bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of various microplastics on bacterial community and antimicrobial resistance genes in Norwegian and South African wastewater
Authors: Tran Tam Thanh , Stenger Kabelo Stephans , Strømmen Marte , Bezuidenhout Cornelius Carlos , Wikmark Odd-Gunnar 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may serve as hotspots for pathogens and promote antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Plastic debris in wastewater could further contribute to AMR dissemination. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of various microplastic types on bacterial communities and AMR gene abundance in Norwegian and South African wastewater. Microcosm experiments were designed as follows: Five manufactured microplastic pellet types were used for testing and two rock aggregate types were used as controls. In addition, each material type was subjected to artificial aging treatments using either ultra-violet light or hydrogen peroxide. Each material was incubated in flasks containing inlet/outlet wastewater obtained from Norwegian/South African WWTPs. Nucleic acids were extracted after a one-week incubation period. The detection of theblaFOXand blaMOXgenes was performed using quantitative PCR. Extracted DNA was sequenced using a MinION device. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling plot on full-length 16S sequencing data at the species level showed samples were clustered into distinct material groups. These results were in line with the ANOSIM test showing significant p-values in both Norwegian and South African WWTP settings. Indicator species analysis showed a strong association between many Acinetobacter species with the plastic group than the rock group. Aging treatment using hydrogen peroxide showed some effects on microbial. The abundance ofblaFOXandblaMOXgenes in the Norwegian wastewater outlet were generally lower compared to those in the inlet, though results were contrary in South African wastewater samples. The relative abundance of AMR genes seemed to be increased on several plastic types (PET, PE, PLA) but decreased on PVC-A. WWTP treatments in this study did not effectively reduce the abundance of AMR genes. In addition, plastic categories were shown to play a pivotal role in developing distinct bacterial communities and AMR profiles.
TelAP2 links TelAP1 to the telomere complex inTrypanosoma brucei
Authors: Weisert Nadine , Majewski Verena , Hartleb Laura , Luko Katarina , Lototska Liudmyla , Krapoth Nils Christian , Ulrich Helle D. , Janzen Christian J. , Butter Falk 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe extracellular parasiteTrypanosoma bruceievades the immune system of the mammalian host by periodically exchanging its variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) coat. Hereby, only one VSG gene is transcribed from one of 15 subtelomeric so-called bloodstream form expression sites (BES) at any given timepoint, while all other BESs are silenced. VSG gene expression is altered by homologous recombination using a large VSG gene repertoire or by a so-calledin situswitch, which activates a previously silent BES. Transcriptional activation, VSG switching and VSG silencing during developmental differentiation from the bloodstream form to the procyclic form present in the tsetse fly vector are tightly regulated. Due to their subtelomeric position, telomere-associated proteins are involved in the regulation of VSG expression. Three functional homologs of mammalian telomere complex proteins have been characterized thus far, and novel telomere-interacting proteins, such as telomere-associated protein 1 (TelAP1), have recently been identified. Here, we used mass spectrometry-based proteomics and interactomics approaches, telomere pull-down assays with recombinant material and immunofluorescence analysis to elucidate the interactions of 21 other putative TelAPs. We investigated the influence on VSG expression and showed that depletion of TelAPs does not ultimately lead to changes in VSG expression. Additionally, we examined the interaction patterns of four TelAPs with theTbTRF/TbTIF2/TbRAP1 telomere complex by reciprocal affinity purification. We further propose that TelAP1 interacts with Tb927.6.4330, now called TelAP2, and that TelAP1 depends on this interaction to form a complex with the telomeric proteinsTbTRF,TbTIF2 andTbRAP1.
Neuron-level Prediction and Noise can Implement Flexible Reward-Seeking Behavior
Authors: Li Chenguang , Brenner Jonah , Boesky Adam , Ramanathan Sharad , Kreiman Gabriel 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWe show that neural networks can implement reward-seeking behavior using only local predictive updates and internal noise. These networks are capable of autonomous interaction with an environment and can switch between explore and exploit behavior, which we show is governed by attractor dynamics. Networks can adapt to changes in their architectures, environments, or motor interfaces without any external control signals. When networks have a choice between different tasks, they can form preferences that depend on patterns of noise and initialization, and we show that these preferences can be biased by network architectures or by changing learning rates. Our algorithm presents a flexible, biologically plausible way of interacting with environments without requiring an explicit environmental reward function, allowing for behavior that is both highly adaptable and autonomous. Code is available athttps://github.com/ccli3896/PaN.
Cyclic di-GMP as an Antitoxin Regulates Bacterial Genome Stability and Antibiotic Persistence in Biofilms
Authors: Liao Hebin , Yan Xiaodan , Wang Chenyi , Huang Chun , Zhang Wei , Xiao Leyi , Jiang Jun , Bao Yongjia , Huang Tao , Zhang Hanbo , Guo Chunming , Zhang Yufeng , Pu Yingying 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBiofilms are complex bacterial communities characterized by a high persister prevalence, which contributes to chronic and relapsing infections. Historically, persister formation in biofilms has been linked to constraints imposed by their dense structures. However, we observed an elevated persister frequency accompanying the stage of cell adhesion, marking the onset of biofilm development. Subsequent mechanistic studies uncovered a comparable type of toxin-antitoxin (TA) module (TA-like system) triggered by cell adhesion, which is responsible for this elevation. In this module, the toxin HipH acts as a genotoxic deoxyribonuclease, inducing DNA double strand breaks and genome instability. While the second messenger c-di-GMP functions as the antitoxin, exerting control over HipH expression and activity. The dynamic interplay between c-di-GMP and HipH levels emerges as a crucial determinant governing genome stability and persister generation within biofilms. These findings unveil a unique TA system, where small molecules act as the antitoxin, outlining a biofilm-specific molecular mechanism influencing genome stability and antibiotic persistence, with potential implications for treating biofilm infections.
Metabolic engineering of yeast forde novoproduction of kratom monoterpene indole alkaloids
Authors: Holtz Maxence , Rago Daniela , Nedermark Ida , Hansson Frederik G. , Lehka Beata J. , Hansen Lea G. , Marcussen Nils E. J. , Veneman Wouter J. , Ahonen Linda , Wungsintaweekul Juraithip , Dirks Ron P. , Acevedo-Rocha Carlos G. , Zhang Jie , Keasling Jay D. , Jensen Michael K. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractMonoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) fromMitragyna speciosa(“kratom”), such as mitragynine and speciogynine, are promising novel scaffolds for opioid receptor ligands for treatment of pain, addiction, and depression. While kratom leaves have been used for centuries in South-East Asia as stimulant and pain management substance, the biosynthetic pathway of these psychoactives have only recently been partially elucidated. Here, we demonstrate thede novoproduction of mitragynine and speciogynine inSaccharomyces cerevisiaethrough the reconstruction of a five-step synthetic pathway from common MIA precursor strictosidine comprising fungal tryptamine 4-monooxygenase to bypass an unknown kratom hydroxylase. Upon optimizing cultivation conditions, a titer of ∼290 µg/L kratom MIAs from glucose was achieved. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of lead production strains led to the identification of numerous shunt products derived from the activity of strictosidine synthase (STR) and dihydrocorynantheine synthase (DCS), highlighting them as candidates for enzyme engineering to further improve kratom MIAs production in yeast. Finally, by feeding fluorinated tryptamine and expressing a human tailoring enzyme, we further demonstrate production of fluorinated and hydroxylated mitragynine derivatives with potential applications in drug discovery campaigns. Altogether, this study introduces a yeast cell factory platform for the biomanufacturing of complex natural and new-to-nature kratom MIAs derivatives with therapeutic potential.
Tango-seq: overlaying transcriptomics on connectomics to identify neurons downstream ofDrosophilaclock neurons
Authors: Ehrlich Alison , Xu Angelina A. , Luminari Sofia , Kidd Simon , Treiber Christoph D. , Russo Jordan , Blau Justin 
Published: May 2024

