bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endoplasmic reticulum stress protein GRP78 for ketamine’s antidepressant effects
Authors: Cui Wanpeng , Shen Chen , Xiong Wen-Cheng , Mei Lin
Published: February 2025

Ketamine is a fast-acting, long-lasting novel antidepressant. However, underpinning intracellular mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted an unbiased screening for genes that were less expressed in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice that did not display antidepression-like effects to ketamine. GO analysis implicated endoplasmic reticulum and protein folding; in particular, GRP78, a stress-induced chaperone protein critical for protein folding, was reduced. We showed that GRP78 deficiency in PFC neurons induced depressive-like behaviors, whereas its overexpression produced anti-depression-like effects, revealing a novel function of GRP78. Prefrontal GRP78 was necessary for ketamine’s antidepressant-like effects. GRP78 was also required for ketamine to increase calcium activity and glutamatergic transmission. Enhancing GRP78 by viral infection and azoramide enabled non-responsive mice to respond to ketamine. Together, our results demonstrate that GRP78 is critical for ketamine to execute antidepressant effects by potentiating glutamatergic transmission in the PFC.

Highlights

GRP78 was identified in non-biased screens for proteins that were lower in the PFC of mice that failed to exhibit antidepression-like effects after ketamine.

Reducing GRP78 in the PFC induced depressive-like behaviors while increasing GRP78 had opposite effects in wildtype mice.

GRP78 is required for ketamine to increase calcium activity in excitatory neurons and glutamatergic transmission.

Enhancing GRP78 by viral infection and by azoramide enabled non-responsive mice to respond to ketamine.
Layered stomatal immunity contributes to resistance ofVitis ripariaagainst downy mildewPlasmopara viticola
Authors: Ji Wei , Zheng Wei , Mei JunJie , Liu Xiaoyu , Abe-Kanoh Naomi , Rhaman Mohammad Saidur , Qin Guochen , Ye Wenxiu
Published: February 2025

Downy mildew (DM), caused byPlasmopara viticola, is one of the most serious grapevine diseases. Resistant grapevines are a well-known tool for mitigating pathogen-caused damage. We evaluated 29 global grapevine cultivars from 7 species for the sensitivity toP. viticola. Chardonnay belonging to the sensitive speciesV. viniferaand Qingdahean belonging to the well-known resistant speciesV. ripariawere chosen for further investigation on the resistance mechanism against DM. Unlike Chardonnay, Qingdahean exerted an inhibitory effect on stomatal targeting, suppression of stomatal closure, stomatal penetration ofP. viticola, and the development of primary hyphae and haustoria during the early phase of infection, and contained higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), which was significantly increased byP. viticolainfection, toxic to the pathogen and had an interfering effect on the stomatal targeting. Furthermore, Qingdahean resisted pathogen invasion through the rapid induction of guard cell death and the hypersensitive responses (HR) of other cell types. These findings suggest that resistance toP. viticolaconsists of layered stomatal immunity in addition to the well-known HR inV. riparia, which is overcome by the pathogen inV. vinifera.
Essential role of CFAP77-CCDC105-TEX43 subcomplex in connecting axonemal A and B tubules for mammalian sperm motility
Authors: Xia Lan , Yin Guo-Liang , Long Yu , Sun Fei , Wang Bin-Bin , Zhu Yun , Chen Su-Ren
Published: February 2025

The assembly and physiological function of cilia and flagella depend on the stable association of A and B tubules, which form axonemal microtubule doublets (DMTs).CFAP77encodes a core outer junction (OJ) protein within DMTs that is conserved across species and cell types. However, whether and how CFAP77 mediates the connection of B tubules to A tubules of DMTs in mammalian cilia/flagella are unknown. In this study,Cfap77-KO mice were generated to reveal that CFAP77 is essential for sperm progressive motility and male fertility. Loss of CFAP77 led to opened B tubules specifically at the OJ regions of axonemal DMTs as revealed by conventional transmission electron microscopy. Cryo-electron tomography further resolved thein situstructure of sperm axonemal DMTs fromCfap77-KO mice, which exhibited a loss of large filamentous density corresponding to the CFAP77-CCDC105-TEX43 ternary subcomplex at the OJ regions. Additionally, sperm proteomic analysis confirmed that CFAP77 knockout led to the complete loss of this ternary complex. Our work not only explores the physiological role of OJ protein CFAP77 on axonemal A-B tubule connection in mammals but also combinesin situstructural biology and knockout mice to reveal the underlying structural/molecular mechanism.
The CRAC channel inhibitor BTP2 restricts Tulane virus and human norovirus replication independent of store-operated calcium entry
Authors: Scribano Francesca J. , Gebert J. Thomas , Engevik Kristen A. , Hayes Nicole M. , Pham Son , Kaundal Soni , Dave Janam J. , Prasad B V Venkataram , Estes Mary K. , Ramani Sasirekha , Hyser Joseph M.
Published: February 2025

