bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Growth and adhesion inhibition of pathogenic bacteria by live and heat-killed food-origin Lactobacillus strains or their supernatants
Authors: Zielińska Dorota , Łepecka Anna , Ołdak Aleksandra , Długosz Ewa , Kołożyn-Krajewska Danuta 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The study aimed to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively the antimicrobial capacity of 10 potential probiotic Lactobacillus strains against model enteropathogens and spoilage microorganisms. The probiotic strains (live and heat-killed forms) were also assessed for their ability to inhibit adhesion of selected pathogens to Caco-2 cells. The largest inhibition zones (the diffusion method) were connected with the usage of whole bacteria cultures (WBC), also high and moderate with cell-free supernatant (CFS) and the lowest with cell-free neutralized supernatant (CNS). The highest antagonistic activity of Lactobacillus strains was observed against L. monocytogenes strains, moderate activity against Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas and, the lowest against S.aureus, Bacillus and Enterococcus. The inhibition of adhesion to Caco-2 cells was very high in the case of E. coli, Salmonella and L. monocytogenes, and moderate in the case of S.aureus. On average, the inhibition effect was higher when pathogenic bacteria were treated by WBC, than heat-killed Lactobacillus. Although, in most samples, the effect was not significantly different (P&gt; 0.05). The strains Lb. brevis O24 and Lb. rhamnosus K3 showed the biggest overall antimicrobial properties, and were most effective in adherence inhibition of investigated indicator strains. These bacteria or their metabolites can be used for the production of various foods or pharmaceutical products.
Is the Machecoul fault the source of the ∼M6 1799 Vendée earthquake (France)?
Authors: Kaub C , Geoffroy L , Bollinger L , Perrot J , Le Roy P , Authemayou C 
Published: February 2021

