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Škulj S, Kožić M, Barišić A, Vega A, Biarnés X, Piantanida I, Barisic I, Bertoša B. Comparison of two peroxidases with high potential for biotechnology applications - HRP vs. APEX2. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:742-751. [PMID: 38298178 PMCID: PMC10828542 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Peroxidases are essential elements in many biotechnological applications. An especially interesting concept involves split enzymes, where the enzyme is separated into two smaller and inactive proteins that can dimerize into a fully active enzyme. Such split forms were developed for the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) already. Both peroxidases have a high potential for biotechnology applications. In the present study, we performed biophysical comparisons of these two peroxidases and their split analogues. The active site availability is similar for all four structures. The split enzymes are comparable in stability with their native analogues, meaning that they can be used for further biotechnology applications. Also, the tertiary structures of the two peroxidases are similar. However, differences that might help in choosing one system over another for biotechnology applications were noticed. The main difference between the two systems is glycosylation which is not present in the case of APX/sAPEX2, while it has a high impact on the HRP/sHRP stability. Further differences are calcium ions and cysteine bridges that are present only in the case of HRP/sHRP. Finally, computational results identified sAPEX2 as the systems with the smallest structural variations during molecular dynamics simulations showing its dominant stability comparing to other simulated proteins. Taken all together, the sAPEX2 system has a high potential for biotechnological applications due to the lack of glycans and cysteines, as well as due to high stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanja Škulj
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, Zagreb HR-10000, Croatia
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Matej Kožić
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, Zagreb HR-10000, Croatia
| | - Antun Barišić
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, Zagreb HR-10000, Croatia
| | - Aitor Vega
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, Via Augusta 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xevi Biarnés
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, Via Augusta 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ivo Piantanida
- Division of Organic Chemistry & Biochemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Barisic
- Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, Vienna 1210, Austria
- Eko Refugium, Crno Vrelo 2, Slunj 47240, Croatia
| | - Branimir Bertoša
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, Zagreb HR-10000, Croatia
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Anderson A, Piñeiro Á, García-Fandiño R, O’Connor MS. Cyclodextrins: Establishing building blocks for AI-driven drug design by determining affinity constants in silico. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1117-1128. [PMID: 38510974 PMCID: PMC10950811 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic carbohydrate polymers that hold significant promise for drug delivery and industrial applications. Their effectiveness depends on their ability to encapsulate target molecules with strong affinity and specificity, but quantifying affinities in these systems accurately is challenging for a variety of reasons. Computational methods represent an exceptional complement to in vitro assays because they can be employed for existing and hypothetical molecules, providing high resolution structures in addition to a mechanistic, dynamic, kinetic, and thermodynamic characterization. Here, we employ potential of mean force (PMF) calculations obtained from guided metadynamics simulations to characterize the 1:1 inclusion complexes between four different modified βCDs, with different type, number, and location of substitutions, and two sterol molecules (cholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol). Our methods, validated for reproducibility through four independent repeated simulations per system and different post processing techniques, offer new insights into the formation and stability of CD-sterol inclusion complexes. A systematic distinct orientation preference where the sterol tail projects from the CD's larger face and significant impacts of CD substitutions on binding are observed. Notably, sampling only the CD cavity's wide face during simulations yielded comparable binding energies to full-cavity sampling, but in less time and with reduced statistical uncertainty, suggesting a more efficient approach. Bridging computational methods with complex molecular interactions, our research enables predictive CD designs for diverse applications. Moreover, the high reproducibility, sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness of the studied methods pave the way for extensive studies of massive CD-ligand combinations, enabling AI algorithm training and automated molecular design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Anderson
- Cyclarity Therapeutics, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945, USA
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Santiago de Compostela University, CIQUS, Spain
- Soft Matter & Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ángel Piñeiro
- Soft Matter & Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rebeca García-Fandiño
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Santiago de Compostela University, CIQUS, Spain
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Conde-Torres D, Calvelo M, Rovira C, Piñeiro Á, Garcia-Fandino R. Unlocking the specificity of antimicrobial peptide interactions for membrane-targeted therapies. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 25:61-74. [PMID: 38695015 PMCID: PMC11061258 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are increasingly recognized as potent therapeutic agents, with their selective affinity for pathological membranes, low toxicity profile, and minimal resistance development making them particularly attractive in the pharmaceutical landscape. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between specific AMPs, including magainin-2, pleurocidin, CM15, LL37, and clavanin, with lipid bilayer models of very different compositions that have been ordinarily used as biological membrane models of healthy mammal, cancerous, and bacterial cells. Employing unbiased molecular dynamics simulations and metadynamics techniques, we have deciphered the intricate mechanisms by which these peptides recognize pathogenic and pathologic lipid patterns and integrate into lipid assemblies. Our findings reveal that the transverse component of the peptide's hydrophobic dipole moment is critical for membrane interaction, decisively influencing the molecule's orientation and expected therapeutic efficacy. Our approach also provides insight on the kinetic and dynamic dependence on the peptide orientation in the axial and azimuthal angles when coming close to the membrane. The aim is to establish a robust framework for the rational design of peptide-based, membrane-targeted therapies, as well as effective quantitative descriptors that can facilitate the automated design of novel AMPs for these therapies using machine learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Conde-Torres
- Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Martín Calvelo
- Departament de Química Orgànica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Rovira
- Departament de Química Orgànica and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ángel Piñeiro
