bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of physiological state and environmental stress on bacterial load estimation methodologies forMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Maitra Arundhati , Wijk Marie , Margaryan Hasmik , Denti Paolo , McHugh Timothy D. , Kloprogge Frank 
Published: May 2024

SynopsisBackgroundSolid and liquid medium cultures from patient samples recover different proportions of a heterogenous bacterial community over the duration of treatment.In vitroexperiments were designed to study the population composition at early-logarithmic and stationary phases of growth as well as under drug pressure.ObjectivesTo derive a relationship between methodologies for bacterial load determination and assess the effect of the growth phase of the parent culture and its exposure to stress on the results.MethodsMycobacterium tuberculosisH37Rv was grown with and without drug (isoniazid or rifampicin) and sampled on day 0, 3, 11 and 21 of growth in broth culture. The bacterial load was estimated by colony counts and the BD BACTEC™ MGIT™ automated mycobacterial detection system. Linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models were used to describe the relationship between time-to-positivity (TTP) and time-to-growth (TTG) vs colony forming units (CFU), and growth units (GU) vs time.ResultsFor samples with the same CFU, drug-treated and stationary phase cells had a shorter TTP than the drug-free control and early-logarithmic phase cells respectively. Similarly, stationary phase samples reached higher GUs and had shorter time to start growing than early-log phase ones.ConclusionsThe growth phase affects the relationship between CFU-TTP/TTG and previous exposure to drugs affects only the relationship between CFU-TTP. This suggests that there is a population of bacterial cells that can be differentially recovered in liquid medium giving us an insight into the physiological states of the original culture which aids in the interpretation of clinical trial outputs.
Molecular mechanism of plasmid elimination by the DdmDE defense system
Authors: Loeff L. , Adams D.W. , Chanez C. , Stutzmann S. , Righi L. , Blokesch M. , Jinek M. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractSeventh pandemicVibrio choleraestrains contain two hallmark pathogenicity islands that encode the DNA defense modules DdmABC and DdmDE. Here we use cryo-EM to reveal the mechanistic basis for plasmid defense by DdmDE. A cryo-EM structure of the DdmD helicase-nuclease reveals that it adopts an auto-inhibited dimeric architecture. The prokaryotic Argonaute protein DdmE uses a DNA guide to target plasmid DNA. A structure of the DdmDE complex, validated byin vivomutational studies, shows that DNA binding by DdmE triggers disassembly of the DdmD dimer and loading of monomeric DdmD onto the non-target DNA strand. Finally,in vitrostudies reveal that DdmD translocates in the 5’ to 3’ direction, while partially degrading the plasmid DNA. These findings provide critical insights into the architecture and mechanism of DdmDE systems in plasmid elimination.
Barcoding Notch signaling in the developing brain
Authors: Siniscalco Abigail , Perera Roshan Priyarangana , Greenslade Jessie E. , Masters Aiden , Doll Hannah , Raj Bushra 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACTDevelopmental signaling inputs are fundamental for shaping cell fates and behavior. However, traditional fluorescent-based signaling reporters have limitations in scalability and molecular resolution of cell types. We present SABER-seq, a CRISPR-Cas molecular recorder that stores transient developmental signaling cues as permanent mutations in cellular genomes for deconstruction at later stages via single-cell transcriptomics. We applied SABER-seq to record Notch signaling in developing zebrafish brains. SABER-seq has two components: a signaling sensor and a barcode recorder. The sensor activates Cas9 in a Notch-dependent manner with inducible control while the recorder accumulates mutations that represent Notch activity in founder cells. We combine SABER-seq with an expanded juvenile brain atlas to define cell types whose fates are determined downstream of Notch signaling. We identified examples wherein Notch signaling may have differential impact on terminal cell fates. SABER-seq is a novel platform for rapid, scalable and high-resolution mapping of signaling activity during development.
Phosphatidylserine-binding receptor, CD300f, on macrophages mediates host invasion of pathogenic and non-pathogenic rickettsiae
Authors: Voss Oliver H. , Moin Imran , Gaytan Hodalis , Sadik Mohammad , Ullah Saif , Rahman M. Sayeedur 
Published: May 2024

