bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The glucose metabolic reprogramming in hepatitis B virus infection and hepatitis B virus associated diseases
Authors: Wang Hangle , Zhang Jun 
Published: September 2023

AbstractHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is closely related to viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. HBV infection can reprogram metabolism processes of the host cells including glucose metabolism. The aberrant glucose metabolism may aid in viral infection and immune escape and may contribute to liver associated pathology. In this review, we discussed the interplay between HBV infection and glucose metabolism, which may provide new insights into HBV infection and pathology, novel intervention targets for HBV‐related diseases.
Agrarian change through speculation: Rural elites as land brokers for mining in Colombia
Authors: Dietz Kristina 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThis paper studies the connections between the expansion of mining capital, speculative forms of land grabbing and agrarian transformation. It is argued that in periods of commodity boom, the landowning rural elite benefits from mining through speculative land deals with mining companies. They act as ‘land brokers’ for the mining firms, helping them to overcome a significant barrier to land accumulation through the de facto abolition of landed property. The analysis is based on a qualitative case study on the expansion of coal mining in central Cesar in northern Colombia. To develop my arguments, I refer to the concept of accumulation by dispossession as defined by Michael Levien, and historical materialist approaches on rent, and speculative land dispossession. In addition, I use concepts developed for studying coercive land grabbing and agrarian elite participation in armed conflicts to analyse the mechanisms applied to (coercively) acquire rights to land. It is concluded that with high global prices for minerals, metals and fossil fuels, the expansion of mining in the countryside fosters a process of agrarian change through land speculation that is articulated in a reconcentration of landed property, a re‐strengthening of the rural landowning elite and the dissolution of peasant agriculture.
Work engagement, psychological empowerment and relational coordination in long‐term care: A mixed‐method examination of nurses' perceptions and experiences
Authors: Rawson Helen , Davies Sarah , Ockerby Cherene , Pipson Ruby , Peters Ruth , Manias Elizabeth , Redley Bernice 
Published: September 2023

AbstractNurse engagement, empowerment and strong relationships among staff, residents and families, are essential to attract and retain a suitably qualified and skilled nursing workforce for safe, quality care. There is, however, limited research that explores engagement, empowerment and relational coordination in long‐term care (LTC). Nurses from an older persons’ mental health and dementia LTC unit in Australia participated in this study. Forty‐one nurses completed a survey measuring psychological empowerment, work engagement and relational coordination. Twenty‐nine nurses participated in individual interviews to further explore these concepts. Although nurses reported high psychological empowerment and work engagement, their relationships with key stakeholders varied. Our findings suggest that nurses in LTC require both supports and opportunities to contribute as active members of the multiprofessional care team that includes tailored education, professional development and positive interactions within the care team. Regular support is needed to enable nurses to feel empowered, foster relationships and communication, and facilitate work engagement. Based on these findings, we suggest that it is important to find ways to ensure that all who provide care perceive that they are part of the whole care team and able to contribute to the care and well‐being of people in LTC.
MsWRKY33 increases alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) salt stress tolerance through altering the ROS scavenger via activating MsERF5 transcription
Authors: Ma Lin , Li Xin , Zhang Jinjin , Yi Dengxia , Li Feng , Wen Hongyu , Liu Wenhui , Wang Xuemin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAlfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is considered to be the most important forage crop on a global scale. Nevertheless, soil salinity significantly decreases productivity, seriously threatening food security worldwide. One viable strategy is to explore salt stress‐responsive factors and elucidate their underlying molecular mechanism, and utilize them in further alfalfa breeding. In the present study, we designated MsWRKY33 as a representative salt stress‐responsive factor preferentially expressed in alfalfa roots and leaves. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that MsWRKY33 was localized in the cell nucleus, and functioned as a transcriptional activator of the W‐box element. Transgenic alfalfa overexpressing MsWRKY33 displayed enhanced salt stress tolerance and antioxidant activities with no significant difference in other agronomic traits. Transcriptome profiling of MsWRKY33 transgenic alfalfa under control and salt treatment unveiled significantly altered expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger genes in transgenic alfalfa. Subsequent examination revealed that MsWRKY33 binded to the promoter of MsERF5, activating its expression and consequently fine‐tuning the ROS‐scavenging enzyme activity. Furthermore, MsWRKY33 interacted with the functional fragment of MsCaMBP25, which participates in Ca2+ signaling transduction. Collectively, this research offers new insight into the molecular mechanism of alfalfa salt stress tolerance and highlights the potential utility of MsWRKY33 in alfalfa breeding.