Human norovirus is the leading cause of viral gastroenteritis across all age groups. While there is a need for human norovirus antivirals, therapeutic development has been hindered by a lack of cell culture systems and animal models of infection. Surrogate viruses, such as Tulane virus (TV), have provided tractable systems to screen potential antiviral compounds. Our previous work demonstrated that Tulane virus encodes a viral ion channel, which dysregulates cytosolic calcium signaling. We set out to investigate whether host pathways triggered by viral ion channel activity, including store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), play a role in virus replication. Using pharmacologic inhibitors and genetically engineered cell lines, we establish that the SOCE inhibitor, BTP2, reduces TV replication in an SOCE-independent manner. We observed a significant reduction in TV replication, protein expression, and RNA synthesis in cells with both pre- and post-infection BTP2 treatment. By serial passage and plaque isolation, we demonstrate that TV quasi-species have mixed susceptibility and resistance to BTP2. Sequence comparison of the quasi-species revealed that amino acid changes in the structural proteins were associated with drug resistance. We utilized reverse genetics to generate TV with the resistance-associated VP1 and VP2 amino acid changes and found that a single amino acid change in VP1 (I380M) conferred BTP2 resistance. Further, expression of resistant VP2 alone was sufficient to partially rescue the replication of susceptible virus. Together, this supports that TV structural proteins are the targets of BTP2. Finally, using human intestinal organoids, we demonstrate that BTP2 significantly reduces human norovirus replication.

Importance

Our work identifies BTP2 as a potential human norovirus antiviral pharmacophore and highlights the utility of targeting calicivirus structural proteins to restrict viral replication. Further, we establish a system whereby Tulane virus can be used to screen novel antiviral candidates and establish their mechanism of action. Together, this will facilitate rapid preclinical validation of other novel human norovirus therapeutics.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among school students and teachers about the Human Papillomavirus vaccine in Central Kerala- a cross-sectional study
Authors: Pious Thomas , John Anjum , Reshma V.R , Idicula Mercy John
Published: February 2025

Background

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the fourth most common cancer among women globally and a major public health concern. Uptake of HPV vaccine remains low despite its availability, in several countries, including India. India planned to introduce the HPV vaccine into the Universal Immunization Program (UIP), aiming to improve vaccine coverage. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding the HPV vaccine among school-going adolescents, their parents, and teachers remain largely unexplored in Kerala, despite its high literacy. Understanding the awareness and perceptions of these stakeholders is critical for the successful implementation of vaccination programs.

Methods

This cross-sectional study will assess the KAP regarding HPV vaccination among school students (aged 11–15 years), their parents, and teachers in Thiruvalla Municipality, Kerala. A structured, validated questionnaire will be used to collect data from randomly selected government, private, and aided schools. Stratified random sampling will be used for student selection, while all teachers in the selected schools will be included through census sampling. Parents will be recruited using a convenience sampling approach. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses will examine KAP levels, compare demographic groups, and identify predictors of vaccine acceptance.

The study has received ethical approval and currently is in the process of obtaining necessary permissions from school authorities and fulfilling administrative requirements for implementation.

Expected Results

We anticipate finding gaps in knowledge and varying levels of acceptance of the HPV vaccine among students, parents, and teachers. While some stakeholders may be aware of HPV and its link to cervical cancer, misconceptions and cultural barriers may hinder vaccine uptake. We expect that health education with access to reliable information will be associated with higher knowledge and a positive attitude toward vaccination.

Expected Conclusions

The study will provide insights into existing knowledge gaps and barriers to HPV vaccination in Kerala. Findings will inform the design of targeted educational interventions and policy recommendations to improve vaccine acceptance and coverage. Strengthening school-based awareness programs and involving teachers and parents as key advocates may significantly enhance HPV vaccine uptake and contribute to cervical cancer prevention efforts in India.
Method of loci training yields unique neural representations that support effective memory encoding
Authors: Ren Jingyuan , Konrad Boris N. , Zhu Yannan , Li Fan , Czisch Michael , Dresler Martin , Wagner Isabella C.
Published: February 2025

The method of loci is a technique to effectively boost memory, but its impact on the underlying neural representations is poorly understood. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging and representational similarity analysis to compare the neural representations of memory athletes ranked among the world’s top 50 in memory sports to those of mnemonics-naïve controls. In a second study, mnemonics-naïve individuals underwent a 6-week-long memory training, working memory training, or no intervention. Results showed distinct neural representations in the prefrontal cortex, inferior temporal, and posterior parietal regions as memory athletes and the memory training group studied novel content. Neural representations were also distinct between these experienced individuals, which was related to better memory performance after 4 months. Our findings highlight how extensive memory training affects neocortical memory engrams. We suggest that the method of loci may bolster memory uniqueness within one’s “memory palace”, setting the stage for exceptional memory performance.
Apolipoprotein E abundance is elevated in the brains of individuals with Down syndrome-Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Farrell Clíona , Buhidma Yazead , Mumford Paige , Heywood Wendy E. , Hällqvist Jenny , Flores-Aguilar Lisi , Andrews Elizabeth , Rahimzadah Negin , Taso Orjona Stella , Doran Eric , Swarup Vivek , Head Elizabeth , Lashley Tammaryn , Mills Kevin , Toomey Christina E. , Wiseman Frances K.
Published: February 2025

