bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Guided waves in a functionally graded 1-D hexagonal quasi-crystal plate with piezoelectric effect
Authors: Zhang Bo , Yu Jiangong , Zhou Hongmei , Zhang Xiaoming , Elmaimouni Lahoucine
Published: December 2021

For the purpose of design and optimization for piezoelectric quasi-crystal transducers, guided waves in a functionally graded 1-D hexagonal piezoelectric quasi-crystal plate are investigated. In this paper, a model combined with the Bak’s and elastohydrodynamic models is utilized to derive governing equations of wave motion, and real, pure imaginary, and complex roots of governing equations are calculated by using the modified Legendre polynomial method. Subsequently, dispersion curves and displacements of phonon and phason modes are illustrated. Then, guided waves in functionally graded 1-D hexagonal piezoelectric quasi-crystal plates with different quasi-periodic directions are studied. And the phonon-phason coupling effect on Lamb and SH waves are analyzed. Accordingly, some interesting results are obtained: The phonon-phason coupling just affects Lamb waves in the x- and z-direction quasi-crystal plates, and SH waves in the y-direction quasi-crystal plate. Besides, frequencies of propagative phason modes decrease as phonon-phason coupling coefficients Ri increase. Furthermore, a variation in the polarization has a more significant influence on phonon modes, and a variation in the quasi-periodic direction has a more significant influence on phason modes.
Enacting Woundedness and Compassionate Care for Recurrent Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Beach Wayne A.
Published: December 2021

This analysis integrates Arthur Frank’s timeless revelations about woundedness within the communication context of an oncology interview. A Patient whose life is threatened by recurrent metastatic breast cancer claims personal knowledge and visibly demonstrates impacts from illness experiences. Conversation Analysis (CA) was conducted on a video recorded and transcribed case study involving a Patient, her husband, and co-present oncologists. By focusing on narratives as talk-in-interaction, grounded exemplars are provided of primary interactional achievements: How woundedness gets displayed and responded to with empathy and compassionate witnessing; Patient’s flooding out with emotion and potential embarrassment; attempting to regain control and resume talking about her condition; and the serial organization of crying and laughter when managing noticeably delicate moments. In this interview, woundedness is not discounted or dismissed but recognized as legitimate suffering meriting shared commiseration. Understanding how to enact humane and communicatively competent skills during emotionally uncertain moments can enhance medical education.
How do Past, Present and Future Weigh into Trajectories of Precarity? The Time Perspectives of Young Psychoactive Substance Users Living in Situations of Social Precarity in Montreal
Authors: Wagner Vincent , Flores-Aranda Jorge , Villela Guilhon Ana Cecilia , Knight Shane , Bertrand Karine
Published: December 2021

Young psychoactive substance users in social precarity are vulnerable to a range of health and social issues. Time perspective is one aspect to consider in supporting change. This study draws on the views expressed by young adults to portray their subjective experience of time, how this perception evolves and its implications for their substance use and socio-occupational integration trajectories. The sample includes 23 young psychoactive substance users ( M = 24.65 years old; 83% male) in social precarity frequenting a community-based harm reduction centre. Thematic analysis of the interviews reveals the past to be synonymous with disappointment and disillusionment, but also a constructive force. Participants expressed their present-day material and human needs as well as their need for recognition and a sense of control over their own destiny. Their limited ability to project into the future was also discussed. Avenues on how support to this population might be adapted are suggested.
Vibration-reduction optimization of the point-supporting floating-slab track based on local resonance mechanism
Authors: Jin Hao , Wang Hongying , Li Zheng , Zhou Xin
Published: December 2021

With the continuous increase of subway operating mileage, the problem of subway vibration has become more and more significant. Nowadays, the point-supported floating-slab track is recognized as the best method to control track vibration, which is mainly designed based on the mass-spring-damping theory. How to further improve the vibration control ability of the point-supported floating-slab track? In this paper, a new type of rubber point-supported floating slab track is designed based on the local resonance theory. Through calculation and dynamic test, it is obtained as follows: (1) The band gap of the point support structure by local resonance type depends on the two vertical vibration modes. (2) As the elastic modulus of the cladding layer increases, the bandwidth of the band gap of the corresponding structure increases significantly. (3) The increase of the vibrator density can increase the bandwidth, while reducing the start and stop frequencies, which is beneficial to attenuate the resonance of the floating-slab track. (4) The cushion material parameters of point support structure by local resonance type 2 will not affect the band gap. The increase in sleeve density will reduce the band gap, which is not conducive to vibration reduction. Local resonance type floating-slab track will be the development direction of track vibration-reduction measures in the future.
Free-to-Fee Transformation of Industrial Services
Authors: Mustak Mekhail , Ulaga Wolfgang , Grohmann Marcella , von Wangenheim Florian
Published: December 2021