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rebeca Garcia-Fandino
- Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Attar AG, Paturej J, Banigan EJ, Erbaş A. Chromatin phase separation and nuclear shape fluctuations are correlated in a polymer model of the nucleus. Nucleus 2024; 15:2351957. [PMID: 38753956 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2351957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal cell nuclear shapes are hallmarks of diseases, including progeria, muscular dystrophy, and many cancers. Experiments have shown that disruption of heterochromatin and increases in euchromatin lead to nuclear deformations, such as blebs and ruptures. However, the physical mechanisms through which chromatin governs nuclear shape are poorly understood. To investigate how heterochromatin and euchromatin might govern nuclear morphology, we studied chromatin microphase separation in a composite coarse-grained polymer and elastic shell simulation model. By varying chromatin density, heterochromatin composition, and heterochromatin-lamina interactions, we show how the chromatin phase organization may perturb nuclear shape. Increasing chromatin density stabilizes the lamina against large fluctuations. However, increasing heterochromatin levels or heterochromatin-lamina interactions enhances nuclear shape fluctuations by a "wetting"-like interaction. In contrast, fluctuations are insensitive to heterochromatin's internal structure. Our simulations suggest that peripheral heterochromatin accumulation could perturb nuclear morphology, while nuclear shape stabilization likely occurs through mechanisms other than chromatin microphase organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Goktug Attar
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center and Institute of Materials Science & Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Edward J Banigan
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aykut Erbaş
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center and Institute of Materials Science & Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
- Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Chorzów, Poland
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Esteban-Medina M, de la Oliva Roque VM, Herráiz-Gil S, Peña-Chilet M, Dopazo J, Loucera C. drexml: A command line tool and Python package for drug repurposing. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1129-1143. [PMID: 38510973 PMCID: PMC10950807 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
We introduce drexml, a command line tool and Python package for rational data-driven drug repurposing. The package employs machine learning and mechanistic signal transduction modeling to identify drug targets capable of regulating a particular disease. In addition, it employs explainability tools to contextualize potential drug targets within the functional landscape of the disease. The methodology is validated in Fanconi Anemia and Familial Melanoma, two distinct rare diseases where there is a pressing need for solutions. In the Fanconi Anemia case, the model successfully predicts previously validated repurposed drugs, while in the Familial Melanoma case, it identifies a promising set of drugs for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Esteban-Medina
- Platform for Computational Medicine, Andalusian Public Foundation Progress and Health-FPS, Seville, Spain
- Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain
| | - Víctor Manuel de la Oliva Roque
- Platform for Computational Medicine, Andalusian Public Foundation Progress and Health-FPS, Seville, Spain
- Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain
| | - Sara Herráiz-Gil
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), U714, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Bioingeniería, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Madrid, Spain
- Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
- Epithelial Biomedicine Division, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Peña-Chilet
- Platform for Computational Medicine, Andalusian Public Foundation Progress and Health-FPS, Seville, Spain
- Platform of Big Data, AI and Biostatistics, Health Research Institute La Fe (IISLAFE), Valencia, Spain
| | - Joaquín Dopazo
- Platform for Computational Medicine, Andalusian Public Foundation Progress and Health-FPS, Seville, Spain
- Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), U715, Seville, Spain
- FPS/ELIXIR-es, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain
| | - Carlos Loucera
- Platform for Computational Medicine, Andalusian Public Foundation Progress and Health-FPS, Seville, Spain
- Computational Systems Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), U715, Seville, Spain
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Schaubeder JB, Fürk P, Amering R, Gsöls L, Ravn J, Nypelö T, Spirk S. Deciphering heterogeneous enzymatic surface reactions on xylan using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 337:122137. [PMID: 38710567 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Xylans' unique properties make it attractive for a variety of industries, including paper, food, and biochemical production. While for some applications the preservation of its natural structure is crucial, for others the degradation into monosaccharides is essential. For the complete breakdown, the use of several enzymes is required, due to its structural complexity. In fact, the specificity of enzymatically-catalyzed reactions is guided by the surface, limiting or regulating accessibility and serving structurally encoded input guiding the actions of the enzymes. Here, we investigate enzymes at surfaces rich in xylan using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. The influence of diffusion and changes in substrate morphology is studied via enzyme surface kinetics simulations, yielding reaction rates and constants. We propose kinetic models, which can be applied to the degradation of multilayer biopolymer films. The most advanced model was verified by its successful application to the degradation of a thin film of polyhydroxybutyrate treated with a polyhydroxybutyrate-depolymerase. The herein derived models can be employed to quantify the degradation kinetics of various enzymes on biopolymers in heterogeneous environments, often prevalent in industrial processes. The identification of key factors influencing reaction rates such as inhibition will contribute to the quantification of intricate dynamics in complex systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana B Schaubeder
- Graz University of Technology, Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology (BPTI), Inffeldgasse 23, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Fürk
- Graz University of Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials (ICTM), Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Richard Amering
- Graz University of Technology, Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology (BPTI), Inffeldgasse 23, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Lena Gsöls
- Graz University of Technology, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria; The COMET Center, Acib GmbH, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Jonas Ravn
- Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Life Sciences, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tiina Nypelö
- Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden; Aalto University, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Vuorimiehentie 1, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Stefan Spirk
- Graz University of Technology, Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology (BPTI), Inffeldgasse 23, 8010 Graz, Austria.