Trisomy of chromosome 21, the cause of Down syndrome (DS), is the most commonly occurring genetic cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we compare the frontal cortex proteome of people with Down syndrome-Alzheimer’s disease (DSAD) to demographically matched cases of early-onset AD and healthy ageing controls. We find wide dysregulation of the proteome, beyond proteins encoded by chromosome 21, including an increase in the abundance of the key AD-associated protein, APOE, in people with DSAD compared to matched cases of AD. To understand the cell types that may contribute to changes in protein abundance, we undertook a matched single-nuclei RNA-sequencing study, which demonstrated thatAPOEexpression was elevated in subtypes of astrocytes, endothelial cells and pericytes in DSAD. We further investigate how trisomy 21 may cause increased APOE. Increased abundance of APOE may impact the development of, or response to, AD pathology in the brain of people with DSAD, altering disease mechanisms with clinical implications. Overall, these data highlight that trisomy 21 alters both the transcriptome and proteome of people with DS in the context of AD, and that these differences should be considered when selecting therapeutic strategies for this vulnerable group of individuals who have high-risk of early-onset dementia.
Caloric restriction worsens decision-making impairments and gut dysbiosis after brain injury in male rats
Authors: Speas Reagan L. , McCloskey Jenna E. , Bressler Noah M. , Frankot Michelle A. , Gratzol Carissa , Pechacek Kristen M. , Martens Kris M. , Vonder Haar Cole
Published: February 2025

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes long-term deficits in decision-making and disrupts the gut microbiome. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome is a potential contributor to the development of multiple psychiatric and neurological disorders and may be a contributor to chronic symptoms from TBI. Caloric restriction is often used to assess psychiatric-related behaviors in animals, but also affects the gut microbiome. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of caloric restriction versus free feeding on a frontal controlled cortical impact TBI. Rats were trained on the rodent gambling task, an analog of the Iowa gambling task, to assess risk-based decision-making. The microbiome was sampled through the acute to subacute period post-injury and lesion size and microglia counts evaluated at 10 weeks post-injury. Caloric restriction did not affect decision-making at baseline, but did affect motivational variables. TBI impaired decision-making and this effect was exacerbated by caloric restriction. Other motivation-related variables followed a similar pattern of impairment with TBI driving impairments that were worsened by caloric restriction. The gut microbiome was initially dysbiotic, but largely recovered within 14 days post-injury. Despite this, acute gut measurements were predictive of chronic decision-making impairment. These data indicate a role for the gut microbiome in the evolution of TBI deficits and suggest that interventions targeting the gut may have a limited window of opportunity to treat long-term deficits.
Remembering the opponent: neuronal activation associated with social memory in Zebrafish
Authors: Cavallino Luciano , Pedreira María E , Pozzi Andrea G , Scaia María F
Published: February 2025

Learning and remembering an opponent and the characteristics of a previous encounter may allow individuals to modify their behavior based on that acquired information. In the present study, using a long-term memory paradigm associated with social interactions, we aimed to evaluate the neuronal activation underlying individual recognition and memory of a previous agonistic encounter in male zebrafish. By quantifying a marker of neuronal activation, the immediate early gene c-fos, we compared the activation in different telencephalic nuclei belonging to the social decision-making network. Two dorsal nuclei, the medial (Dm) and the lateral (Dl), and two ventral nuclei, the ventral (Vv) and the dorsal (Vd), were evaluated by quantifying c-fos protein by immunohistochemical techniques. Two agonistic encounters between the same pair of opponents were performed, and the number of c-fos-immunopositive cells was quantified immediately after the second encounter in fish that had been treated with an amnesic agent after the first encounter (MK-801) and untreated individuals (Water), as well as a Control group with no physical interaction. We found that the Vv nucleus showed lower activation in individuals not exposed to physical interaction than those exposed (MK-801 and Water treatment). The Dl nucleus showed a higher activation only in individuals previously treated with MK-801, who would face an unremembered opponent, but not in those treated with water, which recognized the opponent. Our study provides evidence as a first step to understanding the neuronal processes underlying individual recognition and retrieval of an opponent.

