bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Between deep comradeship and nationalism: The social dynamics of solidarity on the battlefield
Authors: Malešević Siniša
Published: October 2024

This article explores the social mechanisms that facilitate the transformation of micro‐level bonds into coherent nationalist narratives of solidarity. The aim is to explain the paradox: while the armed forces are highly nationalist institutions, most ordinary combatants detest nationalist rhetoric on the battlefield. Drawing on the interviews with the combatants who fought in the 1991–1995 wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina together with the analysis of the mass media reports, I examine how deep bonds of micro‐solidarity forged in the violent experiences are transformed into coherent nationalist discourses. I explore how social ties generated in the protracted face‐to‐face interactions can be enveloped by the specific social organisations and then ‘translated’ into nationalist ideologies that project deep comradeship as ‘national solidarities’. I aim to show that the direct war experience does not automatically generate strong bonds of national solidarity. Instead, nationalism is always a product of protracted coercive‐organisational, ideological and micro‐interactional work.
Nursing in the Capitalocene: An anarchistic approach to governmentality and pastoral care
Authors: Oppedisano Jaclyn , Dillard‐Wright Jess
Published: October 2024

During the COVIDicine, many nurses awoke to the ways that the Healthcare‐Industrial Complex (HIC) dictates the care we are able to provide. Using the Foucauldian concepts of pastoral power and governmentality, we explore the ways that nurses participate in upholding power structures within the HIC and reproducing them in our work, contributing to a carceral culture based on hierarchy and power dynamics. We also explore the ways nurses are both agentic in this system and subject to it, reluctant to make waves and lose our place within a system that can offer nurses safety and security in, and most importantly, a paycheck. This paper articulates a prefigurative anarchist approach to nursing praxis. Through the writing of Emma Goldman, we locate a historically founded philosophical basis for practical tactics that nurses can use to actualise this praxis. Both individually and as a collective, nurses can assert their own ethic and power through direct action, micro‐insurgency and solidarity to build the world we know can be. Our only limitation is our imagination.
The Residual Activity of Fatty Acyl‐CoA Reductase Underlies Thermo‐Sensitive Genic Male Sterility in Rice
Authors: Wang Yi‐Chen , Liu Xing‐Lu , Zhang Zheng , Zhou Lei , Zhang Yan‐Fei , Zhu Ben‐Shun , Yang Yan‐Ming , Zhong Xiang , Su Zhen‐Xin , Ma Pei‐Yang , Huang Xue‐Hui , Yang Zhong‐Nan , Zhu Jun
Published: October 2024

Photoperiod/thermo‐sensitive genic male sterility (P/TGMS) is critical for rice two‐line hybrid system. Previous studies showed that slow development of pollen is a general mechanism for sterility‐to‐fertility conversion of TGMS in Arabidopsis. However, whether this mechanism still exists in rice is unknown. Here, we identified a novel rice TGMS line, ostms16, which exhibits abnormal pollen exine under high temperature and fertility restoration under low temperature. In mutant, a single base mutation of OsTMS16, a fatty acyl‐CoA reductase (FAR), reduced its enzyme activity, leading to defective pollen wall. Under high temperature, the mOsTMS16M549I couldn't provide sufficient protection for the microspores. Under low temperature, the enzyme activity of mOsTMS16M549I is closer to that of OsTMS16, so that the imperfect exine could still protect microspore development. These results indicated whether the residual enzyme activity in mutant could meet the requirement in different temperature is a determinant factor for fertility conversion of P/TGMS lines. Additionally, we previously found that res2, the mutant of a polygalacturonase for tetrad pectin wall degradation, restored multiple TGMS lines in Arabidopsis. In this study, we proved that the osres2 in rice restored the fertility of ostms16, indicating the slow development is also suitable for the fertility restoration in rice.
Topical Timolol for Treatment of Spider Angiomas in Children: A Case Series
Authors: Caussade Marie‐Chantal , Stockton Hogrogian Griffin , Yan Albert C.
Published: October 2024

We report five cases of spider angiomas in children treated topically with timolol 0.5% (ophthalmic solution or gel‐forming solution), for 6 months. Parents and patients were advised to apply one drop twice daily. Four of them showed either partial (2) or complete response (2) and only one patient had no clinical change. No adverse effects were reported. This pilot case series shows that topical timolol may prove useful as a noninvasive, available and well‐tolerated treatment option for spider angiomas in children who seek a treatment alternative to pulsed dye laser.
Chan Buddhism on the Non‐duality of Practice and Realization
Authors: Bender Jacob
Published: October 2024

This paper introduces readers to the philosophical problems related to Chan Buddhist meditation practices. By looking at the Platform Sutra's teachings of “non‐abiding” (wuzhu) and the Hongzhou Chan Buddhist's teachings of being “without seeking” (wuqiu), I illustrate how a major problem that the Chan Buddhists were attempting to deal with was of the dualism between practice and realization. To properly understand the Chan Buddhist attitude towards meditation, we need to see them as critical of a means/ends dualism operating in human experience. Contrary to interpretations by recent scholars that believe the Hongzhou Chan Buddhists abandon meditation practices, the Hongzhou approach to meditation is to be “without seeking” or the freedom from a means/ends dualism structuring how we perceive the world.
Whitham modulation theory and the classification of solutions to the Riemann problem of the Fokas–Lenells equation
Authors: Wu Zhi‐Jia , Tian Shou‐Fu
Published: October 2024

