bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New bacteriophage-derived lysins, LysJ and LysF, with the potential to control Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Nakonieczna Aleksandra , Topolska-Woś Agnieszka , Łobocka Małgorzata 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBacillus anthracisis an etiological agent of anthrax, a severe zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to people and cause high mortalities. Bacteriophages and their lytic enzymes, endolysins, have potential therapeutic value in treating infections caused by this bacterium as alternatives or complements to antibiotic therapy. They can also be used to identify and detectB. anthracis.Endolysins of twoB. anthracis Wbetavirusphages, J5a and F16Ba which were described by us recently, differ significantly from the best-knownB. anthracisphage endolysin PlyG fromWbetavirusgenus bacteriophage Gamma and a few otherWbetavirusgenus phages. They are larger than PlyG (351 vs. 233 amino acid residues), contain a signal peptide at their N-termini, and, by prediction, have a different fold of cell binding domain suggesting different structural basis of cell epitope recognition. We purified in a soluble form the modified versions of these endolysins, designated by us LysJ and LysF, respectively, and depleted of signal peptides. Both modified endolysins could lyse theB. anthraciscell wall in zymogram assays. Their activity against the living cells ofB. anthracisand other species ofBacillusgenus was tested by spotting on the layers of bacteria in soft agar and by assessing the reduction of optical density of bacterial suspensions. Both methods proved the effectiveness of LysJ and LysF in killing the anthrax bacilli, although the results obtained by each method differed. Additionally, the lytic efficiency of both proteins was different, which apparently correlates with differences in their amino acid sequence.Key points• LysJ and LysF are B. anthracis-targeting lysins differing from lysins studied so far• LysJ and LysF could be overproduced in E. coli in soluble and active forms• LysJ and LysF are active in killing cells of B. anthracis virulent strains
Metabolic engineering of Caldicellulosiruptor bescii for hydrogen production
Authors: Cha Minseok , Kim Jung Kon , Lee Won-Heong , Song Hyoungwoon , Lee Tae-Gi , Kim Sun-Ki , Kim Soo-Jung 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Hydrogen is an alternative fuel for transportation vehicles because it is clean, sustainable, and highly flammable. However, the production of hydrogen from lignocellulosic biomass by microorganisms presents challenges. This microbial process involves multiple complex steps, including thermal, chemical, and mechanical treatment of biomass to remove hemicellulose and lignin, as well as enzymatic hydrolysis to solubilize the plant cell walls. These steps not only incur costs but also result in the production of toxic hydrolysates, which inhibit microbial growth. A hyper-thermophilic bacterium of Caldicellulosiruptor bescii can produce hydrogen by decomposing and fermenting plant biomass without the need for conventional pretreatment. It is considered as a consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) microorganism. This review summarizes the basic scientific knowledge and hydrogen-producing capacity of C. bescii. Its genetic system and metabolic engineering strategies to improve hydrogen production are also discussed.

Key points
• Hydrogen is an alternative and eco-friendly fuel.
• Caldicellulosiruptor bescii produces hydrogen with a high yield in nature.
• Metabolic engineering can make C. bescii to improve hydrogen production.
Low-frequency pitch coding: relationships with speech-in-noise and music perception by pediatric populations with typical hearing and cochlear implants
Authors: Dinçer D’Alessandro Hilal , Nicastri Maria , Portanova Ginevra , Giallini Ilaria , Russo Francesca Yoshie , Magliulo Giuseppe , Greco Antonio , Mancini Patrizia 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the effects of low frequency (LF) pitch perception on speech-in-noise and music perception performance by children with cochlear implants (CIC) and typical hearing (THC). Moreover, the relationships between speech-in-noise and music perception as well as the effects of demographic and audiological factors on present research outcomes were studied.

Methods
The sample consisted of 22 CIC and 20 THC (7–10 years). Harmonic intonation (HI) and disharmonic intonation (DI) tests were used to assess LF pitch perception. Speech perception in quiet (WRSq)/noise (WRSn + 10) were tested with the Italian bisyllabic words for pediatric populations. The Gordon test was used to evaluate music perception (rhythm, melody, harmony, and overall).

Results
CIC/THC performance comparisons for LF pitch, speech-in-noise, and all music measures except harmony revealed statistically significant differences with large effect sizes. For the CI group, HI showed statistically significant correlations with melody discrimination. Melody/total Gordon scores were significantly correlated with WRSn + 10. For the overall group, HI/DI showed significant correlations with all music perception measures and WRSn + 10. Hearing thresholds showed significant effects on HI/DI scores. Hearing thresholds and WRSn + 10 scores were significantly correlated; both revealed significant effects on all music perception scores. CI age had significant effects on WRSn + 10, harmony, and total Gordon scores (p < 0.05).

