bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Microsporidian coinfection reduces fitness of a fungal pathogen due to rapid host mortality
Authors: Dziuba Marcin K. , McIntire Kristina M. , Davenport Elizabeth S. , Baird Emma , Huerta Cristian , Jaye Riley , Corcoran Fiona , McCreadie Paige , Nelson Taleah , Duffy Meghan A. 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

Infection outcomes can be strongly context dependent, shifting a host-symbiont relationship along a parasitism-mutualism continuum. Numerous studies show that under stressful conditions, symbionts that are typically mutualistic can become parasitic. The reverse possibility, a parasite becoming mutualistic, has received much less study. We investigated whether the parasitic microsporidium
Ordospora pajunii
can become beneficial for its host
Daphnia dentifera
in the presence of the more virulent fungal pathogen
Metschnikowia bicuspidata
. We found that, even though infection with
O. pajunii
reduces the frequency of penetration of
M. bicuspidata
spores into the host body cavity, it does not improve the survival or reproduction of the host; conversely, coinfection increased the mortality of
Daphnia
. This shorter lifespan of coinfected hosts disrupted the life cycle of
M. bicuspidata
, greatly reducing its fitness. Thus, coinfection with both pathogens was detrimental to the host at the individual level but might be beneficial for the host population as a result of greatly reduced production of
M. bicuspidata
spores. If so, this would mean that
O. pajunii
outbreaks should delay or prevent
M. bicuspidata
outbreaks. In support of this, in an analysis of dynamics of naturally occurring outbreaks in two lakes where these pathogens co-occur, we found a time lag in occurrence between
O. pajunii
and
M. bicuspidata
, with
M. bicuspidata
epidemics only occurring after the collapse of
O. pajunii
epidemics. Thus, these results suggest that the interaction between co-occurring symbionts, and the net impact of a symbiont on a host, might be qualitatively different at different scales.

IMPORTANCE
Understanding the factors that modify infection probability and virulence is crucial for identifying the drivers of infection outbreaks and modeling disease epidemic progression, and increases our ability to control diseases and reduce the harm they cause. One factor that can strongly influence infection probability and virulence is the presence of other pathogens. However, while coexposures and coinfections are incredibly common, we still have only a limited understanding of how pathogen interactions alter infection outcomes or whether their impacts are scale dependent. We used a system of one host and two pathogens to show that sequential coinfection can have a tremendous impact on the host and the infecting pathogens and that the outcome of (co-)infection can be negative or positive depending on the focal organization level.
Surface hydrophilicity promotes bacterial twitching motility
Authors: O'Hara Megan T. , Shimozono Tori M. , Dye Keane J. , Harris David , Yang Zhaomin 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

Twitching motility is a form of bacterial surface translocation powered by the type IV pilus (T4P). It is frequently analyzed by interstitial colony expansion between agar and the polystyrene surfaces of petri dishes. In such assays, the twitching motility of
Acinetobacter nosocomialis
was observed with MacConkey but not Luria-Bertani (LB) agar media. One difference between these two media is the presence of bile salts as a selective agent in MacConkey but not in LB. Here, we demonstrate that the addition of bile salts to LB allowed
A. nosocomialis
to display twitching. Similarly, bile salts enhanced the twitching of
Acinetobacter baumannii
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
in LB. These observations suggest that there is a common mechanism, whereby bile salts enhance bacterial twitching and promote interstitial colony expansion. Bile salts disrupt lipid membranes and apply envelope stress as detergents. Surprisingly, their stimulatory effect on twitching appears not to be related to a bacterial physiological response to stressors. Rather, it is due to their ability to alter the physicochemical properties of a twitching surface. We observed that while other detergents promoted twitching like bile salts, stresses applied by antibiotics, including the outer membrane-targeting polymyxin B, did not enhance twitching motility. More importantly, bacteria displayed increased twitching on hydrophilic surfaces such as those of glass and tissue culture-treated polystyrene plastics, and bile salts no longer stimulated twitching on these surfaces. Together, our results show that altering the hydrophilicity of a twitching surface significantly impacts T4P functionality.

IMPORTANCE
The bacterial type IV pilus (T4P) is a critical virulence factor for many medically important pathogens, some of which are prioritized by the World Health Organization for their high levels of antibiotic resistance. The T4P is known to propel bacterial twitching motility, the analysis of which provides a convenient assay for T4P functionality. Here, we show that bile salts and other detergents augment the twitching of multiple bacterial pathogens. We identified the underlying mechanism as the alteration of surface hydrophilicity by detergents. Consequently, hydrophilic surfaces like those of glass or plasma-treated polystyrene promote bacterial twitching, bypassing the requirement for detergents. The implication is that surface properties, such as those of tissues and medical implants, significantly impact the functionality of bacterial T4P as a virulence determinant. This offers valuable insights for developing countermeasures against the colonization and infection by bacterial pathogens of critical importance to human health on a global scale.
Milteforan, a promising veterinary commercial product against feline sporotrichosis
Authors: García Carnero Laura C. , Pinzan Camila Figueiredo , Diehl Camila , de Castro Patricia Alves , Pontes Lais , Rodrigues Anderson Messias , dos Reis Thaila F. , Goldman Gustavo H. 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

