bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
“You Are Not Wrong About Getting Strong:” An Insight Into the Impact of Age Group and Level of Competition on Strength in Spanish Football Players
Authors: Soriano Marcos A. , Paredes Víctor , Comfort Paul , Jiménez-Ormeño Ester , Areces-Corcuera Francisco , Giráldez-Costas Verónica , Gallo-Salazar César , Alonso-Aubín Diego A. , Menchén-Rubio María , McMahon John J. 
Published: April 2024

Objective: This study aimed to compare the maximum and rapid force production of Spanish football players and explore the differences between age group and level of competition. Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed to evaluate the peak force (PF), relative PF, and rate of force development over 250 ms (RFD0−250) during the isometric midthigh pull between groups of football players based on age group (senior vs junior) and level of competition (national vs regional). Using a portable isometric rig, 111 football players performed 2 isometric midthigh-pull trials on a force plate. Two-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post hoc correction was applied, and statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. The PF, relative PF, and RFD0−250 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 percentiles were also calculated and descriptively reported, separated by age group and level of competition. Results: The analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of the level of competition for the PF (P < .001), relative PF (P = .003), and RFD0−250 (P < .001). There was a significant main effect of age group for the PF (P < .001). There was a significant interaction effect of the age group × level of competition for relative PF (P = .014). National players were stronger than regional players on the PF and RFD0−250 (P < .001). Senior players were stronger than junior players for the PF (P < .001). Conclusions: Maximum and rapid force production are crucial for Spanish football players as they progress in both level of competition and age group. Practitioners should encourage young football players to prioritize strength development to improve their athletic performance.
Impact of operational conditions on drinking water biofilm dynamics and coliform invasion potential
Authors: Waegenaar Fien , García-Timermans Cristina , Van Landuyt Josefien , De Gusseme Bart , Boon Nico 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Biofilms within drinking water distribution systems serve as a habitat for drinking water microorganisms. However, biofilms can negatively impact drinking water quality by causing water discoloration and deterioration and can be a reservoir for unwanted microorganisms. In this study, we investigated whether indicator organisms for drinking water quality, such as coliforms, can settle in mature drinking water biofilms. Therefore, a biofilm monitor consisting of glass rings was used to grow and sample drinking water biofilms. Two mature drinking water biofilms were characterized by flow cytometry, ATP measurements, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and 16S rRNA sequencing. Biofilms developed under treated chlorinated surface water supply exhibited lower cell densities in comparison with biofilms resulting from treated groundwater. Overall, the phenotypic as well as the genotypic characteristics were significantly different between both biofilms. In addition, the response of the biofilm microbiome and possible biofilm detachment after minor water quality changes were investigated. Limited changes in pH and free chlorine addition, to simulate operational changes that are relevant for practice, were evaluated. It was shown that both biofilms remained resilient. Finally, mature biofilms were prone to invasion of the coliform,
Serratia fonticola
. After spiking low concentrations (i.e., ±100 cells/100 mL) of the coliform to the corresponding bulk water samples, the coliforms were able to attach and get established within the mature biofilms. These outcomes emphasize the need for continued research on biofilm detachment and its implications for water contamination in distribution networks.

IMPORTANCE

The revelation that even low concentrations of coliforms can infiltrate into mature drinking water biofilms highlights a potential public health concern. Nowadays, the measurement of coliform bacteria is used as an indicator for fecal contamination and to control the effectiveness of disinfection processes and the cleanliness and integrity of distribution systems. In Flanders (Belgium), 533 out of 18,840 measurements exceeded the established norm for the coliform indicator parameter in 2021; however, the source of microbial contamination is mostly unknown. Here, we showed that mature biofilms, are susceptible to invasion of
Serratia fonticola
. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding and managing biofilms in drinking water distribution systems, not only for their potential to influence water quality, but also for their role in harboring and potentially disseminating pathogens. Further research into biofilm detachment, long-term responses to operational changes, and pathogen persistence within biofilms is crucial to inform strategies for safeguarding drinking water quality.
Microbial contamination pathways in a poultry abattoir provided clues on the distribution and persistence of
Arcobacter
spp.
Authors: Botta Cristian , Buzzanca Davide , Chiarini Elisabetta , Chiesa Francesco , Rubiola Selene , Ferrocino Ilario , Fontanella Edoardo , Rantsiou Kalliopi , Houf Kurt , Alessandria Valentina 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

