bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regulatory logic and transposable element dynamics in nematode worm genomes
Authors: Fierst Janna L. , Eggers Victoria K. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractGenome sequencing has revealed a tremendous diversity of transposable elements (TEs) in eukaryotes but there is little understanding of the evolutionary processes responsible for TE diversity. Non-autonomous TEs have lost the machinery necessary for transposition and rely on closely related autonomous TEs for critical proteins. We studied two mathematical models of TE regulation, one assuming that both autonomous tranposons and their non-autonomous relatives operate under the same regulatory logic, competing for transposition resources, and one assuming that autonomous TEs self-attenuate transposition while non-autonomous transposons continually increase, parasitizing their autonomous relatives. We implemented these models in stochastic simulations and studied how TE regulatory relationships influence transposons and populations. We found that only outcrossing populations evolving with Parasitic TE regulation resulted in stable maintenance of TEs. We tested our model predictions inCaenorhabditisgenomes by annotating TEs in two focal families, autonomous LINEs and their non-autonomous SINE relatives and the DNA transposonMutator. We found broad variation in autonomous - non-autonomous relationships and rapid mutational decay in the sequences that allow non-autonomous TEs to transpose. Together, our results suggest that individual TE families evolve according to disparate regulatory rules that are relevant in the early, acute stages of TE invasion.
Light-triggered protease-mediated release of actin-bound cargo from synthetic cells
Authors: Akter Mousumi , Moghimianavval Hossein , Luker Gary D. , Liu Allen P. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractSynthetic cells offer a versatile platform for addressing biomedical and environmental challenges, due to their modular design and capability to mimic cellular processes such as biosensing, intercellular communication, and metabolism. Constructing synthetic cells capable of stimuli-responsive secretion is vital for applications in targeted drug delivery and biosensor development. Previous attempts at engineering secretion for synthetic cells have been confined to non-specific cargo release via membrane pores, limiting the spatiotemporal precision and specificity necessary for selective secretion. Here, we designed and constructed a protein-based platform termed TEV Protease-mediated Releasable Actin-binding protein (TRAP) for selective, rapid, and triggerable secretion in synthetic cells. TRAP is designed to bind tightly to reconstituted actin networks and is proteolytically released from bound actin, followed by secretion via cell-penetrating peptide membrane translocation. We demonstrated TRAP’s efficacy in facilitating light-activated secretion of both fluorescent and luminescent proteins. By equipping synthetic cells with a controlled secretion mechanism, TRAP paves the way for the development of stimuli-responsive biomaterials, versatile synthetic cell-based biosensing systems, and therapeutic applications through the integration of synthetic cells with living cells for targeted delivery of protein therapeutics.
Effect of anisotropy on the formation of heavy quarkonium bound states
Authors: Carrington Margaret E. , Kunstatter Gabor , Mukherjee Arghya 
Published: September 2024

We study the real part of the static potential of a heavy quark-antiquark system in an anisotropic plasma medium. We use a quasiparticle approach where the collective dynamics of the plasma constituents is described using hard-loop perturbation theory. The parton distribution function is characterized by a set of parameters that can accurately describe the anisotropy of the plasma produced in a heavy ion collision. We calculate the potential numerically in strongly anisotropic systems and study the angular dependence of the distortion of the potential relative to the isotropic one. We obtain an analytic expression for the real part of the heavy quark potential in the limit of weak anisotropy using a model that expresses the potential in terms of effective screening masses that depend on the anisotropy parameters and the orientation of the quark-antiquark pair. A one-dimensional potential is formulated in terms of angle averaged screening masses that incorporate the anisotropy of the medium into a radial coordinate. We solve the corresponding Schrödinger equation and show that the magnitude of the binding energy typically increases with anisotropy. Anisotropy can play an important role, especially in states with nonzero angular momentum. This means that the number of bound states that are formed could depend on specific characteristics of the anisotropy of the plasma. Our study suggests that plasma anisotropy plays an important role in the dynamics of heavy quarkonium and motivates further study.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
An efficient concrete plastic damage model for crack propagation in gravity dams during seismic action
Authors: Nghia-Nguyen Trong , Thanh Cuong Le , Khatir Samir , Hoang Le Minh , Chaiyaput Salisa , Abdel Wahab Magd 
Published: September 2024

