bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Midfrontal theta reactivity to conflict and error are linked to externalizing and internalizing respectively
Authors: Neo Phoebe S.-H. , Shadli Shabah M. , McNaughton Neil , Sellbom Martin
Published: April 2024

Dimensional psychopathology scores measure symptom severity; cutting across disorder categories. Their clinical utility is high given comorbidity, but their neural basis is unclear. We used scalp electroencephalography (EEG) to concurrently assess neural activity across internalizing and externalizing traits. “Theta rhythm” (4–7 Hz) spectral power at the frontal midline site Fz in specific goal conflict and action error phases within a trial of a Stop-Signal Task was extracted using process-specific contrasts. A final sample of 146 community participants (63 males, 83 females; mean age = 36; SD = 9; range = 18 – 56), oversampled for externalizing disorder (49% diagnosed with a DSM-5 externalizing disorder), also supplied psychopathology and personality data. We used the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory−3 (MMPI-3) to measure symptoms and traits of psychopathology. An MMPI-3 measure of the higher-order internalizing psychopathology spectrum was positively correlated with action error theta. An MMPI-3 measure of the higher-order spectrum of externalizing psychopathology was negatively correlated with goal-conflict theta. We showed that goal-conflict and error theta activity are higher-order processes that index psychopathology severity. The associations extend into the nominally healthy range, and so reflect theta-related factors that apply to the general population as well as patients with sub-threshold diagnoses.
THREE LATE FIFTEENTH- EARLY SIXTEENTH-CENTURY CHAPEL FURNISHINGS BELONGING TO THE EDGCUMBE FAMILY IN CORNWALL
Authors: Gentle Nicola Jane
Published: April 2024

This study documents three chapel furnishings dating from around 1500 belonging to the Edgcumbe family at Cotehele, Cornwall, south-west England, and discusses their survival during the Protestant Reformation and beyond. The textiles were exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries of London by W H St John Hope, FSA and the text of his presentation was published in the Proceedings of the Society in 1912–13. The present article brings together the numerous other historic writings concerning the textiles. Their possible origins are explored and assessed in context with pieces of similar date. Observations of their original making and later changes are recorded, while interpretations by historians of this period are put forward for consideration. The rarity of survival of the textiles and their documented history is acknowledged.
ELECTION OF JUDGES TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE: PROPOSALS FOR REFORM WITHOUT AMENDING THE STATUTE
Authors: Oyarzabal Mario JA
Published: April 2024

In November 2023 the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and Security Council elected (in one case, re-elected) five judges to the International Court of Justice. The electoral system is considered to be overly politicized and to pay lip service to the requirements that judges must be elected on the basis of their qualifications, regardless of their nationality, and that in the body as a whole, the representation of the main forms of civilization and the principal legal systems of the world should be assured. Several amendments to the system of nominations and elections have been proposed that would require a reform of the Court's Statute. This article proposes four measures that could be adopted without amending the Statute or encroaching on the prerogatives of national groups, UN organs or Member States: (1) ensure the representation of the principal legal systems, in part by promoting regional diversity on the bench; (2) remove the use of nationality as a factor in casual elections; (3) establish a vetting process and public hearings; and (4) promote a single vote for Security Council members. It argues that the measures proposed would lead to a change in the present culture of nominations and elections towards one that favours the qualification of the judges over political considerations.
Coronavirus disease 2019 status and related anxiety levels in cases undergoing total laryngectomy
Authors: Hazir Burak , Kemaloğlu Yusuf Kemal , Eker Alparslan , Düzlü Mehmet
Published: April 2024

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate rate of the COVID-19 disease, its severity, mortality rate and anxiety levels in subjects who underwent total laryngectomy.

Methods

The subjects who underwent total laryngectomy were included in the study. The data were first obtained retrospectively and then a telephone survey was applied. Anxiety levels was evaluated by the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS).

Results

A total of 54 subjects were included in the study. Nine (16.7%) males were reported to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. Five (55%) of them were hospitalized; 2 of them (22%) were taken to intensive care units, and one subject (11%) died. Although a tendency to increase risk of COVID-19 disease in the tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis users (23.1% vs 14.63%) was observed, statistically difference was not significant. The average total CAS score was significantly higher in those who had COVID-19.

Conclusion

The data documented that people who underwent total laryngectomy developed more frequent and more severe COVID-19 disease and had a higher mortality rate. Although no obvious variable was found, our data suggest that using a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis may be somewhat effective. Besides, our subjects presented very low anxiety about COVID-19.
Successful oral midodrine therapy for treatment of refractory postoperative chylothorax in an infant
Authors: Nukaga Shunsuke , Numano Fujito , Saitoh Akihiko
Published: April 2024

Refractory chylothorax, a postoperative complication of CHD, is difficult to manage and sometimes fatal. Herein, we report the case of a 10-month-old infant with 22-mosaic trisomy and a coarctation complex, who developed refractory chylothorax after cardiac repairs and was successfully treated with midodrine, an oral alpha-1-adrenoreceptor agonist. Midodrine may be used as adjunctive therapy for postoperative refractory chylothorax.
Three perspectives on enabling local actions for the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Authors: Ningrum Dianty , Malekpour Shirin , Raven Rob , Moallemi Enayat A. , Bonar Gary
Published: April 2024

Non-Technical Summary

Enabling local adoption of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is important to accelerate global efforts to achieve sustainable development. However, local governments have plural perspectives on how to engage with the SDGs. In this paper, we identify three perspectives on how to enable local SDGs based on cases of nine local governments in Australia. We emphasize the need for seeing local SDG adoption as contextualized and actor-driven processes.