Industry selection of regional migrants in China: The role of urban industry structures of home and destination
Authors: Ma Xiangjun , Qiu Larry , Son Hyelim 
Published: September 2023

AbstractRegional migrants constitute a large share of the labour market in China and therefore have important implications for welfare, resource reallocation and economic development. However, few works exist in studying how regional migrants select industries in destination cities. This study examines the role of urban industry structures of migrants' origin and destination locations in determining the industry selection of regional migrant workers in China. We apply a variant of the Roy model to guide the empirical analysis and generate the following predictions: the industry selection of a cross‐province migrant is negatively affected by the industry strength of her home province and positively affected by that of her destination. Using data from a nationwide migrant survey in China, we verify the patterns of migrants' industry selection consistent with the predictions of the model. We also find that regional migration is more likely to occur between the origin and destination with more dissimilar industry structures.
Extracellular heat shock protein 70 levels in tumour‐bearing dogs and cats treated with radiation therapy and hyperthermia
Authors: Nytko K. J. , Weyland M. S. , Dressel‐Böhm S. , Scheidegger S. , Salvermoser L. , Werner C. , Stangl S. , Carpinteiro A. C. , Alkotub B. , Multhoff G. , Bodis S. , Rohrer Bley C. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractHyperthermia is a form of a cancer treatment which is frequently applied in combination with radiotherapy (RT) to improve therapy responses and radiosensitivity. The mode of action of hyperthermia is multifactorial; the one hand by altering the amount of the blood circulation in the treated tissue, on the other hand by modulating molecular pathways involved in cell survival processes and immunogenic interactions. One of the most dominant proteins induced by hyperthermia is the major stress‐inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). Hsp70 can be found in the blood either as a free‐protein (free HSP70) derived from necrotic cells, or lipid‐bound (liposomal Hsp70) when it is actively released in extracellular vesicles (EVs) by living cells. The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of free and liposomal Hsp70 before and after treatment with RT alone or hyperthermia combined with radiotherapy (HTRT) in dogs and cats to evaluate therapy responses. Peripheral blood was collected from feline and canine patients before and at 2, 4, 6 and 24 h after treatment with RT or HTRT. Hsp70 enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were performed to determine the free and liposomal Hsp70 concentrations in the serum. The levels were analysed after the first fraction of radiation to study immediate effects and after all applied fractions to study cumulative effects. The levels of free and liposomal Hsp70 levels in the circulation were not affected by the first singular treatment and cumulative effects of RT in cats however, after finalizing all treatment cycles with HTRT free and liposomal Hsp70 levels significantly increased. In dogs, HTRT, but not treatment with RT alone, significantly affected liposomal Hsp70 levels during the first fraction. Free Hsp70 levels were significantly increased after RT, but not HTRT, during the first fraction in dogs. In dogs, on the other hand, RT alone resulted in a significant increase in liposomal Hsp70, but HTRT did not significantly affect the liposomal Hsp70 when cumulative effects were analysed. Free Hsp70 was significantly induced in dogs after both, RT and HTRT when cumulative effects were analysed. RT and HTRT treatments differentially affect the levels of free and liposomal Hsp70 in dogs and cats. Both forms of Hsp70 could potentially be further investigated as potential liquid biopsy markers to study responses to RT and HTRT treatment in companion animals.