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Xiao B, Wu L, Sun Q, Shu C, Hu S. Dynamic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 evolution based on different countries. Gene 2024; 916:148426. [PMID: 38575101 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Since late 2019, COVID-19 has significantly impacted the world. Understanding the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for protecting against future infectious pathogens. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive chronological analysis of SARS-CoV-2 evolution by examining mutation prevalence from the source countries of VOCs: United Kingdom, India, Brazil, South Africa, plus two countries: United States, Russia, utilizing genomic sequences from GISAID. Our methodological approach involved large-scale genomic sequence alignment using MAFFT, Python-based data processing on a high-performance computing platform, and advanced statistical methods the Maximal Information Coefficient (MIC), and also Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models for correlation analysis. Our findings elucidate the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 evolution, highlighting the virus's changing behaviour over various pandemic stages. Key results include the discovery of three temporal mutation patterns-lineage distinct, long-span, and competitive mutations-with varying levels of impact on the virus. Notably, we observed a convergence of advantageous mutations in the spike protein, especially in the later stages of the pandemic, indicating a substantial evolutionary pressure on the virus. One of the most significant revelations is the predominant role of natural immunity over vaccination-induced immunity in driving these evolutionary changes. This emphasizes the critical need for regular vaccine updates to maintain efficacy against evolving strains. In conclusion, our study not only sheds light on the evolutionary trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 but also underscores the urgency for robust, continuous global data collection and sharing. It highlights the necessity for rapid adaptations in medical countermeasures, including vaccine development, to stay ahead of pathogen evolution. This research provides valuable insights for future pandemic preparedness and response strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Linhuan Wu
- Microbial Resource and Big Data Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Chinese National Microbiology Data Center (NMDC), Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qinglan Sun
- Microbial Resource and Big Data Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Chinese National Microbiology Data Center (NMDC), Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chang Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Songnian Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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8
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Sharma A, Verhaak PF, McCoy TH, Perlis RH, Doshi-Velez F. Identifying data-driven subtypes of major depressive disorder with electronic health records. J Affect Disord 2024; 356:64-70. [PMID: 38565338 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efforts to reduce the heterogeneity of major depressive disorder (MDD) by identifying subtypes have not yet facilitated treatment personalization or investigation of biology, so novel approaches merit consideration. METHODS We utilized electronic health records drawn from 2 academic medical centers and affiliated health systems in Massachusetts to identify data-driven subtypes of MDD, characterizing sociodemographic features, comorbid diagnoses, and treatment patterns. We applied Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to summarize diagnostic codes followed by agglomerative clustering to define patient subgroups. RESULTS Among 136,371 patients (95,034 women [70 %]; 41,337 men [30 %]; mean [SD] age, 47.0 [14.0] years), the 15 putative MDD subtypes were characterized by comorbidities and distinct patterns in medication use. There was substantial variation in rates of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use (from a low of 62 % to a high of 78 %) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) use (from 4 % to 21 %). LIMITATIONS Electronic health records lack reliable symptom-level data, so we cannot examine the extent to which subtypes might differ in clinical presentation or symptom dimensions. CONCLUSION These data-driven subtypes, drawing on representative clinical cohorts, merit further investigation for their utility in identifying more homogeneous patient populations for basic as well as clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States of America
| | - Pilar F Verhaak
- Center for Quantitative Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, United States of America
| | - Thomas H McCoy
- Center for Quantitative Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, United States of America; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Center for Quantitative Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, United States of America; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
| | - Finale Doshi-Velez
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States of America.
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Anderson A, García-Fandiño R, Piñeiro Á, O'Connor MS. Unraveling the molecular dynamics of sugammadex-rocuronium complexation: A blueprint for cyclodextrin drug design. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 334:122018. [PMID: 38553217 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Sugammadex, marketed as Bridion™, is an approved cyclodextrin (CD) based drug for the reversal of neuromuscular blockade in adults undergoing surgery. Sugammadex forms an inclusion complex with the neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) rocuronium, allowing rapid reversal of muscle paralysis. In silico methods have been developed for studying CD inclusion complexes, aimed at accurately predicting their structural, energetic, dynamic, and kinetic properties, as well as binding constants. Here, a computational study aimed at characterizing the sugammadex-rocuronium system from the perspective of docking calculations, free molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and biased metadynamics simulations with potential of mean force (PMF) calculations is presented. The aim is to provide detailed information about this system, as well as to use it as a model system for validation of the methods. This method predicts results in line with experimental evidence for both the optimal structure and the quantitative value for the binding constant. Interestingly, there is a less profound preference for the orientation than might be assumed based on electrostatic interactions, suggesting that both orientations may exist in solution. These results show that this technology can efficiently analyze CD inclusion complexes and could be used to facilitate the development and optimization of novel applications for CDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Anderson
- Cyclarity Therapeutics, 8001 Redwood Blvd Novato, CA 94945, USA; Department of Organic Chemistry, Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Santiago de Compostela University, CIQUS, Spain; Soft Matter & Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Rebeca García-Fandiño
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials, Santiago de Compostela University, CIQUS, Spain
| | - Ángel Piñeiro
- Soft Matter & Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Medrano‐Cerano JL, Cofas‐Vargas LF, Leyva E, Rauda‐Ceja JA, Calderón‐Vargas M, Cano‐Sánchez P, Titaux‐Delgado G, Melchor‐Meneses CM, Hernández‐Arana A, del Río‐Portilla F, García‐Hernández E. Decoding the mechanism governing the structural stability of wheat germ agglutinin and its isolated domains: A combined calorimetric, NMR, and MD simulation study. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5020. [PMID: 38747397 PMCID: PMC11094770 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) demonstrates potential as an oral delivery agent owing to its selective binding to carbohydrates and its capacity to traverse biological membranes. In this study, we employed differential scanning calorimetry and molecular dynamics simulations to comprehensively characterize the thermal unfolding process of both the complete lectin and its four isolated domains. Furthermore, we present the nuclear magnetic resonance structures of three domains that were previously lacking experimental structures in their isolated forms. Our results provide a collective understanding of the energetic and structural factors governing the intricate unfolding mechanism of the complete agglutinin, shedding light on the specific role played by each domain in this process. The analysis revealed negligible interdomain cooperativity, highlighting instead significant coupling between dimer dissociation and the unfolding of the more labile domains. By comparing the dominant interactions, we rationalized the stability differences among the domains. Understanding the structural stability of WGA opens avenues for enhanced drug delivery strategies, underscoring its potential as a promising carrier throughout the gastrointestinal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Luis Medrano‐Cerano
