bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quenching-driven equatorial depletion and limb asymmetries in hot Jupiter atmospheres: WASP-96b example
Authors: Zamyatina Maria , Christie Duncan A , Hébrard Eric , Mayne Nathan J , Radica Michael , Taylor Jake , Baskett Harry , Moore Ben , Lils Craig , Sergeev Denis E , Ahrer Eva-Maria , Manners James , Kohary Krisztian , Feinstein Adina D
Published: February 2024

Transport-induced quenching in hot Jupiter atmospheres is a process that determines the boundary between the part of the atmosphere at chemical equilibrium and the part of the atmosphere at thermochemical (but not photothermochemical) disequilibrium. The location of this boundary, the quench level, depends on the interplay between the dynamical and chemical time-scales in the atmosphere, with quenching occurring when these time-scales are equal. We explore the sensitivity of the quench level position to an increase in the planet’s atmospheric metallicity using aerosol-free 3D general circulation model simulations of a hot Jupiter WASP-96b. We find that the temperature increase at pressures of ∼104–107 Pa that occurs when metallicity is increased could shift the position of the quench level to pressures dominated by the jet, and cause an equatorial depletion of CH4, NH3, and HCN. We discuss how such a depletion affects the planet’s transmission spectrum, and how the analysis of the evening–morning limb asymmetries, especially within ∼3–5 μm, could help distinguish atmospheres of different metallicities that are at chemical equilibrium from those with the upper layers at thermochemical disequilibrium.
The structure of Mycobacterium thermoresistibile MmpS5 reveals a conserved disulfide bond across mycobacteria
Authors: Cuthbert Bonnie J , Mendoza Jessica , de Miranda Rodger , Papavinasasundaram Kadamba , Sassetti Christopher M , Goulding Celia W
Published: February 2024

The tuberculosis (TB) emergency has been a pressing health threat for decades. With the emergence of drug-resistant TB and complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, the TB health crisis is more serious than ever. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of TB, requires iron for its survival. Thus, Mtb has evolved several mechanisms to acquire iron from the host. Mtb produces two siderophores, mycobactin and carboxymycobactin, which scavenge for host iron. Mtb siderophore-dependent iron acquisition requires the export of apo-siderophores from the cytosol to the host environment and import of iron-bound siderophores. The export of Mtb apo-siderophores across the inner membrane is facilitated by two mycobacterial inner membrane proteins with their cognate periplasmic accessory proteins, designated MmpL4/MmpS4 and MmpL5/MmpS5. Notably, the Mtb MmpL4/MmpS4 and MmpL5/MmpS5 complexes have also been implicated in the efflux of anti-TB drugs. Herein, we solved the crystal structure of M. thermoresistibile MmpS5. The MmpS5 structure reveals a previously uncharacterized, biologically relevant disulfide bond that appears to be conserved across the Mycobacterium MmpS4/S5 homologs, and comparison with structural homologs suggests that MmpS5 may be dimeric.
Genetic and environmental associations of nonspecific chromosomal aberrations
Authors: Hemminki Kari , Niazi Yasmeen , Vodickova Ludmila , Vodicka Pavel , Försti Asta
Published: February 2024

Nonspecific structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs) are found in around 1% of circulating lymphocytes from healthy individuals but the frequency may be higher after exposure to carcinogenic chemicals or radiation. CAs have been used in the monitoring of persons exposed to genotoxic agents and radiation. Previous studies on occupationally exposed individuals have shown associations between the frequency of CAs in peripheral blood lymphocytes and subsequent cancer risk. The cause for CA formation is believed to be unrepaired or insufficiently repaired DNA double-strand breaks or other DNA damage, and additionally telomere shortening. CAs include chromosome (CSAs) and chromatid type aberrations (CTAs). In the present review, we first describe the types of CAs, the conventional techniques used for their detection and some aspects of interpreting the results. We then focus on germline genetic variation in the frequency and type of CAs measured in a genome-wide association study in healthy individuals in relation to occupational and smoking-related exposure compared to nonexposed referents. The associations (at P < 10–5) on 1473 healthy individuals were broadly classified in candidate genes from functional pathways related to DNA damage response/repair, including PSMA1, UBR5, RRM2B, PMS2P4, STAG3L4, BOD1, COPRS, and FTO; another group included genes related to apoptosis, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and tumorigenesis, COPB1, NR2C1, COPRS, RHOT1, ITGB3, SYK, and SEMA6A; a third small group mapped to genes KLF7, SEMA5A and ITGB3 which were related to autistic traits, known to manifest frequent CAs. Dedicated studies on 153 DNA repair genes showed associations for some 30 genes, the expression of which could be modified by the implicated variants. We finally point out that monitoring of CAs is so far the only method of assessing cancer risk in healthy human populations, and the use of the technology should be made more attractive by developing automated performance steps and incorporating artificial intelligence methods into the scoring.
Tokyo in Tashkent: The Afro-Asian Writers Association and Japanese Cold War Dissent
Authors: Hill Christopher L
Published: February 2024