Industrial firms venturing into services is a common phenomenon in B2B markets. However, companies are often unable to monetize many such services, thus incurring high costs of service provision without benefiting from revenue generation in return. To address this critical but little-studied problem, we investigate how industrial firms can transform existing free services into for-fee offerings. Employing a theories-in-use approach, we explore leading global firms via a cross-section of B2B industries, including automotive, maritime, material handling, medical equipment, mining and construction tools, and petrochemicals. Contingent on the empirics, we precisely characterize and define free industrial services. Based on the internal and external challenges that firms face in free-to-fee (F2F) transformations, we develop a typology classifying free services into four distinct categories: Front-runners, Tugs of War, In-house Shackles, and Dead Ends. For each category, we provide empirical illustrations and identify critical actions and activities that firms deploy to successfully implement F2F transformations along the dimensions of structures, processes, people, and rewards. Thus, we offer guidance on how to overcome both external and internal challenges. Our findings demonstrate that F2F transformations of industrial services are not isolated marketing, sales, or pricing activities but require a concerted effort among all organizational functions involved.
Effectiveness of resilience training on social self-efficacy of the elementary school girls during COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Gadari Shima , Farokhzadian Jamileh , Mangolian shahrbabaki Parvin
Published: December 2021

Children, especially girls, are more vulnerable during crises, who need to acquire skills such as social self-efficacy to meet the challenges of the environment. Given that, much progress has been made in e-learning; its capabilities can be used to promote children’s health. This study aimed to determine the effect of virtual resilience training on the social self-efficacy of elementary school girls. This experimental study was performed on primary school girls aged 9–10 years in southeastern Iran. Students were selected by convenience sampling and divided into intervention ( n = 40) and control ( n = 37) groups by using randomized allocation. The Children’s Social Self-Efficacy in Peer Interaction Scale was used for data collection before, immediately, and one month after the intervention. No significant difference was found between the two groups of intervention and control in the score of social self-efficacy before the intervention. However, the score of students in the intervention group improved immediately and one month after the intervention, and a significant difference was observed between the two groups ( p = .0001). Virtual resilience training has improved the social self-efficacy of elementary school girls and facing challenges is inevitable in today’s world, so resilience training seems necessary to prevent social and psychological harm in such children.
Constructing hierarchies of victimhood: Queer male survivors' evaluations of sexual assault survivors
Authors: Meyer Doug
Published: December 2021

The author employs a critical sexualities approach and draws on feminist theories of sexual assault to examine queer male survivors’ constructions of hierarchies of victimhood. Results, based on in-depth interviews conducted with 60 queer male survivors, reveal that participants most commonly responded to questions concerning hierarchies of victimhood by arguing that sexual assault is taken more seriously when it happens to women than to men. The second most common response involved participants constructing other queer male survivors as blameworthy, invoking a stereotype of a feminized queer man seeking consensual sex. In light of these findings, the author argues for greater attention toward building solidarity among survivors across the lines of gender and sexuality and for further feminist, sex critical interventions that challenge the pathologizing of male femininity and consensual sex.
U.S. Family Law Along the Slippery Slope: the limits of a sexual rights strategy for polyamorous parents
Authors: Rhoten Kimberly , Sheff Elisabeth , D. Lane Jonathan
Published: December 2021

Families in the United States are rapidly changing, and the normative familial model of two married, monogamous, heterosexual parents with children no longer reflects the majority of U.S. families. Nonetheless, state incentive-based policies and discriminatory family laws continue to enforce heteronormative monogamy. Recent changes to the U.S. legal landscape have produced limited formal recognition and protections for same-sex couples and LGBTQ parents, and even these narrow rights are withheld from other diverse familial configurations including families with polyamorous parents. This article uses the concept of sexual citizenship to frame the analysis of U.S. family courts’ normative construction of family, identifying striking parallels between family courts’ historical and contemporary prejudicial treatment of LGBTQ parents and the institution’s similar delegitimization and denigration of polyamorous parents today. This paper reviews polyamorous parents’ efforts towards achieving legal and societal legitimatization, finding significant parallels with legal strategies LGBTQ parents utilized to seek legal recognition and protection prior to federal recognition of same-sex marriage. This paper highlights the inadequacies of such a formal sexual citizenship approach, finding that a limited strategy of accumulating specific sexual rights fails to address non-monogamy’s more radical cultural presence as well as the (non-legal) informal aspects of belonging needed to improve the livability of polyamorous parents’ and their children’s lives. This paper concludes with recommendations for improving the treatment of non-traditional families including LGBTQ, polyamorous, and other blended families, both within and outside the legal institution.
Moving in and out of the European cultural space: Southeast European encounters with the Creative Europe programme
Authors: Vos Claske
Published: December 2021

