bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Attenuation of muscle spindle firing with artificially increased series compliance during stretch of relaxed muscle
Authors: Abbott Emily M. , Stephens Jacob D. , Simha Surabhi N. , Wood Leo , Nardelli Paul , Cope Timothy C. , Sawicki Gregory S. , Ting Lena H. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractMuscle spindles relay vital mechanosensory information for movement and posture, but muscle spindle feedback is coupled to skeletal motion by a compliant tendon. Little is known about the effects of tendon compliance on muscle spindle feedback during movement, and the complex firing of muscle spindles makes these effects difficult to predict. Our goal was to investigate changes in muscle spindle firing using added series elastic elements (SEEs) to mimic a more compliant tendon, and to characterize the accompanying changes in firing with respect to muscle–tendon unit (MTU) and muscle fascicle displacements (recorded via sonomicrometry). Sinusoidal, ramp‐and‐hold and triangular stretches were analysed to examine potential changes in muscle spindle instantaneous firing rates (IFRs) in locomotor‐ and perturbation‐like stretches as well as serial history dependence. Added SEEs effectively reduced overall MTU stiffness and generally reduced muscle spindle firing rates, but the effect differed across stretch types. During sinusoidal stretches, peak and mean firing rates were not reduced and IFR was best‐correlated with fascicle velocity. During ramp stretches, SEEs reduced the initial burst, dynamic and static responses of the spindle. Notably, IFR was negatively related to fascicle displacement during the hold phase. During triangular stretches, SEEs reduced the mean IFR during the first and second stretches, affecting the serial history dependence of mean IFR. Overall, these results demonstrate that tendon compliance may attenuate muscle spindle feedback during movement, but these changes cannot be fully explained by reduced muscle fascicle length or velocity, or MTU force.
A single bout of prior resistance exercise attenuates muscle atrophy and declines in myofibrillar protein synthesis during bed‐rest in older men
Authors: Smeuninx Benoit , Elhassan Yasir S. , Sapey Elizabeth , Rushton Alison B. , Morgan Paul T. , Korzepa Marie , Belfield Archie E. , Philp Andrew , Brook Matthew S. , Gharahdaghi Nima , Wilkinson Daniel , Smith Kenneth , Atherton Philip J. , Breen Leigh 
Published: October 2023

