-Shaped Motion Test on Five-Axis Machining Centers
Authors: Inoue Yuto , Ihara Yukitoshi
Published: August 2024

ISO10791-7, which specifies the machining accuracy test standard for machining centers, and ISO10791-6, which specifies the interpolation motion test standard, were revised in 2014 to include five-axis machining centers (5-axis MCs). In 2019, China proposed a method of 8-shaped test as an interpolation motion test. In the 8-shaped test, the tip of the spindle moves in a sinusoidal curve, so there is no large acceleration or deceleration like the S-shape test proposed by China last time. Since the tip of the tool is fixed at one point and does not move, a device called R-test is used to measure the center position of the reference ball by three displacement sensors. In this report, the latest test method proposed as an ISO standard was conducted using actual machine and examined its problems.
Dynamic Behavior Analysis of Yarns During Knitting Process of Fabrics
Authors: Hayano Kazuki , Wakamatsu Hidefumi , Iwata Yoshiharu , Yamada Yuya
Published: August 2024

Knit products are widely used in our daily lives because of their excellent elasticity and warmth retention properties. Among such knit products, many of the products we wear on a daily basis are usually composed of flat knitted fabric, which is the basic structure of knitted fabric. This unique structure of flat knitting gives knit products a high degree of elasticity. However, a defect called Yotari often occurs during the creation of flat knitting. Since the appearance of knit products are impaired by this defect, there is a need to predict the occurrence of such defects and to investigate their causes. The purpose of this study is to predict the occurrence and determine the cause of the problem by dynamically analyzing the yarns knitted on a knitting machine. In this paper, we examine the hypothesis of the cause of Yotari. First, we formulate the yarn based on physical constraints. Next, we formulate the contact and friction between the yarn and the knitting parts. Finally, we dynamically simulate the behavior of the yarn as it is woven by the knitting parts.
Error Compensation for a Six-Axis Robot Applied to the Machining of Sand Mold
Authors: Morita Tomoya , Ibaraki Soichi , Kishimoto Yuuki
Published: August 2024

Large parts in, for example, construction machineries, are often made by the casting using a sand mold. Sand mold production requires a lot of manual labor, especially for large parts. In addition, since a sand mold must be destroyed to remove the casting from the sand, patterns, from which a mold cavity is created, must be stored in a warehouse to manufacture spare parts in future. To reduce its space and cost, and to automate the construction of a sand casting mold, direct machining of a sand casting mold based on a virtual model of patterns has been studied. Robotic machining of a sand mold seems promising, due to its lower machine cost than machine tools, and lower material cost and higher manufacturing efficiency than the additive manufacturing. However, the robotic milling requires a solution to the problem of poor positioning accuracy of robots. Our research group has proposed a new kinematic model containing the angular positioning error of all six axes, as well as the Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) errors. Based on this model, the final goal of this study is to apply the error correction to a sand mold machining robot and to improve its positioning accuracy to meet the geometric accuracy requirement for a sand casting mold. To this goal, this paper presents the experimental identification of the present model, and static and dynamic tests to investigate the contour accuracy, without performing actual machining, under the compensation by the present model.
Association of Daily Physical Activity With Motivation in Prefrail and Frail Older Adults Living in Retirement Communities
Authors: Rubin Daniel S. , Conroy David E. , Danilovich Margaret K.
Published: August 2024

Older adults living in retirement communities are an understudied population, and the association between their motivation and daily physical activity is unknown. We recruited participants (n = 173) living in a retirement community who completed the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 and wore an activPAL accelerometer to evaluate this relationship. Participants had a median age of 81 years and demonstrated low levels of daily activity with an average step count of 3,637 (±1,965) steps per day and 52 (±25) min of daily stepping time. External motivation was negatively associated with the square root of daily step count (β = −4.57; p < .001) and square root of daily stepping time (β = −0.49; p < .001). Older adults living in retirement communities demonstrated low levels of daily activity, with a negative association between external motivation and daily activity. Strategies are needed to make an active lifestyle supportive and enticing for older adults in these communities.
Element cycling with micro(nano)plastics
Authors: Huang Wei , Xia Xinghui
Published: August 2024