In 2014, the European Commission opened the Creative Europe programme to non–European Union states. In doing so, their intention was to provide cultural actors outside the European Union with the opportunity of engaging in a larger European cultural space, leading to new forms of European belonging. This article examines the functioning of this programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia, and it analyses what forms of belonging emerged in the process. After revealing the reasons behind engaging in the programme and mapping experiences of participation, the article concludes that the programme is not only an opportunity to (re)connect with the larger European community, but for many participants it is also a form of confrontation with persisting inequalities and their marginal position within Europe. Their experience of participating in the European cultural space is directly tied to the overlapping social, cultural and political spaces of which they are part. This confirms Lefebvre’s analysis that spaces are inseparable and that newly created spaces cannot be emptied of traces of social relations in other spaces.
Journalists as mobility agents: Labor mobilities, individualized identities, and emerging organizational forms
Authors: Reyna Víctor Hugo
Published: December 2021

As mobility is becoming a distinctive feature of 21st century journalists, this theoretical article proposes a mobility turn in journalism studies. Drawing on sociological perspectives on mobilities, individualization, and turnover, it puts forward a shift from the analysis of news workers as static and fixed to the organizations that employ them to their analysis as mobility agents. By stressing that their capacity to move is transforming their employment and identities, it invites contemporary journalism scholars to recognize how this bottom-up disruption is reshaping the institution, the organizations and the labor of journalism. Since journalism’s corporate and industrial structures have not fully crumbled, this article’s emphasis on labor, physical and virtual mobilities offers an alternative to current theorizations of change in journalism.
Deepfakes, misinformation and disinformation and authenticity infrastructure responses: Impacts on frontline witnessing, distant witnessing, and civic journalism
Authors: Gregory Sam
Published: December 2021

Frontline witnessing and civic journalism are impacted by the rhetoric and the reality of misinformation and disinformation. This essay highlights key insights from activities of the human rights and civic journalism network WITNESS, as they seek to prepare for new forms of media manipulation, such as deepfakes, and to ensure that an emergent “authenticity infrastructure” is in place to respond to global needs for reliable information without creating additional harms. Based on global consultations on perceived threats and prioritized solutions, their efforts are primarily targeted towards synthetic media and deepfakes, which not only facilitate audiovisual falsification (including non-consensual sexual images) but also, by being embedded in societal dynamics of surveillance and civil society suppression, they challenge real footage and so undermine the credibility of civic media and frontline witnessing (also known as “liar’s dividend”). They do this within a global context where journalists and some distant witness investigators self-identify as lacking relevant skills and capacity, and face inequity in access to detection technologies. Within this context, “authenticity infrastructure” tracks media provenance, integrity, and manipulation from camera to edit to distribution, and so comes to provide “verification subsidies” that enable distant witnesses to properly interpret eye-witness footage. This “authenticity infrastructure” and related tools are rapidly moving from niche to mainstream in the form of initiatives the Content Authenticity Initiative and Coalition for Content Authenticity and Provenance, raising key questions about who participates in the production and dissemination of audiovisual information, under what circumstances and to which effect for whom. Provenance risks being weaponized unless key concerns are integrated into infrastructure proposals and implementation. Data may be used against vulnerable witnesses, or the absence of a trail, for legitimate privacy and technological access reasons, used to undermine credibility. Regulatory and extra-legal co-option are also a fear as securitized “fake news” laws proliferate. The investigation of both phenomena, deepfakes and emergent authenticity infrastructure(s), this paper argues, is important as it highlights the risks related  both to the “information disorder” of deepfakes as they challenge the credibility and safety of frontline witnesses  and to responses to such “disorder,” as they risk worsening inequities in access to tools for mitigation or increasing exposure to harms from technology infrastructure.
Book Review: Berberoglu, B. editor. 2019: The Palgrave Handbook of Social Movements, Revolution, and Social Transformation
Authors: Regkoukos George
Published: December 2021

Berberoglu, B. editor. 2019: The Palgrave Handbook of Social Movements, Revolution, and Social Transformation. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. 479 pp. £133.99 (hardcover), £99.99 (paperback), £79.50 (eBook). ISBN: 978-3-319-92353-6 (hardcover), 978-3-030-06414 3 (paperback), 978-3-319-92354-3 (eBook).
Modeling of an aircraft structural health monitoring sensor network for operational impact assessment
Authors: Büchter Kai-Daniel , Sebastia Saez Carlos , Steinweg Dominik
Published: December 2021

Structural health monitoring (SHM) of aircraft components can improve maintenance operations, potentially reducing costs for inspections, unscheduled maintenance events, and unexpected delays. On the other hand, aircraft safety and net present value can be adversely influenced by false alarms, missed detections, system costs, and weight and power requirements of the SHM system. In order to gain a better understanding into the latter, we present a weight and power model for a sensor network, comprising sensors, interrogators, data collectors, and wiring. We assess the net benefit of using SHM in terms of reduced expenditure as function of network coverage, considering a corresponding potential in reducing the inspection effort.
Indonesian antenatal nutrition education: A qualitative study of healthcare professional views
Authors: Rahmawati Widya , van der Pligt Paige , Worsley Anthony , Willcox Jane C
Published: December 2021

Background:

Early lifestyle intervention, including antenatal nutrition education, is required to reduce the triple burden of malnutrition. Understanding healthcare professionals’ views and experiences is essential for improving future nutrition education programmes for Indonesian pregnant women. This study aimed to investigate the views of Indonesian antenatal healthcare professionals regarding nutrition education for pregnant women and the improvements required to provide more effective antenatal nutrition education.