AbstractImpairments in myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) during bed rest accelerate skeletal muscle loss in older adults, increasing the risk of adverse secondary health outcomes. We investigated the effect of prior resistance exercise (RE) on MyoPS and muscle morphology during a disuse event in 10 healthy older men (65–80 years). Participants completed a single bout of unilateral leg RE the evening prior to 5 days of in‐patient bed‐rest. Quadriceps cross‐sectional area (CSA) was determined prior to and following bed‐rest. Serial muscle biopsies and dual stable isotope tracers were used to determine rates of integrated MyoPS (iMyoPS) over a 7 day habitual ‘free‐living’ phase and the bed‐rest phase, and rates of acute postabsorptive and postprandial MyoPS (aMyoPS) at the end of bed rest. Quadriceps CSA at 40%, 60% and 80% of muscle length significantly decreased in exercised (EX) and non‐exercised control (CTL) legs with bed‐rest. The decline in quadriceps CSA at 40% and 60% of muscle length was attenuated in EX compared with CTL. During bed‐rest, iMyoPS rates decreased from habitual values in CTL, but not EX, and were significantly different between legs. Postprandial aMyoPS rates increased above postabsorptive values in EX only. The change in iMyoPS over bed‐rest correlated with the change in quadriceps CSA in CTL, but not EX. A single bout of RE attenuated the decline in iMyoPS rates and quadriceps atrophy with 5 days of bed‐rest in older men. Further work is required to understand the functional and clinical implications of prior RE in older patient populations.
imageKey points
Age‐related skeletal muscle deterioration, linked to numerous adverse health outcomes, is driven by impairments in muscle protein synthesis that are accelerated during periods of disuse.
Resistance exercise can stimulate muscle protein synthesis over several days of recovery and therefore could counteract impairments in this process that occur in the early phase of disuse.
In the present study, we demonstrate that the decline in myofibrillar protein synthesis and muscle atrophy over 5 days of bed‐rest in older men was attenuated by a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise performed the evening prior to bed‐rest.
These findings suggest that concise resistance exercise intervention holds the potential to support muscle mass retention in older individuals during short‐term disuse, with implications for delaying sarcopenia progression in ageing populations.
Characterization of High-Pressure Hydrogen Leakages
Authors: Cerbarano Davide , Tieghi Lorenzo , Delibra Giovanni , Lo Schiavo Ermanno , Minotti Stefano , Corsini Alessandro 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Reduction of gas turbine (GT) carbon emissions relies on a strategy for fueling the engines with pure or blended hydrogen. The major technical challenges to solve are (i) the adjustments to the engine and in particular the combustion chamber and (ii) a series of issues to solve to guarantee safe operations. In fact, compared to natural gas, hydrogen fueling implies higher risks of explosion in case of leak in the turbine enclosure and a more careful design of the ventilation system. Thus, a deeper comprehension of hydrogen leak scenarios is needed to adjust the safe design strategy of the enclosure. To this aim, a series of numerical investigations was carried out to understand how different methane–hydrogen blends (from pure methane to pure hydrogen) behave when leaking from a pipeline with fuel pressure that span from 1.5 to 4.5 MPa. The different fuel blends' leaks in form of underexpanded jets were studied under different cross-flow ventilation conditions, with ventilation velocity spanning from 0 m/s to 5 m/s. When compared to pure methane, the outcome is a three times longer penetration distance for pure hydrogen axisymmetric flammable clouds, whereas in cross-flow conditions a more complex three-dimensional behavior was found, potentially opening a safety-related concerns discussed in the paper.
Tilting Pad Journal Bearing Computational Fluid Dynamic Parametric Modeling for New Energy Transition Challenges
Authors: Gheller Edoardo , Vardhan Reddy Vishnu , Koyyalamudi Satish , Chatterton Steven , Panara Daniele , Pennacchi Paolo 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
The necessity of increasing the efficiency and reducing the carbon foot-print of machines is pushing centrifugal compressor bearings design to higher and higher peripheral speed and lower oil consumptions especially in the new energy transition fields, resulting in an increase in the bearing temperatures. Therefore, the bearing thermal management starts to play a major role in extending the machine operability and reducing the maintenance frequency. A full three-dimensional (3D) parametric conjugate heat transfer computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model for tilting pad journal bearings (TPJBs) is introduced in this paper to address the temperature aspects of oil-film bearings. The parametric geometry of the model and the automatic mesh update, allow the equilibrium position search to be obtained without adopting any dynamic mesh algorithms. The tilting pad and rotating shaft equilibrium position are automatically calculated with a Newton–Raphson algorithm. The static performance of the TPJB is investigated for different journal diameters, bearing clearance, and operating conditions. The numerical results obtained are compared with experimental data from compressor mechanical running tests to demonstrate the reliability of the model presented. The 3D distributions of the oil pressure, velocity, and temperature given by the CFD model, can be locally optimized to face the new energy transition challenges.
Escape Narratives and Regional Identity: A Case Study of the Story of Joe Burrow
Authors: Carey Michael Clay , Emmons Betsy 
Published: October 2023

This case study analyzes the news media’s framing of National Football League (NFL) quarterback Joe Burrow and his background during the 2019 football season, from the announcement of Burrow as a Heisman trophy finalist to the aftermath of his selection as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. With his heightened visibility on the field, Burrow’s background was increasingly of interest to football fans and sports journalists. It was not Burrow’s fairly “typical” family background as the child of a football coach in a nuclear family that received the most attention, but the Appalachian town of Athens, OH, where Burrow was a high school student, that became an important narrative. Emerging theme analysis suggests that sports journalists often extended idealized narratives to frame Burrow as an overcomer of a systemic cultural background with which he did not immediately identify. That narrative often utilized stereotypical representations of rural Appalachia as a place dominated by cultural poverty, highlighted representations of engrained hopelessness and lack of agency in the region, and reinforced problematic understandings of the nature of structural poverty and the ways it may be effectively challenged. The research addresses gaps in the literature about the college student-athlete in nuanced conversations about race and class in athlete-to-career narratives and notes the ways an athlete may call on such mediated tropes to extend a narrative for possible community or self-benefit.
Variations in microbial assemblage between rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiomes contribute to host plant growth under cadmium stress
Authors: Shao Li , Li Xiupin , Xiao Tangfu , Lu Ting , Li Jiajun , Deng Jinmei , Xiao Enzong 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT

Microbial assemblages in the rhizosphere and root endosphere compartments exhibit variations in response to environmental stressors. However, whether these variations contribute to plant growth under abiotic stress remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a comparative study to characterize the assembly of the rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiome between two ecotypes of
Sedum alfredii
, a perennial herb plant across Asia, under cadmium (Cd) stress. Our results revealed that under Cd stress, the fresh weight of the Cd-accumulating ecotype (AE) was significantly higher than the non-accumulating ecotype (NAE). The evenness and diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome were significantly reduced, but the complexity was significantly increased in AE compared to NAE. Crucially, we found that the changes in microbial dissimilarity were correlated with plant performance under Cd stress. Moreover, we identified that microbial network complexity has a greater number of positive associations with the rhizosphere keystone operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified from the AE than from the NAE. Our results also demonstrated that phenolic compounds, including benzenoids and flavonoids, play a crucial role in shaping the distribution of keystone OTUs in both AEs and NAEs by functioning as carbon sources and semiochemicals. In summary, our study provides new insights into how changes in microbial assemblage between rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiomes contribute to plant growth under abiotic stress.

IMPORTANCE
In this study, we revealed that the variation in rhizosphere and root endosphere microbial assemblage between host plant ecotypes contribute to their differential abilities to withstand cadmium (Cd) stressors. Furthermore, our study found that phenolic compounds, such as benzenoids and flavonoids, could function as both essential carbon sources and semiochemicals, thereby contributing to the assemblage of rhizosphere microbiome to resist Cd stress. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms that drive the differential assemblage of rhizosphere and root endosphere microbiomes to enhance plant growth under abiotic stress.
Discovery of Nanosota-2, -3, and -4 as super potent and broad-spectrum therapeutic nanobody candidates against COVID-19
Authors: Ye Gang , Pan Ruangang , Bu Fan , Zheng Jian , Mendoza Alise , Wen Wei , Du Lanying , Spiller Benjamin , Wadzinski Brian E. , Liu Bin , Perlman Stanley , Li Fang 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT

Nanobodies are single-domain antibodies derived from camelid animals. Here, we discovered three anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies, namely, Nanosota-2, -3, and -4, from an alpaca immunized with SARS-CoV spike protein. We further characterized the antiviral activities of these Fc-tag-fused nanobodies. Notably, Nanosota-2 inhibits the prototypic SARS-CoV-2 strain
in vitro
(with an IC
50
of 2 pM) and in mice (at a dosage of 4 mg/kg or administered 18 hours post-challenge). These potency metrics are the best among known SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors. Moreover, Nanosota-3 effectively inhibits the omicron variant, both
in vitro
and in mice, regardless of the administration route (intraperitoneal or intranasal). Furthermore, Nanosota-3 has been biochemically engineered to inhibit both early and currently circulating subvariants of omicron. Additionally, Nanosota-4 uniquely inhibits both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Cryo-EM data revealed that the three nanobodies bind to functionally critical and non-overlapping regions in the spike protein. Given their cost-effectiveness, ease of adaptation to new viral strains, and potential use as inhalers, the Nanosota series are powerful therapeutic tools against coronavirus pandemics.

