bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric Evaluation of Perceived Internship PUA Scale: Using Rasch Analysis
Authors: Yang Yanchao , Li Wangze , Xue Sijia , Huang Wenxue , Guo Shijie
Published: November 2024

In response to the prevalence of perceived internship Pick‐up Artist(PUA) behaviours and the lack of appropriate measurement tools, the purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new self‐designed questionnaire, the Perceived Internship PUA Scale (PIPUAS), to assess college student interns' perceptions of internship PUA behaviours. The scale was developed based on interviews with college student interns. A sample of 340 college student interns from a provincial university in Hebei Province, China, participated in the study. Rasch analysis was used to examine the psychometric properties of the scale, including unidimensionality, monotonicity, item fit statistics, item polarity, item‐ and person‐level reliability and separation, item hierarchy and measurement invariance across gender and birthplace. The results indicated that the PIPUAS is a unidimensional construct with good psychometric properties, although some issues need to be addressed to further improve the scale. The study's limitations and directions for future research were discussed.
Capturing Competence: The Design, Evaluation, and Implementation of a Video‐Based Instrument for Assessing Verbal Aggression Management Competence
Authors: Franco Delphine , Vanderlinde Ruben , Valcke Martin
Published: November 2024

Complex competences, such as managing students' aggressive behaviour, are challenging to develop during teacher training. Recently, video‐based simulations have been considered promising, yet suitable assessment instruments are limitedly available. This paper reports on the design and evaluation of a video‐based assessment tool tailored to measure preservice teachers' verbal aggression management competence (V‐AMC) development. Design considerations for video‐based activities served as a framework, resulting in an assessment instrument consisting of video vignettes mirroring classroom situations concerning verbal aggressive behaviour, questions prompting situation‐specific skills development, and a coding scheme to analyse preservice teachers' answers. Furthermore, this paper discusses the results of the instrument's implementation on preservice teachers' (n = 182) V‐AMC. Findings support the appropriateness of the instrument in assessing V‐AMC levels and mapping the impact of a simulation‐based intervention. The data partially confirm the intervention's contribution to V‐AMC development. Implications for future interventions targeting competence development are discussed.
Immature stages and natural history of Eruga unilabiana (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), an ectoparasitoid of two linyphiid spiders
Authors: Pereira Luis Campili , Villanueva‐Bonilla German Antonio , De Andrade Santiago Lilian , De Pádua Diego Galvão , Serrão José Eduardo , Kloss Thiago Gechel , Sobczak Jober Fernando
Published: November 2024

Wasps from the Polysphincta genus group (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) are currently the only parasitoid wasps that are ectoparasitoids of spiders. The species of the group exhibit several morphological and behavioral adaptations, which allow exploiting their host spiders. Here, we describe the external morphology, behavior and natural history of the immature stages of a Darwin wasp Eruga unilabiana Pádua & Sobczak, 2018, a parasitoid of sheet‐weaving spiders, Sphecozone sp. and Eurymorion sp. (Linyphiidae). The egg of E. unilabiana is a white mass that is deposited in the anterior region of the spider's abdomen. First stage larvae partially emerge from the egg's chorion. Second stage larvae have a body divided into 13 segments and induce spiders to build a modified web. The third stage larvae have eight pairs of retractable dorsal tubercles with tiny little hooks that help the larvae hang and move on the web threads after the spider dies. These results indicate that the immature stages of E. unilabiana present the same basic morphological and behavioral characteristics already known for the species of the group. However, the last stage larva's strategy of moving first to hang on the web threads before killing the spider is the first record in the group and more studies are needed to assess whether this behavior is adaptive for the wasp.
Regional disparities in home health care utilization for older adults and their associated factors at the secondary medical area level: A Nationwide study in Japan
Authors: Sun Yu , Sakata Nobuo , Iwagami Masao , Yoshie Satoru , Inokuchi Ryota , Ito Tomoko , Kuroda Naoaki , Hamano Jun , Tamiya Nanako
Published: November 2024

Aim

As aging populations shift health care from hospitals to communities, Japan has implemented policies to promote home health care. This study explored regional differences in home health care recipients among older adults and related factors.

Methods

We used nationwide data from 2020 to describe the proportion of older adults receiving regular home visits and the medical institutions utilized across secondary medical areas: urban, middle and depopulated areas. We examined factors associated with the proportion of patients receiving regular home visits. Exposures included each secondary medical area's medical and long‐term‐care (LTC) resources, adjusted for the older adult population; proportion of single‐person households; and regional factors. We performed a multivariate negative binomial distribution analysis.

Results

A total of 333 secondary medical areas were included. Urban areas had more patients receiving regular home visits, primarily from enhanced home care support clinics/hospitals (HCSCs). Fewer patients received regular home visits in depopulated areas, and conventional HCSCs were more common. Multivariate analysis revealed that the number of conventional HCSCs (coefficient, 0.17 [95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.08 to 0.26]), enhanced HCSCs (coefficient, 0.21 [95% CI, 0.14 to 0.29]) and population density (coefficient, 0.10 [95% CI, 0.02 to 0.19]) were positively associated with higher home‐visit rates. Beds in LTC welfare facilities (coefficient, −0.10 [95% CI, −0.19 to −0.01]) and beds in LTC health facilities (coefficient, −0.09 [95% CI, −0.17 to 0.00]) were negatively associated.