A non‐adaptationist hypothesis of play behaviour
Authors: Lewis Amelia 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPlay is a suite of apparently non‐functional, pleasurable behaviours observed in human and non‐human animals. Although the phenomenon has been studied extensively, no adaptationist behavioural theory of how play evolved can be supported by the available evidence. However, the advancement of the extended evolutionary synthesis and developments in systems biology offer alternative avenues for non‐adaptationist physiological hypotheses. I therefore propose a hypothesis of play, based upon a complex ACh activity that is under agential control of the organism, whereby play initiates ACh‐mediated feedforward and feedback processes which act to: (i) regulate metabolic processes; (ii) form new ACh receptors via ACh mRNA activity; (iii) mediate attention, memory consolidation and learning; and (iv) mediate social behaviours, reproduction and embryonic development. However, play occurs across taxa, but does not occur across all taxonomic groups or within all species of a taxonomic group. Thus, to support the validity of the proposed hypothesis, I further propose potential explanations for this anomaly, which include sampling and observer biases, altricial versus precocial juvenile development, and the influence of habitat niche and environmental conditions on behaviour. The proposed hypothesis thus offers new avenues for study in both the biological and social sciences, in addition to having potential applications in applied sciences, such as animal welfare and biomedical research. Crucially, it is hoped that this hypothesis will promote further study of a valid and behaviourally significant, yet currently enigmatic, biological phenomenon.
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Experimental Force Coefficients of a Hydrostatic Thrust Bearing and Comparisons to Predictions
Authors: Lim Homin , Ryu Keun 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Reliable fluid film bearings for high-performance turbomachinery provide significantly extended operating life with controllable stiffness and damping force coefficients at low cost. Hydrostatic thrust bearings support thrust loads and control axial motions. This paper reports measurements and predictions of static and dynamic load characteristics of a hydrostatic thrust bearing fed with pressurized air. The current bearing model uses dynamic axial periodic motion amplitudes, that is, models as a function of the initial film thickness, to predict the dynamic force coefficients. Note that, presently, the recorded frequencies and their amplitudes of pneumatic hammer instability along the axial direction are implemented as an external excitation source. The measured and predicted static stiffnesses increase as the film thickness decrease and supply pressure into the bearing increase. The predicted dynamic force coefficients show a favorable agreement with the test data. Analysis reveals the negative damping coefficients and damping ratios as a distinctive onset condition of the present pneumatic hammer instability of the test bearing. A careful recess design and adequate operation conditions along with an accurate prediction can avoid or prevent undesirable pneumatic hammer instability in hydrostatic thrust bearings. This work extends the knowledge database of hydrostatic thrust bearings with pneumatic hammer instability and provides their design guideline for various operating conditions.
Dynamic Forced Performance of an O-Rings Sealed Squeeze Film Damper Lubricated With a Low Supply Pressure and a Simple Method to Quantify Air Ingestion
Authors: Rodríguez Bryan , San Andrés Luis 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Contemporary squeeze film dampers (SFDs) in air-breathing engines are short in length to limit weight and part count and lubricated with a low feed pressure to reduce oil storage and pumping power. In SFDs, O-rings (ORs) restrict side leakage and increase the viscous damping while a adding a modest centering stiffness. Continuing a long-term project characterizing SFDs for aircraft engines and extending the original work (San Andrés and Rodríguez, 2021, “On the Experimental Dynamic Force Performance of a Squeeze Film Damper Supplied Through a Check Valve and Sealed With O-Rings,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turb. Power, 143(11), p. 111011) the paper details measurements of