bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creating Earthquakes
Authors: Barba Eugenio
Published: February 2024

Eugenio Barba has honoured NTQ by entrusting to its pages his very personal introduction to his most recent book, Le Mie vite nel terzo teatro: Diffrenza, mestiere, rivolta (My Lives in the Third Theatre: Difference, Craft, Revolt), which has here been specially translated into English by Judy Barba, the co-dedicatee, along with Julia Varley and Vera Gaeta, of his book: the ‘origins and accomplices of my journey to the archipelago of floating islands’. NTQ received this translation, here prepared by the journal’s editor, Maria Shevtsova, ahead of the book’s launch on 5 October 2023 at the Biblioteca Bernardini in Lecce in Puglia. On a grander scale, a few days later, the occasion also saw the opening in Barba’s honour of his and the Odin Teatret archives under the banner of LAFLIS (Living Archive Floating Islands), located in a wing of the three-dimensional immersive museum of the Bernardini. LAFLIS’s rich collection includes written material, film and video documentaries, recordings of performances, and such artefacts and equipment as instruments, masks, and costumes gathered during Third Theatre work. The latter is neither established-classical nor avant-garde theatre but ‘other’ – small-group, sometimes unofficial, and often self-taught theatre. LAFLIS is not exclusively intended for researchers and scholars, but is open as well to interested members of the general public. Barba’s introduction to My Lives in the Third Theatre is here published in full, clearly signposting, together with the author’s succinct commentary, the itinerary of his life’s multifarious work, which involved, and still involves, a wide range of participants and collaborators in different times, places, and languages, and in differing forms and patterns of creativity.

Barba’s account begins with his departure from Italy to Norway (1954), and his apprenticeship as a welder, and then a mariner, before tracing his move to study in Poland (1961), where he meets and works with Grotowski, his return to Oslo, where he founds Odin Teatret (1964), and then his emigration to Denmark (1966), where Odin Teatret establishes its niche within the larger framework that Barba named the Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium. Barba’s journey continued, encompassing numerous theatre endeavours, including the development of the idea of a Third Theatre (the ‘floating islands’ alluded to above); the seminal ISTA (International School of Theatre Anthropology, 1979); and, although quite clearly not at journey’s end, the Fondazione Barba Varley established in 2020.
The Ageing Self through Dramaturgies of Memory Loss and Love: Tristan Bernays’ Old Fools and Nick Payne’s Elegy
Authors: Shevchenko-Hotsuliak Inesa , Casado-Gual Núria
Published: February 2024

This comparative study of Tristan Bernays’ Old Fools (2018) and Nick Payne’s Elegy (2016) concerns two contemporary plays in which love manifested in middle-age and older adulthood is a determinant factor in the reconceptualization of the ageing self, particularly when afflicted by memory loss or cognitive failure. Positioned within the framework of theatre and ageing studies, and drawing from their intersection with gender studies and disability theories, the study demonstrates that the narrative arc that both texts recreate is not free of overtones of decline. However, the manipulation of chronological time in both plays through different techniques, as well as the importance of their love story, one between a man and a woman in Old Fools, and the other between two women in Elegy, help disrupt the binary of young/old perpetuated by ageist cultures, and, ultimately, undermine rigid constructions of identity in old age. The article concludes that new theatrical representations of ageing that develop narratives of love not only enable richer debates on the construction of the self, but ultimately contribute to an all-inclusive stage and, with it, to an age-friendly society.
Kahramanmaraş-Pazarcık Earthquake 2023: Characteristics of Patients Presented to the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Hospital Far from the Region and Infection Characteristics in Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Çakın Özlem , Yüce Aktepe Melike , Acar Samet , İbze Süleyman
Published: February 2024

Objective:

The aim of this study is to determine the demographic, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of the patients who applied to the emergency department (ED) of Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine Hospital (Antalya, Türkiye) after the Kahramanmaraş-Pazarcık earthquake dated February 6, 2023, as earthquake victims were included in the study. The results of the study could be a guide in terms of emergency health services and the healthy management of disasters.

Methods:

The study included patients over the age of 18 who presented as earthquake victims to the ED of Akdeniz University Medical Faculty Hospital from February 6, 2023 through March 8, 2023. The demographic data of the patients, including age, gender, earthquake zone, time and manner of arrival to the ED, time under debris, length-of-stay (LOS) in the service and intensive care unit (ICU), infection rates, culture results, and mortality, were retrospectively analyzed using the hospital automation system.

Results:

A total of 1,833 earthquake victims presented to the ED. Of these patients, 1,294 were adults and 539 were children. Services and the ICU admitted a total of 137 adult patients. In the first week, 414 (31.99%) of the patients presented to the ED, while 82 (59.85%) of the hospitalized patients were admitted.

Hatay ranked first with 573 (44.28%) patients in the distribution of patients presented to the ED according to earthquake regions. In the distribution of hospitalized patients by earthquake regions, the patients requiring the most hospitalization were from the province of Hatay, with 68 (49.63%) patients.

During hospital observations, the medical staff took 132 culture samples based on the positive clinic of the patient. The microorganisms detected in the culture studies were different from the flora of the hospital. The mortality at seven days was two (1.45%), and at the end of 30 days, the mortality was six (4.37%).