SUMMARYThe ∼M6 1799 Bouin earthquake is considered as one of the largest earthquakes to have struck Western France. However, the seismogenic source potentially responsible for this event remain marginally documented. We present results from a focused offshore-onshore multidisciplinary survey in its meizoseismal area in order to identify the fault segments that potentially ruptured during this earthquake. Based on macroseismic data and the geology, we focused our study on the so-called Machecoul Fault as a potential source of the 1799 Bouin event. Our survey includes extensive high-resolution seismic reflection, high resolution bathymetry and a 1-yr seismological survey. These data were combined with existing topography, onshore gravity data and drill data to document the geometry of the Marais Breton/Baie de Bourgneuf basin, the past tectonic activity and the current local microearthquakes at depth along its bounding faults. Offshore and onshore observations suggest a recent activity of the segmented Machecoul Fault bounding the basin to the North. Offshore, the planar contact between the Plio-Quaternary sediments and the basement along the fault trace as well as the thickening of these sedimentary units near this contact suggests tectonic control rather than erosion. Onshore, the recent incision of the footwall of the fault suggests a recent tectonic activity. The temporary local seismological experiment deployed between 2016 and 2017 recorded a diffuse microseismicity down to the depth of 22 ± 5 km along the southward dipping Machecoul Fault, associated with predominantly normal fault mechanisms. Altogether, these results suggest that the Machecoul Fault is a serious candidate for being the source of the historical Bouin 1799 earthquake.
Building evidence on what works (and what does not): practical guidance from the World Health Organization on post-project evaluation of adolescent sexual and reproductive health projects
Authors: Igras Susan , Plesons Marina , Chandra-Mouli Venkatraman 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Over the past 25 years, there has been significant progress in increasing the recognition of, resources for, and action on adolescent health, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in particular. As with numerous other health areas, however, many of the projects that aim to improve ASRH are implemented without well-thought-out plans for evaluation. As a result, the lessons that projects learn as they encounter and address policy and programmatic challenges are often not extracted and placed in the public arena. In such cases, post-project evaluation (PPE) offers the possibility to generate learnings about what works (and does not work), to complement prospective studies of new or follow-on projects. To fill the gap in the literature and guidance on PPE, the World Health Organization developed The project has ended, but we can still learn from it! Practical guidance for conducting post-project evaluations of adolescent sexual and reproductive health projects. This article provides an overview of the guidance by outlining key methodological and contextual challenges in conducting PPE, as well as illustrative solutions for responding to them.
Mapping 3D structure of aSargassumforest with high-resolution sounding data obtained by multibeam echosounder
Authors: Hamana Masahiro , Komatsu Teruhisa 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSargassum forests play an important role in coastal waters as habitats for marine organisms, including commercial species. However, human activities have negatively affected their distribution causing a worldwide decline of Sargassum forests. Mapping and monitoring the distribution and biomass of these habitats using acoustic remote sensing techniques is key for their conservation. Nonetheless, most researches based on acoustic remote sensing methods focus on estimations of macrophyte area and its canopy height, and less researches reporting 3D visualization of these habitats. This study demonstrates the use of high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) bathymetric data to visualize the 3D structure of Sargassum forests. Comparing acoustic data and underwater camera photos collected in field surveys, we identified Sargassum individuals as vertical clusters of contiguous sounding points with a base close to the sea bottom in the sounding data of the MBES. Using this criterion, we could distinguish Sargassum echoes, visualize the 3D structure of Sargassum forests and estimate the number of Sargassum individuals in the survey area. Using the relation between thallus length and dry weight of sampled Sargassum plants, standing stock and biomass could be estimated assuming the thallus length was the height of Sargassum plants identified with the MBES.
Linking of Lagrangian Tori and Embedding Obstructions in Symplectic 4-Manifolds
Authors: Ĉoté Laurent , Dimitroglou Rizell Georgios 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
We classify weakly exact, rational Lagrangian tori in $T^* \mathbb{T}^2- 0_{\mathbb{T}^2}$ up to Hamiltonian isotopy. This result is related to the classification theory of closed $1$-forms on $\mathbb{T}^n$ and also has applications to symplectic topology. As a 1st corollary, we strengthen a result due independently to Eliashberg–Polterovich and to Giroux describing Lagrangian tori in $T^* \mathbb{T}^2-0_{\mathbb{T}^2}$, which are homologous to the zero section. As a 2nd corollary, we exhibit pairs of disjoint totally real tori $K_1, K_2 \subset T^*\mathbb{T}^2$, each of which is isotopic through totally real tori to the zero section, but such that the union $K_1 \cup K_2$ is not even smoothly isotopic to a Lagrangian. In the 2nd part of the paper, we study linking of Lagrangian tori in $({\mathbb{R}}^4, \omega )$ and in rational symplectic $4$-manifolds. We prove that the linking properties of such tori are determined by purely algebro-topological data, which can often be deduced from enumerative disk counts in the monotone case. We also use this result to describe certain Lagrangian embedding obstructions.
Stable Pair Invariants of Local Calabi–Yau 4-folds
Authors: Cao Yalong , Kool Martijn , Monavari Sergej 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
In 2008, Klemm–Pandharipande defined Gopakumar–Vafa type invariants of a Calabi–Yau 4-folds $X$ using Gromov–Witten theory. Recently, Cao–Maulik–Toda proposed a conjectural description of these invariants in terms of stable pair theory. When $X$ is the total space of the sum of two line bundles over a surface $S$, and all stable pairs are scheme theoretically supported on the zero section, we express stable pair invariants in terms of intersection numbers on Hilbert schemes of points on $S$. As an application, we obtain new verifications of the Cao–Maulik–Toda conjectures for low-degree curve classes and find connections to Carlsson–Okounkov numbers. Some of our verifications involve genus zero Gopakumar–Vafa type invariants recently determined in the context of the log-local principle by Bousseau–Brini–van Garrel. Finally, using the vertex formalism, we provide a few more verifications of the Cao–Maulik–Toda conjectures when thickened curves contribute and also for the case of local $\mathbb{P}^3$.
Characterization of the MurT/GatD complex in Mycobacterium tuberculosis towards validating a novel anti-tubercular drug target
Authors: Maitra Arundhati , Nukala Syamasundari , Dickman Rachael , Martin Liam T , Munshi Tulika , Gupta Antima , Shepherd Adrian J , Arnvig Kristine B , Tabor Alethea B , Keep Nicholas H , Bhakta Sanjib 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets is imperative to tackle the rise of drug resistance in tuberculosis. An essential Mur ligase-like gene (Rv3712), expected to be involved in cell-wall peptidoglycan (PG) biogenesis and conserved across mycobacteria, including the genetically depleted Mycobacterium leprae, was the primary focus of this study.

