bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Life course predictors of child emotional distress during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Findings from a prospective intergenerational cohort study
Authors: Letcher Primrose , Greenwood Christopher J. , Macdonald Jacqui A. , Ryan Joanne , O'Connor Meredith , Thomson Kimberly C. , Biden Ebony J. , Painter Felicity , Olsson Catherine M. , Edwards Ben , McIntosh Jennifer , Spry Elizabeth A. , Hutchinson Delyse , Cleary Joyce , Slade Tim , Olsson Craig A.
Published: May 2024

Background

We examine precursors of child emotional distress during the COVID‐19 pandemic in a prospective intergenerational Australian cohort study.

Methods

Parents (N = 549, 60% mothers) of 934 1–9‐year‐old children completed a COVID‐19 specific module in 2020 and/or 2021. Decades prior, a broad range of individual, relational and contextual factors were assessed during parents' own childhood, adolescence and young adulthood (7–8 to 27–28 years old; 1990–2010) and again when their children were 1 year old (2012–2019).

Results

After controlling for pre‐pandemic socio‐emotional behaviour problems, COVID‐19 child emotional distress was associated with a range of pre‐pandemic parental life course factors including internalising difficulties, lower conscientiousness, social skills problems, poorer relational health and lower trust and tolerance. Additionally, in the postpartum period, pre‐pandemic parental internalising difficulties, lower parental warmth, lower cooperation and fewer behavioural competencies predicted child COVID‐19 emotional distress.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the importance of taking a larger, intergenerational perspective to better equip young populations for future adversities. This involves not only investing in child, adolescent, and young adult emotional and relational health, but also in parents raising young families.
Contextualizing school discipline: Examining the role of general peer and teacher discrimination at the individual‐ andschool‐levelon individual suspension
Authors: Trovato Daniel , Zimmerman Gregory M.
Published: May 2024

Past research has linked peer and teacher discrimination to risk factors for school discipline, but few studies have examined whether peer and teacher discrimination have a direct impact on school discipline. This study examines the effects of general peer and teacher discrimination at the individual‐ and school‐level on school suspension using nationally representative, secondary data on almost 12,000 youth across 131 schools. Hierarchical logistic regression models indicated that general teacher discrimination at the individual‐ and school‐level—but not general peer discrimination—increased the odds of receiving school suspension. Findings suggest that general discrimination by direct learning instructors and teachers representing the broader school culture can shape student conduct. Reducing school discipline thus falls on teachers, staff, principals, and learners.
Association between food insecurity and edentulism for older adults: A pilot study
Authors: Li Sophie R. , Lee Jane J. , Mancl Lloyd A. , Chi Donald L.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

This pilot study examined the association between food insecurity and edentulism among older adults in Washington State.

Methods

This study focused on adults aged 50 years and older, who were recruited through seven community‐based organizations in Washington State. The exposure variable was food security level (high, marginal, and low/very low food security) assessed using the 10‐item U.S. Adult Food Security Survey. The outcome was edentulism, defined as having zero natural teeth. Confounder‐adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were generated using binary logistic regression models (α = 0.05).

Results

Of the 216 participants, 28.7% (n = 62) had low/very low food security and 7.9% (n = 17) had zero teeth. Older adults with low or very low food security had greater odds of being edentulous compared to those with marginal or high food security, although the difference was not statistically significant (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 0.46, 4.20; p = 0.56).

Conclusions

Future research should explore food insecurity‐focused interventions aimed at preventing edentulism in older adults in a broader effort to address oral health inequities.
The economic argument for hepatitis B treatment simplification and expansion
Authors: Razavi‐Shearer Devin
Published: May 2024

One component of decisions regarding hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment simplification and expansion is the economic perspective. Literature was reviewed for studies which provide estimates for the economic impact of simplifying and expanding treatment eligibility. Eight published studies and four unpublished studies were included and all but one subset of one study found that expanding treatment criteria would result in programs that would be at minimum cost‐effective and most often highly cost‐effective.
Locus of control and performance pay: Evidence from US survey data
Authors: Adams Benjamin C.
Published: May 2024

This work examines the influence of locus of control on sorting into performance pay jobs. It uniquely examines different types of performance pay schemes, demonstrating sharp differences between them. Bivariate probit estimates indicate workers with an internal locus of control sort into individual schemes but not joint schemes. Wage equations reveal that adding locus of control modestly reduces the return to individual performance pay but that in more complete specifications, the return to an internal locus of control becomes vanishingly small, which suggests that its primary importance is in sorting (not only into performance pay but into education and occupation).
Crosstalk in extrahepatic and hepatic system in NAFLD/NASH
Authors: Duan Yiliang , Yang Yan , Zhao Shuqiang , Bai Yuesong , Yao Wenbing , Gao Xiangdong , Yin Jun
Published: May 2024

