bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A single episode of sexual reproduction can prevent population extinction under multiple stressors
Authors: Kawaguchi Yawako W. , Yamamichi Masato 
Published: April 2024

AbstractRecent studies have shown that organisms can adapt to changing environments through rapid contemporary evolution. Although intraspecific genetic variation is necessary for rapid evolution to occur, little is known how genetic variation has been produced and maintained before rapid evolution. Here we show that a single episode of sexual reproduction can produce a large amount of intraspecific trait variation that allows population growth in degraded environments by laboratory experiments of a green alga,Closterium peracerosum–strigosum–littoralecomplex. We observed population dynamics of the alga under multiple stressors and confirmed that high salinity and low pH decreased population growth rates. By comparing parental and their hybrid F1populations, we observed larger variation in population growth rates of F1populations (i.e., transgressive segregation) when pH was low. Interestingly, even when parental populations had negative growth rates, some F1populations showed positive growth rates in severe environmental conditions due to the large variation in population growth. By utilizing the recently obtained genomic information of the alga, we found greater enrichment of genes with copy number variations in terms related to pH stress than those to salt stress in a gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. Our results suggest that recombination and variation in the number of gene copies might produce large genetic variation in the F1generation. This will be an important step toward a better understanding of evolutionary rescue, where rapid evolution prevents population extinction in changing environments.
CRISPR PERSIST-On enables heritable and fine-tunable human gene activation
Authors: Tak Y. Esther , Hsu Jonathan Y. , Shih Justine , Schultz Hayley T. , Nguyen Ivy T. , Lam Kin Chung , Pinello Luca , Keith Joung J. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractCurrent technologies for upregulation of endogenous genes use targeted artificial transcriptional activators but stable gene activation requires persistent expression of these synthetic factors. Although general “hit-and-run” strategies exist for inducing long-term silencing of endogenous genes using targeted artificial transcriptional repressors, to our knowledge no equivalent approach for gene activation has been described to date. Here we show stable gene activation can be achieved by harnessing endogenous transcription factors (EndoTFs) that are normally expressed in human cells. Specifically, EndoTFs can be recruited to activate endogenous human genes of interest by using CRISPR-based gene editing to introduce EndoTF DNA binding motifs into a target gene promoter. This Precision Editing of Regulatory Sequences to Induce Stable Transcription-On (PERSIST-On) approach results in stable long-term gene activation, which we show is durable for at least five months. Using a high-throughput CRISPR prime editing pooled screening method, we also show that the magnitude of gene activation can be finely tuned either by using binding sites for different EndoTF or by introducing specific mutations within such sites. Our results delineate a generalizable framework for using PERSIST-On to induce heritable and fine-tunable gene activation in a hit-and-run fashion, thereby enabling a wide range of research and therapeutic applications that require long-term upregulation of a target gene.
A detailed spatio-temporal atlas of the white matter tracts for the fetal brain
Authors: Calixto Camilo , Soldatelli Matheus Dorigatti , Jaimes Camilo , Warfield Simon K. , Gholipour Ali , Karimi Davood 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis study presents the construction of a comprehensive spatiotemporal atlas detailing the development of white matter tracts in the fetal brain using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). Our research leverages data collected from fetal MRI scans conducted between 22 and 37 weeks of gestation, capturing the dynamic changes in the brain’s microstructure during this critical period. The atlas includes 60 distinct white matter tracts, including commissural, projection, and association fibers. We employed advanced fetal dMRI processing techniques and tractography to map and characterize the developmental trajectories of these tracts. Our findings reveal that the development of these tracts is characterized by complex patterns of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), reflecting key neurodevelopmental processes such as axonal growth, involution of the radial-glial scaffolding, and synaptic pruning. This atlas can serve as a useful resource for neuroscience research and clinical practice, improving our understanding of the fetal brain and potentially aiding in the early diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders. By detailing the normal progression of white matter tract development, the atlas can be used as a benchmark for identifying deviations that may indicate neurological anomalies or predispositions to disorders.
Unveiling the dominant role of soil pH in shaping nitrogen cycling microbial gene abundances: Insights from 65-years of chemical fertilizer selection in acidic grassland meadow
Authors: Mitsuta Akari , Lourenco Kesia Silva , Ros Mart , Uchida Yoshitaka , Kuramae Eiko Eurya 
Published: April 2024