Plastics in the environment can alter a wide range of biogeochemical cycles
Micronuclear collapse mechanisms in cancer
Authors: Maddaluno Marianna , Settembre Carmine
Published: August 2024

Oxidative damage triggers micronuclear membrane rupture and defective repair
The
Toxoplasma gondii
mitochondrial transporter ABCB7L is essential for the biogenesis of cytosolic and nuclear iron-sulfur cluster proteins and cytosolic translation
Authors: Maclean Andrew E. , Sloan Megan A. , Renaud Eléa A. , Argyle Blythe E. , Lewis William H. , Ovciarikova Jana , Demolombe Vincent , Waller Ross F. , Besteiro Sébastien , Sheiner Lilach
Published: August 2024

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are ubiquitous inorganic cofactors required for numerous essential cellular pathways. Since they cannot be scavenged from the environment, Fe-S clusters are synthesized
de novo
in cellular compartments such as the apicoplast, mitochondrion, and cytosol. The cytosolic Fe-S cluster biosynthesis pathway relies on the transport of an intermediate from the mitochondrial pathway. An ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter called ABCB7 is responsible for this role in numerous commonly studied organisms, but its role in the medically important apicomplexan parasites has not yet been studied. Here we identify and characterize a
Toxoplasma gondii
ABCB7 homolog, which we name ABCB7-like (ABCB7L). Genetic depletion shows that it is essential for parasite growth and that its disruption triggers partial stage conversion. Characterization of the knock-down line highlights a defect in the biogenesis of cytosolic and nuclear Fe-S proteins leading to defects in protein translation and other pathways including DNA and RNA replication and metabolism. Our work provides support for a broad conservation of the connection between mitochondrial and cytosolic pathways in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis and reveals its importance for parasite survival.

IMPORTANCE

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are inorganic cofactors of proteins that play key roles in numerous essential biological processes, for example, respiration and DNA replication. Cells possess dedicated biosynthetic pathways to assemble Fe-S clusters, including a pathway in the mitochondrion and cytosol. A single transporter, called ABCB7, connects these two pathways, allowing an essential intermediate generated by the mitochondrial pathway to be used in the cytosolic pathway. Cytosolic and nuclear Fe-S proteins are dependent on the mitochondrial pathway, mediated by ABCB7, in numerous organisms studied to date. Here, we study the role of a homolog of ABCB7, which we name ABCB7-like (ABCB7L), in the ubiquitous unicellular apicomplexan parasite
Toxoplasma gondii
. We generated a depletion mutant of
Toxoplasma
ABCB7L and showed its importance for parasite fitness. Using comparative quantitative proteomic analysis and experimental validation of the mutants, we show that ABCB7L is required for cytosolic and nuclear, but not mitochondrial, Fe-S protein biogenesis. Our study supports the conservation of a protein homologous to ABCB7 and which has a similar function in apicomplexan parasites and provides insight into an understudied aspect of parasite metabolism.
Discovery of GuaB inhibitors with efficacy against
Acinetobacter baumannii
infection
Authors: Kofoed Eric M. , Aliagas Ignacio , Crawford Terry , Mao Jialin , Harris Seth F. , Xu Min , Wang Shumei , Wu Ping , Ma Fang , Clark Kevin , Sims Jessica , Xu Yiming , Peng Yutian , Skippington Elizabeth , Yang Ying , Reeder Janina , Ubhayakar Savita , Baumgardner Matt , Yan Zhengyin , Chen Jacob , Park Summer , Zhang Hua , Yen Chun-Wan , Lorenzo Maria , Skelton Nicholas , Liang Xiaorong , Chen Liuxi , Hoag Bridget , Li Chun Sing , Liu Zhiguo , Wai John , Liu Xingrong , Liang Jun , Tan Man Wah
Published: August 2024