PurposeConcrete gravity dams are important structures for flood control and hydraulic power generation, but they can be vulnerable to seismic activity due to ground movements that trigger crack propagation.Design/methodology/approachTo better understand the factors that affect the stability of concrete gravity dams against concrete fracture during earthquakes, a concrete plastic damage model has been utilized with two new expressions to simulate compressive and tensile damage variables.FindingsThe findings showed that the crack patterns were strongly influenced by the concrete’s strength. The simulation results led to the proposal of appropriate concrete properties aimed at minimizing damage. These findings, together with the proposed model, offer significant insights that can enhance the safety and stability of concrete gravity dam structures.Originality/valueThis study offers a comprehensive analysis of concrete behavior under varying grades and introduces simple and robust expressions for evaluating concrete parameters in plastic damage models. The versatility of these expressions enables accurate simulation of stress-strain curves for different grades, resulting in excellent agreement between model results and experimental findings. The simulation of the Koyna Dam case study demonstrates a similarity in crack patterns with previous simulations and field observations.
Analyzing generation Z’s intentions to support sustainable tourism development in Nha Trang
Authors: Hoang Long Cuu , Nguyen Ha Duy 
Published: September 2024

Purpose
This study aims to examine the determinants of Generation Z's intention to support sustainable development in tourism, with a focus on Nha Trang, Vietnam (a coastal city with famous tourism activities).

Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted with an aid of SPSS 20.0 and SmartPLS 4.0 softwares to analyze the data collected from 394 valid respondents in Ho Chi Minh City through a cross-sectional method with a self-administered survey.

Findings
Empirical evidence revealed that sustainable tourism attitude, sustainable tourism belief and perceived sustainable destination image positively influenced Generation Z's support intentions toward sustainable tourism. In addition, perceived sustainable destination image also indirectly impacted intention to support sustainable tourism through the sustainable tourism attitude and/or belief (both single and sequential mediations).

Originality/value
This is among pioneering studies to figure out that knowledge negatively moderated the relationship between sustainable tourism attitude and intention to support sustainable tourism.
A lightweight passive ankle exoskeleton adjusted stiffness by shape memory alloy
Authors: Ge Jiao , Zhang Jiaqi , Chen Daheng , Dong Tiesheng 
Published: September 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to actively calibrate power density to match the application requirements with as small an actuator as possible. So, this paper introduces shape memory alloy to design variable stiffness elements. Meanwhile, the purpose of this paper is also to solve the problem of not being able to install sensors on shape memory alloy due to volume limitations.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces the design, modeling and control process for a variable stiffness passive ankle exoskeleton, adjusting joint stiffness using shape memory alloy (SMA). This innovative exoskeleton aids the human ankle by adapting the precompression of elastic components by SMA, thereby adjusting the ankle exoskeleton’s integral stiffness. At the same time, this paper constructs a mathematical model of SMA to achieve a dynamic stiffness adjustment function.

Findings
Using SMA as the driving force for stiffness modification in passive exoskeletons introduces several distinct advantages, inclusive of high energy density, programmability, rapid response time and simplified structural design. In the course of experimental validation, this ankle exoskeleton, endowed with variable stiffness, proficiently executed actions like squatting and walking and it can effectively increase the joint stiffness by 0.2 Nm/Deg.

Originality/value
The contribution of this paper is to introduce SMA to adjust the stiffness to actively calibrate power density to match the application requirements. At the same time, this paper constructs a mathematical model of SMA to achieve a dynamic stiffness adjustment function.
Ternary blended concrete strength evaluation: experimental and artificial intelligence techniques
Authors: Oyebisi Solomon , Shammas Mahaad Issa , Owamah Hilary , Oladeji Samuel 
Published: September 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to forecast the mechanical properties of ternary blended concrete (TBC) modified with oyster shell powder (OSP) and shea nutshell ash (SNA) using deep neural network (DNN) models.

Design/methodology/approach
DNN models with three hidden layers, each layer containing 5–30 nodes, were used to predict the target variables (compressive strength [CS], flexural strength [FS] and split tensile strength [STS]) for the eight input variables of concrete classes 25 and 30 MPa. The concrete samples were cured for 3–120 days. Levenberg−Marquardt's backpropagation learning technique trained the networks, and the model's precision was confirmed using the experimental data set.

Findings
The DNN model with a 25-node structure yielded a strong relation for training, validating and testing the input and output variables with the lowest mean squared error (MSE) and the highest correlation coefficient (R) values of 0.0099 and 99.91% for CS and 0.010 and 98.42% for FS compared to other architectures. However, the DNN model with a 20-node architecture yielded a strong correlation for STS, with the lowest MSE and the highest R values of 0.013 and 97.26%. Strong relationships were found between the developed models and raw experimental data sets, with R2 values of 99.58%, 97.85% and 97.58% for CS, FS and STS, respectively.

Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this novel research establishes the prospects of replacing SNA and OSP with Portland limestone cement (PLC) to produce TBC. In addition, predicting the CS, FS and STS of TBC modified with OSP and SNA using DNN models is original, optimizing the time, cost and quality of concrete.
High‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio predicts long‐term adverse outcomes in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Dai Xin‐Ya , Xue Zheng‐Kai , Wang Xiao‐Wen , Chen Kang‐Yin , Hu Su‐Tao , Tse Gary , Rha Seung‐Woon , Liu Tong 
Published: September 2024

AbstractHigh‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) ratio (CHR) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), but its predictive value for long‐term adverse outcomes in patients with CAD following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains unexplored and is the subject of this study. Patients with CAD who underwent PCI at the Korea University Guro Hospital‐Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (KUGH‐PCI) Registry since 2004 were included. Patients were categorized into tertiles according to their CHR. The end points were all‐cause mortality (ACM), cardiac mortality (CM) and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). Kaplan–Meier analysis, multivariate Cox regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) and sensitivity analyses were performed. A total of 3260 patients were included and divided into Group 1 (CHR <0.830, N = 1089), Group 2 (CHR = 0.830–3.782, N = 1085) and Group 3 (CHR >3.782, N = 1086). Higher CHR tertiles were associated with progressively greater risks of ACM, CM and MACEs (log‐rank, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression showed that patients in the highest tertile had greater risks of ACM (HR: 2.127 [1.452–3.117]), CM (HR: 3.575 [1.938–6.593]) and MACEs (HR: 1.337 [1.089–1.641]) than those in the lowest tertile. RCS analyses did not reveal a significant non‐linear relationship between CHR and ACM, CM or MACEs. The significant associations remained significant in the sensitivity analyses, RCS analyses with or without extreme values, subgroup analyses and multiple imputations for missing data. Elevated CHR is a novel, independent risk factor for long‐term ACM, CM and MACEs in CAD patients following PCI.
The contributions of primary sources to fauna and the trophic structure in tropical seagrass areas: A case study from Thai waters
Authors: Tuntiprapas Piyalap , Hayashizaki Ken‐ichi , Prathep Anchana 
Published: September 2024

AbstractSeagrass provides habitat and resources for various organisms in coastal areas. However, the productivity of a seagrass meadow might vary by its size, which can influence the contribution of primary sources to fauna and the food web structure. This study uses stable isotopes to investigate the contribution of sources to faunas and the associated food web structure in two tropical seagrass meadows. The carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes of primary sources such as mangrove leaf, coastal and riverine particulate organic matter, seagrass material and associated fauna (fish, bivalves, gastropods, crab, shrimp) were investigated from samples collected seagrass meadows of different sizes, at Libong Island and Tharai Island in Thailand. The contribution of the primary sources to the fauna diet showed that seagrass material was the main food source for fauna in both sites. Moreover, the trophic niche did not overlap among the groups of each fauna guild, reflecting the support seagrass provides to resident fauna. The study emphasizes the important role of seagrass as a habitat and feeding ground in tropical coastal ecosystems.
The Phillips Curve in Australia in the Era of Inflation Targeting
Authors: Mallick Debdulal 
Published: September 2024

AbstractAustralia, like many other countries, experienced an unexpected surge in inflation following the COVID‐19 pandemic. This has renewed interest in the Phillips curve because of its important implications for monetary policy. We estimate the price Phillips curve in the post‐inflation targeting period using the most recent state‐level data. Identification relies on variation in regional demand that policymakers do not aim to stabilize. After controlling for cost‐push shocks and equilibrium unemployment, we obtain a modest slope of the Phillips curve and, more importantly, we do not find any steepening of the Phillips curve in the post‐COVID period. Without correct identification, the post‐COVID Phillips curve would be steeper as documented for other countries including the United States. We also find that the slope gradually decreases with the level of unemployment.
The border as temporal horizon: a borderlands massacre and the contested futures of federalism in eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Thompson Daniel K. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIn 1995, a coalition of former rebel groups redrew Ethiopia's map, establishing an ethnic‐federal system. By 2017, internal border conflicts signalled federalism's potential unravelling. This article analyses expectations about federalism's future among Somalis in Ethiopia, drawing on anthropologies of time to understand how everyday processes of border‐making orient around the ‘future in the present’. Anthropologists and historians concerned with political time have focused largely on how the ‘past in the present’ shapes state‐building and political identity formation. Meanwhile, political scientists and commentators, as well as many Ethiopians living amid uncertainty, prognosticate about the future of identity politics in Ethiopia and attempt to discern whether decentralization is paving the way to state fragmentation. Foregrounding how people work to manage time at borders and through borderwork, this article analyses the roles borders play in people's collective constructions of political futures – and the role anticipations about the future play in people's engagement with borders.
Internalizing Peer Firm Product Market Concerns: Supply Chain Relations and M&A Activity
Authors: AFRIN FARZANA , KIM JINHWAN , ROYCHOWDHURY SUGATA , YOST BENJAMIN P. 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTWe explore whether firms internalize the product market concerns of their economically linked peers by examining merger and acquisition decisions in the context of customer–supplier relations. Given the extensive transfer of capital, knowledge, and information between merging parties, we hypothesize that customers’ competition concerns discourage their suppliers from engaging in vertically conflicted transactions (i.e., acquisitions of their customers’ rivals or suppliers to those rivals). Consistent with our hypothesis, we find that suppliers are less likely to engage in such transactions when their customers are subject to higher product market competition. Moreover, the effect is more pronounced when suppliers and customers have greater relationship‐specific investments and when customers face heightened proprietary information concerns. Using plausibly exogenous variation in common ownership between customers and their rivals as a shock to customers’ competition concerns, we conclude that the link between customers’ competition concerns and supplier acquisitions is likely causal. Our findings suggest that firms alter their investment and strategic decisions in response to the product market competition concerns of their economically related peers.
Police vehicle contamination by inorganic gunshot residue (iGSR) in Zagreb County Police Administration (Croatia): Analysis of characteristic and indicative particles across different vehicle parts and contributory risk factors
Authors: Senješ Hrvoje , Kuzmić Sunčica , Jerković Ivan 
Published: September 2024

