bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Born to care (or not): How gender role attitudes affect occupational sorting
Authors: Patrick Carlianne , Stephens Heather , Weinstein Amanda 
Published: January 2024

AbstractOccupation segregation explains a significant portion of the gender wage gap, with women working in lower paid female‐dominated occupations. We examine how childhood and adolescent exposure to gender biased norms about work influence this occupational sorting. We document that early life exposure to traditional gender role attitudes, which view women's role as caretakers, increase women's likelihood of employment in care occupations and decrease the likelihood for men, thereby increasing the gender care occupation gap. A decomposition of the factors affecting this sorting shows that a primary channel is through differences in the choice of post‐secondary field of study or major. Our results suggest that traditional gender role attitudes may work to segment the labor market for men and women and contribute to the gender wage gap. This suggests that more egalitarian gender role attitudes which increase the share of men entering care occupations would increase wages for both men and women, lowering the gender wage gap.
Pleistocene diversification of unifoliolate‐leaved Lupinus (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) in Florida
Authors: Nevado Bruno , Atchison Guy W. , Bridges Edwin L. , Orzell Steve , Filatov Dmitry , Hughes Colin E. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe importance and prevalence of recent ice‐age and post‐glacial speciation and species diversification during the Pleistocene across many organismal groups and physiographic settings are well established. However, the extent to which Pleistocene diversification can be attributed to climatic oscillations and their effects on distribution ranges and population structure remains debatable. In this study, we use morphologic, geographic and genetic (RADseq) data to document Pleistocene speciation and intra‐specific diversification of the unifoliolate‐leaved clade of Florida Lupinus, a small group of species largely restricted to inland and coastal sand ridges across the Florida peninsula and panhandle. Phylogenetic and demographic analyses alongside morphological and geographic evidence suggest that recent speciation and intra‐specific divergence within this clade were driven by a combination of non‐adaptive allopatric divergence caused by edaphic niche conservatism and opportunities presented by the emergence of new post‐glacial sand ridge habitats. These results highlight the central importance of even modest geographic isolation and short periods of allopatric divergence following range expansion in the emergence of new taxa and add to the growing evidence that Pleistocene climatic oscillations may contribute to rapid diversification in a myriad of physiographic settings. Furthermore, our results shed new light on long‐standing taxonomic debate surrounding the number of species in the Florida unifoliate Lupinus clade providing support for recognition of five species and a set of intra‐specific variants. The important conservation implications for the narrowly restricted, highly endangered species Lupinus aridorum, which we show to be genetically distinct from its sister species Lupinus westianus, are discussed.
A hybrid virtual–real traffic simulation approach to reproducing the spatiotemporal distribution of bridge loads
Authors: Zhou Junyong , Wu Wenrong , Caprani Colin C. , Tan Zeyin , Wei Bin , Zhang Junping 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCurrent traffic simulation approaches analyze vehicle loads and load effects from a statistical perspective; however, they fail to reproduce the spatiotemporal distribution of bridge loads and resultant load effects at every moment, hindering real‐time bridge health management. This paper proposes a two‐step hybrid virtual–real traffic simulation (HvrTS) approach to reproduce the spatiotemporal distribution of bridge loads. Vehicle load sequences are first identified using computer vision based on traffic video from two surveillance cameras installed along the bridge. Next, traffic microsimulation is optimized with the identified vehicle load sequences from the two cameras serving as the known input and validated output. Using a cable‐stayed bridge under free‐flowing traffic, the HvrTS approach achieved a weighted mean square matching error of ≤0.3 m for the vehicle longitudinal location and a matching error of ≤7% for the vehicle lane position, whereas with congested traffic, the matching errors were much higher due to the inherent complexities and challenges associated with reproducing vehicle behavior in heavily congested situations. The traffic load effects calculated via HvrTS presented excellent spatiotemporal matching with those measured by a structural health monitoring system, especially in free‐flow traffic conditions. Applications on a continuous rigid frame girder bridge further validate these findings. Hence, the proposed HvrTS approach can overcome the challenge of spatiotemporal matching between vehicle loads and load effects in field monitoring.
A triple combination of latanoprost, fractional CO2 laser, and platelet‐rich plasma in localized vitiligo: A clinical and histopathologic study
Authors: Omar Salma Samir , Elmulla Khaled Fawzy , Aly Rania Gaber , Elkaffas Ahmed , Ismail Aliaa 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBackgroundSeveral treatment modalities are available for the treatment of vitiligo due to the lack of a uniformly effective therapy. Topical latanoprost 0.005% is an effective topical treatment. Fractional CO2 laser alone or combined with platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) has been proposed as effective adjunctive therapies.ObjectivesWe aimed to compare the efficacy of topical latanoprost 0.005% (Ioprost®, Orchidia, Egypt) combined with either add‐on fractional CO2 laser or fractional CO2‐PRP versus topical latanoprost monotherapy in the treatment of localized stable vitiligo.Patients/MethodsThe study included 60 patients randomly assigned into three equal groups. Group A patients received topical latanoprost drops only. Group B patients received topical latanoprost drops and fractional CO2 laser sessions at 2‐week interval for 3 months. Group C patients received topical latanoprost drops and fractional CO2 laser sessions combined with PRP at a 2‐week interval for 3 months. The mean improvement score by the physician was calculated 4 months after the start of the study. Punch skin biopsies were obtained before treatment and 4 months from the beginning of the study and stained with H&E and HMB‐45 antibody for evaluation of pigmentation.ResultsSignificant clinical improvement of vitiligo lesions with significant increase of re‐pigmentation were reported in the three treated groups. Latanoprost in combination with fractional CO2 and PRP was associated with more significant therapeutic outcomes than either combined latanoprost and fractional CO2 or latanoprost alone.ConclusionFractional CO2 laser‐PRP enhances the therapeutic efficacy of latanoprost 0.005% in the treatment of localized stable vitiligo.
What is in a smile: The role of evaluation goal and response labels in facial muscle responses to prejudiced groups
Authors: Neumann Roland , Schneider Lisa J. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBased on the assumption that valence is permanently linked to facial responses, we expected that the corrugator muscle is contracted faster in response to overweight persons than to slim persons, whereas we expected faster contractions of the zygomaticus muscle in response to slim persons rather than to overweight persons. To detect such differences, we conducted experiments with different versions of a facial stimulus–response compatibility task that required participants to respond with the two facial muscles to photos of overweight or slim persons. Contrary to the assumption that valence is permanently linked to facial responses, in Experiments 1 and 2, social categories (overweight vs. slim persons) did not influence the response latencies assessed by electromyography. Whereas in Experiments 1 and 2, neutral labels were used for the muscle responses, in Experiment 3, affective response labels (smile vs. frown) were used. In Experiment 3, faster responses with the corrugator to overweight than to slim persons and with the zygomaticus to slim than to overweight persons were obtained. The influence of task and response label is consistent with the theory of event coding that suggests a more flexible link between valence and action.
Antibody responses to immunoevasion proteins BBK32 and OspE constitute part of the serological footprint in neuroborreliosis but are insufficient to prevent the disease
Authors: Dulipati Vinaya , Kotimaa Juha , Rezola Mikel , Kontiainen Mikko , Jarva Hanna , Nyman Dag , Meri Seppo 
Published: January 2024

