bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of Longitudinal SAW Pipes – API 5L X65MS PSL2 for Transportation of 100% H2 Gas
Authors: Kathayat T. S. , Srivastava Atul , Pathak Manish , Mapara Bhavin
Published: November 2023

Global Energy Market is observing a major transition due to enhanced focus on climate change and sustainability. The said transition is increasingly getting centred on consumer demand, technological innovations, regulatory and legislative policy reforms and reassessment of investment priorities to ensure sustained value for stake holders.

This Technical Paper aims to describe the test results of the SAW Line Pipe materials produced from TMCP material of 659.2 mm OD × 19.7 mm WT – API 5L X65M PSL2. The corrosion resistance properties for HIC and SSC testing carried out on base metal and weld metal met the requirements of API 5L. CTOD test carried out on base metal, weld metal and HAZ met the requirements as per API 5L. All the measured values for the KIH fracture toughness properties for base metal, weld metal & HAZ were always higher than the minimum required value of 55 MPa. √m.
IOT’ised TLP
Authors: Sinha Arun
Published: November 2023

This abstracts paper portrays HOW modern technology is used to convert conventional A type TLP (Terminal Lead Point) into IOT’ized Digital TLP utilizing Internet of Things (IOT). This is a step towards Digitalization of assets exploiting IOT comprehensive of PC or Mobile Devices.

Gas is transported through Carbon Steel pipelines which are prone to corrosion. Cathodic Protection (CP) system is used to protect the pipeline from Corrosion. Negative potential ranging −0.8 to −1.2 VDC is injected in the pipeline for protection. PSP - Pipe to soil potential measurement is a measure of the CP system reliability. TLP - Terminal Lead Point of Conventional type kept at gas receipt stations/Pigging stations are used to measure PSP.

Existing practice is Unbox and box up TLP every time which is a tedious job. It’s a time-consuming activity requiring 02 technicians, half-cell and one multimeter at a time. So there is a probability of damage to TLP internal wires, nuts, lugs, etc. Sometimes PSP varies because of malfunction of TR or interference by nearby High Tension lines. Instantaneous data are available whenever technician/ engineer visits site and measures reading manually. Continuous data log shall be there for appropriate analysis of data. So perfect PSP monitoring requires real time data recording.

The problem investigated is conventional TLP, which shall be techno rejuvenated. Methodology exploring emerging technology trends, IOT has been developed to covert conventional TLP into Digitally IOT’ized TLP.

IOT’ised circuits assists in providing ON PSP data access from anywhere in the world in Mobile phones or PC without any Remote Terminal Unit and hard core cabling.
Microtunneling for Pipeline Installation: A Case Study
Authors: Mazumdar Dipanjan , Singh Akhilesh , Kishore Raj
Published: November 2023

The use of pipeline as a reliable, safe and cost-effective mode of transportation for hydrocarbon including crude oil, POLs, natural gas or for water, sewage transmission among other services, is well established in the industry. A pipeline, while traversing from the point of dispatch to point of receipt may have to cross obstructions like river, canal, railway line, road etc. Various methods including conventional trench and lay method or trenchless techniques like Jacking-Boring or Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) are used to cross such obstacles. The conventional trench and lay method may be restrictive due to its disruptive nature or its limitations in crossing rivers / large water-bodies. Similarly, conventional HDD has its inherent shortcomings with respect to geology of the sub-surface conditions which renders it unsuitable for many real-world river crossing scenarios, where the presence of gravel, cobbles or boulders in the sub-soil makes pipeline installation by Microtunneling & Pipe Jacking as the preferred method. Microtunneling involves installation of pipes, preferably concrete, below ground by jacking behind a remotely controlled, steerable, guided, articulated Microtunnel Boring Machine providing continuous support to the excavation face and the bored cavity / opening and uninterrupted removal of excavated spoils without requirement of any personnel entry into the tunnel. Microtunneling activity involves construction of Launch, Receipt and Intermediate Shafts, installation of Jacking Pipes employing suitable Guidance System followed by securely installing the pipeline carrying the hydrocarbon (or other fluid) within the installed tunnel.

The present case study discusses at length the crossing methodology selection of a 26″ crude oil pipeline of an operator across the Gangia River in Assam, India. The particular geology of the river bed will make any unsupported opening or hole made by HDD method prone to collapse from the surrounding boulders occupying the void, making Microtunneling as the method of choice for installation of pipeline across such rivers. The instances of use of Microtunneling for pipeline installation across the world is limited, lesser so in India, with the exception of Tista river crossing in West Bengal, East-West Gas Pipeline crossing Gauthami Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh or a few completed and ongoing projects in North-East India. The presence of gravels and boulders in the sub-soil strata through which the pipeline is proposed to be laid across Gangia River makes Microtunneling as the only possible choice of installation.
State-of-the-Art Solutions for Instant On-Site Verification of Geotechnical, Cathodic Protection and Coating Indications on Pipelines
Authors: Khera Ashish , Joshi Himanshu , Sharma Ajay , Kushwaha Vishal , Indala Teja
Published: November 2023

Pipeline integrity is of crucial importance for reliable pipeline operations, and to avert expensive downtime and failures. To maintain integrity, pipelines are equipped with two primary layers of defence for preventing External Corrosion – Coating and Cathodic Protection (CP). Coating and CP go hand in hand and are complimentary to each other.