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most prevalent chronic liver disease globally. Non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represents an extremely progressive form of NAFLD, which, without timely intervention, may progress to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Presently, a definitive comprehension of the pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH eludes us, and pharmacological interventions targeting NASH specifically remain constrained. The aetiology of NAFLD encompasses a myriad of external factors including environmental influences, dietary habits and gender disparities. More significantly, inter‐organ and cellular interactions within the human body play a role in the development or regression of the disease. In this review, we categorize the influences affecting NAFLD both intra‐ and extrahepatically, elaborating meticulously on the mechanisms governing the onset and progression of NAFLD/NASH. This exploration delves into progress in aetiology and promising therapeutic targets. As a metabolic disorder, the development of NAFLD involves complexities related to nutrient metabolism, liver‐gut axis interactions and insulin resistance, among other regulatory functions of extraneous organs. It further encompasses intra‐hepatic interactions among hepatic cells, Kupffer cells (KCs) and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). A comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH from a macroscopic standpoint is instrumental in the formulation of future therapies for NASH.
The Practice of Friendship Balancing: Russia‐Israel Relations, 2015 to 2021
Authors: Kertcher Chen , Course Dima
Published: May 2024

Since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, Israel's reactions have been met with criticism from a key friend: Russia. However, Moscow's public condemnation of the humanitarian crisis has not changed its material or normative policies toward Israel in other respects. This article analyzes Russia‐Israel relations, especially concerning the Syrian conflict between 2015 and 2021. It demonstrates how the two states developed norms and structural practices—including regular meetings of elites, public statements, and other mechanisms—to mitigate disputes. These strategies created and sustained a friendship balance that prevented rivalry and escalation between the two. This process has helped them maintain their relationship during the recent spike of violence despite increasing strains.
A lightweight feature attention fusion network for pavement crack segmentation
Authors: Huang Yucheng , Liu Yuchen , Liu Fang , Liu Wei
Published: May 2024

The occurrence of pavement cracks poses a significant potential threat to road safety, thus the rapid and accurate acquisition of pavement crack information is of paramount importance. Deep learning methods have the capability to offer precise and automated crack detection solutions based on crack images. However, the slow detection speed and huge model size in high‐accuracy models are still the main challenges required to be addressed. Therefore, this research presents a lightweight feature attention fusion network for pavement crack segmentation. This structure employs FasterNet as the backbone network, ensuring performance while reducing model inference time and memory overhead. Additionally, the receptive field block is incorporated to simulate human visual perception, enhancing the network's feature extraction capability. Ultimately, our approach employs the feature fusion module (FFM) to effectively combine decoder outputs with encoder's low‐level features using weight vectors. Experimental results on public crack datasets, namely, CFD, CRACK500, and DeepCrack, demonstrate that compared to other semantic segmentation algorithms, the proposed method achieves both accurate and comprehensive pavement crack extraction while ensuring speed.
Empowering African‐American museums: The vital role of black museum anthropologists in grantmaking
Authors: Walker Leslie P.
Published: May 2024

Many African American museums face financial constraints and need resources to preserve their collections, create exhibits, and offer educational programs. Grant funding is crucial for the sustainability of these museums. Black anthropologists are essential in grant writing because they provide their extensive knowledge of African American history and culture to help museums develop compelling narratives that resonate with grant funders. Additionally, Black anthropologists are needed as reviewers of grant proposals. By leveraging their unique insights from professional training and personal experiences, Black anthropologists can champion the cause of these museums in the grant‐making process. Their expertise allows them to assess proposals from a culturally sensitive perspective, considering the unique needs, goals, and challenges African American museums face. This essay highlights the significant contributions of Black anthropologists who have advocated for and strengthened grant applications from African American museums, ensuring that they align with the mission and vision of the grant‐making institutions. By helping African American museums secure grant support, Black anthropologists also convey the significance and value of other African American museums.
Transplanted MSCs promote alveolar bone repair via hypoxia‐induced extracellular vesicle secretion
Authors: Liu Yitong , Zhang Zhiqing , Ma Chenlin , Song Juan , Hu Jia , Liu Yi
Published: May 2024

Object

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is a potential strategy for promoting alveolar bone regeneration. This study evaluated the effects and mechanisms of transplanted MSCs on alveolar bone repair.

Methods

Mouse alveolar bone defect model was treated using mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation. The bone repair was evaluated by micro‐CT and Masson staining. The conditioned medium of hypoxia‐treated BMSCs was co‐cultured with normal BMSCs in vitro to detect the regulatory effect of transplanted MSCs on the chemotactic and migratory functions of host cells. The mechanisms were investigated using Becn siRNA transfection and western blotting.

Results

BMSC transplantation promoted bone defect regeneration. The hypoxic microenvironment induces BMSCs to release multiple extracellular vesicle (EV)‐mediated regulatory proteins that promote the migration of host stem cells. Protein array analysis, western blotting, GFP‐LC3 detection, and Becn siRNA transfection confirmed that autophagy activation in BMSCs plays a key role during this process.