In this work, we explore the Riemann problem of the Fokas–Lenells (FL) equation given initial data in the form of a step discontinuity by employing the Whitham modulation theory. The periodic wave solutions of the FL equation are characterized by elliptic functions along with the Whitham modulation equations. Moreover, we find that the signs for the velocities of the periodic wave solutions remain unchanged during propagation. Thus, when analyzing the propagation behavior of solutions, it is necessary to separately consider the clockwise (negative velocity) and counterclockwise (positive velocity) cases. In this regard, we present the classification of the solutions to the Riemann problem of the FL equation in both clockwise and counterclockwise cases for the first time.
Elastic collisions on a simulated circular air track
Authors: Price C. B. , Pethybridge M. L.
Published: October 2024

Elastic collisions of gliders on linear air tracks are often used to explore conservation of energy and momentum. If one is interested in the glider behavior over a long time span, the analysis involves repeated collisions and is complicated by reflections from the track end stops. Here we analyze elastic collisions on a novel circular air track; since such a track lacks end stops, the mathematical analysis of repeated collisions is amenable to our students. Our analysis uncovers a variety of interesting behaviors which depend on the ratio of the glider masses. We examine periodic sequences where the gliders return to their initial conditions and progressions where (when plotted in polar coordinates) the collision positions take on the locus of a spiral. One set of initial conditions produces an “angle trap” where one glider remains within a certain angular range. We also explore making one glider's mass hypothetically negative, which results in a novel “chasing” motion. Our results were obtained using a 3D interactive simulation (created using C++ within the Unreal engine), which we make available as supplementary material.
Analytical solution of the Sommerfeld–Page equation
Authors: Silagadze Zurab K.
Published: October 2024

The Sommerfeld–Page equation describes the non-relativistic dynamics of a classical electron modeled by a sphere of finite size with a uniform surface charge density. It is a delay differential equation, and almost no exact solution of this equation was known until recently. However, progress has been made, and an analytical solution was recently found for an almost identical delay differential equation, which arose in the context of the mathematical modeling of the COVID-19 epidemics. Inspired by this research, we offer a pedagogical exposition of how one can find an analytical solution of the Sommerfeld–Page equation.
The Moderating Effect of Youth Sports Coaches’ Identities on Their Professional Knowledge Orientations: A Social Network Perspective
Authors: Liraz Reut , Eyal Ori
Published: October 2024

The present study used social network analysis to investigate the moderating effect of individuals’ identities on the relationship between the structure of their networks and professional knowledge orientations (exploitation, exploration, and ambidexterity). It examined the ego networks of Israeli youth soccer coaches (N = 88) based on their vocational and personal sources of knowledge, including sportive, personal development, and friendship networks. The findings indicate that youth soccer coaches’ sportive identity embeddedness enhances their knowledge exploitation even when they have access to nonredundant, new, and versatile knowledge. But in the case of lower levels of athlete identity and nonredundant versatile networks, youth soccer coaches display ambidexterity by exploring novelty while relying on their familiar past knowledge and routines. Overall, the study describes the challenges of a single salient identity and points out the importance of cultivating diverse networks and multiple identities to facilitate effective and sustainable knowledge acquisition and utilisation for long-term professional advancement.
Kinematic Sequence Differences Between Trained Baseball Players and Untrained Adolescent Individuals
Authors: Wukelic Corey , Machak Sean , Gromeier Michael , Shultz Sarah P
Published: October 2024

An overhead throwing motion is a common gross motor skill often taught in early childhood to improve physical activity participation. Yet, research investigating motor efficiency in overhead throws often focuses on improving performance in trained individuals. This project compares kinematic sequencing between trained and untrained youth. After a brief warm-up, untrained high school students (N = 9) and trained high school and college students (N = 10) threw a weighted tennis ball for accuracy (N = 10 throws). Upper extremity angular velocities were collected using 3-dimensional inertial sensor motion capture. Kinematic sequencing of joints and segments (pelvis, trunk, shoulder, elbow, and wrist) was assessed using Kruskal–Wallis test; Friedman and Wilcoxon tests identified group differences between sequences. Seven independent kinematic sequences were identified (N = 2 unique trained; N = 3 unique untrained; N = 2 shared). The rankings for the trained group maintained a mostly consistent pattern with only elbow and wrist joints producing similar rankings. The untrained group lacked that consistency with similar rankings of elbow versus wrist and shoulder versus elbow. Trained individuals threw with a more efficient proximal-to-distal sequencing pattern than the untrained participants, specifically at the trunk and shoulder. Continuous training of gross motor skills beyond initial skill development is necessary to maintain motor proficiency.
Contrastive signal–dependent plasticity: Self-supervised learning in spiking neural circuits
Authors: Ororbia Alexander G.
Published: October 2024

