bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Growth substrate limitation enhances anaerobic arsenic methylation by
Paraclostridium bifermentans
strain EML
Authors: Qiao Jiangtao , Sallet Hugo , Meibom Karin Lederballe , Bernier-Latmani Rizlan 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Microbial arsenic methylation is established as a detoxification process under aerobic conditions (converting arsenite to monomethylated arsenate) but is proposed to be a microbial warfare strategy under anoxic conditions due to the toxicity of its main product, monomethylarsonous acid (MMAs(III)). Here we leveraged a paddy soil-derived anaerobic arsenic methylator,
Paraclostridium bifermentans
strain EML, to gain insights into this process. Strain EML was inoculated into a series of media involving systematic dilutions of Reinforced Clostridial Broth (RCB) with 25 µM arsenite to assess the impact of growth substrate concentration on arsenic methylation. Growth curves evidenced the sensitivity of strain EML to arsenite, and arsenic speciation analysis revealed the production of MMAs(III). Concentrations of MMAs(III) and arsenic methylation gene (
arsM
) transcription were found to be positively correlated with RCB dilution, suggesting that substrate limitation enhances
arsM
gene expression and associated anaerobic arsenic methylation. We propose that growth substrate competition among microorganisms may also contribute to an increase in anaerobic arsenic methylation. This hypothesis was further evaluated in an anaerobic co-culture system involving strain EML and either wild-type
Escherichia coli
K-12 MG1655 (WT) or
E. coli
expressing the MMAs(III)-resistance gene (
arsP
) (ArsP
E. coli
). We observed increased MMAs(III) production in the presence of
E. coli
than its absence and growth inhibition of WT
E. coli
to a greater extent than ArsP
E. coli
, presumably due to the MMAs(III) produced by strain EML. Collectively, our findings suggest an ecological role for anaerobic arsenic methylation, highlighting the significance of microbe-microbe competition and interaction in this process.