Conclusion

The local hypoxic microenvironment induces transplanted MSCs to secrete a large number of EV‐mediated regulatory proteins, thereby upregulating the migration function of the host stem cells and promoting alveolar bone defect regeneration. This process depends on the autophagy‐related mechanism of the transplanted MSCs.
Effect of oral intake initiation‐establishment interval on hospital stay after oral cancer surgery
Authors: Yamaguchi Kohei , Okumura Takuma , Oikawa Yu , Nakagawa Kazuharu , Yoshimi Kanako , Harada Hiroyuki , Tohara Haruka
Published: May 2024

Objectives

To clarify the effect of the period between initiation of oral intake (IOI) and establishment of oral intake (EOI) on length of hospital stay.

Methods

This retrospective study included postoperative oral cancer patients. The number of days from surgery to IOI and EOI and between IOI and EOI were recorded. We performed intergroup comparisons and Cox regression analysis using the number of days until discharge, representing hospital stay length as the dependent variable.

Results

The median number of days between IOI and EOI was 3 days for eligible patients and 4.5 and 1.5 for older and younger patients, respectively. The median number of days from surgery to IOI was 15 days. There was a significant correlation between the period between IOI and EOI and the length of hospital stay (r = 0.40, p < 0.01). The period between IOI and EOI was a significant independent variable for the length of hospital stay (HR [95% confidence interval] = 0.45 [0.28–0.72]).

Conclusions

Shortening the IOI to EOI intervals was identified as an independently associated factor for shortening hospital stay, even in older postoperative patients with dysphagia who struggled with early oral intake initiation. Professional, step‐by‐step dysphagia rehabilitation tailored to the patient's condition yields beneficial outcomes.
Do red and yellow autumn leaves make use of different photoprotective strategies during autumn senescence?
Authors: Verhoeven Amy , Southwick Charles , Miller Emma , Blood Morgan , Thibodeau Andre
Published: May 2024

Our goal was to determine whether anthocyanin‐producing species (red) use different photoprotective strategies to cope with excess light during fall senescence compared with non‐anthocyanin‐producing species (yellow). In a previous study, we found that a yellow species retained the photoprotective PsbS protein in late autumn, while a red species did not. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that red species make less use of zeaxanthin and PsbS‐mediated thermal dissipation, as they rely on anthocyanins for photoprotection. We monitored four red (Acer ginnala, Rhus typhnia, Parenthocissus quinquefolia, Viburnum dentatum) and four yellow species (Acer negundo, Ostrya virginiana, Vitis riparia, Zanthoxylum americanum) throughout autumn senescence and analyzed pigments, protein content, and chlorophyll fluorescence. We found yellow species retained the PsbS protein at higher levels, and had higher dark retention of zeaxanthin in late autumn relative to red species. All species retained lutein and the pool of xanthophyll cycle pigments in higher amounts than other carotenoids in late autumn. Our data support the hypothesis that red species use anthocyanins as a photoprotective strategy during autumn senescence, and therefore make less use of PsbS and zeaxanthin‐mediated thermal dissipation. We also found species‐specific variation in the particular combination of photoprotective strategies used.
A brief review of the methodology and cryoprotectants in selected fish and mammalian species
Authors: Aramli Mohammad Sadegh , Sarvi Moghanlou Kourosh , Pourahad Anzabi Mojtaba
Published: May 2024

Cryopreservation is a valuable technique used to assist in the genetic improvement of cultured stocks and provide a continuous supply of good‐quality semen for artificial insemination. Conserving semen by cryopreservation serves several purposes (e.g. artificial reproductive technologies and species conservation) and is also used in the clinical treatment of human infertility. However, the lifespan of cryopreserved semen is influenced by a range of factors, including storage temperature, cooling rate, chemical composition of the extender, the concentration of cryoprotectant, reactive oxygen species, seminal plasma composition and hygienic control. The choice of cryoprotectant is a vital factor underlying the success of animal semen cryopreservation. In this regard, extensive research has been carried out on various cryoprotectants, such as egg yolk, dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, ethylene glycol and dimethylacetamide. Recent studies have also described the use of a range of new cryoprotectants for cryopreservation, including compounds of plant origin (soy), amino acids, antifreeze proteins, carbohydrates and cyclodextrins. Moreover, semen cryopreservation and storage require the use of liquid nitrogen or ultralow refrigeration methods for both long‐ and short‐term storage. This review summarizes the general methods used for freezing semen and discusses the use of traditional and newly emerging cryoprotectants (permeable and non‐permeable) for the cryopreservation of semen in selected fish and mammalian species.
Long‐term straw mulching alleviates microbial nutrient limitations and increases carbon‐use efficiency within aggregates
Authors: Li Yan , Zhang Xuechen , Li Meng , Liu Jiaxin , Zhang Kuandi , Li Ziyan
Published: May 2024