In October 1958, seven Japanese writers attended the first great cultural event of the Bandung era, the week-long Afro-Asian Writers Conference held in Tashkent, the capital of Soviet Uzbekistan. The ‘literary Bandung’ resulted in the creation of the Afro-Asian Writers Association (AAWA), a source of growing interest among historians of anti-colonialism for the institutions it founded to support a literary culture unmediated by London, Paris or New York, and thereby advance political solidarity among colonized and newly independent countries in the so-called Third World. The participation of writers from Japan, a former empire aligned with the United States, has no place in the historiography of post-war Japan, the Cold War or decolonization. Japanese participants and observers used the conference and the AAWA as a means of dissent equally unfamiliar in received narratives. They argued that commitment to the decolonization of Asia and Africa offered a means to resist amnesia about Japan’s colonialist history and obstruct its role in the American empire. The work of Japanese writers in Tashkent and after reveals a broader genealogy of Afro-Asianism and anti-colonial internationalism and opportunities for dissent made possible by crossing between post-imperial and postcolonial worlds in the Bandung era.
Convergence of Ginzburg–Landau Expansions: Superconductivity in the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer Theory and Chiral Symmetry Breaking in the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio Model
Authors: Gyory William , Yamamoto Naoki
Published: February 2024

We study the convergence of the Ginzburg–Landau (GL) expansion in the context of the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) theory for superconductivity and the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model for chiral symmetry breaking at finite temperature T and chemical potential μ. We present derivations of the all-order formulas for the coefficients of the GL expansions in both systems under the mean-field approximation. We show that the convergence radii for the BCS gap Δ and dynamical quark mass M are given by Δconv = πT and $M_{\rm conv} = \sqrt{\mu ^2 + (\pi T)^2}$, respectively. We also discuss the implications of these results and the quantitative reliability of the GL expansion near the first-order chiral phase transition.
Import Competition, Formalization, and the Role of Contract Labor
Authors: Chakraborty Pavel , Singh Rahul , Soundararajan Vidhya
Published: February 2024

Does higher import competition increase formalization and aggregate productivity? Exploiting plausibly exogenous variation from Chinese imports, we provide empirical causal evidence that higher imports increases the share of formal manufacturing enterprise employment in India. This formal share increase is due to both the rise in formal-enterprise employment driven by high-productivity firms, and a fall in informal-enterprise employment. The labor reallocation is enabled by the formal firms’ hiring of contract workers, who do not carry stringent firing costs. Overall, Chinese import competition increased formal-sector employment share by 3.7 percentage points, and aggregate labor productivity by 2.87 percent, between the years 2000–2001 and 2005–2006.
Fostering Wonder Through the Arts and Humanities: Using Visual Thinking Strategies in Medical Education
Authors: Zheng Daniel , Yenawine Philip , Chisolm Margaret S.
Published: February 2024

Philosophers and scientists alike argue that wonder—that emotion or state of consciousness in which one’s attention is fixed on phenomena beyond one’s comprehension—is the central virtue and driving force of all education. As in general education, wonder is central to all aspects of academic medicine’s tripartite mission; a sense of wonder fuels the delivery of humanized patient care, sparks scientific discoveries, and supports engagement in lifelong learning. Despite its importance throughout medicine, developing a capacity for wonder among physicians has not been a stated goal of medical education, and innovative methods to foster a capacity for wonder have not been explored. There is a growing interest in the arts and humanities in medical education, and evidence suggests that these can support the development of a diverse array of clinically relevant skills and attitudes (including close observation, critical thinking, empathy, and tolerance for ambiguity) in medical learners across the learning continuum. However, even the potential of these methods to support a capacity for wonder has not yet been fully explored. In this article, the authors explore how one of the most widely used and studied arts-based learning activities in medical education, Visual Thinking Strategies, can help develop a capacity for wonder among physicians. They illustrate how Visual Thinking Strategies support the central elements of wonder-based pedagogy (i.e., exploration, improvisation, imagination, personal interest, and the ethos of educators) previously developed in education theory.
Medical School Rankings: Time to End or Time to Amend?
Authors: Gabrielson Andrew T. , Ziegelstein Roy C.
Published: February 2024

The recent decisions of several medical schools to no longer participate in the rankings published annually by U.S. News & World Report have added greater visibility to the issues surrounding medical school rankings than ever before. While these announcements garnered significant attention in academic medicine and from the lay public, the authors believe these events are unlikely to eliminate rankings in medical education. In this article, the authors outline the potential harms of rankings in higher education, provide a rationale for why they will likely endure despite recent scrutiny, and offer suggestions for prospective students and the academic medical community to engage with rankings in a more productive way. Criticisms of medical school rankings have been noted for decades, including their use of subjective information and data with questionable relevance to the quality of students’ education or the outcomes of their educational experience, methodological concerns, and the potential harms of ranking systems (such as schools diverting their focus and resources away from initiatives that benefit students to improve their ranking). At the same time, rankings are ubiquitous in today’s culture and are powerful in human decision-making, so there is reason to believe that medical school rankings may weather the current storm. Given these concerns, the authors suggest students continue to use a variety of resources to obtain information about medical schools and consider how each school fits with their own educational needs. The authors also encourage medical schools, medical education organizations, and governing medical bodies to suggest different metrics that reflect quality in medical education and that are of importance to applicants.
Reconstruction of Broad Lower Lip Defects Using Karapandzic-Type Flaps
Authors: Patel Jigar , Cook Jonathan L.
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Reconstruction of lower lip defects is challenging because of the functional and aesthetic demands of the lower face. We review the functional and aesthetic outcomes of the Karapandzic-type flaps for reconstructing lower lip defects.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients who underwent repair using Karapandzic-type flaps.

