bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Constitutive upregulation of transcription factors underlies permissive bradyzoite differentiation in a natural isolate of
Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Xia Jing , Fu Yong , Huang Wanyi , Uddin Taher , Sibley L. David 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasma gondii
bradyzoites play a critical role in pathology due to their long-term persistence in intermediate hosts and their potential to reactivate, resulting in severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no effective treatment for eliminating bradyzoites. Hence, better
in vitro
models of
T. gondii
bradyzoite development would facilitate identification of therapeutic targets for bradyzoites. Herein, we characterized a natural isolate of
T. gondii
, called Tg68, which showed slower
in vitro
replication of tachyzoites, and permissive bradyzoite development under stress conditions
in vitro
. Transcriptional analysis revealed constitutive expression in Tg68 tachyzoites of the key regulators of bradyzoite development including
BFD1
,
BFD2
, and several AP2 factors. Consistent with this finding, Tg68 tachyzoites expressed high levels of bradyzoite-specific genes including
BAG1
,
ENO1
, and
LDH2
. Moreover, after stress-induced differentiation, Tg68 bradyzoites exhibited gene expression profiles of mature bradyzoites, even at early time points. These data suggest that Tg68 tachyzoites exist in a pre-bradyzoite stage primed to readily develop into mature bradyzoites under stress conditions
in vitro
. Tg68 presents a novel model for differentiation
in vitro
that will serve as a useful tool for the investigation of bradyzoite biology and the development of therapeutics.

IMPORTANCE

Toxoplasma gondii
is a widespread protozoan that chronically infects ~30% of the world’s population.
T. gondii
can differentiate between the fast-growing life stage that causes acute infection and the slow-growing stage that persists in the host for extended periods of time. The slow-growing stage cannot be eliminated by the host immune response or currently known antiparasitic drugs. Studies on the slow-growing stage have been limited due to the limitations of
in vivo
experiments and the challenges of
in vitro
manipulation. Here, we characterize a natural isolate of
T. gondii
, which constitutively expresses factors that drive development and that is permissive to convert to the slow-growing stage under stress conditions
in vitro
. The strain presents a novel
in vitro
model for studying the chronic phase of toxoplasmosis and identifying new therapeutic treatments for chronic infections.
Building and validating trend-based multiple sclerosis case definitions: a population-based cohort study for Manitoba, Canada
Authors: Hamm Naomi C , Marrie Ruth Ann , Jiang Depeng , Irani Pourang , Lix Lisa 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveThis study aims to (1) build and validate model-based case definitions for multiple sclerosis (MS) that use trends (ie, trend-based case definitions) and (2) to apply dynamic classification to identify the average number of data years needed for classification (ie, average trend needed).DesignRetrospective cohort study design.Participants608 MS cases and 59 620 MS non-cases.SettingData from 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2022 were obtained from the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository. MS case status was ascertained from homecare records and linked to health data. Trend-based case definitions were constructed using multivariate generalised linear mixed models applied to annual numbers of general and specialist physician visits, hospitalisations and MS healthcare contacts or medication dispensations. Dynamic classification, which ascertains cases and non-cases annually, was used to estimate mean classification time. Classification accuracy performance measures, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), proportion correctly classified (PCC) and F1-scores, were compared for trend-based case definitions and a deterministic case definition of 3+MS healthcare contacts or medication dispensations.ResultsWhen applied to the full study period, classification accuracy performance measure estimates for all case definitions exceeded 0.90, except sensitivity and PPV for the trend-based dynamic case definition (0.88, 0.64, respectively). PCC was high for all case definitions (0.94–0.99); F1-scores were lower for the trend-based case definitions compared with the deterministic case definition (0.74–0.93 vs 0.96). Dynamic classification identified 5 years as the average trend needed. When applied to the average trend windows, accuracy estimates for trend-based case definitions were lower than the estimates from the full study period (sensitivity: 0.77–0.89; specificity: 0.90–0.97; PPV: 0.54–0.81; NPV: 0.97–0.99; F1-score: 0.64–0.84). Accuracy estimates for the deterministic case definition remained high, except sensitivity (0.42–0.80). F1-score was variable (0.59–0.89).ConclusionsTrend-based and deterministic case definitions classifications were similar to a population-based clinician assessment reference standard for multiple measures of classification accuracy. However, accuracy estimates for both trend-based and deterministic case definitions varied as the years of data used for classification were reduced. Dynamic classification appears to be a viable option for identifying the average trend needed for trend-based case definitions.
Remote Neuroinflammation in Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Correlates with Unfavorable Clinical Outcome
Authors: Bartos Laura M. , Quach Stefanie , Zenatti Valerio , Kirchleitner Sabrina V. , Blobner Jens , Wind-Mark Karin , Kolabas Zeynep Ilgin , Ulukaya Selin , Holzgreve Adrien , Ruf Viktoria C. , Kunze Lea H. , Kunte Sebastian T. , Hoermann Leonie , Härtel Marlies , Park Ha Eun , Groß Mattes , Franzmeier Nicolai , Zatcepin Artem , Zounek Adrian , Kaiser Lena , Riemenschneider Markus J. , Perneczky Robert , Rauchmann Boris-Stephan , Stöcklein Sophia , Ziegler Sibylle , Herms Jochen , Ertürk Ali , Tonn Joerg C. , Thon Niklas , von Baumgarten Louisa , Prestel Matthias , Tahirovic Sabina , Albert Nathalie L. , Brendel Matthias 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Purpose:
Current therapy strategies still provide only limited success in the treatment of glioblastoma, the most frequent primary brain tumor in adults. In addition to the characterization of the tumor microenvironment, global changes in the brain of patients with glioblastoma have been described. However, the impact and molecular signature of neuroinflammation distant of the primary tumor site have not yet been thoroughly elucidated.