Periodic assessment of Coating and CP system is paramount to eliminate external corrosion issues which a pipeline may face during its lifetime. Numerous above ground surveys are presently available for inspection of Coating and CP. The survey technologies have been advancing gradually since the 1980s, both in equipment hardware and software capabilities, although the scientific principle behind all of them remains the same.

A major leap in the advancement of such surveys occurred when multiple inspection techniques were combined within the same survey for conducting up to ten (10) aboveground surveys in a single run over the pipeline categorized as Integrated Inspection Techniques (IIT’s). In addition, recording continuous encrypted raw waveforms (up to 35 times per second) and auto integrating the multiple survey data of Close Interval Potential Survey, Direct Current Voltage Gradient, Alternating Current Voltage Gradient, Current Attenuation Test, Alternating Current-Pipe to Soil Potential, Depth of Cover, Pipeline Elevation, Gas Leak Detection, AC Interference and DC Interference in a viewer and analysis software to avoid any manual intervention of survey data.

IITs have been a major proven breakthrough for assessing the external integrity of pipelines transparently and providing instant on-site verification and repair of geotechnical, CP and coating indications.
Black Powder Detection and Management Using Advanced Flow Modelling and Field Verification
Authors: Barton Lewis , Pinto Ashwin
Published: November 2023

Black Powder is a common corrosion related contaminant causing operational issues in gas pipeline networks. Some of these networks large amounts of black powder or debris can be present as a result of many years of operation. In addition to the years of uncertainty, the presumption is all internal integrity threats were previously managed due to the conveyance of sales grade dry gas, which is not always the case. In aging and complex gas distribution networks, due to the difficulty of conducting inspection, the magnitude of deposit accumulation is unknown.

Operators therefore have a problem when it comes to validating the internal condition of their gas distribution networks, usually only being able to perform intrusive inspection at huge cost. To overcome this, ROSEN has developed an approach similar to ICDA in order to identify hotspots and buildup areas within city gas distribution networks without the need for intrusive inspection. hotspot areas were identified using advance flow modelling and are then confirmed by non-intrusive NDT methods. This paper goes through a case study of the approach and how it was confirmed to be accurate to pipeline conditions with only a 4% error. In addition, areas of black powder build-up were also identified and validated to be within a 15% error band. These factors together enabled the operator to prove the condition of their network and gain an estimated remaining life, additionally the requirement for pipeline pigging, both operational and intelligent was assessed and deemed not required, saving significant costs both directly and in supply disruption.
Modern Route Survey Techniques and Practices, GIS Mapping and Planning of Pipeline and RoU Acquisition and Present Guidelines
Authors: Singh Ravindra
Published: November 2023

Govt. of India in association with Oil & Gas Sector industry exclusively developing the pipeline network in various part of the country to cater the requirement of demand centers /industries, as India is considered as developing country and having tremendous opportunities for the pipeline transportation sector.

Now introducing the new innovative technologies for routing best optimum pipeline route and carrying out Pre-Engineering Route Survey activities within shortest time period. To achieve goal, Team has also developed proprietary software called “RoU Master Software” which facilitate Clients to maintain RoU Acquisition & Database and Generate various RoU Acquisition notices / notification in different-different language as per P&MP Act 1962 requirement and facilitate retrieve data whenever is required by CLIENT.

This technical paper represents the use of modern technology for Pre-Engineering Survey for major oil & gas companies which have been successfully completed / implemented over a period of time including activities to be undertaken before and after laying of pipeline.
New Approaches in Utilizing Eddy Current Testing to Address Pipeline Geohazards
Authors: Cornu Sylvain , Kare Raymond , Vos Willem
Published: November 2023

Eddy current testing is a widely used NDT inspection technique for both ferrous and non-ferrous materials. This may explain why it was one of the very early techniques implemented on an inline inspection tool (ILI), alongside the development of Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) tools. Eddy current testing is primarily applied to accurately diagnose surface-breaking defects. The technology is highly mature and has been deployed in various applications, for instance for pipeline in-ditch inspection during validation activities.

The most common use of eddy current technology in ILI tools is a simple configuration for proximity measurement. This helps to discriminate between internal and external corrosion on a volumetric tool (MFL) or enhance caliper-based geometry measurements. The most advanced applications of eddy current testing target measurement of specific properties of the pipe wall such as material properties (pipe grade) or pipe stress due to external loading.

This paper will present the latest effort in developing eddy current for inline strain measurement in pipelines. The fundamental physical principles will be reviewed, and key parameters considered during the design. Internal validation steps and results will be highlighted. The technology developed is specifically targeting threats related to Geohazard. Working with IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) and Geometry data, the combination of measurements, a Geohazard management application, is believed to offer the best dataset to detect and characterize Geohazards in pipelines.