Technical Summary

Local governments worldwide are taking the initiative to engage with sustainable development goals (SDGs) despite the absence of a globally coordinated guideline on local SDGs actions. With less than a decade until its 2030 deadline, a more targeted and nuanced approach to enabling local SDG actions is needed. In this paper, we argue that there is a need to look at local SDG actions as an actor-driven process where agency, contexts, purpose, and dynamics co-evolve and shape the outcome of the process. Using Q-methodology, we explore different perspectives on what enables local SDGs actions in nine local governments in Australia. Three perspectives in enabling local SDG actions emerged from the study: (1) ‘Enablers should support institutional embeddedness of the SDGs’, (2) ‘Enablers should support stakeholder coordination for the SDGs’, and (3) ‘Enablers should support community engagement for the SDGs’. Each perspective has preferred enablers, contextualized within certain ways of engaging with the SDGs, certain views of the SDGs, and specific local contexts and capacities. This study provides insights to contextualize knowledge in current literature to enable local SDG actions.

Social media summary

Many understand that the local adoption of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is not a one-shoe-fits-all process, but what are some of the plurality in local SDG adoptions? In this paper, we identify three perspectives on enabling the SDGs based on nine local governments in Australia.
The Way She Moves: Political Repositioning and Gender Stereotypes
Authors: Meijers Maurits J.
Published: April 2024

Research on policy shifts has found that repositioning can be costly as it affects candidates’ perceived honesty, reliability, and competence. It remains unclear, however, whether a politician’s gender affects perceptions of repositioning. Research on gender stereotypes has found that while male politicians are viewed as more competent, decisive, and displaying strong leadership, female politicians are believed to be more honest. Applying expectancy-violation theory, I test the hypothesis that the reputational cost of repositioning is more pronounced for female politicians in a preregistered survey experiment fielded on a large convenience sample in Flanders, Belgium (n = 6,957). I find that while frequent repositioning is evaluated negatively, the negative effect of repositioning is not more pronounced for female candidates than for male candidates on most outcome measures.
Identifying Careless Responding in Web-Based Surveys
Authors: Pokropek Artur , Żółtak Tomasz , Muszyński Marek
Published: April 2024

Abstract: The increasing use of web-based surveys in social sciences research has brought forth the challenge of effectively identifying and managing inattentive/careless responding. The existing detection methods have shown limited success, highlighting the need for improved methodologies. This study introduces a novel approach that utilizes time-stamped action sequence data of mouse movements and employs deep learning models to detect careless responding. It introduces the concept of Approximate Areas of Interest (AAOIs) along with the application of Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs) and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) models. This research presents a flexible and efficient tool that can be applied across different scales and survey contexts. The results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed approach in identifying group membership, achieving up to 95% accuracy when tested on experimental data with induced inattentiveness. The presented approach offers a potentially promising tool for overcoming the pervasive challenge of detecting careless responding in computer-based surveys.
An Extreme Auroral Electrojet Spike During 2023 April 24th Storm
Authors: Zou Ying , Gjerloev Jesper W. , Ohtani Shin , Friel Matt , Liang Jun , Lyons Larry L. , Shen Yangyang , Liu Jiang , Chen Li‐Jen , Ferdousi Banafsheh , Chartier Alex , Vines Sarah , Waters Colin L.
Published: April 2024

Abrupt variations of auroral electrojets can induce geomagnetically induced currents, and the ability to model and forecast them is a pressing goal of space weather research. We report an auroral electrojet spike event that is extreme in magnitude, explosive in nature, and global in spatial extent that occurred on 24 April 2023. The event serves as a fundamental test of our understanding of the response of the geospace system to solar wind dynamics. Our results illustrate new and important characteristics that are drastically different from existing knowledge. Most important findings include (a) the event was only of ∼5‐min duration and was limited to a narrow (2°–3°) band of diffuse aurora; (b) the longitudinal span covered the entire nightside sector, possibly extending to the dayside; (c) the trigger seems to be a transient solar wind dynamic pressure pulse. In comparison, substorms usually last 1–2 hr and span almost the entire latitudinal width of the auroral oval. Magnetic perturbation events (MPEs) span hundreds km in radius. Both substorms and MPEs are mainly driven by disturbances in the magnetotail. A possible explanation is that the pressure pulse compresses the magnetosphere and enhances diffuse precipitation of electrons and protons from the inner plasma sheet, which elevates the ionospheric conductivity and intensifies the auroral electrojet. Therefore, the event exhibits a potentially new type of geomagnetic disturbance and highlights a solar wind driver that is enormously influential in driving extreme space weather events.
A Mixture Model With Slip Velocity for Saturated Granular‐Liquid Free‐Surface Flows
Authors: Tang Jinbo , Lin Pengzhi , Cui Peng
Published: April 2024