The consumption of contaminated poultry meat is a significant threat for public health, as it implicates in foodborne pathogen infections, such as those caused by
Arcobacter
. The mitigation of clinical cases requires the understanding of contamination pathways in each food process and the characterization of resident microbiota in the productive environments, so that targeted sanitizing procedures can be effectively implemented. Nowadays these investigations can benefit from the complementary and thoughtful use of culture- and omics-based analyses, although their application
in situ
is still limited. Therefore, the 16S-rRNA gene-based sequencing of total DNA and the targeted isolation of
Arcobacter
spp. through enrichment were performed to reconstruct the environmental contamination pathways within a poultry abattoir, as well as the dynamics and distribution of this emerging pathogen. To that scope, broiler’s neck skin and caeca have been sampled during processing, while environmental swabs were collected from surfaces after cleaning and sanitizing. Metataxonomic survey highlighted a negligible impact of fecal contamination and a major role of broiler’s skin in determining the composition of the resident abattoir microbiota. The introduction of
Arcobacter
spp. in the environment was mainly conveyed by this source rather than the intestinal content.
Arcobacter butzleri
represented one of the most abundant species and was extensively detected in the abattoir by both metataxonomic and enrichment methods, showing higher prevalence than other more thermophilic Campylobacterota. In particular,
Arcobacter
spp. was recovered viable in the plucking sector with high frequency, despite the adequacy of the sanitizing procedure.

IMPORTANCE

Our findings have emphasized the persistence of
Arcobacter
spp. in a modern poultry abattoir and its establishment as part of the resident microbiota in specific environmental niches. Although the responses provided here are not conclusive for the identification of the primary source of contamination, this biogeographic assessment underscores the importance of monitoring
Arcobacter
spp. from the early stages of the production chain with the integrative support of metataxonomic analysis. Through such combined detection approaches, the presence of this pathogen could be soon regarded as hallmark indicator of food safety and quality in poultry slaughtering.
The whole-genome sequence of
Bacillus
sp. KICET-3, isolated from doenjang
Authors: Park Hyojung , Lee Hye Sun , Lee Jin Hyung , Jeon Byoung Seung 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Bacillus
sp. KICET-3, isolated from doenjang, a traditional Korean fermented food, has a single chromosomal DNA fragment of 4,616,861 bp, and the G+C content is 45.52%. It is estimated to have 4,450 predicted coding DNA sequences, 84 tRNAs, and 24 rRNAs.
A laboratory-based predictive pathway for the development of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
high-level resistance to corallopyronin A, an inhibitor of bacterial RNA polymerase
Authors: Balthazar Jacqueline T. , Golparian Daniel , Unemo Magnus , Read Timothy D. , Grosse Miriam , Stadler Marc , Pfarr Kenneth , Schiefer Andrea , Hoerauf Achim , Edwards Jennifer L. , Vassylyev Dmitry G. , Shafer William M. 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