Sporotrichosis, the cutaneous mycosis most commonly reported in Latin America, is caused by the
Sporothrix
clinical clade species, including
Sporothrix brasiliensis
and
Sporothrix schenckii sensu stricto
. Due to its zoonotic transmission in Brazil,
S. brasiliensis
represents a significant health threat to humans and domestic animals. Itraconazole, terbinafine, and amphotericin B are the most used antifungals for treating sporotrichosis. However, many strains of
S. brasiliensis
and
S. schenckii
have shown resistance to these agents, highlighting the importance of finding new therapeutic options. Here, we demonstrate that milteforan, a commercial veterinary product against dog leishmaniasis, whose active principle is miltefosine, is a possible therapeutic alternative for the treatment of sporotrichosis, as observed by its fungicidal activity
in vitro
against different strains of
S. brasiliensis
and
S. schenckii
. Fluorescent miltefosine localizes to the
Sporothrix
cell membrane and mitochondria and causes cell death through increased permeabilization. Milteforan decreases
S. brasiliensis
fungal burden in A549 pulmonary cells and bone marrow-derived macrophages and also has an immunomodulatory effect by decreasing TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 production. Our results suggest milteforan as a possible alternative to treat feline sporotrichosis.

IMPORTANCE

Sporotrichosis is an endemic disease in Latin America caused by different species of Sporothrix. This fungus can infect domestic animals, mainly cats and eventually dogs, as well as humans. Few drugs are available to treat this disease, such as itraconazole, terbinafine, and amphotericin B, but resistance to these agents has risen in the last few years. Alternative new therapeutic options to treat sporotrichosis are essential. Here, we propose milteforan, a commercial veterinary product against dog leishmaniasis, whose active principle is miltefosine, as a possible therapeutic alternative for treating sporotrichosis. Milteforan decreases
S. brasiliensis
fungal burden in human and mouse cells and has an immunomodulatory effect by decreasing several cytokine production.
Multicenter study of the performance of NTM Elite agar for the detection of nontuberculous mycobacteria from patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: André Emmanuel , Lorent Natalie , Beuselinck Kurt , Deiwick Susanne , Dupont Lieven , Gafsi Johanne , Laenen Lies , Raymaekers Lise , Van Bleyenbergh Pascal , Perry John D. , Kahl Barbara C. 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

The performance of a novel selective agar was evaluated against the performance of conventional mycobacterial cultures, i.e., a combination of the mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) with Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ), for the detection of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in sputum samples from people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Two hundred eighty-three sputum samples (231 fresh sputum and 52 spiked sputum) from 143 pwCF were collected. They were inoculated without prior decontamination on NTM Elite agar (30°C ± 2°C for 28 days) and inoculated on both MGIT and LJ (35°C–37°C for 6–8 weeks) after N-acetyl-L-cysteine-2% sodium hydroxide decontamination. NTM were identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization/Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry and/or PCR, and whole-genome sequencing. A total of 67 NTM were recovered overall by the combination of all culture media. NTM Elite agar allowed the recovery of 65 NTM (97%), compared to 22 for the conventional MGIT and LJ media combination (32.8%), including 22 NTM for MGIT (32.8%) and 3 NTM with the LJ medium (4.5%). For
Mycobacterium abscessus
complex, the sensitivity of NTM Elite agar was 95% compared with a sensitivity of 30% for the conventional MGIT and LJ media combination. Overall, 17.3% of cultures on NTM Elite agar were contaminated with other micro-organisms vs 46.3% on MGIT and 77% on LJ. This study shows that the novel selective agar (NTM Elite agar) significantly outperforms the conventional MGIT and LJ media combination in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and ease of culture, without the requirement of an L3 laboratory.