Conclusions

Policies to promote home health care have led to high home‐visit rates in urban areas. Medical and LTC resources and regional factors influence disparities. As Japan's population ages, it is crucial to recognize these disparities and develop medical and LTC systems tailored to each region's characteristics. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 1350–1361.
Factors Affecting Well‐Being and Work Activity in Italian Dental Hygienists During COVID‐19 Emergency
Authors: Benvenuti Martina , Abbinante Antonella , Agneta Maria Teresa , Bussotti Pietro , Cortesi Viviana , Sangiorgi Sergio
Published: November 2024

Objectives

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of the COVID 19 pandemic in terms of work‐related stress on a sample of 424 Italian dental hygienists (rate response 98%). It was tested which factors may influence most the perception of stress among Italian dental hygienists, which coping strategies hygienists adopted, and which protective factors may help them to cope with stress.

Methods

Data were collected during a phase of moderate improvement of epidemiological conditions in Italy (Summer 2021—from June to September) through an online questionnaire, 424 questionnaires were considered for analysis.

Results

Results show a perception of good satisfaction among participants about their job, although the level of stress perception seems to be significant. They have also a perception of effective risk management in the workplace. The elements that seem to influence mostly work‐related stress levels are associated to (1) repetitive movements and postural changes due to the use of mechanical tools; (2) the use of personal protective equipment (e.g., surgery masks, gloves, etc.); and (3) relations with patients. Results show that participants tend to implement coping strategies such as physical activity and/or spending time with family and/or friends, but it seems that at an organisational level, no systematic measures have been taken.

Conclusions

This study shows some protective factors that may help in coping with work‐related stress, such as support from the dentist, a good work–life balance, role clarity with respect to the operational and professional role, the perception of self‐efficacy at work, good integration into the teamwork and perceived support from colleagues.
Rheological, Thermal and Physicochemical Properties of Bioprocessed Flour From Cowpea, Sorghum and Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato
Authors: Kewuyemi Yusuf Olamide , Chinma Chiemela Enyinnaya , Kesa Hema , Alabi Opeyemi , Amonsou Eric Oscar , Adebo Oluwafemi Ayodeji
Published: November 2024

This study investigated the rheological, physicochemical, and thermal properties of fermented and germinated whole reddish‐brown cowpea, white sorghum and orange‐fleshed sweet potato. Germination substantially reduced the pasting and rheological attributes of flour suspensions compared to the fermentation process. This study observed notable increases in the hot paste, setback, and final viscosities after the fermentation of cowpea and sorghum, indicating an improvement in the ease of cooking and greater retrogradation tendency of starch molecules. Among the fermented flours, sorghum had the highest hot paste viscosity (848 mPa s) and final viscosity (1451 mPa s). The mechanical fingerprint revealed a viscoelastic solid character, with G′ > G″ over the frequency range of 0–10 rad/s for all samples. Temperature sweep data showed a sharp increase in G′ at about 80°C, corresponding to the onset of starch gelatinization. Shear‐thinning behavior was observed, except in germinated and raw sorghum flours, where molecular rearrangement resulted in an initial viscosity rise at a low share rate (< 20 s−1). Differential scanning calorimetric analysis revealed a marginal variation in the peak transition temperature of gelatinization (98°C–104°C for all flours except raw sorghum flour, 83.87°C). The fermented sweet potato flour indicated good flour particle flowability expressed as Carr's compressibility index (30.99) and the Hausner ratio (1.45); however, the available reducing sugars could have influenced its high percentage solubility (49.83%), thus impacting low pasting viscosities. The contrasting technological features suggest an avenue to intensify efforts in exploring composite bioprocessed flours for applications in novel foods.
Headspace and Viscosity: Key Factors in the Thermal Processing of Tomato Paste (A CFD Study)
Authors: Dalvi‐Isfahan Mohsen , Mahmoodi‐Eshkaftaki Mahmood
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the effects of headspace conditions (absence of headspace, full air, and full steam) and product viscosity (Brix values of 18 and 28) on the thermal processing of canned tomato paste. The results show that the presence of an air layer within the can's headspace significantly influences the temperature profile and the location of the slowest heating zone (SHZ), without markedly affecting the overall temperature magnitude. The Brix values, which indicate the paste's viscosity, are found to be crucial factors in heat transfer, with lower Brix values promoting convection and higher values favoring conduction. The average velocity for Brix 18 was approximately 10 times higher than that for Brix 28. Among the three main color parameters, the a* index experienced the most significant changes (maximum drop of 67%), while the b* index showed the least variation (maximum drop of 22%) during processing. The time required to reduce the number of bacteria to 10−6 CFU/g at the cold point of tomato paste cans was 28% higher in the product with Brix 18 compared with Brix 28. These findings underscore the importance of considering headspace conditions and product viscosity to optimize thermal processing methods, thereby enhancing the safety and quality of canned tomato products.
Severity and Reaction to Bacterial Spot of Tomato Hybrids For Industrial Processing
Authors: Evangelista Zeuxis Rosa , Vital Roberto Gomes , Ávila Mylla Crysthyan Ribeiro , Mendonça Sara Raquel , Bezerra Ricardo de Souza , Nascimento Abadia dos Reis
Published: November 2024

