bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fasting induces metabolic switches and spatial redistributions of lipid processing and neuronal interactions in tanycytes
Authors: Brunner Maxime , Lopez-Rodriguez David , Estrada-Meza Judith , Dali Rafik , Rohrbach Antoine , Deglise Tamara , Messina Andrea , Thorens Bernard , Santoni Federico , Langlet Fanny
Published: August 2024

The ependyma lining the third ventricle (3V) in the mediobasal hypothalamus plays a crucial role in energy balance and glucose homeostasis. It is characterized by a high functional heterogeneity and plasticity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms governing its features are not fully understood. Here, 5481 hypothalamic ependymocytes were cataloged using FACS-assisted scRNAseq from fed, 12h-fasted, and 24h-fasted adult male mice. With standard clustering analysis, typical ependymal cells and β2-tanycytes appear sharply defined, but other subpopulations, β1- and α-tanycytes, display fuzzy boundaries with few or no specific markers. Pseudospatial approaches, based on the 3V neuroanatomical distribution, enable the identification of specific versus shared tanycyte markers and subgroup-specific versus general tanycyte functions. We show that fasting dynamically shifts gene expression patterns along the 3V, leading to a spatial redistribution of cell type-specific responses. Altogether, we show that changes in energy status induce metabolic and functional switches in tanycyte subpopulations, providing insights into molecular and functional diversity and plasticity within the tanycyte population.
Magnetic order in the computational 2D materials database (C2DB) from high throughput spin spiral calculations
Authors: Sødequist Joachim , Olsen Thomas
Published: August 2024

We report high throughput computational screening for magnetic ground state order in 2D materials. The workflow is based on spin spiral calculations and yields the magnetic order in terms of a two-dimensional ordering vector Q. We then include spin-orbit coupling to extract the easy and hard axes for collinear structures and the orientation of spiral planes in non-collinear structures. Finally, for all predicted ferromagnets we compute the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions and determine whether or not these are strong enough to overcome the magnetic anisotropy and stabilise a chiral spin spiral ground state. We find 58 ferromagnets, 21 collinear anti-ferromagnets, and 85 non-collinear ground states of which 15 are chiral spin spirals driven by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions. The results show that non-collinear order is in fact as common as collinear order in these materials and emphasise the need for detailed investigation of the magnetic ground state when reporting magnetic properties of new materials.
Distance-depending transcriptome changes of pancreatic stellate cells in paracrine pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma co-culture models
Authors: Zourelidis Anais , Trojanowicz Bogusz , Sunami Yoshiaki , Hause Gerd , Vieweg David , Kleeff Jörg
Published: August 2024

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) are one source of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) and play, therefore, an essential role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Paracrine signalling between PDA cells and CAF has been widely studied, yet external influences on paracrine crosstalk are poorly understood. This study aimed to gain a deeper insight into the communication of PSC and cancer cells under different co-culture conditions via analysis of PSC gene expression profiles. Two contactless co-culture models with tumor cells from the p48-Cre; lox-stop-lox-KrasG12D/+; lox-stop-lox-Trp53R172H/+ mouse model (KPC) and murine PSC separated through a microporous membrane and grown in different compartments (standard co-culture) or on different sides of the same membrane (inverse co-culture), were established. RNA-Sequencing analysis of PSC mRNA was performed 24 h and 72 h after co-culture with KPC cells. For selected genes, results were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Standard co-culture displayed 19 differentially expressed genes (DEG) at 24 h and 52 DEG at 72 h. In inverse co-culture, 800 DEG at 24 h and 2213 DEG at 72 h were enriched. PSC showed great heterogeneity in their gene expression profiles; however, mutually regulated genes of both co-cultures, such as VCAN and CHST11, could be identified. VCAN-protein–protein interaction-network analysis revealed several shared genes between co-culture models, such as SDC4 and FN1. In conclusion, PSC show a varying susceptibility to cancer cell signals depending on the co-culture method, with intensified transcriptome changes with closer proximity.
Trust value evaluation of cloud service providers using fuzzy inference based analytical process
Authors: John Jomina , John Singh K.
Published: August 2024

Users can purchase virtualized computer resources using the cloud computing concept, which is a novel and innovative way of computing. It offers numerous advantages for IT and healthcare industries over traditional methods. However, a lack of trust between CSUs and CSPs is hindering the widespread adoption of cloud computing across industries. Since cloud computing offers a wide range of trust models and strategies, it is essential to analyze the service using a detailed methodology in order to choose the appropriate cloud service for various user types. Finding a wide variety of comprehensive elements that are both required and sufficient for evaluating any cloud service is vital in order to achieve that. As a result, this study suggests an accurate, fuzzy logic-based trust evaluation model for evaluating the trustworthiness of a cloud service provider. Here, we examine how fuzzy logic raises the efficiency of trust evaluation. Trust is assessed using Quality of Service (QoS) characteristics like security, privacy, dynamicity, data integrity, and performance. The outcomes of a MATLAB simulation demonstrate the viability of the suggested strategy in a cloud setting.
A review of fuel cell cathode catalysts based on hollow porous materials for improving oxygen reduction performance
Authors: Jia Zexu , Lin Xiaoqiu , Li Congju
Published: August 2024

