bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulation of phospholipase D signalling by phosphoinositides
Authors: Sciorra Vicki A , Frohman Michael A , Morris Andrew J
Published: November 2023

In addition to their function as precursors for second-messenger generation by phospholipase C (PLC) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), phosphoinositides play important roles as ligands responsible for membrane localization and/or regulation of a growing number of proteins that are involved in many different aspects of cell regulation (1). This review focuses on phosphoinositides as regulators of phosphatidylcholine (PC)-specific phospholipase D (PLD). These are widely expressed enzymes that have been identified in bacteria, yeasts, plants, and mammals (2–4). PLD catalyses the hydrolysis of PC and generates phosphatidic acid (PA), which is almost certainly a lipid mediator in its own right and can serve as the precursor for the synthesis of a number of well-established bioactive lipids including lyso-phosphatidic acid (LPA) and diacylglycerol (DAG) (5, 6). Regulation of PLD activity is complex and growing experimental evidence points to roles for these enzymes in both receptor-dependent intracellular signalling and in control of vesicular transport (7). The common involvement of PLD suggests that these processes may be linked in some previously unappreciated manner. The major challenge to the field continues to be the definition of the molecular mechanisms involved in regulation of signalling and membrane movement by PLD.
Representational differences analysis and microarray hybridization for efficient cloning and screening of differentially expressed genes
Authors: Nelson Stanley F , Denny Christopher T
Published: November 2023

The determination of differential expression of genes between cell lines and tissues is a powerful tool in modern biological research. Several recent and rapid PCR-based methods including subtractive suppressive hybridization (SSH), representational difference analysis (RDA), and differential display (1– 4), have been proposed for the cloning of genes which are differentially expressed between two tissues. These methods have been validated and successfully applied to specific problems (5–12). Recently, cDNA and oligonucleotide microarrays have been developed and used to quantitate differential gene expression by hybridizing a complex mRNA-derived probe onto an array of PCR products or oligonucleotides representing specific cDNAs (13–15). Microarrays allow thousands of genes to be monitored simultaneously for expression level and compared between many different tissues. We have screened the output of RDA by microarray in order to rapidly confirm differential expression of RDA fragments derived from specific mRNA and to greatly increase the breadth of differential fragments cloned (17).
Use of oligonucleotide arrays in enzymatic assays: assay optimization
Authors: case-green Stephen , Pritchard Clare , Southern Edwin M
Published: November 2023

In the following chapter we show how assays commonly performed in solution and analysed by gel electrophoresis can be applied to solid supported oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide arrays (1). Primer extension (2) and ligation assays (3) for typing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can be adapted to solid supports and modified for the analysis of short tandem repeats (STRs). We should emphasize that none of the techniques described have been fully optimized for any individual target of interest; they rather provide a research tool to allow investigation of possible applications and to optimize specific assays involving oligonucleotide arrays. For instance, the methods of array synthesis we use are very convenient when a number of different systems are being used on a small scale (for research purposes), but other synthesis methods may be better if a large number of the same array is needed.
Application of ink-jet printing technology to the manufacture of molecular arrays
Authors: Theriault Thomas p.
Published: November 2023

Massively parallel assay technology is increasingly the method of choice for conducting scientific inquiry in the physical sciences. For example, in physics, particularly materials science, combinatorial mixtures of components are prepared and screened to elucidate new superconductors. In chemistry, combinatorial synthesis programs represent one state-of-the-art mode for the discovery of novel drug leads. And in biology, arrays of unique DNA sequences are commonly used to assay the genetic state of cells. What these three different pursuits share is the need to perform a very large number of tests to achieve a particular goal. In all cases, small volumes of liquids must be precisely metered at high rates of speed. Technology derived from the ink-jet printing industry has been applied to meet such liquid handling needs.
Structural studies on tubulin and microtubules
Authors: Downincj Kenneth H
Published: November 2023

Microtubules (MTs) are involved in a wide variety of essential functions in eukaryotic cells, ranging from intracellular transport to cell motility and maintenance of cell shape. The identification of microtubules and their activities started a quest to understand the mechanisms behind their functions and the interactions among various proteins that make them possible, and this quest continues today. In early work, mainly done by light and electron microscopy (for a review, see ref. 1), the distribution of microtubules within the cell showed that they were an important component of the cytoskeleton, and their association with chromosomes in mitotic cells hinted at the critical role they play in cell division. Much of this work was done with sections of fixed and embedded material, where not only the distribution of MTs was revealed, but also the basic structure. It was seen that MTs were hollow cylinders made up of about 13 parallel protofilaments. Visualization of MT structure at higher resolution, and even determination of the structure of the protein subunit, has relied on electron microscopy. This chapter focuses on the methods used to derive structural information on microtubules and their complexes with drugs and other proteins by electron microscopy.
Regulation of intermediate filament dynamics: a novel approach using site- and phosphoryfation state specific antibodies
Authors: Inada Hiroyasu , Nagata Koh-Ichi , Goto Hidemasa , Inagaki Masaki
Published: November 2023