With the collaboration and support of pipeline operators, the Geohazard tool is undergoing a validation campaign with the first results presented for a known and well-characterized geohazard event. Correlation to known events is key to validating new technology, and the site presented has extensive data available to fully understand and validate the Geohazard tool measurement. The authors will present the results of the validation activities completed in early 2023.
Student of Games: A unified learning algorithm for both perfect and imperfect information games
Authors: Schmid Martin , Moravčík Matej , Burch Neil , Kadlec Rudolf , Davidson Josh , Waugh Kevin , Bard Nolan , Timbers Finbarr , Lanctot Marc , Holland G. Zacharias , Davoodi Elnaz , Christianson Alden , Bowling Michael
Published: November 2023

Games have a long history as benchmarks for progress in artificial intelligence. Approaches using search and learning produced strong performance across many perfect information games, and approaches using game-theoretic reasoning and learning demonstrated strong performance for specific imperfect information poker variants. We introduce Student of Games, a general-purpose algorithm that unifies previous approaches, combining guided search, self-play learning, and game-theoretic reasoning. Student of Games achieves strong empirical performance in large perfect and imperfect information games—an important step toward truly general algorithms for arbitrary environments. We prove that Student of Games is sound, converging to perfect play as available computation and approximation capacity increases. Student of Games reaches strong performance in chess and Go, beats the strongest openly available agent in heads-up no-limit Texas hold’em poker, and defeats the state-of-the-art agent in Scotland Yard, an imperfect information game that illustrates the value of guided search, learning, and game-theoretic reasoning.
Salvage therapy expands highly cytotoxic and metabolically fit resilient CD8
+
T cells via ME1 up-regulation
Authors: Gicobi Joanina K. , Mao Zhiming , DeFranco Grace , Hirdler Jacob B. , Li Ying , Vianzon Vianca V. , Dellacecca Emilia R. , Hsu Michelle A. , Barham Whitney , Yan Yiyi , Mansfield Aaron S. , Lin Yi , Wu Xiaosheng , Hitosugi Taro , Owen Dawn , Grams Michael P. , Orme Jacob J. , Lucien Fabrice , Zeng Hu , Park Sean S. , Dong Haidong
Published: November 2023

Patients with advanced cancers who either do not experience initial response to or progress while on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) receive salvage radiotherapy to reduce tumor burden and tumor-related symptoms. Occasionally, some patients experience substantial global tumor regression with a rebound of cytotoxic CD8
+
T cells. We have termed the rebound of cytotoxic CD8
+
T cells in response to salvage therapy as T cell resilience and examined the underlying mechanisms of resilience. Resilient T cells are enriched for CX3CR1
+
CD8
+
T cells with low mitochondrial membrane potential, accumulate less reactive oxygen species (ROS), and express more malic enzyme 1 (ME1). ME1 overexpression enhanced the cytotoxicity and expansion of effector CD8
+
T cells partially via the type I interferon pathway. ME1 also increased mitochondrial respiration while maintaining the redox state balance. ME1 increased the cytotoxicity of peripheral lymphocytes from patients with advanced cancers. Thus, preserved resilient T cells in patients rebound after salvage therapy and ME1 enhances their resiliency.
Single-cell analysis reveals distinct fibroblast plasticity during tenocyte regeneration in zebrafish
Authors: Rajan Arsheen M. , Rosin Nicole L. , Labit Elodie , Biernaskie Jeff , Liao Shan , Huang Peng
Published: November 2023

Despite their importance in tissue maintenance and repair, fibroblast diversity and plasticity remain poorly understood. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we uncover distinct sclerotome-derived fibroblast populations in zebrafish, including progenitor-like perivascular/interstitial fibroblasts, and specialized fibroblasts such as tenocytes. To determine fibroblast plasticity in vivo, we develop a laser-induced tendon ablation and regeneration model. Lineage tracing reveals that laser-ablated tenocytes are quickly regenerated by preexisting fibroblasts. By combining single-cell clonal analysis and live imaging, we demonstrate that perivascular/interstitial fibroblasts actively migrate to the injury site, where they proliferate and give rise to new tenocytes. By contrast, perivascular fibroblast–derived pericytes or specialized fibroblasts, including tenocytes, exhibit no regenerative plasticity. Active Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is required for the proliferation of activated fibroblasts to ensure efficient tenocyte regeneration. Together, our work highlights the functional diversity of fibroblasts and establishes perivascular/interstitial fibroblasts as tenocyte progenitors that promote tendon regeneration in a Hh signaling–dependent manner.
Turtle skull development unveils a molecular basis for amniote cranial diversity
Authors: Sato Hiromu , Adachi Noritaka , Kondo Satomi , Kitayama Chiyo , Tokita Masayoshi
Published: November 2023