Summary statement

Our study provides new information about the neuronal activation related to individual recognition and social interaction in zebrafish
Whole-genome sequencing analysis of anthropometric traits in 672,976 individuals reveals convergence between rare and common genetic associations
Authors: Hawkes Gareth , Wright Harrison I. W. , Beaumont Robin N. , Chundru Kartik , Hanson Aimee , Jackson Leigh , Murray Anna , Patel Kashyap , Frayling Timothy M. , Wright Caroline F. , Wood Andrew R. , Weedon Michael N.
Published: February 2025

Genetic association studies have mostly focussed on common variants from genotyping arrays or rare protein-coding variants from exome sequencing. Here, we used whole-genome sequence (WGS) data in 672,976 individuals of diverse ancestry to evaluate the contribution and architecture of rare non-coding variants to three commonly studied anthropometric traits: height, body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (WHRadjBMI). Analysing 447,461 individuals in UK Biobank for discovery and 225,515 individuals in All of Us for replication, we identified 90 novel rare and low-frequency single variant associations. This includes two independent rare variants upstream ofIGF2BP2that both substantially reduce WHRadjBMI, but have distinct effects on other adiposity traits. We identified 135 coding variant aggregates, several of which were missed by exome sequencing studies. For example,UBR3protein-truncating variants were associated with a 2.7kg/m2 increase in BMI. We additionally identified 51 non-coding variant aggregate associations, including in the 5’UTR ofFGF18(a highly constrained gene with no previously reported coding associations) associated with up to 6cm effects on height. We show that 97% of rare variant associations occur near GWAS loci demonstrating convergence of rare and common variant associations. Finally, we show that ultra rare variants (MAF<0.01%) explain a small fraction of heritability (<10%) compared to common variants for these traits, that heritability is largely shared across ancestries, and that this heritability is concentrated at or near common variant loci. Our work demonstrates the importance of large-scale WGS for fully understanding the genetic architecture of complex traits.
Expression of the Close homolog of L-1 and embigin identifies activated myofibroblasts
Authors: Stock Angus T , Day Jess , Huckstep Hannah , Garnham Alexandra L , Wicks Ian P
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Fibrosis is driven by the emergence of myofibroblasts, which are the primary producers of the extracellular matrix proteins that form fibrotic lesions. Despite this critical role, detecting myofibroblasts remains challenging due to the paucity of selective markers. We therefore screened for novel myofibroblast-specific markers, discovering that the expression of the close homolog of L1 (ChL-1) and embigin (Emb) distinguish activated myofibroblasts from their quiescent precursors. We report that ChL-1+/Emb+ fibroblasts: (1) emerge during cardiac inflammation, (2) have elevated expression of collagens and inflammatory factors and (3) localise to fibrotic zones - consistent with activated myofibroblasts. Mechanistically, Chl1+/Emb+ myofibroblasts differentiate from resident fibroblasts which upregulate these markers in response to proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1 and IL-17. Moreover, we show that embigin could be exploited to target antibody-based therapies to myofibroblasts and confirm this protein as a conserved marker of activated fibroblasts in multiple tissues and settings. Collectively, these findings identify ChL-1 and embigin as novel myofibroblast surface-markers that could be used to identify, enumerate and target this pathogenic population.
Digital transformations in sex work: A scoping review of social media use by female sex workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Sakala Doreen , Kumwenda Moses , Kapumba Blessings M , Jamali Gracious , Cowan Frances M , Lora Wezzie S , Desmond Nicola
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Female Sex Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries face increased risks of violence, exploitation, stigma, and limited access to healthcare, leading to vulnerability in their communities. Modern communication technologies have transformed FSW interactions with clients, facilitating easier and more accessible connections. This scoping review explores the use of social media by women involved in sex work in Low and middle-income countries to understand how communication technologies have been adopted and exploited to engage with various stakeholders in the industry.

Methodology

We conducted a scoping review following a pre-defined eligibility criterion, systematically searching multiple databases (PubMed, Global Health, Medline, CINAHL, Google Scholar) for English articles published between 1991 and 2024. Two reviewers screened all identified articles and eliminated duplicates using Covidence software. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 12 to identify key themes.

Results

The search yielded 9,442 articles with eight articles meeting the eligibility criteria for inclusion. Social media was reported to provide an opportunity for women to expand their clientele beyond their immediate geographical confines increasing their income. Use of social media reduced women’s exposure to health risks due to reduced physical contact with clients reducing exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Social media also increased physical safety through reduced exposure to violence and increased capacity to screen clients prior to any physical contact. Despite these advantages, women who use social media for selling sex face cyber security risks including the non-consensual dissemination of their pictures and videos, online harassment, and bullying.

Conclusion

The scoping review found that there is limited research on women’s usage of social media in sex work in LMIC. Social media empowered female sex workers but also posed risks to their autonomy and mental health. Further research is needed to understand the challenges these women face to inform effective policies and practices.
Context-dependent response of endothelial cells toPIK3CAmutation
Authors: Sabata Helena , Roca-Coll Ariadna , Dengra Jose A. , Gouveia Leonor , Martinez-Larrinaga Ane , Collado-Remacha Alberto , Castillo Sandra D. , Castillo Elena , Tisch Nathalie , Andrés-Laguillo Macarena De , Nornes Svanhild , Llena Judith , Villacampa Pilar , Vanhaesebroeck Bart , Alcolea María P. , De Val Sarah , Lopez-Fernandez Susana , De Bock Katrien , Baselga Eulalia , Benedito Rui , Angulo-Urarte Ana , Graupera Mariona
Published: February 2025