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | | | - Eduardo Leyva
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | - Jesús Antonio Rauda‐Ceja
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | - Mateo Calderón‐Vargas
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | - Patricia Cano‐Sánchez
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | - Gustavo Titaux‐Delgado
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | | | - Andrés Hernández‐Arana
- Área de Biofisicoquímica, Departamento de QuímicaUniversidad Autónoma Metropolitana IztapalapaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | - Federico del Río‐Portilla
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
| | - Enrique García‐Hernández
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Química, Ciudad UniversitariaCiudad de MéxicoMexico
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Gehl M, Demmer U, Ermler U, Shima S. Mutational and structural studies of (βα) 8-barrel fold methylene-tetrahydropterin reductases utilizing a common catalytic mechanism. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5018. [PMID: 38747406 PMCID: PMC11094777 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Methylene-tetrahydropterin reductases catalyze the reduction of a methylene to a methyl group bound to a reduced pterin as C1 carrier in various one-carbon (C1) metabolisms. F420-dependent methylene-tetrahydromethanopterin (methylene-H4MPT) reductase (Mer) and the flavin-independent methylene-tetrahydrofolate (methylene-H4F) reductase (Mfr) use a ternary complex mechanism for the direct transfer of a hydride from F420H2 and NAD(P)H to the respective methylene group, whereas FAD-dependent methylene-H4F reductase (MTHFR) uses FAD as prosthetic group and a ping-pong mechanism to catalyze the reduction of methylene-H4F. A ternary complex structure and a thereof derived catalytic mechanism of MTHFR is available, while no ternary complex structures of Mfr or Mer are reported. Here, Mer from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (jMer) was heterologously produced and the crystal structures of the enzyme with and without F420 were determined. A ternary complex of jMer was modeled on the basis of the jMer-F420 structure and the ternary complex structure of MTHFR by superimposing the polypeptide after fixing hydride-transferring atoms of the flavins on each other, and by the subsequent transfer of the methyl-tetrahydropterin from MTHFR to jMer. Mutational analysis of four functional amino acids, which are similarly positioned in the three reductase structures, indicated despite the insignificant sequence identity, a common catalytic mechanism with a 5-iminium cation of methylene-tetrahydropterin as intermediate protonated by a shared glutamate. According to structural, mutational and phylogenetic analysis, the evolution of the three reductases most likely proceeds via a convergent development although a divergent scenario requiring drastic structural changes of the common ancestor cannot be completely ruled out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Gehl
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial MicrobiologyMarburgGermany
| | - Ulrike Demmer
- Max Planck Institute of BiophysicsFrankfurt am MainGermany
| | - Ulrich Ermler
- Max Planck Institute of BiophysicsFrankfurt am MainGermany
| | - Seigo Shima
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial MicrobiologyMarburgGermany
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12
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Valero D, Bayón A, Franca MJ. Urban Flood Drifters (UFDs): Onset of movement. Sci Total Environ 2024; 927:171568. [PMID: 38499101 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Despite their catastrophic implications in flood events, the mobilization and transport of large, loose objects -termed Urban Flood Drifters (UFDs)- are often overlooked in flood management. These objects are inherent to anthropogenic activities, but are not designed to remain stable under flooding conditions, nor are usually considered in flood risk studies. This oversight stems from our limited understanding of how flowing water interacts with these heterogeneous objects. To bridge this knowledge gap, we introduce a mechanistic stability model that predicts the onset of UFD mobilization across a diverse array of loose objects, from plastics to heavy vehicles. We further enhance the reliability of our model by incorporating a Monte Carlo-based probabilistic framework that accounts for uncertainties and interdependencies among the input parameters. Our results show that plastic and other litter are the most mobile objects found in urban setups, being subject to incipient transport under frequent floods. These are followed by wood (anthropogenic or natural) and urban furniture. Vans, caravans and recreational vehicles (RVs) can be more mobile than other light-weight vehicles in low-gradient areas, whereas trucks and buses remain considerably more stable; although more hazardous, when mobilized. Construction and metal debris are predominantly stable in low-slope areas. When integrated with flood maps or two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic models, our stability curves can guide urban planning efforts to predict and mitigate the impacts of UFDs during extreme flood events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Valero
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Arnau Bayón
- Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.
| | - Mário J Franca
- Institute for Water and Environment, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
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13
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Kadlof M, Banecki K, Chiliński M, Plewczynski D. Chromatin image-driven modelling. Methods 2024; 226:54-60. [PMID: 38636797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The challenge of modelling the spatial conformation of chromatin remains an open problem. While multiple data-driven approaches have been proposed, each has limitations. This work introduces two image-driven modelling methods based on the Molecular Dynamics Flexible Fitting (MDFF) approach: the force method and the correlational method. Both methods have already been used successfully in protein modelling. We propose a novel way to employ them for building chromatin models directly from 3D images. This approach is termed image-driven modelling. Additionally, we introduce the initial structure generator, a tool designed to generate optimal starting structures for the proposed algorithms. The methods are versatile and can be applied to various data types, with minor modifications to accommodate new generation imaging techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Kadlof
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Banecki
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland; Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz Chiliński
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland; Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dariusz Plewczynski
- Faculty of Mathematics and Information Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland; Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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14
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Neidhart S, Vlad B, Hilty M, Högelin KA, Ziegler M, Berenjeno-Correa E, Reichen I, Stridh P, Jelcic I, Khademi M, Kockum I, Sospedra M, Al Nimer F, Martin R, Jelcic I. HLA Associations of Intrathecal IgG Production against Specific Viruses in Multiple Sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2024; 95:1112-1126. [PMID: 38551149 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Specific human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are not only associated with higher risk to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases, but also with the severity of various viral and bacterial infections. Here, we analyzed the most specific biomarker for MS, that is, the polyspecific intrathecal IgG antibody production against measles, rubella, and varicella zoster virus (MRZ reaction), for possible HLA associations in MS. METHODS We assessed MRZ reaction from 184 Swiss patients with MS and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and 89 Swiss non-MS/non-CIS control patients, and performed HLA sequence-based typing, to check for associations of positive MRZ reaction with the most prevalent HLA alleles. We used a cohort of 176 Swedish MS/CIS patients to replicate significant findings. RESULTS Whereas positive MRZ reaction showed a prevalence of 38.0% in MS/CIS patients, it was highly specific (97.7%) for MS/CIS. We identified HLA-DRB1*15:01 and other tightly linked alleles of the HLA-DR15 haplotype as the strongest HLA-encoded risk factors for a positive MRZ reaction in Swiss MS/CIS (odds ratio [OR], 3.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.05-7.46, padjusted = 0.0004) and replicated these findings in Swedish MS/CIS patients (OR 2.18, 95%-CI 1.16-4.02, padjusted = 0.028). In addition, female MS/CIS patients had a significantly higher probability for a positive MRZ reaction than male patients in both cohorts combined (padjusted <0.005). INTERPRETATION HLA-DRB1*15:01, the strongest genetic risk factor for MS, and female sex, 1 of the most prominent demographic risk factors for developing MS, predispose in MS/CIS patients for a positive MRZ reaction, the most specific CSF biomarker for MS. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:1112-1126.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Neidhart