AbstractUnderstanding the microbial processes driving the nitrogen (N) cycle is crucial for enhancing plant productivity and mitigating environmental pollution. The long-term application of synthetic fertilizers induces significant alterations in the microbial community functions. Microbes inhabiting acidic soils may exhibit distinct responses to chemical fertilizer application compared to soils with neutral pH. However, the chronic or occasional changes resulting from repeated nutrient flushes due to fertilizer application remain insufficiently elucidated, especially in acidic grasslands. Therefore, our study was on an acidic semi-natural grassland, where the soil was subjected to chemical fertilizer P (superphosphate), K (potassium sulfate), PK, N (ammonium nitrate), NPK, PK+N (PK applied in spring and N applied once in summer) over a span of 65 years. Gene abundances associated with the N-cycle (amoA,nifH,nirK,nirS, andnosZ) were quantified at seven different time points throughout the year considering the temporal effect caused by fertilizer application. Our findings reveal that in the long term, soil pH emerged as the predominant factor influencing the gene abundance related to N-fixation and denitrification outweighing the impact of nutrient availability. Notably, the application of N fertilizer had a positive effect on the abundance of nitrifiers, while the abundance of denitrifiers decreased due to soil acidification induced by fertilizer application. In summary, our study highlights that the microbial community involved in N cycling is more sensitive to the difference in soil pH shaped by long-term fertilizer application rather than to the direct impact of fertilizer application.HighlightSeasonal sampling confirmed the long-term effect of fertilizer on microbial N-cycling genesFertilizer types shaped soil pH, consequently impacted on diazotrophs and denitrifies abundancesAbundance of denitrifying microbe did not explain the increase of N2O emission by N fertilizerN2O emission was positively correlated with AOA abundance
Altering the redox status ofChlamydia trachomatisdirectly impacts its developmental cycle progression
Authors: Singh Vandana , Ouellette Scot P. 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACTChlamydia trachomatisis an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen with a unique developmental cycle. It differentiates between two functional and morphological forms: elementary body (EB) and reticulate body (RB). The signals that trigger differentiation from one form to the other are unknown. EBs and RBs have distinctive characteristics that distinguish them, including their size, infectivity, proteome, and transcriptome. Intriguingly, they also differ in their overall redox status as EBs are oxidized and RBs are reduced. We hypothesize that alterations in redox may serve as a trigger for secondary differentiation. To test this, we examined the function of the primary antioxidant enzyme alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C (AhpC), a well-known member of the peroxiredoxins family, in chlamydial growth and development. Based on our hypothesis, we predicted that altering the expression ofahpCwould modulate chlamydial redox status and trigger earlier or delayed secondary differentiation. To test this, we createdahpCoverexpression and knockdown strains. DuringahpCknockdown, ROS levels were elevated, and the bacteria were sensitive to a broad set of peroxide stresses. Interestingly, we observed increased expression of EB-associated genes and concurrent higher production of EBs at an earlier time in the developmental cycle, indicating earlier secondary differentiation occurs under elevated oxidation conditions. In contrast, overexpression of AhpC created a resistant phenotype against oxidizing agents and delayed secondary differentiation. Together, these results indicate that redox potential is a critical factor in developmental cycle progression. For the first time, our study provides a mechanism of chlamydial secondary differentiation dependent on redox status.
Natural antibodies to polysaccharide capsules enable Kupffer cells to capture invading bacteria in the liver sinusoids
Authors: Tian Xianbin , Liu Yanni , Zhu Kun , An Haoran , Feng Jie , Zhang Linqi , Zhang Jing-Ren 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACTThe interception of blood-borne bacteria in the liver defines the outcomes of invasive bacterial infections, but the mechanisms of this anti-bacterial immunity are largely speculative. This study shows that natural antibodies (nAbs) to capsules enable liver macrophage Kupffer cells (KCs) to rapidly capture and kill blood-borne encapsulated bacteria in mice. Affinity pulldown with serotype-10A capsular polysaccharides (CPS10A) ofS. pneumoniae(Spn10A) led to the identification of CPS10A-binding nAbs in serum. The CPS10A-antibody interaction enabled KCs to captureSpn10A bacteria from the bloodstream, in part through complement receptors on KCs. The nAbs were found to recognize the β1-6-linked galactose branch of CPS10A, and similar moieties of serotype-39S. pneumoniaeand serotype-K50Klebsiella pneumoniaecapsules. More importantly, the nAbs empowered KCs to capture serotype-39S. pneumoniaeand serotype-K50K. pneumoniaein the liver. Collectively, our data have revealed a highly effective immune function of nAb against encapsulated bacteria, and provided a proof of concept for treating septic bacterial diseases with monoclonal antibodies.Short summaryRapid capture of potentially harmful bacteria in blood by liver macrophages are vital for the blood sterility and health. This work reports how naturally occurring antibodies in the plasma enable macrophages to capture and kill blood-borne bacteria in the liver.
The nuclear speckles protein SRRM2 is a new therapeutic target molecule on the surface of cancer cells
Authors: Kellner Markus , Hörmann Julia , Fackler Susanne , Yuanyu Hu , Tielin Zhou , Lin Lu , Ilik Ibrahim , Aktas Tugce , Feederle Regina , Hauck Stefanie M. , Gires Olivier , Gärtner Kathrin , Lietao Li , Zeidler Reinhard 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe membrane composition of extracellular vesicles (EVs) largely reflects that of the plasma membrane of the cell of origin. We therefore hypothesized that EVs are a source for the detection of hitherto unknown tumor-associated druggable target molecules. For this, we used EVs derived from cancer cell lines for an immunization of a rat. From this immunization, we obtained a monoclonal antibody specific for SRRM2, a protein involved in splicing a major component of nuclear speckles. Here, we used this antibody to demonstrate that SRRM2 is exposed at the surface of most cancer cell lines from various entities and, even more important, on cancer cells in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrate that SRRM2-specific CAR-T cells are killing SRRM2-positive cancer cells electively. Collectively, we identified SRRM2 as a promising new target molecule exposed on the cancer cell surface and show that our SRRM2-specific antibody can be used as a basis for the development of new targeted cancer therapies.
Resolving Challenges in Detection and Quantification of D-2-hydroxyglutarate and L-2-hydroxyglutarate via LC/MS
Authors: Dowdy Tyrone , Larion Mioara 
Published: April 2024