Amniote skulls display diverse architectural patterns including remarkable variations in the number of temporal arches surrounding the upper and lower temporal fenestrae. However, the cellular and molecular basis underlying this diversification remains elusive. Turtles are a useful model to understand skull diversity due to the presence of secondarily closed temporal fenestrae and different extents of temporal emarginations (marginal reduction of dermal bones). Here, we analyzed embryos of three turtle species with varying degrees of temporal emargination and identified shared widespread coexpression of upstream osteogenic genes
Msx2
and
Runx2
and species-specific expression of more downstream osteogenic genes
Sp7
and
Sparc
in the head. Further analysis of representative amniote embryos revealed differential expression patterns of osteogenic genes in the temporal region, suggesting that the spatiotemporal regulation of
Msx2
,
Runx2
, and
Sp7
distinguishes the temporal skull morphology among amniotes. Moreover, the presence of
Msx2-
and/or
Runx2
-positive temporal mesenchyme with osteogenic potential may have contributed to their extremely diverse cranial morphology in reptiles.
Angiosperm phylogenetic diversity is lower in Africa than South America
Authors: Qian Hong , Kessler Michael , Zhang Jian , Jin Yi , Soltis Douglas E. , Qian Shenhua , Zhou Yadong , Soltis Pamela S.
Published: November 2023

Although originating from a common Gondwanan flora, the diversity and composition of the floras of Africa and South America have greatly diverged since continental breakup of Africa from South America now having much higher plant species richness. However, the phylogenetic diversity of the floras and what this tells us about their evolution remained unexplored. We show that for a given species richness and considering land surface area, topography, and present-day climate, angiosperm phylogenetic diversity in South America is higher than in Africa. This relationship holds regardless of whether all climatically matched areas or only matched areas in tropical climates are considered. Phylogenetic diversity is high relative to species richness in refugial areas in Africa and in northwestern South America, once the gateway for immigration from the north. While species richness is strongly influenced by massive plant radiations in South America, we detect a pervasive influence of historical processes on the phylogenetic diversity of both the South American and African floras.
Trans-Neptunian objects: More than meets the ice
Authors: Kareta Theodore
Published: November 2023

Eris, the second largest trans-Neptunian object (136199), melted early and maintains a warm ice conductive ice shell unlike Pluto.
Complete genome sequence of
Arthrobacter
sp. KFRI-F3372, a strain isolated from Korean soybean paste
Doenjang
Authors: Yi Sung-Hun , Park Yu-Kyoung
Published: November 2023

Arthrobacter
sp. KFRI-F3372 is a Gram-positive bacterium with a high G + C content of 65.7%, which was isolated from
Doenjang
, a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. In this report, we introduce the complete genome sequence of
Arthrobacter
sp. KFRI-F3372.
Ixodes ricinus
tick bacteriome alterations based on a climatically representative survey in Hungary
Authors: Tóth Adrienn Gréta , Farkas Róbert , Papp Márton , Kilim Oz , Yun Haeun , Makrai László , Maróti Gergely , Gyurkovszky Mónika , Krikó Eszter , Solymosi Norbert
Published: November 2023

The microbial communities of disease vectors may represent a key feature in several biological functions and thus deserve special attention in light of climate change and the consequent need to develop novel control strategies. Nevertheless, vector-borne microbial networks are still poorly understood. Assessing vectors’ microbial interactions and climatic dependencies may contribute to better estimating pathogen transmission characteristics and public health risks. In a climatically representative country-wide survey,
Ixodes ricinus
ticks were collected from 17 locations in Hungary. Using shotgun metagenomic sequencing, the bacteriome composition was analyzed by investigating the relationship between the abundance of nymphs and females in various climatic environments. Bacterial composition on the genus level revealed a significant difference between the samples from females and nymphs. Within the core bacteriome, females and nymphs showed significant variation in the following genera:
Arsenophonus
,
Bacillus
,
Candidatus Midichloria
,
Rhodococcus
,
Sphingomonas
,
Staphylococcus
, and
Wolbachia
. Among females, according to temperature strata, the following were found differentiating:
Curtobacterium
,
Pseudomonas
, and
Sphingomonas
. There was no genus with a significant difference in precipitation categories for females.
Curtobacterium
showed significant variation between temperature and
Bacillus
and
Curtobacterium
for various precipitation levels in the nymphs. The composition of vector-borne bacteriome members showed significant alterations at sampling points with different climatic conditions and development stages of the tick hosts. Our findings not only pave the way toward understanding tick-borne bacterial networks and interdependencies but also shed light on the high potential for the presence of a possible biological tick control species, the tick parasitoid,
Ixodiphagus hookeri
based on related bacteriome patterns.

IMPORTANCE

Climate-sensitive disease vectors, such as ticks, respond to the environment with changes in their microbiome. These changes can affect the emergence or re-emergence of various vector-borne pathogens, such as the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB) or tick-borne encephalitis. This aspect is particularly emphasized in light of climate change. The climatically representative assessment of microbiome differences in various developmental stages of the most common Central European tick species,
Ixodes ricinus
, deepens our understanding of the potential climatic factors behind microbial relative abundance and interaction changes. This knowledge can support the development of novel disease vector control strategies.
Identification and impact on
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
virulence of mutations conferring resistance to a phage cocktail for phage therapy
Authors: Forti Francesca , Bertoli Claudia , Cafora Marco , Gilardi Sara , Pistocchi Anna , Briani Federica
Published: November 2023