RESULTS

Fifty patients with lower lip defects ranging from 20% to 95% (mean 59.2% ± 20%) were included. Eighteen patients (36%) were repaired using a bilateral flap, and 32 (64%) were reconstructed using a unilateral flap design. All patients had preservation of oral competency and a satisfactory aesthetic result. No patient complained of microstomia. A complication rate of 8% was noted (n = 4) with postoperative wound infection and small areas of dehiscence. There was no statistically significant difference in complication rates in patients older than 75 years, in patients with a history of head/neck radiation, or in defects greater than 70% of lower lip breadth.

CONCLUSION

Karapandzic-type flaps are versatile and reliable for the reconstruction of a broad range of lower lip defects. This one-stage procedure can produce superior functional and aesthetic results as compared with other local and distant flaps with minimal risk of functional microstomia.
Metformin and the risks of cellulitis, foot infections, and amputation in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Yeh Yun-Kai , Yen Fu-Shun , Wei James Cheng-Chung , Hu Kai-Chieh , Yu Teng-Shun , Hsu Chih-Cheng , Hwu Chii-Min
Published: February 2024

Background:

Patients with diabetes tend to have cellulitis, foot infections, and amputation. We conducted this research to compare the risks of cellulitis, foot infections, and amputation between metformin no-use and use in persons with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:

Using propensity score matching, we identified 23 234 pairs of metformin nonusers and users from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, since January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2017. Cox proportional hazards models were adopted to examine the risks of incident cellulitis, recurrent cellulitis, foot infections, and amputation between metformin use and no-use.

Results:

The mean follow-up period of metformin use and no-use was 6.31 (3.93) and 5.54 (3.97) years, respectively. Compared with metformin no-use, the adjusted hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval for metformin use in cellulitis development, recurrent cellulitis, foot infections, and amputation were 1.08 (1.04-1.12), 1.33 (1.14-1.55), 1.91 (1.75-2.09), and 1.88 (1.35-2.62), respectively. The longer cumulative duration of metformin usage had association with higher risks of these outcomes than metformin no-use.

Conclusion:

This population-based cohort study revealed that metformin use had association with significantly higher risks of incident cellulitis, recurrent cellulitis, foot infections, and amputation than metformin no-use in patients with type 2 diabetes.
The perioperative experience and needs of hepatocellular carcinoma patients in interventional therapy: a phenomenological qualitative study
Authors: Li Ling , Zhang Hua-Zhen , Ge Yan , Rao Ya-Li , Liu Ting , Guo Miao-Miao , Xiao Shu-Ping
Published: February 2024

Objective

This study aims to investigate the perioperative experience and needs of patients with liver cancer for interventional therapy, in order to provide the basis for further improving a patient’s medical experience and satisfaction.

Methods

A semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted for 16 patients with liver cancer in interventional therapy using the phenomenological research method of qualitative research. The themes were analyzed, summarized, refined and extracted using the Colaizzi analytical procedure.

Results

The study results revealed that the perioperative experience and needs of patients with liver cancer for interventional therapy could mainly be summarized into seven themes: anxiety, fear and helplessness; not understanding the specific procedures of interventional therapy; worrying that the disease would not be treated as expected; lack of understanding of perioperative adverse reactions and the inability to cope with these; concern on the financial burden of health care costs on families; concerned on the physical and mental health of the dependent; the further improvement of diagnosis and treatment procedures.

Conclusion

Patients with liver cancer undergo a complex psychological experience during interventional therapy. In clinical practice, a patient’s psychological needs and changes should be valued, in order to provide a targeted psychological intervention, health guidance and social support, thereby improving the medical experience and satisfaction of patients.
Pas de deux: the coordinated coupling of erythroid differentiation with the cell cycle
Authors: Socolovsky Merav
Published: February 2024

Purpose of review

Recent work reveals that cell cycle duration and structure are remodeled in lock-step with distinct stages of erythroid differentiation. These cell cycle features have regulatory roles in differentiation, beyond the generic function of increasing cell number.

Recent findings

Developmental progression through the early erythroid progenitor stage (known as colony-forming-erythroid, or ‘CFU-e’) is characterized by gradual shortening of G1 phase of the cycle. This process culminates in a key transcriptional switch to erythroid terminal differentiation (ETD) that is synchronized with, and dependent on, S phase progression. Further, the CFU-e/ETD switch takes place during an unusually short S phase, part of an exceptionally short cell cycle that is characterized by globally fast replication fork speeds. Cell cycle and S phase speed can alter developmental events during erythroid differentiation, through pathways that are targeted by glucocorticoid and erythropoietin signaling during the erythroid stress response.