Fuel cells are highly efficient green power generation devices that convert chemical energy into electricity.
Fabrication of ZnMn2O4@ZnIn2S4 ball-in-ball hollow microspheres as efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution
Authors: Liu Lijun , Tang Wenya , Zuo Luyang , Fan Huitao , Li Bo , Wang Liya
Published: August 2024

This study describes the preparation of ZnMn2O4@ZnIn2S4 ball-in-ball hollow microspheres as photocatalysts. Remarkably, the PHE rate of 10% ZnMn2O4@ZnIn2S4 can reach 11.12 mmol g−1 h−1, roughly 4.9 times greater than that of pure ZnIn2S4.
High detectivity, efficient, ambient-stable inverted organic photodetectors incorporating a conjugated polymer as an electron transport layer
Authors: Hsu Fang-Chi , Yeh Zhan-Yu , Li Chi-Ping
Published: August 2024

A hydrophobic organic bilayer, N2200/PFN-OX, for instance, was designed to serve as the electron transport layer in the preparation of high-performance, stable organic photodetectors.
Koku Sensation and Kokumi Substance: New Opportunities to Increase Palatability in Plant-Based Products
Authors: Valerón Nabila Rodríguez
Published: August 2024

Food production needs to increase by 70% to meet the rising demand, but this puts a strain on food quality standards. Continuing to produce food in the same way would require more than one planet to sustain the demand, which is not feasible. Another problem is food waste; one-third of human food production is wasted globally every year, and only a small percentage is used for animal feed or other purposes. Therefore, drastic changes must be made to the global food production systems and our eating habits. Researchers have suggested a planetary diet that involves increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruits while reducing the intake of red meat. The goal is to accelerate the shift towards a greener lifestyle without compromising taste. It is suggested that koku sensation and kokumi substance can be effective tools for developing healthy and sustainable food by enhancing the taste of plant-based products. Research shows that fermentation is a promising method for improving the desirable qualities of plant-based foods by increasing the presence of kokumi peptides and various aroma compounds during the transformation process of raw materials, such as cereal by-products. This field of study holds the potential to increase consumer preference for plant-based diets by reducing unpleasant tastes, such as bitterness.

Information

© The Author 2024
Mode Multiplication of Cylindrical Vector Beam Using Raytracing Control
Authors: Wang 王 Jing 晶 , Zeng 曾 Qingji 庆计 , Wu 吴 Haisheng 海生 , Xie 谢 Chuangxin 创鑫 , Ye 叶 Huapeng 华朋 , Dong 董 Ze 泽 , Fan 范 Dianyuan 滇元 , Chen 陈 Shuqing 书青
Published: August 2024

Cylindrical vector beams (CVBs) hold significant promise in mode division multiplexing communication owing to their inherent vector mode orthogonality. However, existing studies for facilitating CVB channel processing are confined to mode shift conversions due to their reliance on spin-dependent helical modulations, overlooking the pursuit of mode multiplication conversion. This challenge lies in the multiplicative operation upon inhomogeneous vector mode manipulation, which is expected to advance versatile CVB channel switching and routing. Here, we tackle this gap by introducing a raytracing control strategy that conformally maps the light rays of CVB from the whole annulus distribution to an annular sector counterpart. Incorporated with the multifold conformal annulus-sector mappings and polarization-insensitive phase modulations, this approach facilitates the parallel transformation of input CVB into multiple complementary components, enabling the mode multiplication conversion with protected vector structure. Serving as a demonstration, we experimentally implemented the multiplicative operation of four CVB modes with the multiplier factors of N = +2 and N = –3, achieving the converted mode purities over 94.24% and 88.37%. Subsequently, 200 Gbit/s quadrature phase shift keying signals were successfully transmitted upon multiplicative switching of four CVB channels, with the bit-error-rate approaching 1 × 10−6. These results underscore our strategy’s efficacy in CVB mode multiplication, which may open promising prospects for its advanced applications.
Roadmap on specialty optical fibers
Authors: Ferreira Mário F S , Rehan Mohd , Mishra Vishwatosh , Varshney Shailendra Kumar , Poletti Francesco , Phuoc Trung Hoa Nguyen , Wang Weichao , Zhang Qinyuan , Du Wenyu , Yu Benli , Hu Zhijia , Feng Xian , Shi Jindan , Anjali  , Kumar Sunil , Kamrádek Michal , Paul Mukul Chandra , Abedin Kazi , Kibler Bertrand , Smektala Frédéric , Zhu Xiushan , Pryamikov Andrey , Reitzenstein Stephan
Published: August 2024