IMPORTANCE

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are significant pulmonary pathogens in patients with pre-existing structural lung conditions such as cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Mycobacterium avium
complex and
Mycobacterium abscessus
complex (MABSC) are the most frequently isolated organisms. Compared to the recommended culture method for NTM, which combines solid and liquid culture media, NTM Elite agar enables a faster/easier diagnosis and speeds up identification and susceptibility testing as the final reading is at 28 days instead of 6–8 weeks for the conventional mycobacterial cultures. In addition, for the NTM Elite agar, no decontamination stage before inoculation is necessary, unlike the conventional mycobacterial cultures. NTM Elite agar is derived from a formulation of medium adapted to rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM). The medium enables the growth of RGM while suppressing other flora. It is supported with published clinical data showing the benefits of this medium.
Barriers and enablers encountered by elite athletes during preconception and pregnancy: a mixed-methods systematic review
Authors: Titova Jasmine , Davenport Margie H , Humphrys Alexandra , Hayman Melanie 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveTo synthesise the existing literature relating to barriers and enablers encountered by elite athletes during preconception and pregnancy for the purpose of identifying key recommendations and actionable steps to inform the development of pregnancy guidelines to support preconception and pregnancy in national sporting organisations.DesignMixed-methods systematic review with thematic analysis.Data sourcesFour databases (Medline, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO and CINAHL) were systematically searched to identify relevant studies, along with reference lists of included studies until 3 April 2023.Eligibility criteriaPeer-reviewed primary studies from any date, language and location which identify at least one barrier and/or enabler encountered by elite female athletes during preconception and/or pregnancy were included. Grey literature, books, conference papers and other reviews were excluded.ResultsA total of 29 studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. The most common barriers identified were attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of the athlete and society, lack of support provided by sports organisations and lack of evidence-based information available. The most common enablers were specific strategies used by athletes (eg, modified training) to manage the demands of preconception and pregnancy, attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of the athlete, and support of family.ConclusionKey recommendations developed from the results are for sporting organisations to (1) develop clear, transparent and multifaceted policies to support preconception and pregnancy; (2) foster supportive environments which offer flexible training, social support and positive promotion of pregnant athletes and (3) provide clear, evidence-based education and information about preconception and pregnancy to athletes, coaches, support staff and organisational staff.
Quantum engineering for compactly localized states in disordered Lieb lattices
Authors: Danieli Carlo , Liu Jie , Römer Rudolf A. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Blending ordering within an uncorrelated disorder potential in families of 3D Lieb lattices preserves the macroscopic degeneracy of compact localized states and yields unconventional combinations of localized and delocalized phases—as shown in Liu et al. (Phys Rev B 106:214204, 2022). We proceed to reintroduce translation invariance in the system by further ordering the disorder, and discuss the spectral structure and eigenstates features of the resulting perturbed lattices. We restore order in steps by first (i) rendering the disorder binary—i.e., yielding a randomized checkerboard potential, then (ii) reordering the randomized checkerboard into an ordered one, and at last (iii) realigning all the checkerboard values yielding a constant potential shift, but only on a sub-lattice. Along this path, we test the influence of additional random impurities on the order restoration. We find that in each of these steps, about half of the dispersive states are projected upon the unperturbed sites hosting the degenerate compact states, while the remaining ones are localized in the perturbed sites with energy determined by the strength of checkerboard. This strategy, herewith implemented in the 3D Lieb lattice, highlights order restoration as experimental pathway to engineer spectral and states features in disordered lattice structures in the pursuit of quantum storage and memory applications.

Graphic abstract
Understanding Biases in ChatGPT-based Recommender Systems: Provider Fairness, Temporal Stability, and Recency
Authors: Deldjoo Yashar 
Published: August 2024

This paper explores the biases inherent in ChatGPT-based recommender systems, focusing on provider fairness (item-side fairness). Through extensive experiments and over a thousand API calls, we investigate the impact of prompt design strategies—including structure, system role, and intent—on evaluation metrics such as provider fairness, catalog coverage, temporal stability, and recency. The first experiment examines these strategies in
classical top-K recommendations,
while the second evaluates
sequential in-context learning (ICL
).

In the first experiment, we assess seven distinct prompt scenarios on top-K recommendation accuracy and fairness. Accuracy-oriented prompts, like Simple and Chain-of-Thought (COT), outperform diversification prompts, which, despite enhancing temporal freshness, reduce accuracy by up to 50%. Embedding fairness into system roles, such as “act as a fair recommender”, proved more effective than fairness directives within prompts. We also found that diversification prompts led to recommending newer movies, offering broader genre distribution compared to traditional collaborative filtering (CF) models. The system showed high consistency across multiple runs.
The second experiment explores sequential ICL, comparing zero-shot and few-shot learning scenarios. Results indicate that including user demographic information in prompts affects model biases and stereotypes. However, ICL did not consistently improve item fairness and catalog coverage over zero-shot learning. Zero-shot learning achieved higher NDCG and coverage, while ICL-2 showed slight improvements in hit rate (HR) when age-group context was included. Overall, our study provides insights into biases of RecLLMs, particularly in provider fairness and catalog coverage. By examining prompt design, learning strategies, and system roles, we highlight the potential and challenges of integrating large language models into recommendation systems, paving the way for future research. Further details can be found at https://github.com/yasdel/Benchmark_RecLLM_Fairness.
Classification of Premature Ventricular Contractions in Athletes During Routine Preparticipation Exams
Authors: Gomez Sofia E. , Perez Marco V. , Wheeler Matthew T. , Hadley David , Hwang Calvin E. , Kussman Andrea , Kim Daniel S. , Froelicher Victor 
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND:
Large-scale data on incidental premature ventricular contraction (PVC) prevalence and morphologies have been lacking, leaving many providers without guidance on further cardiac testing for patients with incidental PVCs on ECG. Athletes offer an intriguing cohort to understand the clinical significance, prevalence, and common morphologies of incidental PVCs because they often undergo ECG screening during preparticipation exams.