AbstractD-2-Hydroxyglutarate and L-2-Hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG/L-2HG) are typically metabolites of non-specific enzymatic reactions that are kept in check by the housekeeping enzymes, D-2HG /L-2HG dehydrogenase (D-2HGDH/L-2HGDH). In certain disease states, such as D-2HG or L-2HG aciduria and cancers, accumulation of these biomarkers interferes with oxoglutarate-dependent enzymes that regulate bioenergetic metabolism, histone methylation, post-translational modification, protein expression and others. D-2HG has a complex role in tumorigenesis that drives metabolomics investigations. Meanwhile, L-2HG is produced by non-specific action of malate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase under acidic or hypoxic environments. Characterization of divergent effects of D-2HG/L-2HG on the activity of specific enzymes in diseased metabolism depends on their accurate quantification via mass spectrometry. Despite advancements in high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HR-QTOF-MS), challenges are typically encountered when attempting to resolve of isobaric and isomeric metabolites such as D-2HG/L-2HG for quantitative analysis. Herein, available D-2HG/L-2HG derivatization and liquid chromatography (LC) MS quantification methods were examined. The outcome led to the development of a robust, high-throughput HR-QTOF-LC/MS approach that permits concomitant quantification of the D-2HG and L-2HG enantiomers with the benefit to quantify the dysregulation of other intermediates within interconnecting pathways. Calibration curve was obtained over the linear range of 0.8-104 nmol/mL with r2≥ 0.995 for each enantiomer. The LC/MS-based assay had an overall precision with intra-day CV % ≤ 8.0 and inter-day CV % ≤ 6.3 across the quality control level for commercial standard and pooled biological samples; relative error % ≤ 2.7 for accuracy; and resolution, Rs= 1.6 between 2HG enantiomers (m/z 147.030), D-2HG and L-2HG (at retention time of 5.82 min and 4.75 min, respectively) following chiral derivatization with diacetyl-L-tartaric anhydride (DATAN). Our methodology was applied to disease relevant samples to illustrate the implications of proper enantioselective quantification of both D-2HG and L-2HG. The stability of the method allows scaling to large cohorts of clinical samples in the future.
Creating coveted bioluminescence colors for simultaneous myriad-color bioimaging
Authors: Hattori Mitsuru , Wazawa Tetsuichi , Orioka Mariko , Hiruta Yuki , Nagai Takeharu 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBioluminescence, an optical marker that does not require excitation by light, allows researchers to simultaneously observe multiple targets, each exhibiting a different color. Notably, the colors of the bioluminescent proteins must sufficiently vary to enable simultaneous detection. Here, we aimed to introduce a method that can be used to expand the color variation by tuning dual-acceptor bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Using this approach, we could visualize multiple targets with up to 20 colors through single-shot acquisition using a color CMOS camera. Overall, this method enables simple and simultaneous observation of numerous biological targets and phenomena.
Beauty premium: the impact of CEO facial attractiveness on corporate social responsibility
Authors: Wang Shiquan , Wang Xuantong , Li Qianlin 
Published: April 2024

Purpose
Face is the most intuitive and representative feature at the individual level. Many studies show that beautiful faces help individuals and enterprises obtain economic benefits and form a high economic premium, but the discussion of their potential social value is insufficient. This study aims to focus on the impact of the personal characteristics of executives. It mainly analyzes the impact mechanism of CEO facial attractiveness on corporate social responsibility (CSR) decision-making, clarifying the social value of beauty from the perspective of CSR.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the regression model to analyze the panel data set, which was conducted by a sample of Chinese publicly listed firms from 2016 to 2018.

