bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Performance of rapid antigen tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 variant diversity and correlation with viral culture positivity: implication for diagnostic development and future public health strategies
Authors: Goux Heather , Green Jennetta , Wilson Andrew , Sozhamannan Shanmuga , Richard Stephanie A. , Colombo Rhonda , Lindholm David A. , Jones Milissa U. , Agan Brian K. , Larson Derek , Saunders David L. , Mody Rupal , Cox Jason , Deans Robert , Walish Joseph , Fries Anthony , Simons Mark P. , Pollett Simon D. , Smith Darci R. 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) provide timely results, are simple to use, and are less expensive than molecular assays. Recent studies suggest that antigen-based testing aligns with virus culture-based results (a proxy of contagiousness at the peak viral phase of illness); however, the performance of Ag-RDTs for newer SARS-CoV-2 variants is unclear. In this study, we (i) assessed the performance of Ag-RDTs and diagnostic antibodies to detect a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants and (ii) determined whether Ag-RDT results correlated with culture positivity. We noted only minor differences in the limit of detection by variant for all assays, and we demonstrated consistent antibody affinity to the N protein among the different variants. We observed moderate to high sensitivity (46.8%–83.9%) for Ag-RDTs when compared to PCR positivity (100%), and all variants were assessed on each assay. Ag-RDT sensitivity and PCR Ct showed an inverse correlation with the detection of viable virus. Collectively, our results demonstrate that commercially available Ag-RDTs offer variable sensitivity compared to PCR, show similar diagnostic validity across variants, and may predict the risk of transmissibility. These findings may be used to support more tailored SARS-CoV-2 isolation strategies, particularly if other studies clarify the direct association between Ag-RDT positivity and transmission risk. The apparent trade-off between sensitivity in the detection of any PCR-positive infection and concordance with infectious virus positivity may also inform new RDT diagnostic development strategies for SARS-CoV-2 and other epidemic respiratory pathogens.

IMPORTANCE
Despite the availability of vaccines, COVID-19 continues to be a major health concern, and antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) are commonly used as point-of-care or at-home diagnostic tests. In this study, we evaluated the performance of two commercially available Ag-RDTs and a research Ag-RDT to detect multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants using upper respiratory tract swab samples from clinical COVID-19 cases. Furthermore, we determined whether Ag-RDT results correlated with culture positivity, a potential proxy of viral transmissibility. Our results have important implications to inform future testing and response strategies during periods of high COVID-19 transmission with new variants.
Cryo-EM structure of the
Mycobacterium smegmatis
MmpL5-AcpM complex
Authors: Maharjan Rakesh , Zhang Zhemin , Klenotic Philip A. , Gregor William D. , Purdy Georgiana E. , Yu Edward W. 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, the causative agent of the airborne infection tuberculosis (TB), contains 13 mycobacterial membrane protein large (MmpL) transporters that can be divided into two distinct subclasses. These MmpL proteins play important functional roles within the mycobacterium and subsequently are considered attractive drug targets to combat TB infection. Previously, we reported both X-ray and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the MmpL3 transporter, providing high-resolution structural information for this subclass of the MmpL proteins. Thus far, there is no structural information available for the other subclass, which includes MmpL5, an inner membrane transporter that plays a critical role in iron hemostasis. Here, we report the first cryo-EM structure of the
Mycobacterium smegmatis
MmpL5 transporter bound with the meromycolate extension acyl carrier protein M (AcpM) to a resolution of 2.81 Å. Our structural data reveals that MmpL5 and AcpM interact in the cytoplasm to form a complex, and this allows us to propose that MmpL5 may also associate with the mycobactin L (MbtL) protein in a similar fashion to form a heterocomplex important for iron acquisition, which enables the survival and replication of the mycobacterium.