AbstractLyme borreliosis, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, is the most common tickborne disease. Its neuronal form, neuroborreliosis, comprises 3 to 38% of borreliosis cases in Europe. Borrelia outer surface proteins and virulence factors, OspE and BBK32, have been previously reported to help cause infection by promoting attachment to human host epithelial cells and evading complement attack. We assessed the serological responses to BBK32 and OspE in 19 individuals diagnosed with neuroborreliosis to see whether antibodies that could both target the bacteria and neutralize the virulence mechanisms on the microbial surface emerge. Results evaluate levels of total protein, IgG and the chemokine CXCL13, a determinant for B‐cell recruitment during neuroinflammation, in patients' cerebrospinal fluid samples. Antibody levels against BBK32 and OspE correlated with those against VlsE, a well‐characterized diagnostic serological marker of the disease. A dual serological profile of the patients was observed. K‐means clustering split the cohort into two discrete groups presenting distinct serological and CNS responses. One group contained young patients with low levels of anti‐BBK32 and OspE antibodies. The other group showed stronger responses, possibly following prolonged infections or reinfections. Additionally, we assessed anti‐ganglioside antibodies that could cause autoimmunity or complement dysregulation but observed that they did not correlate with neuroborreliosis in our patient cohort. The dual nature of antibody responses against the virulence factors BBK32 and OspE in neuroborreliosis patients may suggest the necessity of repeated exposures for efficient immune responses. Better protection could be achieved if the virulence factors were formulated into vaccines.
Construction of an open knowledge framework for geoscientific models
Authors: Xu Kai , Yue Songshan , Chen Qingbin , Wang Jin , Zhang Fengyuan , Wang Yijie , Ma Peilong , Wen Yongning , Chen Min , Lü Guonian 
Published: January 2024