Guanine nucleotides are required for growth and viability of cells due to their structural role in DNA and RNA, and their regulatory roles in translation, signal transduction, and cell division. The natural antibiotic mycophenolic acid (MPA) targets the rate-limiting step in
de novo
guanine nucleotide biosynthesis executed by inosine-5´-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH). MPA is used clinically as an immunosuppressant, but whether
in vivo
inhibition of bacterial IMPDH (GuaB) is a valid antibacterial strategy is controversial. Here, we describe the discovery of extremely potent small molecule GuaB inhibitors (GuaBi) specific to pathogenic bacteria with a low frequency of on-target spontaneous resistance and bactericidal efficacy
in vivo
against
Acinetobacter baumannii
mouse models of infection. The spectrum of GuaBi activity includes multidrug-resistant pathogens that are a critical priority of new antibiotic development. Co-crystal structures of
A. baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus
, and
Escherichia coli
GuaB proteins bound to inhibitors show comparable binding modes of GuaBi across species and identifies key binding site residues that are predictive of whole-cell activity across both Gram-positive and Gram-negative clades of Bacteria. The clear
in vivo
efficacy of these small molecule GuaB inhibitors in a model of
A. baumannii
infection validates GuaB as an essential antibiotic target.

IMPORTANCE

The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria worldwide has renewed interest in discovering antibiotics with novel mechanism of action. For the first time ever, we demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of
de novo
guanine biosynthesis is bactericidal in a mouse model of
Acinetobacter baumannii
infection. Structural analyses of novel inhibitors explain differences in biochemical and whole-cell activity across bacterial clades and underscore why this discovery may have broad translational impact on treatment of the most recalcitrant bacterial infections.
Critical roles of Dpb3-Dpb4 sub-complex of DNA polymerase epsilon in DNA replication, genome stability, and pathogenesis of
Candida albicans
Authors: Utkalaja Bhabasha Gyanadeep , Patel Shraddheya Kumar , Sahu Satya Ranjan , Dutta Abinash , Acharya Narottam
Published: August 2024

DNA polymerase ε (Polε) is an essential replicative polymerase consisting of Pol2, Dpb2, Dpb3, and Dpb4 subunits and has not been explored in the pathogenic yeast
Candida albicans. C. albicans
is accountable for >40% of deaths due to systemic candidiasis per year worldwide. Genome plasticity is one of the adaptive mechanisms associated with virulence, and as it is associated with DNA polymerase function, this study explored the role of Polε in genome stability and pathogenesis of
C. albicans. POL2
and
DPB2
are haploinsufficient, but
DPB3
and
DPB4
are dispensable for cell survival in diploid
C. albicans
. However, unlike in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, loss of any or both of the nonessential subunits or defective interaction between the two resulted in slow growth and temperature-sensitive phenotypes. Knockout strains of
C. albicans (dpb3
ΔΔ and
dpb4
ΔΔ and
dpb3
ΔΔ
dpb4
ΔΔ) also exhibited sensitivity to genotoxic agents and delayed cell cycle progression. Reduced processive DNA synthesis and increased rate of mutagenesis were observed in
dpb3
and
dpb4
null strains. Whole-genome sequencing further confirmed the accumulation of indels and SNPs majorly in the intergenic repeat regions of the chromosomes of
dpb3
ΔΔ
dpb4
ΔΔ. Polε-defective strains were constitutively filamentous and non-pathogenic in mice models of systemic candidiasis. Altogether, this study showed that the function of the Dpb3-Dpb4 subcomplex is critical for fungal morphogenesis and virulence besides its role as a structural component of Polε in DNA replication and genome stability; thus, their interacting interface may be targeted to develop antifungal drugs.

IMPORTANCE

This study explored the role of DNA polymerase epsilon, especially its non-essential structural subunits in
Candida albicans
biology. Apart from their role in DNA replication and genome stability, the Dpb3-Dpb4 subcomplex regulates morphological switching and virulence. Since the defective strain is locked in filamentous form and is avirulent, the complex may be targeted for anti-fungal drug development.
A multistage
Plasmodium
CRL4
WIG1
ubiquitin ligase is critical for the formation of functional microtubule organization centers in microgametocytes
Authors: Rashpa Ravish , Smith Cameron , Artavanis-Tsakonas Katerina , Brochet Mathieu
Published: August 2024