Conclusions:

The ED evaluated all affected cases, with most patients being brought by their relatives using their own means, and had low mortality rates despite presenting with fewer injuries. New environmental conditions that developed after the earthquake caused unexpected results, especially in terms of community-acquired agents.
The Curious Stellar System M22
Authors: McKenzie Madeleine
Published: February 2024

In the context of hierarchical galaxy assembly, globular clusters and dwarf galaxies are indispensable probes of the formation of our Milky Way. M22 is a stellar system with chemical abundances reminiscent of an accreted dwarf galaxy such as ω Centauri but disc-like kinematics suggesting a Milky Way origin. Curiously, M22 contains a population of stars enhanced in slow neutron-capture (s-)process elements due to pollution from low-mass AGB stars. Recently, the original in-situ population stars of the Milky Way disc has been revealed to be enhanced in s-process elements. This provides a tantalizing link between the in-situ Milky Way population and the formation of M22. This talk discussed how recent high-precision chemical abundance measurements suggest that M22 may be coeval with this in-situ component, and what the formation mechanisms of this s-process population can tell us about the chemical evolution of our Galaxy before the establishment of the disc.
Connection Between the Comet 1P/Halley Appearance in 760 AD and the Dinoyo Inscription (Preliminary Result)
Authors: Imandiharja Ide Nada , Arifyanto Mochamad Ikbal
Published: February 2024

According to many historical records, 1P/Halley comet was reported to appear in 760 AD. In the same year in Indonesia, the Dinoyo inscription told us the story of the Kanjuruhan kingdom which held a Vedic ceremony to purify a new shrine and statue of Agastya to repel enemy forces (or dispel the epidemic). Many traditions believe that the appearance of a comet is a sign of war, plague/epidemic, death, etc. By applying this understanding to the archaeoastronomical framework, the hypothesis is proposed, that the king’s order which was written on the inscription shows the response to the 1P/Halley comet appearance in 760 AD. There are three ways to examine the hypothesis: by testing the chronological, geographical, and cultural aspects. Through some literature studies and the Stellarium Astronomy Software simulation, the initial research found that the chronological and geographical aspects support the hypothesis.
Metal production in the early Universe: what chemical abundances in old stellar populations in the Milky Way tell us
Authors: Ishigaki Miho N.
Published: February 2024

Old stellar populations in our Galaxy provide fossil records of the metal enrichment in the first few billion years of the cosmic history. Growing elemental abundance data of individual stars combined with stellar ages and kinematics allow us to make constraints on characteristic properties of the metal-enrichment sources in the early Universe, such as the first stars. In order to interpret observed chemical abundances in the oldest stellar populations in terms of metal-enrichment sources, stellar and supernova yield models are crucial. In this article, we review how we can interpret observed chemical abundances in old stars in terms of the nature of metal enrichment sources. We discuss the limitations and the prospects of empirically constraining supernova yield models based on a large sample of extremely metal-poor stars. At the same time, we emphasize the importance of hunting old stars beyond the Solar neighborhood, which can be achieved with the next-generation multi-object spectrographs at large telescopes.
Revelation of Massive Quiescent Galaxies at z>3 from Deep JWST Spectroscopy
Authors: Glazebrook Karl , Nanayakkara Themiya , Marchesini Danilo , Kacprzak Glenn , Jacobs Colin
Published: February 2024

We present the first results from JWST/NIRSPEC spectroscopy of massive quiescent galaxy candidates at 3<z<4 to complete the spectroscopic survey of Schreiber et al. 2018. In the first six objects targeted (all of which were too faint to secure spectroscopic identifications from the ground) they all are confirmed as yet more massive quiescent galaxies at 3<z<4. The JWST spectra are high signal-to-noise and unambiguous. Most of them have ages of a few hundred Myr from stellar population fits to the spectra and about 1/3 show sign of AGN emission lines. One extraordinary object of stellar mass 1.6×1011 M⊙ shows a red spectrum with evidence of a 4000Å break and an age of ≳ 1Gyr at z=3.2 and forming at z>6.
Formation of the First Massive Galaxies in Cosmological Simulations and Their Observational Properties
Authors: Yajima Hidenobu
Published: February 2024

We study the formation of the first massive galaxies and their observational properties for comparisons with JWST or ALMA data by performing cosmological radiative-hydrodynamics simulations. We find that galaxies in overdense regions have high star formation rates larger than ∼10 M⊙ yr-1 at z=10 and their stellar masses reach 109 M⊙. The star formation rates of our model galaxies at z≲12 nicely match recent JWST data. In addition, we show that the morphology of galaxies drastically changes with time via major mergers and stellar feedback.
Towards a practice framework for transdisciplinary collaboration in planetary health
Authors: Wardani Jane , Bos Joannette J. (Annette) , Ramirez-Lovering Diego , Capon Anthony G.
Published: February 2024

Non-Technical Summary

Despite growing recognition of the importance of transdisciplinary research in addressing complex sustainability challenges, in practice it has been much hampered by persistent inequities, power disparities, and epistemological disconnect. Planetary health as an emerging field offers a unique lens highlighting the need for knowledge integration across the environment, health, and development (EHD) nexus. Drawing upon extensive analyses, including a meta-analysis of existing transdisciplinary frameworks, a literature review of practices in these fields, and a case study of a planetary health action research project in Indonesia and Fiji, we propose a framework to guide the design and implementation of transdisciplinary research.