Methods:

A descriptive qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews was conducted with 24 healthcare professionals, including nutritionists ( n = 10), midwives ( n = 9) and obstetricians ( n = 5) in Malang, Indonesia, between December 2018 and January 2019. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results:

The study identified four main themes. First, healthcare professionals were aware of the importance of providing antenatal nutrition education, which included supporting its targeted delivery. Second, there were differing views on who should provide nutrition education. Most midwives and obstetricians viewed nutritionists as the prime nutrition education provider. Nutritionists were confident in their capability to provide nutrition education. However, some nutritionists reported that only a few women visited primary health centres and received nutrition counselling via this pathway. Third, healthcare professionals revealed some barriers in providing education for women. These barriers included a limited number of nutritionists, lack of consistent guidelines, lack of healthcare professionals’ nutrition knowledge and lack of time during antenatal care services. Fourth, participants expressed the need to strengthen some system elements, including reinforcing collaboration, developing guidelines, and enhancing capacity building to improve future antenatal nutrition education.

Conclusions:

Healthcare professionals play a central role in the provision of antenatal nutrition education. This study highlighted the importance of educational models that incorporate various antenatal nutrition education delivery strategies. These methods include maximizing referral systems and optimizing education through multiple delivery methods, from digital modes to traditional face-to-face nutrition education in pregnancy classes and community-based health services.
The Right to Meaning: A Syrian Case Study
Authors: Al Azmeh Zeina
Published: December 2021

This article unsettles what the literature describes as the ‘central paradox’ of cultural trauma theory: the idea that while atrocities are most prevalent in the ‘non-western world’, successful cultural traumas have primarily emerged in western societies. Examining the engagement of exiled Syrian intellectuals with the traumatic events of the 2011 revolution-turned-war in their country, the author argues that it is not a failure in the ‘cultural trauma process’ itself that prevents horrific events in non-western contexts from becoming recognised as cultural traumas. Instead, it is the failure to translate narratives of wrongdoing into formal acknowledgements and material or symbolic reparations. This failure is articulated by Syrian intellectuals as a ‘denial of meaning’. Many Syrian intellectuals construed the emancipatory demands of the Syrian uprising as claims for a right to meaning, that is, demands to restore language and existential purpose through public engagement and the revival of politics and speech. Equally, they saw as ‘denial of meaning’ the reality that their trauma work did not prevent the endurance and gradual rehabilitation of the regime but was met instead with the relegation of the movement to the agenda of the War on Terror. Thus, building on the discourses of exiled Syrian intellectuals, the article presents the idea of the right to meaning as a framework for understanding global inequality. Such a framework rests on a perceived dichotomy between those entitled to ‘meaning’ and those whose lives are accepted and treated as devoid of it or denied it.
Time Matters: Knee Cartilage Defect Expansion and High-Grade Lesion Formation while Awaiting Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation
Authors: Pettit Robert J. , Everhart Joshua S. , DiBartola Alex C. , Blackwell Ryan E. , Flanigan David C.
Published: December 2021

Objective

The objective of this study was to assess potential risk factors, including time delay until implantation, for knee cartilage defect expansion or new high-grade defect formation between biopsy and Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI) or Matrix Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (MACI).

Study design

Consecutive knee ACI and MACI cases by a single surgeon ( n = 111) were reviewed. The relationship between time between biopsy and staged implantation and (1) progression in primary cartilage defect size and (2) development of a new high-grade (Outerbridge grade ≥3) cartilage defect were determined with adjustment for demographics, body mass index, smoking status, coronal alignment, initial cartilage status, and prior surgery.

Results

Average size of the primary defect at time of biopsy was 4.50 cm2. Mean time to chondrocyte implantation was 155 days. Defect expansion increased 0.11 cm2 (standard error = 0.03) per month delay to implantation ( P = 0.001). Independent predictors of defect expansion were male sex, smaller initial defect size, and delay to implantation (adjusted mean = 0.15 cm2 expansion per month). A total of 16.2% of patients ( n = 18/111) developed a new high-grade defect. Independent predictors of a new secondary defect were Outerbridge grade 2 changes (vs. 0-1) on the surface opposing the index defect and delayed implantation (per month increase, adjusted odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.44; P = 0.036).