IMPORTANCE

The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) present enormous challenges to the global public health. The causative agent,
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, has now infected more than one-third of the world's population. Here, we report the first structure of the mycobacterial membrane protein large 5 (MmpL5), an essential transporter for iron acquisition, bound with the meromycolate extension acyl carrier protein M (AcpM), indicating a plausible pathway for mycobactin translocation. Our studies will ultimately inform an era in structure-guided drug design to combat TB infection.
The promiscuous biotin ligase TurboID reveals the proxisome of the T3SS chaperone IpgC in
Shigella flexneri
Authors: Haidar-Ahmad Nathaline , Tomaro Kyle , Lavallée-Adam Mathieu , Campbell-Valois François-Xavier 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACT

Promiscuous biotin ligases derived from the bacterial enzyme BirA are used to identify proteins vicinal to a bait protein, thereby defining its proxisome. Despite the popularity of this approach, surprisingly little is known about its use in prokaryotes. Here, we compared the activity of four widely used promiscuous biotin ligases in the cytoplasm of
Shigella flexneri
, a pathogenic subgroup of
Escherichia coli
. Our data indicate that the kinetics of TurboID’s biotinylating activity is the highest of those tested. In addition, TurboID showed reduced interaction with the natural BirA binding partners, BccP and the biotin operator, when compared to its ancestor BioID. We therefore evaluated the ability of TurboID to probe the proxisome of the type III secretion system (T3SS) chaperone IpgC and the transcriptional activator MxiE. When the T3SS is inactive (off-state), these proteins are inhibited by forming complexes with the T3SS substrates OspD1 and IpaBC, respectively. In contrast, when the T3SS is active (on-state), OspD1 and IpaBC are secreted allowing MxiE and IpgC to interact together and activate their target genes. The results obtained with the IpgC and TurboID fusions capture a good fraction of these known interactions. It also suggests that the availability of IpgC increases in the on-state, resulting in a greater number of proteins detected in its vicinity. Among these is the T3SS ATPase SpaL (also known as Spa47 or SctN), further supporting the notion that chaperones escort their substrate to the T3SS. Interestingly, a specific subset of proteins conserved in
E. coli
completes the IpgC proxisome in the on-state.

IMPORTANCE

Promiscuous biotin ligases are widely used to study protein function in eukaryotes. Strikingly, their use in prokaryotes has been rare. Indeed, the small volume and the cytoplasmic location of the biotin ligase’s natural binding partners in these organisms pose unique challenges that can interfere with the study of the proxisome of proteins of interest. Here, we evaluated four of the most common promiscuous biotin ligases and found TurboID was best suited for use in the cytoplasm of
Shigella flexneri
. Using this method, we extended the proxisome of IpgC beyond its known direct binding partners involved in the regulation of the type III secretion system (T3SS) signaling cascade. Of particular interest for further study are transcription factors and housekeeping proteins that are enriched around IpgC when the T3SS is active. We propose a model in which the increased availability of IpgC in the on-state may allow cross-talk of the T3SS with other cellular processes.
Magnetic resonance imaging changes in spinal arteriovenous fistulae treated by endovascular means: are they reliable to predict complete cure of the fistula?
Authors: Allard Julien , Chiaroni Pierre-Marie , Elhorany Mahmoud , Coudert Romain , Parat Damien , Bensemain Mehdi , Ghazanfari Sam , Boch Anne-Laure , Premat Kevin , Lenck Stephanie , Sourour Nader-Antoine , Shotar Eimad , Clarençon Frédéric 
Published: October 2024

