bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mechanistic investigation of a D to N mutation in DAHP synthase that dictates carbon flux into the shikimate pathway in yeast
Authors: Liu Huayi , Xiao Qingjie , Wu Xinxin , Ma He , Li Jian , Guo Xufan , Liu Zhenyu , Zhang Yan , Luo Yunzi 
Published: July 2023

Abstract3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) is a key enzyme in the shikimate pathway for the biosynthesis of aromatic compounds. L-Phe and L-Tyr bind to the two main DAHPS isoforms and inhibit their enzyme activities, respectively. Synthetic biologists aim to relieve such inhibitions in order to improve the productivity of aromatic compounds. In this work, we reported a point mutant of yeast DHAPS, Aro3D154N, which retains the wild type enzyme activity but converts it highly inert to the inhibition by L-Phe. The Aro3 crystal structure along with the molecular dynamics simulations analysis suggests that the D154N mutation distant from the inhibitor binding cavity may reduce the binding affinity of L-Phe. Growth assays demonstrated that substitution of the conserved D154 with asparagine suffices to relieve the inhibition of L-Phe on Aro3, L-Tyr on Aro4, and the inhibitions on their corresponding homologues from diverse yeasts. The importance of our discovery is highlighted by the observation of 29.1% and 43.6% increase of yield for the production of tyrosol and salidroside respectively upon substituting ARO3 with ARO3D154N. We anticipate that this allele would be used broadly to increase the yield of various aromatic products in metabolically diverse microorganisms.
Mining-impacted rice paddies select for Archaeal methylators and reveal a putative (Archaeal) regulator of mercury methylation
Authors: Zhang Rui , Aris-Brosou Stéphane , Storck Veronika , Liu Jiang , Abdelhafiz Mahmoud A , Feng Xinbin , Meng Bo , Poulain Alexandre J 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a microbially produced neurotoxin derived from inorganic mercury (Hg), which accumulation in rice represents a major health concern to humans. However, the microbial control of MeHg dynamics in the environment remains elusive. Here, leveraging three rice paddy fields with distinct concentrations of Hg (Total Hg (THg): 0.21−513 mg kg−1 dry wt. soil; MeHg: 1.21−6.82 ng g−1 dry wt. soil), we resorted to metagenomics to determine the microbial determinants involved in MeHg production under contrasted contamination settings. We show that Hg methylating Archaea, along with methane-cycling genes, were enriched in severely contaminated paddy soils. Metagenome-resolved Genomes of novel putative Hg methylators belonging to Nitrospinota (UBA7883), with poorly resolved taxonomy despite high completeness, showed evidence of facultative anaerobic metabolism and adaptations to fluctuating redox potential. Furthermore, we found evidence of environmental filtering effects that influenced the phylogenies of not only hgcA genes under different THg concentrations, but also of two housekeeping genes, rpoB and glnA, highlighting the need for further experimental validation of whether THg drives the evolution of hgcAB. Finally, assessment of the genomic environment surrounding hgcAB suggests that this gene pair may be regulated by an archaeal toxin-antitoxin (TA) system, instead of the more frequently found arsR-like genes in bacterial methylators. This suggests the presence of distinct hgcAB regulation systems in bacteria and archaea. Our results support the emerging role of Archaea in MeHg cycling under mining-impacted environments and shed light on the differential control of the expression of genes involved in MeHg formation between Archaea and Bacteria.
The predictive power of phylogeny on growth rates in soil bacterial communities
Authors: Walkup Jeth , Dang Chansotheary , Mau Rebecca L , Hayer Michaela , Schwartz Egbert , Stone Bram W , Hofmockel Kirsten S , Koch Benjamin J , Purcell Alicia M , Pett-Ridge Jennifer , Wang Chao , Hungate Bruce A , Morrissey Ember M 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Predicting ecosystem function is critical to assess and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Quantitative predictions of microbially mediated ecosystem processes are typically uninformed by microbial biodiversity. Yet new tools allow the measurement of taxon-specific traits within natural microbial communities. There is mounting evidence of a phylogenetic signal in these traits, which may support prediction and microbiome management frameworks. We investigated phylogeny-based trait prediction using bacterial growth rates from soil communities in Arctic, boreal, temperate, and tropical ecosystems. Here we show that phylogeny predicts growth rates of soil bacteria, explaining an average of 31%, and up to 58%, of the variation within ecosystems. Despite limited overlap in community composition across these ecosystems, shared nodes in the phylogeny enabled ancestral trait reconstruction and cross-ecosystem predictions. Phylogenetic relationships could explain up to 38% (averaging 14%) of the variation in growth rates across the highly disparate ecosystems studied. Our results suggest that shared evolutionary history contributes to similarity in the relative growth rates of related bacteria in the wild, allowing phylogeny-based predictions to explain a substantial amount of the variation in taxon-specific functional traits, within and across ecosystems.