Long‐term straw mulching was known to change soil nutrient content, aggregate distribution and extracellular enzyme activities. However, the impact of long‐term straw mulching on microbial nutrient limitations and carbon‐use efficiency (CUEst) within aggregates remains unclear. To fill the gap, we conducted a 10‐year field experiment in a semi‐arid region and used an ecoenzymatic stoichiometry model to quantify microbial resource limitations in soil aggregates under long‐term mulching. We studied the effects of two mulching measures (plastic film mulching [FM] and straw mulching [SM], with no mulching as the control [CK]) on the nutrient content and limitations within aggregates. The results show that compared with FM, SM increased the proportion of aggregates to larger >2 mm and decreased the proportion of aggregates in the 2–0.25 mm classes. Additionally, FM resulted in carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) limitations in the soil, particularly in the >2 mm class, while SM alleviated these constraints. This effect was primarily attributed to the increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial biomass carbon content (Cm), especially the enhanced carbon content associated with larger aggregates (>2 mm) and the increased activities of carbon–nitrogen (C–N)‐acquiring enzymes. SM also resulted in high CUEst by influencing microbial P limitation. Random forest analysis indicates that soil abiotic factors, particularly SOC and total nitrogen (TN), were the main drivers of microbial resource limitations within the aggregates. These findings suggest that the mulching material determines the development of soil aggregates and resource allocation within these aggregates. Thus, the study provides valuable insights for formulating effective carbon management strategies in semi‐arid regions.
A further update on mortality and morbidity in patients with very low hemoglobin levels who decline blood transfusion
Authors: Seeber Petra , Trentino Kevin M. , Murray Kevin , Lucas Matthias
Published: May 2024

Background

In the past two decades, researchers have published mortality and morbidity rates in patients with very low hemoglobin levels declining blood transfusion. The clinical knowledge and tools available for the management of patients who decline transfusions have grown since these publications. The aim of our study was to provide a further update on outcomes associated with severe anemia in these patients.

Study Design and Methods

A retrospective observational study of patients declining allogeneic blood transfusions with nadir hemoglobin levels ≤8 g/dL treated at The Institute for Blood Management, HELIOS Klinikum Gotha, Germany. Outcomes were in‐hospital mortality within 30 days and composite morbidity or mortality, with morbidity events defined as acute myocardial infarction, cardiac failure, wound infection, arrhythmia, and pneumonia.

Results

Between June 2008 and June 2021, The Institute for Blood Management treated 2841 admissions of which 159 (5.6%) recorded nadir hemoglobin levels ≤8 g/dL. Of these, five (3.1%) patients died in hospital within 30 days, including four (4.8%) patients admitted for surgical procedures and one (1.4%) medical admission. There was a significant increase in the unadjusted proportion of composite morbidity or mortality events with severity of nadir hemoglobin, with each gram decrease in hemoglobin associated with a 1.48 (95% confidence interval = 1.05–2.09; p = .025) times increase.

Conclusion

Our comparatively lower proportion of patients reaching hemoglobin levels ≤8 g/dL and lower mortality rates suggest outcomes in patients with severe anemia is modifiable with the application of current patient blood management and bloodless medicine and surgery strategies.
Cultural conceptualisations in Nigerian Pidgin English proverbs
Authors: Callies Marcus
Published: May 2024

This article explores Nigerian Pidgin English proverbs as a source of cultural conceptualisations that reflect traditional wisdom as well as the modern urban setting of West Africa. A total of 173 proverbs sourced from the BBC News Pidgin's Instagram service were analysed for recurrent lexical keywords and themes (e.g. those relating to food, eating and drinking, and animals) that can be interpreted as source domain lexical material that points to the knowledge of nature, common animals, objects and social situations. The findings suggest that Nigerian Pidgin English proverbs contain a rich inventory of variety‐ and culture‐specific lexis that encodes cultural knowledge and practice, for example knowledge of the local flora and fauna, food items, but also objects of material culture such as clothing, as well as references to social culture.
Linguistic variation, Philippine English and mental health issues
Authors: Cruz Priscilla Angela T.
Published: May 2024

This article is a study of how Filipinos talk about their depression and recovery in Philippine English, as compared to how users from other Englishes talk about their experiences with the same illness. As such, this is an attempt at examining what contextual factors give rise to variations in Englishes. World Englishes research has posited that different geographical and cultural contexts engender ‘new’ Englishes; hence, different Englishes are named via country or culture and are considered to be distinct from each other. This article is concerned with the issue of how contexts of use, such as depression, can lead to systemic changes in the English that different individuals use. This study extends research on how particular discursive features may characterize one variety of English as compared to another by examing how ideational and interpersonal meanings relate to construe a ‘world’ of depression in Philippine English and Inner Circle Englishes.
A characterisation of Lie algebras using ideals and subalgebras
Authors: Dotsenko Vladimir , García‐Martínez Xabier
Published: May 2024