SummaryKnowing how neural circuits change with neuronal plasticity and differ between individuals is important to fully understand behavior. Connectomes are typically assembled using electron microscopy, but this is low throughput and impractical for analyzing plasticity or mutations. Here, we modified thetrans-Tango genetic circuit-tracing technique to identify neurons synaptically downstream ofDrosophilas-LNv clock neurons, which show 24hr plasticity rhythms. s-LNv target neurons were labeled specifically in adult flies using a nuclear reporter gene, which facilitated their purification and then single cell sequencing. We call this Tango-seq, and it allows transcriptomic data – and thus cell identity – to be overlayed on top of anatomical data. We found that s-LNvs preferentially make synaptic connections with a subset of the CNMa+ DN1p clock neurons, and that these are likely plastic connections. We also identified synaptic connections between s-LNvs and mushroom body Kenyon cells. Tango-seq should be a useful addition to the connectomics toolkit.
Green Jackfruit Flour Prevents Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis and Progression to Hepatocellular Carcinoma via the AMPK and MAPK Signaling Pathways
Authors: Suresh Diwakar , Gunaseelan Bharathwaaj , Srinivas Akshatha N. , Bharadwaj Amith , Joseph James , Megha  , Varghese Thomas , Satish Suchitha , Suvarna Deepak , Santhekadur Prasanna K. , Chidambaram Saravana Babu , Duseja Ajay , Kumar Divya P. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), encompassing metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver (MAFL) and steatohepatitis (MASH), which further progresses to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a serious public health concern. Given the paucity of approved therapeutic strategies for this lifestyle disorder, dietary interventions may prove effective. We evaluated how green jackfruit flour (JF) prevents MASH and progression to HCC and its underlying mechanisms. The study utilized two murine models that mimicked human MASLD disease: (i) a diet-induced MASH model; (ii) a MASH-HCC model induced by diet and a very low dose of CCl4. C57Bl/6 mice were fed with chow (CD) or western diet (WD) with normal (NW) or sugar water (SW) for 12 weeks, then randomized to receive either 5 kcal% green jackfruit flour (JF) or an equal volume of placebo flour (PB). The biochemical, histological, and molecular analyses were assessed. JF significantly reduced body weight, liver injury, insulin resistance, and alleviated obesity, steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and tumor development in WDSW or WDSW/CCl4mice compared to placebo groups. Furthermore, JF activated AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and inhibited MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathways in MASH and MASH-HCC experimental models, respectively. This was supported by sodium propionate treatment, the primary short-chain fatty acid entering the liver from JF’s soluble fiber microbial fermentation, which also regulated AMPK and MAPK signaling in cellular models of MASH and HCC, respectively. Hence, our findings present strong evidence of JF’s therapeutic potential in the prevention of MASH and MASH-HCC, warranting further investigation of JF’s efficacy as a dietary intervention in clinical trials.
Lipid oxidation alters membrane mechanics favoring permeabilization
Authors: Lotfipour Nasudivar Sara , Pedrera Lohans , García-Sáez Ana J. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractFerroptosis is a form of regulated necrosis characterized by the iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxides in cell membranes. However, how lipid oxidation affects biophysical properties of cellular membranes and how these changes contribute to the opening of membrane pores are major questions in the field. Therefore, understanding the interplay between oxidized phospholipids and alterations in membrane biophysical properties is essential to unravel the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis. Here, we characterized membrane alterations upon lipid oxidation inin vitromodel membrane systems using lipid vesicles and supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) in which lipid oxidation was induced by Fenton reactions. We find that vesicle permeabilization kinetically correlates with the appearance of malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid oxidation. Lipid oxidation also alters the lateral organization of SLBs exhibiting liquid-ordered (Lo)/liquid-disordered (Ld) phase coexistence, reducing the lipid mismatch between domains and decreasing the circularity of Lo domains, indicating a decrease in line tension at the phase boundaries. Further characterization of SLBs by force spectroscopy reveals a significant reduction in the average membrane breakthrough force upon oxidation, indicating changes in lipid bilayer organization that make it more susceptible to permeabilization. Our findings suggest that lipid oxidation induces strong changes in membrane lipid interactions and in the mechanical properties of membranes leading to reduced tension in the permeabilized state of the bilayer, which promotes membrane pore formation.
Top-Bottom Interference Contribution to Fully Inclusive Higgs Production
Authors: Czakon Michał , Eschment Felix , Niggetiedt Marco , Poncelet Rene , Schellenberger Tom 
Published: May 2024