Phage therapy represents a promising strategy for curing bacterial infections refractory to antibiotics. However, the success rate of phage therapy may be lowered by the emergence of bacterial resistance to the phages used for therapy. In this work, we studied the resistance to the CK4 cocktail, which is a mixture composed of four phages able to cure
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
infections in animal models. CK4-resistant mutants were easily isolated from cultures grown in either a standard laboratory medium or an artificial sputum medium mimicking the composition of the airway fluid of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, who are highly susceptible to
P. aeruginosa
chronic lung infections. In both cases, CK4-resistant mutants resulted in being defective in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis. Accordingly, all CK4 phages were unable to infect
wzy
mutants lacking the O-antigen polymerase. A survey of the other 15
P
.
aeruginosa
phages isolated from different environmental sources showed that they all needed either
wzy
or the Type IV-pilus (T4P) biosynthetic gene
pilQ
for the infection. Overall, our data suggest that 16 out of the 19 analyzed
Pseudomonas
phages may use either the LPS or the T4P as a receptor. Interestingly, CK4-resistant mutants devoid of the O-antigen had strongly attenuated virulence in a zebrafish embryo infection model, and the lack of T4P also decreased virulence in zebrafish. With respect to isolates from patients with CF, phages not reproducing in the Δ
wzy
mutant had a wider host range than those requiring
pilQ
, suggesting that phages dependent on PAO1-type T4P may have limited therapeutic value for treating CF-related infections.

IMPORTANCE

In this work, we identified the putative receptors of 16
Pseudomonas
phages and evaluated how resistance to phages recognizing different bacterial receptors may affect the virulence. Our findings are relevant for the implementation of phage therapy of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
infections, which are difficult to treat with antibiotics. Overall, our results highlight the need to modify natural phages to enlarge the repertoire of receptors exploited by therapeutic phages and suggest that phages using the PAO1-type T4P as receptor may have limited value for the therapy of the cystic fibrosis infection.
Susceptibility to caspofungin is regulated by temperature and is dependent on calcineurin in
Candida albicans
Authors: Zheng Lijun , Xu Yi , Wang Chen , Yang Feng , Dong Yubo , Guo Liangsheng
Published: November 2023

Candida albican
s is a prevalent opportunistic human fungal pathogen. Echinocandins are first-line drugs for the treatment of invasive candidiasis. Molecular mechanisms of resistance to echinocandins have been extensively studied; however, the effect of physiological factors on antifungal efficacy of echinocandins is unexplored. Here, we found temperature-modulated susceptibility to caspofungin in medium-independent and strain background-independent manner in
C. albicans
. Deletions of protein kinase C (PKC) pathway and calcineurin-Crz1 signaling pathway genes conferred hypersensitivity to caspofungin, but only deletion or pharmacological inhibition of calcineurin subunits inverted the temperature effect on susceptibility to caspofungin. Furthermore, the enhanced growth at lower temperature was not due to altered expression of some established genes such as
FKS
,
CHS
, or
CHT
genes; PKC or calcineurin pathway genes; or
HSP90
. The expressions of other heat shock protein genes, including
HSP12
and
HSP70
, were higher at lower temperature. We posit that the temperature-modulated susceptibility to caspofungin is a non-canonical mechanism that is dependent on heat shock proteins and calcineurin.

IMPORTANCE

Echinocandins are the newest antifungal drugs and are first-line treatment option for life-threatening systemic infections. Due to lack of consensus regarding what temperature should be used when evaluating susceptibility of yeasts to echinocandins, typically either 30°C, 35°C, or 37°C is used. However, the impact of temperature on antifungal efficacy of echinocandins is unexplored. In the current study, we demonstrated that
Candida albicans
laboratory strain SC5314 was more susceptible to caspofungin at 37°C than at 30°C. We also found that calcineurin was required for temperature-modulated caspofungin susceptibility. Surprisingly, the altered caspofungin susceptibility was not due to differential expression of some canonical genes such as
FKS
,
CHS
, or
CHT
genes. The molecular mechanism of temperature-modulated caspofungin susceptibility is undetermined and deserves further investigations.
Identification of 10 genes on
Candida albicans
chromosome 5 that control surface exposure of the immunogenic cell wall epitope β-glucan and cell wall remodeling in caspofungin-adapted mutants
Authors: Sah Sudisht K. , Yadav Anshuman , Kruppa Michael D. , Rustchenko Elena
Published: November 2023

Candida albicans
is part of normal microbiota; however, it can cause superficial and life-threatening infections in immune-compromised individuals. As the use of drugs from the echinocandin (ECN) class for the treatment of candidiasis is increasing, resistance against ECNs is also emerging. We identified 10 genes on
C. albicans
chromosome 5 (Ch5) that are simultaneously downregulated to decrease susceptibility to ECN caspofungin. Independent knock-out experiments demonstrated that these genes act overall to decrease the 1,3-
β
-glucan level in the cell wall, change levels of mannan and chitin, and affect expression of
FKS
genes. Importantly, 10 genes on Ch5 increase or decrease surface exposure of the immunogenic epitope 1,3-
β
-glucan. Our data indicate functions for previously uncharacterized orf19.970 and orf19.4149.1, of which orf19.970 has no human ortholog. Our data also indicate new functions for the genes
DUS4
,
RPS25B
,
UAP1
,
URA7
,
RPO26
,
HAS1
, and
CKS1
, whereas the function of
CHT2
as a negative regulator of ECN susceptibility has been previously established. Importantly, half of the above genes are essential; hence, indispensable processes are involved in the adaptation to ECNs. Our results suggest that a novel group of genes works in concert to control adaptation to ECNs and point to potential new drug targets.