Although IFs were thought to be relatively stable compared to other cytoskeletons such as microtubules and actin filaments, it is now widely accepted that IFs undergo dynamic reorganization of filament structures through sitespecific phosphorylation. We, for the first time, proposed the notion that sitespecific phosphorylation induces disassembly of IF using vimentin filament in vitro (5). Thereafter, it has become increasingly evident that site-specific phosphorylation of IF proteins alters filament structure. Several kinases are apparently responsible for IF phosphorylation in vitro (6-9).
Morphological recognition of apoptotic cells
Authors: Wilson James W , Potten Christopher S
Published: November 2023

In this chapter we outline the basic techniques that can be used to identify apoptotic cells on the basis of morphology. All these techniques require the use of some type of microscope, and obviously, the better the microscope then the easier your job is in assessing cell morphology. In addition to the subjective assessment of cellular/nuclear appearance, the use of immunocytochemical techniques specifically designed for the recognition of apoptotic cells is also outlined. Finally, we discuss how to extract quantitative information from such observations, and how such quantitative data may be interpreted. Techniques for detecting the biochemical changes accompanying apoptosis are described in subsequent chapters.
Polarity and cell fate in bacteria
Authors: Hofmeister Antje , Brun Yves V
Published: November 2023

During the development of all organisms, different cell types are generated from a single precursor cell. Generation of this diversity requires that cells be able to divide into two different progeny. Formally, two mechanisms are possible (1): 1. The two progeny cells are initially identical but become different by interacting with each other, by interacting with neighbouring cells, or by responding to diffusible factors secreted from neighbouring cells.
Cellular bioenergetics
Authors: Nicholls David G , Ward Manus W
Published: November 2023

Mitochondria perform multiple functions within cells. In addition to their primary role in the generation of ATP for cytoplasmic and plasma membrane energy-requiring processes, there is an increasing realization that mitochondria can play a central role in the regulation of cytoplasmic calcium concentrations, while the mitochondrial respiratory chain is the major source of potentially toxic reactive oxygen species (1). The chemiosmotic mitochondrial proton circuit (Figure 1) which links electron transport through the respiratory chain to the ATP synthase can be considered in many ways analogous to an equivalent electrical circuit, with potential, flux, and resistance elements obeying Ohm’s law. The potential term is the protonmotive force, Δp, amounting to some 200 mV and comprised of membrane potential, Δ ψm, and ΔpH components according to the equation:
Protein engineering for biosensors
Authors: Gilardi Gianfranco
Published: November 2023

Protein engineering is defined here as the ensemble of the methods that allow the modification of the gene that codifies for a protein with the purpose of generating mutants or variants (multiple mutants generated by random mutagenesis) with the desired properties. Traditionally the area of biosensors has been the domain of chemists who already have explored chemical modification of proteins over the past few decades. The advantage of protein engineering over traditional chemical modification lies in its ability to introduce controlled modifications in specific positions.
Culture media
Authors: Cartwright T
Published: November 2023

Successful growth and maintenance of animal cells in vitro requires culture conditions that mimic in vivo conditions with respect to temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration, pH, osmolality, and nutrition. For this reason, early tissue culture media were based on biological fluids such as plasma, lymph and serum, and tissue extracts especially of embryonic origin.
Basic cell culture technique and the maintenance of cell lines
Authors: McAteer James A
Published: November 2023

The protocols and descriptions of technique presented in this section are intended to provide an introduction to some of the more general and routine aspects of cell culture methodology. The reader may wish to consult a number of excellent publications which give detailed procedures and instructive critical analysis of other general methods and many specialized cell culture techniques (1–19).
Client Reactions to Endings
Authors: Walsh Joseph
Published: November 2023

Although we have covered much ground in our study of clinical endings, we have not yet considered in sufficient detail the range of reactions that clients and practitioners experience in the process of ending. These reactions include the thoughts and feelings that the participants experience and the behaviors that they demonstrate. It is important for practitioners to understand how these reactions affect clients’ abilities to move through the ending process and what the experience means to them afterward. As we shall see, clients’ reactions do not have to be positive in order to be beneficial, but clients should be monitored and processed to maximize their chances for satisfactory closure. In this chapter we consider the range of positive and negative reactions that clients have to the ending process and the personal and clinical factors that in fluency those reactions.
Social Work’s Historical Relationship to Volunteerism
Authors: Sherr Michael E
Published: November 2023

This chapter examines what happened to the relationship between social work and volunteerism. It seeks to answer the question, How did the social work profession, which owes its existence to the efforts of volunteers, lose touch with volunteerism as a central means of delivering effective services and advocating social and economic justice? After describing the historical relationship between social work and volunteerism, the chapter examines two reasons—insecurity and avoidance— to explain that relationship.
Understanding Minor Clients
Authors: Strom-Gottfried Kim
Published: November 2023