Conclusions

Patients undergoing 2-stage cell-based cartilage restoration with either ACI or MACI demonstrated long delays between stages of surgery, placing them at risk for expanding defects and development of new high-grade cartilage defects. Patients who were male, had smaller initial defect size, and longer time between surgeries were at greater risk for defect expansion.

Level of Evidence

III, retrospective comparative study.
Tissue engineering of the retina: from organoids to microfluidic chips
Authors: Marcos Luis F , Wilson Samantha L , Roach Paul
Published: December 2021

Despite advancements in tissue engineering, challenges remain for fabricating functional tissues that incorporate essential features including vasculature and complex cellular organisation. Monitoring of engineered tissues also raises difficulties, particularly when cell population maturity is inherent to function. Microfluidic, or lab-on-a-chip, platforms address the complexity issues of conventional 3D models regarding cell numbers and functional connectivity. Regulation of biochemical/biomechanical conditions can create dynamic structures, providing microenvironments that permit tissue formation while quantifying biological processes at a single cell level. Retinal organoids provide relevant cell numbers to mimic in vivo spatiotemporal development, where conventional culture approaches fail. Modern bio-fabrication techniques allow for retinal organoids to be combined with microfluidic devices to create anato-physiologically accurate structures or ‘ retina-on-a-chip’ devices that could revolution ocular sciences. Here we present a focussed review of retinal tissue engineering, examining the challenges and how some of these have been overcome using organoids, microfluidics, and bioprinting technologies.
Employment Discrimination Charge Rates: Variation and Sources
Authors: Tomaskovic-Devey Donald , McCann Carly
Published: December 2021

The authors document variation in charge rates by demographic basis, observe basis and spatial variation in charge rates, and examine potential sources of this variation. The authors find that discrimination charge rates are much higher for the disabled and African Americans than for women, people older than 40 years, Hispanics, Asians, immigrants, and men, and there is dramatic state-level variation in charge rates. Possible explanations for this variation include access to legal representation, post-complaint employer retaliation, job loss, rights consciousness, and variations in charge outcomes. Findings point toward regulatory outcomes mandating changes in employer behavior as the only robust antecedent to discrimination charge filing. Unfortunately remedies targeting employer behavior are rare, while employer retaliation and firing are common. Neither access to law nor the frequency of monetary damages are associated with charge filing. Rights consciousness is associated with more discrimination charge filings, but only on the bases of disability.
Kinetic Characterization of Human Histone Deacetylase 8 With Medium-Chain Fatty Acyl Lysine
Authors: Yoo Harrison , Polsinelli Gregory A
Published: December 2021

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) catalyze the removal of Ɛ-acetyl-lysine residues of histones via hydrolysis. Removal of acetyl groups results in condensation of chromatin structure and alteration of gene expression by repression. HDACs are considered targets for the treatment of cancer due to their role in regulating transcription. HDAC8 inhibition may be an important anti-proliferative factor for histone deacetylase inhibitors on cancer cells and may give rise to the progression of apoptosis. HDAC8 activity was analyzed with various peptides where the target lysine is modified with medium-chain fatty acyl group. Kinetic data were determined for each p53 peptide substrate. The results suggest that there was HDAC8 deacetylase activity on peptide substrate as well as deacylase activity with acylated peptide substrate variants. HDAC8 inhibition by hexanoic and decanoic acid was also examined. The Ki for hexanoic and decanoic acid were determined to be 2.35 ± 0.341 and 4.48 ± 0.221 mM, respectively.
How Inclusive Is the Transgender Persons Act? Evidence From the Ground
Authors: Pandey Deeksha , Sivakami Muthusamy
Published: December 2021

The transgender community of India faces numerous challenges and is struggling hard for their survival. They generally beg at signals, impart blessings at religious ceremonies, and engage in sex work for their livelihood. A majority of the individuals of this community belong to low or lower-middle socioeconomic strata. For older adults, survival becomes very hard as they do not have any biological filial relationships or access to formal, steady employment like most of the heteronormative population. It is difficult for the younger transgender women within a gharana (adoptive family) to nourish the elderly and care for all financial needs. Despite the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, hardly any research focuses on the needs of older adults. The authors have attempted to bring the attention of academic researchers and policymakers to one of the most vulnerable communities using a case study of an elderly transgender.
Planning and Decision-making for Connected Autonomous Vehicles at Road Intersections: A Review
Authors: Li Shen , Shu Keqi , Chen Chaoyi , Cao Dongpu
Published: December 2021