AbstractSome arthropod-borne obligate intracellular rickettsiae are among the most virulent human pathogens.Rickettsiaspecies modulate immune (e.g., macrophages; MΦ) and non-immune cell (e.g., endothelial cells) responses to create a habitable environment for host colonization. In particular, MΦ play a crucial role in either terminating an infection at an early stage or succumbing to bacterial replication and colonization. However, our understanding on howRickettsiaspecies invade host cells, including MΦ, remain poorly defined. In this study, we describe a mechanism of host invasion byRickettsiaspecies, involving rickettsial phosphatidylserine (PS), as a ligand, and the CD300f receptor on MΦ. Using bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMΦ) from wild-type (WT) and CD300f-/-mice, we demonstrated that engulfment of both pathogenicR. typhi(the etiologic agent of murine typhus) andR. rickettsii(the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever) species as well as the non-pathogenicR. montanensiswas significantly reduced in CD300f-/-BMDMΦ as compared to that of WT BMDMΦ. Furthermore, our mechanistic analysis suggests bacterial PS as the potential source for the CD300f-mediated rickettsiae engulfment by MΦ.In vivoinfection studies using WT and CD300f-/-C57BL/6J mice showed that CD300f-/-animals were protected againstR. typhi-orR. rickettsii-induced fatal rickettsiosis, which correlated with levels of bacterial burden detected in the spleens of mice. Adoptive transfer studies further revealed that CD300f-expressing MΦ are important mediators to control rickettsiosisin vivo. Collectively, our findings describe a previously unappreciated role for the efferocytic receptor, CD300f, to facilitate engulfment of rickettsiae within the host.
Developmental alterations of indirect-pathway medium spiny neurons in mouse models of Huntington’s disease
Authors: Lebouc Margaux , Bonamy Léa , Scharnholz Jakob , Richard Quentin , Courtand Gilles , Baufreton Jérôme , Garret Maurice 
Published: May 2024

AbstractHuntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the gene encoding the Huntingtin protein (Htt). While symptoms, primarily characterized by progressive deterioration of the striatum and motor and cognitive functions, typically manifest in adulthood, recent studies have also highlighted developmental defects in HD. Indeed, alterations in cortical and striatal development have been observed in individuals carrying the mutation as early as in embryonic stages. However, despite the striatum being one of the most affected regions in HD, few studies have investigated potential developmental alterations in this structure, especially in the early weeks after birth. To address this question, we compared striatal development between wild-type (WT) mice and two murine models of HD, R6/1 and CAG140 mice crossed with reporter mice to identify D1- and D2-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1- and D2-MSNs). Usingex vivoelectrophysiology and neuronal reconstruction, we observed that the maturation of electrical properties was selectively disrupted in D2-MSNs of the matrix compartment of HD mice during the first post-natal days. D2-MSNs arbor also an increased dendritic complexity. When studying the establishment of striatal afferents, we observed that cortico-striatal glutamatergic transmission was specifically reduced in D2-MSNs during the second postnatal week. All these alterations were transient before the circuit normalized on its own after the second postnatal week. These anatomical and electrophysiological data highlight the significant impact of the Htt mutation on numerous striatal development processes during the postnatal period. Interestingly, we observed that these alterations specifically affect MSNs in the indirect pathway. This preferential vulnerability aligns with the early death of these neurons in adulthood, suggesting that early treatment of these alterations could potentially modify the disease’s progression.
Sex-dependent effects of early life stress on network and behavioral states
Authors: Scarpa Garrett , Antonoudiou Pantelis , Weiss Grant , Stone Bradly , Maguire Jamie L. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with numerous detriments in health, including increased vulnerability to psychiatric illnesses. Early life stress (ELS) in rodents has been shown to effectively model several of the behavioral and endocrine impacts of ACEs and has been utilized to investigate the underlying mechanisms contributing to disease. However, the precise neural mechanisms responsible for mediating the impact of ELS on vulnerability to psychiatric illnesses remain largely unknown.MethodsWe use behavior, immunoassay,in vivoLFP recording, histology, and patch clamp to describe the effects of ELS on stress behaviors, endocrinology, network states, protein expression, and cellular physiology in male and female mice.ResultsWe demonstrate that a murine maternal separation (MS) ELS model causes sex-dependent alterations in behavioral and hormonal responses following an acute stressor. Local field potential (LFP) recordings in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and frontal cortex (FC) reveal similar sex-dependent alterations at baseline, in response to acute ethological stress, and during fear memory extinction, supporting a large body of literature demonstrating that these network states contribute to stress reactivity and vulnerability to psychiatric illnesses. Sex differences were accompanied by altered physiology of BLA principal neurons in males and BLA PV interneurons in females.ConclusionsCollectively, these results implicate novel, sex-dependent mechanisms through which ACEs may impact psychiatric health, involving altered cellular physiology and network states involved in emotional processing.
The impact of IEQ in the university lecture theatres on students’ concentration levels in London
Authors: Lyu Junpeng , Pitt Michael , Broyd Tim 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
University students’ lecture theatre concentration levels are significantly related to indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and the self-reported concentration levels of university students during the winter at University College London (UCL), UK.

Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey and physical measurements were used to assess the IEQ factors affecting students’ concentration levels.

Findings
The lecture theatre design factor was the most significant factor influencing students’ concentration levels, and the facility environment was more important than the thermal environment, indoor air quality, and acoustic environment in influencing students’ concentration levels in this winter investigation at UCL, UK. Additionally, students prefer a colder thermal environment. The concentration level of students was positively correlated with the indoor air quality and negatively correlated with the acoustic environment.

Practical implications
Based on model application, this research could provide lecture theatre IEQ design. This research additionally provides an acceptable indoor thermal environment temperature range based on a large sample, which can be used to calibrate a student performance benchmark.

Originality/value
As this study evaluates the IEQ factors that influence the concentration levels of university students, interior designers and engineers should consider the rational layout of these factors. Therefore, this study may provide a reference for the interior environmental design of lecture theatres in educational buildings.
Impact of participation in collective action on farmers’ decisions and waiting time to adopt soil and water conservation measures
Authors: Jia Rui , Shuai Zhimin , Guo Tong , Lu Qian , He Xuesong , Hua Chunlin 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
This study aims to analyze the influence of farmers’ degree of participation in collective action on their adoption decisions and waiting time regarding soil and water conservation (SWC) measures.

Design/methodology/approach
The Probit model and Generalized Propensity Score Match method are used to assess the effect of the degree of participation in collective action on farmers’ adoption decisions and waiting time for implementing SWC measures.

Findings
The findings reveal that farmers’ engagement in collective action positively influences the decision-making process regarding terrace construction, water-saving irrigation and afforestation measures. However, it does not significantly impact the decision-making process for plastic film and ridge-furrow tillage practices. Notably, collective action has the strongest influence on farmers’ adoption decisions regarding water-saving irrigation technology, with a relatively smaller influence on the adoption of afforestation and terrace measures. Moreover, the results suggest that participating in collective action effectively reduces the waiting time for terrace construction and expedites the adoption of afforestation and water-saving irrigation technology. Specifically, collective action has a significantly negative effect on the waiting time for terrace construction, followed by water-saving irrigation technology and afforestation measures.

Practical implications
The results of this study underscore the significance of fostering mutual assistance and cooperation mechanisms among farmers, as they can pave the way for raising funds and labor, cultivating elite farmers, attracting skilled labor to rural areas, enhancing the adoption rate and expediting the implementation of terraces, water-saving irrigation technology and afforestation measures.

Originality/value
Drawing on an evaluation of farmers’ degree of participation in collective action, this paper investigates the effect of participation on their SWC adoption decisions and waiting times, thereby offering theoretical and practical insights into soil erosion control in the Loess Plateau.
Sustainable hospitality and tourism in the Anthropocene era: the need for a more radical shift of the current circular economy models
Authors: De Martino Marcella , Apicerni Valentina , Gravagnuolo Antonia 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
This paper aims to critically analyse the circular economy (CE) models adopted in hospitality and tourism to tackle societal challenges in the current Anthropocene era, exploring the driving values and sustainability approaches.

Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review was carried out with an increasing level of analysis to delve more in-depth into the ability of the CE models to respond to current societal challenges. The review involved a stepwise analysis, starting with a thematic analysis of 151 papers to create a conceptual structure map of circular hospitality and tourism literature. Based on originality and representativeness, 22 papers were selected and analysed according to Hoffman and Jennings’ (2018; 2021) institutional approach to sustainability, which entails specific archetypes to address the Anthropocene society: market rules, technology fix and cultural re-enlightening.

Findings
The hospitality and tourism industry has made progress towards implementing CE models. However, CE models in market role and technology fix archetypes may fail to address the current challenges of the Anthropocene era. New culture-led approaches within the cultural re-enlightening archetype, such as the regenerative land practices, a-growth and place-making, and circular society, can foster a more radical shift towards strong sustainability.

Research limitations/implications
The paper highlights the urgent need for a cultural shift towards radical and strong sustainability, identifying future research directions. Policymakers have a crucial role in shaping sustainability practices consistent with an ecological culture centred on acknowledging planetary boundaries.