The continued emergence of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
strains that express resistance to multiple antibiotics, including the last drug for empiric monotherapy (ceftriaxone), necessitates the development of new treatment options to cure gonorrheal infections. Toward this goal, we recently reported that corallopyronin A (CorA), which targets the switch region of the β′ subunit (RpoC) of bacterial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RNAP), has potent anti-gonococcal activity against a panel of multidrug-resistant clinical strains. Moreover, in that study, CorA could eliminate gonococcal infection of primary human epithelial cells and gonococci in a biofilm state. To determine if
N. gonorrhoeae
could develop high-level resistance to CorA in a single step, we sought to isolate spontaneous mutants expressing any CorA resistance phenotypes. However, no single-step mutants with high-level CorA resistance were isolated. High-level CorA resistance could only be achieved in this study through a multi-step pathway involving over-expression of the MtrCDE drug efflux pump and single amino acid changes in the β and β′ subunits (RpoB and RpoC, respectively) of RNAP. Molecular modeling of RpoB and RpoC interacting with CorA was used to deduce how the amino acid changes in RpoB and RpoC could influence gonococcal resistance to CorA. Bioinformatic analyses of whole genome sequences of clinical gonococcal isolates indicated that the CorA resistance determining mutations in RpoB/C, identified herein, are very rare (≤ 0.0029%), suggesting that the proposed pathway for resistance is predictive of how this phenotype could potentially evolve if CorA is used therapeutically to treat gonorrhea in the future.

IMPORTANCE

The continued emergence of multi-antibiotic-resistant strains of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
necessitates the development of new antibiotics that are effective against this human pathogen. We previously described that the RNA polymerase-targeting antibiotic corallopyronin A (CorA) has potent activity against a large collection of clinical strains that express different antibiotic resistance phenotypes including when such gonococci are in a biofilm state. Herein, we tested whether a CorA-sensitive gonococcal strain could develop spontaneous resistance. Our finding that CorA resistance could only be achieved by a multi-step process involving over-expression of the MtrCDE efflux pump and single amino acid changes in RpoB and RpoC suggests that such resistance may be difficult for gonococci to evolve if this antibiotic is used in the future to treat gonorrheal infections that are refractory to cure by other antibiotics.
Ling-Gui-Zhu-Gan decoction ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via modulating the gut microbiota
Authors: Chen Lu-ping , Zhang Lin-fang , Liu Shuang , Hua Hua , Zhang Lei , Liu Bao-cheng , Wang Rui-rui 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Numerous studies have supported that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis. Ling-Gui-Zhu-Gan decoction (LG) has been clinically used to treat NAFLD, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. This study investigated the therapeutic effect and mechanisms of LG in mice with NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet (HD). An HD-induced NAFLD mice model was established to evaluate the efficacy of LG followed by biochemical and histopathological analysis. Metagenomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics were used to explore the structure and metabolism of the gut microbiota. LG significantly improved hepatic function and decreased lipid droplet accumulation in HD-induced NAFLD mice. LG reversed the structure of the gut microbiota that is damaged by HD and improved intestinal barrier function. Meanwhile, the LG group showed a lower total blood bile acids (BAs) concentration, a shifted BAs composition, and a higher fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration. Furthermore, LG could regulate the hepatic expression of genes associated with the primary BAs biosynthesis pathway and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. Our study suggested that LG could ameliorate NAFLD by altering the structure and metabolism of gut microbiota, while BAs and SCFAs are considered possible mediating substances.

IMPORTANCE
Until now, there has still been no study on the gut microbiota and metabolomics of Ling-Gui-Zhu-Gan decoction (LG) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mouse models. Our study is the first to report on the reshaping of the structure and metabolism of the gut microbiota by LG, as well as explore the potential mechanism underlying the improvement of NAFLD. Specifically, our study demonstrates the potential of gut microbial-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and blood bile acids (BAs) as mediators of LG therapy for NAFLD in animal models. Based on the results of transcriptomics, we further verified that LG attenuates NAFLD by restoring the metabolic disorder of BAs via the up-regulation of Fgf15/FXR in the ileum and down-regulation of CYP7A1/FXR in the liver. LG also reduces lipogenesis in NAFLD mice by mediating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, which then contributes to reducing hepatic inflammation and improving intestinal barrier function to treat NAFLD.
Respiration and growth of
Paracoccus denitrificans
R-1 with nitrous oxide as an electron acceptor
Authors: Zhou Jiaxian , Deng Wenfang , Wu Jiapeng , Xiang Hua , Shen Xiaomei , Lin Jih-Gaw , Hong Yiguo 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