Technical Summary

The proposed framework was iteratively designed, starting with existing frameworks, complemented by findings and practice recommendations from a literature review of 36 publications of recent transdisciplinary practices in the EHD fields and an in-depth case study of a planetary health research from Indonesian perspectives. The practice framework focuses on the stakeholder collaboration process, and emphasizes reflexivity and co-learning throughout all research phases: initiation (co-design); implementation (adaptive co-management), and monitoring and refinement (co-monitoring). Foundational considerations for stakeholder engagement could inform process design by reflecting on stakeholder contributions, interactions, integration, and expected outcomes. As suggested by development studies, and implicitly agreed upon but insufficiently elaborated within environment and health, attention to the local context of the research, mapping of power dynamics, and the values of equity and inclusivity are pertinent if research is to produce credible, relevant, and legitimate knowledge and outcomes. A renewed focus on addressing power equities can help ensure stakeholders' perspectives and interests are equally valued and potential solutions are not inadvertently excluded as a legacy of systemic power imbalance. The practice framework is most effectively applied in the initial process co-design, by process initiators and funders assessing proposals for international transdisciplinary research in power-diverse settings or resource-poor contexts.

Social Media Summary

How can researchers across diverse fields collaborate with renewed focus on power inequities to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals?
Can Humans Cooperate to Create a Sustainable Future?
Authors: Hallam Richard
Published: February 2024

Abstract: In response to calls for a “cultural transformation” that aims to bring about a sustainable relationship with nature, this review considers the evolution of human cooperation and its implications for cultural change. The link between cooperation and culture has varied throughout human evolution. The hierarchical ranking of a primate ancestor changed in species of Homo when they adopted egalitarian social arrangements, a stage that persisted for hundreds of thousands of years before returning once more to hierarchy. With the maintenance of social status in contemporary societies seeming to depend heavily on patterns of consumption, it is argued that the ultimate success of a change toward sustainability will depend on new systems of economic management and social incentivization.
The Parallel Series – The Behn–Rorschach Inkblot Test
Authors: Acklin Marvin W.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This article examines the historical background of the Behn-Rorschach Test based on new document translations, including the dissertation ( Psychische Schüleruntersuchngen mit dem Formdeutversuch) conducted by H. Behn-Eschenburg under Hermann Rorschach’s direct supervision and published in 1921. The Behn-Eschenburg dissertation was published at the same time and is a companion piece to Psychodiagnostics. The dissertation project applied Rorschach’s clinical theory and coding scheme to a duplicate set of inkblots (“the parallel series”) in a sample of 209 13–15-year-olds. The article reviews the newly translated correspondence between Rorschach, Behn-Eschenburg, and other colleagues in the development of the parallel series that was not published until 1940. Psychodiagnostics describes Hermann Rorschach’s rationale and prerequisites for development of the parallel series, and the dissertation is an early extension into new territory beyond Psychodiagnostics. Various investigators in the 1950s and 1960s critically examined Rorschach’s claims that the parallel series is equivalent to the original inkblots. The Behn-Eschenburg dissertation, published concurrently with Psychodiagnostics, illuminates the earliest development of Rorschach’s psychology on the eve of his untimely demise.
Fluid Mixing and Spatial Geochemical Variability in the Lost City Hydrothermal Field Chimneys
Authors: Aquino Karmina A. , Früh‐Green Gretchen L. , Bernasconi Stefano M. , Rickli Jörg , Lang Susan Q. , Lilley Marvin D.
Published: February 2024

Carbonate‐brucite chimneys are a characteristic of low‐ to moderate‐temperature, ultramafic‐hosted alkaline hydrothermal systems, such as the Lost City hydrothermal field located on the Atlantis Massif at 30°N near the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. These chimneys form as a result of mixing between warm, serpentinization‐derived vent fluids and cold seawater. Previous work has documented the evolution in mineralogy and geochemistry associated with the aging of the chimneys as hydrothermal activity wanes. However, little is known about spatial heterogeneities within and among actively venting chimneys. New mineralogical and geochemical data (87Sr/86Sr and stable C, O, and clumped isotopes) indicate that the brucite and calcite precipitate at elevated temperatures in vent fluid‐dominated domains in the interior of chimneys. Exterior zones dominated by seawater are brucite‐poor and aragonite is the main carbonate mineral. Carbonates record mostly out of equilibrium oxygen and clumped isotope signatures due to rapid precipitation upon vent fluid‐seawater mixing. On the other hand, the carbonates precipitate closer to carbon isotope equilibrium, with dissolved inorganic carbon in seawater as the dominant carbon source and have δ13C values within the range of marine carbonates. Our data suggest that calcite is a primary mineral in the active hydrothermal chimneys and does not exclusively form as a replacement of aragonite during later alteration with seawater. Elevated formation temperatures and lower 87Sr/86Sr relative to aragonite in the same sample suggest that calcite may be the first carbonate mineral to precipitate.
Dynamics of the Storm Time Magnetopause and Magnetosheath Boundary Layers: An MMS‐THEMIS Conjunction
Authors: Rice Rachel C. , Chen Li‐Jen , Gershman Dan , Fuselier Stephen A. , Burkholder Brandon L. , Gurram Harsha , Beedle Jason , Shuster Jason , Petrinec Steven M. , Pollock Craig , Cohen Ian , Gabrielse Christine , Escoubet Philippe , Burch James
Published: February 2024