The issue of competence rests at the core of all discussions about ethics and minors. What are minors able to understand? Are they capable of rendering judgments? These questions of competence are inextricably linked to minors’ developmental capacities and the factors that influence those capacities. This chapter explores markers of competence across the developmental spectrum and highlights relevant concepts for ethical decision making.
Alicia M. Kirchner: Minister of Social Development in Argentina
Authors: Queiro-Tajalli Irene
Published: November 2023

I flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to interview Dr. Alicia M. Kirchner because of her strong identification with social work and her extensive participation in macro-level social work.
Does Anything Work?
Authors: Fischer Joel
Published: November 2023

The years of the 1970s have been dubbed “the age of accountability” (Briar, 1973), and one of the direct implications of focusing on accountability is to examine whether any of the helping professions can actually demonstrate that what they are doing is effective.
Living Fully: Mindfulness Practices for Everyday Life
Authors: Kessen Christine
Published: November 2023

‘‘No time!’’ a student exclaims. Discussing an article on risk management in a graduate social work ethics class, I see the frustration on the faces in front of me. I had identified burnout as a major cause of poor social work practice. My suggestion that students take time to address their own needs now sounds feeble. These students are juggling jobs, family responsibilities, and graduate school—how could they not be exhausted and depleted at the end of each day? Is there anything I can offer them? I recall my own practice of mindfulness during spare moments each day. We all have little bits of time, no matter how busy our work and personal schedules, but we often fail to recognize them. Students could begin with their own snatches of time, standing in line at the grocery store, walking to class, or picking up children at school. These moments experienced in mindfulness could benefit anyone.
Mindfulness in Social Work Practice: A Theoretical and Spiritual Exploration
Authors: Potter Richard
Published: November 2023

Spiritual paths are replete with techniques to help adherents let go of the dominating ‘‘monkey mind’’—the constantly active, evaluating, worrying, anticipating, remembering activity that is going on in our heads—and be open to the present moment and what it has to offer. The ‘‘monkey mind’’ is also the purposeless babbling that is always in the background in our minds. What we know today as mindfulness is one specific and effective method of focusing the mind on the essence of experience, the power of being fully present in one’s life. While the term is best known as part of the Buddhist tradition, versions of this practice are common among the spiritual traditions of the world. For example, the Sufi tradition of spiritual development uses the practice of fikr to fill the mind with silent repetition of a specific word or phrase, so there is little room left for typical mental processes. The universally desired outcomes of these practices, the development of consciousness and being centered in one’s life, are accomplished gradually through a variety of techniques.
Mindfulness-Based Practices in Group Work with Children and Youths in Care
Authors: Coholic Diana , LeBreton Julie
Published: November 2023

This chapter explores mindfulness-based training with children living in foster care (ages eight to fifteen). Presently there is no research on using mindfulness in this area. We present an outline of our program, detailing specific activities that are appropriate for and have been proved effective with this population, and examine some of our preliminary conclusions based on our experience delivering the program.
LRRK2 kinase activity is necessary for development and regeneration inNematostella vectensis
Authors: Holmes Grace , Ferguson Sophie R. , Lewis Patrick Alfryn , Echeverri Karen
Published: November 2023

Background

The starlet sea anemone,Nematostella vectensis, is an emerging model organism with a high regenerative capacity, which was recently found to possess an orthologue to the human LRRK2 gene (nvLRRK2). The leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene, when mutated, is the most common cause of inherited Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Its protein product (LRRK2) has implications in a variety of cellular processes, however, the full function of LRRK2 is not well established. Current research is focusing on understanding the function of LRRK2, including both its physiological role as well as its pathobiological underpinnings.

Methods

We used bioinformatics to determine the cross-species conservation of LRRK2, then applied drugs targeting the kinase activity of LRRK2 to examine its function in development, homeostasis and regeneration inNematostella vectensis.

Results

Anin-silicocharacterization and phylogenetic analysis of nvLRRK2 comparing it to human LRRK2 highlighted key conserved motifs and residues.In vivoanalyses inhibiting the kinase function of this enzyme demonstrated a role of nvLRRK2 in development and regeneration ofN. vectensis. These findings implicate a developmental role of LRRK2 inNematostella, adding to the expanding knowledge of its physiological function.

Conclusions

Our work introduces a new model organism with which to study LRRK biology. We show a necessity for LRRK2 in development and regeneration. Given the short generation time, genetic trackability and in vivo imaging capabilities, this work introducesNematostella vectensisas a new model in which to study genes linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s.
Survivability and Life Support in Sealed Mini-Ecosystems with Simulated Planetary Soils
Authors: Sato Tsubasa , Abe Ko , Koseki Jun , Seto Mayumi , Yokoyama Jun , Akashi Tomohiro , Terada Masahiro , Kadowaki Kohmei , Yoshida Satoshi , Yamashiki Yosuke Alexandre , Shimamura Teppei
Published: November 2023

Establishing a sustainable life-support system for space exploration is challenging due to the vast distances, costs, and differing environments from Earth. Using insights from the Biosphere 2 experiment, we introduced the “Ecosphere” and “Biosealed” systems in custom containers to replicate Earth’s ecosystems, suggesting feasible space migration through transplanting Earth-like biomes.