In the nitrogen biogeochemical cycle, the reduction of nitrous oxide (N
2
O) to N
2
by N
2
O reductase, which is encoded by
nosZ
gene, is the only biological pathway for N
2
O consumption. In this study, we successfully isolated a strain of denitrifying
Paracoccus denitrificans
R-1 from sewage treatment plant sludge. This strain has strong N
2
O reduction capability, and the average N
2
O reduction rate was 5.10 ± 0.11 × 10
−9
µmol·h
−1
·cell
−1
under anaerobic condition in a defined medium. This reduction was accompanied by the stoichiometric consumption of acetate over time when N
2
O served as the sole electron acceptor and the reduction can yield energy to support microbial growth, suggesting that microbial N
2
O reduction is related to the energy generation process. Genomic analysis showed that the gene cluster encoding N
2
O reductase of
P. denitrificans
R-1 was composed of
nos
R,
nos
Z,
nos
D,
nos
F,
nos
Y,
nos
L, and
nos
Z, which was identified as that in other strains in clade I. Respiratory inhibitors test indicated that the pathway of electron transport for N
2
O reduction was different from that of the traditional electron transport chain for aerobic respiration. Cu
2+
, silver nanoparticles, O
2
, and acidic conditions can strongly inhibit the reduction, whereas NO
3
-
or NH
4
+
can promote it. These findings suggest that modular N
2
O reduction of
P. denitrificans
R-1 is linked to the electron transport and energy conservation, and dissimilatory N
2
O reduction is a form of microbial anaerobic respiration.

IMPORTANCE

Nitrous oxide (N
2
O) is a potent greenhouse gas and contributor to ozone layer destruction, and atmospheric N
2
O has increased steadily over the past century due to human activities. The release of N
2
O from fixed N is almost entirely controlled by microbial N
2
O reductase activities. Here, we investigated the ability to obtain energy for the growth of
Paracoccus denitrificans
R-1 by coupling the oxidation of various electron donors to N
2
O reduction. The modular N
2
O reduction process of denitrifying microorganism not only can consume N
2
O produced by itself but also can consume the external N
2
O generated from biological or abiotic pathways under suitable condition, which should be critical for controlling the release of N
2
O from ecosystems into the atmosphere.
Combination therapy of itraconazole and an acylhydrazone derivative (D13) for the treatment of sporotrichosis in cats
Authors: Dib Ferreira Gremião Isabella , Pereira-Oliveira Gabriela Reis , Pereira Sandro Antonio , Corrêa Maria Lopes , Borba-Santos Luana Pereira , Viçosa Alessandra Lifsitch , Garg Ashna , Haranahalli Krupanandan , Dasilva Deveney , Pereira de Sa Nivea , Matos Gabriel S. , Silva Vanessa , Lazzarini Cristina , Fernandes Caroline Mota , Miranda Kildare , Artunduaga Bonilla Jhon Jhamilton , Nunes Anna Letícia , Nimrichter Leonardo , Ojima Iwao , Mallamo John , McCarthy John B. , Del Poeta Maurizio 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Acylhydrazone (AH) derivatives represent a novel category of anti-fungal medications that exhibit potent activity against
Sporothrix
sp., both
in vitro
and in a murine model of sporotrichosis. In this study, we demonstrated the anti-fungal efficacy of the AH derivative D13 [4-bromo-
N
′-(3,5-dibromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-benzohydrazide] against both planktonic cells and biofilms formed by
Sporothrix brasiliensis
. In a clinical study, the effect of D13 was then tested in combination with itraconazole (ITC), with or without potassium iodide, in 10 cats with sporotrichosis refractory to the treatment of standard of care with ITC. Improvement or total clinical cure was achieved in five cases after 12 weeks of treatment. Minimal abnormal laboratory findings, e.g., elevation of alanine aminotransferase, were observed in four cats during the combination treatment and returned to normal level within a week after the treatment was ended. Although highly encouraging, a larger and randomized controlled study is required to evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of this new and exciting drug combination using ITC and D13 for the treatment of feline sporotrichosis.

