bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Mediating Role of Spirituality in Delineating the Interconnection Between Self‐Efficacy and Resilience Among the Parents of Children With Newly Diagnosed Diabetes: A Community Nursing‐Led Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Amin Shaimaa Mohamed , Ali Ahmed Salah , Khedr Mahmoud Abdelwahab , Hendy Abdelaziz , Atta Mohamed Hussein Ramadan
Published: September 2024

Aim

This study examined the interplay among spirituality, self‐efficacy and resilience in this context.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Method

A total of 178 parents of children newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus; the instruments used for data collection were the Parental Self‐Efficacy Scale for Diabetes Management, The Arabic version of The Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire and the Spiritual Perspective Scale.

Results

Self‐efficacy had a significant positive direct effect on family resilience. Spirituality also had a significant positive direct effect on family resilience. Additionally, self‐efficacy had a significant positive indirect effect on family resilience through its effect on spirituality.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the impact of spirituality and self‐efficacy on a family resilience.

Implications for the Profession

Nurses should prioritise self‐care and personal reflection to enhance their spiritual well‐being. This can help them better understand and empathise with their patients' spiritual needs, allowing for more effective and compassionate care.

Impact

Upon the initial diagnosis of diabetes in a child, parents undergo a profound emotional and psychological upheaval. They are faced with the daunting task of managing their child's condition while also coping with their feelings of distress, uncertainty and fear. Amidst these challenges, factors such as self‐efficacy and resilience play pivotal roles in determining how parents adapt to and navigate this new reality.

Nurses can use spiritual care to give parents a sense of meaning, purpose and hope, bolstering their self‐efficacy and resilience.

Reporting Method

The relevant reporting method has been adhered to, that is, STROBE.

Patient or Public Contribution

In our research, data collection is assisted by nurses working in community‐based settings.
Estimated and in vivo measurements of bite force demonstrate exceptionally large bite forces in parrots (Psittaciformes)
Authors: Harrison Shannon L. , Sutton Gregory P. , Herrel Anthony , Deeming D. Charles
Published: September 2024

Jaw morphology and function determine the range of dietary items that an organism can consume. Bite force is a function of the force exerted by the jaw musculature and applied via the skeleton. Bite force has been studied in a wide range of taxa using various methods, including direct measurement, or calculation from skulls or jaw musculature. Data for parrots (Psittaciformes), considered to have strong bites, are rare. This study calculated bite force for a range of parrot species of differing sizes using a novel method that relied on forces calculated using the area of jaw muscles measured in situ and their masses. The values for bite force were also recorded in vivo using force transducers, allowing for a validation of the dissection‐based models. The analysis investigated allometric relationships between measures of body size and calculated bite force. Additionally, the study examined whether a measure of a muscle scar could be a useful proxy to estimate bite force in parrots. Bite force was positively allometric relative to body and skull mass, with macaws having the strongest bite recorded to date for a bird. Calculated values for bite force were not statistically different from measured values. Muscle scars from the adductor muscle attachment on the mandible can be used to accurately predict bite force in parrots. These results have implications for how parrots process hard food items and how bite forces are estimated in other taxa using morphological characteristics of the jaw musculature.
Consumer engagement with preventive health technologies: A double‐edged sword for consumer wellbeing
Authors: Baiwir Lisa , Dessart Laurence , Delcourt Cécile
Published: September 2024

Although preventive health technologies are commonly considered as enhancing consumer wellbeing, little is known about their unintended consequences. This paper explores the relationship between consumer engagement (CE) with preventive health technologies and wellbeing, to best understand when engagement is beneficial‐versus detrimental‐to consumer wellbeing. A thematic analysis of 30 in‐depth interviews with users of such technologies reveal that (1) consumers engage with preventive health technologies based on a variety of health goals, (2) specific engagement trajectories result from those contrasting consumer health goals, and (3) the beneficial versus detrimental role of CE with preventive health technologies in consumer wellbeing is conditioned by the type of trajectories consumers engage in. This paper proposes a nuanced perspective by demonstrating that CE with preventive health technologies can be considered a double‐edged sword for consumer wellbeing. While these technologies can support healthy routines, they can also lead to maladaptive behavior through over‐engagement.
Development and Feasibility Evaluation of a Family‐Centred Neonatal End‐of‐Life Care Protocol
Authors: Kim Eun Sook , Kim Sue , Kim Sanghee , Kim Sujeong , Ahn So Yoon , Lee Hyejung
Published: September 2024

Aim

To develop a family‐centred end‐of‐life care protocol and evaluate its feasibility.

Design

The draft protocol was created by integrating literature review results and existing protocols and interviewing bereaved parents. A Delphi study and an experts' review were conducted to refine the draft, followed by feasibility testing with neonatal intensive care unit nurses.

Results

A 71‐item protocol based on an integrated end‐of‐life care model and the family‐centred care concept was developed, comprising three sections: principal guidelines, communication during end‐of‐life care and five substeps (4, 17 and 71 items, respectively) according to changes in an infant's condition. The feasibility was confirmed by an increase in competency and a positive attitude towards infant end‐of‐life care participants who completed the protocol education.