Over four years, we gained deeper insights into these enclosed ecosystems. Moisture deficiency was a major obstacle to plant growth, which we addressed by incorporating a groundwater layer in the containers. We underscored the critical role of microorganisms in building and sustaining these ecosystems. However, temperature spikes from sunlight threatened stability. Our experiments confirmed fruit flies’ survival on plant-produced oxygen and photosynthetic bacteria. Interactions between plants, microbes, and simulated space soils were examined. Detailed analysis unveiled diverse microbes shaping both confined and simulated space environments. Major findings include the symbiotic relationship of plants with cyanobacteria, the potential of LED lighting in sun-limited missions, and challenges with ethylene gas and moisture. Microbial integration in rough soils holds promise for seed germination, but understanding their role in space soils is crucial.

Our research offers a comprehensive foundation for future space life-support systems and underlines potential concerns about microbes affecting human health.
Force and theα-C-terminal domains bias RNA polymerase recycling
Authors: Qian Jin , Wang Bing , Artsimovitch Irina , Dunlap David , Finzi Laura
Published: November 2023

After RNA polymerase (RNAP) reaches a terminator, instead of dissociating from the template, it may diffuse along the DNA before restarting RNA synthesis from the previous or a different promoter. We monitored such secondary transcription using magnetic tweezers to determine the effect of low forces, protein roadblocks, and transcription factors. Up to 60% of RNAPs diffused along the DNA after termination. Force biased the direction of diffusion (sliding) and the velocity increased rapidly with force up to 0.7 pN and much more slowly thereafter. Sigma factor 70 (σ70) likely remained bound to these sliding RNAPs, enabling recognition of secondary promoters and additional rounds of transcription, and the addition of elongation factor NusG, which competes withσ70for binding to RNAP, limited additional rounds of transcription. Surprisingly, RNAP blocked by a DNA-boundlacrepressor could slowly re-initiate transcription at the block-age and was not affected by NusG, suggesting aσ-independent pathway. Force biased the frequency of encounters between convergent or divergent promoters such that transcription was repetitive only from the promoter opposing the direction of force. Sliding RNAP recognized and could subsequently re-initiate from promoters in either orientation. However, deletions of theα-C-terminal domains severely limited the ability of RNAP to turn around.
Effects of Reproductive Experience on Cost-Benefit Decision Making in Females and Males
Authors: Faraji Mojdeh , Viera-Resto Omar A. , Setlow Barry , Bizon Jennifer L.
Published: November 2023

Almost all individuals undergo reproductive and/or parenting experience at some point in their lives, and pregnancy and childbirth in particular are associated with alterations in the prevalence of several psychiatric disorders. Research in rodents shows that maternal experience affects spatial learning and other aspects of hippocampal function. In contrast, there has been little work in animal models concerning how reproductive experience affects cost-benefit decision making, despite the relevance of this aspect of cognition for psychiatric disorders. To begin to address this issue, reproductively experienced (RE) and reproductively naïve (RN) female and male Long-Evans rats were tested across multiple tasks that assess different forms of cost-benefit decision making. In a risky decision-making task, in which rats chose between a small, safe food reward and a large food reward accompanied by variable probabilities of punishment, RE and RN males did not differ, whereas RE females chose the large risky reward significantly more frequently than RN females (greater risk taking). In an intertemporal choice task, in which rats chose between a small, immediate food reward and a large food reward delivered after a variable delay period, RE males chose the large reward more frequently than RN males, whereas RE females chose the large reward less frequently than RN females. Together, these results show distinct effects of reproductive experience on different forms of cost-benefit decision making in rats of both sexes, and highlight reproductive status as a variable that could influence aspects of cognition relevant for psychiatric disorders.
Post-translational regulation of Platelet-derived growth factor receptor β is critical for fracture repair in aged mice
Authors: Tao Jianguo , Lipe Brea , Boyce Brendan F. , Xing Lianping , Zhang Hengwei
Published: November 2023

Increased protein ubiquitination was observed in fracture callus and particularly in aged mice. Treatment of proteasome inhibitor enhanced fracture repair in young and mice by increasing the number of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs). However, the protein targets of proteasome inhibitor are still not known. Ub-proteomics identifies the top ub-proteins in MPCs and osteoblasts. Among them, PDGFRβ plays important roles both in osteogenesis and angiogenesis, which were reduced in callus of aged mice. We examine the dramatic decrease of PDGFRβ protein level, increased Ub-PDGFRβ, but mild decrease of mRNA in callus of aged mice, suggesting dys-regulated protein modification is the major cause of decreased PDGFRβ level. Decreased PDGFRβ results in the failure of PDGF-BB enhanced MPCs proliferation and fracture repair in aged mice. Co-treatment with proteasome inhibitor rescues the ability of PDGF-BB on MPC proliferation and fracture repair. Our findings not only discover the protein target of proteasome inhibitor in MPCs, but importantly connect the compromised effect of PDGF treatment on diseases with PDGFRβ proteasomal degradation. We open a new avenue for the treatment of fracture repair in elderly with the combination of PDGF-BB and proteasome inhibitor.
Multimodal single cell-resolved spatial proteomics reveals pancreatic tumor heterogeneity
Authors: Xu Yanfen , Wang Xi , Li Yuan , Mao Yiheng , Su Yiran , Yang Yun , Gao Weina , Fu Changying , Chen Wendong , Ye Xueting , Liang Fuchao , Bai Panzhu , Sun Ying , Xu Ruilian , Tian Ruijun
Published: November 2023