Experimental Design:
We performed translocator protein (TSPO)-PET in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (n = 41), astrocytoma WHO grade 2 (n = 7), and healthy controls (n = 20) and compared TSPO-PET signals of the non-lesion (i.e., contralateral) hemisphere. Back-translation into syngeneic SB28 glioblastoma mice was used to characterize Pet alterations on a cellular level. Ultimately, multiplex gene expression analyses served to profile immune cells in remote brain.

Results:
Our study revealed elevated TSPO-PET signals in contralateral hemispheres of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma compared to healthy controls. Contralateral TSPO was associated with persisting epileptic seizures and shorter overall survival independent of the tumor phenotype. Back-translation into syngeneic glioblastoma mice pinpointed myeloid cells as the predominant source of contralateral TSPO-PET signal increases and identified a complex immune signature characterized by myeloid cell activation and immunosuppression in distant brain regions.

Conclusions:
Neuroinflammation within the contralateral hemisphere can be detected with TSPO-PET imaging and associates with poor outcome in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The molecular signature of remote neuroinflammation promotes the evaluation of immunomodulatory strategies in patients with detrimental whole brain inflammation as reflected by high TSPO expression.
Species delimitation within the genus Porcellana (Anomura, Galatheoidea, Porcellanidae) in the East Atlantic and systematic implications
Authors: Baciu Miruna B. , Rodríguez-Flores Paula C. , Templado José , Machordom Annie 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
The porcelain crab Porcellana africana was originally identified as a subspecies of Porcellana platycheles, a species widely distributed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. A study characterizing the recent invasion of P. africana in South Africa places doubts on the identification and previously reported distribution of populations of the two species of Porcellana, which could have implications for the conservation and management of the species. Here, we aimed to delineate the Porcellana species from the East Atlantic to gain a better understanding of their distribution, which will help in conservation decision-making. Molecular analyses based on two mitochondrial genes and a nuclear gene confirmed that P. africana is a well-defined species and that its distribution extends further north, including the Canary Islands. A time divergence estimation indicates the cladogenesis between P. platycheles and P. africana occurred during the Neogene, likely linked to drastic climatic and environmental changes that took place during the Pliocene. Both species are morphologically very close, but can be distinguished by the shape of the third thoracic sternite.
A phylogeographic approach to Sulawesi’s Maros karst shrimp fauna (Decapoda, Atyidae) reveals several cave invasions and challenges current taxonomic hypotheses
Authors: von Rintelen Kristina , Rumpf Carla M. A. , Wowor Daisy , Wessel Andreas , von Rintelen Thomas 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
The unique endemic cave fauna of the Maros karst cave system (Sulawesi, Indonesia) includes atyid freshwater shrimps only known from their species descriptions. An extensive survey revealed a total of ten species in epigean and subterranean rivers: Two non-endemic, four species endemic to Sulawesi (genus Caridina) and four stygobiont species (genus Caridina, Marosina, and Parisia) only endemic to the Maros karst. A molecular phylogeny revealed (1) two independent colonizations of Sulawesi’s Maros karst caves by species of Caridina (Clade 1) derived from endemic ancestors, and (2) an exclusively stygobiont group (Clade 2, Marosina, Parisia) possibly derived from an amphidromous, anchialine cave-dweller. Our approach revealed another cryptic cave species of Caridina and challenges the taxonomic status of four Sulawesi endemics. In conclusion, the freshwater shrimps of the Maros karst are a challenging but rewarding group that can contribute to our understanding of the evolution of cave-dwelling species and atyid phylogenetics.