Conclusion

The protocol was feasible and improved nurses' competency and attitude in providing end‐of‐life care for infants and parents requiring support due to the loss of their infants. It can positively impact the well‐being of parents who have experienced the loss of their infants in neonatal intensive care units and enhance family‐centred care within the units.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Application of the family‐cantered end‐of‐life care could support infants' dying process and improve bereaved parents' quality of life in neonatal intensive care units.

Impact

This study increased neonatal end‐of‐life nursing needs' awareness among nurses and parents during bereavement. It offered preliminary evidence regarding the feasibility of a neonatal end‐of‐life care protocol developed in this study.

Reporting Method

AGREE Reporting Checklist 2016.

Patient or Public Contribution

We interviewed bereaved parents to develop the draft protocol and involved neonatal care experts for the Delphi study and neonatal nurses (who would use the protocol) as feasibility test subjects.

Trial Registration

This was a doctoral dissertation and did not require protocol registration as the feasibility test involved a single neonatal intensive care unit.
The role of task relevance in saccadic responses to facial expressions
Authors: Mirabella Giovanni , Grassi Michele , Bernardis Paolo
Published: September 2024

Recent research on healthy individuals suggests that the valence of emotional stimuli influences behavioral reactions only when relevant to ongoing tasks, as they impact reaching arm movements and gait only when the emotional content cued the responses. However, it has been suggested that emotional expressions elicit automatic gaze shifting, indicating that oculomotor behavior might differ from that of the upper and lower limbs. To investigate, 40 participants underwent two Go/No‐go tasks, an emotion discrimination task (EDT) and a gender discrimination task (GDT). In the EDT, participants had to perform a saccade to a peripheral target upon the presentation of angry or happy faces and refrain from moving with neutral ones. In the GDT, the same images were shown, but participants responded based on the posers’ gender. Participants displayed two behavioral strategies: a single saccade to the target (92.7%) or two saccades (7.3%), with the first directed at a task‐salient feature, that is, the mouth in the EDT and the nose‐eyes regions in the GDT. In both cases, the valence of facial expression impacted the saccades only when relevant to the response. Such evidence indicates the same principles govern the interplay between emotional stimuli and motor reactions despite the effectors employed.
The limits of experience: Dogmatism and moral epistemology
Authors: Kriegel Uriah
Published: September 2024

Let “phenomenal dogmatism” be the thesis that some experiences provide some beliefs with immediate prima facie justification, and do so purely in virtue of their phenomenal character. A basic question‐mark looms over phenomenal dogmatism: Why should the fact that a person is visited by some phenomenal feel suggest the likely truth of a belief? In this paper, I press this challenge, arguing that perceptually justified beliefs are justified not purely by perceptual experiences’ phenomenology, but also because we have justified second‐order background beliefs to the effect that the occurrence of certain perceptual experiences is indicative of the likely truth of certain corresponding beliefs. To bring this out, I contrast “perceptual dogmatism” with “moral dogmatism”: the thesis that some emotional experiences provide some moral beliefs with immediate prima facie justification, and do so purely in virtue of their phenomenal character. I argue that moral dogmatism is much less antecedently appealing, precisely because the counterpart second‐order beliefs here are much less plausible.
Building an evidence engine to promote more responsive government
Authors: Munteanu Ioana , Newcomer Kathryn E. , Best Clifton
Published: September 2024

Public agencies require timely and reliable evidence to adapt operations and strategies quickly to effectively tackle unanticipated challenges in service to the American people. Federal agencies are generally not well equipped to take full advantage of the resources they own to effectively align with evidence needs. Guidance has been issued to fill this gap, yet federal agencies have not fully adopted the use of evidence, especially performance data, in decision‐making. Moreover, both law and academia provide little guidance on how agencies can connect the demand and supply of knowledge. This paper discusses how the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) of the General Services Administration (GSA) has developed and sustained a framework for collecting and transforming data into reliable evidence to inform decision‐making, that is, created an evidence engine. Federal agencies can learn from the FAS approach to improve their evidence‐building activities to achieve economies of scale, reduce costs, and increase evidence‐informed responsiveness to ever‐changing needs.
Public Healthcare Spending, Business Dynamism, and Wage Inequality: Evidence from Developed and Developing Economies
Authors: Chao Chi‐Chur , Trinh Cong Tam , Nguyen Xuan
Published: September 2024

This paper examines the effects of public healthcare spending on wage inequality and social welfare in an economy with rural and urban regions. The objectives are twofold. First, we introduce a simple theoretical framework that captures the link between public healthcare spending and firms' output choice and subsequent wage provisions. We demonstrate that in the short run, a rise in public healthcare services can increase urban output and lower urban unemployment and raise both skilled and unskilled wage rates. In the long run, firm entry produces a business‐dynamism effect that enhances the rate of return on capital, reduces the unskilled wage rate and intensifies wage inequality. Second, we empirically test our theoretical predictions using data from 112 economies in the period 2006–2018. We find evidence supporting our theoretical findings concerning the effects of public healthcare on wage outcomes, especially in the long run. Results are highly consistent across the two groups: advanced economies (mainly OECD/European economies), and emerging and developing economies based on alternative measures for wage inequality, including the GINI coefficient and top income share. The paper provides useful information for the public healthcare policy.
Multi‐Criteria Decision Analysis‐Based Solutions for the Installation of Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power Plants in an Energy Deficit State of India: An Effort Toward SDG‐7 (Affordable and Sustainable Energy)
Authors: Ghosh Debanu , Sinha Suman , Singh Tarun Pratap , Gagnon Alexandre S. , Singh Dharmaveer
Published: September 2024