IMPORTANCE

Candida
infections are often fatal in immuno-compromised individuals, resulting in many thousands of deaths per year. Caspofungin has proven to be an excellent anti-
Candida
drug and is now the frontline treatment for infections. However, as expected, the number of resistant cases is increasing; therefore, new treatment modalities are needed. We are determining metabolic pathways leading to decreased drug susceptibility in order to identify mechanisms facilitating evolution of clinical resistance. This study expands the understanding of genes that modulate drug susceptibility and reveals new targets for the development of novel antifungal drugs.
Erratum to: A Stepwise Dissolution Method Applied to Isotopic Chemostratigraphic and Geochronological Studies of Riphean Carbonate Rocks of the Baykit Uplift
Authors: Gorokhov I. M. , Vasil’eva I. M. , Kuznetsov A. B. , Rizvanova N. G. , Konstantinova G. V.
Published: November 2023

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016702923200016
Erratum to: The Accumulation of the REE by Bacterial Fe Oxyhydroxide
Authors: Felitsyn S. , Alfimova N. , Bogomolov E.
Published: November 2023

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016702923210036
Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia: a case report of multiple metachronous oral verrucous carcinoma
Authors: Lombardi Niccolò , Varoni Elena Maria , Franchini Roberto , Lodi Giovanni
Published: November 2023

Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is a distinct progressive and multi-focal form of oral leukoplakia, not associated with the traditional risk factors (ie, tobacco and alcohol consumption). The incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma in PVL patients is high. Here, we describe the case of a patient affected by PVL, who developed two metachronous oral verrucous carcinomas at different sites of the oral mucosa. Owing to the high risk of multiple oral squamous cell carcinoma, periodical clinical and histopathological follow-up is mandatory and should continue lifelong.
Association between dietary Intake, eating behavior, and childhood obesity among children and adolescents in Ethiopia
Authors: Biadgilign Sibhatu , Mgutshini Tennyson , Gebremichael Bereket , Berhanu Lioul , Cook Courtney , Deribew Amare , Gebre Betemariam , Memiah Peter
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The upsurge of overweight/obesity (OW/OB) among children and adolescents is as a result of complex interactions between lifestyle behaviours and socioeconomic factors. The objective of this study was to determine socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors, dietary intake and eating behaviours of children and adolescents in Ethiopia and their association with OW/OB.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 632 children and adolescents-parent dyads. To identify overweight/obese among children and adolescents, body mass index-for-age Z-scores by sex and age relative to WHO 2007 reference was calculated using WHO AnthroPlus software. A multivariable logistic regression model fitted to determine the adjusted associations between the outcome and the predictors selected from the bivariate analyses. Data analysis was carried out using STATA V.15.0.

Results

The proportion of participants with low, medium and high dietary diversity scores was 7.28%, 22.5%, and 70.2%, respectively. Participants aged 13–18 years were less likely to be overweight or obese [adjusted OR (aOR) = 0.40; 95%CI: 0.26, 0.64] to those aged 5–12 years. Children in a family with the richest or highest socioeconomic status (SES) were more likely to be overweight or obese than those in families with the poorest or lowest status. Children and adolescents who consumed soft drinks (sugar-sweetened beverages) four or more times per week [aOR = 3.24; 95%CI: 1.13, 7.95] were more likely to be overweight or obese to those who did not consume soft drinks.

Conclusions

The study identified factors such as younger age (<12 years), high SES and consumption of soft drinks as key contributors to overweight and obesity among children and adolescents. Therefore, interventions targeting behavioural prevention and reduction of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents should be cognizant of the above factors during implementation in order to achieve desired outcomes, further guided by exploratory qualitative studies to identify public perceptions and attitudes affecting dietary practices.
Our evolving understanding of placebo effects: implications for research and practice in neuropsychiatry
Authors: Burke Matthew
Published: November 2023

Dr. Matthew Burke is a Cognitive Neurologist in the Neuropsychiatry Program and Department of Psychiatry at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center. He is currently the Director of Sunnybrook’s Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic and he also sees patients with functional neurological disorders, headache disorders, and other neuropsychiatric conditions. Before starting at Sunnybrook, Dr. Burke completed medical school and his neurology residency training at the University of Toronto, where he was the Chief Neurology Resident in his last year of training. He then completed a two-year Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation fellowship in Cognitive Neurology and Neuropsychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Burke’s clinical research fellowship provided specialized training in non-invasive brain stimulation and brain network mapping. His research applies these novel techniques to investigate the complex and poorly understood brain disorders at the interface between neurology and psychiatry. He also has research interests in the neurobiology of placebo effects and is an active collaborator with the Harvard Program in Placebo Studies. Finally, concurrent with his fellowship, Dr. Burke completed the Harvard Catalyst Clinical Translational Research Academy. This is a NIH-funded program that provides advanced training in methods of clinical investigation.