Methods
Biochemical analysis of Rv3712 was performed using inorganic phosphate release assays. The operon structure was identified using reverse-transcriptase PCR and a transcription/translation fusion vector. In vivo mycobacterial protein fragment complementation assays helped generate the interactome.

Results
Rv3712 was found to be an ATPase. Characterization of its operon revealed a mycobacteria-specific promoter driving the co-transcription of Rv3712 and Rv3713. The two gene products were found to interact with each other in vivo. Sequence-based functional assignments reveal that Rv3712 and Rv3713 are likely to be the mycobacterial PG precursor-modifying enzymes MurT and GatD, respectively. An in vivo network involving Mtb-MurT, regulatory proteins and cell division proteins was also identified.

Conclusions
Understanding the role of the enzyme complex in the context of PG metabolism and cell division, and the implications for antimicrobial resistance and host immune responses will facilitate the design of therapeutics that are targeted specifically to M. tuberculosis.
Comparative Study for the Assay of Plant Derived Chemicals in Pharmaceutical Formulation Using Methods Dependent on Factorized Spectra
Authors: Fahmy Nesma M , Michael Adel M 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Background
Modern built-in spectrophotometer software supporting mathematical processes provided a solution for increasing selectivity for multicomponent mixtures.

Objective
Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of the three naturally occurring antioxidants—rutin(RUT), hesperidin(HES), and ascorbic acid(ASC)—in bulk forms and combined pharmaceutical formulation.

Method
This was achieved by factorized zero order method (FZM), factorized derivative method (FD1M), and factorized derivative ratio method (FDRM), coupled with spectrum subtraction(SS).

Results
Mathematical filtration techniques allowed each component to be obtained separately in either its zero, first, or derivative ratio form, allowing the resolution of spectra typical to the pure components present in Vitamin C Forte® tablets. The proposed methods were applied over a concentration range of 2–50, 2–30, and 10–100 µg/mL for RUT, HES, and ASC, respectively.

Conclusions
Recent methods for the analysis of binary mixtures, FZM and FD1M, were successfully applied for the analysis of ternary mixtures and compared to the novel FDRM. All were revealed to be specific and sensitive with successful application on pharmaceutical formulations. Validation parameters were evaluated in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Statistical results were satisfactory, revealing no significant difference regarding accuracy and precision.