AbstractGeoscientific models have rapidly developed in recent decades as effective tools to understand the past, perceive the present, and predict the future. However, with the increasing number of models available, discovering suitable ones and applying them properly in problem‐solving situations has become more challenging. Existing materials describing geoscientific models (e.g., articles, manuals, handbooks, metadata documents, and web pages) are scattered and varied in structure and content. To help model users from different disciplinary backgrounds find, access, implement, and reuse models more conveniently, we propose an open knowledge framework for geoscientific models. The knowledge framework includes three levels: a resource level for indicating where to find a model, a connection level for indicating what materials are related to a model, and an application level for indicating how the model is applied. Through such a three‐level framework, model users can collaboratively provide descriptive information for a model, link different materials to a model (e.g., data, references, and tools), and contribute experiences regarding model application in practical cases (as reusable solutions). Thus, a web‐based community can be formed to facilitate the better use of geoscientific models. This article introduces the Open Geographic Modeling and Simulation System (OpenGMS) as the implementation of this open knowledge framework. Case studies are given to showcase the effectiveness and capability of the proposed framework.
In vitro
activity of ibrexafungerp against clinically relevant echinocandin-resistant
Candida
strains
Authors: Aldejohann Alexander Maximilian , Menner Carolina , Thielemann Nadja , Martin Ronny , Walther Grit , Kurzai Oliver 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

Invasive candidiasis is a major hospital-acquired infection. Usually, echinocandins are considered first-line treatment. However, resistant phenotypes have emerged. Ibrexafungerp (IBX) is a new antifungal substance with potent anti-
Candida
activity. We challenged IBX with a library of 192 pheno-/genotypically echinocandin-resistant
Candida
isolates, focusing on the substance susceptibility, its activity on certain
FKS
hotspot (HS) mutated strains, and applying WTULs (wild-type upper limits). Therefore, a 9-year-old strain and patient data collection provided by the German National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections were analyzed. Species identification was confirmed through ITS-sequencing. Molecular susceptibility testing was performed by sequencing HS of the
FKS
gene. Anidulafungin (AND) and IBX EUCAST-broth-microdilution was conducted. The four most common echinocandin-resistance mediating mutations were found in
Candida glabrata
[112/192 isolates; F659-(43×) and S663-(48×)] and
Candida albicans
[63/192 isolates; F641-(15×) and S645-(39×)]. Mutations at the HS-start sequence were associated with higher IBX MIC-values (F659 and F641 (MIC 50/90 mg/L: >4/>4 and 2/4 mg/L) in comparison to AND (F659 and F641 (MIC 50/90: 1/4 and 0.25/1 mg/L). MIC-values in HS-center mutations were almost equal [MIC50/90 in S663: 2/4 (AND and IBX); in S645: 0.5/1 (AND) and 0.25/1 (IBX) mg/L]. In total, 61 vs 78 of 192 echinocandin-resistant isolates may be classified as IBX wild type by applying WTULs, whereas the most prominent effect was seen in
C. albicans
[48% (30/63) vs 70% (44/63)]. IBX shows
in vitro
activity against echinocandin-resistant
Candida
and thus is an addition to the antifungal armory. However, our data suggest that this effect is more pronounced in
C. albicans
and strains harboring mutations, affecting the HS-center.
Evolution of
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
to degrade halogenated aromatic compounds involves changes in pathway regulation and enzyme specificity
Authors: Haq Irshad Ul , Christensen Annika , Fixen Kathryn R. 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