Output feedback receding horizon control for takagi‐sugeno systems with Non‐PDC law
Authors: Ding Baocang , Yao Xu 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe issue of constrained output feedback receding horizon control (RHC) for Takagi‐Sugeno systems is studied in this paper. The control strategy is developed through parameterizing the infinite horizon control moves as a non‐parallel distributed compensation (non‐PDC) law. The parameter‐dependent non‐PDC controller is optimized in a receding horizon manner. The extended non‐quadratic Lyapunov function serves to guarantee the robust stability of the augmented closed‐loop system, which is an improvement over existing results with common‐quadratic Lyapunov functions. The recursive feasibility of the proposed approach is also carefully analyzed. The approach is shown to enhance the control performance at a cost of computational efficiency. A numerical example is demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
Adhesion control strategy for trains with driven independently rotating wheels considering active guidance
Authors: Lin Shuai , Fang Xiaochun , Li Zhengwu , Lin Fei , Yang Zhongping 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThis article presents a torque distribution control strategy for electrical trains equipped with driven independently rotating wheels (DIRW) to realise the coordination of guidance control and adhesion control. For DIRW, active guidance control is required to restore self‐centring ability. Besides, the adhesion condition determines the wheel‐rail tangential force, affecting the realisation of the guidance function. A zero lateral displacement guidance control based on an active disturbance rejection controller and an adhesion control based on optimal adhesion coefficient utilisation are applied. According to the wheel‐rail adhesion state, several torque distribution rules are designed. The primary principle of rule design is to ensure the normal operation of trains, that is, to avoid the occurrence of train idling/sliding. Next, the self‐centring function should be achieved. Finally, the train traction/braking performance should be as close as possible to the requirements of the traction/braking characteristic curve determined by the driver handle instruction. The torque distribution strategy proposed can achieve the traction/braking and guidance function on the adhesion limit. The control performance is verified through MATLAB/Simulink‐SIMPACK co‐simulation.
The Relationship between Acute-to-Chronic Glycemic Ratio and SYNTAX Score in Diabetic Patients Presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Demir Ömer Furkan , Balyimez Ayşe Dilara 
Published: July 2023

AbstractA new index called the acute-to-chronic (A/C) glycemic ratio has been proposed to better represent the true acute glycemic rise in people with acute disease. However, there has been no previous study investigating the relationship between A/C glycemic ratio and SYNTAX score in patients with diabetic acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of A/C glycemic ratio in predicting coronary artery disease severity and SYNTAX score in diabetic patients presenting with ACS. The study included 131 consecutive patients hospitalized for ACS in our hospital, previously diagnosed with diabetes and undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The relationship between A/C glycemic ratio and SYNTAX score calculated at the time of admission was determined in univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. The sample size was divided into three parts (T1, T2, and T3) according to the admission blood glucose (ABG)/estimated average glucose (eAG) ratio. When ABG/eAG and SYNTAX scores were compared, there was no significant difference between the T1 and T2 groups, but a significant increase was found in the T3 group compared with the other two groups (T1: 14.26, T2: 14.77, T3: 24.41; p < 0.001). When multivariate modeling was performed with the two or three most relevant variables (age, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], and ABG/eAG ratio), the upper tertile of the ABG/eAG variable was correlated with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and higher SYNTAX score. This study shows that there is a significant relationship between higher ABG/eAG ratio and higher SYNTAX score in diabetic patients presenting with ACS.
Post-9/11 US thinking and approaches to nuclear deterrence: the Bush Doctrine and the role of nuclear weapons in US deterrence strategy
Authors: Johnson James 
Published: July 2023

AbstractCharting a course through US administrations from the late 1990s to the present day, this article considers the George W. Bush administration’s thinking on nuclear deterrence in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 9/11: What was distinctive about the Bush administration’s thinking and approach to nuclear deterrence? To what extent, and to what effect have the Bush administration’s approaches proved enduring? The article considers theprima faciecontradictory nature of the administration’s deterrence objectives against the backdrop of a shifting security environment, characterised by the proliferation of WMDs to ‘rogue states’ and non-state actors, nuclear multipolarity, disruptive emerging technologies, and long-held US commitments to its global allies and partners—ensuring the centrality of nuclear weapons in US national security policy, despite sustained efforts to reduce this reliance.