First record of the snapping shrimp Alpheus cf. lobidens (Decapoda, Caridea, Alpheidae) in the Gulf of Cadiz, an unexpected introduction to European waters from the Persian Gulf
Authors: Cuesta Jose A. , Acosta-Morillas Víctor , González Gala , de Carvalho-Souza Gustavo F. , González-Ortegón Enrique 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
In 2015, an unknown snapping shrimp of the genus Alpheus was collected in the San Pedro River inlet (Bay of Cadiz, SW Spain). Initially, its identification was not possible only based on DNA barcoding or morphology, considering the difficulties in the Alpheus taxonomy and the low percentage of DNA sequences of Alpheus spp. available in public databases. However, recent studies from Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq describing the morphology of Alpheus cf. lobidens allowed us to place the exotic Alpheus in this species complex. There are also recent sequences of 16S mtRNA and COI deposited in GenBank and BOLD that match >99% of similarity with the sequences of the specimens from the Bay of Cadiz. These sequences have the same origin in the Persian Gulf, but they have been attributed to different Alpheus species. Here we discuss these mismatches, and data about the distribution in the Gulf of Cadiz as well as the habitat of Alpheus cf. lobidens. Additionally, DNA barcodes, and a detailed morphological description and illustrations are provided. Some hypotheses about possible ways of introduction are discussed, and the most plausible route seems to be a natural expansion to the west after entering the Mediterranean Sea by the Suez Canal.
A new enigmatic species of pea crab of the genus Glassella Campos & Wicksten, 1997 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Pinnotheridae) from Brazilian waters
Authors: Balbino Felipe C. , Mantelatto Fernando L. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
The genus Glassella had never been formally recorded in Brazil. Coelho (1996, 1997) assigned specimens collected in northeastern Brazil, in the states of Maranhão and Pernambuco, to Pinnixa floridana, a species that was recently allocated to Glassella and had its rediagnosis proposed. The reassessment of the material analysed by Coelho and the study of three additional specimens collected during an offshore expedition in the state of Espírito Santo resulted in the discovery and description of a new species and the recognition of another undescribed species of Glassella in Brazilian waters. The new species is herein named G. schubarti sp. nov., in honour of the late Christoph D. Schubart, who has made many important contributions to the study of evolution and diversity of brachyuran crabs. These species represent the southernmost records of the genus and the first species of Glassella described from Brazil.
Beneath the surface: two new burrowing crayfish species of Parastacus Huxley, 1879 (Malacostraca, Decapoda, Parastacidae) from the Mirim-São Gonçalo Basin, southern Brazil
Authors: Huber Augusto F. , Araujo Paula B. , Ribeiro Felipe B. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
In this contribution, we describe two new species of burrowing crayfish from the countryside of the municipality of Pelotas in the south region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. We evaluated morphology and also their conservation status according to the IUCN Red List Criteria. Parastacus schubarti sp. nov. differs from the burrowing species of Rio Grande do Sul state in having an epistome anteromedian lobe septagonal, areola wide, and by the large spines in telson lateral margins. Parastacus dincaoi sp. nov. is distinguishable from the burrowing species of Rio Grande do Sul state in having a wide pleon and a subtriangular telson with small blunt spines on lateral margins. The extent of occurrence of P. schubarti sp. nov. and P. dincaoi sp. nov. were estimated at 382 km2 and 963 km2, respectively. The main threats identified were continued decline in the habitat quality, resulting from deforestation, habitat fragmentation, agriculture and livestock. However, as we currently know only one point of occurrence for each new species, we suggest that both be categorized as Data Deficient.