IMPORTANCE

Microbial arsenic methylation is highly active in rice paddy fields under flooded conditions, leading to increased accumulation of methylated arsenic in rice grains. In contrast to the known detoxification process for aerobic arsenic methylation, the ecological role of anaerobic arsenic methylation remains elusive and is proposed to be an antibiotic-producing process involved in microbial warfare. In this study, we interrogated a rice paddy soil-derived anaerobic arsenic-methylating bacterium,
Paraclostridium bifermentans
strain EML, to explore the effect of growth substrate limitation on arsenic methylation in the context of the microbial warfare hypothesis. We provide direct evidence for the role of growth substrate competition in anaerobic arsenic methylation
via
anaerobic prey-predator co-culture experiments. Moreover, we demonstrate a feedback loop, in which a bacterium resistant to MMAs(III) enhances its production, presumably through enhanced expression of
arsM
resulting from substrate limitation. Our work uncovers the complex interactions between an anaerobic arsenic methylator and its potential competitors.
Student reflections on emotional engagement reveal science fatigue during the COVID-19 online learning transition
Authors: Wester Emma R. , Walsh Lisa L. , Arango-Caro Sandra , Bray Speth Elena , Callis-Duehl Kristine 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Numerous quantitative studies in science education found that student engagement declined after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but analyses to identify the factors that drove emotional engagement down are lacking. Emotional engagement is a multidimensional construct composed of interest in an academic discipline, value in an academic course, and anxiety. Here, we use qualitative analysis to examine how and why the emergency shift from face-to-face to online classes during and after the pandemic-induced emergency remote transition impacted student emotional engagement. We coded student responses to open-ended questions using an emotional engagement framework and compared them between March and May 2020. Students’ survey responses indicate that their positive attitudes toward science and value in the course declined. In contrast, more students expressed negative values of the course in the post-survey, with students mainly critiquing instructors and learning. This qualitative analysis offers a deeper understanding of students' emotional challenges during this educational upheaval and suggests effective teaching strategies for future crises.
Draft genome sequence of
Streptomyces noursei
strain DS30.6, isolated from forest soil in Vietnam
Authors: Le Binh Thanh , Truong Ngoc Minh , Vo Quang Dinh , Phan Trang Thi Phuong 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Streptomyces noursei
strain DS30.6 was chosen to be resistant to
Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum
T2C-Rasto after being isolated from Vietnamese forest soil. The draft genome of this strain was reported to be 8,863,720 bp, with an average guanine-cytosine content of 72.67%.
Integrating early life stress in neurological disease: advancing preventive neurology
Authors: Gillespie Kerri M. , Schweitzer Daniel , Watson Emily , Branjerdporn Grace , Bartlett Selena E. 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundIn 2021, an estimated 43% of the world’s population had been diagnosed with a neurological disorder. Early life stress (ELS) is now a well-established risk factor for later-life neurological disorders. However, translation to clinical practice is hindered by oversimplification, lack of standardisation and limited knowledge of the patterns and mechanisms of disease pathogenesis.MethodsThe current paper reviews existing literature relating to ELS and neurological disorders and provides an overview and clinical perspective of the gaps in knowledge and future directions required to improve clinical care for patients.ResultsTo develop effective preventive or restorative therapies, there will be an increasing need to understand and further define the role of ELS in the subsequent emergence of neurological disorders and to investigate the interaction of ELS with other more widely recognised genetic and environmental factors.ConclusionsWe propose that additional interdisciplinary studies are needed to develop standardised scales to assess ELS and a new taxonomy and survey of ELS for future interdisciplinary studies. In addition, we suggest that further studies involving clinical cohorts have the potential to contribute to important findings that could help enhance the care of patients.
Improving dissemination products and practices for community-based organisations serving LGBTQ+ communities in the USA: a thematic analysis
Authors: Ramanadhan Shoba , Roberts Jane , Salvia Margaret , Hanby Elaine , Chen Jarvis T , Scout NFN , Gordon Robert , Applegate Julia M , Machado Ana M. , Purtle Jonathan , Hughes MacKenzie , Tan Andy S L 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundIn the USA, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people report higher rates of tobacco use than non-LGBTQ+ people due to diverse factors, from anti-LGBTQ stigma to targeted marketing by the tobacco industry. There is an opportunity to support behavioural changes by delivering evidence-based health communication campaigns through community-based organisations (CBOs), but an insufficient evidence base and organisational resource restrictions limit this potential. Our previous research with CBO staff and leaders serving LGBTQ+ communities identified gaps in evidence-based campaigns, such as insufficient centering of LGBTQ+ communities in campaign development and execution. This qualitative study explores opportunities to improve the products and services supporting the dissemination of evidence-based health communication campaigns for LGBTQ+ audiences.MethodsWe conducted key informant interviews between January and June 2021 with individuals who direct or run health promotion programmes in CBOs serving LGBTQ+ populations in the USA (n=26 individuals from 22 organisations). Using critical and constructivist perspectives, we leveraged the analysis team and advisory committee’s diverse research, lived and practice expertise related to LGBTQ+ health. We employed a team-based, reflexive thematic analysis approach.ResultsWe identified two key opportunities. Theme 1—show us your work: participants requested (a) details about the evidence-based campaigns, including underlying values and extent of community engagement, and (b) information about campaign mechanisms and impact. Theme 2—support us in our work: participants suggested that evidence-based campaigns should (a) be designed for flexibility and adaptation, (b) offer tools and guidance for adaptation and (c) share granular data and relevant resources. Participants nominated dissemination products and processes to address gaps, including supports to integrate campaigns into multi-level action, data collection tools for adaptation and engagement with campaign developers.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the potential for CBOs to be integral partners in the development and dissemination of evidence-based health communication campaigns that address tobacco-related inequities among LGBTQ+ communities.
Canadian organic wheat breeding with on-farm selection: A case study using landrace and modern parents
Authors: Carkner Michelle K. , Entz Martin H. 
Published: November 2024