We prove that if, for a non‐trivial variety of non‐associative algebras, every subalgebra of every free algebra is free and is an ideal whenever is an ideal, then this variety coincides with the variety of all Lie algebras.
Prognostics and Health Management of Unmanned Surface Vessels: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Hazra Indranil , Weiner Matthew J. , Yang Ruochen , Chatterjee Arko , Southgate Joseph , Groth Katrina M. , Azarm Shapour
Published: May 2024

With the increasing popularity and deployment of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) all over the world, prognostics and health management (PHM) has become an indispensable tool for health monitoring, fault diagnosis, health prognosis, and maintenance of marine equipment on USVs. USVs are designed to undertake critical and extended missions, often in extreme conditions, without human intervention. This makes the USVs susceptible to equipment malfunction, which increases the probability of system failure during mission execution. In fact, in the absence of any crew onboard, system failure during a mission can create a great inconvenience for the concerned stakeholders, which compels them to design highly reliable USVs that must have integrated intelligent PHM systems onboard. To improve mission reliability and health management of USVs, researchers have been investigating and proposing PHM-based tools or frameworks that are claimed to operate in real time. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the existing literature on recent developments in PHM-related studies in the context of USVs. It covers a broad perspective of PHM on USVs, including system simulation, sensor data, data assimilation, data fusion, advancements in diagnosis and prognosis studies, and health management. After reviewing the literature, this study summarizes the lessons learned, identifies current gaps, and proposes a new system-level framework for developing a hybrid (offline–online) optimization-based PHM system for USVs in order to overcome some of the existing challenges.
Numerical Investigation on Energetic, Combustion, and Emissions Parameters of a Diesel Engine Fueled With Diesel/Butanol and Diesel/Pentanol
Authors: Sinha Indranil , Datta Ambarish , Mandal Bijan Kumar
Published: May 2024

In this article, the effect of butanol/diesel and pentanol/diesel blended fuel with different proportions on the energetic, combustion, and emissions parameters of a diesel engine was studied. First, an engine model was established using Diesel-RK software. The modeled engine was a direct injection diesel engine having a fixed compression ratio, injection timing, and speed of 17.5:1, 23 degbTDC, and 1500 rpm, respectively. After that, a set of experiments was conducted using a 5% pentanol and 95% diesel by volume fuel blend maintaining the same operating conditions as the simulation, and the results of the experiment were compared with the numerical result using the same blend. The simulated results were found to be in respectable agreement with experimental findings. The analysis of the simulated results shows that at 100% load using 15% butanol and 85% diesel by volume and 15% pentanol and 85% diesel by volume brake thermal efficiency was increased by 0.96% and 0.8%, respectively. The emission of NOx was reduced by 24.4% and 10.75% on average using butanol and pentanol blends, respectively. The instantaneous heat release rate and ignition delay increase with the higher alcohol–diesel blends, whereas the peak pressure rise and combustion temperature decrease. Smoke emissions were reduced by 3.31–8.75%, and specific particulate matter emissions decreased by 20.9% and 15.07%, respectively, on average with the addition of butanol/pentanol in neat diesel.
Molecular beam epitaxy growth and characterization of GePb alloys
Authors: McCarthy Tyler T. , McMinn Allison M. , Liu Xiaoyang , Hossain Razine , Qi Xin , Ju Zheng , Mangus Mark , Yu Shui-Qing , Zhang Yong-Hang
Published: May 2024

Pb based group-IV alloys such as GePb have been gaining interest as a potential alternative for infrared detectors, quantum materials, and high-speed electronic devices. Challenges remain in their growth due to the extremely low solid solubility of Pb in the Ge–Pb system. This paper reports molecular beam epitaxy growth of GePb alloy thin films on Ge(100) substrates. Effusion cells of Ge and Pb are used to control the flux ratio independently. The optimal substrate temperature is found to be near the thermocouple temperature of 300 °C based on the characterization of the grown films using high-resolution x-ray diffraction. A large change in the Ge:Pb beam equivalent pressure ratio from 10:1 to 1:1 results in only a minimal increase of the Pb composition from 0.74% to 2.84% as estimated from Raman spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Scanning electron microscopy images show a large volume of Pb islands on the surface that form into either long trapezoidal rods or uniform droplets, with increasing Pb flux and growth time the density of Pb islands increased.
An In Situ Exploration of Practicing Rugby Coaches’ Cognitions, Higher Psychological Functions, and Actions Using Think Aloud Protocol
Authors: Quick Simon , Lyle John
Published: May 2024

