bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vertical line arrays of vector sensors
Authors: Cox Henry
Published: February 2025

A vertical line array (VLA) of vector sensors has a multi-component vector sensor at each sensor position. Vector sensors consist of an omni-directional receiver (Omni), two orthogonal horizontal dipoles, and possibly a vertical dipole. VLA beamforming may be factored into azimuthal processing at each sensor by using a weighted sum of the sensor components and vertical beamforming that combines the vector sensor outputs. Alternative sensor weights, which may depend on vertical steering angle, including cardioids, limacons, and the optimal weights for azimuthally symmetric noise are compared. The vertical dipole's usefulness is limited to sidelobe and grating lobe reduction. For steep vertical steering angles, the optimal weight on the horizontal dipoles becomes large, resulting in an undesirable sensitivity to white noise and tolerance errors. The optimum weights that minimize beam noise subject to an inequality constraint on sensitivity to white noise are derived. For non-symmetric noise, optimal beamforming may cause the mainlobe to squint in azimuth away from the steering direction in pursuit of reduction in directional noise. A simplified optimization approach is introduced that requires a global peak in the steering direction and completely prevents undesirable squinting. The performance of tilted dipoles in azimuthally symmetric noise is compared with other configurations.
The effect of head-tracking resolution on the stability and performance of a local active noise control headrest system
Authors: Lai Chung Kwan , Cheer Jordan , Shi Chuang
Published: February 2025

Incorporating head-tracking techniques into local active noise control headrest systems enables the plant model used in the controller to be updated dynamically as the user moves their head. This reduces the mismatch between the plant model and the physical plant responses from the secondary sources to the users' ears, which increases the achievable noise reduction when head movement occurs. In practice, since the plant models for different head positions must be identified during a calibration procedure, it is necessary to limit the head-tracking resolution to constrain the complexity of this procedure. This leads to errors between the physical and modelled plant responses as the user's head moves, which impacts the control system's stability and performance. However, the relationship between the control system behaviour and the tracking accuracy is not well understood. This paper investigates the impact of head-tracking resolution, considering translational and rotational movements, on the stability and performance of an active headrest. Assuming the error signals at the user's ears are available for adaptive control, it is shown that the system has an upper-frequency limit beyond which controller instability occurs, and this frequency is influenced by the tracking resolution, the initial head position, and the type of head movement.
Personal sound zones in the short-time Fourier transform domain with relaxed reverberation
Authors: Tang Jun , Zhu Wenye , Li Xiaofei
Published: February 2025

Personal-sound-zones (PSZ) techniques deliver independent sounds to multiple zones within a room using a loudspeaker array. The target signal for each zone is clearly audible within that zone while inaudible or non-distracting in others, assured by applying pre-filters to the loudspeaker array. The pre-filters are traditionally designed with time-domain or frequency-domain methods, which suffer from high computational complexity and large system latency, respectively. This work proposes a subband pressure-matching method in the short-time Fourier transform domain using the convolutive transfer function approximation, termed CTF-PM. The proposed method considerably reduces computational complexity relative to time-domain methods and existing subband methods, while maintaining low system latency. Additionally, CTF-PM achieves similar performances in acoustic contrast and normalized mean square error compared to baseline methods. Moreover, by introducing a weighting vector on the reproduction error, a relaxed-reverberation framework is incorporated into CTF-PM. This framework aims for an accurate reproduction of the decaying rate instead of the random samples of the reverberations, improving the acoustic contrast of the PSZ system while preserving the perceptual experience. Our experiments demonstrated that the relaxed-reverberation framework improved broadband acoustic contrast in the 0–2 kHz range by more than 3 dB, without degrading the perceptual experience.
Energy landscape interpretation of universal linearly increasing absorption with frequency
Authors: Holm Sverre , Bergli Joakim
Published: February 2025

Absorption of elastic waves in complex media is commonly found to increase linearly with frequency, for both longitudinal and shear waves. This ubiquitous property is observed in media such as rocks, unconsolidated sediments, and human tissue. Absorption is due to relaxation processes at the level of atomic scales and up to the sub-micron scale of biological materials. The effect of these processes is usually expressed as an integral over relaxation frequencies or relaxation times. Here, this paper argues that these processes are thermally activated. Unusually for ultrasonics and seismics, the expression for absorption from the frequency or time domains can therefore be transformed to an integral over an activation energy landscape weighted by an energy distribution. The universal power-law property surprisingly corresponds to a flat activation energy landscape. This is the solution that maximizes entropy or randomness. Therefore, the linearly increasing absorption corresponds to the energy landscape with the fewest possible constraints.
Suspensions of attractive microcapsules: A noncolloidal fragile gel?
Authors: Maleki Mehdi , Bodiguel Hugues , de Loubens Clément
Published: February 2025

