Alternative Transport Research Articles

Candida auris-macrophage cellular interactions and transcriptional response.

The pathogenic yeast Candida auris represents a global threat of the utmost clinical relevance. This emerging fungal species is remarkable in its resistance to commonly used antifungal agents and its persistence in the nosocomial settings. The innate immune system is one the first lines of defense preventing the dissemination of pathogens in the host. C. auris is susceptible to circulating phagocytes, and understanding the molecular details of these interactions may suggest routes to improved therapies. In this work, we examined the interactions of this yeast with macrophages. We found that macrophages avidly phagocytose C. auris; however, intracellular replication is not inhibited, indicating that C. auris resists the killing mechanisms imposed by the phagocyte. Unlike Candida albicans, phagocytosis of C. auris does not induce macrophage lysis. The transcriptional response of C. auris to macrophage phagocytosis is very similar to other members of the CUG clade (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. lusitaniae), i.e., downregulation of transcription/translation and upregulation of alternative carbon metabolism pathways, transporters, and induction of oxidative stress response and proteolysis. Gene family expansions are common in this yeast, and we found that many of these genes are induced in response to macrophage co-incubation. Among these, amino acid and oligopeptide transporters, as well as lipases and proteases, are upregulated. Thus, C. auris shares key transcriptional signatures shared with other fungal pathogens and capitalizes on the expansion of gene families coding for potential virulence attributes that allow its survival, persistence, and evasion of the innate immune system.

Can we persuade company car drivers to opt out?

Multiple issues are associated with company cars in the academic debate, such as excessive car use and welfare loss. Company cars, provided by organizations to their employees, are often seen as a subsidy for private car ownership throughout Europe, especially in Belgium. Belgium is the first country in Europe to develop a legal framework in which organizations can replace the company car system with alternative solutions such as a corporate mobility budget. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the intentions of employees to replace their company car with this mobility budget. We have carried out an online survey among 527 company car drivers to predict the financial compensation that is required to replace the company car with more sustainable transport modes. On average, respondents required €683 per month to give up their company car. A stepwise linear regression analysis identified familiarity with alternative transport modes, environmental concern, accessibility, and income as the primary predictors of this financial preference. These variables have been proven to be significant predictors of mode choice as well. The findings can help to identify opportunities for generating a modal shift in organizations.

Efficient biosynthesis of 3-hydroxypropionic acid from glucose through multidimensional engineering of Escherichia coli

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is a top value-added chemical with multifaceted application in chemical, material, and food field. However, limited availability of robust strains and elevated fermentation costs currently impose constraints on sustainable biosynthesis of 3-HP. Herein, transporter engineering, metabolic dynamic modulation, and enzyme engineering were combined to address above limitations. First, a glucose-utilizing 3-HP biosynthetic pathway was constructed in Escherichia coli, followed by recruiting alternative glucose transport system to overcome center metabolism overflow. Next, the Cra (a transcription factor)-dependent switch was applied to autonomously fine-tune carbon flux, which alleviated growth retardation and improved the 3-HP production. Subsequently, inactivation of glycerol facilitator (GlpF) increased intracellular glycerol levels and boosted 3-HP biosynthesis, but caused toxic intermediate 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA) accumulation. Furthermore, semi-rational design of aldehyde dehydrogenase (YdcW) increased its activity and eliminated 3-HPA accumulation. Finally, fed-batch fermentation of the final strain resulted in 52.73 g/L 3-HP, with a yield of 0.59 mol/mol glucose.

Exploring the association between network centralities and passenger flows in metro systems

Network science offers valuable tools for planning and managing public transportation systems, with measures such as network centralities proposed as complementary predictors of ridership. This paper explores the relationship between different cases of passenger flows at metro stations and network centralities within both metro and alternative public transport (substitute) networks; such an association can be useful for managing metro system operations when disruptions occur. For that purpose, linear regression and non-parametric machine learning models are developed and compared. The Athens metro system is used as a testbed for developing the proposed methodology. The findings of this study can be used for deriving medium-term ridership estimates in cases of metro disruptions, as the proposed methodology can support contingency plans for both platform and rail track disruptions.