The diplomacy of ‘Global Britain’: settling, safeguarding and seeking status
Authors: Hadfield Amelia , Whitman Richard G. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBrexit has induced a diplomatic reorientation on the part of the UK. In the post-referendum period, the UK has sought both to re-make its relationshipwithEurope (mainly through negotiating a position as a third country to the EU) and to reset its broader foreign and security policy objectivesbeyondEurope. This article explores how this has been pursued through the reinforcement of Britain’s identity, role and status as a Euro-Atlantic power, alongside a ‘plurilateral’ approach that has emphasised partnerships and foreign policy issues within and beyond Europe. Through an examination of the UK’s developing relationship with the EU and role in the United Nations and the Commonwealth, the article explores how the UK Government has sought to project British influence and to preserve the UK’s status as an international actor of note.
Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic
Authors: Zhang Chang , Wang Zi 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThis study investigates the emotional management strategies employed by the Chinese maintream media Huanqiu Shibao (HQSB), through the use of nationalistic rhetoric during the Covid-19 pandemic. By conducting a discourse analysis of the coverage of Covid-19 on HQSB’s WeChat account, this research reveals two primary emotional management strategies: defensive nationalism and aggressive nationalism. Defensive nationalism utilizes fear and positive emotions to uphold and defend Chinese politics, while aggressive nationalism employs disgust to counter external criticisms and delegitimize the US democratic system and international leadership. By examining how HQSB emotionally differentiates the world, the study unveils that tactics Chinese mainstream media use to construct national identity, drawing a divisive line between a despised ‘them’ and an innocent ‘us’. The Covid-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the emotionalisation of Chinese digital propaganda and the evolution of state-led nationalism during a public health crisis. The research concludes that the use of emotion in HQSB’s Covid-19 coverage aligns with China’s broader strategy of nation-building and global influence promotion. It underscores the need for greater awareness of the emotional mobilization used in political communication, particularly during times of crisis.
Family–work conflict and work-from-home productivity: do work engagement and self-efficacy mediate?
Authors: Tsang Seng-Su , Liu Zhih-Lin , Nguyen Thi Vinh Tran 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe shift towards remote work has been expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic, and COVID-19 has increased the need to understand the factors affecting remote work productivity such as family–work conflict, work engagement, and self-efficacy. However, the previous research may not comprehensively capture the intricacies associated with remote work amidst the pandemic. This study proposes a model to explore the relationship between family–work conflict and work-from-home productivity based on role conflict and resource drain theories as well as the family–work-conflict literature. The quantitative approach was used. A questionnaire was distributed using a convenience sampling technique and a response rate of 90.1% (1177 respondents) was achieved. After data cleaning, 785 valid cases were analysed. SPSS 22 and AMOS 20 were used to test the descriptive statistics, reliability, and validity, and the proposed hypotheses were evaluated using Process Macro (Model 5). The findings found that family–work-conflict negatively affected work engagement, self-efficacy, and work-from-home productivity. The negative effect of family–work-conflict on work-from-home productivity was stronger for employees with more work-from-home days than those with fewer. The partial mediation of work engagement and self-efficacy was established. This study contributes to the understanding of remote work productivity during the pandemic, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprise employees. It highlights the regulatory role of working hours when working from home and examines the mediation of self-efficacy in the association between family–work conflict and work-from-home productivity. This study also confirms the gender differences in work-from-home productivity which has been previously inconsistent in the literature. Managerially, the research has practical implications for employers, managers, and the government. Employers should adopt family-friendly policies and offer training programmes to enhance work-from-home productivity. Employers need to pay extra attention to their female employees’ work and family responsibilities and guarantee positive working outcomes through online surveys and two-way communication strategies. Professional training and work-from-home skill development programmes should be provided to boost employee confidence and self-efficacy. Governments and employers should also consider implementing regulations on the duration of working-from-home to avoid negative impacts on work efficiency and family–work conflict.
Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of the Enantiomers of Nicotine and Nornicotine Employing Chiral Supercritical Fluid Chromatography
Authors: Ashraf-Khorassani Mehdi , Perfetti Thomas A , Dube Mike F , Coleman William M , Ferraro John M , Umstead Weston J 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
An optimized method employing chiral supercritical fluid chromatography with diode array UV–VIS detection has been developed for the quantitative analysis of nicotine and nornicotine enantiomer distributions. The method parameters that were optimized included: column type (stationary phases, Chiralpak IG-3), column temperature (40°C), modifier types and concentration (isopropyl alcohol, 10%), additive types and concentrations (diethylamine, 0.2%), elution times (&lt;6 min, flow rate 3 mL/min) and resolution factor (&gt;1.2). These optimized conditions led to nicotine and nornicotine enantiomer detection limits of ~5 ng/μL with accompanying %RSD values of &lt;2% from the analyses of commercially available nicotine-containing formulations.