In this paper, a model is presented for modeling saturated granular‐liquid free‐surface flows, in which the volume‐averaged mixture bulk velocity is employed to derive the balance equations for the mass and momentum of mixture flow. Additionally, an evolution equation of the slip velocity between granular‐and liquid constituents is derived to describe the separation between these constituents. The frictional‐collisional constitutive relation for granular‐constituent is employed to determine the stress due to particles interaction. The governing equations for mixture flows are numerically solved by a finite difference two‐step projection method. The volume of fluid (VOF) method is employed to track the free surface of the mixture flow in the present numerical model. Good agreements between numerical results and experimental data are observed by modeling the dam‐break process of granular‐liquid mixture flow, dam‐break waves over the saturated erodible beds and surge waves induced by submarine landslides along an inclined plane. Furthermore, the difference between the volume‐averaged mixture bulk velocity and mass‐averaged mixture bulk velocity is found to vary as the instinct density ratio of granular‐constituent and liquid‐constituent and the volumetric concentration ns of the granular‐constituent, and the evolution in the slip velocity during the process of the settlement of sediments is numerically analyzed.
Mars Mission’s Monetary Roller Coaster Hits New Lows
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: April 2024

In February, the NASA research center laid off more than 500 people, citing congressional budget uncertainties over the controversial Mars Sample Return mission. What is its path forward?
Viral remodeling of the 4D nucleome
Authors: Kim Kyoung-Dong , Lieberman Paul M.
Published: April 2024

The dynamic spatial organization of genomes across time, referred to as the four-dimensional nucleome (4DN), is a key component of gene regulation and biological fate. Viral infections can lead to a reconfiguration of viral and host genomes, impacting gene expression, replication, latency, and oncogenic transformation. This review provides a summary of recent research employing three-dimensional genomic methods such as Hi–C, 4C, ChIA-PET, and HiChIP in virology. We review how viruses induce changes in gene loop formation between regulatory elements, modify chromatin accessibility, and trigger shifts between A and B compartments in the host genome. We highlight the central role of cellular chromatin organizing factors, such as CTCF and cohesin, that reshape the 3D structure of both viral and cellular genomes. We consider how viral episomes, viral proteins, and viral integration sites can alter the host epigenome and how host cell type and conditions determine viral epigenomes. This review consolidates current knowledge of the diverse host-viral interactions that impact the 4DN.
Butyrate and iso-butyrate: a new perspective on nutrition prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Han Weiling , Wang Jia , Yan Xin , Liu Cheng , Huang Junhua , Zhang Lirui , Zhang Yujie , Zhao Yiqing , Hou Yanmei , Zheng Wei , Li Guanghui
Published: April 2024

Background

Dietary imbalance, such as a lower proportion of complex carbohydrates and a higher protein diet, may contribute to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risks through their metabolisms. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the association between butyrate, iso-butyrate, and GDM, which are metabolisms of the two primary nutrients above. This study aimed to clarify the association of butyrate and iso-butyrate with GDM.

Methods

A nested case–control study was conducted based on the Beijing Birth Cohort Study (BBCS) from 2017 to 2018. Totally, 99 singleton women were involved (GDM: n = 49, control: n = 50). All participants provided blood samples twice (in their first and second trimesters). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for butyrate and iso-butyrate detection. Unconditional logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used for statistical analysis.

Results

The results showed that butyrate in the first trimester was negatively correlated with GDM (odds ratio (OR): 0.00, 95% confidential interval (CI): 0.00–0.21, P = 0.008), and iso-butyrate in the second trimester was positively related to GDM (OR: 627.68, 95% CI: 40.51–9724.56, P < 0.001). The ratio (butyrate/iso-butyrate) was negatively associated with GDM, both in the first trimester (OR: 0.00, 95%CI: 0.00–0.05, P < 0.001) and in the second trimester (OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.34–0.80, P = 0.003). The area under the curve (AUC) using the ratio in the first trimester combined with clinical risk factors achieved 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83–0.95). Iso-butyrate in the second trimester combined with clinical risk factors achieved an AUC of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.92–1.00).

Conclusions

High iso-butyrate and low butyrate levels may be associated with an increased risk of GDM. As they are produced through dietary nutrient formation by gut microbiota, further studies on the association of dietary intake and butyrate or iso-butyrate concentration in plasma may help find a novel approach to nutritional intervention for GDM.
Dysfunction of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor latrophilin 1 (ADGRL1/LPHN1) increases the risk of obesity
Authors: Dietzsch André Nguyen , Al-Hasani Hadi , Altschmied Joachim , Bottermann Katharina , Brendler Jana , Haendeler Judith , Horn Susanne , Kaczmarek Isabell , Körner Antje , Krause Kerstin , Landgraf Kathrin , Le Duc Diana , Lehmann Laura , Lehr Stefan , Pick Stephanie , Ricken Albert , Schnorr Rene , Schulz Angela , Strnadová Martina , Velluva Akhil , Zabri Heba , Schöneberg Torsten , Thor Doreen , Prömel Simone
Published: April 2024

Obesity is one of the diseases with severe health consequences and rapidly increasing worldwide prevalence. Understanding the complex network of food intake and energy balance regulation is an essential prerequisite for pharmacological intervention with obesity. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are among the main modulators of metabolism and energy balance. They, for instance, regulate appetite and satiety in certain hypothalamic neurons, as well as glucose and lipid metabolism and hormone secretion from adipocytes. Mutations in some GPCRs, such as the melanocortin receptor type 4 (MC4R), have been associated with early-onset obesity. Here, we identified the adhesion GPCR latrophilin 1 (ADGRL1/LPHN1) as a member of the regulating network governing food intake and the maintenance of energy balance. Deficiency of the highly conserved receptor in mice results in increased food consumption and severe obesity, accompanied by dysregulation of glucose homeostasis. Consistently, we identified a partially inactivating mutation in human ADGRL1/LPHN1 in a patient suffering from obesity. Therefore, we propose that LPHN1 dysfunction is a risk factor for obesity development.
Multimodal workflows optimally predict response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with schizophrenia: a multisite machine learning analysis
Authors: Dong Mark Sen , Rokicki Jaroslav , Dwyer Dominic , Papiol Sergi , Streit Fabian , Rietschel Marcella , Wobrock Thomas , Müller-Myhsok Bertram , Falkai Peter , Westlye Lars Tjelta , Andreassen Ole A. , Palaniyappan Lena , Schneider-Axmann Thomas , Hasan Alkomiet , Schwarz Emanuel , Koutsouleris Nikolaos
Published: April 2024