Impact of Digital Transformation on the Spatial Organization of Nonfood Retail in a Russian City

—The objective of this study is to reveal what has changed under the influence of digital transformation in the “physical” spatial structure of the retail/purchase process in connection with the emergence of a choice between online and offline “spaces,” or environments, as well as how e-commerce has changed the “physical” spatial principles of organizing nonfood retail in a Russian city with a case study of St. Petersburg. The principles of placement of new e-commerce facilities were analyzed by comparing various shopping models and spatiotemporal systems formed by them, including specific objects (warehouses-stores, warehouses-distributors, order pickup points and parcel terminals), features of interaction between retail actors and transport and logistics flows in the city. Two opposing trends in the placement of new types of retail facilities are described: towards the transfer of the trading function to non-trading premises and the transfer of the non-trading retail function to retail premises. They create spatial competition with traditional retail as well as a new hierarchical competition with office and warehouse business types. The trend towards retail infrastructure for durable goods to be within walking distance means the rollout of a new type of competition for locations: with FMCG sellers. The fact that in delivery the logistics of the “last mile” passes from consumer to seller/logistician means a fundamental shift in the economic geography of goods flows. Instead of private spontaneous pedestrian flows, it forms new regulated small-tonnage types of “last mile” commercial cargo transportation using both alternative transport modes (personal transporter) and transport routes (sidewalks, pedestrian walkways, etc.). All these require the development of a new urban regulation policy.

Formate production is dispensable for Haemophilus ducreyi virulence in human volunteers.

Haemophilus ducreyi is a causative agent of cutaneous ulcers in children who live in the tropics and of the genital ulcer disease chancroid in sexually active persons. In the anaerobic environment of abscesses and ulcers, anaerobic respiration and mixed acid fermentation (MAF) can be used to provide cellular energy. In Escherichia coli, MAF produces formate, acetate, lactate, succinate, and ethanol; however, MAF has not been studied in H. ducreyi. In human challenge experiments with H. ducreyi 35000HP, transcripts of the formate transporter FocA and pyruvate formate lyase (PflB) were upregulated in pustules compared to the inocula. We made single and double mutants of focA and pflB in 35000HP. Growth of 35000HPΔfocA was similar to 35000HP, but 35000HPΔpflB and 35000HPΔfocA-pflB had growth defects during both aerobic and anaerobic growth. Mutants lacking pflB did not secrete formate into the media. However, formate was secreted into the media by 35000HPΔfocA, indicating that H. ducreyi has alternative formate transporters. The pH of the media during anaerobic growth decreased for 35000HP and 35000HPΔfocA, but not for 35000HPΔpflB or 35000HPΔfocA-pflB, indicating that pflB is the main contributor to media acidification during anaerobic growth. We tested whether formate production and transport were required for virulence in seven human volunteers in a mutant versus parent trial between 35000HPΔfocA-pflB and 35000HP. The pustule formation rate was similar for 35000HP (42.9%)- and 35000HPΔfocA-pflB (62%)-inoculated sites. Although formate production occurs during in vitro growth and focA-pflB transcripts are upregulated during human infection, focA and pflB are not required for virulence in humans.

Model of Multi Criteria Decision-Making for Selection of Transportation Alternatives on the Base of Transport Needs Hierarchy Framework and Application of Petri Net

The article presents an approach for choosing alternative transport routes in a multimodal transport system. This approach includes (1) the transportation needs hierarchy method and (2) the Evaluation of Petri Nets (E-nets) as a modeling tool. The purpose of the study is to develop a methodology for choosing alternative routes for the transportation of goods, taking into account the criteria used by decision-makers. The structure of the hierarchy of transport needs is proposed, which consists of five levels: geographical, economic, institutional/political, infrastructural, and technological. For each of the levels, sets of indicators characterizing it are proposed. The Petri net model captures system dynamics and allows the evaluation of alternative routes. A set of standard rules for transforming the structure of the hierarchy of transport needs into a Petri net is proposed, considering preference parameters for each level of the hierarchy. The proposed approach and the models built on its basis can be applied in the field of cargo transportation to improve operational efficiency and improve decision-making results.