Originality/value
Despite the increasing interest in CE models, it is still debated how the hospitality and tourism industry can continue to thrive while avoiding harmful impacts on the environment and local communities. The study critically reflects on the current contribution of CE models towards strong sustainability in hospitality and tourism.
Leadership humour style: role of self-disclosure and perceived similarity for employee’s thriving at work and burnout
Authors: Kashive Neerja , Raina Bhavna 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to understand the leadership humour style and the mechanism through which leadership humour style transforms into follower’s workplace positive and negative outcomes such as thriving at work and burnout. It uses comprehensive elaboration theory and relational process theory to explore self-disclosure and perceived similarity as two new constructs to assess their relation to intrapsychic (self-enhancing and self-defeating) and interpersonal (affiliative and aggressive) leader’s humour style, respectively.

Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory qualitative study through semi-structured interviews was conducted with 10 leaders to understand the different aspects of leadership humour and their outcomes. Based on these dimensions, a questionnaire was created and sent to 200 respondents, and 158 responses were received. The empirical analysis of data was done by building structural equation modeling using smart partial least square.

Findings
The empirical study has shown that self-enhancing leadership humour is related to self-disclosure, and both affiliative and aggressive leadership humour styles are related to perceived similarity. When looking at the two critical outcomes of leadership humour, both perceived similarity and self-disclosure were related to social intimacy and thriving at work. The mediation effect showed that self-enhancing humour leads to self-disclosure which increases social intimacy leading to improving thriving at work and aggressive humour leads to norm violation which further leads to burnout.

Originality/value
The study has used the mixed methodology to understand leadership humour and its outcomes by conducting in-depth interviews with leaders and also provides empirical evidence related to leadership humour style by using the survey to collect data from the followers capturing their perceptions. And very critically, it has explored self-disclosure and perceived similarity as two new constructs to see their relation to leadership humour style and positive and negative outcomes at the workplace.
Structural design and coupling analysis of multimode variable coupling parallel mobile robots
Authors: Jiang Yiwen , Zhang Chunyan 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
There is coupling between the branches of mobile parallel robots, similar to traditional parallel mechanisms, but there is currently relatively little research on the coupling problem between the branches of mobile parallel robots.

Design/methodology/approach
This study optimizes the coupling analysis method of traditional parallel mechanisms, treats the mobile parallel mechanism as a whole, takes the motion of the active pair as input and the overall motion of the mobile parallel mechanism as output and analyzes the input–output characteristics of the mobile parallel mechanism. Moreover, this study applies this theory to a mobile parallel mechanism, designs control logic and finally conducts simulation and physical verification.

Findings
This study proposes a coupling analysis method suitable for parallel mobile robots and designs the control logic of their active pair based on the results of their coupling analysis. This study designs a multimode variable coupling parallel mobile robot, which can change the coupling of the mechanism by changing its own branch chain structure, so that it can switch between different coupling configurations to meet the different needs brought by different terrains.

Originality/value
The work presented in this paper propose a method for analyzing the coupling of mobile parallel robots and simplify their control logic by applying coupling theory to the design of mobile parallel robots. This study conducts simulation and physical experiments, thereby filling the gap in the coupling analysis of parallel mobile robots and laying the foundation for the research of uncoupled parallel mobile robots.
The effect of social disruption on the use of technologies to digitize B2B processes and its impact on corporate performance
Authors: Rodríguez Rocío , Høgevold Nils , Molina-Castillo Francisco-Jose , Svensson Goran 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the effect of social disruption on the use of technologies for digitizing business-to-business (B2B) processes. The aim is to assess how digitalization technologies (DT) may impact corporate performance (CP) in B2B settings.

Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is based on a questionnaire survey in Norway, and a deductive research design. A total of 216 usable questionnaires out of 356 were returned, generating a response rate of 60.6%.

Findings
This study shows that there is an effect of social disruption on DT (such as digital communication tools, social media and customer relationship management systems) in B2B settings that may impact CP.

Research limitations/implications
This study indicates that the use of technologies to digitize B2B processes may enhance CP when social disruption occurs.

Practical implications
This study offers insights to companies that need help in adapting their business processes to the changing social and technological environment. This study also highlights the importance of digitalization for business survival in the marketplace and society.

Originality/value
This study sheds light on the effect of social disruption on DT and provides opportunities for managing CP.