BackgroundRegression or disappearance of MRI abnormalities is usually observed after treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae (sDAVF).ObjectiveTo assess the correlation between spinal MRI (sMRI) changes with sDAVF exclusion and clinical outcome.MethodsImaging data of patients treated with endovascular embolization for sDAVF between 2007 and 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Spinal cord edema and perimedullary flow voids at baseline and 3-months' follow-up were compared between patients with and without sDAVF persistent occlusion and clinical improvement on the Aminoff and Logue Scale.ResultsTwenty-five patients were included in this study. At 3-months' follow-up, regression of spinal cord edema was significantly associated with sDAVF persistent occlusion (P=0.038). The combination of edema and flow voids regression was significantly associated with higher odds of a cured sDAVF (P<0.001) and clinical improvement (P<0.01). Improvement in the combination of the above-mentioned sMRI signs presented high sensitivity (100% (95% CI 78.20%–100%)) and negative predictive value (100% (95% CI 47.82%–100%)) for the detection of sDAVF cure compared with the criterion standard (digital subtraction angiography (DSA)).ConclusionsPatients with both spinal cord edema and flow voids regression at 3 months were more likely to present with a persistent occlusion of sDAVF and clinical improvement after endovascular embolization. Patients without sMRI improvement should be referred for DSA to seek recurrence of sDAVF.
Predictors of distal embolization during thrombectomy for anterior circulation large vessel bifurcation occlusion stroke
Authors: Tan Yanping , Mao Zhenlin , Li Zhenhui , Fan Hongxing 
Published: October 2024

BackgroundDistal embolization is a frequent complication of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke, often leading to poor clinical outcomes. The vascular bifurcations represent a specialized anatomical location, thereby augmenting the complexity of MT. The specific factors contributing to distal embolization in this context have not been thoroughly explored. This study seeks to identify the factors associated with distal embolization during MT in patients with anterior circulation large vessel bifurcation occlusion stroke.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent MT for acute anterior circulation bifurcation occlusion stroke between January 2015 and December 2023. Baseline characteristics, procedural details, and clinical outcomes were assessed. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of distal embolization during MT.ResultsThe study included 119 patients. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between distal embolization and occlusion location, internal carotid artery (ICA) tortuosity, first-line thrombectomy strategy, and the number of device passes. Multivariate analysis identified ICA bifurcation occlusions (odds ratio (OR) 3.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.188 to 8.672, P=0.021), stent retriever thrombectomy (SRT) (OR 6.177, 95% CI 1.77 to 21.555, P=0.004), and a higher number of device passes (OR 1.778, 95% CI 1.132 to 2.792, P=0.013) as independent predictors of distal embolization.ConclusionsICA bifurcation occlusion, the use of SRT, and an increased number of device passes are significant predictors of distal embolization during MT in patients with anterior circulation large vessel bifurcation occlusion strokes.
Experimental and Computational Insights into the Effects of -NH2 and -Cl Functional Groups on the Copper Corrosion Inhibition by Benzotriazole
Authors: Pham Thanh Hai , Chihaia Viorel , Le Phung K. , Son Do Ngoc 
Published: October 2024