Optical fibers, long an enabling technology for telecommunications, are proving to play a central role in a growing number of modern applications, starting from high speed broad band internet to medical surgery and entering across the entire spectrum of scientific, military, industrial and commercial applications. Specialty optical fibers either special waveguide structure or novel material composition becomes heart of all fiber based advanced photonics devices and components. This rapidly evolving field calls on the expertise and skills of a broad set of different disciplines: materials science, ceramic engineering, optics, electrical engineering, physics, polymer chemistry, and several others. This roadmap on specialty optical fibers addresses different technologies and application areas. It is constituted by fourteen contributions authored by world-leading experts, providing insight into the current state-of-the-art and the challenges their respective fields face. Some articles address the area of multimode fibers, including the nonlinear effects occurring in them. Several other articles are dedicated to doped, plastic, and soft-glass fibers. Large mode area fibers, hollow-core fibers, and nanostructured fibers are also described in different sections. The use of some of such fibers for optical amplification and to realize several kinds of optical sources—including lasers, single photon sources and supercontinuum sources—is described in some other sections. Different approaches to satisfy applications at visible, infrared and terahertz spectra regions are also discussed. Throughout the roadmap there is an attempt to foresee and to suggest future directions in this particularly dynamic area of optical fiber technology.
To eat or not to eat: novel stable isotope models reveal a shift in carnivory with nutrient availability for aquatic Utricularia spp.
Authors: Kurosawa Emmi , Wells Naomi S , Gibson Robert , Lyons Zachary , Kesseli Richard , Oakes Joanne M
Published: August 2024

Background and Aims

Freshwater nitrogen inputs are increasing globally, altering the structure and function of wetland ecosystems adapted to low nutrient conditions. Carnivorous wetland plants of the genus Utricularia are hypothesized to reduce their reliance on carnivory and increase their assimilation of environmental nutrients when the supply of ambient nutrients increases. Despite success in using stable isotope approaches to quantify carnivory of terrestrial carnivorous plants, quantifying carnivory of aquatic Utricularia requires improvement.

Methods

We developed stable isotope mixing models to quantify aquatic plant carnivory and used these models to measure dietary changes of three Utricularia species, Utricularia australis, U. gibba and U. uliginosa, in 11 wetlands across a 794-km gradient in eastern Australia. Diet was assessed using multiple models that compared variations in the natural-abundance nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) of Utricularia spp. with that of non-carnivorous plants, and environmental and carnivorous nitrogen sources.

Key Results

Carnivory supplied 40–100 % of plant nitrogen. The lowest carnivory rates coincided with the highest availability of ammonium and dissolved organic carbon.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that Utricularia populations may adapt to high nutrient environments by shifting away from energetically costly carnivory. This has implications for species conservation as anthropogenic impacts continue to affect global wetland ecosystems.
A synopsis of Carex subgenus Psyllophorae, sect. Junciformes (Cyperaceae) in South America
Authors: Morales-Alonso Ana , Muñoz-Schüler Paulo , Pereira-Silva Luciana , Donadío Sabina , Martín-Bravo Santiago , Jiménez-Mejías Pedro
Published: August 2024

This is the second study of a series of thorough studies into the taxonomy and systematics of Carex in South America. Here, we present the systematic placement, taxonomic account, formal typifications, and summarized distributions for the 31 accepted South America species of Carex subg. Psyllophorae, all belonging to sect. Junciformes. We have conducted an exhaustive revision of literature, more than 400 specimens from 32 South and North American and European herbaria have been studied, and a Sanger phylogenetic study with four DNA regions and morphometric analyses for the C. phalaroides group have been performed. We present an enlarged phylogenetic study where sect. Junciformes sampling has increased by 11 species regarding previous studies, only lacking four species of the group (C. herba-alpacae, C. moorei, C. nelmesiana, and C. transandina). South American species of sect. Junciformes are grouped into four major lineages: C. camptoglochin Clade, Aciculares Clade (South America and Australia–New Zealand), C. phalaroides group, and Junciformes Clade. We have resolved the C. phalaroides complex into six independent species with a clear geographic structure. We successfully unravelled the systematic placement of three species included here for the first time (C. boelckeiana, C. reicheana, and C. manuelbarrosii). An identification key is provided for the studied species. We propose 30 new typifications, and four new species are described (C. herba-alpacae, C. manuelbarrosii, C. melliza, and C. via-montana).
Treatment of Hailey–Hailey disease with biologics and small-molecule inhibitors: a systematic review
Authors: Liu Wei , Xue Xiao , Li Shanshan
Published: August 2024

Hailey–Hailey disease (HHD) is a rare genetic dermatosis characterized by recurrent flaccid vesicles and blisters on erythematous skin in friction areas. The disease follows a chronic relapsing course and has a significant psychological and social impact. Currently, there is no standardized therapeutic regimen for HHD, posing a challenge for dermatologists in managing the condition. We performed this systematic review to investigate the therapeutic role of biologics and small-molecule inhibitors in the treatment of HHD. A systematic search was conducted of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane databases from inception to 1 January 2024. In total, 31 patients with HHD from 18 articles were included in the analysis. Biologics and small-molecule inhibitors were evaluated, including dupilumab, apremilast, upadacitinib, abrocitinib, adalimumab and etanercept. Most reported cases demonstrated clinical improvement after treatment initiation, with few major adverse events. However, some patients experienced recurrences. In conclusion, biologics and small-molecule inhibitors may offer a treatment alternative for patients with refractory HHD, but further confirmation is necessary through large-scale randomized controlled clinical trials.
Viral infections in atopic dermatitis
Authors: Khalil Nada , Walton Joshua , Roberts Nerys , Hussain Khawar
Published: August 2024