Participatory plant breeding (PPB) has the potential to be an alternative to a centralized breeding model for niche markets that are historically underserved. Our objectives were to evaluate the performance of two parental cultivars from a Canadian PPB program: a modern spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar (5602HR) and a landrace (Red Fife)—with the progeny of the cross when selected by two farmers located 1800 km apart (denoted Farm1 and Farm2) and evaluate progeny differences from each other under organic conditions. Red Fife was 18 cm taller, matured 5 days later, and had greater lodging susceptibility, greater seed mass, and 3.5% lower protein concentration than 5602HR. Farmer genotypes were similar to 5602HR in protein concentration and lodging severity, and similar to Red Fife in plant height (14 cm taller than 5602HR) and seed mass. Farmer genotypes did not yield differently from either parent. Farmer genotypes did not differ from each other in most parameters measured; however, Farm1 had greater lodging resistance under high fertility conditions than Farm2 despite similar plant height. This research provides a proof of concept for the role that farmer selectors can play in selecting for positive traits for organic production and provide insight into organic farmers’ preferences. The research also demonstrated that using an older landrace (i.e., Red Fife) allowed positive features such as tall stature to be incorporated into the resulting progeny.
An overview of more than ten years of operation of the CMS ECAL
Authors: Zghiche Amina 
Published: November 2024

The CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter (ECAL) is the largest crystal calorimeter operating in a high energy physics experiment. Since its installation in CMS, it has made fundamental contributions to the CMS physics program by precisely measuring the energy, position and timing of photons, electrons and hadronic jets. The excellent ECAL energy resolution facilitated the observation of the Higgs boson in its two photon decay mode in 2012. These important results have been achieved due to the continuous efforts to improve the detector hardware, firmware and software, as well as the energy and timing reconstruction and calibration methods that have been continuously developed and evolved to exploit the full potential of the calorimeter. A high-level historical overview of the design, construction and operation of the ECAL over more than 10 years will be presented. The talk will review the initial expectations for detector performance and the plans for operation. These expectations will then be compared to the actual performance achieved during LHC operations. The techniques that have been developed and exploited to maintain the highest operational efficiency and achieve the ultimate energy resolution will also be described. In particular, in-situ crystal and photodetector performance, trigger performance, energy resolution and timing resolution will be addressed. The impacts of ageing on detector performance and the challenges of monitoring and correcting for these effects will also be highlighted. The talk will summarise the lessons learned during the construction and operation phases of the calorimeter, with a prospective look at the CMS calorimeters upgrades for the High Luminosity Collider HL-LHC.
Application of an 800 Gold Microelectrode Array for Rapid Voltammetric Detection of Nitrite Pollution in Environmental Waters
Authors: Fiałek Marzena , Grabarczyk Małgorzata 
Published: November 2024

A simple voltammetric procedure for direct determination of nitrites in natural water samples is described. Measurements are carried out in an inert medium of 0.1 M KCl. The procedure is based on the oxidation of N(III) to N(V) as a result of a change in electrode potential from +0.40 V to +0.96 V. The use of a combined electrode consisting of approximately 800 gold microelectrodes enables undisturbed determinations to be performed in the presence of high concentrations of organic compounds at a level of 20 mg l−1. The calibration plot for NO2
− was linear in the range from 2 × 10−6 to 8 × 10−4 M with a detection limit of 6 × 10−7 M. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to nitrate determination in three natural water samples with passable results.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of High-Energy Beam Irradiation of SiO2 Single Crystal with Three Different Morphologies: No Free Surface, with a Free Surface, and Thin Films
Authors: Otsuka Shunya , Kimata Satoshi , Sasajima Yasushi , Ishikawa Norito 
Published: November 2024