Brain-inspired machine intelligence research seeks to develop computational models that emulate the information processing and adaptability that distinguishes biological systems of neurons. This has led to the development of spiking neural networks, a class of models that promisingly addresses the biological implausibility and the lack of energy efficiency inherent to modern-day deep neural networks. In this work, we address the challenge of designing neurobiologically motivated schemes for adjusting the synapses of spiking networks and propose contrastive signal–dependent plasticity, a process which generalizes ideas behind self-supervised learning to facilitate local adaptation in architectures of event-based neuronal layers that operate in parallel. Our experimental simulations demonstrate a consistent advantage over other biologically plausible approaches when training recurrent spiking networks, crucially side-stepping the need for extra structure such as feedback synapses.
Charge-transfer dipole low-frequency vibronic excitation at single-molecular scale
Authors: Lou Cancan , Guan Yurou , Cui Xingxia , Li Yafei , Zhou Xieyu , Yuan Qing , Mei Guangqiang , Jiao Chengxiang , Huang Kai , Hou Xuefeng , Cao Limin , Ji Wei , Novko Dino , Petek Hrvoje , Feng Min
Published: October 2024

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) vibronic spectroscopy, which has provided submolecular insights into electron-vibration (vibronic) coupling, faces challenges when probing the pivotal low-frequency vibronic excitations. Because of eigenstate broadening on solid substrates, resolving low-frequency vibronic states demands strong decoupling. This work designs a type II band alignment in STM junction to achieve effective charge-transfer state decoupling. This strategy enables the successful identification of the lowest-frequency H
g
(ω
1
) (Raman-active H
g
mode) vibronic excitation within single C
60
molecules, which, despite being notably pronounced in electron transport of C
60
single-molecule transistors, has remained hidden at submolecular level. Our results show that the observed H
g
(ω
1
) excitation is “anchored” to all molecules, irrespective of local geometry, challenging common understanding of structural definition of vibronic excitation governed by Franck-Condon principle. Density functional theory calculations reveal existence of molecule-substrate interfacial charge-transfer dipole, which, although overlooked previously, drives the dominant H
g
(ω
1
) excitation. This charge-transfer dipole is not specific but must be general at interfaces, influencing vibronic coupling in charge transport.
Qudit-based variational quantum eigensolver using photonic orbital angular momentum states
Authors: Kim Byungjoo , Hu Kang-Min , Sohn Myung-Hyun , Kim Yosep , Kim Yong-Su , Lee Seung-Woo , Lim Hyang-Tag
Published: October 2024

Solving the electronic structure problem is a notorious challenge in quantum chemistry and material science. Variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) is a promising hybrid classical-quantum algorithm for finding the lowest-energy configuration of a molecular system. However, it typically requires many qubits and quantum gates with substantial quantum circuit depth to accurately represent the electronic wave function of complex structures. Here, we propose an alternative approach to solve the electronic structure problem using VQE with a single qudit. Our approach exploits a high-dimensional orbital angular momentum state of a heralded single photon and notably reduces the required quantum resources compared to conventional multi-qubit–based VQE. We experimentally demonstrate that our single-qudit–based VQE can efficiently estimate the ground state energy of hydrogen (H
2
) and lithium hydride (LiH) molecular systems corresponding to two- and four-qubit systems, respectively. We believe that our scheme opens a pathway to perform a large-scale quantum simulation for solving more complex problems in quantum chemistry and material science.
Electronic interactions in Dirac fluids visualized by nano-terahertz spacetime interference of electron-photon quasiparticles
Authors: Xu Suheng , Li Yutao , Vitalone Rocco A. , Jing Ran , Sternbach Aaron J. , Zhang Shuai , Ingham Julian , Delor Milan , McIver James W. , Yankowitz Matthew , Queiroz Raquel , Millis Andrew J. , Fogler Michael M. , Dean Cory R. , Pasupathy Abhay N. , Hone James , Liu Mengkun , Basov D. N.
Published: October 2024

Ultraclean graphene at charge neutrality hosts a quantum critical Dirac fluid of interacting electrons and holes. Interactions profoundly affect the charge dynamics of graphene, which is encoded in the properties of its electron-photon collective modes: surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). Here, we show that polaritonic interference patterns are particularly well suited to unveil the interactions in Dirac fluids by tracking polaritonic interference in time at temporal scales commensurate with the electronic scattering. Spacetime SPP interference patterns recorded in terahertz (THz) frequency range provided unobstructed readouts of the group velocity and lifetime of polariton that can be directly mapped onto the electronic spectral weight and the relaxation rate. Our data uncovered prominent departures of the electron dynamics from the predictions of the conventional Fermi-liquid theory. The deviations are particularly strong when the densities of electrons and holes are approximately equal. The proposed spacetime imaging methodology can be broadly applied to probe the electrodynamics of quantum materials.
Decoding the magnetic bit positioning error in a ferrimagnetic racetrack
Authors: Ishibashi Mio , Kawaguchi Masashi , Hibino Yuki , Yakushiji Kay , Tsukamoto Arata , Nakatsuji Satoru , Hayashi Masamitsu
Published: October 2024