Evaluating Carlquist’s Law from a physiological perspective

Summary “Carlquist’s Law” is a striking pattern of association between anatomical features in the wood of vessel-bearing plants. It derives from Sherwin Carlquist’s observation that xylem vessels tend to be solitary when embedded in a matrix of imperforate tracheary elements that appear to be conductive, whereas xylem vessels tend to be grouped when surrounded by seemingly non-conductive cells. Vessel-vessel contacts (vessel grouping) allow water to travel between conduits, but also provide pathways for air to propagate from embolized (air-filled) vessels into functional vessels. If the background matrix is conductive, it is conceivable that water could bypass embolized vessels, providing an alternative transport route in species with conductive backgrounds and solitary vessels. Much remains to be tested in this hypothesis, including the topology of the vessel networks in species with solitary versus grouped vessels and how conductive the different imperforate tracheary element types are. Exploring Carlquist’s Law promises to provide key insight into the causes of embolism in plant conduits, the modes of embolism passage between conduits, and how vessels and the cells in which they are imbedded may interact to govern the pathways of water flow through plants.

Characterizing compensatory mechanisms in the absence of photoprotective qE in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Rapid fluctuations in the quantity and quality of natural light expose photosynthetic organisms to conditions when the capacity to utilize absorbed quanta is insufficient. These conditions can result in the production of reactive oxygen species and photooxidative damage. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and alternative electron transport are the two most prominent mechanisms which synergistically function to minimize the overreduction of photosystems. In the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the stress-related light-harvesting complex (LHCSR) is a required component for the rapid induction and relaxation of NPQ in the light-harvesting antenna. Here, we use simultaneous chlorophyll fluorescence and oxygen exchange measurements to characterize the acclimation of the Chlamydomonas LHCSR-less mutant (npq4lhcsr1) to saturating light conditions. We demonstrate that, in the absence of NPQ, Chlamydomonas does not acclimate to sinusoidal light through increased light-dependent oxygen consumption. We also show that the npq4lhcsr1 mutant has an increased sink capacity downstream of PSI and this energy flow is likely facilitated by cyclic electron transport. Furthermore, we show that the timing of additions of mitochondrial inhibitors has a major influence on plastid/mitochondrial coupling experiments.

Bi-objective optimization of last-train timetabling with multimodal coordination in urban transportation

When urban rail transit (URT) does not provide 24-hour services, passengers who travel at late night may not be able to reach their destinations with only URT trains. As a result, passengers have to find alternative transport means, or combine URT trains with other transport services to fulfill their journeys. This paper investigates the integrated optimization of last train timetabling and bridging service design with consideration of passenger path choices. Two bridging services are considered: taxis and buses. Based on pre-constructed path sets, a bi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model is developed, aiming at minimizing total passenger travel time and total passenger travel cost. To reduce the model scale and improve solution efficiency, three path dominance principles are proposed to remove redundant passenger paths without loss of optimality. An adaptive iterative algorithm is designed to obtain the Pareto frontier curve. The proposed model and solution methods are demonstrated on the Chengdu URT network. Results indicate that passenger travel costs and travel times can be significantly reduced by the integrated optimization. It also provides passengers with a safer night travel environment due to the reduction in passenger travel times in taxis.