Halogenated aromatic compounds are used in a variety of industrial applications but can be harmful to humans and animals when released into the environment. Microorganisms that degrade halogenated aromatic compounds anaerobically have been isolated but the evolutionary path that they may have taken to acquire this ability is not well understood. A strain of the purple nonsulfur bacterium,
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
, RCB100, can use 3-chlorobenzoate (3-CBA) as a carbon source whereas a closely related strain, CGA009, cannot. To reconstruct the evolutionary events that enabled RCB100 to degrade 3-CBA, we isolated an evolved strain derived from CGA009 capable of growing on 3-CBA. Comparative whole-genome sequencing of the evolved strain and RCB100 revealed both strains contained large deletions encompassing
badM
, a transcriptional repressor of genes for anaerobic benzoate degradation. It was previously shown that in strain RCB100, a single nucleotide change in an alicyclic acid coenzyme A ligase gene, named
aliA
, gives rise to a variant AliA enzyme that has high activity with 3-CBA. When the RCB100
aliA
allele and a deletion in
badM
were introduced into
R. palustris
CGA009, the resulting strain grew on 3-CBA at a similar rate as RCB100. This work provides an example of pathway evolution in which regulatory constraints were overcome to enable the selection of a variant of a promiscuous enzyme with enhanced substrate specificity.

IMPORTANCE

Biodegradation of man-made compounds often involves the activity of promiscuous enzymes whose native substrate is structurally similar to the man-made compound. Based on the enzymes involved, it is possible to predict what microorganisms are likely involved in biodegradation of anthropogenic compounds. However, there are examples of organisms that contain the required enzyme(s) and yet cannot metabolize these compounds. We found that even when the purple nonsulfur bacterium,
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
, encodes all the enzymes required for degradation of a halogenated aromatic compound, it is unable to metabolize that compound. Using adaptive evolution, we found that a regulatory mutation and a variant of promiscuous enzyme with increased substrate specificity were required. This work provides insight into how an environmental isolate evolved to use a halogenated aromatic compound.
The rise, fall, and resurgence of phage therapy for urinary tract infection
Authors: Zulk Jacob J. , Patras Kathryn A. , Maresso Anthony W. 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

In the face of rising antimicrobial resistance, bacteriophage therapy, also known as phage therapy, is seeing a resurgence as a potential treatment for bacterial infections including urinary tract infection (UTI). Primarily caused by uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
, the 400 million UTI cases annually are major global healthcare burdens and a primary cause of antibiotic prescriptions in the outpatient setting. Phage therapy has several potential advantages over antibiotics including the ability to disrupt bacterial biofilms and synergize with antimicrobial treatments with minimal side effects or impacts on the microbiota. Phage therapy for UTI treatment has shown generally favorable results in recent animal models and human case reports. Ongoing clinical trials seek to understand the efficacy of phage therapy in individuals with asymptomatic bacteriuria and uncomplicated cystitis. A possible challenge for phage therapy is the development of phage resistance in bacteria during treatment. While resistance frequently develops
in vitro
and
in vivo
, resistance can come with negative consequences for the bacteria, leaving them susceptible to antibiotics and other environmental conditions and reducing their overall virulence. “Steering” bacteria toward phage resistance outcomes that leave them less fit or virulent is especially useful in the context of UTI where poorly adherent or slow-growing bacteria are likely to be flushed from the system. In this article, we describe the history of phage therapy in treating UTI and its current resurgence, the state of its clinical use, and an outlook on how well-designed phage therapy could be used to “steer” bacteria toward less virulent and antimicrobial-susceptible states.
Critical roles of
Rickettsia parkeri
outer membrane protein B (OmpB) in the tick host
Authors: Tongluan Natthida , Engström Patrik , Jirakanwisal Krit , Langohr Ingeborg M. , Welch Matthew D. , Macaluso Kevin R. 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