The response variability to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) challenges the effective use of this treatment option in patients with schizophrenia. This variability may be deciphered by leveraging predictive information in structural MRI, clinical, sociodemographic, and genetic data using artificial intelligence. We developed and cross-validated rTMS response prediction models in patients with schizophrenia drawn from the multisite RESIS trial. The models incorporated pre-treatment sMRI, clinical, sociodemographic, and polygenic risk score (PRS) data. Patients were randomly assigned to receive active (N = 45) or sham (N = 47) rTMS treatment. The prediction target was individual response, defined as ≥20% reduction in pre-treatment negative symptom sum scores of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Our multimodal sequential prediction workflow achieved a balanced accuracy (BAC) of 94% (non-responders: 92%, responders: 95%) in the active-treated group and 50% in the sham-treated group. The clinical, clinical + PRS, and sMRI-based classifiers yielded BACs of 65%, 76%, and 80%, respectively. Apparent sadness, inability to feel, educational attainment PRS, and unemployment were most predictive of non-response in the clinical + PRS model, while grey matter density reductions in the default mode, limbic networks, and the cerebellum were most predictive in the sMRI model. Our sequential modelling approach provided superior predictive performance while minimising the diagnostic burden in the clinical setting. Predictive patterns suggest that rTMS responders may have higher levels of brain grey matter in the default mode and salience networks which increases their likelihood of profiting from plasticity-inducing brain stimulation methods, such as rTMS. The future clinical implementation of our models requires findings to be replicated at the international scale using stratified clinical trial designs.
A potential strategy for bladder cancer treatment: inhibiting autophagy to enhance antitumor effects of Nectin-4-MMAE
Authors: Wang Yichen , Nan Yanyang , Ma Chunguang , Lu Xiaolin , Wang Qian , Huang Xiting , Xue Wenjing , Fan Jiajun , Ju Dianwen , Ye Dingwei , Zhang Xuyao
Published: April 2024

Research and development on Nectin-4 antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) have been greatly accelerated since the approval of enfortumab vedotin to treat uroepithelial cancer. During the course of this study, we identified that autophagy serves as a cytoprotective mechanism during Nectin-4-MMAE treatment and proposed a strategy to enhance the antitumor effects of Nectin-4-MMAE in bladder cancer. Nectin-4-MMAE rapidly internalized into bladder cancer cells in 30 minutes and released MMAE, inducing the onset of caspase-mediated apoptosis and leading to the inhibition of tumor cell growth. Transcriptomics showed significant alterations in autophagy-associated genes in bladder cancer cells treated with Nectin-4-MMAE, which suggested autophagy was activated by Nectin-4-MMAE. Furthermore, autophagy activation was characterized by ultrastructural analysis of autophagosome accumulation, immunofluorescence of autophagic flux, and immunoblotting autophagy marker proteins SQSTM1 and LC3 I/II. Importantly, inhibiting autophagy by LY294002 and chloroquine significantly enhances the cytotoxicity effects of Nectin-4-MMAE in bladder cancer cells. Additionally, we detected the participation of the AKT/mTOR signaling cascade in the induction of autophagy by Nectin-4-MMAE. The combination of Nectin-4-MMAE and an autophagy inhibitor demonstrated enhanced antitumor effects in the HT1376 xenograft tumor model. After receiving a single dose of Nectin-4-MMAE, the group that received the combination treatment showed a significant decrease in tumor size compared to the group that received only one type of treatment. Notably, one mouse in the combination treatment group achieved complete remission of the tumor. The combination group exhibited a notable rise in apoptosis and necrosis, as indicated by H&E staining and immunohistochemistry (cleaved caspase-3, ki67). These findings demonstrated the cytoprotective role of autophagy during Nectin-4-MMAE treatment and highlighted the potential of combining Nectin-4-MMAE with autophagy inhibitors for bladder cancer treatment.
Artificial light at night affects the daily profile of pulse pressure and protein expression in the thoracic aorta of rats
Authors: Mauer Sutovska Hana , Obermajer Viktor , Zeman Michal , Molcan Lubos
Published: April 2024

Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts 24-h variability of blood pressure, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown. Therefore, we analysed the daily variability of pulse pressure, the maximum value of acceleration rate of aortic pressure (dP/dt(max)) measured by telemetry and protein expression in the thoracic aorta of normotensive male rats exposed to ALAN (1–2 lx) for 3 weeks. Daily, 24-h variability of pulse pressure and dP/dt(max) was observed during a regular light/dark regimen with higher values during the dark compared to the light phase of the day. ALAN suppressed 24-h variability and enhanced ultradian (<12-h) periods of pulse pressure and dP/dt(max) in duration-dependent manners. From beat-to-beat blood pressure variability, ALAN decreased low-frequency bands (a sympathetic marker) and had minimal effects on high-frequency bands. At the molecular level, ALAN decreased angiotensin II receptor type 1 expression and reduced 24-h variability. ALAN caused the appearance of 12-h oscillations in transforming growth factor β1 and fibulin 4. Expression of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase type 2 was increased in the middle of the light and dark phase of the day, and ALAN did not affect its daily and 12-h variability. In conclusion, ALAN suppressed 24-h variability of pulse pressure and dP/dt(max), decreased the power of low-frequency bands and differentially affected the expression of specific proteins in the rat thoracic aorta. Suppressed 24-h oscillations by ALAN underline the pulsatility of individual endocrine axes with different periods, disrupting the cardiovascular control of central blood pressure.
Numb positively regulates Hedgehog signaling at the ciliary pocket
Authors: Liu Xiaoliang , Yam Patricia T. , Schlienger Sabrina , Cai Eva , Zhang Jingyi , Chen Wei-Ju , Torres Gutierrez Oscar , Jimenez Amilburu Vanesa , Ramamurthy Vasanth , Ting Alice Y. , Branon Tess C. , Cayouette Michel , Gen Risako , Marks Tessa , Kong Jennifer H. , Charron Frédéric , Ge Xuecai
Published: April 2024

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling relies on the primary cilium, a cell surface organelle that serves as a signaling hub for the cell. Using proximity labeling and quantitative proteomics, we identify Numb as a ciliary protein that positively regulates Hh signaling. Numb localizes to the ciliary pocket and acts as an endocytic adaptor to incorporate Ptch1 into clathrin-coated vesicles, thereby promoting Ptch1 exit from the cilium, a key step in Hh signaling activation. Numb loss impedes Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-induced Ptch1 exit from the cilium, resulting in reduced Hh signaling. Numb loss in spinal neural progenitors reduces Shh-induced differentiation into cell fates reliant on high Hh activity. Genetic ablation of Numb in the developing cerebellum impairs the proliferation of granule cell precursors, a Hh-dependent process, resulting in reduced cerebellar size. This study highlights Numb as a regulator of ciliary Ptch1 levels during Hh signal activation and demonstrates the key role of ciliary pocket-mediated endocytosis in cell signaling.
Bat-borne H9N2 influenza virus evades MxA restriction and exhibits efficient replication and transmission in ferrets
Authors: Halwe Nico Joel , Hamberger Lea , Sehl-Ewert Julia , Mache Christin , Schön Jacob , Ulrich Lorenz , Calvelage Sten , Tönnies Mario , Fuchs Jonas , Bandawane Pooja , Loganathan Madhumathi , Abbad Anass , Carreño Juan Manuel , Bermúdez-González Maria C. , Simon Viviana , Kandeil Ahmed , El-Shesheny Rabeh , Ali Mohamed A. , Kayali Ghazi , Budt Matthias , Hippenstiel Stefan , Hocke Andreas C. , Krammer Florian , Wolff Thorsten , Schwemmle Martin , Ciminski Kevin , Hoffmann Donata , Beer Martin
Published: April 2024

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) of subtype H9N2 have reached an endemic stage in poultry farms in the Middle East and Asia. As a result, human infections with avian H9N2 viruses have been increasingly reported. In 2017, an H9N2 virus was isolated for the first time from Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that bat H9N2 is descended from a common ancestor dating back centuries ago. However, the H9 and N2 sequences appear to be genetically similar to current avian IAVs, suggesting recent reassortment events. These observations raise the question of the zoonotic potential of the mammal-adapted bat H9N2. Here, we investigate the infection and transmission potential of bat H9N2 in vitro and in vivo, the ability to overcome the antiviral activity of the human MxA protein, and the presence of N2-specific cross-reactive antibodies in human sera. We show that bat H9N2 has high replication and transmission potential in ferrets, efficiently infects human lung explant cultures, and is able to evade antiviral inhibition by MxA in transgenic B6 mice. Together with its low antigenic similarity to the N2 of seasonal human strains, bat H9N2 fulfils key criteria for pre-pandemic IAVs.
Dietary L-Glu sensing by enteroendocrine cells adjusts food intake via modulating gut PYY/NPF secretion
Authors: Gao Junjun , Zhang Song , Deng Pan , Wu Zhigang , Lemaitre Bruno , Zhai Zongzhao , Guo Zheng
Published: April 2024

Amino acid availability is monitored by animals to adapt to their nutritional environment. Beyond gustatory receptors and systemic amino acid sensors, enteroendocrine cells (EECs) are believed to directly percept dietary amino acids and secrete regulatory peptides. However, the cellular machinery underlying amino acid-sensing by EECs and how EEC-derived hormones modulate feeding behavior remain elusive. Here, by developing tools to specifically manipulate EECs, we find thatDrosophilaneuropeptide F (NPF) from mated female EECs inhibits feeding, similar to human PYY. Mechanistically, dietary L-Glutamate acts through the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR to decelerate calcium oscillations in EECs, thereby causing reduced NPF secretion via dense-core vesicles. Furthermore, two dopaminergic enteric neurons expressing NPFR perceive EEC-derived NPF and relay an anorexigenic signal to the brain. Thus, our findings provide mechanistic insights into how EECs assess food quality and identify a conserved mode of action that explains how gut NPF/PYY modulates food intake.
Emerging trends in chiral inorganic nanomaterials for enantioselective catalysis
Authors: Li Si , Xu Xinxin , Xu Liguang , Lin Hengwei , Kuang Hua , Xu Chuanlai
Published: April 2024