Current-driven motion of magnetic domain walls is one of the key technologies for developing storage class memory devices. Extensive studies have revealed a variety of material systems that exhibit high-speed and/or lower power propagation of the domain walls driven by electric current. However, few studies have assessed the reliability of the operations of the memory technology. Here, we decode the errors associated with writing and shifting domain walls using nanosecond current pulses in a ~5-micrometer-wide wire composed of a Pt/GdFeCo bilayer. We find that writing a domain wall at the edge of the wire causes a bit positioning error of ~0.3 micrometers, whereas the shifting process induces an error of ~0.1 micrometers per a 2-nanosecond-long current pulse. The error correlation among successive shifting is negligible when the current drive is sufficiently large. These features allow reliable operation of highly packed domain walls in a ferrimagnetic racetrack.
Creation of true interspecies hybrids: Rescue of hybrid class with hybrid cytoplasm affecting growth and metabolism
Authors: Sati Leyla , Varela Luis , Horvath Tamas L. , McGrath James
Published: October 2024

Interspecies hybrids have nuclear contributions from two species but oocyte cytoplasm from only one. Species discordance may lead to altered nuclear reprogramming of the foreign paternal genome. We reasoned that initial reprogramming in same species cytoplasm plus creation of hybrids with zygote cytoplasm from both species, which we describe here, might enhance nuclear reprogramming and promote hybrid development. We report in
Mus
species that (i) mammalian nuclear/cytoplasmic hybrids can be created, (ii) they allow development and viability of a previously missing and uncharacterized hybrid class, (iii) different oocyte cytoplasm environments lead to different phenotypes of same nuclear hybrid genotype, and (iv) the novel hybrids exhibit sex ratio distortion with the absence of female progeny and represent a mammalian exception to Haldane’s rule. Our results emphasize that interspecies hybrid phenotypes are not only the result of nuclear gene epistatic interactions but also cytonuclear interactions and that the latter have major impacts on fetal and placental growth and development.
An autonomous implantable device for the prevention of death from opioid overdose
Authors: Ciatti Joanna L. , Vázquez-Guardado Abraham , Brings Victoria E. , Park Jihun , Ruyle Brian , Ober Rebecca A. , McLuckie Alicia J. , Talcott Michael R. , Carter Emily A. , Burrell Amy R. , Sponenburg Rebecca A. , Trueb Jacob , Gupta Prashant , Kim Joohee , Avila Raudel , Seong Minho , Slivicki Richard A. , Kaplan Melanie A. , Villalpando-Hernandez Bryan , Massaly Nicolas , Montana Michael C. , Pet Mitchell , Huang Yonggang , Morón Jose A. , Gereau Robert W. , Rogers John A.
Published: October 2024

Opioid overdose accounts for nearly 75,000 deaths per year in the United States, now a leading cause of mortality among young people aged 18 to 45 years. At overdose levels, opioid-induced respiratory depression becomes fatal without the administration of naloxone within minutes. Currently, overdose survival relies on bystander intervention, requiring a nearby person to find the overdosed individual and have immediate access to naloxone to administer. To circumvent the bystander requirement, we developed the Naloximeter: a class of life-saving implantable devices that autonomously detect and treat overdose while simultaneously contacting first responders. We present three Naloximeter platforms, for fundamental research and clinical translation, all equipped with optical sensors, drug delivery mechanisms, and a supporting ecosystem of technology to counteract opioid-induced respiratory depression. In small and large animal studies, the Naloximeter rescues from otherwise fatal opioid overdose within minutes. This work introduces life-changing, clinically translatable technologies that can broadly benefit a susceptible population recovering from opioid use disorder.
Language at a glance: How our brains grasp linguistic structure from parallel visual input
Authors: Fallon Jacqueline , Pylkkänen Liina
Published: October 2024

Human brains grasp the gists of visual scenes from a single glance, but to what extent is this possible for language? While we typically think of language in terms of sequential speech, our everyday experience involves numerous rapidly flashing written notifications, which we understand instantly. What do our brains detect in the first few hundred milliseconds after seeing such a stimulus? We flashed short sentences during magnetoencephalography measurement, revealing sentence-sensitive neural activity in left temporal cortex within 130 milliseconds. These signals emerged for subject-verb-object sentences regardless of grammatical or semantic well-formedness, suggesting that at-a-glance language comprehension begins by detecting basic phrase structure, independent of meaning or other grammatical details. Our findings unveil one aspect of how our brains process information rapidly in today’s visually saturated world.
Paleoinspired robotics as an experimental approach to the history of life
Authors: Ishida Michael , Berio Fidji , Di Santo Valentina , Shubin Neil H. , Iida Fumiya
Published: October 2024