Sustainable Development Goal‐7 (SDG‐7) of the United Nations promotes the use of renewable and affordable energy. Solar energy holds significant promise as an effective and affordable renewable source in tropical countries. GIS‐based Multi‐Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach has been applied to evaluate land suitability for installing ground‐mounted and grid‐connected solar photovoltaic power plants in Purulia district of West Bengal (India) to satisfy the growing demand of energy in an eco‐friendly manner. The study reveals that variation in Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) is the most relevant parameter for installing solar PV power plants in the district among the 13 physical parameters, followed by the aspect, slope, and proximity to the grid. The site‐suitable map created using the weights of these factors has revealed that about 33.4% of the district's total land area is ideal for installing solar PV power plants, with most of these areas being in the western and central regions.
СЕМЕЙСТВО LAMIACEAE ВО ФЛОРЕ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОГО КАЗАХСТАНА
Authors: Ишмуратова М.Ю. , Гаврилькова Е.В. , Мусина Р.Т. , Тлеукенова С.У. , Бутумбаева М.К.
Published: September 2024

Исследование региональной флоры обусловлено необходимостью инвентаризации современного видового состава. В Центральном Казахстане одним из крупнейших семейств является Губоцветные (Lamiaceae - Labiatae). Виды данного семейства характеризуются ценными свойствами, что позволяет применять их как лекарственные, медоносные, ароматические и декоративные объекты.
Видовой состав видов Губоцветных по ранее опубликованным источникам ограничивается 25-30 видами, что не отражает современный состав данного семейства.
На основании анализа гербарных сборов Карагандинского университета имени академика Е.А. Букетова (QAR); АО «МПХ «Фитохимия» (KAR); Алтайского ботанического сада (ALTB), Кузбасского ботанического сада (KUZ), Центрального Сибирского ботанического сада (NS, NSK), Институт экологии растений и животных (SVER), ГНПП «Буйратау», Каркаралинский ГНПП, Улытауский ГНПП, Жезказганского ботанического сада, литературных данных и собственных полевых сборов был составлен обновленный перечень видов, включающий 64 вида из 26 родов.
Добавлены к списку данного семейства роды: Teucrium, Amethystea, Elscholtzia, Antonina, Acinos, Eremostachys.
Общий видовой состав включает следующие роды с количеством видов: Lycopus (2), Mentha (4), Elscholtzia (1), Amethystea (1), Teucrium (1), Salvia (2), Ziziphora (2), Antonina (1), Scutellaria (5), Lophanthus (1), Sideritis (1), Glechoma (1), Nepeta (5), Dracocephalum (4), Lallemantia (1), Prunella (1), Lagochillus (4), Leonurus (2), Thymus (12), Hyssopus (2), Acinos (1), Lamium (2), Stachys (1), Phlomoides (4), Eremostachys (3).
Для всех видов проанализированы условия обитания, распространение, жизненные формы, экологические группы и возможность практического применения. Сделан прогноз для интродукционного испытания в условиях г. Караганды и Жезказган.
Определены диагностические признаки таксонов, что позволило составить ключ для определения родов и видов семейства Губоцветные флоры Центрального Казахстана (Карагандинская и Улытауская области).
Полученные данные войдут в конспект флоры сосудистых растений флоры Карагандинской и Улытауской областей.
ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ МЕТОДА БАРКОДИРОВАНИЯ ДНК ДЛЯ ИДЕНТИФИКАЦИИ И ТАКСОНОМИЧЕСКОГО АНАЛИЗА СЕМЕЙСТВА ЯСНОТКОВЫЕ (LAMIACEAE)
Authors: Ғұбайдуллин Н.Н. , Жұмабай Н.Б. , Манабаева Ш.А.
Published: September 2024