Asymmetric transformations and synthesis have garnered considerable interest in recent decades due to the extensive need for chiral organic compounds in biomedical, agrochemical, chemical, and food industries. The field of chiral inorganic catalysts, garnering considerable interest for its contributions to asymmetric organic transformations, has witnessed remarkable advancements and emerged as a highly innovative research area. Here, we review the latest developments in this dynamic and emerging field to comprehensively understand the advances in chiral inorganic nanocatalysts and stimulate further progress in asymmetric catalysis.
NMR characterization of RNA binding property of the DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3X and its implications for helicase activity
Authors: Toyama Yuki , Shimada Ichio
Published: April 2024

The DEAD-box RNA helicase (DDX) plays a central role in many aspects of RNA metabolism by remodeling the defined structure of RNA molecules. While a number of structural studies have revealed the atomistic details of the interaction between DDX and RNA ligands, the molecular mechanism of how this molecule unwinds a structured RNA into an unstructured single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) has largely remained elusive. This is due to challenges in structurally characterizing the unwinding intermediate state and the lack of thermodynamic details underlying this process. In this study, we use solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to characterize the interaction of human DDX3X, a member of the DDX family, with various RNA ligands. Our results show that the inherent binding affinity of DDX3X for ssRNA is significantly higher than that for structured RNA elements. This preferential binding, accompanied by the formation of a domain-closed conformation in complex with ssRNA, effectively stabilizes the denatured ssRNA state and thus underlies the unwinding activity of DDX3X. Our results provide a thermodynamic and structural basis for the DDX function, whereby DDX can recognize and remodel a distinct set of structured RNAs to participate in a wide range of physiological processes.
Confining single Er3+ ions in sub-3 nm NaYF4 nanoparticles to induce slow relaxation of the magnetisation
Authors: Gálico Diogo A. , Rodrigues Emille M. , Halimi Ilias , Toivola Juho , Zhao He , Xu Jiahui , Moilanen Jani O. , Liu Xiaogang , Hemmer Eva , Murugesu Muralee
Published: April 2024

Molecular systems known as single-molecule magnets (SMMs) exhibit magnet-like behaviour of slow relaxation of the magnetisation and magnetic hysteresis and have potential application in high-density memory storage or quantum computing. Often, their intrinsic magnetic properties are plagued by low-energy molecular vibrations that lead to phonon-induced relaxation processes, however, there is no straightforward synthetic approach for molecular systems that would lead to a small amount of low-energy vibrations and low phonon density of states at the spin-resonance energies. In this work, we apply knowledge accumulated over the last decade in molecular magnetism to nanoparticles, incorporating Er3+ ions in an ultrasmall sub-3 nm diamagnetic NaYF4 nanoparticle (NP) and probing the slow relaxation dynamics intrinsic to the Er3+ ion. Furthermore, by increasing the doping concentration, we also investigate the role of intraparticle interactions within the NP. The knowledge gained from this study is anticipated to enable better design of magnetically high-performance molecular and bulk magnets for a wide variety of applications, such as molecular electronics.
Nanosecond anomaly detection with decision trees and real-time application to exotic Higgs decays
Authors: Roche S. T. , Bayer Q. , Carlson B. T. , Ouligian W. C. , Serhiayenka P. , Stelzer J. , Hong T. M.
Published: April 2024

We present an interpretable implementation of the autoencoding algorithm, used as an anomaly detector, built with a forest of deep decision trees on FPGA, field programmable gate arrays. Scenarios at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN are considered, for which the autoencoder is trained using known physical processes of the Standard Model. The design is then deployed in real-time trigger systems for anomaly detection of unknown physical processes, such as the detection of rare exotic decays of the Higgs boson. The inference is made with a latency value of 30 ns at percent-level resource usage using the Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+ VU9P FPGA. Our method offers anomaly detection at low latency values for edge AI users with resource constraints.
Warming drives dissolved organic carbon export from pristine alpine soils
Authors: Pearson Andrew R. , Fox Bethany R. S. , Hellstrom John C. , Vandergoes Marcus J. , Breitenbach Sebastian F. M. , Drysdale Russell N , Höpker Sebastian N. , Wood Christopher T. , Schiller Martin , Hartland Adam
Published: April 2024

Despite decades of research, the influence of climate on the export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from soil remains poorly constrained, adding uncertainty to global carbon models. The limited temporal range of contemporary monitoring data, ongoing climate reorganisation and confounding anthropogenic activities muddy the waters further. Here, we reconstruct DOC leaching over the last ~14,000 years using alpine environmental archives (two speleothems and one lake sediment core) across 4° of latitude from Te Waipounamu/South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. We selected broadly comparable palaeoenvironmental archives in mountainous catchments, free of anthropogenically-induced landscape changes prior to ~1200 C.E. We show that warmer temperatures resulted in increased allochthonous DOC export through the Holocene, most notably during the Holocene Climatic Optimum (HCO), which was some 1.5–2.5 °C warmer than the late pre-industrial period—then decreased during the cooler mid-Holocene. We propose that temperature exerted the key control on the observed doubling to tripling of soil DOC export during the HCO, presumably via temperature-mediated changes in vegetative soil C inputs and microbial degradation rates. Future warming may accelerate DOC export from mountainous catchments, with implications for the global carbon cycle and water quality.
Efficient ammonia synthesis from the air using tandem non-thermal plasma and electrocatalysis at ambient conditions
Authors: Liu Wei , Xia Mengyang , Zhao Chao , Chong Ben , Chen Jiahe , Li He , Ou Honghui , Yang Guidong
Published: April 2024