Paleontologists must confront the challenge of studying the forms and functions of extinct species for which data from preserved fossils are extremely limited, yielding only a fragmented picture of life in deep time. In response to this hurdle, we describe the nascent field of paleoinspired robotics, an innovative method that builds upon established techniques in bioinspired robotics, enabling the exploration of the biology of ancient organisms and their evolutionary trajectories. This Review presents ways in which robotic platforms can fill gaps in existing research using the exemplars of notable transitions in vertebrate locomotion. We examine recent case studies in experimental paleontology, highlighting substantial contributions made by engineering and robotics techniques, and further assess how the efficient application of robotic technologies in close collaboration with paleontologists and biologists can offer additional insights into the study of evolution that were previously unattainable.
Cryptosporidium
lysyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors define the interplay between solubility and permeability required to achieve efficacy
Authors: Caldwell Nicola , Peet Caroline , Miller Peter , Colon Beatrice L. , Taylor Malcolm G. , Cocco Mattia , Dawson Alice , Lukac Iva , Teixeira Jose E. , Robinson Lee , Frame Laura , Seizova Simona , Damerow Sebastian , Tamaki Fabio , Post John , Riley Jennifer , Mutter Nicole , Hanna Jack C. , Ferguson Liam , Hu Xiao , Tinti Michele , Forte Barbara , Norcross Neil R. , Campbell Peter S. , Svensen Nina , Caldwell Flora C. , Jansen Chimed , Postis Vincent , Read Kevin D. , Huston Christopher D. , Gilbert Ian H. , Baragaña Beatriz , Pawlowic Mattie C.
Published: October 2024

Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by infection with
Cryptosporidium
spp. parasites and is a leading cause of death in malnourished children worldwide. The only approved treatment, nitazoxanide, has limited efficacy in this at-risk patient population. Additional safe therapeutics are urgently required to tackle this unmet medical need. However, the development of anti-cryptosporidial drugs is hindered by a lack of understanding of the optimal compound properties required to treat this gastrointestinal infection. To address this knowledge gap, a diverse set of potent lysyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors was profiled to identify optimal physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties required for efficacy in a chronic mouse model of infection. The results from this comprehensive study illustrated the importance of balancing solubility and permeability to achieve efficacy in vivo. Our results establish in vitro criteria for solubility and permeability that are predictive of compound efficacy in vivo to guide the optimization of anti-cryptosporidial drugs. Two compounds from chemically distinct series (DDD489 and DDD508) were identified as demonstrating superior efficacy and prioritized for further evaluation. Both compounds achieved marked parasite reduction in immunocompromised mouse models and a disease-relevant calf model of infection. On the basis of these promising data, these compounds have been selected for progression to preclinical safety studies, expanding the portfolio of potential treatments for this neglected infectious disease.
Stromal reprogramming overcomes resistance to RAS-MAPK inhibition to improve pancreas cancer responses to cytotoxic and immune therapy
Authors: Liu Xiuting , Baer John M. , Stone Meredith L. , Knolhoff Brett L. , Hogg Graham D. , Turner Madeleine C. , Kao Yu-Lan , Weinstein Alyssa G. , Ahmad Faiz , Chen Jie , Schmidt Andrew D. , Klomp Jeffrey A. , Coho Heather , Coho Kayjana S. , Coma Silvia , Pachter Jonathan A. , Bryant Kirsten L. , Kang Liang-I , Lim Kian-Huat , Beatty Gregory L. , DeNardo David G.
Published: October 2024

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy that is often resistant to therapy. An immune suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and oncogenic mutations in
KRAS
have both been implicated as drivers of resistance to therapy. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibition has not yet shown clinical efficacy, likely because of rapid acquisition of tumor-intrinsic resistance. However, the unique PDAC TME may also be a driver of resistance. We found that long-term focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor treatment led to hyperactivation of the RAS/MAPK pathway in PDAC cells in mouse models and tissues from patients with PDAC. Concomitant inhibition of both FAK (with VS-4718) and rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma and MAPK kinase (RAF-MEK) (with avutometinib) induced tumor growth inhibition and increased survival across multiple PDAC mouse models. In the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) impaired the down-regulation of MYC by RAF-MEK inhibition in PDAC cells, resulting in resistance. By contrast, FAK inhibition reprogramed CAFs to suppress the production of FGF1, which can drive resistance to RAF-MEK inhibition. The addition of chemotherapy to combined FAK and RAF-MEK inhibition led to tumor regression, a decrease in liver metastasis, and improved survival in KRAS-driven PDAC mouse models. Combination of FAK and RAF-MEK inhibition alone improved antitumor immunity and priming of T cell responses in response to chemotherapy. These findings provided the rationale for an ongoing clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of avutometinib and defactinib in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patients with PDAC and may suggest further paths for combined stromal and tumor-targeting therapies.
Minor prion substrains overcome transmission barriers
Authors: Steadman Benjamin S. , Bian Jifeng , Shikiya Ronald A. , Bartz Jason C.
Published: October 2024

Mammalian prion diseases are infectious neurodegenerative diseases caused by the self-templating form of the prion protein PrP
Sc
. Much evidence supports the hypothesis that prions exist as a mixture of a dominant strain and minor prion strains. While it is known that prions can infect new species, the relative contribution of the dominant prion strain and minor strains in crossing the species barrier is unknown. We previously identified minor prion strains from a biologically cloned drowsy (DY) strain of hamster-adapted transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME). Here we show that these minor prion strains have increased infection efficiency to rabbit kidney epithelial cells that express hamster PrP
C
compared to the dominant strain DY TME. Using protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), we found that the dominant strain DY TME failed to convert mouse PrP
C
to PrP
Sc
, even after several serial passages. In contrast, the minor prion strains isolated from biologically cloned DY TME robustly converted mouse PrP
C
to PrP
Sc
in the first round of PMCA. This observation indicates that minor prion strains from the mutant spectra contribute to crossing the species barrier. Additionally, we found that the PMCA conversion efficiency for the minor prion strains tested was significantly different from each other and from the short-incubation period prion strain HY TME. This suggests that minor strain diversity may be greater than previously anticipated. These observations further expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the species barrier effect and has implications for assessing the zoonotic potential of prions.