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Vlad
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc Hilty
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Klara Asplund Högelin
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mario Ziegler
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ernesto Berenjeno-Correa
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ina Reichen
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pernilla Stridh
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ivan Jelcic
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mohsen Khademi
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Kockum
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mireia Sospedra
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- Clinical Research Priority Program MS (CRPP) PrecisionMS of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Faiez Al Nimer
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Roland Martin
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- Clinical Research Priority Program MS (CRPP) PrecisionMS of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Therapeutic Immune Design Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ilijas Jelcic
- Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research Section, Department of Neurology, University of Zurich and University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- Clinical Research Priority Program MS (CRPP) PrecisionMS of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Nixon C, Lim SA, Sternke M, Barrick D, Harms MJ, Marqusee S. The importance of input sequence set to consensus-derived proteins and their relationship to reconstructed ancestral proteins. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5011. [PMID: 38747388 PMCID: PMC11094778 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
A protein sequence encodes its energy landscape-all the accessible conformations, energetics, and dynamics. The evolutionary relationship between sequence and landscape can be probed phylogenetically by compiling a multiple sequence alignment of homologous sequences and generating common ancestors via Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction or a consensus protein containing the most common amino acid at each position. Both ancestral and consensus proteins are often more stable than their extant homologs-questioning the differences between them and suggesting that both approaches serve as general methods to engineer thermostability. We used the Ribonuclease H family to compare these approaches and evaluate how the evolutionary relationship of the input sequences affects the properties of the resulting consensus protein. While the consensus protein derived from our full Ribonuclease H sequence alignment is structured and active, it neither shows properties of a well-folded protein nor has enhanced stability. In contrast, the consensus protein derived from a phylogenetically-restricted set of sequences is significantly more stable and cooperatively folded, suggesting that cooperativity may be encoded by different mechanisms in separate clades and lost when too many diverse clades are combined to generate a consensus protein. To explore this, we compared pairwise covariance scores using a Potts formalism as well as higher-order sequence correlations using singular value decomposition (SVD). We find the SVD coordinates of a stable consensus sequence are close to coordinates of the analogous ancestor sequence and its descendants, whereas the unstable consensus sequences are outliers in SVD space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Nixon
- Department of Molecular and Cell BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Shion A. Lim
- Department of Molecular and Cell BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Matt Sternke
- The T.C. Jenkins Department of BiophysicsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Doug Barrick
- The T.C. Jenkins Department of BiophysicsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Michael J. Harms
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
| | - Susan Marqusee
- Department of Molecular and Cell BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3)BerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
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16
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Pastorini M, Rodríguez R, Etcheverry L, Castro A, Gorgoglione A. Enhancing environmental data imputation: A physically-constrained machine learning framework. Sci Total Environ 2024; 926:171773. [PMID: 38522546 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
In water resources management, new computational capabilities have made it possible to develop integrated models to jointly analyze climatic conditions and water quantity/quality of the entire watershed system. Although the value of this integrated approach has been demonstrated so far, the limited availability of field data may hinder its applicability by causing high uncertainty in the model response. In this context, before collecting additional data, it is recommended first to recognize what improvement in model performance would occur if all available records could be well exploited. This work proposes a novel machine learning framework with physical constraints capable of successfully imputing a high percentage of missing data belonging to several environmental domains (meteorology, water quantity, water quality), yielding satisfactory results. In particular, the minimum NSE computed for meteorologic variables is 0.72. For hydrometric variables, NSE is always >0.97. More than 78 % of the physical-water-quality variables is characterized by NSE > 0.45, and >66 % of the chemical-water quality variables reaches NSE > 0.35. This work's results demonstrate the proposed framework's effectiveness as a data augmentation tool to improve the performance of integrated environmental modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Pastorini
- Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, Universidad de la República, Herreira y Reissig, 565, Montevideo 11300, Uruguay.
| | - Rafael Rodríguez
- Department of Fluid Mechanics and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de la República, Herreira y Reissig, 565, Montevideo 11300, Uruguay.
| | - Lorena Etcheverry
- Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, Universidad de la República, Herreira y Reissig, 565, Montevideo 11300, Uruguay.
| | - Alberto Castro
- Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, Universidad de la República, Herreira y Reissig, 565, Montevideo 11300, Uruguay.
| | - Angela Gorgoglione
- Department of Fluid Mechanics and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidad de la República, Herreira y Reissig, 565, Montevideo 11300, Uruguay.
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17
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Kalitnik A, Szefczyk M, Wojciechowska AW, Wojciechowski JW, Gąsior-Głogowska M, Olesiak-Bańska J, Kotulska M. Cytotoxic Staphylococcus aureus PSMα3 inhibits the aggregation of human insulin in vitro. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024. [PMID: 38757742 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00669k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) are extracellular short amphipathic peptides secreted by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). They play an essential role in the bacterial lifecycle, biofilm formation, and stabilisation. From the PSM family, PSMα3 has been of special interest recently due to its cytotoxicity and highly stable α-helical conformation, which also remains in its amyloid fibrils. In particular, PSMα3 fibrils were shown to be composed of self-associating "sheets" of α-helices oriented perpendicular to the fibril axis, mimicking the architecture of canonical cross-β fibrils. Therefore, they were called cross-α-fibrils. PSMα3 was synthesised and verified for identity with wild-type sequences (S. aureus). Then, using several experimental techniques, we evaluated its propensity for in vitro aggregation. According to our findings, synthetic PSMα3 (which lacks the N-terminal formyl groups found in bacteria) does not form amyloid fibrils and maintains α-helical conformation in a soluble monomeric form for several days of incubation. We also evaluated the influence of PSMα3 on human insulin fibrillation in vitro, using a variety of experimental approaches in combination with computational molecular studies. First, it was shown that PSMα3 drastically inhibits the fibrillation of human insulin. The anti-fibrillation effect of PSMα3 was concentration-dependent and required a concentration ratio of PSMα3: insulin equal to or above 1 : 100. Molecular modelling revealed that PSMα3 most likely inhibits the production of insulin primary nuclei by competing for residues involved in its dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Kalitnik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Monika Szefczyk