the forced performance of an OR sealed damper (OR-SFD) with diameter D = 127 mm, land length L = 0.2 D, and radial clearance c = 0.0022 D. Lubricant ISO VG 2 supplied at 0.69 bar(g) fills an upstream oil plenum and flows into the middle of the land through a single orifice configured with a check valve. Measurements of applied single-frequency dynamic loads, along with the ensuing damper displacements and accelerations serve to identify the parameters of the test structure, ORs, and SFD. The tests encompass centered whirl motions with amplitude r = 0.05–0.45c, and a range of whirl frequencies, ω = 10–130 Hz. Note the squeeze velocity vs =  rω reaches 102 mm/s. The ORs force coefficients are nearly invariant with frequency but do depend on the orbit amplitude. The ORs' stiffness (KOR) decreases by 75% as the motion amplitude increases, r → 0.45c, likely due to the large elastic deformations and slow recovery of the ORs material. For small amplitude motions (r/c = 0.05 and 0.10), the ORs damping coefficient (COR) is ∼10% of the overall coefficient for the lubricated system (CL), while for r/c &gt; 0.25, COR ∼ 0.03CL. For small amplitudes of whirl (r ≤ 0.25c), the SFD experimental viscous damping (CSFD) and added mass (MSFD) coefficients, identified over a shorter frequency range (vs&lt;30 mm/s) equal theoretical magnitudes for a fully sealed damper. As the orbit size grows to r = 0.45c MSFD drops nearly by 75% and CSFD decreases by ∼40% due to the onset of both lubricant cavitation and air ingestion occurring for squeeze velocities vs ≥ 24.5 mm/s, as also seen in the recorded dynamic pressures and video recordings of a bubbly mixture leaving the damper. A comprehensive flow model predicts CSFD and MSFD about 8% and 12% larger than the experimentally identified coefficients. A novel approach enables the estimation of the gas volume fraction (GVF) generated in the damper which rapidly increases as vs grows. The simple procedure draws into a deflated balloon the material contents in the squeeze film, weighs the sample, and identifies its volume to produce an estimate of the GVF. The procedure to quantify the GFV will assist in the validation of predictive tools.
Butyrate enhances
Clostridioides difficile
sporulation
in vitro
Authors: Baldassare Michelle A. , Bhattacharjee Disha , Coles Julian D. , Nelson Sydney , McCollum C. Alexis , Seekatz Anna M. 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACT

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are products of bacterial fermentation that help maintain important gut functions such as maintenance of the intestinal barrier, cell signaling, and immune homeostasis. The main SCFAs acetate, propionate, and butyrate have demonstrated beneficial effects for the host, including its importance in alleviating infections caused by pathogens such as
Clostridioides difficile
. Despite the potential role of SCFAs in mitigating
C. difficile
infection, their direct effect on
C. difficile
remains unclear. Through a set of
in vitro
experiments, we investigated how SCFAs influence
C. difficile
growth, sporulation, and toxin production. Similar to previous studies, we observed that butyrate decreased growth of
C. difficile
strain 630 in a dose-dependent manner. The presence of butyrate also increased
C. difficile
sporulation, with minimal increases in toxin production. RNA-Seq analysis validated our experimental results, demonstrating increased expression of sporulation-related genes in conjunction with changes in metabolic and regulatory genes, such as a putative carbon starvation protein, CstA. Collectively, these data suggest that butyrate may induce alternative
C. difficile
survival pathways, modifying its growth ability and virulence to persist in the gut environment.

IMPORTANCE

Several studies suggest that butyrate may modulate gut infections, such as reducing inflammation caused by the healthcare-associated
Clostridioides difficile
. While studies in both animal models and human studies correlate high levels of butyrate with reduced
C. difficile
burden, the direct impact of butyrate on
C. difficile
remains unclear. Our study demonstrates that butyrate directly influences
C. difficile
by increasing its sporulation and modifying its metabolism, potentially using butyrate as a biomarker to shift survival strategies in a changing gut environment. These data point to additional therapeutic approaches to combat
C. difficile
in a butyrate-directed manner.