While electrochemical N2 reduction presents a sustainable approach to NH3 synthesis, addressing the emission- and energy-intensive limitations of the Haber-Bosch process, it grapples with challenges in N2 activation and competing with pronounced hydrogen evolution reaction. Here we present a tandem air-NOx-NOx−-NH3 system that combines non-thermal plasma-enabled N2 oxidation with Ni(OH)x/Cu-catalyzed electrochemical NOx− reduction. It delivers a high NH3 yield rate of 3 mmol h−1 cm−2 and a corresponding Faradaic efficiency of 92% at −0.25 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in batch experiments, outperforming previously reported ones. Furthermore, in a flow mode concurrently operating the non-thermal plasma and the NOx− electrolyzer, a stable NH3 yield rate of approximately 1.25 mmol h−1 cm−2 is sustained over 100 h using pure air as the intake. Mechanistic studies indicate that amorphous Ni(OH)x on Cu interacts with hydrated K+ in the double layer through noncovalent interactions and accelerates the activation of water, enriching adsorbed hydrogen species that can readily react with N-containing intermediates. In situ spectroscopies and density functional theory (DFT) results reveal that NOx− adsorption and their hydrogenation process are optimized over the Ni(OH)x/Cu surface. This work provides new insights into electricity-driven distributed NH3 production using natural air at ambient conditions.
Purines enrich root-associated Pseudomonas and improve wild soybean growth under salt stress
Authors: Zheng Yanfen , Cao Xuwen , Zhou Yanan , Ma Siqi , Wang Youqiang , Li Zhe , Zhao Donglin , Yang Yanzhe , Zhang Han , Meng Chen , Xie Zhihong , Sui Xiaona , Xu Kangwen , Li Yiqiang , Zhang Cheng-Sheng
Published: April 2024

The root-associated microbiota plays an important role in the response to environmental stress. However, the underlying mechanisms controlling the interaction between salt-stressed plants and microbiota are poorly understood. Here, by focusing on a salt-tolerant plant wild soybean (Glycine soja), we demonstrate that highly conserved microbes dominated by Pseudomonas are enriched in the root and rhizosphere microbiota of salt-stressed plant. Two corresponding Pseudomonas isolates are confirmed to enhance the salt tolerance of wild soybean. Shotgun metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing reveal that motility-associated genes, mainly chemotaxis and flagellar assembly, are significantly enriched and expressed in salt-treated samples. We further find that roots of salt stressed plants secreted purines, especially xanthine, which induce motility of the Pseudomonas isolates. Moreover, exogenous application for xanthine to non-stressed plants results in Pseudomonas enrichment, reproducing the microbiota shift in salt-stressed root. Finally, Pseudomonas mutant analysis shows that the motility related gene cheW is required for chemotaxis toward xanthine and for enhancing plant salt tolerance. Our study proposes that wild soybean recruits beneficial Pseudomonas species by exudating key metabolites (i.e., purine) against salt stress.
Travel surveillance uncovers dengue virus dynamics and introductions in the Caribbean
Authors: Taylor-Salmon Emma , Hill Verity , Paul Lauren M. , Koch Robert T. , Breban Mallery I. , Chaguza Chrispin , Sodeinde Afeez , Warren Joshua L. , Bunch Sylvia , Cano Natalia , Cone Marshall , Eysoldt Sarah , Garcia Alezaundra , Gilles Nicadia , Hagy Andrew , Heberlein Lea , Jaber Rayah , Kassens Elizabeth , Colarusso Pamela , Davis Amanda , Baudin Samantha , Rico Edhelene , Mejía-Echeverri Álvaro , Scott Blake , Stanek Danielle , Zimler Rebecca , Muñoz-Jordán Jorge L. , Santiago Gilberto A. , Adams Laura E. , Paz-Bailey Gabriela , Spillane Melanie , Katebi Volha , Paulino-Ramírez Robert , Mueses Sayira , Peguero Armando , Sánchez Nelissa , Norman Francesca F. , Galán Juan-Carlos , Huits Ralph , Hamer Davidson H. , Vogels Chantal B. F. , Morrison Andrea , Michael Scott F. , Grubaugh Nathan D.
Published: April 2024

Dengue is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease in humans, and cases are continuing to rise globally. In particular, islands in the Caribbean have experienced more frequent outbreaks, and all four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes have been reported in the region, leading to hyperendemicity and increased rates of severe disease. However, there is significant variability regarding virus surveillance and reporting between islands, making it difficult to obtain an accurate understanding of the epidemiological patterns in the Caribbean. To investigate this, we used travel surveillance and genomic epidemiology to reconstruct outbreak dynamics, DENV serotype turnover, and patterns of spread within the region from 2009-2022. We uncovered two recent DENV-3 introductions from Asia, one of which resulted in a large outbreak in Cuba, which was previously under-reported. We also show that while outbreaks can be synchronized between islands, they are often caused by different serotypes. Our study highlights the importance of surveillance of infected travelers to provide a snapshot of local introductions and transmission in areas with limited local surveillance and suggests that the recent DENV-3 introductions may pose a major public health threat in the region.
The antimicrobial fibupeptide lugdunin forms water-filled channel structures in lipid membranes
Authors: Ruppelt Dominik , Trollmann Marius F. W. , Dema Taulant , Wirtz Sebastian N. , Flegel Hendrik , Mönnikes Sophia , Grond Stephanie , Böckmann Rainer A. , Steinem Claudia
Published: April 2024