IMPORTANCE
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed limitations of conventional antibodies as therapeutics, including high cost, limited potency, ineffectiveness against new viral variants, and primary reliance on injection-only delivery. Nanobodies are single-domain antibodies with therapeutic potentials. We discovered three anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies, named Nanosota-2, -3, and -4, from an immunized alpaca. Nanosota-2 is super potent against prototypic SARS-CoV-2, Nanosota-3 is highly potent against the omicron variant, and Nanosota-4 is effective against both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. In addition to their super potency and combined broad antiviral spectrum, these nanobodies are cost-effective, can be easily adapted to new viral variants through phage display, and can potentially be administered as inhalers. The Nanosota series are powerful therapeutic candidates to combat circulating SARS-CoV-2 and prepare for possible future coronavirus pandemics.
Acinetobacter baumannii
coordinates central metabolism, plasmid dissemination, and virulence by sensing nutrient availability
Authors: Feng Zhengshan , Wang Lidong , Guan Qingtian , Chu Xiao , Luo Zhao-Qing 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT

Plasmid conjugation plays an important role in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes. The emergence of multidrug-resistant isolates of
Acinetobacter baumannii
poses grave challenges in treating infections caused by this notorious nosocomial pathogen. Yet, the composition, functionality, and regulation of conjugative machinery utilized by
A. baumannii
remain poorly understood. Here, we found that conjugation of the major plasmid pAB3 of
A. baumannii
is mediated by a type IVB secretion system similar to the Dot/Icm transporter of
Legionella pneumophila
. Furthermore, the expression of the structural genes of the Dot/Icm-like system is co-regulated with genes involved in central metabolism by the GacS/GacA two-component system in response to various metabolites, including intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Loss of GacS/A also severely impaired bacterial virulence. These results establish that
A. baumannii
coordinates metabolism with plasmid conjugation and virulence by sensing nutrient availability, which may be exploited to develop inhibitory agents for controlling the spread of drug-resistance genes and virulence factors.

IMPORTANCE

Plasmid conjugation is known to be an energy-expensive process, but our understanding of the molecular linkage between conjugation and metabolism is limited. Our finding reveals that
Acinetobacter baumannii
utilizes a two-component system to co-regulate metabolism, plasmid transfer, and virulence by sensing reaction intermediates of key metabolic pathways, which suggests that nutrient availability dictates not only bacterial proliferation but also horizontal gene transfer. The identification of Dot/Icm-like proteins as components of a conjugation system involved in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes by
A. baumannii
has provided important targets for the development of agents capable of inhibiting virulence and the spread of anti-microbial-resistance genes in bacterial communities.
Influences of Structural Empowerment and Demographic Factors on Nurses’ Psychological Empowerment
Authors: Abdullatif Ibrahim Ibrahim 
Published: October 2023

Aim. The objective was to investigate the impact of structural empowerment and demographic factors on the psychological empowerment of nurses. Background. The empowerment of nurses plays a crucial role in improving patient care and achieving successful healthcare outcomes. When nurses feel empowered in their work environment, they tend to remain dedicated to their jobs and experience higher levels of job satisfaction and engagement. Methods. This cross-sectional study utilized a convenience sample of 287 nurses recruited from various hospital units, resulting in a response rate of 94.7%. Data were collected through a paper survey consisting of three sections: structural empowerment, psychological empowerment, and demographics. Results. The first hierarchical regression explains 57.0% variance in nurses’ psychological empowerment (F = 78.52,

p

< 0.001). Age (β = 0.37,

p

< 0.01) and structural empowerment (β = 0.69,

p

< 0.001) have a positive influence on nurses’ psychological empowerment. Conversely, having a bachelor’s degree (β = −0.16,

p

< 0.01) had a negative impact psychological empowerment. The second hierarchical regression clarifies the specific aspects of structural empowerment that influences positively on nurses’ psychological empowerment: access to opportunities (β = 0.13,