Individuals with atopic dermatitis are susceptible to frequent viral skin infections due to compromised epidermal barrier function and immune dysregulation. The diagnosis and management of viral infections in atopic dermatitis can be challenging due to various clinical phenotypes and overlapping clinical features. We reviewed the literature for the diagnosis, aetiology, management, differential diagnoses and complications of these viral infections to provide an up-to-date clinical overview for clinicians involved in caring for patients with atopic dermatitis, including features specific to patients with skin of colour. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate management in cases of uncertainty are crucial due to the risk of life-threatening complications with some viral infections. The differing presentations of these infections in patients with skin of colour are highlighted, as this is an underrepresented area of research. Future research with greater diversity of patients is needed for patients with atopic dermatitis complicated by viral skin infections.
Oncogenic genodermatoses in paediatric patients with skin of colour: a review
Authors: Fazelpour Sherwin , Deverapalli Sandhya C , Nguyen Bichchau
Published: August 2024

Cutaneous neoplasms are relatively rare in children. Most commonly, skin cancers arise through environmental factors, particularly ultraviolet radiation; thus, age is the most predictive factor in developing cutaneous carcinomas. However, children born with certain genodermatoses are significantly more likely to develop malignancies and must be carefully monitored and treated. Most published data are based mainly on signs and symptoms present in White patients. Therefore, we aim to highlight the cutaneous presentations and relative differences of these genodermatoses among patients with skin of colour, who are underrepresented in medicine. We conducted a literature review of 504 patients presented in 236 published articles. Manuscripts with accessible case reports for children aged ≤ 17 years were included. Patients with skin of colour often present with fewer classical findings and have higher incidences of scarring and dyspigmentation. There is also a higher incidence of consanguinity in affected patients. Providers who are able to recognize nonclassical signs can provide proper management and treatment regimens, potentially bringing outcomes for patients with skin of colour more in line with those of White children.
Successful transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for atrial functional mitral regurgitation after surgical annuloplasty ring dehiscence: a case report
Authors: Kosaki Ryota , Mochizuki Yasuhide , Toyosaki Eiji , Fukuoka Hiroto , Shinke Toshiro
Published: August 2024

Background

Annuloplasty ring dehiscence (ARD) after surgical mitral valve repair is a rare complication, which causes recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR) and is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with a prohibitive risk of repeat surgery. However, a patient developed severe MR, when challenging transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) after surgical ring dehiscence, it should be considering the relative efficacy and safety.

Case summary

An 89-year-old man underwent mitral valve repair with an annuloplasty ring for moderate atrial functional MR (AFMR). Post-operative transthoracic echocardiography on Day 7 suggested a dislodged mitral annuloplasty ring and recurrent moderate AFMR. However, the MR developed severely, which led to two hospitalizations for congestive heart failure in the past year. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) was performed carefully to ensure that the TEER clip did not interfere with the dislodged annuloplasty ring. Consequently, only the therapeutic target on the medial side of the A2–P2 region was approached posteriorly behind the peri-ring space, without gripper interference.

Discussion

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair using the G4-MitraClip® system is feasible and safe in patients with recurrent severe AFMR after surgical mitral valve repair concomitant with ARD. Meticulous simulation with pre-operative TOE is one of the crucial steps for successful outcomes.
Insight into the role of TXNRD2 in steroidogenesis through a novel homozygous TXNRD2 splice variant
Authors: Brachet Cécile , Laemmle Alexander , Cools Martine , Sauter Kay-Sara , De Baere Elfride , Vanlander Arnaud , Pandey Amit V , du Toit Therina , Voegel Clarissa D , Heinrichs Claudine , Verdin Hannah , Flück Christa E
Published: August 2024

Objective

Adrenal cortisol production occurs through a biosynthetic pathway which depend on NADH and NADPH for energy supply. The mitochondrial respiratory chain and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification system are therefore important for steroidogenesis. Mitochondrial dysfunction leading to oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several adrenal conditions. Nonetheless, only very few patients with variants in one gene of the ROS detoxification system, Thioredoxin Reductase 2 (TXNRD2), have been described with variable phenotypes.

Design

Clinical, genetic, structural, and functional characterization of a novel, biallelic TXNRD2 splice variant.

Methods

On human biomaterial, we performed whole exome sequencing to identify and RNA analysis to characterize the specific TXNRD2 splice variant. Amino acid conservation analysis and protein structure modeling were performed in silico. Using patient's fibroblast-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells, we generated adrenal-like cells (iALC) to study the impact of wild-type (WT) and mutant TXNRD2 on adrenal steroidogenesis and ROS production.