Planning and decision-making technology at intersections is a comprehensive research problem in intelligent transportation systems due to the uncertainties caused by a variety of traffic participants. As wireless communication advances, vehicle infrastructure integrated algorithms designed for intersection planning and decision-making have received increasing attention. In this paper, the recent studies on the planning and decision-making technologies at intersections are primarily overviewed. The general planning and decision-making approaches are presented, which include graph-based approach, prediction base approach, optimization-based approach and machine learning based approach. Since connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) is the future direction for the automated driving area, we summarized the evolving planning and decision-making methods based on vehicle infrastructure cooperative technologies. Both four-way signalized and unsignalized intersection(s) are investigated under purely automated driving traffic and mixed traffic. The study benefit from current strategies, protocols, and simulation tools to help researchers identify the presented approaches’ challenges and determine the research gaps, and several remaining possible research problems that need to be solved in the future.
MiR-26b-5p inhibits cell proliferation and EMT by targeting MYCBP in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Ma Sugang , Wei Hui , Wang Chunyan , Han Jixia , Chen Xiumin , Li Yang
Published: December 2021

Background

The study was designed to elucidate the association and functional roles of miR-26b-5p and c-MYC binding protein (MYCBP) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Method

Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the relationship between miR-26b-5p and MYCBP in TNBC cells. The expression levels of miR-26b-5p and MYCBP in tissue specimens and cell lines were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed using CCK-8 assay, colony formation and transwell assay.

Results

We first observed that miR-26b-5p directly targets the 3′-UTR of MYCBP to inhibit MYCBP expression in MDA-MB-468 and BT-549 cells. The expression of miR-26b-5p was inversely correlated with MYCBP expression in TNBC tissues. We further demonstrated that MYCBP knockdown suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of TNBC cells. Furthermore, MYCBP overexpression counteracted the suppressive effect of miR-26b-5p on TNBC cell behaviors. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the E-cadherin protein level was increased, while protein levels of N-cadherin and vimentin were decreased in cells transfected with miR-26b-5p, which were all reversed by ectopic expression of MYCBP.

Conclusions

In summary, our findings revealed the tumor suppressive role of miR-26b-5p in regulating TNBC cell proliferation and mobility, possibly by targeting MYCBP.
Nano and Battery Anode: A Review
Authors: Majdi Hasan Sh. , Latipov Zagir Azgarovich , Borisov Vitaliy , Yuryevna Nedorezova Olga , Kadhim Mustafa M. , Suksatan Wanich , Khlewee Ibrahim Hammoud , Kianfar Ehsan
Published: December 2021

Improving the anode properties, including increasing its capacity, is one of the basic necessities to improve battery performance. In this paper, high-capacity anodes with alloy performance are introduced, then the problem of fragmentation of these anodes and its effect during the cyclic life is stated. Then, the effect of reducing the size to the nanoscale in solving the problem of fragmentation and improving the properties is discussed, and finally the various forms of nanomaterials are examined. In this paper, electrode reduction in the anode, which is a nanoscale phenomenon, is described. The negative effects of this phenomenon on alloy anodes are expressed and how to eliminate these negative effects by preparing suitable nanostructures will be discussed. Also, the anodes of the titanium oxide family are introduced and the effects of Nano on the performance improvement of these anodes are expressed, and finally, the quasi-capacitive behavior, which is specific to Nano, will be introduced. Finally, the third type of anodes, exchange anodes, is introduced and their function is expressed. The effect of Nano on the reversibility of these anodes is mentioned. The advantages of nanotechnology for these electrodes are described. In this paper, it is found that nanotechnology, in addition to the common effects such as reducing the penetration distance and modulating the stress, also creates other interesting effects in this type of anode, such as capacitive quasi-capacitance, changing storage mechanism and lower volume change.
Exploring injury severity of pedestrian-vehicle crashes at intersections: unbalanced panel mixed ordered probit model
Authors: Šarić Željko , Xu Xuecai , Xiao Daiquan , Vrkljan Joso
Published: December 2021

Although the pedestrian deaths have been declining in recent years, the pedestrian-vehicle death rate in Croatia is still pretty high. This study intended to explore the injury severity of pedestrian-vehicle crashes with panel mixed ordered probit model and identify the influencing factors at intersections. To achieve this objective, the data were collected from Ministry of the Interior, Republic of Croatia from 2015 to 2018. Compared to the equivalent random-effects and random parameter ordered probit models, the proposed model showed better performance on goodness-of-fit, while capturing the impact of exogenous variables to vary among the intersections, as well as accommodating the heterogeneity issue due to unobserved effects. Results revealed that the proposed model can be considered as an alternative to deal with the heterogeneity issue and to decide the factor determinants. The results may provide beneficial insight for reducing the injury severity of pedestrian-vehicle crashes.
Runs of homozygosity in the Italian goat breeds: impact of management practices in low-input systems
Authors: Cortellari Matteo , Bionda Arianna , Negro Alessio , Frattini Stefano , Mastrangelo Salvatore , Somenzi Elisa , Lasagna Emiliano , Sarti Francesca M. , Ciani Elena , Ciampolini Roberta , Marletta Donata , Liotta Luigi , Ajmone Marsan Paolo , Pilla Fabio , Colli Licia , Talenti Andrea , Crepaldi Paola
Published: December 2021

Background

Climate and farming systems, several of which are considered as low-input agricultural systems, vary between goat populations from Northern and Southern Italy and have led to different management practices. These processes have impacted genome shaping in terms of inbreeding and regions under selection and resulted in differences between the northern and southern populations. Both inbreeding and signatures of selection can be pinpointed by the analysis of runs of homozygosity (ROH), which provides useful information to assist the management of this species in different rural areas.

