bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Natural Surfactant from Morus alba, Soapnut, Sapindus rarak for Enhanced Oil Recovery – Critical Review
Authors: Maulida Fajri , Taufiq Fathaddin Muhammad
Published: May 2024

This literature discusses the importance of green surfactants in the oil and gas industry as one of the injection types in EOR. The use of green surfactants is good for protecting the environment and marine biodiversity from conventional chemical surfactants. The injection of green surfactants uses natural materials from Soapnut, Mulberry, and Sapindus rarak. These three types of plants are abundant in Indonesia and contain saponin as a material in making good surfactants. Saponin is an amphipathic glycoside that can produce foam when shaken vigorously in a solution. The foam produced by saponin can increase the sweep efficiency in oil wells to increase production. The writing method used in this article is based on scientific literature that discusses the characteristics and physical properties of Soapnut, Mulberry, and Sapindus rarak. The IFT calculation for Soapnut between water and oil reduced from 19 dyne/cm to 2.5 dyne/cm as the surfactant concentration increased from 0 to 12 (w/w%). Mulberry from 43.9 to 17.9 dyne/cm and Sapindus rarak from 3.07 mN/m to 0.96. These natural surfactants enhance water flooding efficiency by 19.6% OOIP, reduces shale contact angle from 52.44 to 19.66, emphasizing natural surfactants oil recovery potential with environmental benefits.
Geotourism in Mount Pandan and Bledug Kuwu Hotspring as a potential resources for community development
Authors: Martasari R D , Pambudi S , Haty I P , Yoni D R , Afrilita  , Farizzi M I A , Santosa W B , Lukita A D , Riyadurrizqy M S
Published: May 2024

Mount Pandan and Bledug Kuwu are popular tourist attractions in the central part of Java Island. Each location has an object that can be analyzed as a geotourism potential, as the manifestation of hot springs. These results indicate that Bledug Kuwu Mud Volcano, Crewek Hot Spring, Banyu Kuning Hot Spring, and Jari Kasinen Hot Spring sites can be geotourism-based tourist objects. Mount Pandan and Bledug Kuwu sites need to be improved in several aspects, especially in terms of infrastructure. Parameters that need to be considered for all objects are conservation values due to disaster risk factors that already exist and disaster risk factors that are still potential and have yet to occur, such as volcanic eruptions and landslides, as well as the process of destruction that appears in several objects that can threaten the sustainability of tourist sites. In addition, it is necessary to increase the understanding of residents and visitors who come about geological information related to the formation of hot springs, both in the form of information boards posted around the site and information displayed on local websites.
Carbon capture storage and carbon capture utilization storage as energy transition strategy for the Indonesian oil and gas sector towards net zero emissions
Authors: Handaja S , Dewi A K , Triyanto R H
Published: May 2024

The transportation and industrial sectors are the backbone of the Indonesian economy. These two sectors can grow and develop because of the support of energy from oil and gas or electricity from fossil sources. Meanwhile, energy from fossil sources, especially oil and gas, is one source of CO2 emissions that must be reduced. The Indonesian government continues to increase oil and gas production to meet domestic needs. On the other hand, the government is also trying to reduce emissions towards Net Zero Emissions by 2060 in line with the ratification of the Paris Agreement, with a target of reducing emissions by 314 million tons of CO2e in 2030 and 1,526 million tons of CO2e 30 years later. This condition is certainly a challenge for the government and the national oil and gas sector to achieve this target, the government has presented several strategies to boost upstream oil and gas investment while meeting the NZE target. Carbon Capture Storage and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage are one of the technologies of choice in the oil and gas sector in the energy transition period towards NZE. This strategy was chosen because it has great potential in carbon capture and can be used to increase oil production. The application picks up after 2025, with the amount of CO2 captured potentially 6 million tons annually in 2030 and reaching around 160 million tons annually in 2060.
Enhanced fluorescence blinking of AF647 fluorophores in Mowiol via violet and UV light induced recovery for superior localization microscopy
Authors: Bharadwaj Anupam , Kumar Amalesh , Mitra Rumela , Jaganathan Bithiah Grace , Boruah Bosanta R
Published: May 2024

Blinking of fluorophores is essential in the context of single molecule localization-based optical super-resolution microscopy methods. To make the fluorescence molecule undergo blinking specific complex chemical mounting buffer systems, combined with suitable oxygen scavengers, and reducing agents are required. For instance to realise blinking in widely used fluorescence tags, like Alexa Fluor 647 (AF647), they are to be mounted on anti-fading buffer such as Mowiol and reducing agent such as Beta (β) - ME. However, the quality of the super-resolved images is decided by the total number of blinking events or in other words net duration for which the fluorescence blinking persists. In this paper we investigate how a violet and UV light induced fluorescence recovery mechanism can enhance the duration of fluorescence blinking. Our study uses AF647 dye conjugated with Phalloidin antibody in U87MG cell line mounted on Mowiol and β - ME. On the basis of the investigation we optimize the intensity, at the sample plane, of fluorescence excitation laser at 638 nm and fluorescence recovery beam at 405 nm or in the UV giving the maximum possible fluorescence blinking duration. We observe that the longer blinking duration, using the optimized illumination scheme, has brought down the resolution in the super-resolved image, as given by Fourier Ring Correlation method, from 168 nm to 112 nm, while the separation between two nearby resolvable filaments has been brought down to ≤ 60 nm.
Electrochemical determination of theophylline using a nickel ferrite/activated carbon-modified electrode
Authors: Thanh Nguyen Mau , Nam Nguyen Giang , Dung Nguyen Nho , Le Van Thanh Son , Thu Phan Thi Kim , Man Nguyen Quang , Phong Le Thi Hong , Binh Nguyen Thanh , Khieu Dinh Quang
Published: May 2024

In this work, a nanocomposite based on nickel ferrite/activated carbon (NiF/AC) was used to modify a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the quantification of theophylline (TPL) in pharmaceutical tablets. The synthesized materials were characterized using x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy-elemental mapping and surface area analysis via the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method. Cyclic voltammetry was employed to study the electrocatalytic properties of the NiF/AC-GCE toward the oxidation of TPL. The dependence of the electrochemical response on the scan rate and pH was also investigated, and the working parameters were optimized. The linear range of the established electrochemical biosensor was from 0.5 to 5 μM (R2 = 0.997), with a detection limit of 0.21 μM. The present method was tested using three pharmaceutical formulation standard samples with good accuracy and acceptable recovery. Thus, it is a promising candidate for the determination of TPL in pharmaceutical formulations.
Heavy fermions appear in a layered intermetallic crystal
Authors: Dumé Isabelle
Published: May 2024

Researchers in the US, Sweden, Spain and Germany have synthesized a new 2D “heavy fermion” material consisting of a layered intermetallic crystal made from cerium, silicon and iodine.
Excavation of huge caverns complete for the US Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment
Authors: Banks Michael
Published: May 2024

Excavation work has finished on two huge underground caverns that will be home to the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).
Europe gives green light to LISA gravitational-wave mission
Authors: Banks Michael
Published: May 2024

The European Space Agency (ESA) has formally approved the start of construction for LISA, its space-based gravitational-wave mission.
Lessons from a leak
Authors: Crease Robert P
Published: May 2024

Underhand tactics by environmental activists led to the closure of a famous physics facility 25 years ago. There is much we can still learn from the incident, says Robert P Crease.
Supporting Black physics students
Authors: Dejen Benyam
Published: May 2024

Benyam Dejen, outreach director of the Blackett Lab Family, describes a three-day programme aimed at encouraging Black students to see physics as a subject for them.
Down the tube
Authors: White Colin
Published: May 2024

A reply to the Quanta article (December 2023) about a new London Underground map highlighting famous names in engineering.
Evidence for ‘quark coalescence’ found in LHC collisions
Authors: Wogan Tim
Published: May 2024

Physicists working on the LHCb experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have found evidence that “quark coalescence” plays a role in the evolution of quarks into hadrons.
Seeing the light: why flying insects gather at artificial illumination
Authors: Critchley Liam
Published: May 2024

Scientists from Costa Rica, the UK and US have now revealed why and how insects gather around a light source.
Institute of Physics announces ‘impact projects’ for 2024
Authors: Banks Michael
Published: May 2024

The Institute of Physics has announced three areas for the second phase of its “impact projects” initiative – the green economy, space technologies and opportunities in venture capital investment.
Current status and future challenges of digital twins for structural health monitoring in civil infrastructures
Authors: Parida Lukesh , Moharana Sumedha
Published: May 2024

In recent years, the development of digital twins has transformed the area of structural health monitoring (SHM), facilitating continuous monitoring, evaluation, and forecasting of structural behaviors. This article examines the use of digital twins in the SHM of building infrastructure advancements in detail. The study examines the fundamental aspects, case studies, challenges, and recent developments in this rapidly growing field. In addition, the article addresses examples of real world use of digital twins to evaluate the condition of civil infrastructures, revealing their potential to enhance the performance of structures, reduce maintenance costs, and improve the resiliency of urban infrastructure development. This research comprehensively investigates the application of digital twins in significant infrastructure development for SHM. This study is invaluable for academia, researchers, and professionals using digital twin technology to improve the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of built environments. This study also promotes the deployment of digital twins for SHM applications and the practical implications of these needs.
The Mirror Stage
Authors: Sykes Katharine
Published: May 2024

This chapter explores the ways in which ideas about spiritual reproduction that were fostered in monastic and episcopal households in the seventh and eighth centuries were adopted in royal households in the ninth to eleventh centuries to develop metanarratives of spiritual paternity. These metanarratives owed a debt to the language of ministerial kingship that had developed within Carolingian circles, but they also drew on texts that had been composed in the English kingdoms in the seventh and eighth centuries, and which acted as mirrors: they reflected the concerns of the present onto the past, and the concerns of the past onto the present.
The Intrinsic Value of Heritage
Authors: Frowe Helen , Matravers Derek
Published: May 2024

This chapter identifies and elaborates some familiar reasons for valuing heritage (such as a heritage site giving us a sense of connection with the past). Our deeper interest, though, lies in the capacity of such features to contribute to our ability to live flourishing lives. The ability of heritage sites and artefacts to make these contributions is essentially connected to their particular properties, such as being the place where our ancestors worshipped or the desk where Charles Dickens wrote Great Expectations. Our account explains why we have reason to value both heritage that matters for our own flourishing and heritage that matters for other people’s flourishing. Each person’s flourishing is morally significant and, thus, we each have moral reason to care that other people enjoy flourishing lives. This, in turn, gives us moral reason to protect heritage that contributes to that flourishing. These reasons can justify the imposition of non-consensual risks of even serious harm on persons, permitting us to impose some such risks in order to protect heritage. They can also ground duties to incur risk to ourselves to avoid damaging heritage and to save heritage from other threats. Our account therefore vindicates the Hague Convention’s assumption that we can justify harms to persons for the sake of protecting heritage. Nevertheless, there are intuitively plausible limits to these risks, and these limits are comparatively low. We cannot, ordinarily, justify either imposing or forcing people to incur even moderate risk of serious harm for the sake of protecting heritage. Unless a person consents to bear or incur such a risk, imposing or forcing her to incur it is impermissible.
Combatants and the Incurring of Risks
Authors: Frowe Helen , Matravers Derek
Published: May 2024

Chapter 7 explores some of the constraints on ordering even consenting combatants to protect heritage. It argues, first, that combatants may be ordered to incur risks of serious harm for the sake of heritage only when that heritage is significant for at least some individuals’ flourishing. They may be ordered to incur somewhat greater risks for the sake of heritage that is significant to a greater number of people’s flourishing. These constraints demand a different approach to no-strike lists for heritage in war that focuses on the likely effect of destroying or damaging a heritage site on individuals’ flourishing. Existing no-strike lists are unlikely to provide this information and therefore cannot guide commanders’ decisions about whether to order combatants to incur risks. It then considers how two deontological distinctions bear on the degree of risk that combatants can be ordered to incur. In line with the moral significance of the distinction between doing and allowing harm, combatants may be ordered to incur more risk to avoid damaging heritage than they may be ordered to incur to save heritage from other threats. However, the familiar distinction between intended and foreseen harms does not bear on the permissibility of damaging of heritage. Other things being equal, it is no harder to justify intentionally damaging heritage, including usefully damaging heritage, than it is to justify collaterally damaging heritage. Hence, combatants may not be ordered to incur more risk to avoid targeting heritage sites than they may be ordered to incur to avoid collaterally damaging heritage sites.
Lethal Defence of Heritage
Authors: Frowe Helen , Matravers Derek
Published: May 2024

Chapter 8 addresses recent calls to engage in military intervention in order to prevent the destruction of heritage, which raises the broader issue of using force to defend heritage. Unlike the instrumental justifications that we consider in Chapter 3, these arguments hold that heritage warrants lethal defence in its own right. The chapter articulates some important moral assumptions that underpin this view—in particular, the assumption that it is proportionate to intentionally kill or seriously harm a person for the sake of saving heritage. Despite its centrality to the interventionist proposal, this assumption is both unacknowledged and undefended by its proponents. Drawing on work on the ethics of defensive harm, the chapter outlines the idea that a person can render herself morally liable to proportionate defensive harm by culpably threatening unjust harm. We grant that those attacking heritage culpably threaten unjust harm; we doubt that lethal or seriously harmful force is a proportionate response to these threats. However, the aim of this chapter is not to disprove the interventionists’ assumption but rather to show that any defence of the interventionist proposal must include a defence of these controversial claims.
Environmentally associated colour divergence does not coincide with population structure across Lesser Antillean anoles
Authors: Jung Catherine , Frederick Jeffrey H , Graham Natalie R , Wang Ian J , Fenton Calvin , de Queiroz Kevin , Bell Rayna C , Yuan Michael L
Published: May 2024

Species distributed across heterogeneous environments may undergo local adaptation, which can be limited by the homogenizing effects of gene flow. Lesser Antillean anoles exhibit dorsal colour variation associated with dramatic shifts in environment across small spatial scales, providing an excellent system for studying the maintenance of local adaptation despite ongoing gene flow. The 1995 Soufriere Hills eruption on Montserrat provides an opportunity to understand how natural disasters may influence the evolution of insular species. Thus, our study had two main objectives. First, we collected genetic, phenotypic, and environmental data to investigate whether environmentally associated dorsal coloration reflects underlying population structure in three species of Lesser Antillean anoles. Second, we examined the short-term evolutionary consequences of volcanism by comparing pre- and posteruption samples of Anolis lividus using multilocus sequence data. We found all three species exhibited genetic isolation-by-distance but not isolation-by-environment. Furthermore, phenotypic differences within each species were not predicted by genetic distances, suggesting gene flow across colour morphs. We confirmed the repopulation of A. lividus in the impacted area and found genetic diversity equivalent to pre-eruption sampling. Our findings contribute to our understanding of local adaptation in spatially small-scale systems and the impact of catastrophic natural disasters on population structure.
Brain complexity in stroke recovery after bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation in mice
Authors: Miraglia Francesca , Pappalettera Chiara , Barbati Saviana Antonella , Podda Maria Vittoria , Grassi Claudio , Rossini Paolo Maria , Vecchio Fabrizio
Published: May 2024

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. There are many different rehabilitation approaches aimed at improving clinical outcomes for stroke survivors. One of the latest therapeutic techniques is the non-invasive brain stimulation. Among non-invasive brain stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation has shown promising results in enhancing motor and cognitive recovery both in animal models of stroke and stroke survivors. In this framework, one of the most innovative methods is the bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation that simultaneously increases excitability in one hemisphere and decreases excitability in the contralateral one. As bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation can create a more balanced modulation of brain activity, this approach may be particularly useful in counteracting imbalanced brain activity, such as in stroke. Given these premises, the aim of the current study has been to explore the recovery after stroke in mice that underwent a bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation treatment, by recording their electric brain activity with local field potential and by measuring behavioural outcomes of Grip Strength test. An innovative parameter that explores the complexity of signals, namely the Entropy, recently adopted to describe brain activity in physiopathological states, was evaluated to analyse local field potential data. Results showed that stroke mice had higher values of Entropy compared to healthy mice, indicating an increase in brain complexity and signal disorder due to the stroke. Additionally, the bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation reduced Entropy in both healthy and stroke mice compared to sham stimulated mice, with a greater effect in stroke mice. Moreover, correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between Entropy and Grip Strength values, indicating that higher Entropy values resulted in lower Grip Strength engagement. Concluding, the current evidence suggests that the Entropy index of brain complexity characterizes stroke pathology and recovery. Together with this, bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation can modulate brain rhythms in animal models of stroke, providing potentially new avenues for rehabilitation in humans.
Neuro-Sweet syndrome
Authors: Thazhatheyil Krishna , O’Reilly Marese , Rae Nikolas , Edwards Sharon , O’Riordan Jonathan , Affleck Andrew
Published: May 2024

Neuro-Sweet syndrome is rare and presents as an acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis accompanied by neurological symptoms. We describe a patient with neuro-Sweet syndrome whose diagnosis was confirmed via skin biopsy. Treatment with steroids achieved clinical resolution of the patient’s symptoms and signs.
Primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders: demographic, clinical, therapeutic and prognostic aspects. A retrospective monocentric analysis
Authors: Zengarini Corrado , Guglielmo Alba , Bandini Giulia , Filippini Andrea , Mussi Martina , Agostinelli Claudio , Sabattini Elena , Piraccini Bianca Maria , Pileri Alessandro
Published: May 2024

Primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (PCSM-LPDs), represent a rare group of haematological diseases primarily affecting the skin. In this retrospective single-centre case series study, we aimed to investigate the demographic, clinical, therapeutic and prognostic aspects of PCSM-LPD. We collected data from cases diagnosed between 2010 and the present, employing histopathological and immunohistochemical methods following the World Health Organization criteria. We included 22 patients with a median age of 61.5 years and a median time between clinical onset and diagnosis of 3.0 months. Surgical excision with conservative margins was the primary choice, showing clinical remission in 17 cases, while nonsurgical treatments, including radiotherapy, high-potency steroids and ablative laser, achieved clinical remission in four cases. Clinical presentations varied, but the most common was a single violaceous nodule or papule on the upper body parts. In conclusion, our single-centre case series provides valuable insights into PCSM-LPD, highlighting the effectiveness of surgical treatments and the potential of nonsurgical ones. Even if controversial, the benign nature of PCSM-LPD emphasizes the importance of achieving tumour clearance with acceptable aesthetic outcomes.
Inhibition of de novo ceramide synthesis by sirtuin-1 improves beta-cell function and glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Velagapudi Srividya , Karsai Gergely , Karsai Maria , Mohammed Shafeeq A , Montecucco Fabrizio , Liberale Luca , Lee Hwan , Carbone Federico , Adami Giovanni Francesco , Yang Kangmin , Crucet Margot , Stein Sokrates , Paneni Franceso , Lapikova-Bryhinska Tetiana , Jang Hyun-Duk , Kraler Simon , Vdovenko Daria , Züllig Richard Arnold , Camici Giovanni G , Kim Hyo-Soo , Laaksonen Reijo , Gerber Philipp A , Hornemann Thorsten , Akhmedov Alexander , Lüscher Thomas F
Published: May 2024

Aims

Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are major risk factors for cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Dysregulated pro-apoptotic ceramide synthesis reduces β-cell insulin secretion, thereby promoting hyperglycaemic states that may manifest as T2D. Pro-apoptotic ceramides modulate insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance while being linked to poor CV outcomes. Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) is a NAD + -dependent deacetylase that protects against pancreatic β-cell dysfunction; however, systemic levels are decreased in obese–T2D mice and may promote pro-apoptotic ceramide synthesis and hyperglycaemia. Herein, we aimed to assess the effects of restoring circulating SIRT1 levels to prevent metabolic imbalance in obese and diabetic mice.

Methods and results

Circulating SIRT1 levels were reduced in obese–diabetic mice (db/db) as compared to age-matched non-diabetic db/+ controls. Restoration of SIRT1 plasma levels with recombinant murine SIRT1 for 4 weeks prevented body weight gain and improved glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and vascular function in mice models of obesity and T2D. Untargeted lipidomics revealed that SIRT1 restored insulin secretory function of β-cells by reducing synthesis and accumulation of pro-apoptotic ceramides. Molecular mechanisms involved direct binding to and deacetylation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by SIRT1 in β-cells, thereby decreasing the rate-limiting enzymes of sphingolipid synthesis SPTLC1/2 via AKT/NF-κB. Among patients with T2D, those with high baseline plasma levels of SIRT1 prior to metabolic surgery displayed restored β-cell function (HOMA2-β) and were more likely to have T2D remission during follow-up.

Conclusion

Acetylation of TLR4 promotes β-cell dysfunction via ceramide synthesis in T2D, which is blunted by systemic SIRT1 replenishment. Hence, restoration of systemic SIRT1 may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to counteract toxic ceramide synthesis and mitigate CV complications of T2D.
IL-21 conditions antigen-presenting human γδ T-cells to promote IL-10 expression in naïve and memory CD4+ T-cells
Authors: Tyler Christopher J , Hoti Inva , Griffiths Daniel D , Cuff Simone M , Andrews Robert , Keisker Maximilian , Ahmed Raya , Hansen Hinrich P , Lindsay James O , Stagg Andrew J , Moser Bernhard , McCarthy Neil E , Eberl Matthias
Published: May 2024

Direct interaction between T-cells exerts a major influence on tissue immunity and inflammation across multiple body sites including the human gut, which is highly enriched in ‘unconventional’ lymphocytes such as γδ T-cells. We previously reported that microbial activation of human Vγ9/Vδ2+ γδ T-cells in the presence of the mucosal damage-associated cytokine IL-15 confers the ability to promote epithelial barrier defence, specifically via induction of IL-22 expression in conventional CD4+ T-cells. In the current report, we assessed whether other cytokines enriched in the gut milieu also functionally influence microbe-responsive Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cells. When cultured in the presence of IL-21, Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cells acquired the ability to induce expression of the immunoregulatory cytokine IL-10 in both naïve and memory CD4+ T-cells, at levels surpassing those induced by monocytes or monocyte-derived DCs. These findings identify an unexpected influence of IL-21 on Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cell modulation of CD4+ T-cell responses. Further analyses suggested a possible role for CD30L and/or CD40L reverse signalling in mediating IL-10 induction by IL-21 conditioned Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cells. Our findings indicate that the local microenvironment exerts a profound influence on Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cell responses to microbial challenge, leading to induction of distinct functional profiles among CD4+ T-cells that may influence inflammatory events at mucosal surfaces. Targeting these novel pathways may offer therapeutic benefit in disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease.
The chromosome-scale reference genome for the pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) provides insights into their evolutionary and demographic history
Authors: Eaton Katherine M , Krabbenhoft Trevor J , Backenstose Nathan J C , Bernal Moisés A
Published: May 2024

The pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) is an ecologically, economically, and culturally relevant member of the family Sparidae, playing crucial roles in the marine food webs of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Despite their high abundance and ecological importance, there is a scarcity of genomic resources for this species. We assembled and annotated a chromosome-scale genome for the pinfish, resulting in a highly contiguous 785 Mb assembly of 24 scaffolded chromosomes. The high-quality assembly contains 98.9% complete BUSCOs and shows strong synteny to other chromosome-scale genomes of fish in the family Sparidae, with a limited number of large-scale genomic rearrangements. Leveraging this new genomic resource, we found evidence of significant expansions of dietary gene families over the evolutionary history of the pinfish, which may be associated with an ontogenetic shift from carnivory to herbivory seen in this species. Estimates of historical patterns of population demography using this new reference genome identified several periods of population growth and contraction which were associated with ancient climatic shifts and sea level changes. This genome serves as a valuable reference for future studies of population genomics and differentiation and provides a much-needed genomic resource for this western Atlantic sparid.
Active prophages in coral-associated Halomonas capable of lateral transduction
Authors: Liu Ziyao , Tang Kaihao , Zhou Yiqing , Liu Tianlang , Guo Yunxue , Wu Duoting , Wang Xiaoxue
Published: May 2024

Temperate phages can interact with bacterial hosts through lytic and lysogenic cycles via different mechanisms. Lysogeny has been identified as the major form of bacteria–phage interaction in the coral-associated microbiome. However, the lysogenic-to-lytic switch of temperate phages in ecologically important coral-associated bacteria and its ecological impact have not been extensively investigated. By studying the prophages in coral-associated Halomonas meridiana, we found that two prophages, Phm1 and Phm3, are inducible by the DNA-damaging agent mitomycin C and that Phm3 is spontaneously activated under normal cultivation conditions. Furthermore, Phm3 undergoes an atypical lytic pathway that can amplify and package adjacent host DNA, potentially resulting in lateral transduction. The induction of Phm3 triggered a process of cell lysis accompanied by the formation of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and Phm3 attached to OMVs. This unique cell-lysis process was controlled by a four-gene lytic module within Phm3. Further analysis of the Tara Ocean dataset revealed that Phm3 represents a new group of temperate phages that are widely distributed and transcriptionally active in the ocean. Therefore, the combination of lateral transduction mediated by temperate phages and OMV transmission offers a versatile strategy for host–phage coevolution in marine ecosystems.
LncRNAway: a web-based sgRNA design tool for precise and effective suppression of long noncoding RNAs
Authors: Zhang Shikuan , Wang Songmao , Lu Fang , Bie Lingzi , Luo Yongjiang , Sun Jiahe , Zhang Yang , Wang Yi , Zhang Yaou , Lyu Qing Rex
Published: May 2024

Thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been annotated via high-throughput RNA sequencing, yet only a small fraction have been functionally investigated. Genomic knockout is the mainstream strategy for studying the biological function of protein-coding genes and lncRNAs, whereas the complexity of the lncRNA locus, especially the natural antisense lncRNAs (NAT-lncRNAs), presents great challenges. Knocking out lncRNAs often results in unintended disruptions of neighboring protein-coding genes and small RNAs, leading to ambiguity in observing phenotypes and interpreting biological function. To address this issue, we launched LncRNAway, a user-friendly web tool based on the BESST (branchpoint to 3’ splicing site targeting) method, to design sgRNAs for lncRNA knockout. LncRNAway not only provides specific and effective lncRNA knockout guidelines but also integrates genotyping primers and quantitative PCR primers designing, thereby streamlining experimental procedures of lncRNA function study. LncRNAway is freely available at https://www.lncrnaway.com.
Patient Attitudes Toward Self- or Partner-, Friend-, or Family-Administered Long-acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy: A Mixed-Methods Study Across 3 Urban Human Immunodeficiency Virus Clinics
Authors: Collins Lauren F , Koester Kimberly A , McNulty Moira C , Montgomery Elizabeth T , Johnson Mallory O , Neilands Torsten B , Dilworth Samantha E , Sauceda John A , Dance Kaylin , Erguera Xavier , Diaz Tsuzuki Manami , Gutierrez José I , Christopoulos Katerina A , Colasanti Jonathan A
Published: May 2024

Background

Long-acting injectable (LAI) cabotegravir/rilpivirine (CAB/RPV) offers a novel drug delivery option for persons with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) but requires administration every 4 or 8 weeks by a medical professional.

Methods

To facilitate LAI antiretroviral therapy (ART) scale-up, we evaluated patient interest in alternative administration approaches via a mixed-methods, serial cross-sectional study across 3 US HIV clinics. We surveyed PWH (December 2021 to May 2022) on appeal of self- or partner/friend/family-administered LAI-CAB/RPV; multivariable ordinal logistic regression explored associated characteristics. To contextualize survey results, we thematically analyzed semi-structured interview data collected from PWH (August 2020 to July 2021) on attitudes toward out-of-clinic LAI-ART administration.

Results

Among 370 surveyed PWH (median age, 46 years; 26% cisgender female, 59% Black, 56% sexual minority, 34% housing instability), self-administering LAI-CAB/RPV appealed to 67%. PWH who were White (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.30 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.42–7.64]), stably housed (aOR, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.30–3.59]), or gay/bisexual (aOR, 1.81 [1.14–2.89]) were more likely to endorse self-administration. Fewer PWH (60%) reported partner/friend/family administration as appealing; adjusted models revealed similar sociodemographic preferences for this outcome. In 72 interviews, PWH noted that acceptability of out-of-clinic LAI-ART administration was qualified by convenience, prior injection experience, and potential fear of self-inflicted pain, dependence on others, and/or HIV disclosure.

Conclusions

In a multisite sample of PWH, self- and, to a lesser extent, partner/friend/family-administration of LAI-CAB/RPV appealed to most; however, was less appealing among populations more impacted by health disparities. Innovative LAI-ART delivery options could free up in-clinic resources to focus scale-up among marginalized populations.
Accretion of the Lower Oceanic Crust at Fast-Spreading Ridges: Insights from Hess Deep (East Pacific Rise, IODP Expedition 345)
Authors: Basch Valentin , Sanfilippo Alessio , Snow Jonathan E , Loocke Matthew , Zanetti Alberto
Published: May 2024

At mid-ocean ridges, melts that formed during adiabatic melting of a heterogeneous mantle migrate upwards and ultimately crystallize the oceanic crust. The lower crustal gabbros represent the first crystallization products of these melts and the processes involved in the accretion of the lowermost crust drive the chemical evolution of the magmas forming two thirds of Earth’s surface. At fast-spreading ridges, elevated melt supply leads to the formation of a ⁓6-km-thick layered oceanic crust. Here, we provide a detailed petrochemical characterization of the lower portion of the fast-spread oceanic crust drilled during IODP Expedition 345 at the East Pacific Rise (IODP Holes U1415), together with the processes involved in crustal accretion. The recovered gabbroic rocks are primitive in composition and range from troctolites to olivine gabbros, olivine gabbronorites and gabbros. Although textural evidence of dissolution-precipitation processes is widespread within this gabbroic section, only the most interstitial phases record chemical compositions driven by melt-mush interaction processes during closure of the magmatic system. Comparing mineral compositions from this lower crustal section with its slow-spreading counterparts, we propose that the impact of reactive processes on the chemical evolution of the parental melts is dampened in the lower gabbros from magmatically productive spreading centres. Oceanic accretion thereby seems driven by fractional crystallization in the lower gabbroic layers, followed by upward reactive percolation of melts towards shallower sections. Using the composition of clinopyroxene from these primitive, nearly unmodified gabbros, we estimate the parental melt trace element compositions of Hess Deep, showing that the primary melts of the East Pacific Rise are more depleted in incompatible trace elements compared to those formed at slower spreading rates, as a result of higher melting degrees of the underlying mantle.
Instructing to Impact: Exploration of Doctor of Physical Therapy Education Instruction of Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity for People With Disabilities
Authors: Herrman Deana , Pechak Celia M , Berg Kristin , Magasi Susan
Published: May 2024

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the instruction of social determinants of health (SDOH) for people with disabilities (PWD) in doctor of physical therapy (DPT) education programs.

Methods

A sequential mixed methods study informed by a five-member disability community advisory panel was conducted. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with educators (n = 10) across 4 DPT programs in the Midwest were conducted and analyzed thematically. The qualitative findings formed the basis of the quantitative phase. An online survey was conducted with faculty of DPT programs in the United States (n = 254) with the most knowledge of instruction of SDOH and health equity for PWD (n = 74; 29% response rate). Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and triangulated with qualitative data.

Results

SDOH for PWD is an emerging component of instruction in DPT curricula. Five themes included: emerging instruction of SDOH for PWD; conceptual frameworks informing instruction; instructional strategies; barriers to integration of SDOH for PWD; and facilitators to integration of SDOH for PWD. Quantitative analysis revealed that 71 respondents (95.9%) included disability in health equity discussions primarily focused on health care access. Limited time (n = 49; 66.2%) was the most frequently reported barrier, and educator interest in disability health equity was the most frequently reported facilitator (n = 62; 83.7%) to inclusion of the SDOH for PWD in health equity discussions.

Conclusion

Opportunities exist in DPT curricula to build on instructional strategies, integrate SDOH frameworks, and amplify facilitators to integration of SDOH for PWD.

Impact

To meet the needs of the 67 million Americans living with disabilities, students must have the knowledge and skills to address the complex needs of this historically marginalized population. Understanding the DPT education landscape around SDOH for PWD can guide DPT educators to more fully prepare their students to recognize and ameliorate health disparities faced by PWD.
Preventing postpartum insomnia: findings from a three-arm randomized-controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, a responsive bassinet, and sleep hygiene
Authors: Quin Nina , Tikotzky Liat , Astbury Laura , Spina Marie-Antoinette , Fisher Jane , Stafford Lesley , Wiley Joshua F , Bei Bei
Published: May 2024

Study Objectives

Insomnia symptoms are common during the perinatal period and are linked to adverse outcomes. This single-blind three-arm randomized-controlled trial examined whether two interventions targeting different mechanisms prevent postpartum insomnia.

Methods

Participants were nulliparous females 26–32 weeks gestation with Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores ≥ 8, recruited in Australia and randomized 1:1:1 to: (1) a responsive bassinet (RB) designed to support infant sleep and reduce maternal sleep disruption until 6 months postpartum, (2) therapist-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) delivered during pregnancy and postpartum, or (3) a sleep hygiene booklet (control; CTRL). Outcomes were assessed at baseline (T1), 35–36 weeks gestation (T2), and 2, 6, and 12 months postpartum (T3–T5). The primary outcome was ISI scores averaged T3–T5. Primary analyses were regressions controlling for baseline outcomes.

Results

One hundred and twenty-seven participants (age M ± SD = 32.62 ± 3.49) were randomized (RB = 44, CBT-I = 42, CTRL = 41). Both interventions were feasible and well-accepted, with few related adverse events reported. Compared to CTRL, the average ISI across T3–T5 was lower for CBT-I (p = .014, effect size [ES] = 0.56, medium) but not RB (p = .270, ES = 0.25, small). Exploratory findings on maternal insomnia diagnosis, sleep disturbance, sleep-related impairment, beliefs and attitudes about sleep, depression, anxiety, as well as infant sleep outcomes were also presented.

Conclusions

CBT-I but not RB reduced prenatal insomnia (very large effect) and prevented postpartum insomnia (medium effect). Further research is needed to examine the effects of both CBT-I and RB on other outcomes such as sleep-related well-being, postpartum depression, and maternal postpartum sleep duration.

Clinical Trial Registration

The Study for Mother-Infant Sleep (The SMILE Project): reducing postpartum insomnia using an infant sleep intervention and a maternal sleep intervention in first-time mothers. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=377927, Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12619001166167.
A new sauropod species from north-western Brazil: biomechanics and the radiation of Titanosauria (Sauropoda: Somphospondyli)
Authors: Pereira Paulo V L G C , Bandeira Kamila L N , Vidal Luciano S , Ribeiro Theo B , Candeiro Carlos R dos A , Bergqvist Lilian P
Published: May 2024

Titanosaurs were the most diverse sauropod group during the Cretaceous period, with most of its diversity being found during the Late Cretaceous. In this work, Tiamat valdecii, gen. et sp. nov. is described, a new species of basal titanosaur prospected from the Açu Formation (Albian–Cenomanian), Potiguar Basin, Ceará state, north-east Brazil. The new taxon is composed by an associated sequence of anterior to middle caudal vertebrae, being diagnosed by four diagnostic features: a marked accessory tuberosity dorsoventrally developed, located on the prezygapophyses; deeply medioventral excavated articulation facets of prezygapophysis and post-zygapophyses articular facets; presence of developed hypantrum–hyposphene articulations; and short middle centra with a well-marked articular facet for the haemal arch. The phylogenetic analysis reveals that Tiamat valdecii was a basal member of Titanosauria. Tiamat is the first species of Early Cretaceous titanosaur known for the Açu Formation. Biomechanical analysis shows that the tuberosity and excavation of the zygapophyses of the middle caudal vertebrae of Tiamat provide greater stability against shear loads in the amphicoelous vertebrae presented; in addition, they allow greater range of lateral movements without affecting the integrity of the joints. These features may have been an evolutionary alternative for the stability of the middle of the caudal vertebral column. The discovery of T. valdecii in the Açu Formation not only increases the known dinosaur diversity for this unit, but also helps us elucidate part of the first titanosaur radiation.
Hypoxic adipose stem cell‐derived exosomes carrying high‐abundant USP22 facilitate cutaneous wound healing through stabilizing HIF‐1α and upregulating lncRNA H19
Authors: Qian Li , Li Bo , Pi Li , Fang Bairong , Meng Xianxi
Published: May 2024

Hypoxic preconditioning has been recognized as a promotive factor for accelerating cutaneous wound healing. Our previous study uncovered that exosomal lncRNA H19, derived from adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs), plays a crucial role in orchestrating cutaneous wound healing. Herein, we aimed to explore whether there is a connection between hypoxia and ADSC‐derived exosomes (ADSCs‐exos) in cutaneous wound healing. Exosomes extracted from ADSCs under normoxic and hypoxic conditions were identified using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and particle size analysis. The effects of ADSCs‐exos on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were evaluated by CCK‐8, EdU, wound healing, and tube formation assays. Expression patterns of H19, HIF‐1α, and USP22 were measured. Co‐immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination, and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to confirm the USP22/HIF‐1α/H19 axis, which was further validated in a mice model of skin wound. Exosomes extracted from hypoxia‐treated ADSCs (termed as H‐ADSCs‐exos) significantly increased cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in H2O2‐exposed HUVECs, and promoted cutaneous wound healing in vivo. Moreover, H‐ADSCs and H‐ADSCs‐exos, which exhibited higher levels of H19, were found to be transcriptionally activated by HIF‐1α. Mechanically, H‐ADSCs carrying USP22 accounted for deubiquitinating and stabilizing HIF‐1α. Additionally, H‐ADSCs‐exos improved cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in H2O2‐triggered HUVECs by activating USP22/HIF‐1α axis and promoting H19 expression, which may provide a new clue for the clinical treatment of cutaneous wound healing.
Anesthesia-induced Lymphatic Dysfunction
Authors: Dull Randal O. , Hahn Robert G. , Dull Gabriella E.
Published: May 2024

General anesthetics adversely alters the distribution of infused fluid between the plasma compartment and the extravascular space. This maldistribution occurs largely from the effects of anesthetic agents on lymphatic pumping, which can be demonstrated by macroscopic fluid kinetics studies in awake versus anesthetized patients. The magnitude of this effect can be appreciated as follows: a 30% reduction in lymph flow may result in a fivefold increase of fluid-induced volume expansion of the interstitial space relative to plasma volume. Anesthesia-induced lymphatic dysfunction is a key factor why anesthetized patients require greater than expected fluid administration than can be accounted for by blood loss, urine output, and insensible losses. Anesthesia also blunts the transvascular refill response to bleeding, an important compensatory mechanism during hemorrhagic hypovolemia, in part through lymphatic inhibition. Last, this study addresses how catecholamines and hypertonic and hyperoncotic fluids may mobilize interstitial fluid to mitigate anesthesia-induced lymphatic dysfunction.
Long-Term Results After Laparoscopic Lavage for Perforated Diverticulitis Purulent Peritonitis in Sweden: A Population-Based Observational Study
Authors: Samuelsson Andreas , Bock David , Prytz Mattias , Ehrencrona Carolina , Wedin Anette , Angenete Eva , Haglind Eva
Published: May 2024

Objective:

To compare long-term outcomes after laparoscopic lavage with resection surgery for perforated diverticulitis, Hinchey grade III as practiced in Sweden for 3 years.

Background:

Laparoscopic lavage has been studied in 3 randomized controlled trials. Long-term results indicate that additional surgery and a remaining stoma are less common after lavage compared with resection, but data from routine care and larger cohorts are needed to get a more complete picture.

Methods:

LapLav is a national cohort study with nearly complete coverage of all patients operated in Sweden between 2016 and 2018. The cohort was retrieved from the national patient register by a definition based on the Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems-10 code plus the surgical procedural code. All medical records have been reviewed and data retrieved in addition to registry data. Propensity score with inverse probability weighting was used to balance the 2 groups, that is, laparoscopic lavage vs resection surgery.

Results:

Before the propensity score was applied, the cohort consisted of 499 patients. Additional surgery was more common in the resection group [odds ratio, 0.714; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.529–0.962; P = 0.0271]. Mortality did not differ between the groups (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% CI = 0.69–2.07; P = 0.516). In the lavage group, 27% of patients went on to have resection surgery.

Conclusions:

In Swedish routine care, laparoscopic lavage was feasible and safe for the surgical treatment of perforated diverticulitis, Hinchey grade III. Our results indicate that laparoscopic lavage can be used as a first-choice treatment.