There is close inter-dependence between cell cycle structure and duration, S phase and replication fork speeds, and erythroid differentiation stage. Further, modulation of cell cycle structure and speed cycle impacts developmental progression and cell fate decisions during erythroid differentiation. These pathways may offer novel mechanistic insights and potential therapeutic targets.
A Descriptive Analysis
Authors: McHale Lindsay , Siddique Rumana , Gienapp Andrew J. , Bagwell Taylor
Published: February 2024

Objectives

Infants presenting to pediatric emergency departments (EDs) after a choking episode, cyanotic event, or irregular breathing pattern are often diagnosed with a brief, resolved, unexplained event (BRUE). Social determinants of health may affect these patients; therefore, we aimed to define population demographics and determine significant demographic predictors between 2 cohorts—infants presenting with BRUE, and those admitted to the intensive care unit.

Methods

Using data from the Pediatric Health Information System (Children's Hospital Association, Washington, DC, Lenexa, KS), this multicenter, retrospective study included children aged 0–1 year from 52 hospitals who presented with an International Classification of Diseases-10 coded primary diagnosis for BRUE/apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) between January 1, 2016, and June 30, 2021. Cohort 1 patients presented to the ED with BRUE; cohort 2 patients were admitted from the ED for BRUE. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed for both cohorts to discover possible demographic predictors.

Results

Overall, 24,027 patients were evaluated. Patient sex did not affect admission rates (odds ratio [OR] = 1.034; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.982–1.089;P= 0.2051). Black race (OR = 1.252; 95% CI, 1.177–1.332;P< 0.0001) and Medicaid insurance (OR = 1.126; 95% CI, 1.065–1.19;P< 0.0001) were significantly associated with an increased risk of admission. “Other” race (OR = 0.837; 95% CI, 0.777–0.902;P< 0.0001) and commercial insurance were significantly associated with a greater likelihood of discharge (OR = 0.888; 95% CI, 0.84–0.939;P< 0.0001).

Conclusions

Black race and Medicaid insurance predicted admission in this patient population, but demographics did not play a role in intensive care unit admission overall. Social determinants of health and demographics therefore appeared to play a role in admission for patients presenting to the ED. Future research could evaluate the effect of focused interventions, such as providing additional resources to socially at-risk families through community outreach, on admission rates of patients with these specific at-risk demographics.
Reducing Unnecessary Transfusions of RBCs in Inpatients Admitted Across Niagara Health Community Hospitals
Authors: Yousef Yazan Abu , Bagchee-Clark Ashis , Walters Krista , Green Mary , Salib Mary , Chander Ankush , Law Madelyn P. , Refaei Mohammad
Published: February 2024

Background and Objectives:

Blood products are scarce resources. Audits on the use of red blood cells (RBCs) in tertiary centers have repeatedly highlighted inappropriate use. Earlier retrospective audit at our local community hospitals has demonstrated that only 85% and 54% of all requests met Choosing Wisely Canada guidelines for pre-transfusion hemoglobin (Hb) of 80 g/L or less and single unit, respectively. We sought to improve RBC utilization by 15% over a period of 12 months (meeting Choosing Wisely Canada criteria of pre-transfusion Hb ≤80g/L by >80% and single-unit transfusion by >65%).

Methods:

Following repeated PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycles, we implemented educational strategies, prospective transfusion medicine (TM) technologist–led screening of orders, and an RBC order set.

Results:

The 3-month median percentages of appropriate RBC use for pre-transfusion Hb and single unit (September-November 2021) across all 3 hospitals were 90% and 71%, respectively. Overall, the rate of appropriate RBCs based on pre-transfusion Hb remained above target (>80%), with minimal improvement across all hospitals (median percentage at pre- and post-technologist screening periods of 87% and 90%, respectively). The median percentage of appropriate RBCs based on single-unit transfusion orders has improved across all Niagara Health hospitals with sustained targets (3-month median percentage at pre- and post-technologist screening and most recent time periods of 54%, 56%, and 71%, respectively).

Conclusions:

We have taken a collaborative, multifaceted approach to optimizing utilization of RBCs across the Niagara Health hospitals. The rates of appropriate RBC use were comparable with the provincial and national accreditation benchmark standards. In particular, the TM technologist–led screening was effective in producing sustained improvement with respect to single-unit transfusion. One of the balancing outcomes was increasing workload on technologists. Local and provincial efforts are needed to facilitate recruitment and retention of laboratory technologists, especially in community hospitals.
Development of Research Core Competencies for Academic Practice Among Health Professionals: A Mixed-Methods Approach
Authors: Ruco Arlinda , Morassaei Sara , Di Prospero Lisa
Published: February 2024

Background and Objectives:

Of the 4 pillars of academic practice for nursing and allied health, research has been the least developed and no standard competency framework exists that is embedded in health professional scopes of practice. The objective of this article is to report on the preliminary development and pilot-testing of research and academic scholarship core competencies for nonphysician health professionals working within a large urban academic health sciences center.