Cancer mutations in thePIK3CAgene cause congenital disorders. The endothelium is among the most frequently affected tissues in these disorders, displaying aberrant vascular overgrowth in the form of malformations. PathologicalPIK3CAvascular phenotypes are found in veins and capillaries but rarely in arteries for reasons that are unclear at present. Here, using lineage tracing, we show that expression of mutatedPIK3CAH1047Rin endothelial cells leads to marked clonal expansions in capillary and venous endothelial cells. In contrast, mature arterial endothelial cells are refractory toPIK3CAmutation under these conditions and never display pathological phenotypes. Moreover,PIK3CAH1047Rexpression in arterial precursors interrupts arterial differentiation, thereby driving fate switch towards venous identity. This fate rewiring offers an additional layer of protection to prevent arterial damage in response toPIK3CAgenetic perturbation. Molecularly, thePIK3CAH1047R-driven arterial-to-venous fate switch is orchestrated by upregulation of the vein-specifying transcription factorNr2f2/COUP-TFII. Our findings reveal that pathogenic responses toPIK3CAH1047Rgreatly depend on the diferentation stage and fate trajectory of the targeted cell. Arteries are thus shielded againstPIK3CAmutation, solving the long-standing question on the rarity ofPIK3CA-related arterial malformations observed in patients.
Noncanonical Wnt/Ror2 Signaling Regulates Basal Cell Fidelity and Branching Morphogenesis in the Mammary Gland
Authors: Si Hongjiang , Mendoza Erika Mendoza , Esquivel Madelyn , Creighton Chad J. , Xu Jianming , Roarty Kevin
Published: February 2025

The mammary gland epithelium relies on a delicate balance between basal and luminal cell lineages to maintain tissue homeostasis and enable proper development. While the role of canonical Wnt signaling in mammary biology is well-established, the contribution of noncanonical Wnt signaling to lineage identity has remained unclear. Noncanonical Wnt pathways are primarily associated with morphogenesis, cytoskeletal regulation, and cell migration, but whether they are required for maintaining epithelial cell fate remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that the noncanonical Wnt receptor Ror2 is expressed in both basal and luminal lineages, yet selectively maintained in basal cells throughout development, suggesting a lineage-specific function. Using a p63CreERT2/+lineage-specific mouse model, we show that Ror2 deletion in basal epithelial cells enhances secondary and tertiary branching while driving a basal-to-luminal fate transition, marked by downregulation of basal markers (K14, K5) and upregulation of luminal markers (K8, K18, ERα). Mechanistically, Ror2 loss disrupts RhoA-ROCK1-YAP1 signaling, leading to cytoskeletal reorganization, chromatin remodeling, and increased accessibility at luminal regulatory loci. Notably, ROCK1 inhibition phenocopies Ror2 loss, reinforcing the critical role of the RhoA-ROCK1 axis in basal cell maintenance. These findings provide direct genetic and mechanistic evidence that noncanonical Wnt signaling is essential for maintaining basal lineage fidelity, offering new insights into the mechanisms regulating epithelial plasticity. Given the fundamental importance of lineage stability in epithelial homeostasis, our results suggest that disruptions in Wnt/Ror2 signaling may contribute to aberrant fate transitions relevant to breast cancer progression.
Marmoset Anterior Cingulate Area 32 Neurons Exhibit Responses to Presented and Produced Calls During Naturalistic Vocal Communication
Authors: Johnston Kevin D. , Gilliland Rebekah E. , Wong Raymond K. , Everling Stefan
Published: February 2025

Vocal communication is a complex social behavior that entails the integration of auditory perception and vocal production. Both anatomical and functional evidence have implicated the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), including area 32, in these processes, but the dynamics of neural responses in area 32 during naturalistic vocal interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we addressed this by recording the activity of single area 32 neurons using chronically implanted ultra high density Neuropixels probes in freely moving common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) engaged in an antiphonal calling paradigm in which they exchanged long-distance “phee” calls with a virtual conspecific. We found that many neurons exhibited complex modulations in discharge rates in response to presented calls, prior to and following self-generated calls, and during the interval between presented and produced vocalizations. These findings are consistent with the conceptualization of area 32 as an audiovocal interface integrating auditory information, cognitive processes, and motor outputs in the service of vocal communication.

Significance Statement

Vocal communication is indispensable in the daily lives of social animals including primates. This sophisticated ability requires processing and production of vocalizations across fluid social contexts. Vocal behavior is controlled by a large network of brain areas. Area 32 within the anterior cingulate cortex may be a linchpin of this network, as it is interconnected with both auditory cortical areas and subcortical structures engaging vocal control. This position is ideal for integrating auditory, motor, and cognitive signals serving vocal behaviour. We show for the first time that neural correlates of these three signal types are present in area 32 neurons recorded in freely moving marmosets during naturalistic vocal exchanges. We conclude that area 32 exhibits the properties of an audiovocal interface.
Spontaneous torque on an inhomogeneous chiral body out of thermal equilibrium
Authors: Milton Kimball A. , Pourtolami Nima , Kennedy Gerard
Published: February 2025