Rickettsia parkeri
is a pathogen of public health concern and transmitted by the Gulf Coast tick,
Amblyomma maculatum
. Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that enter and replicate in diverse host cells. Rickettsial outer membrane protein B (OmpB) functions in bacterial adhesion, invasion, and avoidance of cell-autonomous immunity in mammalian cell infection, but the function of OmpB in arthropod infection is unknown. In this study, the function of
R. parkeri
OmpB was evaluated in the tick host.
R. parkeri
wild-type and

R. parkeri ompB
STOP
::tn

(non-functional OmpB) were capillary fed to naïve
A. maculatum
ticks to investigate dissemination in the tick and transmission to vertebrates. Ticks exposed to
R. parkeri
wild-type had greater rickettsial loads in all organs than ticks exposed to

R. parkeri ompB
STOP
::tn

at 12 h post-capillary feeding and after 1 day of feeding on host. In rats that were exposed to

R. parkeri ompB
STOP
::tn

-infected ticks, dermal inflammation at the bite site was less compared to
R. parkeri
wild-type-infected ticks.
In vitro
,

R. parkeri ompB
STOP
::tn

cell attachment to tick cells was reduced, and host cell invasion of the mutant was initially reduced but eventually returned to the level of
R. parkeri
wild-type by 90 min post-infection.

R. parkeri ompB
STOP
::tn

and
R. parkeri
wild-type had similar growth kinetics in the tick cells, suggesting that OmpB is not essential for
R. parkeri
replication in tick cells. These results indicate that
R. parkeri
OmpB functions in rickettsial attachment and internalization to tick cells and pathogenicity during tick infection.
Gold(I) ion and the phosphine ligand are necessary for the anti-
Toxoplasma gondii
activity of auranofin
Authors: Ma C. I. , Tirtorahardjo J. A. , Schweizer S. S. , Zhang J. , Fang Z. , Xing L. , Xu M. , Herman D. A. , Kleinman M. T. , McCullough B. S. , Barrios A. M. , Andrade R. M. 
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT

Auranofin, an FDA-approved drug for rheumatoid arthritis, has emerged as a promising antiparasitic medication in recent years. The gold(I) ion in auranofin is postulated to be responsible for its antiparasitic activity. Notably
,
aurothiomalate and aurothioglucose also contain gold(I), and, like auranofin, they were previously used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Whether they have antiparasitic activity remains to be elucidated. Herein, we demonstrated that auranofin and similar derivatives, but not aurothiomalate and aurothioglucose, inhibited the growth of
Toxoplasma gondii in vitro
. We found that auranofin affected the
T. gondii
biological cycle (lytic cycle) by inhibiting
T. gondii’s
invasion and triggering its egress from the host cell. However, auranofin could not prevent parasite replication once
T. gondii
resided within the host. Auranofin treatment induced apoptosis in
T. gondii
parasites
,
as demonstrated by its reduced size and elevated phosphatidylserine externalization (PS). Notably, the gold from auranofin enters the cytoplasm of
T. gondii,
as demonstrated by scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).

IMPORTANCE

Toxoplasmosis, caused by
Toxoplasma gondii
, is a devastating disease affecting the brain and the eyes, frequently affecting immunocompromised individuals. Approximately 60 million people in the United States are already infected with
T. gondii
, representing a population at-risk of developing toxoplasmosis. Recent advances in treating cancer, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplants have contributed to this at-risk population's exponential growth. Paradoxically, treatments for toxoplasmosis have remained the same for more than 60 years, relying on medications well-known for their bone marrow toxicity and allergic reactions. Discovering new therapies is a priority, and repurposing FDA-approved drugs is an alternative approach to speed up drug discovery. Herein, we report the effect of auranofin, an FDA-approved drug, on the biological cycle of
T. gondii
and how both the phosphine ligand and the gold molecule determine the anti-parasitic activity of auranofin and other gold compounds. Our studies would contribute to the pipeline of candidate anti-
T. gondii
agents.