Despite the advances in antibody-guided cell typing and mass spectrometry-based proteomics, their integration is hindered by challenges for processing rare cells in the heterogeneous tissue context. Here, we introduce Spatial and Cell-type Proteomics (SCPro), which combines multiplexed imaging and flow cytometry with ion exchange-based protein aggregation capture technology to characterize spatial proteome heterogeneity with single cell resolution. The SCPro was employed to explore the pancreatic tumor microenvironment and revealed the spatial alternations of over 5,000 proteins by automatically dissecting up to 100 single cells guided by multi-color imaging of centimeter-scale formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue slide. To enhance cell-type resolution, we characterized the proteome of 14 different cell types by sorting up to 1,000 cells from the same tumor, which allows us to deconvolute the spatial distribution of immune cell subtypes and leads to the discovery of a novel subtype of regulatory T cells. Together, the SCPro provides a multimodal spatial proteomics approach for profiling tissue proteome heterogeneity.
Acoustic inspired brain-to-sentence decoder for logosyllabic language
Authors: Feng Chen , Cao Lu , Wu Di , Zhang En , Wang Ting , Jiang Xiaowei , Zhou Chenhao , Chen Jinbo , Wu Hui , Lin Siyu , Hou Qiming , Lin Chin-Teng , Zhu Junming , Yang Jie , Sawan Mohamad , Zhang Yue
Published: November 2023

Many severe neurological diseases, such as stroke and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, can impair or destroy the ability of verbal communication. Recent advances in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have shown promise in restoring communication by decoding neural signals related to speech or motor activities into text. Existing research on speech neuroprosthesis has predominantly focused on alphabetic languages, leaving a significant gap of logosyllabic languages such as Mandarin Chinese which are spoken by more than 15% of the world population. Logosyllabic languages pose unique challenges to brain-to-text decoding due to extended character sets (e.g., 50,000+ for Mandarin Chinese) and complex mapping between characters and pronunciation. To address these challenges, we established a speech BCI designed for Mandarin, decoding speech-related stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) signals into coherent sentences. We leverage the unique acoustic features of Mandarin Chinese syllables, constructing prediction models for syllable components (initials, tones, and finals), and employ a language model to resolve pronunciation to character ambiguities according to the semantic context. This method leads to a high-performance decoder with a median character accuracy of 71.00% over the full character set, demonstrating huge potentials for clinical application. To our knowledge, we are the first to report brain-to-sentence decoding for logosyllabic languages over full character set with a large intracranial electroencephalography dataset.
Stomatal maturomics: identifying genes regulating guard cell maturation and function formation from single-cell transcriptomes
Authors: Peng Yuming , Liu Yi , Wang Yifan , Qin Yue , Ma Shisong
Published: November 2023

Stomata play critical roles in gas exchange and immunity to pathogens. While many genes regulating early stomatal development up to the production of young guard cells (GCs) have been described in Arabidopsis, much less is known about how young GCs develop into mature functional stomata. Here we performed a maturomics study on stomata, with “maturomics” defined as omics analysis of the maturation process of a tissue or organ. We developed an integrative scheme to analyze three public stomata-related single-cell RNA-seq datasets and identified a list of 586 genes that were specifically up-regulated in all three datasets during stomata maturation and function formation. The list, termed sc_586, is enriched with known regulators of stomatal maturation and functions. We selected two candidate G2-like TFs genes,MYS1andMYS2, from the list to investigate their roles in stomata. Our results showed that these two genes redundantly regulate the size and hoop rigidity of mature GCs, and their double mutations caused mature GCs to have severe defects in regulating their stomatal apertures. Our analysis thus provides a valuable gene list for studying GC maturation and function formation.
Micrococcal nuclease regulates biofilm formation and dispersal in methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureusUSA300
Authors: Kaplan Jeffrey B. , Florjanczyk Aleksandr P. , Ochiai Maria , Jones Caleb D. , Horswill Alexander R.
Published: November 2023