The complexity of phytosanitary control for bacterial spot disease is a major challenge in tomato production for industrial processing. The climatic conditions in Goiás and the number of species causing the disease make this management difficult. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the severity and reaction to bacterial leafspot of sixteen tomato hybrids for industrial processing under the Cerrado conditions in Goiás. The experiment was carried out in randomised blocks, with sixteen tomato hybrids for industrial processing with five replicates, in Hidrolândia‐GO. Once the bacterial spot presence in the area was verified, a severity assessment was performed weekly with a diagrammatic scale, totalling five assessments. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated. At 115 days after transplanting (DAT), harvesting was performed manually, and vegetative development, yield, number of fruits with Xanthomonas spp. symptoms and scalding by the sun. Bacterial spot symptoms were observed in all hybrids evaluated. Above all, the symptoms observed in the fruits and leaves do not coincide with the hybrid showing the greatest disease severity. The hybrid CVR 6116 had the highest yield, lowest AUDPC and the lowest number of fruits with bacterial‐spot and sunscald damage symptoms.
Multiclass Classification of Tomato Leaf Diseases Using Convolutional Neural Networks and Transfer Learning
Authors: Vivek Anandh K. M. , Sivasubramanian Arrun , Sowmya V. , Ravi Vinayakumar
Published: November 2024

Tomato (biological name: Solanum lycopersicum) is an important food crop worldwide. However, due to climatic changes and various diseases, the yield of tomatoes decreased significantly, being detrimental from an economic point of view. Various diseases infect the tomato leaves, such as bacterial and septorial leaf spots, early blight and mosaic virus, to name a few. If uncared, these tomato leaf diseases (TLDs) can spread to other leaves and the fruit. Hence it is vital to detect these diseases as early as possible. Leaf examination is one of the standard techniques to identify and control the spread of diseases. Big Data has made substantial progress, and with the help of computer vision and deep learning techniques to analyse data, we can identify the diseased leaves and help control the disease's spread further. This study used three lightweight midgeneration convolutional neural networks (CNNs) classification network architectures which has the scope to be deployed in IoT devices to help the agricultural community tackle TLDs. It also shows the efficacy of the models with and without geometric data augmentation. The model was trained on a Kaggle data set containing a more significant number of samples to make a robust model aware of broader data distribution and validated on the Plant Village dataset to test its efficacy. The results show that applying transfer learning using ImageNet weights to the MobileNet Architecture using geometrically augmented sample images yields a train and test accuracy of 99.71% and 99.49%, respectively.
Web scraping: Jurisprudence and legal doctrines
Authors: Fontana Avv. Gino
Published: November 2024

Web scraping is a technique that allows the extraction of online information and data to train Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) systems. Although the use of deep learning algorithms to produce user‐requested outputs (texts, images, music and code) based on models learned from vast data sets dates back a few decades, its use has become fundamental with the recent development of GenAI and has been accompanied by the emergence of the first legal disputes. Doctrine and jurisprudence are called upon to consider the legal consequences arising from the combination of web scraping and GenAI, often encountering inadequate and fragmented legislation. Laws and regulations vary significantly across different countries and regions, reflecting diverse priorities and legal approaches. However, while doctrine, regardless of the latitudes, agrees in condemning the illicit acts and abuses due not so much to the extraction method but to the use of the extracted data (where protected by intellectual property rights), jurisprudence (particularly in Europe and North America) has already had the opportunity to express divergent opinions in some leading cases.
ZmHSFA2B self‐regulatory loop is critical for heat tolerance in maize
Authors: Song Nannan , Wang Jing , Qin Qianqian , Su Anqi , Cheng Yifeng , Si Weina , Cheng Beijiu , Fan Jun , Jiang Haiyang
Published: November 2024

The growth and development of maize (Zea mays L.) are significantly impeded by prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) play crucial roles in enabling plants to detect and respond to elevated temperatures. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying the responses of HSFs to heat stress in maize remain unclear. Thus, we aimed to investigate the role of ZmHSFA2B in regulating heat tolerance in maize. Here, we report that ZmHSFA2B has two splicing variants, ZmHSFA2B‐I and ZmHSFA2B‐II. ZmHSFA2B‐I encodes full‐length ZmHSFA2B (ZmHSFA2B‐I), whereas ZmHSFA2B‐II encodes a truncated ZmHSFA2B (ZmHSFA2B‐II). Overexpression of ZmHSFA2B‐I improved heat tolerance in maize and Arabidopsis thaliana, but it also resulted in growth retardation as a side effect. RNA‐sequencing and CUT&Tag analyses identified ZmMBR1 as a putative target of ZmHSFA2B‐I. Overexpression of ZmMBR1 also enhanced heat tolerance in Arabidopsis. ZmHSFA2B‐II was primarily synthesized in response to heat stress and competitively interacted with ZmHSFA2B‐I. This interaction consequently reduced the DNA‐binding activities of ZmHSFA2B‐I homodimers to the promoter of ZmMBR1. Subsequent investigations indicate that ZmHSFA2B‐II limits the transactivation and tempers the function of ZmHSFA2B‐I, thereby reducing the adverse effects of excessive ZmHSFA2B‐I accumulation. Based on these observations, we propose that the alternative splicing of ZmHSFA2B generates a self‐regulatory loop that fine‐tunes heat stress response in maize.
ZmCCD8 regulates sugar and amino acid accumulation in maize kernels via strigolactone signalling
Authors: Zhong Yanting , Wang Yongqi , Pan Xiaoying , Wang Ruifeng , Li Dongdong , Ren Wei , Hao Ziyi , Shi Xionggao , Guo Jingyu , Ramarojaona Elia , Schilder Mario , Bouwmeester Harro , Chen Limei , Yu Peng , Yan Jijun , Chu Jinfang , Xu Yanjun , Liu Wenxin , Dong Zhaobin , Wang Yi , Zhang Xiaolan , Zhang Fusuo , Li Xuexian
Published: November 2024