We evaluate the top-bottom interference contribution to the fully inclusive Higgs production cross section at next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD. Although bottom-quark-mass effects are power suppressed, the accuracy of state-of-the-art theory predictions makes an exact determination of this effect indispensable. The total effect of the interference at 13 TeV is −1.99(1)−0.15+0.30  pb, while the pure O(αs4) correction is 0.43 pb. With this result, we address one of the leading theory uncertainties of the cross section.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
On the accounting implications of the dilemma: who speaks for nature?
Authors: Pesci Caterina , Gelmini Lorenzo , Vola Paola 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThis paper draws on the thinking of the nineteenth-century Italian philosopher and poet Giacomo Leopardi and scholars who studied his thoughts on the relationship between nature and humans. Leopardi's philosophy of nature recognizes the alienness of nature in relation to humankind, thus challenging human governance of the planet. The poet’s thoughts align with the dilemma identified in the Anthropocene literature: who speaks for nature? This dilemma has accounting implications in terms of the frameworks and disclosures to be adopted. Therefore, Leopardi’s thoughts can become the basis for a more articulated and complex understanding of some key concepts and issues at the roots of SEA.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes content analysis to examine four essays by Giacomo Leopardi, which serve as the source of our data.FindingsLeopardi recognizes the alienness of nature with respect to humanity and the voicelessness of nature as a generative of conflict. He also warned of the consequences of human governance that does not take nature’s needs into account. These findings open a discussion on the complex accounting implications of the distance between humanity and nature. They can inspire SEA scholars to change the status quo by developing new accounting frameworks from the perspective of nature and adopting forms of governance of nature that recognize the need to protect it as a voiceless stakeholder.Originality/valueThrough Leopardi’s humanistic and poetic philosophy, the perspective of nature can be infused into SEA studies, thereby promoting the need for a multidisciplinary and complex approach to the discipline.
Digital distractions during blended learning and its negative repercussions: an empirical analysis
Authors: Kumar Chetan , Rangappa K.B. , Suchitra S. , Gowda Huchhe 
Published: May 2024