IMPORTANCE

Prions from cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy have transmitted to humans, whereas scrapie from sheep and goats likely has not, suggesting that some prions can cross species barriers more easily than others. Prions are composed of a dominant strain and minor strains, and the contribution of each population to adapt to new replicative environments is unknown. Recently, minor prion strains were isolated from the biologically cloned prion strain DY TME, and these minor prion strains differed in properties from the dominant prion strain, DY TME. Here we found that these minor prion strains also differed in conversion efficiency and host range compared to the dominant strain DY TME. These novel findings provide evidence that minor prion strains contribute to interspecies transmission, underscoring the significance of minor strain components in important biological processes.
Cryptococcus neoformans
infections: aspartyl protease potential to improve outcome in susceptible hosts
Authors: Vernel-Pauillac Frédérique , Laurent-Winter Christine , Fiette Laurence , Janbon Guilhem , Aimanianda Vishukumar , Dromer Françoise
Published: October 2024

Though a confined or a broad population is exposed respectively to endemic or pandemic infections, in the same environment, some individuals resist the development of infections. The attributed reason is the inheritance of a set of immune system genes that can efficiently deal with the pathogens. In this study, we show how outbred mice differentially respond to
Cryptococcus neoformans,
a fungal pathogen, and the mechanism through which the surviving mice mount a protective immune defense. We identified that those mice developing antibodies specifically against Pep1p, an aspartic protease secreted by
C. neoformans
, had significantly improved survival. Vaccination (either prophylactic or therapeutic) with a recombinant Pep1p significantly increased the survival of the mice by decreasing the fungal load and stimulating a protective immune response. Passive immunization of
C. neoformans-
infected mice with monoclonal antibodies developed against Pep1p also improves the survival of the mice by increasing phagocytosis of
C. neoformans
and decreasing the multiplication of this fungus. Together, these data demonstrate the prophylactic and therapeutic potentials of the
C. neoformans
antigenic protein Pep1p or Pep1p-specific antibodies against this fungal infection. Also, this study suggests that the immunological interaction and thereby the responses developed against a pathogen guide the hosts to behave differentially against microbial pathogenicity.

IMPORTANCE

Vaccination and immunotherapies against fungal pathogens still remain a challenge. Here, we show using an
in vivo
model based on outbred mice that development of antibodies against Pep1p, an antigenic protein of the fungal pathogen
Cryptococcus neoformans
, confers resistance to this fungal infection. In support of this observation, prophylactic or therapeutic immunization of the mice with recombinant Pep1p could improve their survival when infected with a lethal dose of
C. neoformans
. Moreover, passive therapy with monoclonal anti-Pep1p antibodies also enhanced survival of the mice from
C. neoformans
infection. The associated antifungal mechanisms were mounting of a protective immune response and the development of fungal specific antibodies that decrease the fungal burden due to an increase in their phagocytosis and/or inhibit the fungal multiplication. Together, our study demonstrates (a) the mode of host–fungal interaction and the immune response developed thereby play a crucial role in developing resistance against
C. neoformans
; (b) Pep1p, an aspartic protease as well as an antigenic protein secreted by
C. neoformans
, can be exploited for vaccination (both prophylactic and therapeutic) or immunotherapy to improve the host defense during this fungal infection.
Identification and characterization of linear B-cell epitopes on African swine fever virus H171R protein
Authors: Xin Cheng , Chen Zhuting , Zhou Jingming , Chen Yumei , Liu Yankai , Liu Hongliang , Liang Chao , Zhu Xifang , Qi Yanhua , Zhang Gaiping , Wang Aiping
Published: October 2024

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious and often fatal pathogen that poses a significant threat to the swine industry worldwide. The H171R protein, a structural component of ASFV, plays crucial roles in viral assembly, host cell entry, and modulation of the host immune response. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the linear B-cell epitopes on the H171R protein to facilitate the development of diagnostic tools and subunit vaccines against ASFV. A combined approach involving bioinformatics analysis and experimental techniques was employed. The recombinant H171R protein was expressed and purified, and specific monoclonal antibodies were generated through immunization and hybridoma technology. Systematic epitope mapping using overlapping peptide fragments and alanine-scanning mutagenesis revealed four minimal linear epitopes:
84
HPLLPYQQSSDEQP
97
,
93
SDEQPMMPYQQPPG
106
,
111
PYEQIYHKKHASQQ
124
, and
129
LNDYYQHILALGDED
143
. The identified epitopes exhibited strong immunogenicity, as demonstrated by their reactivity with ASFV-positive swine sera. Critical amino acid residues within each epitope were identified through mutational analysis. Structural modeling and visualization of the H171R protein provided insights into the spatial distribution and accessibility of the epitope regions. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the H171R protein’s antigenic properties and lay the foundation for developing effective diagnostic assays and subunit vaccines against African swine fever.