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Alicja W Wojciechowska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Jakub W Wojciechowski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Marlena Gąsior-Głogowska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Joanna Olesiak-Bańska
- Institute of Advanced Materials, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kotulska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
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18
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Jiang M, Yu Z, Lan X. VitTCR: A deep learning method for peptide recognition prediction. iScience 2024; 27:109770. [PMID: 38711451 PMCID: PMC11070698 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
This study introduces VitTCR, a predictive model based on the vision transformer (ViT) architecture, aimed at identifying interactions between T cell receptors (TCRs) and peptides, crucial for developing cancer immunotherapies and vaccines. VitTCR converts TCR-peptide interactions into numerical AtchleyMaps using Atchley factors for prediction, achieving AUROC (0.6485) and AUPR (0.6295) values. Benchmark analysis indicates VitTCR's performance is comparable to other models, with further comparative studies suggested to understand its effectiveness in varied contexts. Additionally, integrating a positional bias weight matrix (PBWM), derived from amino acid contact probabilities in structurally resolved pMHC-TCR complexes, slightly improves VitTCR's accuracy. The model's predictions show weak yet statistically significant correlations with immunological factors like T cell clonal expansion and activation percentages, underscoring the biological relevance of VitTCR's predictive capabilities. VitTCR emerges as a valuable computational tool for predicting TCR-peptide interactions, offering insights for immunotherapy and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengnan Jiang
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zilan Yu
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Centre for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xun Lan
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Centre for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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19
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Balant M, Garnatje T, Vitales D, Hidalgo O, Chitwood DH. Intra-leaf modeling of Cannabis leaflet shape produces leaf models that predict genetic and developmental identities. New Phytol 2024. [PMID: 38757746 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The iconic, palmately compound leaves of Cannabis have attracted significant attention in the past. However, investigations into the genetic basis of leaf shape or its connections to phytochemical composition have yielded inconclusive results. This is partly due to prominent changes in leaflet number within a single plant during development, which has so far prevented the proper use of common morphometric techniques. Here, we present a new method that overcomes the challenge of nonhomologous landmarks in palmate, pinnate, and lobed leaves, using Cannabis as an example. We model corresponding pseudo-landmarks for each leaflet as angle-radius coordinates and model them as a function of leaflet to create continuous polynomial models, bypassing the problems associated with variable number of leaflets between leaves. We analyze 341 leaves from 24 individuals from nine Cannabis accessions. Using 3591 pseudo-landmarks in modeled leaves, we accurately predict accession identity, leaflet number, and relative node number. Intra-leaf modeling offers a rapid, cost-effective means of identifying Cannabis accessions, making it a valuable tool for future taxonomic studies, cultivar recognition, and possibly chemical content analysis and sex identification, in addition to permitting the morphometric analysis of leaves in any species with variable numbers of leaflets or lobes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manica Balant
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038, Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratori de Botànica, Unitat Associada al CSIC, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Av. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Teresa Garnatje
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038, Barcelona, Spain
- Jardí Botànic Marimurtra - Fundació Carl Faust, pg. Carles Faust, 9, 17300, Blanes, Spain
| | - Daniel Vitales
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oriane Hidalgo
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038, Barcelona, Spain
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Daniel H Chitwood
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Department of Computational Mathematics, Science & Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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20
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Caplette L, Turk-Browne NB. Computational reconstruction of mental representations using human behavior. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4183. [PMID: 38760341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48114-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Revealing how the mind represents information is a longstanding goal of cognitive science. However, there is currently no framework for reconstructing the broad range of mental representations that humans possess. Here, we ask participants to indicate what they perceive in images made of random visual features in a deep neural network. We then infer associations between the semantic features of their responses and the visual features of the images. This allows us to reconstruct the mental representations of multiple visual concepts, both those supplied by participants and other concepts extrapolated from the same semantic space. We validate these reconstructions in separate participants and further generalize our approach to predict behavior for new stimuli and in a new task. Finally, we reconstruct the mental representations of individual observers and of a neural network. This framework enables a large-scale investigation of conceptual representations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicholas B Turk-Browne
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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21
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Xiang Q, Yu H, Huang H, Yan D, Yu C, Wang Y, Xiong Z. The impact of grazing activities and environmental conditions on the stability of alpine grassland ecosystems. J Environ Manage 2024; 360:121176. [PMID: 38759547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Globally, grazing activities have profound impacts on the structure and function of ecosystems. This study, based on a 20-year MODIS time series dataset, employs remote sensing techniques and the Seasonal-Trend decomposition using Loess (STL) algorithm to quantitatively assess the stability of alpine grassland ecosystems from multiple dimensions, and to reveal the characteristics of grazing activities and environmental conditions on ecosystem stability. The results indicate that only 5.77% of the area remains undisturbed, with most areas experiencing varying degrees of disturbance. Further analysis shows that grazing activities in high vegetation coverage areas are the main source of interference. In areas with concentrated interference, elevation and slope have a positive correlation with resistance stability, but a negative correlation with recovery stability. Precipitation and landscape diversity have positive effects on both resistance stability and recovery stability. Vegetation coverage and grazing intensity have a negative correlation with resistance stability, but a positive correlation with recovery stability. This highlights the complex interactions between human activities, environmental factors, and ecosystem stability. The findings emphasize the need for targeted conservation and management strategies to mitigate disturbances to ecosystems affected by human activities and enhance their stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Xiang
- College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Huan Yu
- College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; Xizang Geological Environment Monitoring Center, Lhasa, 850000, China.