Семейство Яснотковые, известное своими ароматическими растениями, насчитывает 237 родов и 7756 видов, из которых 1056 используются в медицине, что составляет 13,7%. Лаванда, мята, базилик и тимьян относятся к числу хорошо известных видов, имеющих значение в медицине и кулинарии. Маркеры, основанные на фенотипических признаках, зачастую не позволяют более подробно изучить видовые специфики растений, тогда как молекулярные методы позволяют более точно идентифицировать и классифицировать растения на уровне ДНК.
Баркодирование ДНК, основанное на стандартизированных последовательностях ДНК, является универсальным методом идентификации видов. В данном исследовании мы применили этот метод для анализа геномной ДНК 14 видов семейства Яснотковых, произрастающих на территории Карагандинской области. Геномная ДНК была экстрагирована из гербарных образцов с помощью стандартного метода. Частичная последовательность пластидного гена большой субъединицы гена рибулозо-бисфосфаткарбоксилазы (rbcL) была использована в качестве молекулярного маркера для ДНК идентификации видов Яснотковых. Геномный локус был амплифицирован праймером rbcL_F (5’- ATGTCACCAACAAACAGAGACTAAAGC-3) rbcL_R (5’-GTAAAATCAAGTCCACCRCG-3’). Полимеразная цепная реакция была проведена в объеме 20 микролитров, с 0,5 единиц DreamTaq-ДНК полимеразы и 50-100 нг ДНК. Секвенирование проводилось по методу Сэнгера с использованием набора для секвенирования BigDye™ Terminator. Идентификация проводилась с использованием BLAST, поиск проводился в глобальной базе данных NCBI. Анализ данных был проведен с помощью программного обеспечения MEGA11.
В результате 85,7% образцов было успешно амплифицировано. Средняя длина последовательностей составила 587 п.н., средняя длина выравнивания 573 п.н. Соотношение G:C 23:21%.  Консервативные участки занимают 93,3% от общей длины выравнивания, остальные 6,7% приходится на долю вариабельных участков. Было обнаружено 16 однонуклеотидных полиморфизмов. Расчеты эволюционных расстояний проводились по моделям Джукса-Кантора, Кимуры и Тамура-Ней, и в среднем составили 0.0209, 0.021 и 0.021 соответственно. Самая минимальная дистанция наблюдалась между видами Thymus rasitatus и Thymus kirgisorum, а также между видами Nepeta heliotropifolia и Nepeta nuda. То есть данные виды абсолютно идентичны друг с другом в рамках полученных нуклеотидных последовательностей. Максимальная дистанция среди видов составила 0,0357.
Все полученные нуклеотидные последовательности были загружены в международную базу данных NCBI. Нуклеотидные последовательности rbcL пяти видов семейства Lamiaceae (Thymus rasitatus, Lycopus exaltatus, Thymus kirgisorum, Mentha micrantha и Nepeta heliotropifolia) были загружены в базу данных впервые.
Instabilities and Pattern Formation in Epidemic Spread Induced by Nonlinear Saturation Effects and Ornstein–Uhlenbeck Noise
Authors: Singh Aman Kumar , Buschmeyer Cole , Ramakrishnan Subramanian , Kumar Manish
Published: September 2024

We analytically study the emergence of instabilities and the consequent steady-state pattern formation in a stochastic partial differential equation (PDE) based, compartmental model of spatiotemporal epidemic spread. The model is characterized by: (1) strongly nonlinear forces representing the infection transmission mechanism and (2) random environmental forces represented by the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (O–U) stochastic process which better approximates real-world uncertainties. Employing second-order perturbation analysis and computing the local Lyapunov exponent, we find the emergence of diffusion-induced instabilities and analyze the effects of O–U noise on these instabilities. We obtain a range of values of the diffusion coefficient and correlation time in parameter space that support the onset of instabilities. Notably, the stability and pattern formation results depend critically on the correlation time of the O–U stochastic process; specifically, we obtain lower values of steady-state infection density for higher correlation times. Also, for lower correlation times the results approach those obtained in the white noise case. The analytical results are valid for lower-order correlation times. In summary, the results provide insights into the onset of noise-induced, and Turing-type instabilities in a stochastic PDE epidemic model in the presence of strongly nonlinear deterministic infection forces and stochastic environmental forces represented by Ornstein–Uhlenbeck noise.
On Multi-Fidelity Impedance Tuning for Human–Robot Cooperative Manipulation
Authors: Lau Ethan , Srivastava Vaibhav , Bopardikar Shaunak D.
Published: September 2024

We examine how a human–robot interaction (HRI) system may be designed when input–output data from previous experiments are available. Our objective is to learn an optimal impedance in the assistance design for a cooperative manipulation task with a new operator. Due to the variability between individuals, the design parameters that best suit one operator of the robot may not be the best parameters for another one. However, by incorporating historical data using a linear autoregressive (AR-1) Gaussian process, the search for a new operator’s optimal parameters can be accelerated. We lay out a framework for optimizing the human–robot cooperative manipulation that only requires input–output data. We characterize the learning performance using a notion called regret, establish how the AR-1 model improves the bound on the regret, and numerically illustrate this improvement in the context of a human–robot cooperative manipulation task. Furthermore, we show how our approach’s input–output nature provides robustness against modeling error through an additional numerical study.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Co-Doped Hard Carbon Materials as High-Performance Anode for Sodium Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Jionghui , Cheng Hongkuan , Zhang Xi , Wang Bin
Published: September 2024

The negative electrode of sodium ion batteries (SIBs) has always faced severe challenges in the commercialization process. At present, the commercial negative electrode capacity of sodium ion batteries is only 300–350 mA h g−1, with 1000 cycles capacity retention rate of less than 80%, making it difficult to apply to high profit downstream industries such as new energy vehicles and 3C digital that require strict energy density and lifespan. To improve capacity, increase the first Coulomb efficiency, and enhance performance under high current density, we have prepared a nitrogen phosphorus codoped hard carbon material. Phosphorus groups are doped in the material to achieve sodium storage, at the same time, coating phenolic resin for material modification. At the same time, nitrogen and carbon nanotube (CNT) structures are added during the preparation process to make it have good conductivity. CMC binder and ether-based electrolyte are used to solve the problem of low first Coulomb efficiency by reducing excessive reaction between the negative electrode and the electrolyte. In actual testing, this material has a capacity of 365 mA h g−1 and a capacity retention rate of 112% under long cycles.
Joint Model Parameter Identification and Extended Kalman Filter Algorithm for the State of Charge Estimation of Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
Authors: Liang Gaoju , Lin Shili , Hu Wentao , Zhang Xianyong , Yang JianMing
Published: September 2024