Results

The patient had a complex phenotype of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), combined with genital, ophthalmological, and neurological features. He carried a homozygous splice variant c.1348-1G > T in TXNRD2 which leads to a shorter protein lacking the C-terminus and thereby affecting homodimerization and flavin adenine dinucleotide binding. Patient-derived iALC showed a loss of cortisol production with overall diminished adrenal steroidogenesis, while ROS production was significantly increased.

Conclusion

Lack of TXNRD2 activity for mitochondrial ROS detoxification affects adrenal steroidogenesis and predominantly cortisol production.
The First French BIT
Authors: Yackee Jason Webb
Published: August 2024

This article draws upon original research in the French government archives to uncover the story of the negotiations of France’s first bilateral investment treaty – a 1963 treaty with Tunisia. France’s model for the treaty was not Germany’s now-famous 1959 investment treaty with Pakistan but, rather, Switzerland’s own (and far more obscure) first investment treaty, also with Tunisia. The article also shows that the treaty’s invocation of ‘fair and equitable treatment’ was intended to reflect only what customary international law already required. The treaty, despite the lack of an investor-state arbitration clause, seems to have been a relative success. France and Tunisia, entangled in a complex and sensitive post-colonial relationship, successfully managed the fallout from Tunisia’s sudden nationalization of French-owned agricultural properties.
Machine translation in English language teaching
Authors: Kirchhoff Petra
Published: August 2024

In this series, we explore technology-related themes and topics. The series aims to discuss and demystify what may be new areas for some readers and to consider their relevance for English language teachers.
The genetics of phenotypic plasticity. XVIII. Developmental limits restrict adaptive plasticity
Authors: Khare Sikander B , Holt Robert D , Scheiner Samuel M
Published: August 2024

After environmental change, the trait evolution needed to rescue a population depends on the functional form of the plastic change (reaction norm) of that trait. Nearly all previous models of plasticity evolution for continuous traits have assumed that the functional form is linear, that is, no limits on the range of plasticity. This paper examines the effect of developmental limits, modeled as a sigmoidal reaction norm, on evolutionary rescue after an abrupt environmental change and the subsequent evolution of plasticity, including genetic assimilation. We examined four different scenarios: (1) developmental limits only, (2) developmental limits plus a cost of plasticity, (3) developmental limits with developmental noise, and (4) developmental limits plus environmental variation. The probability of evolutionary rescue increased with an increase in phenotypic variation allowed by plastic development. With a smaller limit to the range of the plastic phenotype, the evolution of adaptive plasticity was limited, meaning the evolution of non-plastic genes was necessary. The addition of developmental constraints to the model did not speed up genetic assimilation, suggesting a new theory is needed to understand empirical observations. The modeling framework presented here could be extended to different ecological and evolutionary conditions, alternative reaction norm shapes, the evolution of additional reaction norm parameters such as the range or the location of the inflection point on the environmental axis, or other function-valued traits.
Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of 8-Ketoberberine Derivatives
Authors: Li Feifei , Wu Jingjing , Yue Xiyan , Suo Yujuan , Li Jinliang , Wu Fanhong , Yu Yanyan
Published: August 2024

Natural berberine (BBR) exhibits good antimicrobial efficacy, however, its limited bioavailability greatly hinder its clinical application. In this study, 18 novel lipophilic C-8-substituted BBR prodrugs were synthesized and tested for in vitro antimicrobial activity against four common clinical pathogens, and the inhibitory mechanism was further investigated with respect to the ability of bacterial membrane formation, cell permeability, hydrophobicity, and self-cohesion. Our results found that compound 14 showed the best activity with MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) = 15.62 µg/mL and MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration) = 31.25 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213) and Listeria monocytogenes (4b G). Mechanism studies showed that compound 14 has a significant inhibiting over 60% of bacterial biofilm formation at a concentration of 0.5 MIC and enhancing cell membrane permeability by 40%. Meanwhile, compound 14 can interact with the cell membrane, exposing its hydrophobic region and reducing the intercellular self-coagulation index to about 20%. The study suggests that novel compound 14 enhanced the antibacterial effect by significantly reducing bacterial surface hydrophobicity and self-cohesion and disrupting bacterial biofilm. In summary, we have created a series of 8-ketoberberine derivatives, which opens new prospects for BBR derivatives in the treatment of bacterial infections.
Detecting planted partition in sparse multilayer networks
Authors: Chatterjee Anirban , Nandy Sagnik , Sadhu Ritwik
Published: August 2024

Multilayer networks are used to represent the interdependence between the relational data of individuals interacting with each other via different types of relationships. To study the information-theoretic phase transitions in detecting the presence of planted partition among the nodes of a multilayer network with additional nodewise covariate information and diverging average degree, Ma and Nandy (2023, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory, 69, 3203–3239) introduced Multi-Layer Contextual Stochastic Block Model. In this paper, we consider the problem of detecting planted partitions in the Multi-Layer Contextual Stochastic Block Model, when the average node degrees for each network are greater than $1$. We establish the sharp phase transition threshold for detecting the planted bi-partition. Above the phase-transition threshold testing the presence of a bi-partition is possible, whereas below the threshold no procedure to identify the planted bi-partition can perform better than random guessing. We further establish that the derived detection threshold coincides with the threshold for weak recovery of the partition and provides a quasi-polynomial time algorithm to estimate it.
‘Natural’ disasters, ignorance, and the mirage of Italian settler colonialism in late nineteenth-century Africa
Authors: Caglioti Angelo Matteo
Published: August 2024