We investigated the rheological properties of suspensions of attractive microcapsules, which formed a weak gel at volume fractions ϕ as low as 0.1. These microcapsules, measuring 100 μm in diameter, were constructed with a droplet of positively charged chitosan solution protected by a membrane formed through the complexation of chitosan with a negatively charged surfactant. Iso-density matched suspensions were achieved by dispersing these microcapsules in silicone oils. Plate-plate rheometry revealed that these suspensions displayed a yield stress ranging from about 0.1 to 3 Pa for ϕ increasing from 0.1 to 0.5. At much higher stresses, the suspension viscosity was almost shear independent. Furthermore, these suspensions exhibited a frequency sweep signature akin to attractive colloidal suspensions, with a shear elastic modulus plateauing at low frequencies, indicative of an elastic microstructure within the suspensions. Remarkably, a degree of microstructural anisotropy, reminiscent of fragile matter, was evidenced by the transient fluidization of the suspension when the direction of applied stress, which remained below the yield stress, was reversed. Beyond the yield stress, both symmetric and asymmetric stress reversal experiments demonstrated that the suspension structure was influenced by the applied stress. It changed from an anisotropic and fragile network at low stress levels to a dispersion of isolated particles at high stress levels. We concluded that suspensions of attractive microcapsules could be classified as a fragile particulate gel, whose microstructure depends on the stress and its direction.
In situ experimental investigation of fiber orientation kinetics and rheology of polymer composites in shear flow
Authors: Egelmeers Thijs R. N. , Jaensson Nick O. , Anderson Patrick D. , Cardinaels Ruth
Published: February 2025

In this study, we experimentally investigate the fiber orientation kinetics and rheology of fiber-filled polymer melts in shear flow. A novel setup is designed with custom-built bottom and top geometries that are mounted on a conventional rotational rheometer. Shear flow between parallel sliding plates is applied by vertical movement of the top geometry. The axial force measurement data of the rotational rheometer are used to determine the shear stress growth coefficient. The fiber orientation kinetics are measured in situ with this setup using small angle light scattering. We consider a non-Brownian experimental system with short glass fibers for the suspended phase (L/D=8–15) and different polyethylene based materials for the matrix phase. The fiber orientation kinetics are investigated as a function of fiber volume fraction (ϕ=1%, 5%, and 10%) and as a function of the shear rate (γ˙=0.03, 0.55, and 5s−1). Within the studied range, these parameters do not influence the fiber orientation kinetics, and a multiparticle model, based on Jeffery’s equation for single particles, can describe these kinetics. Our results show that, up to the concentrated regime (ϕ≈D/L), fiber-fiber interactions do not influence the fiber orientation in shear flow. Finally, we investigate the shear stress growth coefficient of these composites and demonstrate that a simple rheological model for fiber composites, which assumes a constant, isotropic orientation distribution of the fibers, is able to describe the shear stress growth coefficient of the short fiber composite samples.
Elderly vulnerability to temperature-related mortality risks in China
Authors: Yao Xin , Qu Ying , Mishra Ashok K. , Mann Michael E. , Zhang Liqiang , Bai Chen , Li Mengting , Lin Jintai , Wei Jing , Yu Qiwei , Ding Ruiqiang , Wang Yuebin , Zhang Lei , Yang Jing , Tao Junpei , Liu Suhong , Wang Qihao
Published: February 2025

The elderly face elevated mortality risk due to rising temperature. Previous assessments of temperature-related mortality, however, lack a comprehensive analysis of distinct impacts of temperature change across different timescales and characteristics. Using a longitudinal survey of 27,233 elderly Chinese citizens from 2005 to 2018, we establish connections between rising temperatures, temperature variability, and extreme heat with increased mortality risk, assessed through four annual metrics that combine temperature and humidity. The intensity and prolonged duration of extreme heat are found to have the greatest impact on mortality risk. Furthermore, by identifying heterogeneous impacts based on location, sex, age, obesity, income, and diet, we reveal the pathways through which temperature metrics are likely to influence mortality risk. Our study highlights the compound effects of rising temperatures for elderly populations, and it could be expanded to other countries and regions experiencing similar challenges due to an aging population experiencing warming conditions.
Reducing microglial lipid load enhances β amyloid phagocytosis in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model
Authors: Wu Xiaoting , Miller James Alastair , Lee Bernett Teck Kwong , Wang Yulan , Ruedl Christiane
Published: February 2025

Macrophages accumulate lipid droplets (LDs) under stress and inflammatory conditions. Despite the presence of LD-loaded macrophages in many tissues, including the brain, their contribution to neurodegenerative disorders remains elusive. This study investigated the role of lipid metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by assessing the contribution of LD-loaded brain macrophages, including microglia and border-associated macrophages (BAMs), in an AD mouse model. Particularly, BAMs and activated CD11c
+
microglia localized near β amyloid (Aβ) plaques exhibited a pronounced lipid-associated gene signature and a high LD load. Having observed that elevated intracellular LD content correlated inversely with microglial phagocytic activities, we subsequently inhibited LD formation specifically in CX3CR1
+
brain macrophages using an inducible APP-KI/
Fit2

i

Δ

M

φ
transgenic mouse model. We demonstrated that reducing LD content in microglia and CX3CR1
+
BAMs remarkably improved their phagocytic ability. Furthermore, lowering microglial LDs consistently enhanced their efferocytosis capacities and notably reduced Aβ deposition in the brain parenchyma. Therefore, mitigating LD accumulation in brain macrophages provides perspectives for AD treatment.
A detailed theory of thalamic and cortical microcircuits for predictive visual inference
Authors: George Dileep , Lázaro-Gredilla Miguel , Lehrach Wolfgang , Dedieu Antoine , Zhou Guangyao , Marino Joseph
Published: February 2025