Accurately estimating the state of charge (SOC) of batteries is crucial for achieving the safety and efficient driving of electric vehicles. To address the negative impact of voltage platform flatness and accumulated errors in current sampling, the SOC estimation method jointing model parameter identification and extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm is proposed and verified through simulation in this article. First, the parameter identification method is obtained based on the second-order dual polarization model, and effective identification of the parameters under different SOC is achieved using experimental conditions of hybrid pulse power characteristic and constant current discharge. On this basis, a function model with SOC as the independent variable and model parameters as the dependent variable is established by jointing model parameter identification and EKF algorithm, and the iterative estimation of SOC is achieved through the 1stopt and cftool methods. Finally, the SOC estimation accuracy of the proposed method is validated under three operating conditions that adopt the latest standards and are closer to the actual driving environment. The simulation results show that the SOC estimation method jointing model parameter identification and EKF algorithm has higher accuracy and smaller fluctuations than the traditional ampere-time (AH) integration method, and the mean squared error (MSE) of estimation for the four test conditions are less than 0.29%, 0.72%, and 0.25%, respectively.
Thermal Conductivity of 3D-Printed Metal Using Extrusion-Based Metal Additive Manufacturing Process
Authors: Khanafer Khalil , Abbasspour Austin , Aboelkassem Yasser
Published: September 2024

In this study, the thermal conductivity of 3D-printed 316L stainless steel parts using the bound metal deposition (BMD) method, an extrusion-based 3D-printing technology, was examined experimentally and validated numerically using finite element analysis (FEA). Various critical printing parameters were examined, including infill density, skin overlap percentage, and print sequence to study their effect on the printed thermal conductivity. A heat conduction experiment was performed on the 3D-printed samples of 316L stainless steel followed by a FEA. The results from this investigation revealed that an increase in 3D-printing infill density correlated with a rise in effective thermal conductivity. Conversely, a substantial decrease in thermal conductivity was observed as porosity increased. For instance, at a porosity level of 16.5%, the thermal conductivity experienced a notable 33% reduction compared to the base material. The skin overlap percentage, which governs how much the outer shell of adjacent layers overlaps, was found to impact heat transfer across the overall part surface. A higher overlap percentage was associated with improved thermal conductivity, although it could affect the surface finish of the part. Furthermore, the study explored the print sequence, focusing on whether the outer wall or infill was printed first. Printing the outer wall first resulted in higher thermal conductivity values than that obtained from printing the infill first. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully consider these factors during the BMD 3D-printing process to achieve the desired thermal conductivity properties.
Experimental Investigation of the Thermal Performance of a Prototype Direct-Expansion Solar-Assisted Heat Pump System in a Cold Climate
Authors: Abbasi Bardia , Li Simon , Mwesigye Aggrey
Published: September 2024

Direct-expansion solar-assisted heat pumps (DX-SAHP) take advantage of solar energy to enhance the efficiency of conventional air-source heat pumps. However, their performance in very cold climates is not well understood. In this study, a prototype DX-SAHP is developed to experimentally characterize performance under realistic operating conditions. The system consists of a 2.3 m2 solar collector with a serpentine heat exchanger as an evaporator, a scroll compressor with a rated power input of 0.6 kW, an expansion valve, a coaxial coil heat exchanger as the condenser, and a 178 L water storage tank. A set of experiments was conducted under realistic outdoor air conditions to assess the system’s thermal performance. The system achieved an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.1 on a sunny day in winter to raise the water tank temperature from 16.1°C to 50.3°C in 4.5 hours. Conversely, the minimum average COP of 3.0 was recorded on an overcast summer day, raising the water temperature from 27.3°C to 49.5°C in 3.5 hours, while the system achieved its highest average COP of 3.44 on a sunny summer day. The highest instantaneous COP during the operation was 4.33, recorded in summer. However, the system was unable to operate continuously during overcast winter days, due to inadequate available thermal energy.
An Overview of Electric Vehicle Battery
Authors: McGlaughlin Aaron , Sun Timothy , Shafahi Maryam
Published: September 2024

The electric vehicle (EV) market has witnessed significant growth and transformation over the past few years, driven by increasing environmental concerns, government incentives, and advancements in EV technology. As the EV market continues to grow, so does the concern over the environmental impact of EV lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), especially their end-of-life (EOL) disposal. To reduce the environmental impact of EVs, the formation of a circular economy through reuse and recycling of EV LIBs has been suggested and researched. This work is a review on the status of EV batteries including the global market, proposed reuse, recycling process, and environmental issues linked with this extremely fast-growing industry.
High-Fidelity Thermomechanical Modeling of a Novel Indirectly Irradiated Reactor for Solar Thermochemical Fuel Production
Authors: Scott Peter , Patankar Aniket , Wu Ziyao , Haussmann Henrik , Ghoniem Ahmed
Published: September 2024