This article places the origins of Italian settler colonialism and its defeat in the battle of Adwa (1896) in the global perspective of the environmental history of European imperialism. It argues that the Italian project to turn the highlands of the Horn of Africa into a settler colony was an “imperial mirage”: the perception that the momentarily depopulated landscape of Ethiopia, produced by “natural” disasters that were in fact the social products of colonial warfare, would be available to Italian settlers in the future. This mirage was based on a domino effect of environmental catastrophes connecting climate history, animal disease, and the politics of European imperialism. Italians’ introduction of rinderpest in Eritrea in the wake of an El Niño-related drought triggered “the Great African Rinderpest Panzootic” and the “Great Ethiopian Famine”. The mixture of willful ignorance and wishful self-deception that fueled Italian projects explains Italy’s defeat in the battle of Adwa. Building on the methodology of environmental historians and scholars in Science and Technology Studies, this article shifts focus from the power of the state to the techno-politics of colonialism in its impact on natural environments and African communities through the lens of the cultural production of ignorance.
Separate from Class? Toward a Theory of Race as Resource Signal
Authors: Torres Mo
Published: August 2024

In the study of U.S. inequality, social scientists have long sought to tease apart the “effect of race” from the “effect of class” in our analyses. In studies of how individuals make evaluations of the social world, for instance, researchers have asked whether race or class demography shape individual perceptions, how each matters independent of the other, and ultimately which matters more. While this scientific practice is widespread, what I term the race-versus-class paradigm is only one way to analyze the relationship between race and class. The materialist tradition offers a competing approach, asking not how race matters independent of class, but how racism operates through structural, material conditions. To better explain the relationship between “race” and “class” in how individuals evaluate the social world, this paper proposes a theory of race as resource signal. In this alternative approach, race and class are interwoven, mutually constitutive, and dialectically constructed concepts unable to be meaningfully teased apart. I trace the differences in the two approaches through an empirical application, asking how individuals evaluate school quality based on neighborhood race and class demography in a video experiment.
TMEM16A regulates satellite cell-mediated skeletal muscle regeneration by ensuring a moderate level of caspase 3 activity
Authors: Sun Zhiyuan , Shan Xinqi , Fan Chun’e , Liu Lutao , Li Shuai , Wang Jiahui , Zhou Na , Zhu Minsheng , Chen Huaqun
Published: August 2024

It has been documented that caspase 3 activity is necessary for skeletal muscle regeneration, but how its activity is regulated is largely unknown. Our previous report shows that intracellular TMEM16A, a calcium activated chloride channel, significantly regulates caspase 3 activity in myoblasts during skeletal muscle development. By using a mouse line with satellite cell (SC)-specific deletion of TMEM16A, we examined the role of TMEM16A in regulating caspase 3 activity in SC (or SC-derived myoblast) as well as skeletal muscle regeneration. The mutant animals displayed apparently impaired regeneration capacity in adult muscle along with enhanced ER stress and elevated caspase 3 activity in Tmem16a−/− SC derived myoblasts. Blockade of either excessive ER stress or caspase 3 activity by small molecules significantly restored the inhibited myogenic differentiation of Tmem16a−/− SCs, indicating that excessive caspase 3 activity resulted from TMEM16A deletion contributes to the impaired muscle regeneration and the upstream regulator of caspase 3 was ER stress. Our results revealed an essential role of TMEM16A in satellite cell-mediated skeletal muscle regeneration by ensuring a moderate level of caspase 3 activity.
The geographical distribution of scorpions, implication of venom toxins, envenomation, and potential therapeutics in Southern and Northern Africa
Authors: Mabunda Isac G , Zinyemba Nodji K , Pillay Shanelle , Offor Benedict C , Muller Beric , Piater Lizelle A
Published: August 2024