How carbon (sucrose) and nitrogen (amino acid) accumulation is coordinatively controlled in cereal grains remains largely enigmatic. We found that overexpression of the strigolactone (SL) biosynthesis gene CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE 8 (CCD8) resulted in greater ear diameter and enhanced sucrose and amino acid accumulation in maize kernels. Loss of ZmCCD8 function reduced kernel growth with lower sugar and amino acid concentrations. Transcriptomic analysis showed down‐regulation of the transcription factors ZmMYB42 and ZmMYB63 in ZmCCD8 overexpression alleles and up‐regulation in zmccd8 null alleles. Importantly, ZmMYB42 and ZmMYB63 were negatively regulated by the SL signalling component UNBRANCHED 3, and repressed expression of the sucrose transporters ZmSWEET10 and ZmSWEET13c and the lysine/histidine transporter ZmLHT14. Consequently, null alleles of ZmMYB42 or ZmMYB63 promoted accumulation of soluble sugars and free amino acids in maize kernels, whereas ZmLHT14 overexpression enhanced amino acid accumulation in kernels. Moreover, overexpression of the SL receptor DWARF 14B resulted in more sucrose and amino acid accumulation in kernels, down‐regulation of ZmMYB42 and ZmMYB63 expression, and up‐regulation of ZmSWEETs and ZmLHT14 transcription. Together, we uncover a distinct SL signalling pathway that regulates sucrose and amino acid accumulation in kernels. Significant association of two SNPs in the 5′ upstream region of ZmCCD8 with ear and cob diameter implicates its potential in breeding toward higher yield and nitrogen efficiency.
Neonatal Miliaria Pustulosa—A Case Series
Authors: Keller Goff Gabrielle , Stein Sarah L. , Rosenblatt Adena E.
Published: November 2024

Background/Objectives

Miliaria pustulosa is a noninfectious, transient skin eruption of pustules overlying erythematous plaques secondary to obstruction of eccrine glands. There are very few case reports in the literature detailing miliaria pustulosa in neonates. When presenting in neonates, its similarity to life‐threatening infections may cause diagnostic confusion. By differentiating this condition from similar presentations, unnecessary treatments and tests in this population may be avoided.

Methods

Retrospective review of the medical records of nine neonates presenting with a pustular eruption diagnosed as miliaria pustulosa. Patients were seen at a children's hospital in Chicago, IL, USA; cases were selected by investigator recall.

Results

In this case series, miliaria pustulosa presents in nine neonates as clusters of eruptive pustules with resolution or significant improvement noted after an average of 2.6 days (range 1–5 days). The average age was 4.6 days (range 1–10 days old) and the average gestational age was 34.7 weeks (range 26.3–40.1 weeks). All patients had pustular outbreaks in areas occluded by swaddling, clothes, or adhesive. Seven patients had geometric lesions that were underlying sites of intravenous (IV) site adhesive or electrocardiogram (EKG) leads.

Conclusions

The consistent morphological features of this pustular eruption at sites of skin occlusion and the transient course in the setting of an otherwise well‐appearing infant are strongly suggestive of the diagnosis of miliaria pustulosa. It is important for clinicians to be familiar with this benign presentation and to differentiate it from other neonatal pustular eruptions to minimize invasive tests and treatments in this vulnerable population.
SUPERPOSITION OF GRAMMATICAL AND STATISTICAL LEARNING IN A SECOND LANGUAGE: AN EYE‐TRACKING STUDY
Authors: Rastelli Stefano
Published: November 2024

In this paper, data from an eye‐tracking study on auxiliary selection in L2 Italian are reported. The data suggest that learners of Italian over time and with increasing experience can process the same compound past verbs in two apparently commutable ways within the same experimental session. One way is statistical (centered on the lexical part of the verb, the past participle), and the other is grammatical (centered on the auxiliary). The results also indicate that L2 learners – with increasing proficiency – can alternate statistical and grammatical representations and processing routes for the same phenomenon within the array of a single sentence, as native speakers do.
The Geometry and Dynamics of Meaning
Authors: Gärdenfors Peter
Published: November 2024

An enigma for human languages is that children learn to understand words in their mother tongue extremely fast. The cognitive sciences have not been able to fully understand the mechanisms behind this highly efficient learning process. In order to provide at least a partial answer to this problem, I have developed a cognitive model of the semantics of natural language in terms of conceptual spaces. I present a background to conceptual spaces and provide a brief summary of their main features, in particular how it handles learning of concepts. I then apply the model to give a geometric account of the semantics of different word classes. In particular, I propose a “single‐domain hypotheses” for the semantics of all word classes except nouns. These hypotheses provide a partial answer to the enigma of how words are learned. Next, a dynamic cognitive model of events is introduced that replaces and extends the function of thematic roles. I apply it to analyze the meanings of different kinds of verbs. I argue that the model also explains some aspects of syntactic structure. In particular, I propose that a sentence typically refers to an event. Some further applications of conceptual spaces are briefly presented.
Modality Matters: Evidence for the Benefits of Speech‐Based Adaptive Retrieval Practice in Learners with Dyslexia
Authors: Wilschut Thomas , Sense Florian , van Rijn Hedderik
Published: November 2024