Understanding cortical microcircuitry requires theoretical models that can tease apart their computational logic from biological details. Although Bayesian inference serves as an abstract framework of cortical computation, precisely mapping concrete instantiations of computational models to biology under real-world tasks is necessary to produce falsifiable neural models. On the basis of a recent generative model, recursive cortical networks, that demonstrated excellent performance on vision benchmarks, we derive a theoretical cortical microcircuit by placing the requirements of the computational model within biological constraints. The derived model suggests precise algorithmic roles for the columnar and laminar feed-forward, feedback, and lateral connections, the thalamic pathway, blobs and interblobs, and the innate lineage-specific interlaminar connectivity within cortical columns. The model also explains several visual phenomena, including the subjective contour effect and neon-color spreading effect, with circuit-level precision. Our model and methodology provides a path forward in understanding cortical and thalamic computations.
Bio-plausible reconfigurable spiking neuron for neuromorphic computing
Authors: Xiao Yu , Liu Yize , Zhang Bihua , Chen Peng , Zhu Huaze , He Enhui , Zhao Jiayi , Huo Wenju , Jin Xiaofei , Zhang Xumeng , Jiang Hao , Ma De , Zheng Qian , Tang Huajin , Lin Peng , Kong Wei , Pan Gang
Published: February 2025

Biological neurons use diverse temporal expressions of spikes to achieve efficient communication and modulation of neural activities. Nonetheless, existing neuromorphic computing systems mainly use simplified neuron models with limited spiking behaviors due to high cost of emulating these biological spike patterns. Here, we propose a compact reconfigurable neuron design using the intrinsic dynamics of a NbO
2
-based spiking unit and excellent tunability in an electrochemical memory (ECRAM) to emulate the fast-slow dynamics in a bio-plausible neuron. The resistance of the ECRAM was effective in tuning the temporal dynamics of the membrane potential, contributing to flexible reconfiguration of various bio-plausible firing modes, such as phasic and burst spiking, and exhibiting adaptive spiking behaviors in changing environment. We used the bio-plausible neuron model to build spiking neural networks with bursting neurons and demonstrated improved classification accuracies over simplified models, showing great promises for use in more bio-plausible neuromorphic computing systems.
Evolution in changing seas: The loss of plasticity under predator invasion and warming oceans
Authors: Corbett James J. , Trussell Geoffrey C.
Published: February 2025

The impact of invasive predators during the early stages of invasion is often variable in space and time. Such variation is expected to initially favor plasticity in prey defenses, but fixed defenses as invaders become established. Coincident with the range expansion of an invasive predatory crab in the Gulf of Maine, we document rapid changes in shell thickness—a key defense against shell crushing predators—of an intertidal snail. Field experiments, conducted 20 years apart, revealed that temporal shifts in shell thickness were driven by the evolution of increased trait means and erosion of thickness plasticity. The virtual elimination of the trade-off in tissue mass that often accompanies thicker shells is consistent with the evolution of fixed defenses under increasingly certain predation risk.
Noncontact microbiota transplantation by core-shell microgel-enabled nonleakage envelopment
Authors: Wu Feng , Lin Sisi , Luo Huilong , Wang Chuhan , Liu Jinyao , Zhu Xinyuan , Pang Yan
Published: February 2025

Transplantation of beneficial bacteria to specific microbiota has been widely exploited to treat diseases by reshaping a healthy microbial structure. However, direct exposure of exogenous bacteria in vivo suffers from low bioavailability and infection risk. Here, we describe a noncontact microbiota transplantation system (NMTS) by core-shell microgel-enabled nonleakage envelopment. Bacteria are encapsulated into the core of core-shell microgels via two-step light-initiated emulsion polymerization of gelatin methacrylate. NMTS is versatile for biocontainment of diverse strains, showing near complete encapsulation and negligible influence on bacterial activity. As a proof-of-concept study on probiotic transplantation to the gut microbiota, NMTS demonstrates the shielding effect to protect sealed bacteria from intraluminal insults of low pH and bile acid, the toughness to prevent bacterial leakage during entire gastrointestinal passage and reduce infection risk, and the permeability to release beneficial metabolites and reconstruct a balanced intestinal microbial structure, proposing a contactless fashion for advanced microbiota transplantation.
Succinylation enables IDE to act as a hub of larval tissue destruction and adult tissue reconstruction during insect metamorphosis
Authors: Li Yan-Xue , Shao Bin-Yan , Hou Ming-Ye , Dong Du-Juan
Published: February 2025