Holistic and integrated life cycle sustainability assessment of prospective biomass to liquid production in Germany

As a part of the developing bioeconomy, liquid biofuels may play an important role for transportation due to the hope for a sustainable drop-in alternative to substitute fossil fuels and maintaining existing economic infrastructures. In this case study we applied Holistic and Integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment to a prospective technical concept for the production of biofuels from wood residues, sorghum and straw via gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis located in the German federal state Brandenburg. Through this quantitative and qualitative sustainability assessment we identified synergies and hot-spots of biofuel production on a detailed and aggregated level, as well as compare the impacts to fossil fuels and other alternative transport systems. 99 social, ecological and economic indicator results addressing 14 out of 17 SDGs show contributions but also sustainability risks of such biofuels for the SDGs. The total substitution factor of impacts (f = 21.38) for all indicators of biofuels compared to fossil fuels indicates significantly higher impacts of biofuels production, in particular for land (SDG 15, f = 30.43), water (SDG 14, f = 125.57), consumption and production patterns (SDG 12, f = 54.11), low energy efficiency and maintaining problematic global supply chains and working conditions. However, the impacts on climate can be lower (SDG 13, f = 0.42), if residual heat is effectively and efficiently used. Comparing the transportation systems and use phases of fuels, all types of car-based individual transportation including fossil fuels (f = 6.50), biofuels (f = 9.16) and electric drive (f = 6.46) had significant higher impacts than transportation by train. Besides technological downsides, such as the high energy demand, biofuels may play a minor role for specific applications with no other alternative energy technologies in the future. In conclusion, it is very questionable whether such liquid biofuels are a suitable drop-in solution to substitute fossil fuels in a significant quantity. In a final discussion we referred to the necessary societal-ecological transformation with structural changes of production, consumption, political economy and global supply chains. In the future, Holistic and Integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment will be further improved by closing indicator and database gaps, including a cost analysis and direct stakeholder participation, as well as absolute sustainability assessments on how much biofuel production is sustainable.

Geopolital and Geo-Economic Importance of the Middle Corridor: A Chompreshive Overview

The aim of the paper is to investigate the changing importance of the Middle Corridor in geopolitical and geo-economic contexts using analytical and case study methodology. The conflict in Ukraine has disrupted the traditional trade route between Asia and Europe via Russia, leading to the emergence of alternative transport options such as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor (MC). This study examines the evolving importance of the Middle Corridor in the geopolitical and geo-economic context and highlights its potential as an alternative trade route for China-Europe trade. However, the corridor currently operates at only 10% of the capacity of the Northern Corridor, and significant efforts are needed to increase its capacity and ensure its efficient use. Successful corridor initiatives depend on effective management, trade facilitation and cross-border cooperation to overcome geographical disparities. As a result, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor (MC), is emerging as a promising alternative for the foreseeable future. Overall, the growing importance of the Middle Corridor and other Asian economic corridors is changing regional trade and transport dynamics, requiring comprehensive management, trade facilitation and infrastructure development.

A Techno-Economic Analysis of Using Natural Gas as Alternative Transport Fuel in Nigeria

A Techno-Economic Analysis of Using Natural Gas as Alternative Transport Fuel in Nigeria

Urban stress and its association with symptoms of depression, fatigue, and sleep disruption in women in Mexico City

ABSTRACT Women in urban neighborhoods often face disproportionately higher levels of environmental and social stressors; however, the health effects from urban stressors remain poorly understood. We evaluated the association between urban stress and depression, fatigue, and sleep disruption in a cohort of 460 women in Mexico City. To assess urban stress, women were administered the Urban Annoyances scale. Six constructs were summarized to create an overall index. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Depression Scale; the Patient-Reported Outcomes Information System scales were used to assess sleep disruption and fatigue. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association with continuous symptoms comparing women with high stress to those with lower levels. Models were adjusted for socioeconomic status, education, age, social support, and previous depressive symptoms. High urban stress was associated with greater depressive symptoms (β: 1.77; 95% CI: 0.83, 2.71), fatigue (β: 2.47; 95% CI: 0.87, 4.07), and sleep disruption (β: 2.14; 95% CI: 0.54, 3.73). Urban stress plays an important role in women’s psychological and physical health, highlighting the importance of including these measures in environmental health studies. Urban interventions, such as promoting alternative transport options, should additionally be addressed to improve health of urban populations.

Decoding Behavioural Norms in School Mobility: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

Travel demand modelling for school travel, remains a subject of limited research. The exploitation of factors influencing parents in school mode choice and the understanding of the significance parents attribute to these factors is important, contributing to transport planning and leading to a strategic direction with an ultimate scope to improve the school transportation system and promote the use of alternative transport modes for upgrading the living environment and quality of life in general. The current paper examines the development of a Structural Equation Model (SEM) describing the interrelationships between the factors influencing parents in the decision-making process and the final mode choice. For that, a questionnaire survey is conducted for parents of children aged six to eighteen years old. The collected data are analysed through Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Following, an SEM is developed examining the proposed authors' conceptual model, basic hypotheses of school travel choice, and direct and indirect correlations of factors composing parental behaviour.

Characterization of the Flash-Induced Fluorescence Wave Phenomenon in the Coral Endosymbiont Algae, Symbiodiniaceae.

The dinoflagellate algae, Symbiodiniaceae, are significant symbiotic partners of corals due to their photosynthetic capacity. The photosynthetic processes of the microalgae consist of linear electron transport, which provides the energetic balance of ATP and NADPH production for CO2 fixation, and alternative electron transport pathways, including cyclic electron flow, which ensures the elevated ATP requirements under stress conditions. Flash-induced chlorophyll fluorescence relaxation is a non-invasive tool to assess the various electron transport pathways. A special case of fluorescence relaxation, the so-called wave phenomenon, was found to be associated with the activity of NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH) in microalgae. We showed previously that the wave phenomenon existed in Symbiodiniaceae under acute heat stress and microaerobic conditions, however, the electron transport processes related to the wave phenomenon remained unknown. In this work, using various inhibitors, we show that (i) the linear electron transport has a crucial role in the formation of the wave, (ii) the inhibition of the donor side of Photosystem II did not induce the wave, whereas inhibition of the Calvin-Benson cycle accelerated it, (iii) the wave phenomenon was related to the operation of type II NDH (NDH-2). We therefore propose that the wave phenomenon is an important marker of the regulation of electron transport in Symbiodiniaceae.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as a sustainable transportation solution in Qatar and the Gulf cooperation council: a review

This work explores various alternative vehicles, their advantages and disadvantages, and ranks them based on factors such as performance, economy, and market acceptance regionally. The study also analyzes the transportation schemes and modal split usage in Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council region. The predominant use of passenger vehicles and buses for mass transportation is highlighted, and the status of alternative transport usage in each country is presented. The potential for hydrogen-based vehicles is discussed, along with the means of production and storage, color code, and associated technologies, considering its ranking among the top options within a regional context. It is concluded that the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Qatar, have national visions to reduce their environmental impact, particularly in transportation and energy production. Given that passenger vehicles are the region's most commonly used mode of transportation, the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can help reduce emissions. This study suggests implementing a few regional policies such as gradual reduction of gasoline and other fossil fuels subsidies, financial incentives for clean fuels and fuel cell vehicles, diversification of alternative fueled public transport, and additional restrictions on vehicles' tailpipe emissions.

Conditioning-induced expression of novel glucose transporters in canine skeletal muscle homogenate.

Athletic conditioning can increase the capacity for insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle glucose uptake through increased sarcolemmal expression of GLUT4 and potentially additional novel glucose transporters. We used a canine model that has previously demonstrated conditioning-induced increases in basal, insulin- and contraction-stimulated glucose uptake to identify whether expression of glucose transporters other than GLUT4 was upregulated by athletic conditioning. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from 12 adult Alaskan Husky racing sled dogs before and after a full season of conditioning and racing, and homogenates from those biopsies were assayed for expression of GLUT1, GLUT3, GLUT4, GLUT6, GLUT8, and GLUT12 using western blots. Athletic conditioning resulted in a 1.31 ± 0.70 fold increase in GLUT1 (p <0.0001), 1.80 ± 1.99 fold increase in GLUT4 (p = 0.005), and 2.46 ± 2.39 fold increase in GLUT12 (p = 0.002). The increased expression of GLUT1 helps explain the previous findings of conditioning-induced increases in basal glucose clearance in this model, and the increase in GLUT12 provides an alternative mechanism for insulin- and contraction-mediated glucose uptake and likely contributes to the substantial conditioning-induced increases in insulin sensitivity in highly trained athletic dogs. Furthermore, these results suggest that athletic dogs can serve as a valuable resource for the study of alternative glucose transport mechanisms in higher mammals.