Methods:

We conducted an internal and external environmental scan and multiphase consultation process to develop research and academic core competencies for health professionals working within an interprofessional setting.

Results:

The final framework outlines 3 levels of research proficiency (novice, proficient, and advanced) and the relevant roles, specific competencies, and observable actions and/or activities for each proficiency level.

Conclusions:

Organizations should consider the integration of the framework within performance management processes and the development of a road map and self-assessment survey to track progress over time and support health professionals with their academic practice goals.
Lung Progenitor and Stem Cell Transplantation as a Potential Regenerative Therapy for Lung Diseases
Authors: Serna Villa Vanessa , Ren Xi
Published: February 2024

Chronic lung diseases are debilitating illnesses ranking among the top causes of death globally. Currently, clinically available therapeutic options capable of curing chronic lung diseases are limited to lung transplantation, which is hindered by donor organ shortage. This highlights the urgent need for alternative strategies to repair damaged lung tissues. Stem cell transplantation has emerged as a promising avenue for regenerative treatment of the lung, which involves delivery of healthy lung epithelial progenitor cells that subsequently engraft in the injured tissue and further differentiate to reconstitute the functional respiratory epithelium. These transplanted progenitor cells possess the remarkable ability to self-renew, thereby offering the potential for sustained long-term treatment effects. Notably, the transplantation of basal cells, the airway stem cells, holds the promise for rehabilitating airway injuries resulting from environmental factors or genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis. Similarly, for diseases affecting the alveoli, alveolar type II cells have garnered interest as a viable alveolar stem cell source for restoring the lung parenchyma from genetic or environmentally induced dysfunctions. Expanding upon these advancements, the use of induced pluripotent stem cells to derive lung progenitor cells for transplantation offers advantages such as scalability and patient specificity. In this review, we comprehensively explore the progress made in lung stem cell transplantation, providing insights into the current state of the field and its future prospects.
Shifting the paradigm of social withdrawal: a new era of coexisting pathological and non-pathological hikikomori
Authors: Kato Takahiro A. , Sartorius Norman , Shinfuku Naotaka
Published: February 2024

Purpose of review

Social withdrawal syndrome, known as “hikikomori,” has been highlighted since the late 1990 s in Japan. Hikikomori is more common in urban areas, and often comorbid with mental disorders, and now spreading throughout the world. In the post-COVID-19 era, not outing is no longer considered pathological in itself as the “new normal,” and a novel concept of hikikomori is needed. This review summarizes the concept of hikikomori, and presents the latest methods for identification of hikikomori.

Recent findings

The novel definition can distinguish between pathological and non-pathological hikikomori using the scale of “Hikikomori Diagnostic Evaluation (HiDE),” which has been developed in the hikikomori research lab at Kyushu University. An online survey among non-working adults has revealed that persons who have become pathological hikikomori for less than three months showed a particularly strong tendency toward gaming disorder and depression.

Now, physical isolation itself is not pathological, but when dysfunction and distress are present, rapid mental health support should be provided. In the novel urban society, the establishment of a checkup system to assess whether persons who stay home are happy or suffering is important for prevention against mental disorders triggered by social isolation.
Ecologically mediated differences in electric organ discharge drive evolution in a sodium channel gene in South American electric fishes
Authors: Hauser Frances E. , Xiao Dawn , Van Nynatten Alexander , Brochu-De Luca Kristen K. , Rajakulendran Thanara , Elbassiouny Ahmed E. , Sivanesan Harunya , Sivananthan Pradeega , Crampton William G. R. , Lovejoy Nathan R.
Published: February 2024

Active electroreception—the ability to detect objects and communicate with conspecifics via the detection and generation of electric organ discharges (EODs)—has evolved convergently in several fish lineages. South American electric fishes (Gymnotiformes) are a highly species-rich group, possibly in part due to evolution of an electric organ (EO) that can produce diverse EODs. Neofunctionalization of a voltage-gated sodium channel gene accompanied the evolution of electrogenic tissue from muscle and resulted in a novel gene (scn4aa) uniquely expressed in the EO. Here, we investigate the link between variation in scn4aa and differences in EOD waveform. We combine gymnotiform scn4aa sequences encoding the C-terminus of the Na
v
1.4a protein, with biogeographic data and EOD recordings to test whether physiological transitions among EOD types accompany differential selection pressures on scn4aa. We found positive selection on scn4aa coincided with shifts in EOD types. Species that evolved in the absence of predators, which likely selected for reduced EOD complexity, exhibited increased scn4aa evolutionary rates. We model mutations in the protein that may underlie changes in protein function and discuss our findings in the context of gymnotiform signalling ecology. Together, this work sheds light on the selective forces underpinning major evolutionary transitions in electric signal production.
NFIL3 contributes to cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated killing
Authors: Douanne Tiphaine , Strege Katharina , Del Castillo Velasco-Herrera Martin , Rochussen Adam M. , Adams David J. , Griffiths Gillian M.
Published: February 2024