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by unicellular eukaryotic parasites of the
Plasmodium
genus. Protein ubiquitination by E3 ligases is a critical post-translational modification required for various cellular processes during the lifecycle of
Plasmodium
parasites. However, little is known about the repertoire and function of these enzymes in
Plasmodium
. Here, we show that
Plasmodium
expresses a conserved cullin RING E3 ligase (CRL) complex that is functionally related to CRL4 in other eukaryotes. In
P. falciparum
asexual blood stages, a cullin-4 scaffold interacts with the RING protein RBX1, the adaptor protein DDB1, and a set of putative receptor proteins that may determine substrate specificity for ubiquitination. These receptor proteins contain WD40-repeat domains and include
W
D-repeat protein
i
mportant for
g
ametogenesis 1 (WIG1). This CRL4-related complex is also expressed in
P. berghei
gametocytes, with WIG1 being the only putative receptor detected in both the schizont and gametocyte stages.
WIG1
disruption leads to a complete block in microgamete formation. Proteomic analyses indicate that
WIG1
disruption alters proteostasis of ciliary proteins and components of the DNA replication machinery during gametocytogenesis. Further analysis by ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) indicates that WIG1-dependent depletion of ciliary proteins is associated with impaired the formation of the microtubule organization centers that coordinate mitosis with axoneme formation and altered DNA replication during microgametogenesis. This work identifies a CRL4-related ubiquitin ligase in
Plasmodium
that is critical for the formation of microgametes by regulating proteostasis of ciliary and DNA replication proteins.

IMPORTANCE

Plasmodium
parasites undergo fascinating lifecycles with multiple developmental steps, converting into morphologically distinct forms in both their mammalian and mosquito hosts. Protein ubiquitination by ubiquitin ligases emerges as an important post-translational modification required to control multiple developmental stages in
Plasmodium
. Here, we identify a cullin RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) complex expressed in the replicating asexual blood stages and in the gametocyte stages that mediate transmission to the mosquito. WIG1, a putative substrate recognition protein of this ligase complex, is essential for the maturation of microgametocytes into microgametes upon ingestion by a mosquito. More specifically, WIG1 is required for proteostasis of ciliary proteins and components of the DNA replication machinery during gametocytogenesis. This requirement is linked to DNA replication and microtubule organization center formation, both critical to the development of flagellated microgametes.
Metagenomic discovery of microbial eukaryotes in stool microbiomes
Authors: Crouch Audra L. , Monsey Laine , Rambeau Molly , Ramos Cameron , Yracheta Joseph M. , Anderson Matthew Z.
Published: August 2024

Host-associated microbiota form complex microbial communities that are increasingly associated with host behavior and disease. While these microbes include bacterial, archaeal, viral, and eukaryotic constituents, most studies have focused on bacteria due to their dominance in the human host and available tools for investigation. Accumulating evidence suggests microbial eukaryotes in the microbiome play pivotal roles in host health, but our understandings of these interactions are limited to a few readily identifiable taxa because of technical limitations in unbiased eukaryote exploration. Here, we combined cell sorting, optimized eukaryotic cell lysis, and shotgun sequencing to accelerate metagenomic discovery and analysis of host-associated microbial eukaryotes. Using synthetic communities with a 1% microbial eukaryote representation, the eukaryote-optimized cell lysis and DNA recovery method alone yielded a 38-fold increase in eukaryotic DNA. Automated sorting of eukaryotic cells from stool samples of healthy adults increased the number of microbial eukaryote reads in metagenomic pools by up to 28-fold compared to commercial kits. Read frequencies for identified fungi increased by 10,000× on average compared to the Human Microbiome Project and allowed for the identification of novel taxa,
de novo
assembly of contigs from previously unknown microbial eukaryotes, and gene prediction from recovered genomic segments. These advances pave the way for the unbiased inclusion of microbial eukaryotes in deciphering determinants of health and disease in the host-associated microbiome.

IMPORTANCE

Microbial eukaryotes are common constituents of the human gut where they can contribute to local ecology and host health, but they are often overlooked in microbiome studies. The lack of attention is due to current technical limitations that are heavily biased or poorly recovered DNA from microbial eukaryotes. We developed a method to increase the representation of these eukaryotes in metagenomic sequencing of microbiome samples that allows to improve their detection compared to prior methods and allows for the identification of new species. Application of the technique to gut microbiome samples improved detection of fungi, protists, and helminths. New eukaryotic taxa and their encoded genes could be identified by sequencing a small number of samples. This approach can improve the inclusion of eukaryotes into microbiome research.