Retrieval practice—the process of actively calling information to mind rather than passively studying materials—has been proven to be a highly effective learning strategy. However, only recently, researchers have started to examine differences between learners in terms of the optimal conditions of retrieval practice in applied educational settings. In this study (N = 118), we focus on learners with dyslexia. We compare their performance to the performance of typical learners in an adaptive retrieval practice task using both typing‐based and speech‐based response conditions. We find that typical learners outperform learners with dyslexia when they are asked to respond by typing, but that this difference disappears when learners respond by speech. Using a mathematical model to decompose response times, we demonstrate that this typing‐specific disadvantage in learners with dyslexia is mainly a consequence of processing delays, rather than poorer memory performance. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying declarative learning in dyslexia, and they can be used to tailor educational technology toward the needs of neurodiverse learners.
SlSPA3 regulates the nuclear abundance of SlUVR8 in tomato
Authors: Zhang Qianwen , Liu Yue , Zhang Chunli , Xu Dawei , Medina‐Fraga Ana L. , Wu Baoguo , Guo Chenyang , Wangzha MeLongying , Yang Guoqian , Zhu Danmeng , Weiss David , Ballaré Carlos L. , Lin Li , Yin Ruohe
Published: November 2024

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important model plant species in photomorphogenesis research. Ultraviolet B (UV‐B) induces the dissociation of homodimers of the photoreceptor UV RESISTANCE LOCUS8 (UVR8) into monomers, which translocate into the nucleus. Nuclear accumulation of UVR8 is a prerequisite for its signaling function. Previous studies have reported that SUPPRESSOR OF PHYTOCHROME A‐105 (SPA) family members may regulate UV‐B signaling in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana); however, the underlying mechanism is unknown. Here, we show that the tomato genome encodes four SPA (SlSPA) orthologs. Genome‐edited Slspa3 mutants exhibited enhanced photomorphogenic responses in white light, suggesting that SlSPA3 inhibits general photomorphogenesis. By contrast, UVR8‐mediated gene expression in response to UV‐B was compromised in Slspa3 mutants, suggesting that SlSPA3 promotes UV‐B signaling. UV‐B‐induced nuclear accumulation of UVR8, which is essential for UV‐B signaling, was reduced in the Slspa3 mutants. Moreover, UV‐B‐induced nuclear accumulation of UVR8 was also reduced in the Arabidopsis spa1 spa2 spa3 and spa1 spa2 spa4 triple mutants, indicating a conserved mechanism in these two species. Notably, spa1 spa2 spa4 exhibited normal UV‐B‐induced interaction between UVR8 and the plant morphogenesis repressor CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1). This suggests that the well‐established mechanisms of UVR8 nuclear retention remained unaffected in spa1 spa2 spa4. Thus, our work uncovered a potentially unrecognized mechanism by which SPA proteins regulate UV‐B signaling through the promotion of UVR8 nuclear abundance in land plants.
AtDGCR14L contributes to salt‐stress tolerance via regulating pre‐mRNA splicing in Arabidopsis
Authors: Xie Meng , Tadesse Dimiru , Zhang Jin , Yao Tao , Zhang Li , Jawdy Sara S. , Devireddy Amith , Zheng Kaijie , Smith Emily B. , Morrell‐Falvey Jennifer , Pan Chongle , Chen Feng , Tuskan Gerald A. , Muchero Wellington , Chen Jin‐Gui
Published: November 2024

In plants, pre‐mRNA alternative splicing has been demonstrated to be a crucial tier that regulates gene expression in response to salt stress. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we studied the roles of DIGEORGE‐SYNDROME CRITICAL REGION 14‐like (AtDGCR14L) in regulating pre‐mRNA splicing and salt stress tolerance. We discovered that Arabidopsis AtDGCR14L is required for maintaining plant salt stress tolerance and the constitutively spliced and active isoforms of important stress‐ and/or abscisic acid (ABA)‐responsive genes. We also identified the interaction between AtDGCR14L and splicing factor U1‐70k, which needs a highly conserved three amino acid (TWG) motif in DGCR14. Different from wild‐type AtDGCR14L, the overexpression of the TWG‐substituted AtDGCR14L mutant did not change salt stress tolerance or pre‐mRNA splicing of stress/ABA‐responsive genes. Additionally, SWITCH3A (SWI3A) is a core subunit of the SWI/SUCROSE NONFERMENTING (SWI/SNF) chromatin‐remodeling complexes. We found that SWI3A, whose splicing depends on AtDGCR14L, actively enhances salt stress tolerance. These results revealed that AtDGCR14L may play an essential role in crosstalk between plant salt‐stress response and pre‐mRNA splicing mechanisms. We also unveiled the potential role of SWI3A in controlling salt stress tolerance. The TWG motif in the intrinsically disordered region of AtDGCR14L is highly conserved and crucial for DGCR14 functions.
Sharp weak‐type estimate for maximal operators associated to Cartesian families under an arithmetic condition
Authors: Gauvan Anthony
Published: November 2024

Given a set of integers , we consider the smallest family invariant by translations that contains the rectangles
for any and where for integer. We prove that if contains arbitrary large arithmetic progression, then the maximal operator associated to the family satisfies a weak‐type estimate of the form
but does not satisfy a weak‐type estimate of the form
for any nonnegative convex increasing function such that as tends to infinity.
Daily GDF15 treatment has sex‐specific effects on body weight and food intake and does not enhance the effects of voluntary physical activity in mice
Authors: Jeromson Stewart , Akcan Michael , Baranowski Bradley , Arbeau Meagan , Bellucci Annalaura , Wright David C.
Published: November 2024