Metamorphosis is an important way for insects to adapt to the environment. In this process, larval tissue destruction regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and adult tissue reconstruction regulated by insulin-like peptides (ILPs) occur simultaneously, but the detailed mechanism is still unclear. Here, the results of succinylome, subcellular localization, and protein interaction analysis show that non-succinylated insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) localizes in the cytoplasm, binds to insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2-like), and degrades it. When the metamorphosis is initiated, 20E up-regulated carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (
Cpt1a
) through transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF15), thus increasing the level of IDE succinylation on K179. Succinylated IDE translocated from cytoplasm to nucleus, combined with ecdysone receptor to promote 20E signaling pathway, causing larval tissue destruction, while IGF-2-like was released to promote adult tissue proliferation. That is, succinylation alters subcellular localization of IDE so that it can bind to different target proteins and act as a hub of metamorphosis.
Ab initio investigation of a hypersonic double cone experiment
Authors: Grover Maninder S. , Valentini Paolo , Bisek Nicholas
Published: February 2025

This article presents a direct molecular simulation (DMS) of a reactive Mach 8.2 oxygen flow over a double cone geometry. The free stream conditions and article configuration generate a flow with thermal and chemical nonequilibrium, which are common attributes of hypersonic flight. This scenario was first studied experimentally at Calspan University of Buffalo Research Center’s test facility. DMS is a particle method that uses quantum mechanically derived interaction potentials to simulate molecular collisions within a flow field. Since these interaction potentials are the only modeling inputs used in the simulation, all flow features can solely be attributed to the ab initio potential energy surfaces. Hence, providing a comparison of a hypersonic ground test and numerical data anchored to quantum mechanics. The fundamental nature of DMS is leveraged to investigate molecular level mechanisms prevalent in the flow, and comparisons with lower fidelity simulations are presented to highlight the role of these first principles calculations as benchmark solutions.
Self-assembling peptide with dual function of cell penetration and antibacterial as a nano weapon to combat intracellular bacteria
Authors: Zhu Yongjie , Xu Wanying , Chen Wenwen , Li Bowen , Li Guoyu , Deng Haoran , Zhang Licong , Shao Changxuan , Shan Anshan
Published: February 2025

Intracellular bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance are threatening global public health systems. Antimicrobial peptides are a potential solution to combat bacterial resistance, but the design of self-assembled nanopeptides with dual functions of cell penetration and antibacterial properties to combat intracellular bacteria remains a challenge. Here, we propose a strategy to develop self-assembled nanopeptides with dual functions through the chimerization of self-assembled core, hydrophobic motif, and cell-permeable unit. The optimal nanopeptides, F3FT and N3FT, exhibited potent antibacterial activity and excellent biocompatibility. Crucially, F3FT and N3FT are able to efficiently penetrate cells and eliminate intracellular bacteria and sniping inflammation. Moreover, F3FT and N3FT kill bacteria mainly by disrupting bacterial cell membranes and inducing excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species. F3FT and N3FT have exhibited good safety and potent therapeutic potential in vivo. This scheme of constructing nanopeptides through multifunctional domains design provides a paradigm for dealing with escalating of intracellular bacteria and antimicrobial resistance.
Language-like efficiency in whale communication
Authors: Youngblood Mason
Published: February 2025

Vocal communication systems in humans and other animals experience selection for efficiency—optimizing the benefits they convey relative to the costs of producing them. Two hallmarks of efficiency, Menzerath’s law and Zipf’s law of abbreviation, predict that longer sequences will consist of shorter elements and more frequent elements will be shorter, respectively. Here, we assessed the evidence for both laws in cetaceans by analyzing vocal sequences from 16 baleen and toothed whale species and comparing them to 51 human languages. Eleven whale species exhibit Menzerath’s law, sometimes with greater effect sizes than human speech. Two of the five whale species with categorized element types exhibit Zipf’s law of abbreviation. On average, whales also tend to shorten elements and intervals toward the end of sequences, although this varies by species. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the vocalizations of many cetacean species have undergone compression for increased efficiency in time.
RNA polymerase II coordinates histone deacetylation at active promoters
Authors: Hoffman Jackson A. , Trotter Kevin W. , Archer Trevor K.
Published: February 2025

Nucleosomes at promoters of active genes are marked by specific histone post-translational modifications and histone variants. These features are thought to promote the formation and maintenance of an “open” chromatin environment that is suitable for transcription. However, recent reports have drawn conflicting conclusions about whether these histone modifications depend on active transcription. To further interrogate this relationship, we inhibited transcription initiation using triptolide, which triggered degradation of RNA polymerase II, and examined the impact on histone modifications. Transcription initiation was not required for either hormone-induced or steady-state active histone modifications at transcription start sites (TSSs) and enhancers. Rather, blocking transcription initiation increased the levels of histone acetylation and H2AZ incorporation at active TSSs. P300 activity was dispensable for this effect, but inhibition of histone deacetylases masked the increased acetylation. Together, our results demonstrate that active histone modifications occur independently of transcription. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the process of transcription coordinates the removal of these modifications to limit gene activity.
Supply-side relief for the world’s largest coral reef
Authors: Steneck Robert , Jackson Jeremy
Published: February 2025