Conclusion
Such findings confirmed the significant effects of LF pitch perception on complex listening performance. Significant speech-in-noise and music perception correlations were as promising as results from recent studies indicating significant positive effects of music training on speech-in-noise recognition in CIC.
Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) for local excision of benign and malignant rectal neoplasia: a 7-year experience
Authors: Duggan William P. , Heagney Niall , Gray Sean , Hannan Enda , Burke John P. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) is an advanced transanal platform that can be utilised to perform high-quality local excision (LE) of rectal neoplasia. This study describes clinical and midterm oncological outcomes from a single unit’s 7-year experience with TAMIS.

Methods
Consecutive patients who underwent TAMIS LE at our institution between January 1st, 2016, and December 31st, 2022, were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Indication for TAMIS LE was benign lesions not amenable to endoscopic excision or histologically favourable early rectal cancers. The primary endpoints were resection quality, disease recurrence and peri-operative outcomes. The Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were used to describe disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with rectal adenocarcinoma that did not receive immediate salvage proctectomy.

Results
There were 168 elective TAMIS LE procedures performed for 102 benign and 66 malignant lesions. Overall, a 95.2% negative margin rate was observed, and 96.4% of lesions were submitted without fragmentation. Post-operative morbidity was recorded in 8.3% of patients, with post-operative haemorrhage, being the most common complication encountered. The mean follow-up was 17 months (SD 15). Local recurrence occurred in 1.6%, and distant organ metastasis was noted in 1.6% of patients.

Conclusions
For carefully selected patients, TAMIS for local excision of early rectal neoplasia is a valid option with low morbidity that maintains the advantages of organ preservation.
Hybrid PBF-LB/M of Pure Copper for Hairpin Winding Heads of Electric Traction Drives
Authors: Putz Carsten , Reich Stefan , Ziegler Stephan , Schleifenbaum Johannes Henrich , Bajah Yazan , Buscher Martin 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn the automotive sector, the so-called hairpin technology currently dominates the copper winding of stators in traction drives. In addition to the advantages of higher power density and deterministic production process steps, the winding technology also entails complexities and disadvantages. The production of hairpin stators requires high investments for production machines and their highly complex tools for manufacturing the windings. In addition, it is a major challenge to integrate variant flexibility in these production lines. Producing different product variants of a hairpin stator is only possible with additional costs for tools of the individual lines. In contrast, additive manufacturing technologies enable tool-free production of complex 3D geometries.In the field of PBF-LB/M, the processability of pure copper for electrical applications has been intensively researched and improved in recent years. Therefore, the approach of printing complex winding heads of a hairpin winding directly on conventional copper conductors using PBF-LB/M process is researched in this study. Challenges regarding alignment in the hybrid process as well as redesign using design automation methods considering restrictions and boundary conditions are faced and investigated. By integrating additive manufacturing in hairpin stator production and developing an innovative production process chain, process steps, machines and tools can thus be substituted. By exploiting design potentials of additive manufacturing, winding head heights can additionally be reduced, thus reducing losses in the e‑machine and saving quantities of copper material. The approach is validated using a hairpin stator from the automotive sector. The same conventionally produced hairpin stator is used as a benchmark to evaluate the results achieved by the hybrid stator in a production engineering context.
Radiation-induced xerostomia and cariogenic dietary habits
Authors: Kawashima Miho , Kawabata Takanori , Ando Chikako , Sakuma Megumi , Aoyama Takashi , Ogawa Hirofumi , Yokota Tomoya , Onozawa Yusuke , Mukaigawa Takashi , Nishimura Tetsuo , Mori Keita , Yurikusa Takashi 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Despite the availability of various prevention methods, dental caries continue to be diagnosed in patients receiving head and neck radiotherapy (RT). Since conventional approaches do not evaluate posttreatment alterations in dietary behaviors, we aimed to assess the influence of radiation-induced xerostomia on post-RT cariogenic dietary habits in patients.

Methods
Fifty-seven patients completed the Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ) and answered questions regarding daily cariogenic food and beverage (CFB) intake, daily tooth brushing, fluoride application, and subjective total taste acuity (STTA). They also underwent evaluations to determine the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) score, Saxon test score, number of decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT), and proportion of DMFT to the test teeth (DMFT rate). Clinical records were searched for information regarding RT modalities, including the median of the mean dose to the parotid glands, days after the completion of RT, submandibular gland resection, whole-neck irradiation, and the DMFT value and rate before RT. The patients were divided into low and high XQ score groups based on the median XQ score of 47.5 for the two sample tests. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were used to identify independent factors for frequent CFB intake.

Results
Higher XQ scores were associated with a significantly greater frequency of CFB intake (p = 0.028*). Regression analysis also identified a higher XQ score (p = 0.017*) as an independent risk factor for frequent CFB intake.