IMPORTANCE

African swine fever virus (ASFV) poses a severe threat to the global swine industry. This study characterizes linear B-cell epitopes on the crucial ASFV H171R protein, facilitating the development of improved diagnostics and subunit vaccines. Four immunogenic epitopes were identified, offering valuable information for designing sensitive diagnostic assays and potential subunit vaccine candidates. By advancing the understanding of H171R’s antigenic landscape, this research contributes to controlling ASFV’s devastating impacts, safeguarding the swine industry, and ensuring food security.
Effects of space allowance on behaviour during lairage, stress physiology, skin lesion scores, and meat quality of market pigs transported in an actively ventilated vehicle in the winter
Authors: Pasquale Vanessa , Faucitano Luigi , Devillers Nicolas , Conte Sabine , Bergeron Renée
Published: October 2024

A total of 1488 pigs were transported to slaughter using a mechanically ventilated vehicle in the winter in Canada. On each of six journeys, a sub-sample of 78 pigs were randomly assigned to two space allowances (0.46 or 0.53 m2/pig), distributed across six compartments, in two positions (near-front and near-rear) and three deck levels (top, middle, and bottom). Compartment ambient conditions (e.g., T °C and RH %) were monitored during transport, and pig behaviour was recorded during lairage. Blood lactate, hematocrit, creatine kinase (CK) concentrations, and meat quality in the longissimus (LM), semimembranosus (SM), and adductor (AD) muscles were assessed on a total of 108 pigs. Pigs transported at 0.53 m2/pig had greater blood hematocrit levels ( P = 0.05), but lower blood CK concentrations at slaughter ( P = 0.01). The top deck was colder during all transport events ( P < 0.001), and pigs transported in this location stood less in lairage compared to those transported on the bottom deck ( P = 0.05). Pigs from the top deck showed lower lightness (L*) values in the LM and SM muscles ( P = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). Overall, animal location had a greater impact than space allowance on animal welfare and meat quality of pigs.
Benthic habitat mapping of the glass sponge (Vazella pourtalesii), and associated community composition on Sambro Bank, Scotian Shelf, Canada
Authors: Cutcliffe Sam , Misiuk Benjamin , Porskamp Peter , Robert Katleen , Murillo Francisco Javier , Brown Craig J.
Published: October 2024

Sponges have been identified as ecosystem engineers, providing habitat structure for many other benthic organisms, but are vulnerable to the impacts of bottom contact fishing. The Sambro Bank Sponge Conservation Area (SBSCA) protects a globally unique aggregation of the glass sponge ( Vazella pourtalesii) off the east coast of Canada. Here, we present the first comprehensive, high-resolution mapping study of this site. Multispectral multibeam echosounder (MBES) mapping at three operating frequencies and 12 benthic drop camera stations were conducted at the SBSCA in 2022. Video data were analysed to record the presence and location of V. pourtalesii, and extracted still images were used to quantify all benthic fauna and sediment characteristics for each station. Using the MBES backscatter data sets as predictor variables, the study created a generalized linear mixed model of V. pourtalesii presence in the SBSCA, with 90.1% accuracy. Four seafloor benthoscape classes were identified (hard substrata, mixed substrata, sand/mud substrata, and sand/mud veneer) from the video imagery, with statistically distinct benthic macrofaunal communities associated with each class. The study creates a baseline assessment of the current community composition and habitat characteristics of the site, which can be used for future ecological monitoring and management.
Investigating new aspects of Bocharova–Bronnikov–Melnikov–Bekenstein spacetime: ionized thin accretion disk model
Authors: Turimov Bobur , Davlataliev Akbar , Usmanov Yusuf , Karshiboev Shavkat , Tadjimuratov Pulat
Published: October 2024

Accretion processes near black hole candidates are associated with the high-energy emission of radiation from relativistic particles and outflows. It is widely believed that the magnetic field plays a crucial role in explaining these high-energy processes near these astrophysical sources. In this work, we analyze thin accretion disks in the Bocharova–Bronnikov–Melnikov–Bekenstein (BBMB) spacetime framework using the Novikov–Thorne model. Our study examines the thermal and optical characteristics of these disks, including their emission rate and luminosity in the specified spacetime. Later, we extend the Novikov–Thorne model to ionized thin accretion disk. We propose that the black hole is embedded in an asymptotically uniform magnetic field. We investigate the dynamics of charged particles near a weakly magnetized black hole. Our findings show that, in the presence of a magnetic field, the radius of the marginally stable circular orbit (MSCO) for a charged particle is close to the black hole’s horizon. The orbital velocity of the charged particle, as measured by a local observer, has been computed in the presence of the external magnetic field. We also present an analytical expression for the four-acceleration of the charged particle orbiting around black holes. Finally, we determine the intensity of the radiation emitted by the accelerating relativistic charged particle orbiting the magnetized black hole.
Norm-closed and norm-reflecting ideals in rings of continuous functions
Authors: Azarpanah F. , Ghashghaei E.
Published: October 2024