Zoning to prevent fishing on 30% of the Great Barrier Reef yields 50% more larvae and biomass of coral grouper on fished reefs.
Translocating gut pathobiont
Enterococcus gallinarum
induces T
H
17 and IgG3 anti-RNA–directed autoimmunity in mouse and human
Authors: Gronke Konrad , Nguyen Mytien , Fuhrmann Helen , Santamaria de Souza Noemi , Schumacher Julia , Pereira Márcia S. , Löschberger Ulrike , Brinkhege Anna , Becker Nathalie J. , Yang Yi , Sonnert Nicole , Leopold Shana , Martin Anjelica L. , von Münchow-Klein Lilly , Pessoa Rodrigues Cecilia , Cansever Dilay , Hallet Remy , Richter Kirsten , Schubert David A. , Daniel Guillaume M. , Dylus David , Forkel Marianne , Schwinge Dorothee , Schramm Christoph , Redanz Sylvio , Lassen Kara G. , Manfredo Vieira Silvio , Piali Luca , Palm Noah W. , Bieniossek Christoph , Kriegel Martin A.
Published: February 2025

Chronic autoimmune diseases often lead to long-term sequelae and require lifelong immunosuppression because of an incomplete understanding of the triggers and drivers in genetically predisposed patients. Gut bacteria that escape the gut barrier, known as translocating gut pathobionts, have been implicated as instigators and perpetuators of extraintestinal autoimmune diseases in mice. The gut microbial contributions to autoimmunity in humans remain largely unclear, including whether specific pathological human adaptive immune responses are triggered by such pathobionts. Here, we show that the translocating pathobiont
Enterococcus gallinarum
can induce both human and mouse interferon-γ
+
T helper 17 (T
H
17) differentiation and immunoglobulin G3 (IgG3) subclass switch of anti–
E. gallinarum
RNA antibodies, which correlated with anti-human RNA autoantibody responses in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune hepatitis, two extraintestinal autoimmune diseases.
E. gallinarum
RNA, but not human RNA, triggered Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8), and TLR8-mediated human monocyte activation promoted human T
H
17 induction by
E. gallinarum
. Translocation of the pathobiont triggered increased anti-RNA autoantibody titers that correlated with renal autoimmune pathophysiology in murine gnotobiotic lupus models and with disease activity in patients with SLE. These studies elucidate cellular mechanisms of how a translocating gut pathobiont induces systemic human T cell– and B cell–dependent autoimmune responses and provide a framework for developing host- and microbiota-derived biomarkers and targeted therapies in autoimmune diseases.
No tolerance for
Pseudomonas
in lung transplants
Authors: Guerrero-Fonseca Idaira M. , Yipp Bryan G.
Published: February 2025

Pseudomonas
infection after lung transplantation induces acute intragraft lymphocytotoxicity that promotes antibody-mediated rejection in mice (Liao
et al.
, this issue).
Arginine accumulation suppresses heat production during fermentation of the biocontrol fungus
Beauveria bassiana
Authors: Wu Tong , Zhan Fangfang , Zeng Liqiong , Sun Yanli , Fu Shihui , Fang Yu , Lin Xiaochun , Lin Haoyu , Su Jun , Cai Shouping
Published: February 2025

Beauveria bassiana
(
Bb
) is one of the most widely used biocontrol agents, and its products constitute more than one-third of the global market share of fungal insecticides. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is widely used in the production of
Beauveria bassiana
(
Bb
) because of its economic practicality and high production efficiency. However, the heat generated during fermentation can sharply reduce both the yield and quality of
Bb
, and current industrial methods to mitigate high temperatures during fermentation are inadequate, leading to increased production costs. Thus, exploring the underlying mechanism of how heat is produced by
Bb
is crucial for improving the SSF procedure and yield. This study employed multiomics data analysis of
Bb
during SSF to explore the relationships between fungal fermentation and environmental factors. We found that the heat production period for SSF was 12 hours to 48 hours post-inoculation. To further explore the underlying mechanism during this heating period, we identified 454 temperature-correlated metabolites (TCMs) and 1,994 temperature-correlated genes (TCGs). Annotations of the above TCMs and TCGs revealed significant enrichment in the arginine biosynthesis pathway; specifically, the expression level of glutamine synthetase, a TCG, decreased with fermentation time, whereas the expression levels of the TCGs L-arginine and L–glutamine increased with fermentation time, and glutamine synthetase and L-glutamine in the arginine biosynthesis pathway cycle produced the end product L-arginine. Furthermore, when the substrates of the SSF were treated with exogenous arginine, the temperature peak of the SSF significantly decreased with increasing concentration of exogenously added arginine.