Biofilm formation is an important virulence factor for methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA). The extracellular matrix of MRSA biofilms contains significant amounts of double-stranded DNA. MRSA cells also secrete micrococcal nuclease (Nuc1) which degrades double-stranded DNA. In this study we used anuc1mutant strain to investigate the role of Nuc1 in MRSA biofilm formation and dispersal. Biofilm was quantitated in microplates using a crystal violet binding assay. Extracellular DNA (eDNA) was isolated from colony biofilms and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. In some experiments, broth or agar was supplemented with sub-MIC amoxicillin to induce biofilm formation. Biofilm erosion was quantitated by culturing biofilms on rods, transferring the rods to fresh broth, and enumerating CFUs that detached from the rods. Biofilm sloughing was investigated by culturing biofilms in glass tubes perfused with broth and measuring the sizes of the detached cell aggregates. We found that anuc1mutant strain produced significantly more biofilm and more eDNA than a wild-type strain in both the absence and presence of sub-MIC amoxicillin.nuc1mutant biofilms grown on rods detached significantly less than wild-type biofilms. Detachment was restored by exogenous DNase or a wild-typenuc1gene on a plasmid. In the sloughing assay,nuc1mutant biofilms released cell aggregates that were significantly larger than those released by wild-type biofilms. Our results suggest that Nuc1 modulates biofilm formation, biofilm detachment, and the sizes of detached cell aggregates. These processes may play a role in the spread and subsequent survival of MRSA biofilms during biofilm-related infections.
Performance of the 0/2‐hour high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T diagnostic protocol in a multisite United States cohort
Authors: Supples Michael W. , Snavely Anna C. , Ashburn Nicklaus P. , Allen Brandon R. , Christenson Robert H. , Nowak Richard , Wilkerson R. Gentry , Mumma Bryn E. , Madsen Troy , Stopyra Jason P. , Mahler Simon A.
Published: November 2023

Background

The diagnostic performance of the high‐sensitivity troponin T (hs‐cTnT) 0/2‐h algorithm is unclear among U.S. emergency department (ED) patients with acute chest pain.

Methods

A preplanned subgroup analysis of the STOP‐CP cohort study was conducted. Participants with 0‐ and 2‐h hs‐cTnT measures prospectively enrolled at eight U.S. EDs from January 2017 to September 2018 were stratified into rule‐out, observation, and rule‐in zones using the hs‐cTnT 0/2‐h algorithm alone and combined with the history, electrocardiogram, age, and risk factor (HEAR) score. The primary outcome was adjudicated 30‐day cardiac death or myocardial infarction (CDMI). The sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of the 0/2‐h rule‐out zone and specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of the rule‐in zone for 30‐day CDMI were calculated.

Results

Of the 1307 patients accrued, 53.6% (700/1307) were male and 58.6% (762/1307) were White, with a mean ± SD age of 57.5 ± 12.7 years. At 30 days, CDMI occurred in 12.9% (168/1307) of participants. The 0/2‐h algorithm ruled out 61.4% (802/1307) of patients. Among rule‐out patients, 1.9% (15/802) experienced 30‐day CDMI, resulting in a sensitivity of 91.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 85.7%–94.9%) and NPV of 98.1% (95% CI 96.9%–98.9%). The 0/2‐h algorithm ruled in 12.4% (162/1307) patients of whom 61.7% (100/162) experienced 30‐day CDMI. The rule‐in zone specificity was 94.6% (95% CI 93.1%–95.8%) and PPV was 61.7% (95% CI 53.8%–69.2%) for 30‐day CDMI. The 0/2‐h algorithm combined with HEAR score ruled out 30.7% (401/1307) of patients with a sensitivity and NPV for 30‐day CDMI of 98.2% (95% CI 94.9%–99.6%) and 99.3% (95% CI 97.8%–99.8%), respectively.

Conclusions

The hs‐cTnT 0/2‐h algorithm ruled out most patients. With NPV of <99% for 30‐day CDMI, the hs‐cTnT 0/2‐h algorithm, many emergency physicians may not consider it safe to use for U.S. ED patients. When combined with a low‐risk HEAR score, NPV was >99% for 30‐day CDMI at the cost of reduced efficacy.
A rare homozygous variant in TERT gene causing variable bone marrow failure, fragility fractures, rib anomalies and extremely short telomere lengths with high serum IgE
Authors: Elbadry Mahmoud I. , Tawfeek Ahmed , Hirano Tomonori , El‐Mokhtar Mohamed A. , Kenawey Mohamed , Helmy Ahmed M. , Ogawa Seishi , Mughal M. Zulf , Nannya Yasuhito
Published: November 2023

By whole exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous c.2086 C→T (p.R696C) TERT mutation in patients who present with a spectrum of variable bone marrow failure (BMF), raccoon eyes, dystrophic nails, rib anomalies, fragility fractures (FFs), high IgE level, extremely short telomere lengths (TLs), and skewed numbers of cytotoxic T cells with B and NK cytopenia. Haploinsufficiency in the other family members resulted in short TL and osteopenia. These patients also had the lowest bone mineral density Z‐score compared to other BMF‐patients. Danazol/zoledronic acid improved the outcomes of BMF and FFs. This causative TERT variant has been observed in one family afflicted with dyskeratosis congenita (DC), and thus, we also define a second report and new phenotype related to the variant which should be suspected in severe cases of DC with co‐existent BMF, FFs, high IgE level and rib anomalies.
High fat diet‐induced maternal obesity in mice impairs peripartum maternal behaviour
Authors: Brown Rosemary Shanon Eileen , Jacobs Ireland M. , Khant Aung Zin , Knowles Pene J. , Grattan David R. , Ladyman Sharon R.
Published: November 2023