Halcyon Days? A Helsinki Conversation on International Law in the Last Quarter of a Century
Authors: Klabbers Jan , Koskenniemi Martti , Leino-Sandberg Päivi 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
This contribution reflects a three-way conversation involving professors Martti Koskenniemi, Päivi Leino-Sandberg and Jan Klabbers, conducted at the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights. It touches on a diversity of themes, including the role of international organizations in international law, the populist ‘backlash’, the problems and prospects of expert governance, the possibility of a global virtue ethics, and what a critical approach to international law may entail.
Imperialism, Crime and International Law: A Political Economy Perspective
Authors: Menon Parvathi 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
This paper contextualises and decontextualises the meaning of criminalisation. Pondering 25 years of the Erik Castrén Institute and the International Criminal Court, this paper provides not only a critical lens through which we must necessarily view the celebrations that accompany criminalisation at the icc today for the genocide in Gaza, but also a trepidation with which we must view the past that afforded the foundations upon which institutions like the icc and World Bank enjoy legitimacy. The larger picture, of convicts building empire, criminalisation being instrumentalised to cannibalise non-western sovereignty, and non-western sovereigns subjugating their own populations to fulfil their capitalist agendas could be viewed as coming full circle. Or else, they are all perhaps stories that form a part of the same totality, in which resistance to the order and a complicity in its creation end up being subsumed to serve the accumulation of capital.
Continuity in Top-of-Atmosphere Earth Radiation Budget Observations
Authors: Loeb Norman G. , Doelling David R. , Kato Seiji , Su Wenying , Mlynczak Pamela E. , Wilkins Joshua C. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
The Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) product combines CERES and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on the Terra and Aqua satellites to create a record of earth radiation budget (ERB) and the associated cloud properties. As the Terra and Aqua orbits are no longer maintained at a fixed mean local time, EBAF recently transitioned to the CERES and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments on NOAA-20 to avoid introducing a time-dependent bias in the record. To ensure smooth transitions between the Terra, combined Terra and Aqua (Terra+Aqua), and NOAA-20 portions of the record, regional climatological adjustments derived from the overlap period between missions are applied to anchor the entire record to Terra+Aqua. We estimate the random error in global monthly anomalies following the transitions to be <0.15 W m−2 for top-of-atmosphere (TOA) flux and <0.1% for cloud fraction, much smaller than the standard deviation in the corresponding anomalies. As the number of ERB instruments will decrease from four to one in just 10 years, there is a high probability that a data gap in the EBAF record will occur, making it challenging to maintain continuity. We estimate that there is a 33% probability of a data gap in 2028 and a 60% probability in 2035. Bridging a data gap using computed TOA fluxes from one satellite product and one atmospheric reanalysis results in errors that are a factor of 4 larger than those obtained when there is overlap between successive missions.
Drivers of Growth: Empirical Analysis of Ten Largest Economies
Authors: Sahoo Bibhu Prasad , Ashri Dhananjay , Gulati Ankita 
Published: August 2024