IMPORTANCE

A large amount of experimental evidence from the field has shown that
Bb
is an irreplaceable mature product that protects the health of our agriculture and ecosystem. In addition to high efficiency and host extensiveness, low cost is a critical merit that makes
Bb
products frequently used in the field. However, the growing cost of power and labor in the
Bb
industry, especially the SSF procedure, has significantly increased the price of its products, thus restricting the use of
Bb
in the field. This study not only fills the theoretical knowledge gaps concerning the molecular basis of the interrelationship between
Bb
and the fermentation environment during SSF but also provides an economical and applicable strategy (the addition of arginine to the fermentation media) to further lower the cost and increase the yield of
Bb
during SSF at the industrial level.
Would global warming bring an increase of invertebrate-associated cutaneous invasive fungal infections?
Authors: Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P. , Casadevall Arturo
Published: February 2025

Invasive mold-associated cutaneous disease is a rare but potentially catastrophic consequence of trauma. However, invertebrate bites are not well recognized as a mechanism for the inoculation of fungi into subcutaneous tissue that can also result in severe infections. Invertebrates often carry fungi with human pathogenic potential as part of their microbiome, and bites break the skin, providing a conduit for them to penetrate subcutaneous tissues where the establishment of infection can produce serious skin and soft tissue fungal diseases. In this essay, we review the existing data for invertebrate bite-associated cutaneous invasive fungal infections (IBA-cIFIs) and consider the potential consequences of global warming on their epidemiology. Climate changes will be associated with changes in the range of invertebrates and adaptation of their associated microbes to warmer temperatures. Fungal adaptation to higher temperatures can defeat the mammalian protective barrier and be associated with both more and different IBA-cIFIs.
Study of the probability of resistance to phage infection in a collection of clinical isolates of
P
s
eudomonas aeruginosa
in relation to the presence of Pf phages
Authors: Blasco Lucía , Ibarguren-Quiles Clara , López-Causape Carla , Armán Lucía , Barrio-Pujante Antonio , Bleriot Inés , Pacios Olga , Fernández-García Laura , Ortiz-Cartagena Concha , Cantόn Rafael , Oliver Antonio , Tomás María
Published: February 2025

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a bacterial pathogen that is a major cause of lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) and other patients. Isolates of
P. aeruginosa
from CF patients commonly carry filamentous phages (Pf phages), which constitute a family of temperate phages known to be related to biofilm production and antibiotic sequestration. In this study, we identified 12 new Pf phage genomes in a collection of clinical isolates of
P. aeruginosa
from CF patients. Study of the anti-phage defense systems in the bacterial isolates revealed the presence of 89 such systems, of which eight were encoded in the Pf phage genomes. Finally, although a weak relation between resistance to phage infection and the number of anti-phage defense systems was detected, it was observed that the phage resistance was related to the presence of Pf phages and the anti-phage defense systems encoded in these phages.

IMPORTANCE

Bacteria harbor a wide range of defense mechanisms to avoid phage infections that hamper the application of phage therapy because they can lead to the rapid acquisition of phage resistance. In this study, eight anti-phage defense systems were found in the genome of 12 Pf phages that were presents in 56% of the CF isolates of
P. aeruginosa
. The high prevalence of these phages underlines the importance of our findings about newly discovered filamentous phages and the role of these phages in resistance to phage infections. Thus, the knowledge of the anti-defense system in the Pf phage genomes could be useful in assessing the possible application of phage therapy to treat an infectious disease.
Closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean and amalgamation of the northern part of the East Asian continent in the latest Paleozoic: Evidence from the Xingshuwa ophiolitic mélange in southeastern Inner Mongolia
Authors: Liu Jianfeng , Li Jinyi , Zhang Wenlong , Zhao Shuo , Yin Dongfang , Zheng Peixi
Published: February 2025

The location and timing of the development of the suture zone between the Siberian and North China paleoplates in the northern part of the East Asian continent are controversial. This work involved petrological, geochronological, and geochemical analyses of the Xingshuwa ophiolitic mélange to determine the tectonic affinity of the Xar Moron River ophiolite belt and place further constraints on the late Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the northern part of the East Asian continent. Geological mapping and petrological analyses revealed various sizes of serpentinite, gabbro, basalt, chert, and oceanic-island/seamount and sandstone blocks, which represent a dismembered ophiolite and oceanic plate stratigraphy (OPS) above the ophiolite, in the matrix of deformed sandstones and siltstones. Geochemical analysis revealed multiple types of ophiolites and chert blocks in the mélange. The diversity of ophiolite and OPS components suggests that they represent fragments of a broad oceanic basin like today’s Pacific Ocean. Zircon U-Pb dating revealed that some ophiolite blocks formed in the Early Permian, and the youngest zircons in the matrix formed in the middle‒Late Permian. Based on zircon U-Pb dating and regional geological data, the emplacement of the Xingshuwa ophiolitic mélange occurred in the Late Permian‒Early Triassic. Compared with the other ophiolite belts in the southeastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), the Xar Moron River ophiolite belt has the youngest formation age, which is similar to that of the Solonker ophiolite belt. The Solonker‒Xar Moron River ophiolite belt is suggested to represent the final suture zone between the Siberian and North China paleoplates, and indicates that the Paleo-Asian Ocean closed in the Late Permian‒Early Triassic.
Supplemental Material: Age-controlled south polar floral trends show a staggered Early Triassic gymnosperm recovery following the end-Permian event
Authors: Amores Marcos , al. et
Published: February 2025