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are key effectors of the adaptive immune system that recognize and eliminate virally infected and cancerous cells. In naive CD8
+
T cells, T-cell receptor (TCR) engagement drives a number of transcriptional, translational and proliferation changes over the course of hours and days leading to differentiation into CTLs. To gain a better insight into this mechanism, we compared the transcriptional profiles of naive CD8
+
T cells to those of activated CTLs. To find new regulators of CTL function, we performed a selective clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) screen on upregulated genes and identified nuclear factor IL-3 (NFIL3) as a potential regulator of cytotoxicity. Although NFIL3 has established roles in several immune cells including natural killer, Treg, dendritic and CD4
+
T cells, its function in CD8
+
CTLs is less well understood. Using CRISPR/Cas9 editing, we found that removing NFIL3 in CTLs resulted in a marked decrease in cytotoxicity. We found that in CTLs lacking NFIL3 TCR-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation, immune synapse formation and granule release were all intact while cytotoxicity was functionally impaired
in vitro
. Strikingly, NFIL3 controls the production of cytolytic proteins as well as effector cytokines. Thus, NFIL3 plays a cell intrinsic role in modulating cytolytic mechanisms in CTLs.
Bellwethers of change: population modelling of North Pacific humpback whales from 2002 through 2021 reveals shift from recovery to climate response
Authors: Cheeseman Ted , Barlow Jay , Acebes Jo Marie , Audley Katherina , Bejder Lars , Birdsall Caitlin , Bracamontes Olga Solis , Bradford Amanda L. , Byington Josie , Calambokidis John , Cartwright Rachel , Cedarleaf Jen , Chavez Andrea Jacqueline García , Currie Jens , De Castro Rouenne Camille , De Weerdt Joëlle , Doe Nicole , Doniol-Valcroze Thomas , Dracott Karina , Filatova Olga , Finn Rachel , Flynn Kiirsten R. , Ford John , Frisch-Jordán Astrid , Gabriele Chris , Goodwin Beth , Hayslip Craig , Hildering Jackie , Hill Marie C. , Jacobsen Jeff K. , Jiménez-López M. Esther , Jones Meagan , Kobayashi Nozomi , Lammers Marc , Lyman Edward , Malleson Mark , Mamaev Evgeny , Loustalot Pamela Martínez , Masterman Annie , Matkin Craig O. , McMillan Christie , Moore Jeff , Moran John , Neilson Janet L. , Newell Hayley , Okabe Haruna , Olio Marilia , Ortega-Ortiz Christian D. , Pack Adam A. , Palacios Daniel M. , Pearson Heidi , Quintana-Rizzo Ester , Barragán Raul Ramírez , Ransome Nicola , Rosales-Nanduca Hiram , Sharpe Fred , Shaw Tasli , Southerland Ken , Stack Stephanie , Staniland Iain , Straley Janice , Szabo Andrew , Teerlink Suzie , Titova Olga , Urban-Ramirez Jorge , van Aswegen Martin , Vinicius Marcel , von Ziegesar Olga , Witteveen Briana , Wray Janie , Yano Kymberly , Yegin Igor , Zwiefelhofer Denny , Clapham Phil
Published: February 2024

For the 40 years after the end of commercial whaling in 1976, humpback whale populations in the North Pacific Ocean exhibited a prolonged period of recovery. Using mark–recapture methods on the largest individual photo-identification dataset ever assembled for a cetacean, we estimated annual ocean-basin-wide abundance for the species from 2002 through 2021. Trends in annual estimates describe strong post-whaling era population recovery from 16 875 (± 5955) in 2002 to a peak abundance estimate of 33 488 (± 4455) in 2012. An apparent 20% decline from 2012 to 2021, 33 488 (± 4455) to 26 662 (± 4192), suggests the population abruptly reached carrying capacity due to loss of prey resources. This was particularly evident for humpback whales wintering in Hawai‘i, where, by 2021, estimated abundance had declined by 34% from a peak in 2013, down to abundance levels previously seen in 2006, and contrasted to an absence of decline in Mainland Mexico breeding humpbacks. The strongest marine heatwave recorded globally to date during the 2014–2016 period appeared to have altered the course of species recovery, with enduring effects. Extending this time series will allow humpback whales to serve as an indicator species for the ecosystem in the face of a changing climate.
Global attractivity in tick population models incorporating seasonality and diapausing stages
Authors: El-Morshedy Hassan A. , Ruiz-Herrera Alfonso
Published: February 2024

The goal of this paper is to understand the interplay between seasonality and diapause on the population dynamics of ticks. To analyse this challenge, we study a mathematical model in which the population is divided into two groups: individuals with regular development and individuals undergoing diapause. A key ingredient in the model is that the common birth and death rates depend on time in order to describe the seasonal fluctuations of the environment. From a mathematical point of view, this paper offers a novel methodology to derive criteria of global attraction. In some classical models, we give delay-dependent conditions that cover the best delay-independent criteria of global attraction. We discuss how our approach improves existing results in relevant literature. Moreover, our results are simple and versatile enough to match experimental observations. To illustrate this potential, we analyse our model with parameters coming from real observations. A message of this paper is that seasonality plays a critical role in the population dynamics of ticks.
Effects of group size and population size on the evolutionary stability of cooperation
Authors: Molina Chai , Earn David J. D.
Published: February 2024