Scorpions are predatory arachnids whose venomous sting primarily affects people in tropical and subtropical regions. Most scorpion stings can only cause localized pain without severe envenomation. Less than one-third of the stings cause systemic envenoming and possibly lead to death. About 350,000 scorpion stings in Northern Africa are recorded yearly, resulting in about 810 deaths. In Eastern/Southern Africa, there are about 79,000 stings recorded yearly, resulting in 245 deaths. Farmers and those living in poverty-stricken areas are among the most vulnerable to getting stung by scorpions. However, compared to adults, children are at greater risk of severe envenomation. Scorpion venom is made up of complex mixtures dominated by peptides and proteins that confer its potency and toxicity. These venom toxins have intra- and interspecies variations associated with the scorpion’s habitat, sex, diet, and age. These variations alter the activity of antivenoms used to treat scorpion sting envenomation. Thus, the study of the proteome composition of medically important scorpion venoms needs to be scaled up along their geographical distribution and contributions to envenomation in Southern and Northern Africa. This will help the production of safer, more effective, and broad-spectrum antivenoms within these regions. Here, we review the clinical implications of scorpion sting envenomation in Southern and Northern Africa. We further highlight the compositions of scorpion venoms and tools used in scorpion venomics. We discuss current antivenoms used against scorpion sting envenomation and suggestions for future production of better antivenoms or alternatives. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic properties of scorpion venom.
Surgical Anatomy of Endoscopic Endonasal Approaches to the Anterior Cranial Fossa
Authors: Alexander A. Yohan , Agosti Edoardo , Leonel Luciano C. P. C. , Pinheiro-Neto Carlos , Peris-Celda Maria
Published: August 2024

Lesions of the anterior cranial fossa (ACF) are challenging to treat. Historically, to obviate retraction on the frontal lobes and access the entire lesion, extensive craniofacial and skull base approaches were employed, often leading to significant cosmetic defects and morbidity. With the advent of expanded endonasal approaches, select lesions involving the ACF are treated with endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs). Consequently, for the contemporary skull base neurosurgeon, understanding the anatomy of EEAs to ACF lesions is vital. Thus, in this article we detail the surgical anatomy of EEAs to the ACF.
Dose-dependent regulation of immune memory responses against HIV by saponin monophosphoryl lipid A nanoparticle adjuvant
Authors: Ramezani-Rad Parham , Marina-Zárate Ester , Maiorino Laura , Myers Amber , Michaels Katarzyna Kaczmarek , Pires Ivan S , Bloom Nathaniel I , Lopez Paul G , Cottrell Christopher A , Burton Iszac , Groschel Bettina , Pradhan Arpan , Stiegler Gabriela , Budai Magdolna , Kumar Daniel , Pallerla Sam , Sayeed Eddy , Sagar Sangeetha L , Kasturi Sudhir Pai , Van Rompay Koen K A , Hangartner Lars , Wagner Andreas , Burton Dennis R , Schief William R , Crotty Shane , Irvine Darrell J
Published: August 2024

The induction of durable protective immune responses is the main goal of prophylactic vaccines, and adjuvants play an important role as drivers of such responses. Despite advances in vaccine strategies, a safe and effective HIV vaccine remains a significant challenge. The use of an appropriate adjuvant is crucial to the success of HIV vaccines. Here we assessed the saponin/MPLA nanoparticle (SMNP) adjuvant with an HIV envelope (Env) trimer, evaluating the safety and impact of multiple variables including adjuvant dose (16-fold dose range), immunization route, and adjuvant composition on the establishment of Env-specific memory T and B cell responses (TMemand BMem) and long-lived plasma cells in non-human primates. Robust BMemwere detected in all groups, but a 6-fold increase was observed in the highest SMNP dose group vs. the lowest dose group. Similarly, stronger vaccine responses were induced in the highest SMNP dose for CD40L+OX40+CD4 TMem(11-fold), IFNγ+CD4 TMem(15-fold), IL21+CD4 TMem(9-fold), circulating TFH(3.6-fold), bone marrow plasma cells (7-fold), and binding IgG (1.3-fold). Substantial tier-2 neutralizing antibodies were only observed in the higher SMNP dose groups. These investigations highlight the dose-dependent potency of SMNP in non-human primates, which are relevant for human use and next-generation vaccines.
tp53R217H and R242H Mutant Zebrafish Exhibit Dysfunctional p53 Hallmarks and Recapitulate Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Phenotypes
Authors: Kobar Kim , Tuzi Lissandra , Burnley Erin , Fiene Jennifer A. , Galpin Kristianne J. C. , Midgen Craig , Laverty Brianne , Subasri Vallijah , Wen Timmy T. , Hirst Martin , Moksa Michelle , Carles Annaick , Cao Qi , Shlien Adam , Malkin David , Prykhozhij Sergey V. , Berman Jason N.
Published: August 2024

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome associated with a highly penetrant cancer spectrum characterized by germlineTP53mutations. We characterized the first LFS zebrafish hotspot mutants,tp53R217H and R242H (human R248H and R273H), and found these mutants exhibit partial-to-no activation of p53 target genes, have a defective G1 cell-cycle checkpoint, and are resistant to apoptosis. Spontaneous tumor development histologically resembling human sarcomas developed as early as 6 months.tp53R242H mutants had a higher lifetime tumor incidence compared totp53null and R217H mutants, suggesting it is a more aggressive mutation. We observed mutation-specific tumor phenotypes acrosstp53mutants with associated diverse transcriptomic and DNA methylome profiles, impacting metabolism, cell signalling, and biomacromolecule synthesis and degradation. Thesetp53zebrafish mutants demonstrate fidelity to their human counterparts and provide new insights into underlying tumorigenesis mechanisms and kinetics, which will guide targeted therapeutics for LFS.
Integration of sensory and fear memories in the rat medial temporal lobe: advancing research by Wong et al. (2019)
Authors: Wong Francesca S. , Thomas Alina B. , Killcross Simon , Laurent Vincent , Westbrook R. Frederick , Holmes Nathan M.
Published: August 2024