This letter uses simultaneous observations from Magnetosphere Multiscale (MMS) and Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) to address the dynamics of the magnetopause and magnetosheath boundary layers during the main phase of a storm during which the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) reverses from south to north. Near the dawn terminator, MMS observes two boundary layers comprising open and closed field lines and containing energetic electrons and ring current oxygen. Some closed field line regions exhibit sunward convection, presenting an avenue to replenish dayside magnetic flux lost during the storm. Meanwhile, THEMIS observes two boundary layers in the pre‐noon sector which strongly resemble those observed at the flank by MMS. Observations from the three THEMIS spacecraft indicate the boundary layers are still evolving several hours after the IMF has turned northward. These observations advance our knowledge of the dynamic magnetopause and magnetosheath boundary layers under the combined effects of an ongoing storm and changing IMF.
The Interdecadal Weakening of the Relationship Between Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature and Summer Precipitation in Central Asia
Authors: Wei Yun , Yu Haipeng
Published: February 2024

The close relationship between the Indian Ocean Basin mode (IOBM) and summer precipitation in Central Asia (CA) has been documented in several studies. Nonetheless, this relationship has weakened since the 1990s and varies with the Atlantic Multi‐decadal Oscillation (AMO) phase transition. During the cold phase of the AMO (1970–1998), precipitation in CA was significantly positively correlated with the IOBM. Conversely, during the warm phase of the AMO (1999–2019), this correlation became insignificant. The decrease in the interannual variation in the IOBM resulted in the weakening of the atmospheric heat source variation over the North Indian continent and the south‐north movement of the subtropical westerly jet (SWJ). Along with the southerly SWJ, the IOBM exhibited only a weak positive correlation with precipitation in southern CA after the 1990s. This remarkable contrast in the impact of IOBM during different phases of the AMO offers intriguing possibilities for improving climate prediction in CA.
Genetic etiology of truncus arteriosus excluding 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and identification of c.1617del, a prevalent variant in TMEM260, in the Japanese population
Authors: Yaoita Hisao , Kawai Eiichiro , Takayama Jun , Iwasawa Shinya , Saijo Naoya , Abiko Masayuki , Suzuki Kouta , Kimura Masato , Ozawa Akira , Tamiya Gen , Kure Shigeo , Kikuchi Atsuo
Published: February 2024

Truncus Arteriosus (TA) is a congenital heart disease characterized by a single common blood vessel emerging from the right and left ventricles instead of the main pulmonary artery and aorta. TA accounts for 4% of all critical congenital heart diseases. The most common cause of TA is 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, accounting for 12–35% of all TA cases. However, no major causes of TA other than 22q11.2 deletion have been reported. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 11 Japanese patients having TA without 22q11.2 deletion. Among five patients, we identified pathogenic variants in TMEM260; the biallelic loss-of-function variants of which have recently been associated with structural heart defects and renal anomalies syndrome (SHDRA). In one patient, we identified a de novo pathogenic variant in GATA6, and in another patient, we identified a de novo probably pathogenic variant in NOTCH1. Notably, we identified a prevalent variant in TMEM260 (ENST00000261556.6), c.1617del (p.Trp539Cysfs*9), in 8/22 alleles among the 11 patients. The c.1617del variant was estimated to occur approximately 23 kiloyears ago. Based on the allele frequency of the c.1617del variant in the Japanese population (0.36%), approximately 26% of Japanese patients afflicted with TA could harbor homozygous c.1617del variants. This study highlights TMEM260, especially c.1617del, as a major genetic cause of TA in the Japanese population.
Meta-analysis with systematic review to synthesize associations between oral health related quality of life and anxiety and depression
Authors: Alimoradi Zainab , jafari Elahe , Roshandel Zahra , Potenza Marc N. , Lin Chung-Ying , Pakpour Amir H.
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The present systematic review aimed to investigate how oral health related quality of life (OHQOL) associates with anxiety and depression. The study protocol was registered prospectively in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023389372).

Materials and methods

Studies investigating associations between OHQOL and depression and/or anxiety were included. Fisher’s Z scores were used to summarize associations between OHQOL and depression/anxiety. Funnel plots and Begg’s Tests were used to assess publication bias. Meta-regression was conducted to examine potential moderator effects in the associations. Academic databases including theISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, ProQuestandPubMedwere systematically searched. The quality of included studies was checked with the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS).

Results

All 15 included studies were cross-sectional (14,419 participants from nine countries; mean age=43.74 years). The pooled estimates showed weak associations between OHQOL and depression (Fisher’s z-score of 0.26 [95% CI = 0.17, 0.35; I2 = 96.2%; τ2 = 0.03]) and anxiety (Fisher’s z-score of 0.22 [95% CI = 0.001, 0.43; I2 = 97.9%; τ2 = 0.06]). No severe problems in methodology quality, publication biases, or moderator effects were observed.