Obesity during pregnancy represents a significant health issue and can lead to increased complications during pregnancy and impairments with breastfeeding, along with long‐term negative health consequences for both mother and offspring. In rodent models, diet‐induced obesity (DIO) during pregnancy leads to poor outcomes for offspring. Using a DIO mouse model, consisting of feeding mice a high fat diet for 8 weeks before mating, we recapitulate the effect of high pup mortality within the first 3 days postpartum. To examine the activity of the dam around the time of birth, late pregnant control and DIO dams were recorded in their home cages and the behaviour of the dam immediately before and after birth was analysed. Prior to giving birth, DIO dams spent less time engaging in nesting behaviour, while after birth, DIO dams spent less time in the nest with their pups compared to control dams, indicating reduced pup‐engagement in the early postpartum period. We have previously reported that lactogenic hormone action, mediated by the prolactin receptor, in the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus (MPOA) is critical for the onset of normal postpartum maternal behaviour. We hypothesized that DIO dams may have lower lactogenic hormone activity during late pregnancy, which would contribute to impaired onset of normal postpartum maternal behaviour. Day 16 lactogenic activity, transport of prolactin into the brain, and plasma prolactin concentrations around birth were all similar in control and DIO dams. Moreover, endogenous pSTAT5, a marker of prolactin receptor activity, in the MPOA was unaffected by DIO. Overall, these data indicate that lactogenic activity in late pregnancy of DIO dams is not different to controls and is unlikely to play a major role in impaired onset of normal postpartum maternal behaviour.
The effects of post‐COVID‐19 fatigue in nurses on organizational outcomes
Authors: Çiriş Yıldız Cennet , Yildirim Dilek , Kara Sercan , Karagöz Esra
Published: November 2023

This study was conducted to determine the effects of fatigue in nurses with confirmed COVID‐19 infection on organizational outcomes. The study was carried out with the participation of 200 nurses who had tested positive for COVID‐19 in the last eighteen months and had COVID‐19‐related fatigue complaints. Data were collected between October 2022 and February 2023 using a questionnaire consisting of the Chalder Fatigue Scale, the Work Alienation Scale, the Turnover Intention Scale, and the Employee Performance Scale. Fatigue was the most common symptom of COVID‐19 in this study, as in other results. The number of being infected with COVID‐19 and education levels were found to be significant predictors of post‐COVID‐19 fatigue. Post‐COVID‐19 fatigue had an effect on turnover intention and alienation to work, but it did not affect employee performance. In this study, the effects of post‐COVID‐19 fatigue on organizational outcomes such as employee performance, turnover intention, and work alienation were determined. Therefore, regardless of its source, fatigue should be dealt with managerially, and preventive policies and procedures should be developed.
The Effects of Group Composition and Dynamics on Collective Performance
Authors: Almaatouq Abdullah , Alsobay Mohammed , Yin Ming , Watts Duncan J.
Published: November 2023

As organizations gravitate to group‐based structures, the problem of improving performance through judicious selection of group members has preoccupied scientists and managers alike. However, which individual attributes best predict group performance remains poorly understood. Here, we describe a preregistered experiment in which we simultaneously manipulated four widely studied attributes of group compositions: skill level, skill diversity, social perceptiveness, and cognitive style diversity. We find that while the average skill level of group members, skill diversity, and social perceptiveness are significant predictors of group performance, skill level dominates all other factors combined. Additionally, we explore the relationship between patterns of collaborative behavior and performance outcomes and find that any potential gains in solution quality from additional communication between the group members are outweighed by the overhead time cost, leading to lower overall efficiency. However, groups exhibiting more “turn‐taking” behavior are considerably faster and thus more efficient. Finally, contrary to our expectation, we find that group compositional factors (i.e., skill level and social perceptiveness) are not associated with the amount of communication between group members nor turn‐taking dynamics.
Soil Formation on Sugar Industry Waste in the Central Chernozemic Zone
Authors: Zamotaev I. V. , Gracheva R. G. , Konoplianikova Yu. V. , Dolgikh A. V. , Karelin D. V. , Belonovskaya E. A. , Dobryansky A. S. , Mikheev P. V.
Published: November 2023