We have previously proposed the Reactor Train System (RTS) for efficient solar thermochemical hydrogen (STCH) production, which utilizes a counter-flow radiative heat exchange system with moving reactors. RTS reactors are heated with indirect infrared radiation, which is markedly different from current experimentally demonstrated solar receiver-reactors. In this work we present a design study of a prototype reactor, including a high-fidelity heat transfer model with component dimensions informed by mechanical stress modeling. This model was used to subject different variants of the reactor to a heating cycle, and reactor performance metrics such as hydrogen productivity and component temperatures were compared. We report that thermal performance improves when smaller structural components are used, and when active cooling losses are reduced. Our findings show that indirectly heated reactors have unique design considerations, and conventional concentrated solar receivers perform poorly even with a high-temperature window. Strategies for improving the performance of indirectly irradiated thermochemical reactors are identified.
Simulating Window Designs in Residential Buildings to Analyze Energy Savings in an Arid Region
Authors: Sexton Charles E. , Tahir Furqan , Al-Ghamdi Sami G.
Published: September 2024

According to the climate change future projections, the Middle East and North Africa regions could experience a temperature increase of 2.5 °C by the end of the century. The climate in the Middle East is characterized by hot-arid regions with high temperatures. Therefore, climate-controlled buildings are essential for modern societies to function in these high temperatures. In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Electricity Company has stated that the residential sector alone accounts for 50% of the electricity consumption in the Kingdom. A rising global temperature and population growth will heighten the need for building cooling, contributing to increased CO2 emissions. Therefore, this study analyzes and simulates innovative window applications to reduce heat gain in traditional buildings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Utilizing OpenStudio software, a representative building is modeled, and various window types are assessed for energy savings. The study aims to decrease residential energy consumption substantially, inform future building codes, and positively affect the environment, economy, and society.
Selective human milk oligosaccharide utilization by members of the
Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum
taxon
Authors: Sanchez-Gallardo Rocio , Bottacini Francesca , O’Neill Ian J. , Esteban-Torres Maria , Moore Rebecca , McAuliffe Fionnuala M. , Cotter Paul D. , van Sinderen Douwe
Published: September 2024

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are essentially unaffected by the digestive enzymes of the nursling and are known for their ability to enrich certain microbial species in the infant gut microbiota, in particular bifidobacteria. HMO metabolism has been studied in various bifidobacterial species such as
B. breve
,
B. bifidum,
and
B. longum
subsp.
infantis
. In the current study, we describe differential growth abilities elicited by twenty-three newly isolated
Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum
strains on particular HMOs, such as 2’-fucosyllactose (2’FL), 3-fucosyllactose (3FL), lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). Through gene-trait matching and comparative genome analysis, we identified genes involved in the degradation of fucosylated HMOs in this strain set, while we employed a transcriptomic approach to facilitate the identification and characterization of genes and associated enzymes involved in LNT metabolism by strain
B. pseudocatenulatum
MM0196. A total of 252 publicly available genomes of the
B. pseudocatenulatum
taxon were screened for homologs of the glycosyl hydrolases (GHs) identified here as being required for selected HMO metabolism. From this analysis, it is clear that all members of this species possess homologs of the genes involved in LNT degradation, while genes required for degradation of fucosylated HMOs are variably present.

IMPORTANCE

Our findings allow a better understanding of the complex interaction between
Bifidobacterium
and its host and provide a roadmap toward future applications of
B. pseudocatenulatum
as a probiotic with a focus on infant health. Furthermore, our investigations have generated information on the role of HMOs in shaping the infant gut microbiota, thus also facilitating applications of HMOs in infant nutrition, with potential extension into the mature or adult gut microbiota. Supplementation of HMOs is known to result in the modulation of bacterial communities toward a higher relative abundance of bifidobacteria, which in turn enforces their ability to modulate particular immune functions and strengthen the intestinal barrier. This work may therefore inspire future studies to improve the formulation of neonatal nutritional products, aimed at facilitating the development of a healthy digestive and immune system and reducing the differences in gut microbiota composition observed between breastfed and formula-fed babies or full-term and preterm infants.
Only time will tell: lipopolysaccharide glycoform and biofilm-formation kinetics in
Salmonella
species and
Escherichia coli
Authors: Laekas-Hameder Magdalena , Daigle France
Published: September 2024

In Gram-negative bacteria, LPS (lipopolysaccharide) has been thoroughly characterized and has been shown to play a major role in pathogenesis and bacterial defense. In
Salmonella
and
Escherichia coli
, LPS also influences biofilm development. However, the overall role of LPS glycoform in biofilm formation has not been conclusively settled, as there is a lack of consensus on the topic. Some studies show that LPS mutants produce less biofilm biomass than the wild-type strains, while others show that they produce more. This review summarizes current knowledge of LPS biosynthesis and explores the impact of defective steps on biofilm-related characteristics, such as motility, adhesion, auto-aggregation, and biomass production in
Salmonella
and
E. coli
. Overall, motility tends to decrease, while adhesion and auto-aggregation phenotypes tend to increase in most LPS-mutant strains. Interestingly, biofilm biomass of various LPS mutants revealed a clear pattern dependent on biofilm maturation time. Incubation times of less than 24 h resulted in a biofilm-defective phenotype compared to the wild-type, while incubation exceeding 24 h led to significantly higher levels of biofilm production. This explains conflicting results found in reports describing the same LPS mutations. It is therefore critical to consider the effect of biofilm maturation time to ascertain the effects of LPS glycoform on biofilm phenotype. Underlying reasons for such changes in biofilm kinetics may include changes in signalling systems affecting biofilm maturation and composition, and dynamic LPS modifications. A better understanding of the role of LPS in the evolution and modification of biofilms is crucial for developing strategies to disperse biofilms.
Deletion of
luxI
increases luminescence of
Vibrio fischeri
Authors: Bellissimo Kathryn A. , Septer Alecia N. , Whistler Cheryl A. , Rodríguez Coralis , Stabb Eric V.
Published: September 2024