A Hybrid Scheme Combining Duplications and LDPC Decoding to Reduce NAND Flash
Authors: Zhang Yaofang , Li Peixuan , Xie Ping 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
With the development of NAND flash, the storage density has become larger and larger, but the reliability has become lower and lower. To address this problem, stronger error correction codes, low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, are widely used in flash memory. However, the direct use of LDPC codes for error correction has a great impact on the read and write performance of SSDs. Given this, this paper proposes a new mentality that combines replica and LDPC decoding methods to improve the read performance of solid state drives (SSDs). Considering the characteristics of the quantization level of LDPC soft-decision decoding, this paper proposes the IDSD (LDPC soft-decision decoding and duplication method) and IDHSD (a method combining duplication and LDPC hybrid decoding)schemes. These schemes are mainly for hot data. When reading the data, the IDSD scheme needs to first judge whether it is soft-decision decoding. Then, according to the number of quantization levels recorded, it needs to select whether to use duplication or soft-decision decoding to correct the error data. The IDHSD scheme does not need to judge the soft-decision decoding but directly uses the duplication after the hard-decision decoding fails. Both schemes reduce the average response time to a certain extent and optimize the read performance of the SSD. The experimental results show that compared with the Native Scheme, the average response delay time of the IDSD scheme decreases by 5–30% and the IDHSD scheme slashes by 5–38%. Compared with the Traditional Refresh Scheme, the average response delay time of the IDSD scheme cuts down by 1–30% and the IDHSD scheme lowers by 1–29%.
Relinearization Attack On LPN Over Large Fields
Authors: Lou Paul , Sahai Amit , Sivashankar Varun 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
We investigate algebraic attacks on the Learning Parity with Noise ($\mathsf{LPN}$) problem over large fields in parameter settings relevant to building indistinguishability obfuscation in which the proportion of corrupted equations is inverse-polynomially sparse. Our aim was to obtain a subexponential algorithm using the Macaulay expansion and relinearization. Alas, we did not. Nevertheless, our findings suggest an interesting relation between runtime and the rank of the Macaulay expansion. The runtime of this attack is $O\big(2^{d \log m}\big)$, where $m$ is the number of initial equations and $d$ is the degree of the Macaulay expansion. If the resulting system of equations has sufficiently large rank, we show that solving the $\mathsf{LPN}$ polynomial system requires an $O(\sqrt{m})$ degree expansion, which would imply a subexponential attack. Under the (more widely believed) assumption that the expanded system is semi-regular, however, we show that an $O(m)$ degree expansion is required to recover the secret vector. Since $O(\sqrt{m})$-degree expansions may not have sufficient rank, we propose a randomized algorithm which introduces carefully chosen equations that hold with high probability to increase the rank and improve the likelihood of a successful attack. We highlight the empirical and theoretical challenges in analyzing this approach. Our code is available at www.tinyurl.com/attacklpn.
Masters of desire: the (re)erotization of the slave’s body in cinematic and television representations of ancient Rome
Authors: Unceta Gómez Luis 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe exhibition of the naked and near-naked bodies of enslaved people is a notable feature in cinematic representation of Rome. This article analyses the way in which these bodies are framed erotically and what an examination of this feature can tell us about the cinematic reception of ancient Rome. In this article, particular attention is paid to the erotization of the body of the slave within peplum films. Looking at these bodies allows us to see the gender dynamics at play in these films as well as the way in which cinema figures Rome as place of liberation and sexual licence. It also allows us to interrogate the power dynamics that operate in such systems of representation and explore the way that such films collocate regimes of pleasures with systems of domination and submission.
Self-grafting-induced epigenetic changes leading to drought stress tolerance in tomato plants
Authors: Fuentes-Merlos Maria Isabel , Bamba Masaru , Sato Shusei , Higashitani Atsushi 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Grafting is widely used as a method to increase stress tolerance in good fruiting lines of Solanaceae plants. However, little is known about how grafting, affects epigenetic modifications and leads to stress tolerance, especially within the same line. Here, we studied the effects of self-grafting in tomato plants on histone and DNA modifications and changes in gene expression related to drought stress. We found that at the three-leaf stage, 1 week after self-grafting, histone H3 K4 trimethylation and K27 trimethylation changes were observed in more than 500 genes each, and DNA methylation changes in more than 5,000 gene regions at the shoot apex compared to the non-grafted control. In addition, two weeks after the epigenomic changes, global expression changes continued to be observed at the shoot apex in several genes related to the metabolic process of nitrogen compounds, responses to stimulus, chromosome organization, cell cycle-related genes, and regulation of hormone levels. Finally, these grafted seedlings acquired remarkable drought tolerance, suggesting that epigenomic modifications during the wound-healing process mitigate stress tolerance in tomato plants.