p

< 0.01), support (β = 0.13,

p

< 0.01), resources (β = 0.35,

p

< 0.001), and informal power (β = 0.12,

p

< 0.01). Conclusion. This study emphasizes the importance of considering demographic variables, such as age and education, in conjunction with structural empowerment to effectively enhance nurses’ psychological empowerment. Implications for Nursing Management. Nursing managers should tailor their empowerment strategies based on the demographic characteristics of their nurses. It is essential to focus on providing nurses with access to opportunities, support, resources, and informal power. These insights provide valuable guidance for nursing managers to enhance nurses’ psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and overall quality of life. Ultimately, this contributes to positive outcomes for patients, nursing staff, and healthcare organizations.
Hypoxia-Induced Neuronal Activity in Glioma Patients Polarizes Microglia by Potentiating RNA m6A Demethylation
Authors: Guo Xiaofan , Qiu Wei , Li Boyan , Qi Yanhua , Wang Shaobo , Zhao Rongrong , Cheng Bo , Han Xiao , Du Hao , Pan Ziwen , Zhao Shulin , Qiu Jiawei , Li Gang , Xue Hao 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Purpose:
Neuronal activity in the brain has been reported to promote the malignant progression of glioma cells via nonsynaptic paracrine and electrical synaptic integration mechanisms. However, the interaction between neuronal activity and the immune microenvironment in glioblastoma (GBM) remains largely unclear.

Experimental Design:
By applying chemogenetic techniques, we enhanced and inhibited neuronal activity in vitro and in a mouse model to study how neuronal activity regulates microglial polarization and affects GBM progression.

Results:
We demonstrate that hypoxia drove glioma stem cells (GSC) to produce higher levels of glutamate, which activated local neurons. Neuronal activity promoted GBM progression by facilitating microglial M2 polarization through enriching miR-200c-3p in neuron-derived exosomes, which decreased the expression of the m6A writer zinc finger CCCH-type containing 13 (ZC3H13) in microglia, impairing methylation of dual specificity phosphatase 9 (DUSP9) mRNA. Downregulation of DUSP9 promoted ERK pathway activation, which subsequently induced microglial M2 polarization. In the mouse model, cortical neuronal activation promoted microglial M2 polarization whereas cortical neuronal inhibition decreased microglial M2 polarization in GBM xenografts. miR-200c-3p knockdown in cortical neurons impaired microglial M2 polarization and GBM xenograft growth, even when cortical neurons were activated. Treatment with the anti-seizure medication levetiracetam impaired neuronal activation and subsequently reduced neuron-mediated microglial M2 polarization.

Conclusions:
These findings indicated that hypoxic GSC-induced neuron activation promotes GBM progression by polarizing microglia via the exosomal miR-200c-3p/ZC3H13/DUSP9/p-ERK pathway. Levetiracetam, an antiepileptic drug, blocks the abnormal activation of neurons in GBM and impairs activity-dependent GBM progression.
See related commentary by Cui et al., p. 1073
Mesopotamia’s Bronze Age as a Cosmopolitan Age
Authors: Van De Mieroop Marc 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
The key term of this volume is bronze: in its basic meaning it is an alloy of two metals, copper and tin, even if there are other combinations, such as arsenical bronze. In Mesopotamia, the area I will discuss here, every form of bronze shared a common characteristic, however. To make bronze it was necessary to bring together two metals with origins in separate and distant places. The sources changed over time, but in Mesopotamia itself bronze was never the product of elements found in the same location. The outcome was something special, a compound stronger and deemed to be more appealing than its separate components. My discussion here will not be about metallurgy or material culture, however, but about literate culture, which in the Mesopotamian Bronze Age, I argue, showed a similar amalgamation of elements from sources that were geographically distinct. We can see bronze as a metaphor for literate culture in Mesopotamia.
A Daoist Political Leadership Approach to Nonviolence: The Case of Olof Palme
Authors: Joshi Devin K. 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
This study develops a model of nonviolence leadership based on the prescient insights of the Daoist (Taoist) philosopher Laozi (a.k.a. Lao-tzu). This model is then illustrated in practice via a twentieth century political leader who largely embodied this approach to nonviolence. That leader is Olof Palme (1927-1986), former Prime Minister of Sweden (1969-76; 1982-86). As demonstrated here, Palme’s leadership style closely resembles the Daoist nonviolence leadership model and can serve as an inspiration to others seeking to eliminate violence and to increase peace. As this study concludes, the world might gain significantly were more leaders to adopt a similar approach.