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a stress‐induced cytokine that suppresses food intake and causes weight loss. GDF15 also reduces voluntary physical activity and, thus, it is not clear whether combining GDF15 with exercise will be beneficial or if reductions in food intake would be offset by decreases in physical activity. We investigated how GDF15 treatment combined with voluntary wheel running (VWR) would impact weight gain, food intake, adiposity and indices of metabolic health in mice. High‐fat fed male and female mice underwent daily GDF15 treatments and were given access to voluntary running wheels, or not, for 11 days. In both sexes, VWR prevented weight gain. In males, GDF15 reduced food intake, as well as attenuated weight gain and the accumulation of adipose tissue, with no additional effect of VWR. In female mice, GDF15 did not impact body weight gain or body composition. GDF15 acutely reduced food intake in female mice but this was followed by a period of rebound hyperphagia and consequently GDF15 did not reduce total food intake in female mice. GDF15 treatment reduced wheel running distance in both sexes. There were main effects of VWR to improve glucose tolerance in female but not male mice. These findings show that GDF15 has sex‐specific effects on food intake and consequently weight gain and adiposity. There is no added benefit of combining GDF15 and voluntary physical activity for weight loss. Adaptive responses to acute caloric restriction induced by GDF15 might limit its effectiveness as a weight loss tool in females.

image

Key points

GDF15 is a stress‐induced signalling factor that reduces food intake and voluntary physical activity.

It is not known whether combining GDF15 treatment with voluntary wheel running would impart beneficial combined effects in attenuating weight gain and the accumulation of adipose tissue.

In the present study, we demonstrate that GDF15 reduces food intake and prevents weight gain in male but not female mice consuming a high‐fat diet and also that combining GDF15 with voluntary wheel running (VWR) does not lead to a greater dampening of weight gain.

In female mice, GDF15 acutely reduced food intake, but this was followed by a period of rebound hyperphagia resulting in no differences in total food intake.

In both sexes, VWR was equivalent, or superior to GDF15 in preventing weight gain.
Quorum sensing regulation of Psl polysaccharide production by
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Carey Jeffrey N. , Lamont Sabrina , Wozniak Daniel J. , Dandekar Ajai A. , Parsek Matthew R.
Published: November 2024

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a common opportunistic pathogen and a model organism for studying bacterial sociality. A social behavior of
P. aeruginosa
that is critical for its success as a pathogen is its ability to form protective biofilms. Many of
P. aeruginosa
’s social phenotypes are regulated by quorum sensing—a type of cell-cell communication that allows bacteria to respond to population density. Although biofilm formation is known to be affected by quorum sensing, evidence for direct regulation of biofilm production by quorum regulators has remained elusive. In this work, we show that production of the major biofilm matrix polysaccharide Psl in
P. aeruginosa
PAO1 is regulated by the quorum regulators LasR and RhlR in stationary-phase cultures. Secretion of Psl into the culture medium requires LasR, RhlR, and the quorum signal molecules
N
-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone and
N
-butanoyl homoserine lactone. Psl production in strains unable to synthesize the homoserine lactone signals can be restored by exogenous introduction of the signal molecules. We found that LasR and RhlR perform different roles in the regulation of Psl production: LasR acts at the promoter of the
psl
operon and activates transcription of the Psl biosynthetic genes, while RhlR activates translation of the
psl
transcripts. This work contributes to our understanding of the overlapping but distinct functions of the Las and Rhl quorum-sensing systems and implicates both in the direct regulation of biofilm matrix production.

IMPORTANCE

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
biofilms are responsible for many treatment-resistant infections in humans. Many cooperative behaviors in
P. aeruginosa
are controlled by quorum sensing, but evidence for a direct role of quorum sensing in the regulation of biofilm matrix production has been scant. In this work, we show that the Las and Rhl quorum-sensing systems have distinct roles in regulating production of the matrix polysaccharide Psl and that this regulation happens at the level of transcription (Las) and translation (Rhl) of the
psl
operon. These findings deepen our understanding of overlapping functions of Las and Rhl quorum sensing and the complex regulation of biofilm development in
P. aeruginosa
.
Whole genome sequence of the denitrifying thermophile
Geobacillus thermodenitrificans
subsp.
calidus
DSM 22629
T
Authors: Snook Mary , Ritter Stephan , Pukall Rüdiger , Göker Markus , Seshadri Rekha , Jue Nathaniel K.
Published: November 2024

We present a full genome sequence for the thermophilic denitrifier
Geobacillus thermodenitrificans
subsp.
calidus
DSM 22629
T
(3,408,575 bp, 48.94% GC). This genome includes 3,615 predicted genes, including those needed to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas. This organism and genome sequence provide valuable resources for future phylogenetic, genomic, and biotechnological research.
Optimization of ultrasound-mediated DNA transfer for bacteria and preservation of frozen competent cells
Authors: Zhang Meng , Tang Rongkang , Li Fang-Xia , Jin Wen-Yu , Guo Jia-Xin , Teng Lin-Zuo , Meng Guangxun , Sansonetti Philippe J. , Gao Yi-Zhou
Published: November 2024