Evolutionary game theory has classically been developed under the implicit assumption of an infinite population. Exact analytical results for finite populations are rare, and those that exist apply to situations in which strategy sets are discrete. We rigorously analyse a standard model for the evolution of cooperation (the multi-player continuous-strategy snowdrift game) and show that in many situations in which there is a cooperative evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) if the population isinfinite, there is no cooperative ESS if the population isfinite(no matter how large). In these cases, contributingnothingis a globally convergently stable finite-population ESS, implying that apparent evolution of cooperation in such games is an artefact of the infinite population approximation. The key issue is that if the size of groups that play the game exceeds a critical proportion of the population then the infinite-population approximation predicts the wrong evolutionary outcome (in addition, the critical proportion itself depends on the population size). Our results are robust to the underlying selection process.
Contact-line bending energy controls phospholipid vesicle adhesion
Authors: Hill Reghan J. , Al-Amodi Adel
Published: February 2024

Phospholipid bilayer bending energy is often discarded in the analysis of vesicle adhesion on the basis of a dimensionless parameter

w
=
−
Δ
U

R
0
2

/

κ
b

≫
1

(interaction energy

Δ
U

, spherical radius

R
0

, bending rigidity

κ
b

), considered a regime of strong adhesion. In this study, we propose a model by which bending energy in a singular proximity of the contact line balances the adhesion energy. This is developed for a regime in which the membrane correlation length

ξ

is small compared with the vesicle radius

R
0

, so a spherical cap with circular footprint presents an effective contact angle

θ

. Experiments are conducted in which the adhesion of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) vesicles to hyaluronic acid hydrogel substrates is controlled by tuning the van der Waals attraction with systematic change in the hydrogel concentration. Theoretical interpretation of the data furnishes a dimensionless model parameter

α
≈
2
–
10

for contact angles

θ
≈
20
–

80
∘

, beyond which vesicles collapse into discs. We show that the van der Waals interaction energy varies in the range

−
Δ
U
≈
0.14
–
0.68
 

μ

J
 
m

−
2

in response to varying the hydrogel concentration in a range

c

ha

≈
2
–
10

%. The analysis provides a foundation for exploring vesicle–hydrogel interactions with electro-steric influences; these are poorly understood but pertinent in a wide variety of biological and technological applications.
Starvation differentially affects gene expression, immunity and pathogen susceptibility across symbiotic states in a model cnidarian
Authors: Valadez-Ingersoll Maria , Aguirre Carrión Pablo J. , Bodnar Caoimhe A. , Desai Niharika A. , Gilmore Thomas D. , Davies Sarah W.
Published: February 2024

Mutualistic symbioses between cnidarians and photosynthetic algae are modulated by complex interactions between host immunity and environmental conditions. Here, we investigate how symbiosis interacts with food limitation to influence gene expression and stress response programming in the sea anemone
Exaiptasia pallida
(Aiptasia). Transcriptomic responses to starvation were similar between symbiotic and aposymbiotic Aiptasia; however, aposymbiotic anemone responses were stronger. Starved Aiptasia of both symbiotic states exhibited increased protein levels of immune-related transcription factor NF-κB, its associated gene pathways, and putative target genes. However, this starvation-induced increase in NF-κB correlated with increased immunity only in symbiotic anemones. Furthermore, starvation had opposite effects on Aiptasia susceptibility to pathogen and oxidative stress challenges, suggesting distinct energetic priorities under food scarce conditions. Finally, when we compared starvation responses in Aiptasia to those of a facultative coral and non-symbiotic anemone, ‘defence’ responses were similarly regulated in Aiptasia and the facultative coral, but not in the non-symbiotic anemone. This pattern suggests that capacity for symbiosis influences immune responses in cnidarians. In summary, expression of certain immune pathways—including NF-κB—does not necessarily predict susceptibility to pathogens, highlighting the complexities of cnidarian immunity and the influence of symbiosis under varying energetic demands.
Exposure to female olfactory cues hastens reproductive ageing and increases mortality when mating in male mice
Authors: Garratt Michael , Try Heather , Neyt Christine , Brooks Robert C.
Published: February 2024

Theories of ageing predict that investment in reproduction will trade-off against survival and later-life reproduction. Recent evidence from invertebrates suggests that just perceiving cues of a potential mate's presence can reduce lifespan, particularly in males, and that activation of neuroendocrine reward pathways associated with mating can alleviate these effects. Whether similar effects occur in vertebrates remains untested. We tested whether exposure to olfactory cues from the opposite sex would influence mortality and reproductive senescence in male mice. We observed that males exposed to female olfactory cues from middle- to old age (from 10 to 24 months of age) showed reduced late-life fertility, irrespective of whether they had also been allowed to mate with females earlier in life. Males that were exposed to female odours in conjunction with mating also showed an increased mortality rate across the exposure period, indicating that olfactory cues from females can increase male mortality in some environments. Our results show that exposure to female odours can influence reproductive ageing and mortality in male mice, highlighting that sensory perception of mates may be an important driver of life-history trade-offs in mammals.
Saturnispora sinensis sp. nov., a new ascomycetous yeast species from soil and rotten wood
Authors: Wei Yu-Hua , Zhu Hai-Yan , Guo Liang-Chen , Luo Lu-Jun , Lee Ching-Fu , Hui Feng-Li , Han Ying , Zhen Pan , Hu Shuang , Han Pei-Jie , Bai Feng-Yan
Published: February 2024