Results

We analyzed the ROH distribution and inbreeding (FROH) in 902 goats from the Italian Goat Consortium2 dataset. We evaluated the differences in individual ROH number and length between goat breeds from Northern (NRD) and Central-southern (CSD) Italy. Then, we identified the signatures of selection that differentiate these two groups using three methods: ROH, ΔROH, and averaged FST. ROH analyses showed that some Italian goat breeds have a lower inbreeding coefficient, which is attributable to their management and history. ROH are longer in breeds that are undergoing non-optimal management or with small population size. In several small breeds, the ROH length classes are balanced, reflecting more accurate mating planning. The differences in climate and management between the NRD and CSD groups have resulted in different ROH lengths and numbers: the NRD populations bred in isolated valleys present more and shorter ROH segments, while the CSD populations have fewer and longer ROH, which is likely due to the fact that they have undergone more admixture events during the horizontal transhumance practice followed by a more recent standardization. We identified four genes within signatures of selection on chromosome 11 related to fertility in the NRD group, and 23 genes on chromosomes 5 and 6 related to growth in the CSD group. Finally, we identified 17 genes on chromosome 12 related to environmental adaptation and body size with high homozygosity in both groups.

Conclusions

These results show how different management practices have impacted the level of genomic inbreeding in two Italian goat groups and could be useful to assist management in a low-input system while safeguarding the diversity of small populations.
Interaction between Rag genes results in a unique synergistic transcriptional response that enhances soybean resistance to soybean aphids
Authors: Natukunda Martha I. , Hohenstein Jessica D. , McCabe Chantal E. , Graham Michelle A. , Qi Yunhui , Singh Asheesh K. , MacIntosh Gustavo C.
Published: December 2021

Background

Pyramiding different resistance genes into one plant genotype confers enhanced resistance at the phenotypic level, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are not well-understood. In soybean, aphid resistance is conferred by Rag genes. We compared the transcriptional response of four soybean genotypes to aphid feeding to assess how the combination of Rag genes enhanced the soybean resistance to aphid infestation.

Results

A strong synergistic interaction between Rag1 and Rag2, defined as genes differentially expressed only in the pyramid genotype, was identified. This synergistic effect in the Rag1/2 phenotype was very evident early (6 h after infestation) and involved unique biological processes. However, the response of susceptible and resistant genotypes had a large overlap 12 h after aphid infestation. Transcription factor (TF) analyses identified a network of interacting TF that potentially integrates signaling from Rag1 and Rag2 to produce the unique Rag1/2 response. Pyramiding resulted in rapid induction of phytochemicals production and deposition of lignin to strengthen the secondary cell wall, while repressing photosynthesis. We also identified Glyma.07G063700 as a novel, strong candidate for the Rag1 gene.

Conclusions

The synergistic interaction between Rag1 and Rag2 in the Rag1/2 genotype can explain its enhanced resistance phenotype. Understanding molecular mechanisms that support enhanced resistance in pyramid genotypes could facilitate more directed approaches for crop improvement.
Biological factors in the synthetic construction of overlapping genes
Authors: Wichmann Stefan , Scherer Siegfried , Ardern Zachary
Published: December 2021

Background

Overlapping genes (OLGs) with long protein-coding overlapping sequences are disallowed by standard genome annotation programs, outside of viruses. Recently however they have been discovered in Archaea, diverse Bacteria, and Mammals. The biological factors underlying life’s ability to create overlapping genes require more study, and may have important applications in understanding evolution and in biotechnology. A previous study claimed that protein domains from viruses were much better suited to forming overlaps than those from other cellular organisms - in this study we assessed this claim, in order to discover what might underlie taxonomic differences in the creation of gene overlaps.

Results

After overlapping arbitrary Pfam domain pairs and evaluating them with Hidden Markov Models we find OLG construction to be much less constrained than expected. For instance, close to 10% of the constructed sequences cannot be distinguished from typical sequences in their protein family. Most are also indistinguishable from natural protein sequences regarding identity and secondary structure. Surprisingly, contrary to a previous study, virus domains were much less suitable for designing OLGs than bacterial or eukaryotic domains were. In general, the amount of amino acid change required to force a domain to overlap is approximately equal to the variation observed within a typical domain family. The resulting high similarity between natural sequences and those altered so as to overlap is mostly due to the combination of high redundancy in the genetic code and the evolutionary exchangeability of many amino acids.