Recently, a novel cyclo-heptapeptide composed of alternating d,l-amino acids and a unique thiazolidine heterocycle, called lugdunin, was discovered, which is produced by the nasal and skin commensal Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Lugdunin displays potent antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive bacteria, including challenging-to-treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Lugdunin specifically inhibits target bacteria by dissipating their membrane potential. However, the precise mode of action of this new class of fibupeptides remains largely elusive. Here, we disclose the mechanism by which lugdunin rapidly destabilizes the bacterial membrane potential using an in vitro approach. The peptide strongly partitions into lipid compositions resembling Gram-positive bacterial membranes but less in those harboring the eukaryotic membrane component cholesterol. Upon insertion, lugdunin forms hydrogen-bonded antiparallel β-sheets by the formation of peptide nanotubes, as demonstrated by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. These hydrophilic nanotubes filled with a water wire facilitate not only the translocation of protons but also of monovalent cations as demonstrated by voltage-clamp experiments on black lipid membranes. Collectively, our results provide evidence that the natural fibupeptide lugdunin acts as a peptidic channel that is spontaneously formed by an intricate stacking mechanism, leading to the dissipation of a bacterial cell’s membrane potential.
Quantum annealing of a frustrated magnet
Authors: Zhao Yuqian , Ma Zhaohua , He Zhangzhen , Liao Haijun , Wang Yan-Cheng , Wang Junfeng , Li Yuesheng
Published: April 2024

Quantum annealing, which involves quantum tunnelling among possible solutions, has state-of-the-art applications not only in quickly finding the lowest-energy configuration of a complex system, but also in quantum computing. Here we report a single-crystal study of the frustrated magnet α-CoV2O6, consisting of a triangular arrangement of ferromagnetic Ising spin chains without evident structural disorder. We observe quantum annealing phenomena resulting from time-reversal symmetry breaking in a tiny transverse field. Below ~ 1 K, the system exhibits no indication of approaching the lowest-energy state for at least 15 hours in zero transverse field, but quickly converges towards that configuration with a nearly temperature-independent relaxation time of ~ 10 seconds in a transverse field of ~ 3.5 mK. Our many-body simulations show qualitative agreement with the experimental results, and suggest that a tiny transverse field can profoundly enhance quantum spin fluctuations, triggering rapid quantum annealing process from topological metastable Kosterlitz-Thouless phases, at low temperatures.
BIN1 knockdown rescues systolic dysfunction in aging male mouse hearts
Authors: Westhoff Maartje , del Villar Silvia G. , Voelker Taylor L. , Thai Phung N. , Spooner Heather C. , Costa Alexandre D. , Sirish Padmini , Chiamvimonvat Nipavan , Dickson Eamonn J. , Dixon Rose E.
Published: April 2024

Cardiac dysfunction is a hallmark of aging in humans and mice. Here we report that a two-week treatment to restore youthful Bridging Integrator 1 (BIN1) levels in the hearts of 24-month-old mice rejuvenates cardiac function and substantially reverses the aging phenotype. Our data indicate that age-associated overexpression of BIN1 occurs alongside dysregulated endosomal recycling and disrupted trafficking of cardiac CaV1.2 and type 2 ryanodine receptors. These deficiencies affect channel function at rest and their upregulation during acute stress. In vivo echocardiography reveals reduced systolic function in old mice. BIN1 knockdown using an adeno-associated virus serotype 9 packaged shRNA-mBIN1 restores the nanoscale distribution and clustering plasticity of ryanodine receptors and recovers Ca2+ transient amplitudes and cardiac systolic function toward youthful levels. Enhanced systolic function correlates with increased phosphorylation of the myofilament protein cardiac myosin binding protein-C. These results reveal BIN1 knockdown as a novel therapeutic strategy to rejuvenate the aging myocardium.
Planar thermal Hall effect from phonons in a Kitaev candidate material
Authors: Chen Lu , Lefrançois Étienne , Vallipuram Ashvini , Barthélemy Quentin , Ataei Amirreza , Yao Weiliang , Li Yuan , Taillefer Louis
Published: April 2024

The thermal Hall effect has emerged as a potential probe of exotic excitations in spin liquids. In the Kitaev magnet $${{\alpha }}$$
α
-RuCl3, the thermal Hall conductivity $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xy}}}$$

κ

x
y

has been attributed to Majorana fermions, chiral magnons, or phonons. Theoretically, the former two types of heat carriers can generate a “planar” $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xy}}}$$

κ

x
y

, whereby the magnetic field is parallel to the heat current, but it is unknown whether phonons also could. Here we show that a planar $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xy}}}$$

κ

x
y

is present in another Kitaev candidate material, Na2Co2TeO6. Based on the striking similarity between $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xy}}}$$

κ

x
y

and the phonon-dominated thermal conductivity $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xx}}}$$

κ

x
x

, we attribute the effect to phonons. We observe a large difference in $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xy}}}$$

κ

x
y

between different configurations of heat current and magnetic field, which reveals that the direction of heat current matters in determining the planar $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xy}}}$$

κ

x
y

. Our observation calls for a re-evaluation of the planar $${{{\kappa }}}_{{{xy}}}$$

κ

x
y

observed in$$\,{{\alpha }}$$

α
-RuCl3.