Dr. Burke’s research to date has resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications, media attention on platforms such as CNN and BBC, and recent recognition with the American Neuropsychiatric Association’s 2019 Young Investigator Award and the American Headache Society’s 2018 Frontiers in Headache Research Award.

Placebo effects are the beneficial therapeutic effects derived from the context surrounding the administration of a treatment rather than the treatment itself. Recent research has shifted our understanding of placebo effects from a mystical unempirical entity to a biologically-based phenomenon capable of meaningfully modulating brain regions and neurotransmitter systems. In this presentation, Dr. Burke will begin by summarizing the evidence underlying the principles and neurobiology of placebo effects. He will then discuss clinical factors that contribute to placebo effects and how placebo effects could be harnessed in the management of neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, Dr. Burke will interrogate how our evolving understanding of placebo effects may impact the way we design, appraise and interpret research studies in neuropsychiatry and across medicine.
Should we be preparing to give new dementia treatments to our patients?
Authors: Howard Robert
Published: November 2023

Professor Robert Howard. I spend half my week working with older people with mental health disorders and dementia and my research aims to develop and evaluate better treatments for my patients. Through the conduct of independent clinical trials - from earliest proof of efficacy concept through to phase III - we can provide powerful evidence of what works and what doesn’t. Within the Department we have potential PhD supervisors with interests in dementia, depression, psychosis and anxiety disorders in older people. We’ve experts in epidemiology, PET and MR imaging, wet lab science and old fashioned clinical studies. Please come and talk to me if you think you might have an interesting idea but need to find someone to help you to develop it into your own supervised research project.

Almost a generation has passed since the cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine were licensed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and, after what has felt like an endless series of treatment failures, the amyloid antibodies aducanumab and lecanemab have recently shown efficacy in phase 3 trials and received accelerated approval by the US FDA. We are standing on the threshold of a new era of treatments for neurodegenerative disorders and there is understandable excitement about the prospect of intervening to slow progression of disease.

Treatment with amyloid antibodies is invasive and not without risks of serious side-effects, including, rarely, death. The administration and safety monitoring of these drugs will require completely new clinical services and access to trained staff and imaging facilities that are not currently available within the NHS. The financial implications of this, even if the drug is provided for free, would be enormous.

Unfortunately, treatment benefits demonstrated within the phase 3 trials appear to be modest. In absolute terms, they are about 50% of what is generally considered to represent the minimum clinically important treatment difference and the trials were not designed to definitively demonstrate that the course of neurodegeneration had been modified.

There also appears to be little or no clear association between the amount of amyloid cleared from the brain and measured benefits in cognition and function, casting doubt on the role of amyloid as a driver of neurodegeneration. Despite such concerns, many have expressed enthusiasm for these treatments. An argument has been made that, in the presence of disease course modification, absolute differences between drug and placebo after 18 months of treatment do not fairly represent the full benefits of treatment. I will review the results of the amyloid antibody trials, the status of the evidence for disease course modification and the apparent clinical effectiveness of treatment with lecamemab.
10 Distressing dreams, cognitive decline, and risk of dementia: a prospective study of three population-based cohorts
Authors: Otaiku Abidemi I
Published: November 2023

Objectives/Aims

Distressing dreams are associated with faster cognitive decline and increased dementia risk in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Whether distressing dreams might be associated with cognitive decline and dementia in people without PD is unknown. This study investigated the association between self-reported distressing dream frequency and the risk of cognitive decline and incident dementia in community- dwelling men and women without cognitive impairment or PD.

Methods

Risk of cognitive decline was evaluated in 605 middle-aged adults (mean age = 50 years) from the Midlife in the United States study, who were cognitively normal at baseline, and were followed-up for a mean of 9 years. Cognitive decline was defined as having an annual rate of decline in global cognitive function (measured using five cognitive tests) ≥ 1 standard deviation faster than the mean decline rate from baseline to follow-up. Risk of incident all-cause dementia was evaluated in 2600 older adults (mean age = 83 years) pooled from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study and the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, who were dementia-free at baseline, and were followed-up for up a mean of 4.5 years. Incident dementia was based on doctor- diagnosis. Frequency of distressing dreams was assessed in all cohorts at baseline (January 2002 – March 2012) using item 5h of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The association between self-reported distressing dream frequency (‘never’, ‘less than weekly’, ‘weekly’) and later cognitive outcomes, was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression in the middle-aged and pooled older adult cohorts.

Results

After adjustment for all covariates, a higher frequency of distressing dreams was linearly and statistically significantly associated with higher risk of cognitive decline amongst middle-aged adults (P for trend = 0.016), and higher risk of incident all-cause dementia amongst older adults (P for trend <0.001). Compared with middle-aged adults who reported having no distressing dreams at baseline, those who reported having weekly distressing dreams had a 4-fold risk of experiencing cognitive decline (odds ratio [OR] = 3.99; 95% CI: 1.07, 14.85). Amongst older adults, the difference in dementia risk was 2.2-fold (aOR = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.35, 3.62). In sex-stratified analyses, the associations between distressing dreams and both cognitive outcomes were only statistically significant amongst men.