In a previous paper we showed that an inhomogeneous body in vacuum will experience a spontaneous force if it is not in thermal equilibrium with its environment. This is due to the asymmetric asymptotic radiation pattern such an object emits. We demonstrated this self-propulsive force by considering an expansion in powers of the electric susceptibility: A torque arises in first order, but only if the material constituting the body is nonreciprocal. No force arises in first order. A force does occur for bodies made of ordinary (reciprocal) materials in second order. Here we extend these considerations to the torque. As one would expect, a spontaneous torque will also appear on an inhomogeneous chiral object if it is out of thermal equilibrium with its environment. Once a chiral body starts to rotate, it will experience a small quantum frictional torque, but much more important, unless a mechanism is provided to maintain the nonequilibrium state, is thermalization: The body will rapidly reach thermal equilibrium with the vacuum, and the angular acceleration will essentially become zero. For a small, or even a large, inhomogeneous chiral body, a terminal angular velocity will result, which seems to be in the realm of observability.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Thermalization in a simple spin-chain model
Authors: Reimann Peter , Eidecker-Dunkel Christian
Published: February 2025

We consider the common spin-1/2 XX model in one dimension with open boundary conditions and a large but finite number of spins. The system is in thermal equilibrium at times t<0, and is subject to a weak local perturbation (quantum quench) at t=0. Focusing mainly on single-spin perturbations and observables, we show that the system rethermalizes for sufficiently large times t>0 without invoking any unproven assumptions besides the basic laws of quantum mechanics. Moreover, the time-dependent relaxation behavior is obtained in quantitative detail and is found to exhibit a wealth of interesting features.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Nucleon sigma terms with a variational analysis from Lattice QCD
Authors: Barca Lorenzo , Bali Gunnar , Collins Sara
Published: February 2025

We determine the nucleon-sigma terms from lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD). We find that the dominant excited state contamination in the nucleon three-point function with a scalar current is due to the transition between the nucleon and a S-wave scattering state of a nucleon and a scalar (sigma) meson. In this proof-of-concept study, we analyze a single Nf=3 ensemble with the unphysically large pion mass Mπ=429  MeV. Excited state contamination is substantially reduced compared to the standard method when employing nucleon-sigma type interpolating operators within a generalized eigenvector analysis.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Essay: Mapping Luminous and Dark Matter in the Universe
Authors: Chisari Nora Elisa
Published: February 2025

Our standard model of the Universe predicts the distribution of dark matter to 1% at the scales needed for upcoming experiments, yet our predictions for how the luminous matter—which has interactions besides gravity—is distributed remain highly uncertain. Understanding how much gas and stars there are in the Universe and where they preferentially live is challenging, and the uncertainty affects how well we can understand the cosmological model itself. For example, it compromises our ability to tell apart different models for dark energy, the mysterious force driving the accelerated expansion of the Universe. In this Essay, I will touch upon many recent developments that suggest we will be able to overcome this limitation before data from new experiments become available. More excitingly, I will describe how our efforts to model luminous and dark matter jointly will create new possibilities for constraining the physics of supermassive black holes, galaxies, and gas over time.

Published by the American Physical Society2025
Role of the irreducible mass in repetitive Penrose energy extraction processes in a Kerr black hole
Authors: Ruffini R. , Bianco C. L. , Prakapenia M. , Quevedo H. , Rueda J. A. , Zhang S.
Published: February 2025

The concept of the irreducible mass (Mirr) has led to the mass-energy (M) formula of a Kerr black hole (BH), in turn leading to its surface area S=16πMirr2. This also allowed the coeval identification of the reversible and irreversible transformations, soon followed by the concepts of and energy. This new conceptual framework avoids inconsistencies recently evidenced in a repetitive Penrose process. We consider repetitive decays in the ergosphere of an initially extreme Kerr BH and show the processes are highly irreversible. For each decay, the particle that the BH captures causes an increase of the irreducible mass (so the BH horizon), much larger than the extracted energy. The energy extraction process stops when the BH reaches a positive spin lower limit set by the process boundary conditions. Thus, the reaching of a final nonrotating Schwarzschild BH state through this accretion process is impossible. We have assessed such processes for selected decay radii and incoming particle with rest mass 1% of the BH initial mass M0. For r=1.2M and 1.9M, the sequence stops after 8 and 34 decays, respectively, at a spin 0.991 and 0.857, the energy extracted has been only 1.16%, and 0.42%, the extractable energy is reduced by 17% and 56%, and the irreducible mass increases by 5% and 22%, all values in units of M0. These results show the highly nonlinear change of the BH parameters, dictated by the BH mass-energy formula, and that the BH rotational energy is mainly converted into irreducible mass. Thus, evaluating the irreducible mass increase in any energy extraction processes in the Kerr BH ergosphere is mandatory.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Sorption hysteresis in nanoporous swelling adsorbents
Authors: Zou Yuliang , Maillet Benjamin , Coussot Philippe , Brochard Laurent
Published: February 2025