IMPORTANCE
This paper reports the first veterinary clinical study of an acylhydrazone anti-fungal (D13) combined with itraconazole against a dimorphic fungal infection, sporotrichosis, which is highly endemic in South America in animals and humans. Overall, the results show that the combination treatment was efficacious in ~50% of the infected animals. In addition, D13 was well tolerated during the course of the study. Thus, these results warrant the continuation of the research and development of this new class of anti-fungals.
Carbon-rich polyphasic inclusions in postcollisional mafic magmatic rocks from the Dabie Shan, China: Implications for the carbon cycle in continental subduction zones
Authors: Tan Dong-Bo , Xiao Yilin , Wang Yang-Yang , Jin Deshi , Gu Hai-Ou , Sun He , Jiang Lingling 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Subduction is a fundamental geodynamic process that transfers carbon from Earth’s surface into the mantle. However, current understanding of the migration mechanisms, final storage region, and species involved in carbon recycling from continental crust remains limited. Here, we investigated the compositions of polyphasic inclusions and Mg isotopes in postcollisional mafic magmatic rocks from the Dabie Shan region of China. The main rock-forming minerals contained two distinct types of polyphasic inclusions, which displayed systematic differences in daughter mineral/gaseous phase assemblages, including host-like silicates ± carbonates (magnesite, dolomite, and calcite) + CH4 and carbonates + talc ± SiO2 (aqueous) + CH4, respectively. These inclusions indicate that carbon-rich silicate melts and carbon-rich magmatic fluids were trapped by host minerals during magmatic processes. The abundant carbonates and CH4 in both types of inclusions suggest that the mantle source of these postcollisional mafic magmatic rocks was rich in carbon, most likely existing in the forms of CO2 and CH4. Moreover, the studied postcollisional mafic magmatic rocks have mantle-like Mg isotope compositions, with δ26Mg values ranging from −0.23‰ to −0.16‰. The combined observations of polyphase inclusions and Mg isotopes indicate that a substantial carbon-rich mantle domain arose from the metasomatism of silicate melts derived from subducted continental slabs that had dissolved a certain quantity of CO2 and CH4. We proposed that continental subduction is an efficient pathway for transporting crustal carbon into an orogenic subcontinental lithospheric mantle wedge, where the recycled carbon can be stored for &gt;100 m.y. and eventually released to the surface during postcollisional magmatism.
Nasogastric tube feeding under physical restraint of children and young people with mental disorders: a comprehensive audit and case series across paediatric wards in England
Authors: Fuller Sarah , Sheridan Emerie , Hudson Lee D , Nicholls Dasha 
Published: April 2024

ObjectiveTo estimate the number of patients on paediatric wards in England who received nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding under physical restraint from April 2022 to March 2023, identify the demographics and clinical characteristics of these patients, and which personnel facilitated the restraint.DesignAudit and anonymous case seriesSettingPaediatric wards in England.PatientsChildren and young people receiving this intervention in a 1-year period.Outcome measuresAn online survey was sent to all paediatric wards in England, with the option of submitting anonymous case studies.Results136/143 (95.1%) acute paediatric units responded. 144 young people received this intervention across 55 (38.5%) paediatric units. The predominant diagnosis was anorexia nervosa (64.5%), age range 9–18 years (M=14.2, SD=2.1). The duration of NGT feeding under restraint ranged from 1 to 425 days, (M=60.2, SD=80.4). Numerous personnel facilitated the restraints, including mental health nurses, paediatric nurses, security staff, healthcare assistants and parents/carers.ConclusionNGT feeding under restraint is a relatively common intervention in acute paediatric units in England. Understanding the demographics of those receiving this intervention may highlight where additional support is needed. Further research is needed to understand when this intervention transitions from a lifesaving intervention to ongoing management.