Wong et al. (2019) used a sensory preconditioning protocol to examine how sensory and fear memories are integrated in the rat medial temporal lobe. In this protocol, rats integrate a sound-light (sensory) memory that forms in stage 1 with a light-shock (fear) memory that forms in stage 2 to generate fear responses (freezing) across test presentations of the sound in stage 3. Here, we advance this research by showing that: 1) how/when rats integrate the sound-light and light-shock memories (online in stage 2 or at test in stage 3) changes with the number of sound-light pairings in stage 1; and 2) regardless of how/when it occurs, the integration requires communication between two regions of the medial temporal lobe: the perirhinal cortex and basolateral amygdala complex. Thus, “event familiarity” determines how/when sensory and fear memories are integrated but not the circuitry by which the integration occurs: this remains the same.
Effects of healthy aging on tongue-jaw kinematics during feeding behavior in rhesus macaques
Authors: Punacha Shreyas , Huang Kevin , Arce-McShane Fritzie I.
Published: August 2024

Several age-related oral health problems have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), yet how oromotor dysfunction in healthy aging differ from those found in pathological aging is still unknown. This is partly because changes in the cortical and biomechanical (“neuromechanical”) control of oromotor behavior in healthy aging are poorly understood. To this end, we investigated the natural feeding behavior of young and aged rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to understand the age-related differences in tongue and jaw kinematics. We tracked tongue and jaw movements in 3Dusing high-resolution biplanar videoradiography and X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM). Older subjects exhibited a reduced stereotypy in tongue movements during chews and a greater lag in tongue movements relative to jaw movements compared to younger subjects. Overall, our findings reveal age-related changes in tongue and jaw kinematics, which may indicate impaired tongue-jaw coordination. Our results have important implications for the discovery of potential neuromechanical biomarkers for early diagnosis of AD.
Along- and cross-muscle fiber shear moduli in skeletal muscle
Authors: Sahani Ridhi , Reyna William E. , Royston Thomas , Perreault Eric J. , Ludvig Daniel
Published: August 2024

The material properties of muscle play a central role in how muscle resists joint motion, transmits forces internally, and repairs itself. While many studies have evaluated muscle’s tensile material properties, few have investigated muscle’s shear properties. The objective of this study was to quantify the shear moduli of skeletal muscle both along (along-muscle fiber) and perpendicular (cross-muscle fiber) to the direction of muscle fibers. We collected data from the extensor digitorum longus, tibialis anterior, and soleus muscles harvested from both hindlimbs of 12 rats. These muscles were chosen to further evaluate the consistency of shear moduli across muscles with different architectures. We applied strains and measured stress in three configurations: parallel, perpendicular, and across the muscle fibers to characterize the along- and cross-muscle fiber tensile and shear material parameters. We found no significant difference between the shear modulus measured parallel to the fibers (along-muscle fiber) and the shear modulus in the plane perpendicular to the fibers (cross-muscle fiber). Although the shear moduli were not significantly different, there was a greater difference with increasing strain, suggesting that there is greater anisotropy at larger strains. We also found no significant difference in moduli between the muscles with differing muscle architecture. These results characterize the shear behavior of skeletal muscle and are relevant to understanding the role of shear in force transmission and injury.
Neutralization activity in chronic HIV infection is characterized by a distinct programming of follicular helper CD4 T cells
Authors: Moysi Eirini , Sharma Ashish A. , O’Dell Sijy , Georgakis Spiros , Del Rio Estrada Perla Mariana , Torres-Ruiz Fernanda , Navarro Mauricio González , Villalobos Yara Andrea Luna , Rios Santiago Avila , Reyes-Teran Gustavo , Beddall Margaret H. , Ko Sung-Hee , Belinky Frida , Orfanakis Michail , de Leval Laurence , Enriquez Ana B. , Buckner Clarisa M. , Moir Susan , Doria-Rose Nicole , Boritz Eli , Mascola John R. , Sekaly Rafick-Pierre , Koup Richard A. , Petrovas Constantinos
Published: August 2024

A subset of people living with HIV (PLWH) can produce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV, but the lymph node (LN) dynamics that promote the generation of these antibodies are poorly understood. Here, we explored LN-associated histological, immunological, and virological mechanisms of bNAb generation in a cohort of anti-retroviral therapy (ART)-naïve PLWH. We found that participants who produce bNAbs, termed neutralizers, have a superior LN-associated B cell follicle architecture compared with PLWH who do not. The latter was associated with a significantly higherin situprevalence of Bcl-6hifollicular helper CD4 T cells (TFH), expressing a molecular program that favors their differentiation and stemness, and significantly reduced IL-10 follicular suppressor CD4 T cells. Furthermore, our data reveal possible molecular targets mediating TFH-B cell interactions in neutralizers. Together, we identify cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of bNAbs in PLWH.