A yeast strain (CGMCC 2.6937T) belonging to the ascomycetous yeast genus Saturnispora was recently isolated from soil collected in Xinghuacun, Shanxi Province, PR China. The strain produces one or two ellipsoid or spherical ascospores in asci formed by the conjugation between a cell and its bud. Phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene suggest that this strain is conspecific with strains NYNU 14639 isolated from rotten wood collected in Funiu Mountain, Henan province and ES13S05 from soil collected in Nantou County, Taiwan. The CGMCC 2.6937T group is most closely related to Saturnispora dispora and Saturnispora zaruensis. However, strain CGMCC 2.6937T differs from S. dispora by 17 (3.2 %, 13 substitutions and four gaps) and 77 (18.8 %, 52 substitutions and 25 gaps) mismatches, and from S. zaruensis by 15 (2.9 %, 12 substitutions and three gaps) and 64 (15.6 %, 44 substitutions and 20 gaps) mismatches, in the D1/D2 domain and ITS region, respectively. The results suggest that the CGMCC 2.6937T group represents an undescribed species in the genus Saturnispora, for which the name Saturnispora sinensis sp. nov. is proposed. The holotype strain is CGMCC 2.6937T.
Optogenetic fMRI reveals therapeutic circuits of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation
Authors: Li Yuhui , Lee Sung-Ho , Yu Chunxiu , Hsu Li-Ming , Wang Tzu-Wen W. , Do Khoa , Kim Hyeon-Joong , Shih Yen-Yu Ian , Grill Warren M.
Published: February 2024

While deep brain stimulation (DBS) is widely employed for managing motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD), its exact circuit mechanisms remain controversial. To identify the neural targets affected by therapeutic DBS in PD, we analyzed DBS-evoked whole brain activity in female hemi-parkinsonian rats using function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We delivered subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS at various stimulation pulse repetition rates using optogenetics, allowing unbiased examinations of cell-type specific STN feed-forward neural activity. Unilateral STN optogenetic stimulation elicited pulse repetition rate-dependent alterations of blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signals in SNr (substantia nigra pars reticulata), GP (globus pallidus), and CPu (caudate putamen). Notably, these manipulations effectively ameliorated pathological circling behavior in animals expressing the kinetically faster Chronos opsin, but not in animals expressing ChR2. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that the pulse repetition rate-dependent behavioral rescue was significantly mediated by optogenetically induced activity changes in GP and CPu, but not in SNr. This suggests that the activation of GP and CPu are critically involved in the therapeutic mechanisms of STN DBS.
Paced Breathing With a Prolonged Inspiratory Period Increases Sympathetic Activity: A Heart and Brain Analysis
Authors: Joaquim Miguel S. , Moreira Carlos
Published: February 2024

Paced breathing exercises with prolonged exhalation have been commonly used to reduce stress and anxiety by stimulating parasympathetic activity. However, increasing sympathetic activity may also provide benefits such as increased alertness and energy levels. In this work, we investigate the physiological impact of an 80-second breathing exercise with a prolonged inspiratory period of 6 seconds followed by 2 seconds of exhalation on the sympathetic system. We collected raw two-channel prefrontal electroencephalography and photoplethysmography signals of 19 subjects using EMOTAI’s headband while performing the proposed exercise every workday for 2 weeks straight. Physiological metrics such as heart rate, heart rate variability, and absolute power of the brain waves were extracted before and during the exercise to measure its effectiveness. A marked increase in beta wave power was observed, along with a significant increase in both heart rate and heart rate variability. The cardiovascular results indicate that the proposed exercise effectively raised sympathetic activity. Simultaneously, the observed neural activity is consistent with that seen during focused attention and heightened mental processing.
A novel interface for cortical columnar neuromodulation with multi-point infrared neural stimulation
Authors: Tian Fei-Yan , Zhang Ying , Schriver Kenneth E. , Hu Jia-Ming , Roe Anna Wang
Published: February 2024

Cutting edge advances in electrical visual cortical prosthetics have evoked perception of shapes, motion, and letters in the blind. Here, we present an alternative optical approach using pulsed infrared neural stimulation. To interface with dense arrays of cortical columns with submillimeter spatial precision, both linear array and 100-fiber bundle array optical fiber interfaces were devised. We delivered infrared stimulation through these arrays in anesthetized cat visual cortex and monitored effects by optical imaging in contralateral visual cortex. INS modulation of response to ongoing visual oriented gratings produced enhanced responses in orientation-matched domains and suppressed responses in non-matched domains, consistent with a known higher order integration mediated by callosal inputs. Controls included dynamically applied speeds, directions and patterns of multipoint stimulation. This provides groundwork for a distinct type of prosthetic targeted to maps of visual cortical columns.