We investigate the role of the absolute value of an element in ideals of rings of continuous functions. We call an ideal [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] norm-closed if [Formula: see text] implies [Formula: see text]. We also call an ideal [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] norm-reflecting if [Formula: see text] implies [Formula: see text]. We provide some characterizations of norm-closed ideals and norm-reflecting ideals. An ideal [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is called saturated if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] imply [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are in [Formula: see text]. We give some characterizations of saturated ideals and prove that an ideal [Formula: see text] is saturated if and only if it is norm-closed and norm-reflecting. We show that [Formula: see text] is a Bézout ring if and only if every ideal of [Formula: see text] is norm-closed (norm-reflecting). We cover the paper in detail with many interesting examples and pose several related questions for further research.
Gegenbauer wavelet solutions of the SIR and SITR systems of the COVID-19 disease
Authors: Şimşek Gökçe Özaltun , Beler Ayşe , Gümgüm Sevin
Published: October 2024

This study aimed to investigate the influence of various parameters on the solutions of the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) and susceptible-treated-infectious-recovering (SITR) models to describe the spread of COVID-19. To achieve this, we employ the Gegenbauer wavelet technique to convert the system of nonlinear differential equations into a system of nonlinear algebraic equations. This approach has the advantage of not requiring the linearization of the nonlinear expressions, which significantly reduces truncation errors commonly associated with other methods. We conduct a thorough comparison of the absolute and residual errors generated by this technique against those produced by other numerical methods, finding that our results demonstrate a high level of accuracy. Additionally, the Gegenbauer wavelet technique is not only efficient but also straightforward to implement, contributing to a lower CPU time requirement. Overall, this study highlights the effectiveness of the Gegenbauer wavelet technique in accurately modeling the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission while offering practical computational advantages.
Synchrony Across Brains
Authors: Schilbach Leonhard , Redcay Elizabeth
Published: October 2024

Second-person neuroscience focuses on studying the behavioral and neuronal mechanisms of real-time social interactions within single and across interacting brains. In this review article, we describe the developments that have been undertaken to study socially interactive phenomena and the behavioral and neurobiological processes that extend across interaction partners. More specifically, we focus on the role that synchrony across brains plays in enabling and facilitating social interaction and communication and in shaping social coordination and learning, and we consider how reduced synchrony across brains may constitute a core feature of psychopathology.
IL‐33‐Pretreated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Acute Liver Failure by Improving Homing and Polarizing M2 Macrophages
Authors: Yuan Hui , Li Yuwen , Kong Zihao , Peng Linya , Song Jiali , Hou Xiaoxue , Zhang Wen , Liu Rui , Feng Tiantong , Zhu Chuanlong
Published: October 2024

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are highly effective in the treatment of acute liver failure (ALF). The efficacy of MSCs is closely related to the inflammatory environment. Therefore, we investigated the functional changes of MSCs in response to interleukin‐33 (IL‐33) stimulation. The results showed that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) pretreated with IL‐33 had increased CCR2 expression, targeted CCL2 in the injured liver tissue, and improved the migration ability. Under LPS stimulation, the NF‐κB pathway of BMDM was activated, and its phenotype polarized to the M1‐type, while BMSCs pretreated with IL‐33 inhibited the NF‐κB pathway and enhanced M2 macrophage polarization. The M2‐type macrophages could further inhibit hepatocytes inflammation, reduce hepatocytes apoptosis, and promote hepatocytes repair. These results suggest that IL‐33 can enhance the efficacy of BMSCs in ALF and provide a new strategy for cell therapy of liver diseases.
Holographic Air‐Quality Monitor (HAM)
Authors: Bravo-Frank Nicholas , Feng Lei , Hong Jiarong
Published: October 2024

We introduce the holographic air‐quality monitor (HAM) system, uniquely tailored for monitoring large particulate matter (PM) over 10 μm in diameter—particles critical for disease transmission and public health but overlooked by most commercial PM sensors. The HAM system utilizes a lensless digital inline holography (DIH) sensor combined with a deep learning model, enabling real‐time detection of PMs with greater than 97% true positive rate at less than 0.6% false positive rate and analysis of PMs by size and morphology at a sampling rate of 26 L/min for a wide range of particle concentrations up to 4000 particles/L. Such throughput not only significantly outperforms traditional imaging‐based sensors but also rivals some lower‐fidelity, nonimaging sensors. Additionally, the HAM system is equipped with additional sensors for smaller PMs and various air quality conditions, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of indoor air quality. The performance of the DIH sensor within the HAM system was evaluated through comparison with brightfield microscopy, showing high concordance in size and morphology measurements. The efficacy of the DIH sensor was also demonstrated in two 2‐h experiments under different environments simulating practical conditions, with one involving distinct PM‐generating events. These tests highlighted the HAM system’s advanced capability to differentiate PM events from background noise and its exceptional sensitivity to irregular, large‐sized PMs of low concentration.