Boosting of vaginal HSV-2-specific B and T cell responses by intravaginal therapeutic immunization results in diminished recurrent HSV-2 disease
Authors: Bourne Nigel , Keith Celeste A. , Miller Aaron L. , Pyles Richard B. , Cohen Gary , Milligan Gregg N. 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACT
Boosting herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific immunity in the genital tissues of HSV-positive individuals to increase control of HSV-2 recurrent disease and virus shedding is an important goal of therapeutic immunization and would impact HSV-2 transmission. Experimental therapeutic HSV-2 vaccines delivered by a parenteral route have resulted in decreased recurrent disease in experimental animals. We used a guinea pig model of HSV-2 infection to test if HSV-specific antibody and cell-mediated responses in the vaginal mucosa would be more effectively increased by intravaginal (Ivag) therapeutic immunization compared to parenteral immunization. Therapeutic immunization with HSV glycoproteins and CpG adjuvant increased glycoprotein-specific IgG titers in vaginal secretions and serum to comparable levels in Ivag- and intramuscular (IM)-immunized animals. However, the mean numbers of HSV glycoprotein-specific antibody secreting cells (ASCs) and IFN-γ SCs were greater in Ivag-immunized animals demonstrating superior boosting of immunity in the vaginal mucosa compared to parenteral immunization. Therapeutic Ivag immunization also resulted in a significant decrease in the cumulative mean lesion days compared to IM immunization. There was no difference in the incidence or magnitude of HSV-2 shedding in either therapeutic immunization group compared to control-treated animals. Collectively, these data demonstrated that Ivag therapeutic immunization was superior compared to parenteral immunization to boost HSV-2 antigen-specific ASC and IFN-γ SC responses in the vagina and control recurrent HSV-2 disease. These results suggest that novel antigen delivery methods providing controlled release of optimized antigen/adjuvant combinations in the vaginal mucosa would be an effective approach for therapeutic HSV vaccines.

IMPORTANCE
HSV-2 replicates in skin cells before it infects sensory nerve cells where it establishes a lifelong but mostly silent infection. HSV-2 occasionally reactivates, producing new virus which is released back at the skin surface and may be transmitted to new individuals. Some HSV-specific immune cells reside at the skin site of the HSV-2 infection that can quickly activate and clear new virus. Immunizing people already infected with HSV-2 to boost their skin-resident immune cells and rapidly control the new HSV-2 infection is logical, but we do not know the best way to administer the vaccine to achieve this goal. In this study, a therapeutic vaccine given intravaginally resulted in significantly better protection against HSV-2 disease than immunization with the same vaccine by a conventional route. Immunization by the intravaginal route resulted in greater stimulation of vaginal-resident, virus-specific cells that produced antibody and produced immune molecules to rapidly clear virus.
Size Isomers at Threshold States
Authors: Demyanova A. S. , Danilov A. N. , Starastsin V. I. , Goncharov S. A. , Gurov Yu. B. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
An overview is provided for a new class of states, which we have named as the size isomers. Such states are weakly bound and have an exotic structure (cluster states, halo/‘‘skin’’). The development of methods for measuring the radii of nuclei in their short-lived excited states led to the discovery of new classes of states. The size of a nucleus defined by the radius of its nucleon (proton and neutron) density distribution and the proton charge distribution is one of the most fundamental and important nuclear characteristics. Nuclear radius determines the basic properties of nuclei and is a consequence of the fundamental features of the strong interaction. Up to now two groups of the size isomers were identified: the excited states with halos ($${}^{9}$$Be, $${}^{11}$$Be, $${}^{13}$$C, $${}^{13}$$N) and some specific alpha-cluster states ($${}^{11}$$B, $${}^{12}$$C, $${}^{13}$$C). All the observed states are dilute, however, some indication to possible existence of more compact than the ground states was obtained as well (in $${}^{13}$$C). The phenomenon of size isomerism occurred to be not a rare one especially if we take into account rotational bands based on some of such states. The structure of size isomers is related with some new features, e.g., rotating halos, halos in continuum, different types of quasimolecular configurations. Some rudimentary signs of alpha-particle condensation (a ‘‘ghost’’ of condensate) were observed in the Hoyle state of $${}^{12}$$C, however, we cannot speak about confirmation of this ambitious theory. Analogs to the Hoyle state, expected in $${}^{11}$$B, $${}^{13}$$C, $${}^{16}$$O, $${}^{20}$$Ne near the $$\alpha$$-emission thresholds, are considered.