Highlights
Factorized methods enabled the resolution of spectra identical to those of pure drugs present in mixtures. Overlapped spectra of ternary mixtures could be resolved by spectrum subtraction coupled FDRM (SS-FDRM) or by successive application of FZM and FD1M.
Police trust and domestic violence among immigrants: evidence from VAWA self-petitions
Authors: Amuedo-Dorantes Catalina , Arenas-Arroyo Esther 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDomestic violence is a serious under-reported crime in the United States, especially among immigrant women. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was an attempt to partially address this problem by allowing battered immigrants to petition for legal status without relying on the sponsorship of an abusive U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident spouse. The tougher immigration policy climate may have made immigrant women more vulnerable to domestic violence, as well as more reluctant to report domestic violence to law enforcement. Sanctuary policies, which limit local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities, may counteract these effects. After exploiting the temporal and geographic variation in the adoption of interior immigration enforcement and sanctuary policies, we can successfully identify the impact of sanctuary policies, which help boost the rate of VAWA self-petitions. Additionally, we provide suggestive evidence of the channel through which this impact is likely taking place—namely through victims’ increased willingness to report cases and leave their abusers. Understanding survivors’ responses to immigration policy is crucial given growing police mistrust and immigrants’ vulnerability to crime.
Pervasive Genomic Signatures of Local Adaptation to Altitude Across Highland Specialist Andean Hummingbird Populations
Authors: Lim Marisa C W , Bi Ke , Witt Christopher C , Graham Catherine H , Dávalos Liliana M 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPopulations along steep environmental gradients are subject to differentiating selection that can result in local adaptation, despite countervailing gene flow, and genetic drift. In montane systems, where species are often restricted to narrow ranges of elevation, it is unclear whether the selection is strong enough to influence functional differentiation of subpopulations differing by a few hundred meters in elevation. We used targeted capture of 12 501 exons from across the genome, including 271 genes previously implicated in altitude adaptation, to test for adaptation to local elevations for 2 highland hummingbird species, Coeligena violifer (n = 62) and Colibri coruscans (n = 101). For each species, we described population genetic structure across the complex geography of the Peruvian Andes and, while accounting for this structure, we tested whether elevational allele frequency clines in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed evidence for local adaptation to elevation. Although the 2 species exhibited contrasting population genetic structures, we found signatures of clinal genetic variation with shifts in elevation in both. The genes with SNP-elevation associations included candidate genes previously discovered for high-elevation adaptation as well as others not previously identified, with cellular functions related to hypoxia response, energy metabolism, and immune function, among others. Despite the homogenizing effects of gene flow and genetic drift, natural selection on parts of the genome evidently optimizes elevation-specific cellular function even within elevation range-restricted montane populations. Consequently, our results suggest local adaptation occurring in narrow elevation bands in tropical mountains, such as the Andes, may effectively make them “taller” biogeographic barriers.
Videos of Sipuleucel-T Programmed T Cells Lysing Cells That Express Prostate Cancer Target Antigens
Authors: Kibel Adam S , Inman Brant A , Pachynski Russell K , Vu Tuyen , Sheikh Nadeem A , Petrylak Daniel P 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Sipuleucel-T, an autologous cellular immunotherapy, was approved to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in 2010 in the United States. Treatment with sipuleucel-T primes the immune system to target prostate acid phosphatase, which is expressed by prostate cancer cells, potentially leading to lysis of cancer cells. Expanding on previously reported indirect evidence of cell killing with sipuleucel-T treatment, we sought to provide direct evidence of cell lysis through visualization. We used advanced video technology and available samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects enrolled in the STAMP trial (NCT01487863). Isolated CD8+ T cells were used as effector cells and cocultured with autologous monocytes pulsed with control or target antigens. Differentially stained effector and target cells were then video recorded during coculture. Here, we present video recordings and analyses of T cells from sipuleucel-T–treated subjects showing—for the first time—direct lysis of cells that express prostate cancer target antigens, prostate acid phosphatase, or prostate-specific antigen.
The Path to Adulthood: A Mixed-Methods Approach to the Exploration of the Experiences of Unaccompanied Minors in Portugal
Authors: Moleiro Carla , Roberto Sandra 
Published: February 2021

AbstractUnaccompanied minors who reach the age of majority often experience this transition as a complex stage. Insecurity and helplessness may arise and, in some cases, survival without the support of the institutions and services that previously protected them as minors in the host country may mean becoming at risk for social exclusion. The objective of the present study was to characterize unaccompanied minors in Portugal (N = 67) and understand the processes of transition into the age of majority, using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interviews on autobiographical narratives) methodologies were used as a means of acknowledging the voice of minors/young adults in their trajectories and experiences. Two groups were included, with minors (in residential care) and youths who had already reached adulthood (living independently). Results illustrate diverse reasons for arrival in Portugal and distinct strengths and struggles in the integration experiences, with both positive and negative aspects being identified in the transition to autonomy.
Amyand’s hernia complicated with appendicitis: an interval approach with transabdominal laparoscopic appendectomy and laparoscopic hernioplasty—a case report
Authors: Parekh Akshat T , Diamond Keith , Littlejohn Monty , Ehsani-Nia Hamid , Amro Chris 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Amyand’s hernia is a rare classification of inguinal hernia where the vermiform appendix is located within the hernial sac. This case report discusses a patient presenting with abdominal and groin pain shown to be an Amyand’s hernia complicated by acute appendicitis on computed tomography. The patient was treated with a two-stage approach, involving transabdominal laparoscopic appendectomy and elective laparoscopic hernioplasty after recovery. As some controversy exists regarding the timing of appendectomy and hernioplasty, we examine the benefits of the interval approach in the reduction of postoperative infection risk compared with a concurrent approach in patients presenting with Amyand’s hernia complicated by appendiceal inflammation.
Effects of initial density profiles on massive star cluster formation in giant molecular clouds
Authors: Chen Yingtian , Li Hui , Vogelsberger Mark 
Published: February 2021