Data repository can be found in Table S1. Additional palynomorph specimen details (e.g., England Finder location) are in Table S2. Authorities of mentioned plant microfossil taxa are in Table S3. Statistical summary of stable carbon isotopes and total organic matter is in Table S4. Review of the expected microfloras found in the Sydney Basin from the Lopingian to the Anisian is in Table S5. Location of analyzed borehole sites is in Figure S1. Cluster analysis of floral groupings is in Figure S2. Shepard plot for ordination data analysis goodness-of-fit is in Figure S3. Examples of putative reworked plant microfossils are in Figure S4. Unconformity between the Wombarra Claystone and Scarborough Sandstone is in Figure S5.
The effectiveness and risks of Treating people with Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis with the Addition of Lansoprazole (TIPAL): study protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled multicentre clinical trial
Authors: Jones Megan , Cahn Anthony , Chaudhuri Nazia , Clark Allan B , Forrest Ian , Hammond Matthew , Jones Stephen , Maher Toby M , Parfrey Helen , Raghu Ganesh , Simpson A John , Smith Jaclyn Ann , Spencer Lisa G , Thickett David , Vale Luke , Wahed Shajahan , Ward Christopher , Wilson Andrew M
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive fibrotic lung disease frequently complicated by gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Although several observational studies and a pilot study have investigated the role of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in IPF, their efficacy is unknown and there is much debate in international IPF guidelines on their use. We aim to undertake an adequately powered double-blind placebo-controlled randomised multicentre clinical trial to assess the change in forced vital capacity (FVC), cough and other important patient-reported outcomes, following 12-month therapy with PPIs in people with IPF.

Methods and analysis

A total of 298 patients with IPF diagnosed by a multidisciplinary team according to international guidelines who are not receiving PPIs will be enrolled. Patients are randomised equally to receive two capsules of lansoprazole or two placebo capsules, two times per day for 12 months. The primary outcome for the trial is change in FVC, measured at home, between the first week and last week of the study period. Secondary assessments include cough frequency (in a subgroup) measured using the VitaloJAK cough monitor, the King’s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease questionnaire, the Raghu Scale for Pulmonary Fibrosis, Medical Research Council dyspnoea score, EQ-5D-5L, Leicester Cough Questionnaire, modified DeMeester reflux symptoms questionnaire and opportunistically captured routine lung function measurements. High-resolution CT scoring will be undertaken in a subgroup. The trial is designed to determine whether treating people with IPF with lansoprazole will reduce the reduction in FVC over a year. The COVID-19 pandemic required the study to be undertaken as a remote trial.

Ethics and dissemination

This study received ethical approval from the East of England Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee (reference 20/EE/0043; integrated research application system number 269050). Trial results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal upon completion.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN13526307; ClinicalTrials.govNCT04965298.
Experiences of health information-seeking behaviour in preoperative patients with lung cancer: a qualitative study in China
Authors: Guo Jiayi , Zhu Jie , Huang Lihua , Li Wei , Ye Man
Published: February 2025

Objective

Surgery represents the primary therapeutic modality for lung cancer, typically administered promptly following diagnosis. Accessing pertinent information and making well-informed decisions are imperative to navigate this challenging stage. This study aimed to explore preoperative lung cancer patients’ experiences related to health information-seeking process, based on the information and methodological characteristics of health information-seeking behaviour (HISB).

Design

The study used a qualitative descriptive design, adhering to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines. 23 participants were purposively selected for semistructured interviews. Data analysis was conducted using inductive conventional content analysis.

Setting

The study was conducted in the thoracic surgery ward of a tertiary hospital located in China.

Participants

A total of 23 participants, consisting of 12 males and 11 females, were recruited. Eligible participants were patients with lung cancer aged 18 and above, capable of articulate expression, informed about their diagnosis, preparing for surgical intervention and willing to engage voluntarily in the study.

Results

Four main categories were identified. Participants exhibited different psychological coping strategies and personalised health information needs in their information-seeking behaviour. Challenges emerged in comprehending and assessing factors related to lung cancer, treatment alternatives, surgical complications, online media resources and preoperative exercise protocols. The importance of preoperative respiratory training was often underestimated. Additionally, some participants displayed a tendency to passively receive information, thereby impeding their ability to effectively self-manage throughout the perioperative stage.