AbstractInorganic gunshot residue (iGSR) analysis, crucial for linking suspects to firearm use, faces challenges from potential environmental contamination, notably in police vehicles. The present study aimed to explore the level of iGSR contamination in police vehicles from the Zagreb County Police Administration (Croatia), considering particle types and their position in vehicles, and to identify associated risk factors. From December 2021 to April 2022, 65 of 86 police vehicles (margin of error: ±6% at a 95% confidence level) were sampled with GSR stubs on the drivers' seats, back seats, and backrests and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x‐ray analysis (SEM/EDX). Characteristic particles were found in 63.1% of vehicles, 33.8% on the driver's seat, and 24.6% on the back seat/backrest. Indicative particles were found in 70.77% of vehicles, with a fairly even distribution. McNemar's chi‐square analysis showed no significant disparities in positive sample ratios across vehicle parts or particle types (p > 0.05). In total, 228 characteristic and 166 indicative GSR particles were identified, with no notable correlation among them (p = 0.346). Logistic regression analysis identified the transportation of individuals involved in firearms incidents as a statistically significant factor influencing the presence of characteristic particles (p = 0.030). The findings suggest a considerable prevalence of iGSR in the analyzed Police Administration unit, highlighting the need for careful contamination management in police operations to preserve evidence integrity, particularly in cases when individuals who used firearms had been transported in the vehicle.
Phytoplasma infection renders cranberries more susceptible to above‐ and belowground insect herbivores
Authors: Rodriguez‐Saona Cesar , Salazar‐Mendoza Paolo , Holdcraft Robert , Polashock James 
Published: September 2024

AbstractWhile phytoplasma infections in plants are known to affect their interactions with aboveground herbivores, the impact of different genotypes on these infections and their effects on belowground herbivores remains largely unexplored. In cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), infection by the phytoplasma Candidatus Phytoplasma sp. subgroup 16SrIII‐Y leads to false blossom disease. This study investigates whether cranberry infection by this phytoplasma affects the performance and feeding behavior of a foliar feeder (spongy moth, Lymantria dispar) and a root feeder (oriental beetle, Anomala orientalis). Using phytoplasma‐infected and uninfected cranberries of two genotypes (“Ben Lear” and “Crimson Queen”), the survival, growth and consumption of L. dispar and A. orientalis larvae were measured. To assess the effects on plant morphological and chemical traits, we also examined the impact of phytoplasma infection on shoot and root growth, carbon and nitrogen content, and the levels of defensive compounds such as proanthocyanidins (PACs). Results indicate that larvae of L. dispar and A. orientalis generally showed larger size and more efficient tissue consumption on infected plants, with these effects varying by cranberry genotype, possibly due to differences in phytoplasma titer. Phytoplasma infection was associated with stunted growth, elevated nitrogen content, and lower PAC levels in both shoots and roots of infected cranberry plants compared to uninfected ones. These findings indicate that phytoplasma infection potentially manipulates plant chemical composition by increasing nutrient levels and decreasing defensive compounds, enhancing herbivore performance both above and belowground. This study sheds light on the intricate interplay among plants, phytoplasma infection, and insect herbivore communities.