Despite its ubiquitous practical impact, the physics of sorption in hygroscopic materials is still under debate. One major, but not yet understood, characteristic is the sorption-desorption hysteresis observed with such systems despite the absence of capillary effects. Here, through an experimental and theoretical approach, we show that this hysteresis is intimately linked to sorption-induced deformation, and more precisely to the existence of a compressive stress state opposing the swelling of the material. First, with the help of magnetic resonance imaging, in contrast with most previous studies, we get a detailed picture of the moisture distribution and transport through the thickness of a model cellulosic material under well-controlled humidity boundary conditions, which makes it possible to identify the actual local sorption dynamics and equilibrium. We observe that the sorption can be hampered, whereas the desorption process is instantaneous at our scale of observation. Interestingly, only sufficiently compacted samples exhibit reduced sorption, suggesting that the mechanical stress is central. Then, based on a statistical thermodynamic and poromechanical approach, we propose a model coupling adsorption and pressure that predicts our observation. This model is fully parametrized from independent tests, and it suggests that sorption is significantly affected when sample compaction exceeds a few megapascals. These developments clarify the link between adsorption hysteresis and mechanics with important implications for biopolymers sensitive to moisture (wood, textiles, paper, etc.).

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Electric charge and salting in/out effects on glucagon's dipole moments and polarizabilities using the GruPol database
Authors: Ligorio Raphael F. , Gehle Rasmus H. M. , Dos Santos Leonardo H. R. , Krawczuk Anna
Published: February 2025

This work demonstrates the use of the GruPol database to predict the functional group dipole moments and polarizabilities of glucagon in the presence of NaCl, simulating an electric charge distribution on the protein's backbone. A new feature of the database allows for the inclusion of ions on the protein backbone, effectively simulating a protein salt and predicting the impact on electrical properties. Glucagon was selected as a proof-of-concept molecule due to its relatively small chain, which enabled benchmarking against quantum mechanical calculations. Firstly, we simulated 70 different ionic configurations, varying the number of Na+ and Cl− ions from zero to four NaCl moieties. Additionally, we investigated the effects of solvation under two distinct conditions: one involving just the peptide and water, and the other also including NaCl at a concentration of approximately 4.2 mol L−1. Regarding the ab initio results, GruPol showed good accuracy, with an angular direction error of around 10° and a 15% difference in the magnitude of the dipole moments. However, the error in polarizability values was higher, most likely due to the lack of an augmented basis set in the ab initio quantum calculations (M06-HF/cc-pVDZ). The database entries were generated using the same functional along with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. In solution, a high ionic concentration lowered the overall dipole moment, while the main components of polarizability increased.
Titanium vanadium nickel, TiV0.08Ni0.92
Authors: Liu Huizi , Fan Changzeng , Wen Bin , Zhang Lifeng
Published: February 2025

A single-crystal of the intermetallic phase TiV0.08Ni0.92 was obtained by the high-temperature sintering of a mixture of nominal composition Ti0.9V0.1Ni. The title compound adopts the CsCl structure type with one site solely occupied by Ti and the other by V and Ni with a ratio of 0.08 (7):0.92 (7).
Digital Microfluidics Automation of Oligonucleotide Assemblies
Authors: Houchaimi Sari , An Hee Tae , Greyson Marcette , Anzelone Paul , Schertzer Michael
Published: February 2025

Digital microfluidics can be used to reliably automate repeated ligation steps to create accurate DNA products. This investigation demonstrates assembly of single-stranded and double-stranded DNA products on digital microfluidics devices. It also presents simple, low-cost methods to integrate on-chip incubation on a commonly used digital microfluidic platform. This work presents the ligation of single-stranded and double-stranded DNA products in droplets surrounded in oil and air with on-chip and off-chip incubations. Successful assembly of DNA products was determined by verifying that the size of on-chip DNA products was equal to benchtop controls. This suggests that digital microfluidic devices are a suitable platform for automated assembly of DNA products in a variety of biomedical applications.
Data-Driven Approach for Predicting Vibration Response of Bladed Disks with Geometric Mistuning Parameters
Authors: Liang Daosen , Jia Zichu , Wu Yulin , Cao Zhifu , Zhang Tao , Fan Jun , yao Jianyao
Published: February 2025

Deviations in the bladed disk manufacturing, such as uneven thickness, surface roughness, or sinkholes in casted wheels, can cause geometric mistuning and result in vibration amplification, severely decreasing reliability. To study the dynamic characteristics of actual industrial bladed disks that have complex geometric shapes, it is essential to accurately and quickly forecast the vibration response of geometrically mistuned systems. This is still challenging due to the high dimensionality of the geometric mistuning parameters and the extreme sensitivity of vibration response to the random geometric mistuning parameters. This paper proposes a deep neural network framework for forecasting the vibration response of mistuned blade disks with high-dimensional geometric mistuning parameters. We constructed a geometrically mistuned bladed disk deep neural network (GMS-DNN) to model the relation between the geometric mistuning parameter matrix and the blade vibration response. This approach decouples the vibration equations of mistuned systems and substitutes a deep neural network for the coupling process. GMS-DNN adopts the transformer encoder to extract geometric mistuning parameter features and uses the blade-disk boundary response to represent the variation of geometric mistuning parameters for different blades to reduce the deep neural network input parameter dimensions. We verified the validity of the proposed method using geometric deviations from an actual machined industrial bladed disk. The results show that the R2 value of the predicted response is 0.99 for the unknown test data, while the error of the amplification factor of the actual vibration response is less than 0.01.
Dynamic loading for solid oxide stacks under limited actuation
Authors: Fardadi Mahshid , Jabbari Faryar
Published: February 2025