The influences of -NH2 and -Cl groups on the copper corrosion inhibition in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution by benzotriazole were studied using experimental methods and density functional theory calculations. Mass loss tests, potentiodynamic polarization, and surface morphology analyses revealed notable differences: while unmodified benzotriazole showed an inhibition efficiency of 76.6%, the -Cl derivative increased this to 87.6%, whereas the -NH2 derivative dropped it to 61.0% at the concentration of 5 × 10−4 M. Density functional theory calculations indicated these differences are not due to electronic properties or inhibitor-copper interaction energies but rather to the inhibitor’s influence on the oxygen reduction reaction, especially O2 and H2O adsorption. The -NH2 group formed strong hydrogen bonds with O2 and H2O, reducing oxygen reduction inhibition, while the -Cl group repelled O2, resulting in enhanced inhibition. Free energy analysis of the oxygen reduction reaction supported these findings. These new insights into benzotriazole derivatives’ copper corrosion inhibition mechanisms offer valuable guidance for developing next-generation corrosion inhibitors.
Who’s on First?
Authors: Stephenson Christopher A. 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
The terms first, second, and third article theology are relatively new, and theologians use them equivocally. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen’s first article theology focuses on the doctrines of God, revelation, and creation in and of themselves, that is, on theological topics broadly associated with the first article of the Creed. Another way to approach first article theology is to make a theology of the Father the perspective from which to view other systematic loci. Pentecostal theologians might benefit from such a theological inquiry, if for no other reason than as an exercise in the discipline associated with rigorous systematic thinking and as training in the kind of speculative theology that they have traditionally avoided. A methodology marked by a theology of the Father in trinitarian perspective and brought to bear upon other systematic loci might be compatible with a methodology marked by the liturgical theology axiom lex orandi, lex credendi.
Unequal Treaty in Practice: A Story about Article 23 of the Treaty of Tientsin
Authors: Chan Shiu Chung 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Despite the wealth of research on cross-border activities between China proper and Hong Kong, little has been discussed about the ‘civil fugitives’ who fled from one side to the other during Hong Kong’s early colonial period. Chinese debtors who absconded to China created jurisdictional problems for Hong Kong. The addition of Article 23 in the Treaty of Tientsin was an attempt to solve this issue, and this article explores what the discussions on Article 23, particularly those from 1905 to 1907 among British colonial officials and diplomatic agents, reveal about the characteristics of colonial jurisdiction under international law. In this case, colonial jurisdiction was limited solely to the territory of Hong Kong. Proposals to amend Article 23 attempted to remove the territorial barrier and establish personal jurisdiction for the colonial government in Hong Kong, similar to extraterritorial rights in Qing China.
In vitro validation of colon delivery of vitamin B2 through a food grade multi-unit particle system
Authors: Steinert R.E. , Sybesma W. , Duss R. , Rehman A. , Watson M. , van den Ende T.C. , Funda E. 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Colon target delivery of active ingredients is frequently applied in pharmaceutical products. However, in functional food and beverage applications, dietary supplements, and medical nutrition, formats targeting colonic delivery to improve human health are rare. Nevertheless, there is emerging evidence for beneficial effects of colonic delivered nutrients on gut microbiota and host health which increases the demand for sustainable food grade materials that are regulatory approved for application. In this paper, we describe a double layer coated multi-unit particle system (MUPS) with a diameter of approximately 730 microns consisting of food grade materials: shellac as outer layer, alginate as inner layer, cellulose as a core and riboflavin as active ingredient. The suitability of the MUPS for colonic delivery was tested in three well-established in vitro digestion and fermentation models: the USP Apparatus 3 and the TNO Intestinal Models 1 and 2 (TIM-1 and TIM-2). All systems confirmed the integrity of the MUPS under simulated upper gastrointestinal tract conditions with approximately 90% of the active ingredient being released under simulated ileal-colonic conditions. The TIM-2 model also showed the effects of riboflavin loaded MUPS on the microbiome composition with an increase in the production of short-chain fatty acids, acetate and butyrate. The results of these experiments provide a reliable basis for validation of this vitamin-loaded food grade MUPS in future human clinical trials. In addition, following the recent announcement of the European Commission to restrict intentionally added microplastics to products, the materials used in the described formulation offer an environmentally friendly alternative to often applied methyl acrylate based coatings.
Oral supplementation of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis strain EC-12 relieves gastrointestinal discomfort and alters the gut microecology in academically stressed students