Conclusions

Distressing dreams predict cognitive decline and all-cause dementia in middle-aged and older adults without cognitive impairment or PD - especially amongst men. These findings may help to identify individuals at risk of dementia and could facilitate early prevention strategies.
11 The experience of hearing life altering medical news? Perspectives from health professionals
Authors: Dilley Mike , Rose Anita , Bindemann Neil
Published: November 2023

Introduction and Objectives

Being diagnosed with a neurological condition can lead to an adverse effect on a person’s wellbeing. Wellbeing is unique to individuals as is the experience of neurological change regardless of condition. Therefore, we could hypothesize it is likely that the same diagnosis will affect people differently. Furthermore, it is argued that giving a life-altering diagnosis is a traumatic experience not only for the person receiving the news but also for the person giving the news. Such hypotheses suggest the need of a person-centred care approach when breaking bad news.

To explore this further several healthcare professionals (HCPs) who had received a diagnosis of a neurological condition were interviewed about their experience. Being HCPs meant they also could reflect on their experience of breaking bad news making this study unique.

Method

HCPs, diagnosed with a neurological condition, were invited to a ‘roundtable’ held on zoom. A qualitative interview approach was utilised, and the transcript was analysed for themes.

Results

Themes elicited included. False Optimism: Hope, Language, Honesty, Shared Responsibility, Preparation, Empower, Safe, Realistic, Time, Individualistic, Engaged, Empathy. These themes occurred in both the experience of receiving and in giving bad news.

Conclusion

This acknowledges the significance of learning from those who have lived experiences of life-altering diagnoses. This knowledge will be invaluable in supporting both the HCP in giving news and the individual receiving the news, and can help with the creation of simple guidance when having to impart life-altering medical news such as:

Establish an appropriate setting

Check the patient’s perception of the situation prompting the news regarding the illness or test results

Determine the amount of information known or how much information is desired

Know the medical facts and their implication, before initiating the conversation

Explore the emotions raised during the interview

Respond with empathy

Establish a strategy for support
1 Can we prevent dementia?
Authors: Mukadam Naaheed
Published: November 2023

Dr Mukadam completed her Medical Sciences undergraduate degree at Cambridge University with an intercalated BA in Experimental Psychology. She then studied Clinical Medicine at the University of Oxford and trained in general medicine and surgery at Oxford and Newcastle.

She completed her psychiatric training on the Royal Free Psychiatric Training rotation and obtained her CCT in Old Age Psychiatry in 2013. Dr Mukadam obtained a doctoral research training fellowship from the NIHR to design and test an intervention to encourage South Asian people to seek help earlier for dementia.

During her PhD, Dr Mukadam has collaborated on a number of studies, continuing her interest in inequalities related to ethnicity and expanding her research interests to include the epidemiology of dementia. Dr Mukadam’s postdoctoral work is focused on using inter-ethnic epidemiology to find new ways of preventing and treating dementia.

There is growing interest in dementia prevention and a number of risk factors have been identified that contribute to developing dementia. In theory tackling all of these risk factors could prevent up to 40% of dementia cases which would reduce the disease burden and in turn reduce social and economic costs of dementia. However, the evidence for how to tackle risk factors and the effectiveness of interventions is mixed. In addition, the relative importance of different risk factors varies by country and within countries, by demographics. By examining all the evidence and its applicability to different settings, we ask ‘can we truly prevent dementia?’
24 Intelligent sensing in ADHD trial (ISAT) – pilot study
Authors: Li Yichun , Li Shuanglin , Nash Christian , Naqvi Syed Mohsen , Nair Rajesh
Published: November 2023

Objectives/Aims

To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies using intelligent sensing to diagnose ADHD. The aim of this interdisciplinary (Medical and Engineering) research is to contribute intelligent sensing based multimodal (audio, video, touch, & text) data and trustworthy and reproducible AI in diagnosing ADHD.

Methods

Unmedicated subjects with ADHD were interviewed at the Intelligent Sensing Lab in Newcastle University UK and the multimodal data were captured (figure 1). They completed CANTAB tasks, watched stimulating and neutral videos to elicit hyperfocus and distraction. Other distraction cues like noise, images on a monitor were introduced. Healthy volunteers were used as controls. Data were analysed on speech analysis, action analysis and facial action coding system. We used the existing multimodal signal and information processing algorithms developed at Newcastle University

Abstract 24 Figure 1

Recording room layout for the intelligent sensing (audio-video-touch/keypad sensors) ADHD datasets

Results

The accuracy of the Audio-Based ADHD Diagnosis reached over 80%. The accuracy of the ADHD Action-Based Diagnosis System reached over 90%. The accuracy of the Facial Action Coding System was 94%.

Conclusions

Even with a small number of subject and controls, we were able to develop a proof of the concept system which generates high accuracy results. We are in the process of multimodal fusion and conduct a much larger study.