High-energy beam irradiation of SiO2 crystal with the α-quartz structure was simulated by the molecular dynamics method. Three types of specimen structures were examined: a single crystal without a free surface, a single crystal with a free surface, and a thin film. After structural relaxation at room temperature, a cylindrical region with diameter of 3.0 nm was set at the center of the specimen and high-thermal energy of S

eff
= 0.1–4.0 keV nm−1 was added to that region, where S

eff
is the effective stopping power. Atomic motions were calculated by the molecular dynamics method using the large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator. Vashishta potential was used for the atomic interaction. The single crystal structure of α-quartz without the free surface was stable up to 1.0 keV nm−1 and it gradually became amorphous with increasing thermal energy. In contrast, the single crystal structure with the free surface was stable up to 0.5 keV nm−1 and was amorphous at higher thermal energy. In particular, the atomic structures for the thermal impact S

eff
≥ 2.0 keV nm−1 had a facet-like structure at the impacted surface, which corresponds to actual experimental results. Nano-hole formation was observed in the irradiation process of the film structure.
Why Do Nurses Work While Sick? An Exploratory Study of Nurse Leaders’ Cognitive Preferences Toward Presenteeism
Authors: Li Wenzhen , Wang Wei , Shan Geyan , Wang Hongxia , Guo Shujie , Li Yongxin 
Published: November 2024

Purpose: Nursing is a representative profession with a high prevalence of presenteeism, which is usually associated with negative outcomes. Therefore, it is important to explore the antecedent factors of nurse presenteeism behavior. This study aims to explore the impact and mechanism of head nurses’ cognitive preference toward presenteeism on subordinate nurses’ presenteeism (SNP), and the mediation effects of subordinate nurses’ perception of head nurses’ cognitive preference.Patient and Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted from July to August 2022. A total of 256 head nurses and 1424 subordinate nurses were recruited from six hospitals located in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. The Nurse Presenteeism Questionnaire (NPQ) and Cognitive Preference Questionnaire were used to assess head nurses’ cognitive preference toward presenteeism, SNP, and subordinate nurses’ perception of head nurse’s cognition of presenteeism. We conducted description, multilevel correlation, and multilevel structural equation models for the data analysis.Results: In the past 6 months, 93.4% of nurses experienced presenteeism. Within and between the team, head nurses’ cognitive preference toward presenteeism is positively associated with SNP. The mediation effect of nurses’ perception of head nurses’ cognitive preference was also significant.Conclusion: Head nurses’ cognitive preferences are essential predictors of subordinates’ presenteeism. In this process, subordinates’ subjective initiative plays a crucial role.Implications for Nursing Management: Hospital managers should focus on head nurses’ values to formulate multiple interventions of presenteeism and strengthen communication between leaders and subordinates to promote transforming negative outcomes into positive outcomes.
Nurses’ Relational Leadership Struggles on Positioning in Strategic Hospital Crisis Management
Authors: Verhoeven Arjan , Loo Erik van de , Marres Henri , Lalleman Pieterbas 
Published: November 2024

Aim(s): To understand how nurses experience their positioning amidst hospital crises.Background: Nursing leadership literature is predominantly focused on the skills and competencies of nurses and less on the relations in practice with nurses. Nurses are often valued for bedside care but are overlooked in strategic decision‐making during crises. Foundational research emphasizes the need for nurses’ equal participation in interprofessional healthcare practices and governance.Methods: We conducted a qualitative interpretive interview and focus group study, amidst the COVID‐19 crisis. We interviewed 64 chairs of nurse councils and deepened our understanding of our initial findings in four focus groups with 34 participants.Results: Nurses differ widely on (a) what is important to them in crisis management, (b) how they can contribute to crisis management, and (c) how they value their involvement or lack of it. Furthermore, we uncovered three relational leadership struggles for nurses concerning (1) navigating, (2) positioning, and (3) collaborating, in crisis management structures.Conclusion: The ailing positioning and representation of nurses in crisis management result from their limited participation in strategic decision‐making, and the lack of intervention on this by board members, physicians, and managers.Implications for Nursing Management: This study highlights the need for agents such as board members, managers, physicians, and nurses themselves to create clear frameworks and policies that define nurses’ roles in crisis situations, emphasizing the importance of addressing power dynamics and enhancing communication and collaboration in hospital settings. Effective crisis management requires involving nurses from the start, providing regular training, and promoting a more equal approach to teamwork. Understanding relational leadership and its impact during crises can empower nurses and improve overall hospital crisis response.
Myocardial Posttranscriptional Landscape in Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Li Amy , Fang Bernard , Li Mengbo , Koay Yen Chin , Malecki Cassandra , Hunter Benjamin , Harney Dylan , dos Remedios Cristobal G. , Larance Mark , O’Sullivan John F. , Lal Sean 
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND:
Pregnancy imposes significant cardiovascular adaptations, including progressive increases in plasma volume and cardiac output. For most women, this physiological adaptation resolves at the end of pregnancy, but some women develop pathological dilatation and ultimately heart failure late in pregnancy or in the postpartum period, manifesting as peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). Despite the mortality risk of this form of heart failure, the molecular mechanisms underlying PPCM have not been extensively examined in human hearts.