Conclusion
Radiation-induced xerostomia increased the frequency of CFB intake.
Bourgain-Brezis-Mironescu formula for $$W^{s,p}_q$$-spaces in arbitrary domains
Authors: Mohanta Kaushik 
Published: January 2024

AbstractUnder certain restrictions ons, p, q, the Triebel-Lizorkin spaces can be viewed as generalised fractional Sobolev spaces$$W^{s,p}_q$$Wqs,p. In this article, we show that the Bourgain-Brezis-Mironescu formula holds for$$W^{s,p}_q$$Wqs,p-seminorms in arbitrary domain. This addresses an open question raised by Brazke-Schikorra-Yung (Calc Var Partial Differ Equ 62(2):41–33, (2023).
Improved biosensing of Legionella by integrating filtration and immunomagnetic separation of the bacteria retained in filters
Authors: Mesas Gómez Melania , Molina-Moya Bárbara , de Araujo Souza Bárbara , Boldrin Zanoni Maria Valnice , Julián Esther , Domínguez José , Pividori Maria Isabel 
Published: January 2024

AbstractA novel approach is presented that combines filtration and the direct immunomagnetic separation of the retained bacteria Legionella in filters, for further electrochemical immunosensing. This strategy allows for the separation and preconcentration of the water-borne pathogen from high-volume samples, up to 1000 mL. The limit of detection of the electrochemical immunosensor resulted in 100 CFU mL−1 and improved up to 0.1 CFU mL−1 when the preconcentration strategy was applied in 1 L of sample (103-fold improvement). Remarkably, the immunosensor achieves the limit of detection in less than 2.5 h and simplified the analytical procedure. This represents the lowest concentration reported to date for electrochemical immunosensing of Legionella cells without the need for pre-enrichment or DNA amplification. Furthermore, the study successfully demonstrates the extraction of bacteria retained on different filtering materials using immunomagnetic separation, highlighting the high efficiency of the magnetic particles to pull out the bacteria directly from solid materials. This promising feature expands the applicability of the method beyond water systems for detecting bacteria retained in air filters of air conditioning units by directly performing the immunomagnetic separation in the filters.
Graphical abstract
From a glimpse into the key aspects of calibration and correlation to their practical considerations in chemical analysis
Authors: Stalikas Constantine , Sakkas Vasilios 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn this tutorial review, we provide a guiding reference on the good practice in building calibration and correlation experiments, and we explain how the results should be evaluated and interpreted. The review centers on calibration experiments where the relationship between response and concentration is expected to be linear, although certain of the described principles of good practice can be applied to non-linear systems, as well. Furthermore, it gives prominence to the meaning and correct interpretation of some of the statistical terms commonly associated with calibration and regression. To reach a mutual understanding in this significant field, we present, through a practical example, a step-by-step procedure, which deals with typical challenges related to linearity and outlier assessment, calculation of the associated error of the predicted concentration, and limits of detection. The utilization of regression lines to compare analytical methods is also elaborated. The results of regression and correlation data are acquired by implementing the Excel spreadsheet of Microsoft, being perhaps one of the most widely used user-friendly software in education and research.
Graphical Abstract
Drought index downscaling using AI-based ensemble technique and satellite data
Authors: Behfar Nazanin , Sharghi Elnaz , Nourani Vahid , Booij Martijn J. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study introduces and validates an artificial intelligence (AI)–based downscaling method for Standardized Precipitation Indices (SPI) in the northwest of Iran, utilizing PERSSIAN-CDR data and MODIS-derived drought-dependent variables. The correlation between SPI and two drought-dependent variables at a spatial resolution of 0.25° from 2000 to 2015 served as the basis for predicting SPI values at a finer spatial resolution of 0.05° for the period spanning 2016 to 2021. Shallow AI models (Support Vector Regression, Adaptive Neural Fuzzy Inference System, Feedforward Neural Network) and the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) deep learning method are employed for downscaling, followed by an ensemble post-processing technique for shallow AI models. Validation against rain gauge data indicates that all methods improve SPI simulation compared to PERSIANN-CDR products. The ensemble technique excels by 20% and 25% in the training and test phases, respectively, achieving the mean Determination Coefficient (DC) score of 0.67 in the validation phase. Results suggest that the deep learning LSTM method is less suitable for limited observed data compared to ensemble techniques. Additionally, the proposed methodology successfully detects approximately 80% of drought conditions. Notably, SPI-6 outperforms other temporal scales. This study advances the understanding of AI-driven downscaling for SPI, emphasizing the efficacy of ensemble approaches and providing valuable insights for regions with limited observational data.
Characteristics of macrophage aggregates prepared by rotation culture and their response to polymeric materials
Authors: Toda Shota , Hashimoto Yoshihide , Nakamura Naoko , Yamada Masahiro , Nakaoka Ryusuke , Nomura Wataru , Yamamoto Masaya , Kimura Tsuyoshi , Kishida Akio 
Published: January 2024