ABSTRACT
We perform a suite of hydrodynamic simulations to investigate how initial density profiles of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) affect their subsequent evolution. We find that the star formation duration and integrated star formation efficiency of the whole clouds are not sensitive to the choice of different profiles but are mainly controlled by the interplay between gravitational collapse and stellar feedback. Despite this similarity, GMCs with different profiles show dramatically different modes of star formation. For shallower profiles, GMCs first fragment into many self-gravitation cores and form subclusters that distributed throughout the entire clouds. These subclusters are later assembled ‘hierarchically’ to central clusters. In contrast, for steeper profiles, a massive cluster is quickly formed at the centre of the cloud and then gradually grows its mass via gas accretion. Consequently, central clusters that emerged from clouds with shallower profiles are less massive and show less rotation than those with the steeper profiles. This is because (1) a significant fraction of mass and angular momentum in shallower profiles is stored in the orbital motion of the subclusters that are not able to merge into the central clusters, and (2) frequent hierarchical mergers in the shallower profiles lead to further losses of mass and angular momentum via violent relaxation and tidal disruption. Encouragingly, the degree of cluster rotations in steeper profiles is consistent with recent observations of young and intermediate-age clusters. We speculate that rotating globular clusters are likely formed via an ‘accretion’ mode from centrally concentrated clouds in the early Universe.
Possible evidence of a universal radio/X-ray correlation in a near-complete sample of hard X-ray selected seyfert galaxies
Authors: Chang N , Xie F G , Liu X , Ho L C , Dong A-J , Han Z H , Wang X 
Published: February 2021

ABSTRACT
Because the disc–jet coupling likely depends on various properties of sources probed, the sample control is always an important but challenging task. In this work, we re-analysed the INTEGRAL hard X-ray-selected sample of Seyfert galaxies. We only consider sources that have measurements in black hole (BH) mass, and luminosities in radio and X-rays. Our final sample includes 64 (out of the original 79) sources, consists of both bright active galactic nucleus and low-luminosity ones. The 2–10 keV X-ray Eddington ratio LX/LEdd locates in the range between ∼10−4.5 and ∼10−0.5. We first find that, because of the similarity in the LHX/LX distribution, the X-ray origin of radio-loud Seyferts may be the same to that of radio-quiet (RQ) ones, where we attribute to the hot accretion flow (or similarly, the corona). We then investigate the connections between luminosities in radio and X-rays. Since our sample suffers a selection bias of a BH mass MBH dependence on LX/LEdd, we focus on the correlation slope ξX between the radio (at 1.4 GHz) and X-ray luminosities in Eddington unit, i.e. $({L_{\rm R}}/{L_{\rm Edd}}) \propto ({L_{\rm X}}/{L_{\rm Edd}})^{\xi _{\rm X}}$. We classify the sources according to various properties, i.e. 1) Seyfert classification, 2) radio loudness, and 3) radio morphology. We find that, despite these differences in classification, all the sources in our sample are consistent with a universal correlation slope ξX (note that the normalization may be different), with ξX = 0.77 ± 0.10. This is unexpected, considering various possible radio emitters in RQ systems. For the jet (either relativistic and well collimated, or sub-relativistic and weakly collimated) interpretation, our result may suggest a common/universal but to be identified jet launching mechanism among all the Seyfert galaxies, while properties like BH spin and magnetic field strength only play secondary roles. We further estimate the jet production efficiency ηjet of Seyfert galaxies, which is $\eta _{\rm jet}\approx 1.9^{+0.9}_{-1.5}\times 10^{-4}$ on average. We also find that ηjet increases as the system goes fainter. Alternative scenarios for the radio emission in RQ systems are also discussed.