High temperature solid oxide cells and stacks are increasingly viewed as critical elements for a promising approach to address the intermittency of the renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar. Used as electrolyzers, such stacks can harness excess power generated at peak periods, which often do not coincide with peak demand, by producing hydrogen for short or long-term storage. Used as fuel cell systems, the stored hydrogen can be used to generate clean energy during periods of low renewable generation. The possibility of use as a reversible system further increases the flexibility to deal with the inherent and large variability of renewable sources, as well as the overall economic viability. The power tracking required - for both fuel cell and electrolyzer modes - can lead to thermal fatigue and short lifespans, a challenge that is more acute if used for operation in the reversible mode, due to the significant differences in the thermal profiles of the two configurations. We propose control techniques to develop high performance controllers for thermal control of the solid oxide stacks, under large variations in the operating conditions. The challenges faced, particularly with respect to actuation and its limitations, differ in the two configurations necessitating a form of gain scheduling in fuel cells and reliance on artificial saturation levels in electrolyzers.
A General Approach for the Optimization of Cylindrical Roller Profiles
Authors: Macareno Luis , Eizmendi Martin , Heras Iker , Abasolo Mikel , Aguirrebeitia Josu
Published: February 2025

This paper presents an optimization method for cylindrical roller profiles. In contrast to classical optimization strategies based on a function with parameters, in the new method each point of the profile is free to modify its drop independently. This drop variation occurs iteratively and it is proportional to the contact pressure at each step. Contact pressures are worked out by means of the Boundary Element Method, using influence coefficients. This methodology, called OptiRoller, leads to already known solutions of logarithmic profiles, also allowing the introduction of different variables, such as roller geometrical constraints or tilting control. The paper includes some examples and proposes a formulation for the definition of manufacturing tolerances.
Predictive modelling of real contact area on rough surfaces using deep artificial neural network
Authors: Suman Siddharth , Prajapati Deepak K
Published: February 2025

A computational approach employing the boundary element method (BEM) and a deep artificial neural network (ANN) is proposed to accurately predict the real contact area (RCA) for rough surfaces. A BEM-generated dataset is utilized to develop an optimised ANN model for prediction of RCA based on surface topography parameters and applied load. The Bayesian optimized ANN model, employing a ‘logsig’ transfer function in hidden layers and having a 5-44-44-1 architecture, predicts the RCA with a mean error of ≈6 %. Shapley values are utilized for global sensitivity analysis, revealing that applied load and surface roughness are the most influential factors affecting RCA. The generalization capability of the ANN model is validated through comparisons with predictions on test data, demonstrating superior accuracy and computational efficiency over traditional numerical methods. The influence of surface topography parameters reveals that the higher surface roughness reduces RCA due to increased asperity interaction, while higher skewness promotes a larger RCA by increasing the number of contact points. Kurtosis influences RCA non-linearly, with higher kurtosis yielding lower RCA at low loads but higher RCA at high loads due to asperity distribution characteristics. The optimized deep neural network model not only predicts the real contact area with high accuracy but also significantly faster than boundary element simulations, conclusively demonstrating its potential to accelerate the design and optimization process in rough surface contact mechanics.
The Roles of Size, Packing, and Cohesion in the Emergence of Force Chains in Granular Packings
Authors: Shrivastava Ankit , Dayal Kaushik , Noh Hae Young
Published: February 2025

This study investigates computationally the impact of particle size disparity and cohesion on force chain formation in granular media. The granular media considered in this study are bi-disperse systems under uniaxial compression, consisting of spherical, frictionless particles that interact through a modified Hookean model. Force chains in granular media are characterized as networks of particles that meet specific criteria for particle stress and inter-particle forces. The computational setup decouples the effects of particle packing on force chain formations, ensuring an independent assessment of particle size distribution and cohesion on force chain formation. The decoupling is achieved by characterizing particle packing through the radial density function, which enables the identification of systems with both regular and irregular packing. The fraction of particles in the force chains network is used to quantify the presence of the force chains. The findings show that particle size disparity promotes force chain formation in granular media with nearly-regular packing (i.e., an almost-ordered system). However, as particle size disparities grow, it promotes irregular packing (i.e., a disordered systems), leading to fewer force chains carrying larger loads than in ordered systems. Further, it is observed that the increased cohesion in granular systems leads to fewer force chains irrespective of particle size or packing.