Conclusion

Both depression and anxiety were weakly associated with individuals’ OHQOL. Although the synthesized associations were not strong, they were significant, indicating that depression and anxiety are potential factors influencing individuals’ OHQOL.
NSD1 supports cell growth and regulates autophagy in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Topchu Iuliia , Bychkov Igor , Gursel Demirkan , Makhov Petr , Boumber Yanis
Published: February 2024

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Despite advances in therapeutic management and immunotherapy, the 5-year survival rate for head and neck cancer remains at ~66% of all diagnosed cases. A better definition of drivers of HPV-negative HNSCC that are targetable points of tumor vulnerability could lead to significant clinical advances. NSD1 is a histone methyltransferase that catalyzes histone H3 lysine 36 di-methylation (H3K36me2); mutations inactivating NSD1 have been linked to improved outcomes in HNSCC. In this study, we show that NSD1 induces H3K36me2 levels in HNSCC and that the depletion of NSD1 reduces HNSCC of cell growth in vitro and in vivo. We also find that NSD1 strongly promotes activation of the Akt/mTORC1 signaling pathway. NSD1 depletion in HNSCC induces an autophagic gene program activation, causes accumulation of the p62 and LC3B-II proteins, and decreases the autophagic signaling protein ULK1 at both protein and mRNA levels. Reflecting these signaling defects, the knockdown of NSD1 disrupts autophagic flux in HNSCC cells. Taken together, these data identify positive regulation of Akt/mTORC1 signaling and autophagy as novel NSD1 functions in HNSCC, suggesting that NSD1 may be of value as a therapeutic target in this cancer.
The structure of tyrosine-10 favors ionic conductance of Alzheimer’s disease-associated full-length amyloid-β channels
Authors: Karkisaval Abhijith G. , Hassan Rowan , Nguyen Andrew , Balster Benjamin , Abedin Faisal , Lal Ratnesh , Tatulian Suren A.
Published: February 2024

Amyloid β (Aβ) ion channels destabilize cellular ionic homeostasis, which contributes to neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease. The relative roles of various Aβ isoforms are poorly understood. We use bilayer electrophysiology, AFM imaging, circular dichroism, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize channel activities of four most prevalent Aβ peptides, Aβ1-42, Aβ1-40, and their pyroglutamylated forms (AβpE3-42, AβpE3-40) and correlate them with the peptides’ structural features. Solvent-induced fluorescence splitting of tyrosine-10 is discovered and used to assess the sequestration from the solvent and membrane insertion. Aβ1-42 effectively embeds in lipid membranes, contains large fraction of β-sheet in a β-barrel-like structure, forms multi-subunit pores in membranes, and displays well-defined ion channel features. In contrast, the other peptides are partially solvent-exposed, contain minimal β-sheet structure, form less-ordered assemblies, and produce irregular ionic currents. These findings illuminate the structural basis of Aβ neurotoxicity through membrane permeabilization and may help develop therapies that target Aβ-membrane interactions.
Cryo-EM structures of lipidic fibrils of amyloid-β (1-40)
Authors: Frieg Benedikt , Han Mookyoung , Giller Karin , Dienemann Christian , Riedel Dietmar , Becker Stefan , Andreas Loren B. , Griesinger Christian , Schröder Gunnar F.
Published: February 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by the extracellular deposition of amyloid plaques. Investigation into the composition of these plaques revealed a high amount of amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils and a high concentration of lipids, suggesting that fibril-lipid interactions may also be relevant for the pathogenesis of AD. Therefore, we grew Aβ40 fibrils in the presence of lipid vesicles and determined their structure by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to high resolution. The fold of the major polymorph is similar to the structure of brain-seeded fibrils reported previously. The majority of the lipids are bound to the fibrils, as we show by cryo-EM and NMR spectroscopy. This apparent lipid extraction from vesicles observed here in vitro provides structural insights into potentially disease-relevant fibril-lipid interactions.
Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period
Authors: Pagano Anthony M. , Rode Karyn D. , Lunn Nicholas J. , McGeachy David , Atkinson Stephen N. , Farley Sean D. , Erlenbach Joy A. , Robbins Charles T.
Published: February 2024

Declining Arctic sea ice is increasing polar bear land use. Polar bears on land are thought to minimize activity to conserve energy. Here, we measure the daily energy expenditure (DEE), diet, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of 20 different polar bears on land over 19–23 days from August to September (2019–2022) in Manitoba, Canada. Polar bears on land exhibited a 5.2-fold range in DEE and 19-fold range in activity, from hibernation-like DEEs to levels approaching active bears on the sea ice, including three individuals that made energetically demanding swims totaling 54–175 km. Bears consumed berries, vegetation, birds, bones, antlers, seal, and beluga. Beyond compensating for elevated DEE, there was little benefit from terrestrial foraging toward prolonging the predicted time to starvation, as 19 of 20 bears lost mass (0.4–1.7 kg•day−1). Although polar bears on land exhibit remarkable behavioral plasticity, our findings reinforce the risk of starvation, particularly in subadults, with forecasted increases in the onshore period.
Bayesian evaluation of diverging theories of episodic and affective memory distortions in dysphoria
Authors: Duken Sascha B. , Keessen Liza , Hoijtink Herbert , Kindt Merel , van Ast Vanessa A.
Published: February 2024