This study investigates the constellation of macroeconomic forces that drive economic growth by focusing on the world’s 10 largest economies (in terms of GDP). It uses cross-country data from 1990 to 2019 (30 years). The macroeconomic forces considered for the study are macroeconomic stability (represented by inflation), infrastructure (represented by mobile cellular subscription per hundred people), foreign trade (represented by exports and imports) and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow. Real GDP is used as a measure of economic growth. The empirical findings suggested that macroeconomic instability is detrimental to economic growth. Infrastructure improvements and FDI inflows can boost growth of the selected nations. However, trade has an insignificant impact on economic growth. JEL Codes: O47, F21
Suicide in the USA: A Decadal Study From the 1930s to the 2020s
Authors: McIntosh John L. , Drapeau Christopher W. 
Published: August 2024

This study provides a decadal analysis of national suicide data over 90 years, offering a comprehensive view of long-term trends and current levels in the United States. We analyzed mean decadal suicide numbers, rates, and confidence intervals from the 1930s to the early 2020s across demographic categories including sex, race, and age. Our findings reveal that suicide rates in the 2020s are the highest since the 1930s. The data indicate significant variations across groups; the 2020s show the highest suicide rates for both Whites and Nonwhites, and individuals under 44 years of age. Conversely, men’s suicide rates were slightly lower than those in the 1930s, whereas rates for women and older adults peaked during the 1930s. The results underscore the need for ongoing surveillance of suicide trends and proactive suicide prevention measures by governmental and other relevant organizations.
COVID-19 and Child Sex Trafficking: Qualitative Insights on the Effect of the Pandemic on Victimization and Service Provision
Authors: O’Brien Jennifer E. , Jones Lisa M. , Mitchell Kimberly J. , Kahn Gina Zwerling 
Published: August 2024

Objectives: Child sex trafficking (CST) is the involvement of minors in the commercial exchange of sex for goods, services, drugs, or money. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected many risk factors associated with CST victimization and the availability of CST services. We examined service providers’ perspectives on how the pandemic affected trajectories of CST victimization among young people in the United States. Methods: We collected qualitative data from 80 law enforcement professionals and service providers working with young people affected by CST from 11 US cities. Semistructured interviews lasted approximately 1 hour and were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded via a grounded theory approach. Results: We found 3 overarching themes related to the pandemic’s effect on CST victimization trajectories: grooming, perpetration, and service provision. Participants described how increased online activity may have increased the risk of CST, even among children without traditional risk factors. However, technology also facilitated young people’s agency in seeking help and receiving services. In addition, participants reported increases in virtual service provision that facilitated access to, and availability of, CST services more generally. Conclusions: Technology use among young people increased during the pandemic, leading to increases in the risks of experiencing technology-facilitated CST. Technology use among young people who experience CST victimization—and how it may differ from young people more generally—is underexplored and may provide insights into prevention and treatment. Collectively, results highlight the need for epidemiologic research to help identify how global and national events affect trajectories of victimization among young people.
Exploring the mechanism of improving the pressure fluctuation of double suction centrifugal pump by impeller stagger
Authors: Liu Qiang , Lu Zhaoheng , Tao Ran , Lu Hongzhong , Xiao Ruofu 
Published: August 2024

Background The pressure fluctuation in the volute can be effectively reduced when the impeller of the double-suction pump is staggered, but the mechanism of this reduction is still unclear. At the same time, the traditional analysis method cannot realize the visualization of pressure fluctuation. Objective The purpose of this article is to explore the spatial distribution, propagation, and attenuation law of pressure fluctuation, and on this basis, to research the reason why staggered impeller reduce pressure fluctuation. Methods A new method called Pulse tracking network (PTN) was used in this article. Compared with the traditional method, which only analyzes the pressure fluctuation at scattered points, this method greatly improves the spatial resolution of the pressure fluctuation. In particular, the phase analysis is a major highlight of the method. Results Staggered impeller significantly reduced the pressure fluctuation intensity dominated by blade passing frequency. At the same time, the propagation of the pressure fluctuation in the volute changed from radial to circumferential in the volute cross-section. Conclusions Staggered impeller can effectively reduce pressure fluctuation, and the circumferential propagation caused by it is considered to be the main reason for it.