Psychology-based research has been a characteristic of empirical inquiry in sport coaching for over 50 years, and cognitive function is widely accepted as a fundamental component of sport coaching expertise. Within the academic literature, much empirical research on coaches’ cognitions has tended to adopt retrospective approaches, such as postsession interviews or stimulated recall, thus capturing participant recall after the incident, training session, or competition. Methods such as these that rely on participants’ retrospective recall are prone to memory decay, reordering of accounts, and confirmation bias. The aim of this research was to collect a different type of data to what is generated with retrospective approaches and, rather, capture coaching cognitions in situ using think aloud protocol. The data captured were broken down into meaning units and analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Situated in the practice of six experienced rugby coaches, findings revealed that think aloud protocol generated rich data. However, engaging think aloud protocol was problematic as the site of inquiry was confounded by multiple social interactions and required coaches to provide frequent instruction and feedback. The interaction between cognition and action is conceptualized by the tentative offering of a conceptual model that includes cognitive triggers and thresholds. The implications of these findings can help academics and coach developers to understand the complexity of capturing coaches’ in situ thinking within dynamic social environments.
Endocytosis blocks the vesicular secretion of exosome marker proteins
Authors: Ai Yiwei , Guo Chenxu , Garcia-Contreras Marta , Sánchez B. Laura S. , Saftics Andras , Shodubi Oluwapelumi , Raghunandan Shankar , Xu Junhao , Tsai Shang Jui , Dong Yi , Li Rong , Jovanovic-Talisman Tijana , Gould Stephen J.
Published: May 2024

Exosomes are secreted vesicles of ~30 to 150 nm diameter that play important roles in human health and disease. To better understand how cells release these vesicles, we examined the biogenesis of the most highly enriched human exosome marker proteins, the exosomal tetraspanins CD81, CD9, and CD63. We show here that endocytosis inhibits their vesicular secretion and, in the case of CD9 and CD81, triggers their destruction. Furthermore, we show that syntenin, a previously described exosome biogenesis factor, drives the vesicular secretion of CD63 by blocking CD63 endocytosis and that other endocytosis inhibitors also induce the plasma membrane accumulation and vesicular secretion of CD63. Finally, we show that CD63 is an expression-dependent inhibitor of endocytosis that triggers the vesicular secretion of lysosomal proteins and the clathrin adaptor AP-2 mu2. These results suggest that the vesicular secretion of exosome marker proteins in exosome-sized vesicles occurs primarily by an endocytosis-independent pathway.
The translational gap for gene therapies in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Doxzen Kevin W. , Adair Jennifer E. , Fonseca Bazzo Yris Maria , Bukini Daima , Cornetta Kenneth , Dalal Varsha , Guerino-Cunha Renato Luiz , Hongeng Suradej , Jotwani Geeta , Kityo-Mutuluuza Cissy , Lakshmanan Krishnamurti , Mahlangu Johnny , Makani Julie , Mathews Vikram , Ozelo Margareth C. , Rangarajan Savita , Scholefield Janine , Batista Silva Júnior João , McCune Joseph M.
Published: May 2024

Gene therapies are designed to address the root cause of disease. As scientific understanding of disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment improves in tandem with technological innovation, gene therapies have the potential to become safe and effective treatment options for a wide range of genetic and nongenetic diseases. However, as the medical scope of gene therapies expands, consideration must be given to those who will benefit and what proactive steps must be taken to widen development and access potential, particularly in regions carrying a high disease burden.
Nothing about us without us: Advocacy and engagement in genetic medicine
Authors: Olayiwola Olabimpe , Castillejo Adam , Louella Michael , Supercharger Moses , Harlow Evelyn , Dee Lynda , Abdallah Khadidja , Kityo-Mutuluuza Cissy , Adair Jennifer E. , Orentas Rimas , Dubé Karine
Published: May 2024

The development of new genetic medicines to treat sickle cell disease highlights the need for greater collaboration between researchers and people with lived experiences. Drawing on the adage “Nothing about us, without us,” we call for increased investments in community advocacy and engagement.
Fecal microbiota transplantation: current challenges and future landscapes
Authors: Yadegar Abbas , Bar-Yoseph Haggai , Monaghan Tanya Marie , Pakpour Sepideh , Severino Andrea , Kuijper Ed J. , Smits Wiep Klaas , Terveer Elisabeth M. , Neupane Sukanya , Nabavi-Rad Ali , Sadeghi Javad , Cammarota Giovanni , Ianiro Gianluca , Nap-Hill Estello , Leung Dickson , Wong Karen , Kao Dina
Published: May 2024

Given the importance of gut microbial homeostasis in maintaining health, there has been considerable interest in developing innovative therapeutic strategies for restoring gut microbiota. One such approach, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), is the main “whole gut microbiome replacement” strategy and has been integrated into clinical practice guidelines for treating recurrent
Clostridioides difficile
infection (rCDI). Furthermore, the potential application of FMT in other indications such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic syndrome, and solid tumor malignancies is an area of intense interest and active research. However, the complex and variable nature of FMT makes it challenging to address its precise functionality and to assess clinical efficacy and safety in different disease contexts. In this review, we outline clinical applications, efficacy, durability, and safety of FMT and provide a comprehensive assessment of its procedural and administration aspects. The clinical applications of FMT in children and cancer immunotherapy are also described. We focus on data from human studies in IBD in contrast with rCDI to delineate the putative mechanisms of this treatment in IBD as a model, including colonization resistance and functional restoration through bacterial engraftment, modulating effects of virome/phageome, gut metabolome and host interactions, and immunoregulatory actions of FMT. Furthermore, we comprehensively review omics technologies, metagenomic approaches, and bioinformatics pipelines to characterize complex microbial communities and discuss their limitations. FMT regulatory challenges, ethical considerations, and pharmacomicrobiomics are also highlighted to shed light on future development of tailored microbiome-based therapeutics.
Differential alteration in
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
subsp.
plantarum
quorum-sensing systems and reduced
Candida albicans
yeast survival and virulence gene expression in dual-species interaction
Authors: Xu Zhenbo , Li Yaqin , Xu Aijuan , Xue Liang , Soteyome Thanapop , Yuan Lei , Ma Qin , Seneviratne Gamini , Hong Wei , Mao Yuzhu , Kjellerup Birthe V. , Liu Junyan
Published: May 2024