Comparative Evaluation of [18F]5-Fluoroaminosuberic Acid and (4S)-4-3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-l-Glutamate as System xC--Targeting Radiopharmaceuticals.

System [Formula: see text] is an appealing biomarker for targeting oxidative stress with oncologic PET imaging and can serve as an alternative PET biomarker to other metabolic indicators. In this paper, we report a direct comparison of 2 18F-labeled amino acid radiopharmaceuticals targeting system [Formula: see text], [18F]5-fluoroaminosuberic acid ([18F]FASu) and (4S)-4-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-l-glutamate ([18F]FSPG), in terms of their uptake specificity and ability to image glioma and lung cancer xenografts invivo. Methods: Both tracers were synthesized according to previously published procedures. In vitro uptake specificity assays were conducted using prostate (PC-3), glioblastoma (U-87), colorectal (HT-29), ovarian (SKOV3), breast (MDA-MB-231), and lung cancer (A549) cell lines. PET/CT imaging and biodistribution studies were conducted in immunocompromised mice bearing U-87 or A549 xenografts. Results: In vitro cell uptake assays showed that the tracers accumulated in cancer cells in a time-dependent manner and that the uptake of [18F]FASu was blocked by the system [Formula: see text] inhibitor sulfasalazine and rose bengal, but not by system L inhibitor 2-aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid, system [Formula: see text] inhibitor L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid, or l-serine, which is a substrate for transporter systems A, ACS, B0, and B0,+ Conversely, [18F]FSPG uptake decreased significantly in the presence of an excess of L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid in 2 of 3 tested cell lines, indicating some reliance on system [Formula: see text] in these cells. In an invivo setting, [18F]FASu and [18F]FSPG generated good-contrast PET images in U-87 and A549 tumor-bearing mice. Tracer accumulation in A549 tumors was 5.0 ± 0.8 percentage injected dose (%ID)/g ([18F]FASu, n ≥ 5) and 6.3 ± 1.3 %ID/g ([18F]FSPG, n ≥ 6, P = 0.7786), whereas U-87 xenografts demonstrated uptake of 6.1 ± 2.4 %ID/g ([18F]FASu, n ≥ 4) and 11.2 ± 4.1 %ID/g ([18F]FSPG, n ≥ 4, P = 0.0321) at 1 h after injection. Conclusion: [18F]FSPG had greater invitro uptake than [18F]FASu in all cell lines tested; however, our results indicate that residual uptake differences exist between [18F]FSPG and [18F]FASu, suggesting alternative transporter activity in the cell lines tested. In vivo studies demonstrated the ability of both [18F]FASu and [18F]FSPG to image glioblastoma (U-87) and non-small cell lung cancer (A549) xenografts.

The MitoLuc Assay System for Accurate Real-Time Monitoring of Mitochondrial Protein Import Within Mammalian Cells

Mitochondrial protein import is critical for organelle biogenesis, bioenergetic function, and health. The mechanism of which is poorly understood, particularly of the mammalian system. To address this problem we have established an assay to quantitatively monitor mitochondrial import inside mammalian cells. The reporter is based on a split luciferase, whereby the large fragment is segregated in the mitochondrial matrix and the small complementary fragment is fused to the C-terminus of a purified recombinant precursor protein destined for import. Following import the complementary fragments combine to form an active luciferase–providing a sensitive, accurate and continuous measure of protein import. This advance allows detailed mechanistic examination of the transport process in live cells, including the analysis of import breakdown associated with disease, and high-throughput drug screening. Furthermore, the set-up has the potential to be adapted for the analysis of alternative protein transport systems within different cell types, and multicellular model organisms.