Soils formed in treatment facilities of sugar beet factories in the forest-steppe zone of Kursk oblast were studied. Technogenic factors of soil formation associated with the industrial sugar beet activity and post-technogenic processes during the abandonment of treatment facilities are considered. The alternation of settling ponds and the earth walls separating them are the main factors determining “cellular” pattern of the soil cover. The mode of inflow and discharge and the composition of wastewater, as well as the duration of the abandonment of settling ponds determine the specifics of soils forming in the bottoms of the ponds. Mucky–humus quasi-gley stratified soils (Calcaric Gleysol) are formed in operating settling ponds under the periodic impact of sewage mixed with other wastes. When calcareous sewage sludge (press mud) is previously removed from abandoned ponds, dark-humus quasi-gley soils (Gleyic Cambisol) are formed in 30 years in the presence of perched water table, and quasi-gley zooturbated Chernozems are developed in 40 years under the conditions of periodic moistening. Soil formation in settling ponds with preserved sewage sludge and abandoned 20 years ago is noticeably intensive only in the upper 10–15 cm, and properties of the stratified sediment are preserved below. Dark-humus technogenic artistratified soils (Spolic Technosols) are identified there. Typical dark-humus soils (Eutric Cambisols (Organotransportic) are formed on earth walls in about 50–60 years, and incompletely developed strongly alkaline technogenic pelozems (Spolic Technosols (Transportic)) are formed on earth walls covered with calcareous sewage sludge; these soils consist of the virtually unchanged mixed material of technogenic sediments. All soils are alkaline and strongly alkaline and rich in organic matter, carbonates, phosphates, nutrients and some heavy metals from wastewater. According to the combination of properties, the soils of the sugar industry treatment facilities have no direct natural analogues in the central chernozemic region and are a vivid example of soils forming under extreme conditions of resource excess.
Modelo de deterioro de valor de las cuentas po cobrar, en industria del retail nacional en la contigencia del Caso La Polar
Authors: Riveros Parada Jorge Jean Pierre , Díaz Letelier Nelson
Published: November 2023

En mayo de 2011 explotó públicamente el caso La Polar, que ha minado la confianza pública en la Industria del Retail en particular, pero en general ha afectado a todo el sistema financiero chileno. Las repactaciones inconsultas y la abultada deuda consiguiente para los clientes han provocado indignación y preocupación general en la población. De ahí la importancia de contar con información adecuada, veraz y oportuna en aspectos tales como el modelamiento del deterioro de valor de las cuentas por cobrar de la industria del Retail nacional. Esta cuenta de Activo es de vital importancia para esa industria. En este artículo se propone un modelo para administrar en forma correcta la gestión de riesgos de la cartera de clientes, su medición, cuantificación y determinación del deterioro de valor.
Breve reseña histórica del programa de Magister en Contabilidad y Auditoria de Gestión de la Universidad de Santiago de Chile
Authors: del Programa Comité Académico
Published: November 2023

La Universidad de Santiago de Chile, con 163 años de vida institucional, es una de las instituciones de educación superior con mayor tradición en el país. Sus raíces se remontan a la fundación de la Escuela de Artes y Oficios (EAO) por parte del Estado de Chile, en el año 1849, en la ciudad de Santiago. Institución que nació para dar respuesta a las necesidades de enseñanza técnica especializada de la creciente industria nacional de la época. En la segunda mitad del siglo XIX, la solidez institucional y la contribución al avance industrial, hicieron que el reconocimiento a la labor realizada por la EAO traspasara las fronteras nacionales y la escuela fuera considerada como la primera, entre sus congéneres de América Latina
Checklist of Yunnan Papilionidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) with nomenclatural notes and descriptions of new subspecies
Authors: HU SHAO-JI , COTTON ADAM M. , LAMAS GERARDO , DUAN KUANG , ZHANG XIN
Published: November 2023

A checklist of the Papilionidae of Yunnan is presented, with nomenclatural and taxonomic changes made. In the nomenclatural section, the junior homonym Papilio bootes nigricans Rothschild, 1895 is replaced by Papilio bootes nigricauda Lamas & Cotton nom. nov., Chilasa (Cadugoides) epycides muhabbet Koçak, 2005 is synonymised with Papilio epycides camilla Rousseau-Decelle, 1947 syn. nov., Graphium cloanthus nyghmat Koçak & Kemal, 2000 is placed as a junior objective synonym syn. nov. of Graphium cloanthus clymenus (Leech, 1893), and Papilio astorion Westwood, 1842 is shown to have priority over Papilio varuna White, 1842, thus the valid species name is Atrophaneura astorion (Westwood, 1842) comb. nov. In the main checklist, five new subspecies are described: Parnassius cephalus haba Hu & Cotton ssp. nov., Lamproptera curius hsinningae Hu, Zhang & Cotton ssp. nov., Lamproptera curius yangtzeanus Hu & Cotton ssp. nov., Graphium macareus vadimi Cotton & Hu ssp. nov., and Papilio krishna benyongi Hu & Cotton ssp. nov. The First Reviser Principle under the ICZN Code is invoked to solve four taxonomic problems, and 18 names are synonymised with explanations, notably Papilio machaon venchuanus Moonen, 1984 syn. nov., which is synonymised with Papilio machaon schantungensis Eller, 1936. Byasa genestieri (Oberthür, 1918) stat. nov. is separated from Byasa latreillei (Donovan, 1826), and Papilio everesti Riley, 1927 stat. nov. and P. verityi Fruhstorfer, 1907 stat. nov. are separated from Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758 as species. Taxa that require further confirmation of their presence in Yunnan and those that do not occur in Yunnan are enumerated.