People suffering from dysphoria retrieve autobiographical memories distorted in content and affect, which may contribute to the aetiology and maintenance of depression. However, key memory difficulties in dysphoria remain elusive because theories disagree how memories of different valence are altered. Here, we assessed the psychophysiological expression of affect and retrieved episodic detail while participants with dysphoria (but without a diagnosed mental illness) and participants without dysphoria relived positive, negative, and neutral memories. We show that participants with dysphoria retrieve positive memories with diminished episodic detail and negative memories with enhanced detail, compared to participants without dysphoria. This is in line with negativity bias but not overgeneral memory bias theories. According to confirmatory analyses, participants with dysphoria also express diminished positive affect and enhanced negative affect when retrieving happy memories, but exploratory analyses suggest that this increase in negative affect may not be robust. Further confirmatory analyses showed that affective responses to memories are not related to episodic detail and already present during the experience of new emotional events. Our results indicate that affective memory distortions may not emerge from mnemonic processes but from general distortions in positive affect, which challenges assumptions of memory theories and therapeutics. Protocol registration: The Stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on the 18rd of March 2021. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14605374.v1.
Decoupled electrolysis for hydrogen production and hydrazine oxidation via high-capacity and stable pre-protonated vanadium hexacyanoferrate
Authors: Lv Fei , Wu Jiazhe , Liu Xuan , Zheng Zhihao , Pan Lixia , Zheng Xuewen , Guo Liejin , Chen Yubin
Published: February 2024

Decoupled electrolysis for hydrogen production with the aid of a redox mediator enables two half-reactions operating at different rates, time, and spaces, which offers great flexibility in operation. Herein, a pre-protonated vanadium hexacyanoferrate (p-VHCF) redox mediator is synthesized. It offers a high reversible specific capacity up to 128 mAh g−1 and long cycling performance of 6000 cycles with capacity retention about 100% at a current density of 10 A g−1 due to the enhanced hydrogen bonding network. By using this mediator, a membrane-free water electrolytic cell is built to achieve decoupled hydrogen and oxygen production. More importantly, a decoupled electrolysis system for hydrogen production and hydrazine oxidation is constructed, which realizes not only separate hydrogen generation but electricity generation through the p-VHCF-N2H4 liquid battery. Therefore, this work enables the flexible energy conversion and storage with hydrogen production driven by solar cell at day-time and electricity output at night-time.
Structural and mechanistic characterization of bifunctional heparan sulfate N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase 1
Authors: Mycroft-West Courtney J. , Abdelkarim Sahar , Duyvesteyn Helen M. E. , Gandhi Neha S. , Skidmore Mark A. , Owens Raymond J. , Wu Liang
Published: February 2024

Heparan sulfate (HS) polysaccharides are major constituents of the extracellular matrix, which are involved in myriad structural and signaling processes. Mature HS polysaccharides contain complex, non-templated patterns of sulfation and epimerization, which mediate interactions with diverse protein partners. Complex HS modifications form around initial clusters of glucosamine-N-sulfate (GlcNS) on nascent polysaccharide chains, but the mechanistic basis underpinning incorporation of GlcNS itself into HS remains unclear. Here, we determine cryo-electron microscopy structures of human N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase (NDST)1, the bifunctional enzyme primarily responsible for initial GlcNS modification of HS. Our structures reveal the architecture of both NDST1 deacetylase and sulfotransferase catalytic domains, alongside a non-catalytic N-terminal domain. The two catalytic domains of NDST1 adopt a distinct back-to-back topology that limits direct cooperativity. Binding analyses, aided by activity-modulating nanobodies, suggest that anchoring of the substrate at the sulfotransferase domain initiates the NDST1 catalytic cycle, providing a plausible mechanism for cooperativity despite spatial domain separation. Our data shed light on key determinants of NDST1 activity, and describe tools to probe NDST1 function in vitro and in vivo.
A general computational design strategy for stabilizing viral class I fusion proteins
Authors: Gonzalez Karen J. , Huang Jiachen , Criado Miria F. , Banerjee Avik , Tompkins Stephen M. , Mousa Jarrod J. , Strauch Eva-Maria
Published: February 2024

Many pathogenic viruses rely on class I fusion proteins to fuse their viral membrane with the host cell membrane. To drive the fusion process, class I fusion proteins undergo an irreversible conformational change from a metastable prefusion state to an energetically more stable postfusion state. Mounting evidence underscores that antibodies targeting the prefusion conformation are the most potent, making it a compelling vaccine candidate. Here, we establish a computational design protocol that stabilizes the prefusion state while destabilizing the postfusion conformation. With this protocol, we stabilize the fusion proteins of the RSV, hMPV, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, testing fewer than a handful of designs. The solved structures of these designed proteins from all three viruses evidence the atomic accuracy of our approach. Furthermore, the humoral response of the redesigned RSV F protein compares to that of the recently approved vaccine in a mouse model. While the parallel design of two conformations allows the identification of energetically sub-optimal positions for one conformation, our protocol also reveals diverse molecular strategies for stabilization. Given the clinical significance of viruses using class I fusion proteins, our algorithm can substantially contribute to vaccine development by reducing the time and resources needed to optimize these immunogens.
Structural basis for regulated assembly of the mitochondrial fission GTPase Drp1
Authors: Rochon Kristy , Bauer Brianna L. , Roethler Nathaniel A. , Buckley Yuli , Su Chih-Chia , Huang Wei , Ramachandran Rajesh , Stoll Maria S. K. , Yu Edward W. , Taylor Derek J. , Mears Jason A.
Published: February 2024