METHODs:
Protein and metabolite profiles from left ventricular tissue of end-stage PPCM patients (N=6–7) were compared with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM; N=5–6) and nonfailing donors (N=7–18) using unbiased quantitative mass spectrometry. All samples were derived from the Sydney Heart Bank. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD055986. Differential protein expression and metabolite abundance and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were performed.

RESULTS:
Proteomic analysis identified 2 proteins, SBSPON (somatomedin B and thrombospondin type 1 domain-containing protein precursor) and TNS3 (tensin 3), that were uniquely downregulated in PPCM. SBSPON, an extracellular matrix protein, and TNS3, involved in actin remodeling and cell signaling, may contribute to impaired tissue remodeling and fibrosis in PPCM. Metabolomic analysis revealed elevated levels of homogentisate and deoxycholate and reduced levels of lactate and alanine in PPCM, indicating disrupted metabolic pathways and glucose utilization. Both PPCM and DCM shared pathways related to inflammation, immune responses, and signal transduction. However, thyroid hormone signaling was notably reduced in PPCM, affecting contractility and calcium handling through altered expression of PLN (phospholamban) and Sarcoendoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase (SERCA). Enhanced endoplasmic reticulum stress and altered endocytosis pathways in PPCM suggested additional mechanisms of energy metabolism disruption.

CONCLUSIONS:
The present study reveals unique posttranslational molecular features of the PPCM myocardium, which mediates cellular and metabolic remodeling, and holds promise as potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
Investigating the Effects of Orography and Ambient Wind on Deep Convection over Tropical Islands
Authors: Robinson Frank , Kirshbaum Daniel J. , Sherwood Steven C. , Cahill Lucinda , Juliano Erica , Liu Chuntao 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Using an observation–model synthesis, we investigate variations of cumulus convection over islands with varying characteristics and under varying environmental conditions to clarify controls on convective vigor. In this paper, we define the intensity of deep convection as the average 40-dBZ-radar echo-top height or 85-GHz brightness temperature among raining precipitation features having 40-dBZ echoes (RPF40s) and the frequency of deep convection as the fraction of RPF40s to the total number of precipitation features. Examination of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite database (1994–2015) of 272 tropical and subtropical islands reveals a modest weakening of convective intensity with increased terrain height h or ambient wind U (for a given island area A) and a strengthening with increasing A. Quasi-idealized, convection-permitting simulations broadly reproduce these sensitivities to h and A, but not that to U. In both observations and simulations, intensity increases with the island-averaged convective available potential energy (CAPE). Because CAPE generally decreases over taller islands that protrude deeper into the free troposphere, convective intensity varies inversely with h. The frequency increases with the total island area over which both large CAPE and strong near-surface horizontal convergence coincide. This trend favors higher frequencies over larger islands with complex (but shallow) terrain. The model’s inability to reproduce the observed decrease of convective intensity with U stems from a negative observed correlation between CAPE and U that was neglected in the simulations. Thus, as with h, the negative observed trend between intensity and U ultimately stems from the impacts of CAPE on convective intensity.