METHODS:
Digital ECGs were obtained from 10 728 screened athletes aged 14 to 35 years during mass screenings in schools and professional sports teams between 2014 and 2021. A retrospective analysis of ECGs with PVCs was performed using the simultaneous display of frontal (limb) and horizontal (precordial) plane leads. PVCs were coded for morphology and categorized as benign or nonbenign using recommended criteria.

RESULTS:
Twenty-six athletes (0.24%) were found to have at least 1 PVC. Among these, 50% were female, 65% were White, 8% were Asian, 4% were Hispanic, and 23% were Black. Nineteen of the 26 (73%) ECGs had PVCs with a left bundle branch block pattern compared with 7 (27%) with a right bundle branch block pattern. Twenty-four ECGs (96%) had PVCs with benign patterns, including 18 with right ventricular outflow tract, 5 with left anterior fascicle, and 2 with left posterior fascicle morphology.

CONCLUSIONS:
There is a low prevalence of PVCs on routine ECG screening of young athletes, and most PVCs are of benign morphology in this population. This study highlights the value of using digital ECG recorders with simultaneous lead display to guide decision-making about further cardiac testing and referrals in young athletes with PVCs. Using our results and review of the literature, we propose methods and algorithms of PVC evaluation on screening ECGs to help guide many providers with risk stratification and decision-making about further cardiac testing and electrophysiology referrals in young athletes with PVCs.
Auditing citation polarization during the early COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: You Taekho , Lee June Young , Park Jinseo , Yun Jinhyuk 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
The recent pandemic stimulated scientists to publish a significant amount of research that created a surge of citations of COVID-19-related publications in a short time, leading to an abrupt inflation of the journal impact factor (IF). By auditing the complete set of COVID-19-related publications in the Web of Science, we reveal here that COVID-19-related research worsened the polarization of academic journals: The IF before the pandemic was proportional to the increment of IF, which had the effect of increasing inequality while retaining the journal rankings. We also found that the most highly cited studies related to COVID-19 were published in prestigious journals at the onset of the epidemic. Through the present quantitative investigation, our findings caution against the belief that quantitative metrics, particularly IF, can indicate the significance of individual papers. Rather, such metrics reflect the social attention given to a particular study.
Drawings as a tool to assess the effect of environmental education on children – the case of the Blonde Capuchin Project in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Santos André , Campelo Anielise , Medeiros Karolina , Castro Carla S.S. , Moraes Barbara , Bezerra Bruna 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Environmental Education (EE) is key for biodiversity conservation. We aimed to evaluate the effect of an EE activity on students by evaluating their drawings. The EE activity was part of the Blonde Capuchin Project actions, which focuses on the research and conservation of the endangered blonde capuchin monkey, Sapajus flavius. The activity was comprised of four steps and lasted four hours in each school. We analysed 348 drawings made by children from eight schools in rural areas close to forest fragments inhabited by Blonde Capuchins in two municipalities in Northeast Brazil, Igarassu-PE and Mataraca-PB. The children made the drawings during the intervention in each school, specifically in steps 1 and 4 of the activity. We scored the drawings using a rubric to account for the presence of components (biotic and abiotic) and interactions (e.g., human-environment and non-human animal interactions). As an outcome of the EE activity, we found a possible increase in knowledge and awareness through the evaluation of the drawings. Thus, when resources are limited, we encourage the performance of short-term EE activities and the analysis of drawings as a tool to measure their immediate effect.
The Emergence of Anthroposophical Curative Education in Israel
Authors: Eilon Ron 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
This paper tracks anthroposophical social initiatives in Israel in the mid-20th century. It follows the migration of people involved in the anthroposophical movement, the transfer of anthroposophical ideas and the transnational translation of social work knowledge and practice from Europe to Mandatory Palestine and Israel. Archival material was collected from official, institutional, and private archives in Israel, Switzerland, Britain, and Germany and some data was obtained through oral history interviews. Transnational correspondence between anthroposophists in Palestine, later Israel, and those in Europe and Britain up to the late 1960s reveals efforts to tackle the newly founded state’s most burning struggles to adjust, realize, and embed an anthroposophical care practice. The paper suggests that the transnational translation of anthroposophical curative education played a significant role in the reception of anthroposophy in Israel through a process in which European cultural aspects of anthroposophy were adjusted, and its universal human aspects were prioritized.