| | - Hong Huang
- College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China; Research Center for Human Geography of Tibetan Plateau and Its Eastern Slope, Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of Colleges in Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - DongMing Yan
- College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - ChunZhe Yu
- College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
| | - Yun Wang
- The Third Geodetic Surveying Brigade of MNR, Chengdu, 610199, China
| | - Zixuan Xiong
- The Third Geodetic Surveying Brigade of MNR, Chengdu, 610199, China
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22
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Bouillon P, Fanciullino AL, Belin E, Bréard D, Boisard S, Bonnet B, Hanteville S, Bernard F, Celton JM. Image analysis and polyphenol profiling unveil red-flesh apple phenotype complexity. Plant Methods 2024; 20:71. [PMID: 38755652 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-024-01196-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genetic basis of colour development in red-flesh apples (Malus domestica Borkh) has been widely characterised; however, current models do not explain the observed variations in red pigmentation intensity and distribution. Available methods to evaluate the red-flesh trait rely on the estimation of an average overall colour using a discrete class notation index. However, colour variations among red-flesh cultivars are continuous while development of red colour is non-homogeneous and genotype-dependent. A robust estimation of red-flesh colour intensity and distribution is essential to fully capture the diversity among genotypes and provide a basis to enable identification of loci influencing the red-flesh trait. RESULTS In this study, we developed a multivariable approach to evaluate the red-flesh trait in apple. This method was implemented to study the phenotypic diversity in a segregating hybrid F1 family (91 genotypes). We developed a Python pipeline based on image and colour analysis to quantitatively dissect the red-flesh pigmentation from RGB (Red Green Blue) images and compared the efficiency of RGB and CIEL*a*b* colour spaces in discriminating genotypes previously classified with a visual notation. Chemical destructive methods, including targeted-metabolite analysis using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (UPLC-UV), were performed to quantify major phenolic compounds in fruits' flesh, as well as pH and water contents. Multivariate analyses were performed to study covariations of biochemical factors in relation to colour expression in CIEL*a*b* colour space. Our results indicate that anthocyanin, flavonol and flavanol concentrations, as well as pH, are closely related to flesh pigmentation in apple. CONCLUSTION Extraction of colour descriptors combined to chemical analyses helped in discriminating genotypes in relation to their flesh colour. These results suggest that the red-flesh trait in apple is a complex trait associated with several biochemical factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Bouillon
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000 , Angers, France
- IFO, 49140, Seiches sur le Loir, France
| | | | - Etienne Belin
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000 , Angers, France
| | - Dimitri Bréard
- SONAS, SFR QUASAVUniv Angers, SONAS, SFR QUASAV, Univ Angers, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Séverine Boisard
- SONAS, SFR QUASAVUniv Angers, SONAS, SFR QUASAV, Univ Angers, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Béatrice Bonnet
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000 , Angers, France
| | - Sylvain Hanteville
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000 , Angers, France
| | | | - Jean-Marc Celton
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000 , Angers, France.
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23
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Irby I, Broddrick JT. Microbial adaptation to spaceflight is correlated with bacteriophage-encoded functions. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3474. [PMID: 38750067 PMCID: PMC11096397 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42104-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence from the International Space Station suggests microbial populations are rapidly adapting to the spacecraft environment; however, the mechanism of this adaptation is not understood. Bacteriophages are prolific mediators of bacterial adaptation on Earth. Here we survey 245 genomes sequenced from bacterial strains isolated on the International Space Station for dormant (lysogenic) bacteriophages. Our analysis indicates phage-associated genes are significantly different between spaceflight strains and their terrestrial counterparts. In addition, we identify 283 complete prophages, those that could initiate bacterial lysis and infect additional hosts, of which 21% are novel. These prophage regions encode functions that correlate with increased persistence in extreme environments, such as spaceflight, to include antimicrobial resistance and virulence, DNA damage repair, and dormancy. Our results correlate microbial adaptation in spaceflight to bacteriophage-encoded functions that may impact human health in spaceflight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Irby
- Space Biosciences Research Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jared T Broddrick
- Space Biosciences Research Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.
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24
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Manley J, Lu S, Barber K, Demas J, Kim H, Meyer D, Traub FM, Vaziri A. Simultaneous, cortex-wide dynamics of up to 1 million neurons reveal unbounded scaling of dimensionality with neuron number. Neuron 2024; 112:1694-1709.e5. [PMID: 38452763 PMCID: PMC11098699 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The brain's remarkable properties arise from the collective activity of millions of neurons. Widespread application of dimensionality reduction to multi-neuron recordings implies that neural dynamics can be approximated by low-dimensional "latent" signals reflecting neural computations. However, can such low-dimensional representations truly explain the vast range of brain activity, and if not, what is the appropriate resolution and scale of recording to capture them? Imaging neural activity at cellular resolution and near-simultaneously across the mouse cortex, we demonstrate an unbounded scaling of dimensionality with neuron number in populations up to 1 million neurons. Although half of the neural variance is contained within sixteen dimensions correlated with behavior, our discovered scaling of dimensionality corresponds to an ever-increasing number of neuronal ensembles without immediate behavioral or sensory correlates. The activity patterns underlying these higher dimensions are fine grained and cortex wide, highlighting that large-scale, cellular-resolution recording is required to uncover the full substrates of neuronal computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Manley
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; The Kavli Neural Systems Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sihao Lu
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kevin Barber
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jeffrey Demas
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; The Kavli Neural Systems Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Hyewon Kim
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David Meyer
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Francisca Martínez Traub
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alipasha Vaziri
- Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; The Kavli Neural Systems Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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25
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Kurmasheva N, Said A, Wong B, Kinderman P, Han X, Rahimic AHF, Kress A, Carter-Timofte ME, Holm E, van der Horst D, Kollmann CF, Liu Z, Wang C, Hoang HD, Kovalenko E, Chrysopoulou M, Twayana KS, Ottosen RN, Svenningsen EB, Begnini F, Kiib AE, Kromm FEH, Weiss HJ, Di Carlo D, Muscolini M, Higgins M, van der Heijden M, Bardoul A, Tong T, Ozsvar A, Hou WH, Schack VR, Holm CK, Zheng Y, Ruzek M, Kalucka J, de la Vega L, Elgaher WAM, Korshoej AR, Lin R, Hiscott J, Poulsen TB, O'Neill LA, Roy DG, Rinschen MM, van Montfoort N, Diallo JS, Farin HF, Alain T, Olagnier D. Octyl itaconate enhances VSVΔ51 oncolytic virotherapy by multitarget inhibition of antiviral and inflammatory pathways. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4096. [PMID: 38750019 PMCID: PMC11096414 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48422-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The presence of heterogeneity in responses to oncolytic virotherapy poses a barrier to clinical effectiveness, as resistance to this treatment can occur through the inhibition of viral spread within the tumor, potentially leading to treatment failures. Here we show that 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI), a chemical derivative of the Krebs cycle-derived metabolite itaconate, enhances oncolytic virotherapy with VSVΔ51 in various models including human and murine resistant cancer cell lines, three-dimensional (3D) patient-derived colon tumoroids and organotypic brain tumor slices. Furthermore, 4-OI in combination with VSVΔ51 improves therapeutic outcomes in a resistant murine colon tumor model. Mechanistically, we find that 4-OI suppresses antiviral immunity in cancer cells through the modification of cysteine residues in MAVS and IKKβ independently of the NRF2/KEAP1 axis. We propose that the combination of a metabolite-derived drug with an oncolytic virus agent can greatly improve anticancer therapeutic outcomes by direct interference with the type I IFN and NF-κB-mediated antiviral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naziia Kurmasheva
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Aida Said
- Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Boaz Wong
- Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Insitute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Priscilla Kinderman
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Xiaoying Han
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital and Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Anna H F Rahimic
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Alena Kress
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Emilia Holm
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | | | - Zhenlong Liu
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital and Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Chen Wang
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital and Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Huy-Dung Hoang
- Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Elina Kovalenko
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | | | - Rasmus N Ottosen
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Fabio Begnini
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Anders E Kiib
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Hauke J Weiss
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Daniele Di Carlo
- Pasteur Laboratories, Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Michela Muscolini
- Pasteur Laboratories, Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Maureen Higgins
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cellular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Mirte van der Heijden
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Angelina Bardoul
- Cancer Axis, CHUM Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tong Tong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
- DCCC Brain Tumor Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Attila Ozsvar
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Wen-Hsien Hou
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Vivien R Schack
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Christian K Holm
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Yunan Zheng
- Small Molecule Therapeutics & Platform Technologies, AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegon Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Melanie Ruzek
- AbbVie, Bioresearch Center, 100 Research Drive, Worcester, MA, 01608, USA
| | - Joanna Kalucka
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Laureano de la Vega
- Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Division of Cellular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Walid A M Elgaher
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, E8.1, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Anders R Korshoej
- Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
- DCCC Brain Tumor Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rongtuan Lin
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital and Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - John Hiscott
- Pasteur Laboratories, Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Thomas B Poulsen
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Luke A O'Neill
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Dominic G Roy
- Cancer Axis, CHUM Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Markus M Rinschen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- III. Department of Medicine and Hamburg Center for Kidney Health, Hamburg, Germany
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nadine van Montfoort
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Simon Diallo
- Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Insitute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Henner F Farin
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Frankfurt/Mainz partner site and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tommy Alain
- Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - David Olagnier
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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26
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Lee RJ, Horton CA, Van Treeck B, McIntyre JJR, Collins K. Conserved and divergent DNA recognition specificities and functions of R2 retrotransposon N-terminal domains. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114239. [PMID: 38753487 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
R2 non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposons are among the most extensively distributed mobile genetic elements in multicellular eukaryotes and show promise for applications in transgene supplementation of the human genome. They insert new gene copies into a conserved site in 28S ribosomal DNA with exquisite specificity. R2 clades are defined by the number of zinc fingers (ZFs) at the N terminus of the retrotransposon-encoded protein, postulated to additively confer DNA site specificity. Here, we illuminate general principles of DNA recognition by R2 N-terminal domains across and between clades, with extensive, specific recognition requiring only one or two compact domains. DNA-binding and protection assays demonstrate broadly shared as well as clade-specific DNA interactions. Gene insertion assays in cells identify the N-terminal domains sufficient for target-site insertion and reveal roles in second-strand cleavage or synthesis for clade-specific ZFs. Our results have implications for understanding evolutionary diversification of non-LTR retrotransposon insertion mechanisms and the design of retrotransposon-based gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Jooyoung Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Connor A Horton
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Briana Van Treeck
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jeremy J R McIntyre
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kathleen Collins
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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27
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Kottmann JS, Scala F. Quantum Algorithmic Approach to Multiconfigurational Valence Bond Theory: Insights from Interpretable Circuit Design. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:3514-3523. [PMID: 38626727 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Efficient ways to prepare Fermionic ground states on quantum computers are in high demand, and different techniques have been developed over the past few years. Despite having a vast set of methods, it is still unclear which method performs well for which system. In this work, we combine interpretable circuit designs with an effective basis approach in order to optimize a multiconfigurational valence bond wave function. Based on selected model systems, we show how this leads to an explainable performance. We demonstrate that the developed methodology outperforms related methods in terms of the size of the effective basis, as well as individual quantum resources for the involved circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob S Kottmann
- Institute for Computer Science, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Francesco Scala
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Pavia 27100 Pavia, Italy
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28
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Philippou J, Yáñez Feliú G, Rudge TJ. WebCM: A Web-Based Platform for Multiuser Individual-Based Modeling of Multicellular Microbial Populations and Communities. ACS Synth Biol 2024. [PMID: 38743439 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
WebCM is a web platform that enables users to create, edit, run, and view individual-based simulations of multicellular microbial populations and communities on a remote compute server. WebCM builds upon the simulation software CellModeller in the back end and provides users with a web-browser-based modeling interface including model editing, execution, and playback. Multiple users can run and manage multiple simulations simultaneously, sharing the host hardware. Since it is based on CellModeller, it can utilize both GPU and CPU parallelization. The user interface provides real-time interactive 3D graphical representations for inspection of simulations at all time points, and the results can be downloaded for detailed offline analysis. It can be run on cloud computing services or on a local server, allowing collaboration within and between laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Philippou
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
| | - Guillermo Yáñez Feliú
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
| | - Timothy J Rudge
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
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29
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Zhang Z, Mlýnský V, Krepl M, Šponer J, Stadlbauer P. Mechanical Stability and Unfolding Pathways of Parallel Tetrameric G-Quadruplexes Probed by Pulling Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:3896-3911. [PMID: 38630447 PMCID: PMC11094737 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Guanine quadruplex (GQ) is a noncanonical nucleic acid structure formed by guanine-rich DNA and RNA sequences. Folding of GQs is a complex process, where several aspects remain elusive, despite being important for understanding structure formation and biological functions of GQs. Pulling experiments are a common tool for acquiring insights into the folding landscape of GQs. Herein, we applied a computational pulling strategy─steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations─in combination with standard molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the unfolding landscapes of tetrameric parallel GQs. We identified anisotropic properties of elastic conformational changes, unfolding transitions, and GQ mechanical stabilities. Using a special set of structural parameters, we found that the vertical component of pulling force (perpendicular to the average G-quartet plane) plays a significant role in disrupting GQ structures and weakening their mechanical stabilities. We demonstrated that the magnitude of the vertical force component depends on the pulling anchor positions and the number of G-quartets. