bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uncontrollable head shaking after neostigmine-atropine for postdural puncture headache: Case report
Authors: Zhang Benhou , Chi Ping
Published: March 2024

Rationale:

Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) is a common complication in lactating mothers after cesarean delivery. It was reported that postdural puncture headache was managed through a novel approach by administration of neostigmine-atropine. Neostigmine-atropine is commonly used to reverse residual non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents. The method is simple, well-tolerated, and has fewer side effects compared to epidural blood patch procedure. We report a case of a patient who presented severe side effects following treatment using this method.

Patient concerns:

A 29-year-old female presented with uncontrollable head shaking (no studies reported) after using neostigmine/atropine.

Diagnosis:

Based on the clinical, using of neostigmine, the patient was diagnosed with severe side effects of neostigmine.

Interventions:

Comforted the patient until all symptoms disappeared (self-care).

Outcomes:

Approximately 10 minutes after administration of neostigmine/atropine, the patient exhibited trembling in the upper limbs, followed by severe head shaking from side to side with large amplitude above 90 degrees. The rate of head shaking was approximately 100 times min−1. The patient complained of stomachache and vomited about 20 mL light yellow liquid. After 20 minutes, the uncontrollable head shaking presented as a slight up-and-down nod. All the symptoms disappeared after approximately 50 minutes. The patient was fully conscious throughout the process and responded normally. Physical examination showed stable vital signs. The patient was discharged after 2 days. The patients were followed up for 1 year and everything was normal.

Lessons:

There are many side effects observed with neostigmine, such as uncontrollable head shaking. Patients should be informed of all the possible side effects during the consenting process to avoid panicking; dilution of the medications, and the drugs should be administered gradually to minimize side effects.
A retroperitoneal cystic lymphangioma involving the spleen and pancreas: a case report
Authors: Nabhan Ayman I. , Sabouni Rami H.E. , Khaddour Majd S. , Mohamad Ahmad N. , Mohamad Meram N. , Srour Ahmad F. , Almahasna Souheb
Published: March 2024

Introduction and importance:

Retroperitoneal cystic lymphangioma (CL) is a rare condition and accounts for 1% of all CL. It can be congenital in children associated with genetic disorders or acquired in adults with chronic diseases.

Case presentation:

In the present case, the girl complained of abdominal pain and dysuria. Clinical examinations showed a palpitated mass in her left pelvis; a radiology exam revealed a cystic mass infiltrating the spleen and pancreatic tail, reaching the pelvis. The mass, including the spleen and pancreatic tail, among the cystic compound was removed. The final diagnosis of benign CL was done based on a histopathology exam. A one-year follow-up showed no signs of recurrence.

Clinical discussion:

CL is usually asymptomatic. The retroperitoneal location of the mass delayed the diagnosis and allowed the mass to grow to a large size and compress nearby structures. The typical presentation of CL is usually a substantial, multichambers cystic mass. However, it could be easily misdiagnosed with other cystic tumors of the pancreas. Age-based differential diagnosis should be taken into consideration in children as abdominal mass can originate from gastrointestinal or genitourinary systems.

Conclusion:

The imaging features of CL are insufficient, and the final diagnosis depends on the histopathology exam. Furthermore, CL can mimic pancreatic cysts in its presentation and cite; therefore, it must be included in the diagnosing strategy whenever a retroperitoneal cyst is being investigated, as imaging features can be misleading. Surgical treatment of CL should be associated with long-term ultrasound follow-up to identify and manage recurrence early.
Primary thyroid tuberculosis mimicking papillary carcinoma of thyroid: a rare case report
Authors: Banmala Sabin , K.C. Sarita , Raut Manita , Poudel Rajesh , Karki Sabin , Maharjan Suman
Published: March 2024

Introduction and Importance:

Primary thyroid tuberculosis is an extremely rare extrapulmonary involvement by the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its rarity and resemblance to thyroid malignancy led to unnecessary aggressive operative interventions.

Case Presentation:

A 54-year-old female presented with recent onset dysphagia and foreign body sensation in the throat for 3 months, and anterior neck swelling since last 10 years.

Clinical Findings and Investigations:

A single nodular firm anterior neck swelling was present which moves with deglutition. Thyroid function test was normal. Ultrasonography thyroid revealed TIRADS-3. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was suggestive of papillary carcinoma of thyroid.

Interventions and Outcome:

Total thyroidectomy with central compartment neck dissection was performed. Histopathology of the thyroid specimen revealed tubercular thyroiditis. Postoperatively, Mantoux test and interferon gamma radioassay were positive. Antitubercular therapy was given for total of 6 months.

Conclusions:

With ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology, preoperative diagnosis of primary thyroid tuberculosis is quite challenging even in tuberculosis endemic countries. So, it should be considered one of the differential diagnoses despite negative relevant history and without clinical cervical lymph nodes involvement with cytology proven suspicious papillary thyroid cancer before proceeding for surgical intervention.
Digital eye strain and its associated factors among radiology physicians in Pakistan: A cross-sectional survey using logistic regression analysis
Authors: Junaid Tahir Muhammad , Aymen Ummey , Mehmood Qasim , Sohaib Asghar Muhammad , Kumari Usha , Hassan Zair , Naz Nasreen , Rafiq Nida , Tayyeb Muhammad , Ullah Irfan , Abbasher Hussien Mohamed Ahmed Khabab , Alwalid Osamah
Published: March 2024

Background and Aims:

Increased use of digital devices in the modern era has led to the development of digital eye strain (DES) or computer vision syndrome in their users. This can result in the development of various ocular and visual symptoms among them. In this study, we aimed to view the prevalence of digital eye strain among radiology physicians in Pakistan and their associated risk factors.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate occupational DES among radiology physicians in Pakistan. The data collection was done using the convenience sampling technique, and the data were analyzed using IBM SPSS for Windows, Version 25.0.

Results:

Out of the 247 respondents, 33.6% were males and 66.4% were females. 41.7% of them were between 30 to 40 years of age and 51.8% of them were radiology residents. 52.2% of the participants had a refractive error and were using a corrective lens. The majority of the radiologists in our study (84.2%) preferred picture archiving and communication system (PACS) over films and 82. 2% of them reported having breaks of less than 15 minutes. Major symptoms reported by the participants were tired or heavy eyes (69.6%) and headache (69.3%). The proportion of developing DES was higher in females (P=0.001, aOR=2.94), radiology residents (P=0.031, aOR=3.29), and working hours of more than 4 hours per day (P<0.001, aOR=0.04).

Conclusion:

With recent advances in the field of radiology in Pakistan, the frequency of developing DES among radiologists is increasing. Being a female, having long working hours, and having noticeable flickers on the digital screens were among the significant factors in developing DES among radiologists.
Lipoma arborescens in the dorsum of the hand: A case report and a comprehensive review
Authors: Suwal Sundar , Katwal Shailendra , Chataut Dinesh , Lamichhane Suman , Bhusal Amrit , Bhandari Sandeep
Published: March 2024

Introduction and Importance:

Lipoma arborescens is a rare synovial disorder, typically affecting the knee joint, with limited reports of atypical presentations. The study emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary diagnostic approach and discusses the genetic and signaling factors associated with its pathogenesis.

Case Presentation:

A 50-year-old male presented with a painless swelling in the dorsum of the right hand, a rare extra-articular manifestation of Lipoma arborescens. Comprehensive clinical, imaging, and histopathological evaluations confirmed the diagnosis, revealing unique features on MRI and frond-like fatty tissue infiltration on excisional biopsy.

Clinical Discussion:

The case underscores the distinct clinical characteristics, diagnostic challenges, and differential considerations associated with atypical Lipoma arborescens presentations. Extra-articular manifestation of Lipoma arborescens involving the dorsum (extensor aspect) of the hand is rare. Imaging techniques, including MRI and ultrasound, play a crucial role in accurate diagnosis, differentiating it from other joint pathologies. The MRI findings include intra-articular fat deposits and villous proliferation of the synovial membrane. At the same time, the histopathological analysis includes frond-like infiltration of sub-synovial tissue with mature adipocytes which helps in confirming the diagnosis.

Conclusion:

Successful surgical excision of the extra-articular lesion highlights the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic strategy for managing this uncommon condition. The study contributes valuable insights into understanding, diagnosing, and treating atypical presentations of Lipoma arborescens.
Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on ART Initiation and Access to HIV Viral Load Monitoring in Adults Living With HIV in West Africa: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis
Authors: Ben Farhat Jihane , Tiendrebeogo Thierry , Malateste Karen , Poda Armel , Minga Albert , Messou Eugène , Chenal Henri , Ezechi Oliver , Ofotokun Igho , Ekouevi Didier K. , Bonnet Fabrice , Barger Diana , Jaquet Antoine ,   The IeDEA West Africa Collaboration
Published: March 2024

Objectives:

Efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic have potentially compromised the availability and/or quality of HIV services. We aimed to assess the pandemic's impact on antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and HIV viral load (VL) monitoring in 3 West African countries.

Methods:

We used routinely collected data from 5 clinics contributing to the International epidemiologic Database to Evaluate AIDS collaboration in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Nigeria. We included ART-naïve adults living with HIV initiating ART from January 1, 2018. We conducted regression discontinuity analysis to estimate changes in the number of ART initiations and VL measures per week, before and during the pandemic period in each country.

Results:

In clinics in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, ART initiations per week remained constant throughout the studied periods (−0.24 points (p) of ART initiations/week 95% CI: −5.5 to 5.9, −0.9 p, 95% CI: −8.5 to 8.6, respectively), whereas in Nigeria's clinic, they decreased significantly (−6.3 p, 95% CI: −10.8 to −1.7) after the beginning of the pandemic. The volume of VL tests performed decreased significantly in all 3 countries (−17.0 p, 95% CI: −25.3 to −8.6 in Burkina Faso, −118.4 p, 95% CI: −171.1 to −65.8 in Côte d’Ivoire and −169.1 p, 95% CI: −282.6 to −55.6 in Nigeria).

Conclusions:

HIV clinics in two out of three countries in West Africa demonstrated resilience as they successfully maintained access to ART for ALWH despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic. However, VL monitoring was severely disrupted and did not return to prepandemic levels approximately 1 year after the beginning of the pandemic. Continued monitoring of the HIV care continuum in the postpandemic period is essential to mitigate potential enduring effects on ALWH's virological and clinical outcomes.
18F-FDG and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in Paratesticular Mesothelioma
Authors: Kalantari Forough , Schweighofer-Zwink Gregor , Rendl Gundula , Pirich Christian , Beheshti Mohsen
Published: March 2024

A 66-year-old man with local prostate adenocarcinoma underwent radical prostatectomy (Gleason score 3 + 4 = 7, pT2c) in 2016. Four years later, he presented with a hydrocele and cystic atypical change in the left scrotum and soft tissue in the left groin. Final histopathology revealed spermatic cord mesothelioma and left hemangiosis carcinomatosa. A bone biopsy of the sacrum revealed infiltrates of a prostatic adenocarcinoma with small cell neuroendocrine differentiation. Dual-tracer PET/CT imaging using 18F-FDG and 68Ga-PSMA was able to identify local recurrence of scrotal mesothelioma and differentiate metastases of prostate cancer from malignant mesothelioma.
Armored Bicistronic CAR T Cells with Dominant-negative TGF-β Receptor II to Overcome Resistance in Glioblastoma
Authors: Li Nannan , Rodriguez Jesse L. , Yin Yibo , Logun Meghan T , Zhang Logan , Yu Shengkun , Hicks Kelly A. , Zhang Vicky , Zhang Laura , Xie Chuncheng , Wang Jiabin , Fraietta Joseph A , Binder Zev A. , Lin Zhiguo , O’Rourke Donald M.
Published: March 2024

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have shown significant efficacy in hematological diseases. However, CAR T therapy has demonstrated limited efficacy in solid tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM). One of the most important reasons is the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which promotes tumor growth and suppresses immune cells to eliminate tumor cells. The human transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) plays a crucial role in forming the suppressive GBM TME and driving the suppression of the anti-GBM response. In order to mitigate TGF-β mediated suppressive activity, we combined a dominant-negative TGF-β receptor II (dnTGFβRII) with our previous bicistronic CART-EGFR-IL13Rα2 construct, currently being evaluated in a clinical trial, to generate CART-EGFR-IL13Rα2-dnTGFβRII, a tri-modular construct we are developing for clinical application. We hypothesized that this approach would more effectively subvert resistance mechanisms observed with GBM. Our data suggests that CART-EGFR-IL13Rα2-dnTGFβRII significantly augmented T cell proliferation and enhanced functional responses, particularly in a TGFβ-rich tumor environment. Additionally,in vivostudies validated the safety and efficacy of the dnTGFβRII cooperating with CARs in targeting and eradicating GBM in a NSG mouse model.
Self-Assembled Protein Vesicles as Vaccine Delivery Platform to Enhance Antigen-Specific Immune Responses
Authors: Li Yirui , Champion Julie A.
Published: March 2024

Self-assembling protein nanoparticles are beneficial platforms for enhancing the often weak and short-lived immune responses elicited by subunit vaccines. Their benefits include multivalency, similar sizes as pathogens and control of antigen orientation. Previously, the design, preparation, and characterization of self-assembling protein vesicles presenting fluorescent proteins and enzymes on the particle surface have been reported. Here, a full-size model antigen protein, ovalbumin (OVA), was genetically fused to the recombinant vesicle building blocks and incorporated into protein vesicles via self-assembly. Characterization of OVA protein vesicles showed room temperature stability and tunable size and antigen loading ratio. Immunization of mice with OVA protein vesicles induced strong antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. This work demonstrates the potential of protein vesicles as a modular platform for delivering full-size antigen proteins that can be extended to pathogen antigens to induce antigen specific immune responses.
Dynamic Mode Decomposition for Transient Cavitation Bubbles Imaging in Pulsed High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Therapy
Authors: Song Minho , Sapozhnikov Oleg A. , Khokhlova Vera A. , Khokhlova Tatiana D.
Published: March 2024

Pulsed high-intensity focused ultrasound (pHIFU) can induce sparsede novoinertial cavitation without the introduction of exogenous contrast agents, promoting mild mechanical disruption in targeted tissue. Because the bubbles are small and rapidly dissolve after each HIFU pulse, mapping transient bubbles and obtaining real-time quantitative metrics correlated to tissue damage are challenging. Prior work introduced Bubble Doppler, an ultrafast power Doppler imaging method as a sensitive means to map cavitation bubbles. The main limitation of that method was its reliance on conventional wall filters used in Doppler imaging and optimized for imaging blood flow rather than transient scatterers. This study explores Bubble Doppler enhancement using dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) of a matrix created from a Doppler ensemble for mapping and extracting the characteristics of transient cavitation bubbles. DMD was first testedin silicowith a numerical dataset mimicking the spatiotemporal characteristics of backscattered signal from tissue and bubbles. The performance of DMD filter was compared to other widely used Doppler wall filters - singular value decomposition (SVD) and infinite impulse response (IIR) highpass filter. DMD was then applied to anex vivotissue dataset where each HIFU pulse was immediately followed by a plane wave Doppler ensemble.In silicoDMD outperformed SVD and IIR high pass filter andex vivoprovided physically interpretable images of the modes associated with bubbles and their corresponding temporal decay rates. These DMD modes can be trackable over the duration of pHIFU treatment using k-means clustering method, resulting in quantitative indicators of treatment progression.

Abstract Figure
Awareness is determined by emotion and gender
Authors: Jugović Ema , Poyo Solanas Marta , de Gelder Beatrice
Published: March 2024

Traditionally, consciousness studies focus on domain general cognitive processes rather than on specific information reaching subjective awareness. The present study (N= 45) used visual masking and whole-body images to investigate whether the specific emotional expression as well as gender of the stimuli and of the participants impact awareness. Our results show that participants’ awareness responses reflect differences in the specific emotion of the stimuli, that these differences are a function of the gender of the stimuli as well as the gender of the participants and that minimal awareness may be associated with emotion specific features of the body images. Overall, we observed that threatening expressions are more easily detected than fearful ones, especially by males presented with male stimuli. Our findings underscore the importance of affective factors for theories of consciousness and underscore the significance of gender differences in emotional processing, often overlooked in past face and body emotion recognition studies.
Dock-and-lock binding of SxIP ligands is required for stable and selective EB1 interactions
Authors: Almeida Teresa , Hargreaves Eleanor , Zech Tobias , Barsukov Igor
Published: March 2024

End Binding protein 1 (EB1) is a key component of the signalling networks located at the plus ends of microtubules. It incorporates an N-terminal microtubule binding CH domain and the C-terminal EBH domain that interacts with the SxIP-containing sequences of other microtubule plus end tracking proteins (+TIPs). By using a series of SxIP containing peptides derived from the microtubule-actin cross-linking factor, MACF, we show that the SxIP motif itself binds to EBH with low affinity, and the full interaction requires contribution of the post-SxIP residues. Based on the solution structure and dynamics of the EBH/MACF complex we proposed a two-step ‘dock-and-lock’ model for the EBH interaction with targets, where the SxIP motif initially binds to a partially-formed EBH pocket, which subsequently induces folding of the unstructured C-terminus and transition to the stable complex. We dissect contributions from different interactions into the binding and design MACF mutations of the post-SxIP region that enhance the affinity by two orders of magnitude, leading to a nanomolar interaction. We verify the enhanced recruitment of the mutated peptide to the dynamic plus ends of MTs in a live cell experiment. Our model explains EB1’s interaction with the SxIP-containing ligands and can be used to design of small molecule inhibitors that can block SxIP interaction with EB1.
Quantification of NAD+T1and T2relaxation times using downfield1H MRS at 7 T in human brain in vivo
Authors: Swago Sophia , Wilson Neil E. , Elliott Mark A. , Reddy Nanga Ravi Prakash , Reddy Ravinder , Witschey Walter R.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to use a single-slice spectrally-selective sequence to measure T1and T2relaxation times of NAD+proton resonances in the downfield1H MRS spectrum in human brain at 7 T in vivo and assess the propagation of relaxation time uncertainty in NAD+quantification.

Methods

Downfield spectra from 7 healthy volunteers were acquired at multiple echo times in all subjects to measure T2relaxation, and saturation recovery data were to measure T1relaxation. The downfield acquisition used a spectrally-selective 90° sinc pulse for excitation centered at 9.1 ppm with a bandwidth of 2 ppm, followed by a 180° spatially-selective Shinnar-Le Roux refocusing pulse for localization. For the multiple echo experiment, spectra were collected with echo times ranging from 13 to 33 ms. For the saturation recovery experiment, saturation was performed prior to excitation using the same spectrally-selective sinc pulse as was used for excitation. Saturation delay times (TS) ranged from 100 to 600 ms. Uncertainty propagation analysis was performed analytically and with Monte Carlo simulation.

Results

The mean ± standard deviation of T1relaxation times of the H2, H6, and H4 protons were 152.7 ± 16.6, 163.6 ± 22.3, and 169.9 ± 11.2 ms, respectively. The mean ± standard deviation of T2relaxation times of the H2, H6, and H4 protons were 32.5 ± 7.0, 27.4 ± 5.2, and 38.1 ± 11.7 ms, respectively. The mean R2of the H2 and H6 T1fits were 0.98. The mean R2of the H4 proton T1fit was 0.96. The mean R2of the T2fits of the H2 and H4 proton resonances were 0.98, while the mean R2of the T2fits of the H4 proton was 0.93. The relative uncertainty in NAD+concentration due to relaxation time uncertainty was 8.5%-11%.

Conclusion

Using downfield spectrally-selective spectroscopy with single-slice localization, we found NAD+T1and T2relaxation times to be approximately 162 ms and 32 ms respectively in the human brain in vivo at 7 T.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of cyanobacteriumDolichospermum lemmermanniipopulations in a bloom-prone region of Lake Superior
Authors: Wood Andrew W. , Callaghan Jake D. , Loiselle Reane , McManus Robert M. , Brovold Sandra S. , Wellard Kelly Holly A. , Alexson Elizabeth E. , Sterner Robert W. , Hudson Matthew J. , Sheik Cody S.
Published: March 2024

Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (cHABs) are increasingly common in marine and freshwater environments, including the Laurentian Great Lakes (LGL). Lake Superior has seen two large-scale cyanobacterial blooms (2012 and 2018) along the Wisconsin shoreline west of the Apostle Islands, caused by the cyanobacteriumDolichospermum lemmermannii.The drivers of bloom formation in Lake Superior are not yet certain, with many factors known to trigger blooms elsewhere in the LGL being absent in Lake Superior. Furthermore, little is known aboutD. lemmermannii’s spatial structure or phenology. Thus, we sought to track the seasonal population dynamics ofD. lemmermanniito shed light on its growth, physiology, and abundance. In 2021, we used 16S rRNA amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize spatiotemporal patterns ofD. lemmermanniiabundance and diversity along the bloom-prone Wisconsin shore of Lake Superior. In 2022, we performed net tows and direct colony counts in another localized area. No large-scale bloom event was observed during either year, though several smaller blooms were observed.D. lemmermanniiabundances were low at nearly all sites and sampling times. Spikes in abundance occurred in July and September, particularly near Siskiwit Bay, a hotspot of bloom formation. We also observed a seasonal shift in heterocyte and akinete abundance indicative of late-season nutrient limitation. Most striking was the seasonal turnover ofD. lemmermanniistrains, suggesting strain adaptation to specific environmental conditions. These results offer valuable and actionable insights for managers and provide a foundation for additional work to clarify drivers of bloom formation in Lake Superior.
ORF48 is required for optimal lytic replication of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus
Authors: Veronese Beatriz H S , Nguyen Amy , Patel Khushil , Paulsen Kimberly , Ma Zhe
Published: March 2024

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) establishes persistent infection in the host by encoding a vast network of proteins that aid immune evasion. One of these targeted innate immunity pathways is the cGAS-STING pathway, which inhibits the reactivation of KSHV from latency. Previously, we identified multiple cGAS/STING inhibitors encoded by KSHV, suggesting that the counteractions of this pathway by viral proteins are critical for maintaining a successful KSHV life cycle. However, the detailed mechanisms of how these viral proteins block innate immunity and facilitate KSHV lytic replication remain largely unknown. In this study, we report that ORF48, a previously identified negative regulator of the cGAS/STING pathway, is required for optimal KSHV lytic replication. We used both siRNA and deletion-based systems to evaluate the importance of intact ORF48 in the KSHV lytic cycle. In both systems, loss of ORF48 resulted in defects in lytic gene transcription, lytic protein expression, viral genome replication and infectious virion production. ORF48 genome deletion caused more robust and global repression of the KSHV transcriptome, possibly due to the disruption of RTA promoter activity. Mechanistically, overexpressed ORF48 was found to interact with endogenous STING in HEK293 cells. Compared with the control cell line, HUVEC cells stably expressing ORF48 exhibited repressed STING-dependent innate immune signaling upon ISD or diABZI treatment. However, the loss of ORF48 in our iSLK-based lytic system failed to induce IFNβ production, suggesting a redundant role of ORF48 on STING signaling during the KSHV lytic phase. Thus, ORF48 is required for optimal KSHV lytic replication through additional mechanisms that need to be further explored.

Author Summary

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) causes persistent infection in a host that leads to two deadly cancers, Kaposi Sarcoma and Primary Effusion Lymphoma, especially in immunocompromised people. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine or viral-specific treatment for KSHV-related diseases, due to our limited knowledge of detailed immune evasion strategies by KSHV. KSHV blocks multiple immune pathways to maintain its lifelong infection, one of which is the DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway. Here, we reported that ORF48, a KSHV-encoded STING inhibitor is required for optimal KSHV lytic reactivation and viral production. A successful KSHV infection requires both intact ORF48 DNA and mRNA at different stages of its lytic life cycle. Further study reveals that ORF48 binds to STING and blocks STING-dependent innate immunity, and additional mechanisms may contribute to its role in lytic replication. Our findings provide insight into viral immune evasion strategies, which would contribute to a better understanding of all viral diseases.
E. coliprepares for starvation by dramatically remodeling its proteome in the first hours after loss of nutrients
Authors: Gervais Théo , Kscheschinski Bjoern , Mell Michael , Goepfert Nevil , van Nimwegen Erik , Julou Thomas
Published: March 2024

It is widely believed that due to nutrient limitations in natural environments, bacteria spend most of their life in non-growing states. However, very little is known about how bacteria change their phenotype during starvation and what controls the concentration of different gene products inside the cells. Here we used microfluidics with quantitative fluorescence microscopy to quantitatively monitor growth and gene expression in many independent single-cellE. colilineages as cells were switched from exponential growth to carbon starvation.

In contrast to the hypothesis that stationary phase at the population level may reflect a balance between continuing growth and death in different sub-populations, we found that all cells immediately enter growth arrest, that cells further in their cell cycle subsequently undergo reductive division, and no cell death occurs for more than two days. Second, we observed dramatic time-dependent changes in protein production that are highly homogeneous across single cells. Some promoters shut off protein production immediately, some show a slow exponential decay of production on a 10 h time scale, while others exhibit a transient burst of increased production before decaying exponentially at different rates. Notably, the reduction in protein production 30-60 h into starvation relative to production in exponential phase varies by more than two orders of magnitude across promoters and is highly correlated with production in the first 10 h of starvation.

Control experiments show that protein degradation itself also decays expo-nentially and using mathematical modeling we show how the fold-change in a gene’s protein concentration between exponential phase and late starvation depends on the size of the expression burst at the onset of starvation, the rate of subsequent production decay, and the rate of degradation decay. For many genes, the expression in late starvation is driven by production during the first 10 h. Finally, we establish that this expression program at the onset of starvation is critical for cell viability. In particular, by inhibiting gene expression during different periods of starvation, we show that tolerance to stress later in starvation is determined by gene expression occurring during the first 10 h.

Our study provides a foundation for quantitative studies of bacterial starvation by uncovering a gene expression program that fundamentally remodels the proteome during the first 10 h of starvation, is highly homogeneous across single cells, sets the proteome later in starvation, and is crucial for stress tolerance.
Neurophysiological measures of covert semantic processing in neurotypical adolescents actively ignoring spoken sentence inputs: A high-density event-related potential (ERP) study
Authors: Toffolo Kathryn K. , Freedman Edward G. , Foxe John J.
Published: March 2024

Language comprehension requires semantic processing of individual words and their context within a sentence. Well-characterized event-related potential (ERP) components (the N400 and late positivity component (LPC/P600)) provide neuromarkers of semantic processing, and are robustly evoked when semantic errors are introduced into sentences. These measures are useful for evaluating semantic processing in clinical populations, but it is not known whether they can be evoked in more severe neurodevelopmental disorders where explicit attention to the sentence inputs cannot be objectively assessed (i.e., when sentences are passively listened to). We evaluated whether N400 and LPC/P600 could be detected in adolescents who were explicitly ignoring sentence inputs. Specifically, it was asked whether explicit attention to spoken inputs was required for semantic processing, or if a degree of automatic processing occurs when the focus of attention is directed elsewhere? High-density ERPs were acquired from twenty-two adolescents (7-12 years), under two experimental conditions: 1) individuals actively determined whether the final word in a sentence was congruent or incongruent with sentence context, or 2) passively listened to background sentences while watching a video. When sentences were ignored, N400 and LPC/P600 were robustly evoked to semantic errors, albeit with reduced amplitudes and protracted/delayed latencies. Statistically distinct topographic distributions during passive versus active paradigms pointed to distinct generator configurations for semantic processing as a function of attention. Covert semantic processing continues in neurotypical adolescents when explicit attention is withdrawn from sentence inputs. As such, this approach could be used to objectively investigate semantic processing in populations with communication deficits.
Mriyaviruses: Small Relatives of Giant Viruses
Authors: Yutin Natalya , Mutz Pascal , Krupovic Mart , Koonin Eugene V.
Published: March 2024

The phylumNucleocytoviricotaconsists of large and giant viruses that range in genome size from about 100 kilobases (kb) to more than 2.5 megabases. Here, using metagenome mining followed by extensive phylogenomic analysis and protein structure comparison, we delineate a distinct group of viruses with double-stranded (ds) DNA genomes in the range of 35-45 kb that appear to be related to theNucleocytoviricota.In phylogenetic trees of the conserved double jelly-roll major capsid proteins (MCP) and DNA packaging ATPases, these viruses do not show affinity to any particular branch of theNucleocytoviricotaand accordingly would comprise a class which we propose to name “Mriyaviricetes” (after Ukrainian Mriya, dream). Structural comparison of the MCP suggests that, among the extant virus lineages, mriyaviruses are the closest one to the ancestor of theNucleocytoviricota. In the phylogenetic trees, mriyaviruses split into two well-separated branches, the familyYaraviridaeand proposed new family “Gamadviridae”. The previously characterized members of these families, Yaravirus and Pleurochrysis sp. endemic viruses, infect amoeba and haptophytes, respectively. The genomes of the rest of the mriyaviruses were assembled from metagenomes from diverse environments, suggesting that mriyaviruses infect various unicellular eukaryotes. Mriyaviruses lack DNA polymerase, which is encoded by all other members of theNucleocytoviricota,and RNA polymerase subunits encoded by all cytoplasmic viruses among theNucleocytoviricota, suggesting that they replicate in the host cell nuclei. All mriyaviruses encode a HUH superfamily endonuclease that is likely to be essential for the initiation of virus DNA replication via the rolling circle mechanism.

Importance

The origin of giant viruses of eukaryotes that belong to the phylumNucleocytoviricotais not thoroughly understood and remains a matter of major interest and debate. Here we combine metagenome database searches with extensive protein sequence and structure analysis to describe a distinct group of viruses with comparatively small genomes of 35-45 kilobases that appears to comprise a distinct class within the phylumNucleocytoviricotathat we provisionally named“Mriyaviricetes”.Mriyaviruses appear to be the closest identified relatives of the ancestors of theNucleocytoviricota.Analysis of proteins encoded in mriyavirus genomes suggest that they replicate their genome via the rolling circle mechanism that is unusual among viruses with double-stranded DNA genomes and so far not described for members ofNucleocytoviricota.
AnophelesLarval Rearing
Authors: Leite Laura N. , Bascuñán Priscila , Dotson Ellen M. , Benedict Mark Q.
Published: March 2024

Mosquito larvae are aquatic and go through four development stages (larval instars L1–L4) before pupation. Species vary in the duration of larval development, and a variety of external factors affect the development rate (e.g., water temperature, food type, and larval density), which are discussed more thoroughly elsewhere. Here, we detail how to rearAnopheleslarvae. This protocol describes appropriate distribution of larvae into rearing pans, feeding of larvae, cleaning of pans, and care until pupation.
Ambient temperature versus ambient acceleration in the circular motion Unruh effect
Authors: Bunney Cameron R. D. , Parry Leo , Perche T. Rick , Louko Jorma
Published: March 2024

It is well known that the experience of a linearly accelerated observer with acceleration a, interacting with a massless scalar field in its vacuum state in 3+1 Minkowski spacetime, is identical to that of a static observer interacting with a massless scalar field in a thermal state of temperature a/2π in 3+1 Minkowski spacetime. We study the robustness of this duality by comparing an observer undergoing circular motion in a thermal bath with an observer that undergoes circular motion around a linearly accelerated trajectory. We find that in most regimes, observers in these two cases experience the field in different ways, and are generally able to tell the difference between the two cases by measuring observables localized along their trajectories.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Nucleon axial-vector form factor and radius from future neutrino experiments
Authors: Petti Roberto , Hill Richard J. , Tomalak Oleksandr
Published: March 2024

Precision measurements of antineutrino elastic scattering on hydrogen from future neutrino experiments offer a unique opportunity to access the low-energy structure of protons and neutrons. We discuss the determination of the nucleon axial-vector form factor and radius from antineutrino interactions on hydrogen that can be collected at the future Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility and study the sources of theoretical and experimental uncertainties. The projected accuracy would improve existing measurements by 1 order of magnitude and be competitive with contemporary lattice-QCD determinations, potentially helping to resolve the corresponding tension with measurements from (anti)neutrino elastic scattering on deuterium. We find that the current knowledge of the nucleon vector form factors could be one of the dominant sources of uncertainty. We also evaluate the constraints that can be simultaneously obtained on the absolute ν¯μ flux normalization.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Spectroscopy of helium-tagged
C60
anions
Authors: Kappe Miriam , Martini Paul , Schiller Arne , Gruber Elisabeth , Zappa Fabio , Krasnokutski Serge A. , Scheier Paul , Gatchell Michael
Published: March 2024

We present measurements of the electronic absorption spectrum of He-tagged buckminsterfullerene anions, C60−. Using a technique that allows for the efficient tagging of complex molecular anions with He, we achieve atomically resolved action spectra that provide an accurate determination of the gas-phase absorption spectrum in the near-infrared regime. In total we identify 27 absorption bands between 895 and 1057 nm.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Generating Function for Projected Entangled-Pair States
Authors: Tu Wei-Lin , Vanderstraeten Laurens , Schuch Norbert , Lee Hyun-Yong , Kawashima Naoki , Chen Ji-Yao
Published: March 2024

Diagrammatic summation is a common bottleneck in modern applications of projected entangled-pair states, especially in computing low-energy excitations of a two-dimensional quantum many-body system. To solve this problem, here we extend the generating-function approach for tensor-network diagrammatic summation, a scheme previously proposed in the context of matrix product states. Taking the form of a one-particle excitation, we show that the excited state can be computed efficiently in the generating-function formalism, which can further be used in evaluating the dynamical structure factor of the system. Our benchmark results for the spin-1/2 transverse-field Ising model and Heisenberg model on the square lattice provide a desirable accuracy, showing good agreement with known results. We then study the spin-1/2J1-J2 model on the same lattice and investigate the dynamical properties of the putative gapless spin liquid phase. We conclude with a discussion on generalizations to multiparticle excitations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The dark side of mentoring: A Viewpoint
Authors: Oyewunmi Adebukola E. , Hinson Robert Ebo
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This paper examines the dark side of mentoring, its far-reaching effects and organizational interventions for navigating it.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review and narrative analysis are adopted to achieve the objective of the paper.

Findings

Review of extant literature highlights the multiple consequences of the dark side of mentoring. Recommendations include specialized training interventions, period appraisals of formal mentoring arrangements, zero-tolerance ethical frameworks and employee assistance programmers.