Candida albicans
(
C. albicans
) and
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
subsp.
plantarum
(
L. plantarum
) are frequently identified in various niches, but their dual-species interaction, especially with
C. albicans
in yeast form, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the dual-species interaction of
L. plantarum
and
C. albicans
, including proliferation, morphology, and transcriptomes examined by selective agar plate counting, microscopy, and polymicrobial RNA-seq, respectively. Maintaining a stable and unchanged growth rate,
L. plantarum
inhibited
C. albicans
yeast cell proliferation but not hyphal growth. Combining optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy, cell-to-cell direct contact and co-aggregation with
L. plantarum
cells surrounding
C. albicans
yeast cells were observed during dual-species interaction. Reduced
C. albicans
yeast cell proliferation in mixed culture was partially due to
L. plantarum
cell-free culture supernatant but not the acidic environment. Upon polymicrobial transcriptomics analysis, interesting changes were identified in both
L. plantarum
and
C. albicans
gene expression. First, two
L. plantarum
quorum-sensing systems showed contrary changes, with the activation of
lamBDCA
and repression of
luxS
. Second, the upregulation of stress response-related genes and downregulation of cell cycle, cell survival, and cell integrity-related pathways were identified in
C. albicans
, possibly connected to the stress posed by
L. plantarum
and the reduced yeast cell proliferation. Third, a large scale of pathogenesis and virulence factors were downregulated in
C. albicans
, indicating the potential interruption of pathogenic activities by
L. plantarum
. Fourth, partial metabolism and transport pathways were changed in
L. plantarum
and
C. albicans
. The information in this study might aid in understanding the behavior of
L. plantarum
and
C. albicans
in dual-species interaction.

IMPORTANCE

The anti-
Candida albicans
activity of
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
has been explored in the past decades. However, the importance of
C. albicans
yeast form and the effect of
C. albicans
on
L. plantarum
had also been omitted. In this study, the dual-species interaction of
L. plantarum
and
C. albicans
was investigated with a focus on the transcriptomes. Cell-to-cell direct contact and co-aggregation with
L. plantarum
cells surrounding
C. albicans
yeast cells were observed. Upon polymicrobial transcriptomics analysis, interesting changes were identified, including contrary changes in two
L. plantarum
quorum-sensing systems and reduced cell survival-related pathways and pathogenesis determinants in
C. albicans
.
Lipid phase separation impairs membrane thickness sensing by the
Bacillus subtilis
sensor kinase DesK
Authors: Sidarta Margareth , Lorente Martín Ana I. , Monsalve Anuntxi , Marinho Righetto Gabriela , Schäfer Ann-Britt , Wenzel Michaela
Published: May 2024

Membrane fluidity and thickness have emerged as crucial factors for the activity of and resistance to several antimicrobials. However, the lack of tools to study membrane fluidity and, in particular, thickness in living bacteria limits our understanding of this interplay. The
Bacillus subtilis
histidine kinase/phosphatase DesK is a molecular sensor that directly detects membrane thickness. It controls activity of DesR, which regulates expression of the lipid desaturase Des, known for its role in cold adaptation and daptomycin susceptibility. We hypothesized that this property could be exploited to develop biosensors and reporters for antibiotic-induced changes in membrane fluidity and thickness. To test this, we designed three assays based on the
des
system: activation of the
Pdes
promoter as reporter for membrane thickening, localization of DesK-GFP(green-fluorescent protein) as proxy for rigidified membrane domains, and antibiotic sensitivity of
des
,
desK
, and
desR
deletion mutants as readout for the importance of membrane rigidification/thickening under the tested condition. While we could not confirm the suitability of the
des
system as reporter for antibiotic-induced changes in membrane thickness, we did observe that
des
expression is only activated by mild temperature shocks, likely due to partitioning of the sensor DesK into fluid membrane domains upon phase separation, precluding effective thickness sensing under harsh cold shock and antibiotic stress conditions. Similarly, we did not observe any sensitivity of the deletion mutants to either temperature or antibiotic stress, raising the question to what extent the
des
system contributes to fluidity adaptation under these conditions.