Bioluminescence in
Vibrio fischeri
is regulated by a quorum-dependent signaling system composed of LuxI and LuxR. LuxI generates
N-
3-oxohexanoyl homoserine lactone (3OC6-HSL), which triggers LuxR to activate transcription of the
luxICDABEG
operon responsible for bioluminescence. Surprisingly, a ∆
luxI
mutant produced more bioluminescence than the wild type in culture. In contrast, a 4 bp duplication within
luxI
, resulting in a frameshift mutation and null allele, decreased luminescence tenfold. A second signaling system encoded by
ainSR
affects bioluminescence by increasing levels of LuxR, via the transcriptional activator LitR, and the
N-
octanoyl homoserine lactone (C8-HSL) signal produced by AinS is considered only a weak activator of LuxR. However,
ainS
is required for the bright phenotype of the ∆
luxI
mutant in culture. When 3OC6-HSL was provided either in the medium or by expression of
luxI in trans
, all cultures were brighter, but the ∆
luxI
mutant remained significantly brighter than the
luxI
frameshift mutant. Taken together, these data suggest that the enhanced bioluminescence due to the LuxI product 3OC6-HSL counteracts a negative
cis
-acting regulatory element within the
luxI
gene and that when
luxI
is absent the C8-HSL signal is sufficient to induce luminescence.

IMPORTANCE

The regulation of bioluminescence by
Vibrio fischeri
is a textbook example of bacterial quorum-dependent pheromone signaling. The canonical regulatory model is that an autoinducer pheromone produced by LuxI accumulates as cells achieve a high density, and this LuxI-generated signal stimulates LuxR to activate transcription of the lux operon that underlies bioluminescence. The surprising observation that LuxI is dispensable for inducing bioluminescence forces a re-evaluation of the role of
luxI
. More broadly, the results underscore the potential deceptiveness of complex regulatory circuits, particularly those in which bacteria produce multiple related signaling molecules.
Genome sequences of
Enterobacter asburiae mcr-9
harboring and
Enterobacter roggenkampii mcr-10
harboring isolated from a wastewater treatment plant in Japan
Authors: Izawa Hiroki , Eda Ryotaro , Niida Nagi , Nakamura Masaki , Furukawa Takashi , Sei Kazunari , Kubo Makoto , Suzuki Masato , Maehana Shotaro
Published: September 2024

Severe infections caused by multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative rods pose a clinical threat due to their high mortality risk. The global spread of plasmid-mediated colistin-resistance genes has become a serious problem. In this study, we identified
Enterobacter
spp. harboring
mcr-9
and
mcr-10
from a wastewater treatment plant in Japan.
Glycogen synthase activity in
Candida albicans
is partly controlled by the functional ortholog of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Gac1p
Authors: Miao Jian , Williams David L. , Kruppa Michael D. , Peters Brian M.
Published: September 2024

To adapt to various host microenvironments, the human fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
possesses the capacity to accumulate and store glycogen as an internal carbohydrate source. In the model yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
,
Sc
Glc7p and
Sc
Gac1p are the serine/threonine type 1 protein phosphatase catalytic and regulatory subunits that control glycogen synthesis by altering the phosphorylation state of the glycogen synthase Gsy2p. Despite recent delineation of the glycogen synthesis pathway in
C. albicans
, the molecular events driving synthase activation are currently undefined. In this study, using a combination of microbiologic and genetic techniques, we determined that the protein encoded by uncharacterized gene
C1_01140C
, and not the currently annotated
C. albicans
Gac1p, is the major regulatory subunit involved in glycogen synthesis. C1_01140Cp contains a conserved GVNK motif observed across multiple starch/glycogen-binding proteins in various species, and alanine substitution of each residue in this motif significantly impaired glycogen accumulation in
C. albicans
. Fluorescent protein tagging and microscopy indicated that C1_01140Cp-GFPy colocalized with
Ca
Glc7p-tdTomato and
Ca
Gsy1p-tdTomato accordingly. Co-immunoprecipitation assays further confirmed that C1_01140Cp associates with
Ca
Glc7p and
Ca
Gsy1p during glycogen synthesis. Lastly,
c1_01140c
Δ/Δ exhibited colonization defects in a murine model of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Collectively, our data indicate that uncharacterized C1_01140Cp is the functional ortholog of the PPP1R subunit
Sc
Gac1p in
C. albicans
.