Findings
The study found that CEOs with high facial attractiveness are more active in fulfilling CSR, which can usually bring higher social benefits. CEOs with beautiful faces are prone to overconfidence, are optimistic about their ability and the future development of the enterprise and are more willing to increase their investment in CSR. CEO duality can positively regulate the positive correlation between a CEO’s facial attractiveness and CSR.

Originality/value
Based on the perspective of upper echelons theory, this paper explores the mechanism of CEO facial attractiveness on CSR. This study enriches the perspective of the upper echelon’s theoretical research and has essential enlightenment for CEO selection and training practice.
A versatile plasma generation power supply featuring a multilevel converter for arbitrary waveforms generation
Authors: Álvarez Gariburo Ignacio Jesús , Sarnago Hector , Lucia Oscar 
Published: April 2024

Purpose
Plasma technology has become of great interest in a wide variety of industrial and domestic applications. Moreover, the application of plasma in the domestic field has increased in recent years due to its applications to surface treatment and disinfection. In this context, there is a significant need for versatile power generators able to generate a wide range of output voltage/current ranging from direct current (DC) to tens of kHz in the range of kVs. The purpose of this paper is to develop a highly versatile power converter for plasma generation based on a multilevel topology.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes a versatile multilevel topology able to generate versatile output waveforms. The followed methodology includes simulation of the proposed architecture, design of the power electronics, control and magnetic elements and test laboratory tests after building an eight-level prototype.

Findings
The proposed converter has been designed and tested using an experimental prototype. The designed generator is able to operate at 10 kVpp output voltage and 10 kHz, proving the feasibility of the proposed approach.

Originality/value
The proposed converter enables versatile waveform generation, enabling advanced studies in plasma generation. Unlike previous proposals, the proposed converter features bidirectional operation, allowing to test complex reactive loads. Besides, complex waveforms can be generated, allowing testing complex patterns for optimized cold-plasma generation methods. Besides, unlike transformer- or resonant-network-based approaches, the proposed generator features very low output impedance regardless the operating point, exhibiting improved and reliable performance for different operating conditions.
Linking faculty research output and activities to sustainable development goals: opportunities for metadata specialists
Authors: Nel Marguerite Alice , Makhera Pfano , Moreana Mabjala Mercia , Maritz Marinda 
Published: April 2024

Purpose
Although universities have extensive research and initiatives in place that align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is still a significant gap in documenting and assessing these efforts. This paper aims to discuss how academic libraries can apply their information management skills and open-access platforms, to facilitate the discoverability and retrieval of evidence on SDGs.

Design/methodology/approach
Introduced by a brief literature review on the role of libraries in contributing to the SDGs in general, the authors draw on their personal experiences as metadata specialists, participating in a project aimed at linking their university’s research output to the SDGs. A case study, from the University of Pretoria’s Veterinary Science Library, is used as an example to demonstrate the benefits of resourceful metadata in organising, communicating and raising awareness about the SDGs in the field of veterinary science.

Findings
Through practical examples and recommended workflows, this paper illustrates that metadata specialists are perfectly positioned to apply their information management skills and library platforms to facilitate the discoverability and retrieval of evidence on SDGs.

Originality/value
Although there are increasing reports on the contributions of libraries to support the successful implementation of the SDGs, limited information exists on the role of metadata specialists, as well as those with a practical focus.
Outcomes for high-risk young people referred to secure children’s homes for welfare reasons: a population record linkage study in England
Authors: Wood Sophie , Williams Annie , Warner Nell , Hodges Helen Ruth , Cummings Aimee , Forrester Donald 
Published: April 2024

Purpose
Secure children’s homes (SCHs) restrict the liberty of young people considered to be a danger to themselves or others. However, not all young people referred to SCHs find a placement, and little is known about the outcomes of the young person after an SCH or alternative placement. The purpose of this paper is to understand which characteristics most likely predict allocation to an SCH placement, and to explore the outcomes of the young people in the year after referral.

Design/methodology/approach
A retrospective electronic cohort study was conducted using linked social care data sets in England. The study population was all young people from England referred to SCHs for welfare reasons between 1st October 2016 to 31st March 2018 (n = 527). Logistic regression tested for differences in characteristics of SCH placement allocation and outcomes in the year after referral.

Findings
In total, 60% of young people referred to an SCH were allocated a place. Factors predicting successful or unsuccessful SCH allocation were previous placement in an SCH (OR = 2.12, p = 0.01); being female (OR = 2.26, p = 0.001); older age (OR = 0.75, p = 0.001); and a history of challenging behaviour (OR = 0.34, p = 0.01). In the year after referral, there were little differences in outcomes between young people placed in a SCH versus alternative accommodation.

Originality/value
The study raised concerns about the capacity of current services to recognise and meet the needs of this complex and vulnerable group of young people and highlights the necessity to explore and evaluate alternatives to SCHs.