IMPORTANCE

The
B. subtilis
des system is a prime model for direct molecular membrane thickness sensor and, as such, has been well studied
in vitro
. Our study shows that our understanding of its function
in vivo
and its importance under temperature and antibiotic stress is still very limited. Specifically, our results suggest that (i) the
des
system senses very subtle membrane fluidity changes that escape detection by established fluidity reporters like laurdan; (ii) membrane thickness sensing by DesK is impaired by phase separation due to partitioning of the protein into the fluid phase; and (iii) fluidity adaptations by Des are too subtle to elicit growth defects under rigidifying conditions, raising the question of how much the
des
system contributes to adaptation of overall membrane fluidity.
Numerical Simulation of the Interaction between Weak Shock Waves and Supersonic Boundary Layer on a Flat Plate with the Blunt Leading Edge
Authors: Egorov I. V. , Nguen N. K. , Chuvakhov P. V.
Published: May 2024

The interaction of weak shock waves in form of an N-wave with the supersonic laminar boundary layer on a flat plate with blunt leading edge at the free-stream Mach number M = 2.5 is numerically studied. The numerical results are compared with known experimental data. The combined influence of the N-wave and the leading edge bluntness on the laminar-turbulent transition process is discussed.
Effects of metformin, saxagliptin and repaglinide on gut microbiota in high-fat diet/streptozocin-induced type 2 diabetic mice
Authors: Tang Yangchen , Yan Mengli , Fang Zemin , Jin Song , Xu Tingjuan
Published: May 2024

Introduction

There has been increasing evidence that the gut microbiota is closely related to type 2 diabetes (T2D). Metformin (Met) is often used in combination with saxagliptin (Sax) and repaglinide (Rep) for the treatment of T2D. However, little is known about the effects of these combination agents on gut microbiota in T2D.

Research design and methods

A T2D mouse model induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) was employed. The T2D mice were randomly divided into six groups, including sham, Met, Sax, Rep, Met+Sax and Met+Rep, for 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose level, serum biochemical index, H&E staining of liver, Oil red O staining of liver and microbiota analysis by 16s sequencing were used to access the microbiota in the fecal samples.

Results

These antidiabetics effectively prevented the development of HFD/STZ-induced high blood glucose, and the combination treatment had a better effect in inhibiting lipid accumulation. All these dosing regimens restored the decreasing ratio of the phylum Bacteroidetes: Firmicutes, and increasing abundance of phylum Desulfobacterota, expect for Met. At the genus level, the antidiabetics restored the decreasing abundance of Muribaculaceae in T2D mice, but when Met was combined with Rep or Sax, the abundance of Muribaculaceae was decreased. The combined treatment could restore the reduced abundance of Prevotellaceae_UCG-001, while Met monotherapy had no such effect. In addition, the reduced Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group was well restored in the combination treatment groups, and the effect was much greater than that in the corresponding monotherapy group. Therefore, these dosing regimens exerted different effects on the composition of gut microbiota, which might be associated with the effect on T2D.

Conclusions

Supplementation with specific probiotics may further improve the hypoglycemic effects of antidiabetics and be helpful for the development of new therapeutic drugs for T2D.
Eight-year nationwide study of the bidirectional association between type 2 diabetes and depression in nearly 8 million German outpatients
Authors: Chae Woo Ri , Kohring Claudia , Rohde Christopher , Köhler-Forsberg Ole , Otte Christian , Holstiege Jakob
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Research linking type 2 diabetes and depression mostly relied on hospital-based diagnoses or prescription data, overlooking many outpatient diagnoses. We aimed to quantify the risks of depression in individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes in those newly diagnosed with depression, while exploring potential risk differences depending on age, sex, and follow-up time.

Research design and methods

We conducted a matched cohort study using German nationwide outpatient claims data from 2012 to 2022. Participants were individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (N=294 642) or depression (N=1 271 537) in 2015, matched in a 1:4 ratio to controls without these conditions by age, sex, and region. The bidirectional risk was evaluated over an 8-year period using mixed-effects Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for the Charlson Comorbidity Index, urbanicity, and area-level deprivation.

Results

New type 2 diabetes diagnosis was associated with higher depression risk over 8 years (N=54 561 with depression, HR=1.23, 99% CI=1.21 to 1.24). Similarly, depression diagnosis was linked to an increased type 2 diabetes risk (N=71 848 with type 2 diabetes, HR=1.15, 99% CI=1.14 to 1.17). The association between depression and type 2 diabetes was stronger in younger age groups, especially under 34 years. Findings held across sex-stratified analyses. Time stratification showed a more pronounced association between type 2 diabetes and depression risk during the earlier follow-up quarters, whereas the risk of developing type 2 diabetes after depression diagnosis remained constant throughout the follow-up period.

Conclusions

Our findings confirm a bidirectional link between type 2 diabetes and depression, particularly in younger individuals. As type 2 diabetes and depression are frequent, future research needs to study whether preventive approaches can reduce the risk of developing this comorbidity.