Originality/value

A substantive portion of literature on mentoring has lauded its benefits for career progression and competitive advantage. This viewpoint explores its limitations and liabilities in an organization.
Building brand equity as a dynamic capability during Gautrain public–private partnership patronage guarantee controversy
Authors: Mthombeni Morris , Ruiters Michele , Scheepers Caren Brenda , Pearson Hayley
Published: March 2024

Learning outcomes

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to gain knowledge on public–private partnerships (PPPs) in emerging markets; understand how to apply the sensing element of the dynamic capabilities framework in analysing context, especially in emerging market context; and understand how to apply the dynamic capabilities framework to the process of developing brand equity.

Case overview/synopsis

On 20 March 2020, in Johannesburg South Africa, Dr Barbara Jensen Vorster, the head of corporate communications and marketing at the Gautrain Management Agency, was considering her dilemma of how to manage stakeholders at a time when the patronage guarantee was under question. The nature of the Gautrain PPP transport contract entailed a revenue guarantee that was called a patronage guarantee. How did they build their Gautrain brand equity during the Gautrain PPP patronage guarantee controversy? This case study highlights the perspectives of multiple stakeholders which places the Gautrain brand equity under strain. The Gautrain brand identity was created to project an integrated, overarching brand position for the construction project and later the operating company. The logo illustrated Africanisation, and the slogan “For People on the Move” represented a modern collaborative approach. Upholding the status of the brand is an important quest for the corporate communications and marketing team, and therefore the issue around the patronage guarantee must be addressed. This case study illustrates contrasting views about the Gautrain being elitist versus the rapid rail train enabling economic prosperity. The pro-prosperity versus pro-economic development values were at the heart of the different opinions around the patronage guarantee. Students are therefore confronted with their own values while the case study aims to drive an awareness or consciousness around these issues in an emerging market.

Complexity academic level

This case study is appropriate for advanced undergraduate and Master of Business Administration courses focused on marketing, communications and/or stakeholder management, such as in business and society courses. At both levels, the case study will be valuable in generating discussion on communications models and how to manage stakeholders ranging from government to community representatives. In courses where dynamic capabilities theory is taught, this case study will offer a specific application of this model in the context of brand communications and building brand equity in times of controversy.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Unveiling the interplay between leadership behavior and leader well-being: a person-centered approach
Authors: Wittmers Anja , Klasmeier Kai N. , Thomson Birgit , Maier Günter W.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Drawing on COR theory and based on a person-centered approach, this study aims to explore profiles of both leadership behavior (transformational leadership, abusive supervision) and well-being indicators (cognitive irritation, emotional exhaustion). Additionally, we consider whether certain resource-draining (work intensification) and resource-creating factors (leader autonomy, psychological contract fulfillment) from the leaders' work context are related to profile membership.

Design/methodology/approach

The profiles are built using LPA on data from 153 leaders and their 1,077 followers. The relationship between profile membership and correlates from the leaders' work context is examined using multinomial logistic regression analyses.

Findings

LPA results in an interpretable four-profile solution with the profiles named (1) Good health – constructive leading, (2) Average health – inconsistent leading, (3) Impaired health – constructive leading and (4) Impaired health – destructive leading. The two groups with the highest sample share – Profiles 1 and 3 – both show highly constructive leadership behavior but differ significantly in their well-being indicators. The regression analyses show that work intensification and psychological contract fulfillment are significantly related to profile membership.

Originality/value

The person-centered approach provides a more nuanced view of the leadership behavior – leader well-being relationship, which can address inconsistencies in previous research. In terms of practical relevance, the person-centered approach allows for the identification of risk groups among leaders for whom organizations can provide additional resources and health-promoting interventions.
Context dependence of warming‐induced shifts in montane soil microbial functions
Authors: Spinella Sydne , Classen Aimee T. , Sanders Nathan J. , McLaren Jennie R.
Published: March 2024

High elevation and latitude ecosystems are experiencing high levels of anthropogenic atmospheric warming. Climate warming may directly change soil microbial activity and alter ecosystem carbon dynamics and productivity, but increasing evidence suggests these responses may depend on other biotic factors such as plant community composition and abiotic factors such as moisture.

We examined how abiotic (warming) and biotic (presence of dominant plant species) factors interact to affect soil microbial processes. Our experiment deployed the independent and combined treatments of experimental warming and dominant plant species removal in a high and low elevation montane meadows. We analysed multiple soil microbial responses to warming and the presence of a dominant plant at three times throughout the growing season, including soil respiration, microbial metabolic functional diversity, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and extracellular enzyme potential activity.

Overall, there were few independent microbial responses to either the warming or the removal treatments. There was a significant interaction between warming and the removal of a dominant plant species, where microbial biomass and the activity of some microbial enzymes were lower in warmed plots where the dominant species was removed relative to control plots.

The effect of warming on extracellular enzyme activity was typically observed only at the high‐elevation site. In contrast, we found that effects of warming were consistent across the growing season, despite strong temporal variation in microbial properties.

Our results emphasize the need to further consider soil microbial responses to warming under multiple environments, including shifts in both biotic and abiotic factors, to aid in predictions of carbon dynamics under future global change.

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