The transformation of DNA into cells is the basis of molecular biology. Commonly employed techniques include heat shock transformation, electro-transformation, conjugation, transduction, and protoplast fusion. Recently, ultrasonic transformation technology has been developed to transfer DNA into competent cells. The transformation conditions, such as temperature and ultrasonic power, were preliminarily studied. However, this technique has not been widely applied because competent cells must be prepared
de novo
. In this study, various factors, such as ultrasonic frequency and power, were optimized for the ultrasonic transformation of
Escherichia coli
. The study found that the optimal conditions for ultrasonic transformation with a defined ultrasonic transformation vial were a frequency of 28 kHz and a power of 80 W. Meanwhile, this research demonstrated that combining the 42°C heat shock conditions with ultrasonic transformation is the most efficient method compared to using only heat shock. Furthermore, the cryoprotective agent ratio for ultrasonic competent cells was investigated and optimized. These findings provide new insights into enhancing transformation efficiency and lay a foundation for the broader application of ultrasonic transformation.

IMPORTANCE

Plasmid transformation is widely applicable in gene expression and modification. As an efficient, non-invasive, and gentle method of transformation, ultrasonic transformation provides a novel approach for strain modification. This research presents new strategies for enhancing transformation efficiency and lays the groundwork for expanding the utilization of ultrasonic transformation.
Correlation of enlarged perivascular spaces in basal ganglion and cancer-associated stroke: a case–control study in China
Authors: Wu Jielong , Hong Ganji , Zheng Liangcheng , Zhao Jiedong , Yu Lu , Jing Chuya , Zhang Qiuhong , Wang Chen , Yuan Xiaodong , Lin Qing , Wang Zhanxiang , Ma Qilin , Fang Jie
Published: November 2024

Introduction

The incidence of cancer-associated ischaemic stroke (IS) is increasingly prevalent. This study aimed to assess the levels of enlarged perivascular spaces in basal ganglion (BG-EPVS) in cancer-associated patients who had a stroke compared with the control group, and to investigate the diagnostic utility of BG-EPVS in the context of cancer-associated stroke.

Method

A matched case–control study was conducted in Xiamen, China. A total of 184 IS patients (cancer vs control=1:1) were recruited. The severity of BG-EPVS was graded using high-resolution MRI. Patients’ gender, age, clinical risk factors, other imaging changes and laboratory findings information at admission were collected. Logistic regression models were constructed and subgroup analysis by cancer treatment.

Result

Overall, 65.22% of the 184 subjects were male, with a mean (SD) age of 68.83±10.52 years. BG-EPVS had a significant influence on cancer-associated stroke (OR=1.85 (95% CI 1.29, 2.71), p=0.001) after adjusting for gender, age, clinical risk factors, other imaging changes and laboratory findings. The area under the curve of the diagnosis model that combined BG-EPVS and other factors was 0.848 (95% CI 0.787, 0.896), significantly higher than the other three models. Subgroup analysis suggested a heightened association between BG-EPVS and cancer-associated stroke within the cancer treatment group.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this is the first study to assess the diagnosis values of BG-EPVS on cancer-associated stroke and helps us understand the pathogenesis of cancer-associated stroke. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of BG-EPVS in diagnosing IS patients who may carry underlying cancer.
Investigation of EEG Parameters in Virtual Reality Puck Shooting Task in Hockey Players and Freestyle Wrestlers
Authors: Polikanova I.S. , Leonov S.V.
Published: November 2024

Background. Very scarce works are devoted to the study of hockey players' brain activity, which is connected, among other things, with the large amount of motor activity in athletes and the complexity of EEG registration. Objective. The aim of the study was to investigate electroencephalographic markers (in alpha, beta, and theta EEG bands) during a puck kicking task of varying difficulty under virtual reality conditions in ice hockey players compared to freestyle wrestlers. Methods. The previously developed VR-PACE technology was used for the study, which allows practicing puck reflection skills in hockey in a virtual scene. In the study, pucks were presented in blocks (five blocks in total), the difficulty increased from block 1 to block 4, in block 5 the subjects only observed the pucks. EEG recordings were made using a wireless electroencephalograph BrainScanner V3.1 (research edition) by “NeuroDrive” throughout the entire task, analyzed by 20-second segments in each block and in each of the backgrounds (before and after). Twenty-two male subjects (average age=20, SD=2.4 years) participated in the study. Results. The results showed significant differences between the groups, as well as significant within-group differences between the “before” and “after” conditions of the experiment in terms of the Individual Alpha Frequency (IAF), as well as the average and total power of theta, alpha, and beta rhythms. The overall trend in both groups is similar (after the experiment, there is a decrease in IAF, an increase in alpha rhythm power in central and parietal electrodes, and a decrease in occipital electrodes; a decrease in theta rhythm power in frontal and occipital electrodes; and a decrease in beta rhythm across all electrodes). However, the hockey group exhibits significantly more pronounced shifts in EEG, indicating greater alertness and attention (higher powers of theta, alpha, and beta rhythms both before and after the experiment), as well as greater relaxation (higher power of mu rhythm after the experiment). Conclusions. The study examined the electroencephalographic correlates (IAF, power in the alpha, beta, and theta frequency bands of EEG) in hockey players and freestyle wrestlers while performing a task of deflecting a puck in virtual reality (VR). The dynamics of the EEG indicators indicate more efficient brain function in hockey players when performing the puck reflection task in a virtual reality setting, confirming the hypothesis of neural efficiency.
A Locus-Less Literature: the Parallel Geographies of Palestinian Literature during the Tunis Period (1982–1994)
Authors: Abu-Remaileh Refqa , Natour Hanan
Published: November 2024