Mitochondrial fission is a critical cellular event to maintain organelle function. This multistep process is initiated by the enhanced recruitment and oligomerization of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) at the surface of mitochondria. As such, Drp1 is essential for inducing mitochondrial division in mammalian cells, and homologous proteins are found in all eukaryotes. As a member of the dynamin superfamily of proteins (DSPs), controlled Drp1 self-assembly into large helical polymers stimulates its GTPase activity to promote membrane constriction. Still, little is known about the mechanisms that regulate correct spatial and temporal assembly of the fission machinery. Here we present a cryo-EM structure of a full-length Drp1 dimer in an auto-inhibited state. This dimer reveals two key conformational rearrangements that must be unlocked through intramolecular rearrangements to achieve the assembly-competent state observed in previous structures. This structural insight provides understanding into the mechanism for regulated self-assembly of the mitochondrial fission machinery.
Microenvironment reconstitution of highly active Ni single atoms on oxygen-incorporated Mo2C for water splitting
Authors: Hou Mengyun , Zheng Lirong , Zhao Di , Tan Xin , Feng Wuyi , Fu Jiantao , Wei Tianxin , Cao Minhua , Zhang Jiatao , Chen Chen
Published: February 2024

The rational design of efficient bifunctional single-atom electrocatalysts for industrial water splitting and the comprehensive understanding of its complex catalytic mechanisms remain challenging. Here, we report a Ni single atoms supported on oxygen-incorporated Mo2C via Ni-O-Mo bridge bonds, that gives high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) bifunctional activity. By ex situ synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy and electron microscopy, we found that after HER, the coordination number and bond lengths of Ni-O and Ni-Mo (Ni-O-Mo) were all altered, yet the Ni species still remain atomically dispersed. In contrast, after OER, the atomically dispersed Ni were agglomerated into very small clusters with new Ni-Ni (Ni-O-Ni) bonds appeared. Combining experimental results and DFT calculations, we infer the oxidation degree of Mo2C and the configuration of single-atom Ni are both vital for HER or OER. This study provides both a feasible strategy and model to rational design highly efficient electrocatalysts for water electrolysis.
Miniaturized and untethered McKibben muscles based on photothermal-induced gas-liquid transformation
Authors: Ai Wenfei , Hou Kai , Wu Jiaxin , Long Yue , Song Kai
Published: February 2024

Pneumatic artificial muscles can move continuously under the power support of air pumps, and their flexibility also provides the possibility for applications in complex environments. However, in order to achieve operation in confined spaces, the miniaturization of artificial muscles becomes crucial. Since external attachment devices greatly hinder the miniaturization and use of artificial muscles, we propose a light-driven approach to get rid of these limitations. In this study, we report a miniaturized fiber-reinforced artificial muscle based on mold editing, capable of bending and axial elongation using gas-liquid conversion in visible light. The minimum volume of the artificial muscle prepared using this method was 15.7 mm3 (d = 2 mm, l = 5 mm), which was smaller than those of other fiber-reinforced pneumatic actuators. This research can promote the development of non-tethered pneumatic actuators for rescue and exploration, and create the possibility of miniaturization of actuators.
Direct observation of autoubiquitination for an integral membrane ubiquitin ligase in ERAD
Authors: Moochickal Assainar Basila , Ragunathan Kaushik , Baldridge Ryan D.
Published: February 2024

The endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation (ERAD) pathway regulates protein quality control at the endoplasmic reticulum. ERAD of lumenal and membrane proteins requires a conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase, called Hrd1. We do not understand the molecular configurations of Hrd1 that enable autoubiquitination and the subsequent retrotranslocation of misfolded protein substrates from the ER to the cytosol. Here, we have established a generalizable, single-molecule platform that enables high-efficiency labeling, stoichiometry determination, and functional assays for any integral membrane protein. Using this approach, we directly count Hrd1 proteins reconstituted into individual proteoliposomes. We report that Hrd1 assembles in different oligomeric configurations with mostly monomers and dimers detected at limiting dilution. By correlating oligomeric states with ubiquitination in vitro, we conclude that Hrd1 monomers are inefficient in autoubiquitination while dimers efficiently assemble polyubiquitin chains. Therefore, our results reveal the minimal composition of a Hrd1 oligomer that is capable of autoubiquitination. Our methods are broadly applicable to studying other complex membrane protein functions using reconstituted bilayer systems.
The effect of echoes interference on phonon attenuation in a nanophononic membrane
Authors: Hadi Mohammad , Luo Haoming , Pailhès Stéphane , Tanguy Anne , Gravouil Anthony , Capotondi Flavio , De Angelis Dario , Fainozzi Danny , Foglia Laura , Mincigrucci Riccardo , Paltanin Ettore , Pedersoli Emanuele , Pelli-Cresi Jacopo S. , Bencivenga Filippo , Giordano Valentina M.
Published: February 2024