Conclusions

Synthetic overlapping genes which closely resemble natural gene sequences, as measured by HMM profiles, are remarkably easy to construct, and most arbitrary domain pairs can be altered so as to overlap while retaining high similarity to the original sequences. Future work however will need to assess important factors not considered such as intragenic interactions which affect protein folding. While the analysis here is not sufficient to guarantee functional folding proteins, further analysis of constructed OLGs will improve our understanding of the origin of these remarkable genetic elements across life and opens up exciting possibilities for synthetic biology.
Characterization of virulence factors of Salmonella isolated from human stools and street food in urban areas of Burkina Faso
Authors: Nikiema Marguerite E. M. , Kakou-ngazoa Solange , Ky/Ba Absatou , Sylla Aboubacar , Bako Evariste , Addablah Ameyo Yayra Audrey , Ouoba Jean Bienvenue , Sampo Emmanuel , Gnada Kobo , Zongo Oumarou , Traoré Kuan Abdoulaye , Sanou Adama , Bonkoungou Isidore Juste Ouindgueta , Ouédraogo Rasmata , Barro Nicolas , Sangaré Lassana
Published: December 2021

Background

This study was undertaken to identify and functionally characterize virulence genes fromSalmonellaisolates in street food and stool cultures. From February 2017 to May 2018, clinical and foodSalmonellastrains were isolated in three regions in Burkina Faso.Salmonellawas serotyped according to the White-Kauffmann-Le Minor method, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detecinvA,spvR,spvC,fimAandstnvirulence genes commonly associated with salmonellosis in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Results

A total of 106Salmonellaisolates (77 human stools; 14 sandwiches) was analyzed using a serological identification with an O-group test reagent. The presence ofSalmonellawas confirmed in 86% (91/106) of the samples were reactive (OMA-positive/OMB-positive).Salmonellaserogroup O:4,5 was the most common serogroup detected (40%; 36/91).SalmonellaEnteritidis and Typhimurium represented 5.5% (5/91) and 3.3% (3/91), respectively and were identified only from clinical isolates. Furthermore, 14 serotypes ofSalmonella(12/91 human strains and 2/15 sandwich strains) were evocative of Kentucky/Bargny serotype. For the genetic profile, 66% (70/106) of theSalmonellahadinvA andstngenes; 77.4% (82/106) had thefimA gene. ThespvR gene was found in 36.8% (39/106) of the isolates while 48.1% (51/106) had thespvC gene. Among the identifiedSalmonellaEnteritidis andSalmonellaTyphimurium isolated from stools, the virulence genes detected wereinvA (3/5) versus (2/3),fimA (4/5) versus (3/3),stn(3/5) versus (2/3),spvR (4/5) versus (2/3) andspvC (3/5) versus (2/3), respectively.

Conclusion

This study reports the prevalence ofSalmonellaserotypes and virulence genes in clinical isolates and in street foods. It shows that food could be a significant source ofSalmonellatransmission to humans. Our results could help decision-making by the Burkina Faso health authority in the fight against street food-related diseases, in particular by training restaurateurs in food hygiene.
Prevalence of Blastocystis and its association with Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in clinically healthy and metabolically ill subjects
Authors: Yañez Claudia Muñoz , Hernández Alejandra Méndez , Sandoval Alondra Martínez , Domínguez María Aurora Maravilla , Muñiz Soraya Amalí Zavaleta , Gómez Janeth Oliva Guangorena
Published: December 2021

Background

Blastocystis is a typical anaerobic colon protist in humans with controversial pathogenicity and has relation with alterations in the intestinal microbiota composition (dysbiosis), whose eventual indicator is the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio); this indicator is also linked to complications such as diabetes, obesity, or inflammatory bowel disease. The present study investigated the prevalence of Blastocystis and its association with Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in healthy and metabolic diseased subjects.

Methods

Fecal and blood samples were collected consecutively from 200 healthy subjects and 84 subjects with metabolic disease; Blastocystis and its most frequent subtypes were identified by end-point PCR and the two most representative phyla of the intestinal microbiota Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes by real-time PCR.

Results

The prevalence of Blastocystis in healthy subjects was 47.0, and 65.48% in subjects with metabolic disease; the most prevalent subtype in the total population was ST3 (28.38%), followed by ST1 (14.86%), ST4, ST5, and ST7 (each one of them with 14.19% respectively), and finally ST2 (8.78%). The low F/B ratio was associated with the prevalence of Blastocystis in the two cohorts FACSA (OR = 3.78 p < 0.05) and UNEME (OR = 4.29 p < 0.05). Regarding the subtype level, an association between the FACSA cohort ST1 and ST7 with low Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was found (OR = 3.99 and 5.44 p < 0.05, respectively).

Conclusions

The evident predatory role of Blastocystis over Firmicutes phylum was observed in both cohorts since the abundance of bacterial group’s Bacteroidetes increases in the groups colonized by this eukaryote and, therefore, may have a beneficial effect.