Authors: Li J. , Terajima T. , Liu H. , Miyata S. , Kambe J. , Makioka-Itaya Y. , Inoue R. , Yamamoto Y. , Nagaoka K. 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Stress significantly affects gastrointestinal and mental health, and the gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in this process. Enterococcus faecalis strain EC-12 (EC-12) is a lactic acid bacterium that has several health benefits. To investigate the impact of oral supplementation with heat-killed EC-12 on the discomfort caused by stress, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with students under academic stress taking EC-12 (n = 14) or a placebo (n = 13) daily for one week. Improvement in the students’ symptoms was assessed using the visual analogue scale. Faecal microbiota was characterised by next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, and faecal metabolites and short-chain fatty acids were analysed using a GC-MS metabolomics approach. Significant improvements in abdominal pain and rumbling of the stomach were found in the EC-12 group compared to the placebo group, but no changes were observed in mental symptoms or salivary cortisol levels. The relative abundance of E. faecalis significantly increased in the EC-12 group after the trial; however, the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota did not change significantly. Functional analysis of the gut microbiota suggested that EC-12 intake alters specific metabolic pathways. Although the levels of faecal short-chain fatty acids did not change between the groups before and after the trial, EC-12 intake altered the composition of faecal metabolites, with a significant increase in tryptamine levels. The ratio of students with improved symptoms to those with increased tryptamine levels was calculated based on the number of students with elevated faecal tryptamine levels who showed symptomatic improvements. The ratio of improved rumbling stomach was higher than that of other types of digestive discomfort. These results suggest that oral supplementation with EC-12 has a potentially beneficial effect on stress-induced gastrointestinal discomfort, which may occur through alterations in gut microbiota composition and metabolism.
This study was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Center (UMIN) under the UMIN ID: UMIN000048184
Art of Failure: Soni Kum’s Morning Dew Project and Diasporic Aesthetics
Authors: Kim Soyi 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
To date, one of the first video artworks by and about Zainichi (ethnic Koreans living in Japan), Zainichi artist Soni Kum’s three-channel video work Morning Dew (2020) is based on her interviews with sixteen Zainichi Koreans who went to North Korea during the repatriation project (1959–1984) and came back to Japan, and their descendants. I argue that Morning Dew, deliberately fails to give a coherent Zainichi representation, and in doing so, locates Zainichi experience in a context of the global diaspora, especially through the incongruent video montages on three screens, having animals lead the narrative, and filming the void. Queer imagination of failure helps explain the ways in which Kum’s aesthetic choices and her lived experience intersect. Responsive to the bifurcated gender discourse that threatens the legibility of queer lives, queer failure helps to unveil the structural polarization in identity-based knowledge formation and explicate Kum’s art of failing as a means to convey a portrayal more faithful to the diasporic life of Zainichi Koreans.
Confronting Power: Bani Abidi and Performances of Masculinity
Authors: Greenwalt Karen 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Contemporary Pakistani artist Bani Abidi explores the overlapping and multifaceted relationship between performance, nationalism, and machinations of power. This article focuses on a subset of her work that considers how masculinity relates to these ideas. Specifically, in the works discussed in this article, she interrogates the ways masculinity is produced and maintained, ultimately revealing the hollowness of such performances. Abidi’s own diasporic perspective centres South Asian culture and identities throughout her practice. She draws our attention to universal conditions that govern the world, but does so within a specifically South Asian context. Her work points to the fictive and limiting nature of gender roles, revealing how these performances of political masculinity are legacies of the colonial encounter. By examining how the performance of masculinity operates as a mechanism of power within Abidi’s work, this article uncovers how her work addresses displays of nationalism in Pakistan and India, particularly as it relates to the region’s post colonial history.
How to Place Displacement: Yuna Kim’s Stacking, Collapsing, and Stacking
Authors: Kim Amy Yeminne 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Yuna Kim’s video work Stacking, Collapsing, and Stacking was part of the group exhibition Common Occurrences: Four Korean Artists living in the U.S., which also featured Sangmi Yoo, Ray Im, and Mizin Shin. Held from 15 September through 31 October 2022, the exhibition aimed to introduce contemporary South Korean viewpoints to the majority first-generation students and the largely Hispanic audiences of the Permian Basin of Texas. Comprised of twenty-eight delicately animated vignettes, Kim’s usage of basic rotoscoping techniques and sound design examines mounting tension in our everyday visual world.
Thinking with and beyond Castoriadis: Conversation with Peter Wagner
Authors: Adams Suzi , Arnason Johann P , Blokker Paul , Smith Jeremy CA , Wagner Peter 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
This conversation between Peter Wagner and members of the Social Imaginaries Collective addresses two aspects of Wagner’s project. First, it enquires into the significance of Cornelius Castoriadis’s project for Wagner’s social theory and historical sociology. Second, the conversation turns to Wagner’s reflections on the ongoing significance of Castoriadis’s thought to the pressing political questions of our times, including the ecological crisis and post-communist societies.