AbstractUnderstanding the interaction between macrophages and biomaterials is important for the creation of new biomaterials and the development of technologies to control macrophage function. Since macrophages are strongly adhesive, caution is required when performing in vitro evaluations. Similarly, when THP-1 cells, macrophage precursor cells, are differentiated into macrophages using phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), it becomes difficult to detach them from the adherent substrate, which has been a problem on investigation of immunological responses to biomaterials. In this study, the interaction of THP-1 cell-differentiated macrophages with biomaterials was analyzed based on a new method of seeding THP-1 cells. THP-1 cells were cultured in static and rotation culture without and with PMA. In undifferentiated THP-1 cells, there was no change in cellular function between static and rotation cultures. In rotation culture with PMA, THP-1 cells differentiated and formed macrophage aggregates. IL-1β and MRC1 expression in macrophage aggregates was examined after differentiation and M1/M2 polarization. Macrophage aggregates in rotation culture tended to be polarized toward M2 macrophages compared with those in static culture. In the evaluation of the responses of macrophage aggregates to several kinds of polymeric materials, macrophage aggregates showed different changes in MRC1 expression over time at 30, 50, and 70 rpm. Rotation speed of 30 rpm was considered most appropriate condition in that it gave stable results with the same trend as obtained with static culture. The use of macrophage aggregates obtained by rotational culture is expected to provide new insights into the evaluation of inflammatory properties of biomaterials.
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and ictal asystole in patients with autoimmune encephalitis: a systematic review
Authors: Vogrig Alberto , Bellizzi Fabrizio , Burini Alessandra , Gigli Gian Luigi , Girardi Luca , Honnorat Jérôme , Valente Mariarosaria 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Objective
As autoimmune encephalitis (AE) often involves the mesial temporal structures which are known to be involved in both sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and ictal asystole (IA), it may represent a good model to study the physiopathology of these phenomena. Herein, we systematically reviewed the occurrence of SUDEP and IA in AE.

Methods
We searched 4 databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science) for studies published between database inception and December 20, 2022, according to the PRISMA guidelines. We selected articles reporting cases of definite/probable/possible/near-SUDEP or IA in patients with possible/definite AE, or with histopathological signs of AE.

Results
Of 230 records assessed, we included 11 cases: 7 SUDEP/near-SUDEP and 4 IA. All patients with IA were female. The median age at AE onset was 30 years (range: 15–65), and the median delay between AE onset and SUDEP was 11 months; 0.9 months for IA. All the patients presented new-onset seizures, and 10/11 also manifested psychiatric, cognitive, or amnesic disorders. In patients with SUDEP, 2/7 were antibody-positive (1 anti-LGI1, 1 anti-GABABR); all IA cases were antibody-positive (3 anti-NMDAR, 1 anti-GAD65). Six patients received steroid bolus, 3 intravenous immunoglobulin, and 3 plasmapheresis. A pacemaker was implanted in 3 patients with IA. The 6 survivors improved after treatment.

Discussion
SUDEP and IA can be linked to AE, suggesting a role of the limbic system in their pathogenesis. IA tends to manifest in female patients with temporal lobe seizures early in AE, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
Australian healthcare personnel acceptance of the seasonal influenza vaccine: a qualitative exploration
Authors: Hall Caroline M. , Bushell Mary , Webster Adrian , Northam Holly 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Aim
Australian healthcare personnel (HCP) are a vulnerable, yet essential cohort prioritised for seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV). Despite extensive SIV programs, and other health protective behaviours, high levels of influenza exposure contribute to almost 23% of HCP being infected each season. In that context, understanding determinants that maximise SIV uptake among HCP is an important but under-explored area.

Subject and methods
We conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with Australian HCP, primarily those most involved with vaccination procedures, including nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and medical practitioners. The question guide development was based on constructs from the Triandis Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour and an integrative review. All interviews were transcribed verbatim with the application of Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis to identify and explore pertinent themes.

Results
Six distinct but inter-related themes were associated with HCP seasonal influenza vaccination behaviour. Most significantly, professional responsibility and identity appeared highly associated with positive vaccine intention, followed by vaccination convenience and ease of access. Protection, habit, risk perception, and experience and knowledge were also found to influence HCP decision making around SIV. Vaccination complacency, not hesitancy, was described as impeding the progression of vaccination intention (acceptance) to vaccine behaviours (uptake).

Conclusion
Findings suggest interventions that foster professional identity, leverage camaraderie and a ‘duty of care’ to protect others may enhance SIV intention. While improved access to SIV in the workplace could promote positive vaccination behaviour, particularly if triggers or nudges are applied to prompt the vaccination habit in the presence of SIV acceptance.