PurposeMany studies have illustrated the vast advantages which blended learning has to offer to the learning community. However, when a learner accesses a digital platform, one cannot ignore the negative repercussions which the learner would be subjected to in the process. Our study tries to analyze the negative repercussions of digital media distractions on their wholistic development.Design/methodology/approachInformation pertaining to the use of digital media among students for blended learning and the consequent distractions faced by them in the process was elicited through a well-structured questionnaire from pre-university and university students. The PLS-SEM model was constructed to identify the effect of digital distractions on students' academic performance, outlook of life and health, keeping counseling and spiritual inclination as moderating variables.FindingsFrom our research, we inferred that the students' time spent on a digital platform was directly related with their time spent on blended learning and their tendency to get distracted. However, they were more prone to e-distractions than e-learning. Furthermore, e-learning did not enhance their academic performance. However, distractions had significant negative repercussions on their mental health. Counseling that the students were getting in their educational institutions did not play any significant role in improving their mental health.Originality/valueStudies which have been undertaken to analyze the negative repercussions of blended learning on the wholistic development of students are scarce. Given the increasing popularity of blended learning among South Asian students in recent times, our study has tried to bridge this gap.
Evaluation of critical success determinants to the implementation of additive manufacturing technology in the spare parts supply chain: a grey causal modelling approach
Authors: Singh Shubhendu , Misra Subhas , Singh Gaurvendra 
Published: May 2024

PurposeAdditive Manufacturing technology (AMT) is swiftly gaining prominence to induce automation and innovation in manufacturing systems. It holds immense potential to change supply chain dynamics by providing the possibility of printing objects on demand. This study thus formulates and analyzes the framework to incorporate AMT to handle the spare parts supply chain management (SPSCM) in capital-intensive industries by identifying and assessing the critical success factors (CSFs).Design/methodology/approachAssessment of the CSFs is performed using the novel Grey Causal Modeling method (GCM) with the objective of making SPSCM resilient and efficient. GCM conducts causal analysis by taking into consideration cause, effects, the objectives, and the situations.FindingsFindings indicate that; Logistics Lead Time (SD4), Time to manufacture (SD3), Management Support (SD11), and Risk Management (SD20) are the most prominent causal factor having a maximum impact when incorporating AMT in SPSCM. The results also reveal that the performance of manufacturing organizations that adopt AMT is substantially influenced by internal and external factors such as Management Support (SD11) and Government Regulations (SD16).Research limitations/implicationsThis research provides valuable information for getting the global spare parts supply chain equipped for the post-COVID age, where digital technologies such as AMT will be fundamental for bolstering supply chain resilience and efficiency.Originality/valueThis research proposes a framework for performance assessment when incorporating AMT in SPSCM. Study also demonstrates methodological application of novel Grey Causal Modelling technique using a real case in a spare parts manufacturing industry in India.
Optimization of conductors arrangement in slot for alternating current winding losses reduction
Authors: Zoubida Belli , Lyes Aomar 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate and minimize the losses of alternating current (AC) in the winding of electrical machines. AC winding losses are frequently disregarded at low frequencies, but they become a significant concern at high frequencies. This is the situation where applications require a high speed. The most significant applications in this category are electrical propulsion and drive systems.

Design/methodology/approach
An analytical model is used to predict the AC losses in the winding of electrical machines. The process involves dividing the slot into separate layers and then calculating the AC loss factor for each layer. The model aims to calculate AC losses for two different winding arrangements involving circular conductors. This application focuses on the stator winding of a permanent magnet synchronous motor that is specifically designed for electric vehicles. The model is integrated into an optimization process that makes use of the genetic algorithm method to minimize AC losses resulting from the arrangement of conductors within the slot.

Findings
This study and its findings demonstrate that the arrangement of the conductors within the slot has a comparable effect on the AC losses in the winding as the machine's geometric and physical properties. The effectiveness of electrical machines depends heavily on optimizing the arrangement of conductors in the slot to minimize AC winding losses.

Originality/value
The proposed strategy seeks to minimize AC winding losses in high-speed electric machines by providing a cost-effective and precise solution to improve energy efficiency.