Nanophononic materials are characterized by a periodic nanostructuration, which may lead to coherent scattering of phonons, enabling interference and resulting in modified phonon dispersions. We have used the extreme ultraviolet transient grating technique to measure phonon frequencies and lifetimes in a low-roughness nanoporous phononic membrane of SiN at wavelengths between 50 and 100 nm, comparable to the nanostructure lengthscale. Surprisingly, phonon frequencies are only slightly modified upon nanostructuration, while phonon lifetime is strongly reduced. Finite element calculations indicate that this is due to coherent phonon interference, which becomes dominant for wavelengths between ~ half and twice the inter-pores distance. Despite this, vibrational energy transport is ensured through an energy flow among the coherent modes created by reflections. This interference of phonon echos from periodic interfaces is likely another aspect of the mutual coherence effects recently highlighted in amorphous and complex crystalline materials and, in this context, could be used to tailor transport properties of nanostructured materials.
TYK2 signaling promotes the development of autoreactive CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and type 1 diabetes
Authors: Mine Keiichiro , Nagafuchi Seiho , Akazawa Satoru , Abiru Norio , Mori Hitoe , Kurisaki Hironori , Shimoda Kazuya , Yoshikai Yasunobu , Takahashi Hirokazu , Anzai Keizo
Published: February 2024

Tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2), a member of the JAK family, has attracted attention as a potential therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases. However, the role of TYK2 in CD8+ T cells and autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) is poorly understood. In this study, we generate Tyk2 gene knockout non-obese diabetes (NOD) mice and demonstrate that the loss of Tyk2 inhibits the development of autoreactive CD8+ T-BET+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) by impairing IL-12 signaling in CD8+ T cells and the CD8+ resident dendritic cell-driven cross-priming of CTLs in the pancreatic lymph node (PLN). Tyk2-deficient CTLs display reduced cytotoxicity. Increased inflammatory responses in β-cells with aging are dampened by Tyk2 deficiency. Furthermore, treatment with BMS-986165, a selective TYK2 inhibitor, inhibits the expansion of T-BET+ CTLs, inflammation in β-cells and the onset of autoimmune T1D in NOD mice. Thus, our study reveals the diverse roles of TYK2 in driving the pathogenesis of T1D.
A distinctive family of L,D-transpeptidases catalyzing L-Ala-mDAP crosslinks in Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria
Authors: Espaillat Akbar , Alvarez Laura , Torrens Gabriel , ter Beek Josy , Miguel-Ruano Vega , Irazoki Oihane , Gago Federico , Hermoso Juan A. , Berntsson Ronnie P-A. , Cava Felipe
Published: February 2024

The bacterial cell-wall peptidoglycan is made of glycan strands crosslinked by short peptide stems. Crosslinks are catalyzed by DD-transpeptidases (4,3-crosslinks) and LD-transpeptidases (3,3-crosslinks). However, recent research on non-model species has revealed novel crosslink types, suggesting the existence of uncharacterized enzymes. Here, we identify an LD-transpeptidase, LDTGo, that generates 1,3-crosslinks in the acetic-acid bacterium Gluconobacter oxydans. LDTGo-like proteins are found in Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria lacking LD3,3-transpeptidases. In contrast with the strict specificity of typical LD- and DD-transpeptidases, LDTGo can use non-terminal amino acid moieties for crosslinking. A high-resolution crystal structure of LDTGo reveals unique features when compared to LD3,3-transpeptidases, including a proline-rich region that appears to limit substrate access, and a cavity accommodating both glycan chain and peptide stem from donor muropeptides. Finally, we show that DD-crosslink turnover is involved in supplying the necessary substrate for LD1,3-transpeptidation. This phenomenon underscores the interplay between distinct crosslinking mechanisms in maintaining cell wall integrity in G. oxydans.
Dubosiella newyorkensis modulates immune tolerance in colitis via the L-lysine-activated AhR-IDO1-Kyn pathway
Authors: Zhang Yanan , Tu Shuyu , Ji Xingwei , Wu Jianan , Meng Jinxin , Gao Jinsong , Shao Xian , Shi Shuai , Wang Gan , Qiu Jingjing , Zhang Zhuobiao , Hua Chengang , Zhang Ziyi , Chen Shuxian , Zhang Li , Zhu Shu Jeffrey
Published: February 2024

Commensal bacteria generate immensely diverse active metabolites to maintain gut homeostasis, however their fundamental role in establishing an immunotolerogenic microenvironment in the intestinal tract remains obscure. Here, we demonstrate that an understudied murine commensal bacterium, Dubosiella newyorkensis, and its human homologue Clostridium innocuum, have a probiotic immunomodulatory effect on dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis using conventional, antibiotic-treated and germ-free mouse models. We identify an important role for the D. newyorkensis in rebalancing Treg/Th17 responses and ameliorating mucosal barrier injury by producing short-chain fatty acids, especially propionate and L-Lysine (Lys). We further show that Lys induces the immune tolerance ability of dendritic cells (DCs) by enhancing Trp catabolism towards the kynurenine (Kyn) pathway through activation of the metabolic enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) in an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-dependent manner. This study identifies a previously unrecognized metabolic communication by which Lys-producing commensal bacteria exert their immunoregulatory capacity to establish a Treg-mediated immunosuppressive microenvironment by activating AhR-IDO1-Kyn metabolic circuitry in DCs. This metabolic circuit represents a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.