Emerging from the rubble of the civil war in Lebanon, a group of literary figures sought shelter in Tunis, alongside the PLO and its political factions. Although the ‘Tunis period’ lasted more than a decade, from 1982 to 1994, it remains a neglected period of Palestinian literary history. As part of a larger project that seeks to reconnect disconnected periods of Palestinian literature from 1948 to the present, this article probes the lost Tunis period to better understand Palestinian literature’s North African foray. Using the lens of Arabic literary periodicals, and supported by the tools of Digital Humanities, the article surveys the contents and contributor networks of Tunisian, Moroccan, as well as local and transnational Palestinian periodicals. By tracing literary networks and personal trajectories, the article reveals the parallel geographies of Palestinian literature during a period of intense exile and deterritorialization, an itinerary that includes stops in Tunis, Paris, Casablanca, Nicosia, Jerusalem, and Haifa.
Perdition and Getting Lost in a Lost Short Story by Ghassān Kanafānī: When Hostile Space (al-makān al-muʿādī) Takes Over Narrative Space
Authors: Barbaro Ada
Published: November 2024

The literary space assumes essential semantic importance: from Bakhtin’s structuralist analysis to the reading of space as in the concept of the “production of space” theorized by Henri Lefebvre, the issue of spatiality has unquestionably gained importance in literary studies. When the Jordanian writer Ghālib Halasā translated Gaston Bachelard’s La poétique de l’espace (1957) as Jamāliyyāt al-makān (1984), he observes the French author does not address the hostile space (al-makān al-muʿādī). Halasā admits how this subject has enriched the issue of spatiality with significant data. Building upon these premises, the present contribution aims to offer an interpretation of this hostile spatiality within a story by the Palestinian writer Ghassān Kanafānī. “ʿUlbat zujāj wāḥidah” (Just a glass box)—included in the collection ʿĀlam laysa la-nā (A World Not Our Own, 1963)—is the forgotten short story to which this article intends to devote itself. Within this narrative space, two different forms of spatiality take shape—outside and inside the titular glass box—both characterized by that hostile, unfamiliar trait to which reference has been made thus far, and which we will try to investigate to expose its distinctive features through the actors who act in this space.
“Cauldron of Conspiracy”: Conspiratorial Tropes as Modes of Critique in Ḥabībī’s The Pessoptimist and Saʿdāwī’s Frankenstein in Baghdad
Authors: Labanieh Aya
Published: November 2024

This article uses the concepts of “conspiracy” and “conspiracy theory,” along with their literary tropes, to theorize resistance to the colonial ideals of modernity in Israel and Iraq and to contest the oppressive developmental temporalities associated with this modernity. By analyzing Imīl Ḥabībī’s al-Mutashāʾil (The Secret Life of Saeed, the Pessoptimist, 1974) and Aḥmad Saʿdāwī’s Frānkishtāyn fī Baghdād (Frankenstein in Baghdad, 2013), I show how tropes of conspiracism and conspiratorial thinking are deployed in both of these novels to critique myths of linear progress—often used to justify the Israeli occupation and the U.S. invasion—despite the divergent historical periods and contexts out of which the two texts emerge. In their act of contestation, the novels leverage alternate temporalities in connection to conspiracism, such as the cyclical time of suffering and exploitation, or the apocalyptic time that offers release from said suffering through ending time altogether. Yet in both cases the tropes of conspiracy are ultimately shown to have little explanatory or emancipatory value and high human cost. Both novels thus thematize the analytic and critical limits of conspiracism.
The Leiden Manuscript of the Hundred and One Nights
Authors: Sumi Akiko
Published: November 2024

This paper investigates the Arabic manuscript of the Hundred and One Nights (Miʾat laylah wa-laylah) registered at Leiden University, the Netherlands. First, I prove that the manuscript was once owned by René Basset (1855–1924) by explaining its characteristics and comparing it with references in the French translation of Miʾat laylah wa-laylah by Maurice Gaudefroy-Demombynes (1862–1957). Second, I discuss how the Leiden manuscript is situated in comparison to the other seven texts of the Hundred and One Nights, focusing on the order of the embedded stories and the frame story. The Arabic text of the frame story in the Leiden manuscript is provided at the end. The Leiden manuscript exhibits similar characteristics to some of the other manuscripts of the Hundred and One Nights, while it also contains its own special features.
The Cotton Road
Authors: Mir-Makhamad Basira , Bjørn Rasmus , Boxleitner Kseniia , Spengler Robert N.
Published: November 2024

Cotton is one of the most culturally significant crops in Central Asia today, and it has a complex history, long predating the collective-labour and intensive-irrigation systems of the Soviet period. In this paper, we explore the ancient history of cotton cultivation in Central Asia. We aim to understand when cotton cultivation switched from low-investment to intensive large-scale agriculture and to theorise about the dispersal routes, type of cotton cultivated, and processing systems that existed before the introduction of hybrid forms of cotton from the Americas in the nineteenth century. We incorporate new archaeobotanical data, historical-linguistic evidence and archaeological materials into our discussion. Furthermore, we provide an overview of archaeobotanical evidence from across Europe, Asia and North Africa, aiming to assess common trends in the spread of cotton.