Conclusions

Understanding the experiences in HISB is crucial for improving the health outcomes of patients with lung cancer. Healthcare providers should adopt a patient-centred approach to health education, with a targeted effort to recognise and mitigate specific barriers in clinical practice. Further research is needed to explore effective strategies aimed at augmenting health information-seeking process among patients with lung cancer before surgery.
Perceptions of healthcare professionals on the use of a risk prediction model to inform atrial fibrillation screening: qualitative interview study in English primary care
Authors: Hamilton Ellen , Shone Lydia , Reynolds Catherine , Wu Jianhua , Nadarajah Ramesh , Gale Chris
Published: February 2025

Objectives

There is increasing interest in guiding atrial fibrillation (AF) screening by risk rather than age. The perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards the implementation of risk prediction models to target AF screening are unknown. We aimed to explore HCP perceptions about using risk prediction models for this purpose, and how models could be implemented.

Design

Semistructured interviews with HCPs engaged in the Future Innovations in Novel Detection of AF (FIND-AF) study. Data were thematically analysed and synthesised to understand barriers and facilitators to AF screening and guiding screening using risk assessment.

Setting

Five primary care practices in England taking part in the FIND-AF study.

Participants

15 HCPs (doctors, nurses/nurse practitioners, healthcare assistants, receptionists and practice managers).

Results

Participants knew the health implications of AF and were supportive of the risk prediction models for AF screening. Four main themes developed: (1) health implications of AF, (2) positives and negatives of risk prediction in AF screening, (3) strategies to implement a risk prediction model and (4) barriers and facilitators to risk-guided AF screening. HCPs thought risk-guided AF screening would improve patient outcomes by reducing AF-related stroke, and this outweighed concerns over health anxiety and the impact on workload. Pop-up notifications and practice worklists were the main suggestions for risk-guided screening implementation and for this to be predominantly run by administrative staff. Many recommended the need for educating staff on AF and the prediction models to help aid the implementation of a clear protocol for longitudinal follow-up of high-risk patients and communication of risk.

Conclusions

Overall, HCPs participating in the FIND-AF study were supportive of using risk prediction to guide AF screening and willing to take on extra workload to facilitate risk-guided AF screening. The best pathway design and the method of how risk is communicated to patients require further consideration.

Trial registration number

NCT05898165.
Evidence for regional anesthesia in preventing chronic postsurgical pain
Authors: Elsharkawy Hesham , Clark J David , El-Boghdadly Kariem
Published: February 2025

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a common adverse outcome following surgical procedures. Despite ongoing research, the risk factors and effective strategies for mitigating CPSP remain uncertain. Regional anesthesia is a potentially beneficial yet debated intervention for mitigating the risk of CPSP. This review will delve into the mechanistic aspects of regional anesthesia and critically assess the current literature to provide a thorough understanding of its role and effectiveness. The incidence and severity of CPSP are linked to nerve damage, neuroplastic changes and immunological responses. Although numerous mechanisms contributing to CPSP have been identified, translational research is sparse, and findings are often inconsistent. Evidence suggests that regional anesthetic techniques could have a role in reducing CPSP risk across various clinical scenarios. Techniques studied include wound infiltration, peripheral nerve blocks, fascial plane blocks, thoracic paravertebral blocks and epidural anesthesia. Current data indicate that epidural anesthesia might decrease CPSP risk following thoracotomy, wound infiltration may be effective after major breast surgery and cesarean delivery, and serratus anterior plane block or pectoralis/interpectoral plane blocks might be beneficial in breast surgery. However, the existing evidence is limited and marked by several constraints especially the multifactorial causes, underscoring the need for further research in this area.
Innovations in acute and chronic pain biomarkers: enhancing diagnosis and personalized therapy
Authors: Mackey Sean , Aghaeepour Nima , Gaudilliere Brice , Kao Ming-Chih , Kaptan Merve , Lannon Edward , Pfyffer Dario , Weber Kenneth
Published: February 2025

Pain affects millions worldwide, posing signiﬁcant challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Despite advances in understanding pain mechanisms, there remains a critical need for validated biomarkers to enhance diagnosis, prognostication, and personalized therapy. This review synthesizes recent advancements in identifying and validating acute and chronic pain biomarkers, including imaging, molecular, sensory, and neurophysiological approaches. We emphasize the emergence of composite, multimodal strategies that integrate psychosocial factors to improve the precision and applicability of biomarkers in chronic pain management. Neuroimaging techniques like MRI and positron emission tomography provide insights into structural and functional abnormalities related to pain, while electrophysiological methods like electroencepholography and magnetoencepholography assess dysfunctional processing in the pain neuroaxis. Molecular biomarkers, including cytokines, proteomics, and metabolites, offer diagnostic and prognostic potential, though extensive validation is needed. Integrating these biomarkers with psychosocial factors into clinical practice can revolutionize pain management by enabling personalized treatment strategies, improving patient outcomes, and potentially reducing healthcare costs. Future directions include the development of composite biomarker signatures, advances in artiﬁcial intelligence, and biomarker signature integration into clinical decision support systems. Rigorous validation and standardization efforts are also necessary to ensure these biomarkers are clinically useful. Large-scale collaborative research will be vital to driving progress in this ﬁeld and implementing these biomarkers in clinical practice. This comprehensive review highlights the potential of biomarkers to transform acute and chronic pain management, offering hope for improved diagnosis, treatment personalization, and patient outcomes.