IMPORTANCE

The capacity to synthesize glycogen offers microbes metabolic flexibility, including the fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
. In
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, dephosphorylation of glycogen synthase by the
Sc
Glc7p-containing phosphatase is a critical rate-limiting step in glycogen synthesis. Subunits, including
Sc
Gac1p, target
Sc
Glc7p to α-1,4-glucosyl primers for efficient
Sc
Gsy2p synthase activation. However, this process in
C. albicans
had not been delineated. Here, we show that the
C. albicans
genome encodes for two homologous phosphatase-binding subunits, annotated
Ca
Gac1p and uncharacterized C1_01140Cp, both containing a GVNK motif required for polysaccharide affinity. Surprisingly, loss of
Ca
Gac1p only moderately reduced glycogen accumulation, whereas loss of C1_01140Cp ablated it. Fluorescence microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation approaches revealed that C1_01140Cp associates with
Ca
Glc7p and
Ca
Gsy1p during glycogen synthesis. Moreover, C1_01140Cp contributed to fungal fitness at the vaginal mucosa during murine vaginitis. Therefore, this work demonstrates that glycogen synthase regulation is conserved in
C. albicans
and C1_01140Cp is the functional ortholog of
Sc
Gac1p.
Single-colony MALDI mass spectrometry imaging reveals spatial differences in metabolite abundance between natural and cultured
Trichodesmium
morphotypes
Authors: Romanowicz Karl J. , Zhang Futing , Wang Siyuan , Veličković Dušan , Chu Rosalie K. , Shaked Yeala , Boiteau Rene M.
Published: September 2024

Trichodesmium
, a globally significant N
2
-fixing marine cyanobacterium, forms extensive surface blooms in nutrient-poor ocean regions. These blooms consist of a dynamic assemblage of
Trichodesmium
species that form distinct colony morphotypes and are inhabited by diverse microorganisms.
Trichodesmium
colony morphotypes vary in ecological niche, nutrient uptake, and organic molecule release, differentially impacting ocean carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles. Here, we assessed the poorly studied spatial abundance of metabolites within and between three morphologically distinct
Trichodesmium
colonies collected from the Red Sea. We also compared these results with two morphotypes of the cultivable
Trichodesmium
strain IMS101. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) coupled with liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) tandem mass spectrometry (MS
2
), we identified and localized a wide range of small metabolites associated with single-colony
Trichodesmium
morphotypes. Our untargeted MALDI-MSI approach revealed 80 unique features (metabolites) shared between
Trichodesmium
morphotypes. Discrimination analysis showed spatial variations in 57 shared metabolites, accounting for 62% of the observed variation between morphotypes. The greatest variations in metabolite abundance were observed between the cultured morphotypes compared to the natural colony morphotypes, suggesting substantial differences in metabolite production between the cultivable strain IMS101 and the naturally occurring colony morphotypes that the cultivable strain is meant to represent. This study highlights the variations in metabolite abundance between natural and cultured
Trichodesmium
morphotypes and provides valuable insights into metabolites common to morphologically distinct
Trichodesmium
colonies, offering a foundation for future targeted metabolomic investigations.

IMPORTANCE

This work demonstrates that the application of spatial mass spectrometry imaging at single-colony resolution can successfully resolve metabolite differences between natural and cultured
Trichodesmium
morphotypes, shedding light on their distinct biochemical profiles. Understanding the morphological differences between
Trichodesmium
colonies is crucial because they impact nutrient uptake, organic molecule production, and carbon and nitrogen export, and subsequently influence ocean biogeochemical cycles. As such, our study serves as an important initial assessment of metabolite differences between distinct
Trichodesmium
colony types, identifying features that can serve as ideal candidates for future targeted metabolomic studies.
The role of dysbiotic gut mycobiota in modulating risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm
Authors: Yao Guixiang , Zhang Xinjie , Zhang Tongxue , Jin Jiajia , Qin Zihan , Ren Xiaoyu , Wang Xiaowei , Zhang Shucui , Yin Xianlun , Tian Zhenyu , Zhang Yun , Zhang Jingyong , Wang Zhe , Zhang Qunye
Published: September 2024

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a large-vessel disease with high mortality, characterized by complex pathogenic mechanisms. Current therapeutic approaches remain insufficient to halt its progression. Fungi are important members of the gut microbiota. However, their characteristic alterations and roles in AAA remain unclear. This study investigated the role of gut fungal communities in the development of AAA through metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples from 31 healthy individuals and 33 AAA patients. We observed significant dysbiosis in the gut mycobiomes of AAA patients compared to healthy individuals, characterized by an increase in pathogenic fungi like
Candida
species and a decrease in beneficial yeasts such as
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
. The changes in fungal populations correlated strongly with clinical indicators of AAA, highlighting their potential for diagnosing and predicting AAA progression. Furthermore, our animal experiments demonstrated that
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
significantly ameliorated pathological alterations in AAA mice, suggesting a protective role for specific yeast strains against AAA development. These findings underscore the significant impact of gut mycobiomes on AAA and suggest that modulating these fungal communities could offer a novel therapeutic approach. Our research advances the understanding of the influence of gut microbiome on vascular diseases and suggests potential non-surgical approaches for managing AAA. By elucidating the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of gut fungi in AAA, this study provided important clues for future clinical strategies and therapeutic developments in the field of vascular medicine.

IMPORTANCE

Our research highlights the crucial role of gut fungi in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development. By analyzing fecal samples from AAA patients and healthy controls, we discovered significant dysbiosis in gut fungal communities, characterized by an increase in harmful
Candida
species and a decrease in beneficial yeasts like
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
. This dysbiosis was correlated with the severity of AAA. Importantly, in animal experiments, supplementing with
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
significantly slowed AAA progression. These findings suggest that modulating gut fungi may offer a novel, non-surgical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of AAA, potentially reducing the need for invasive procedures.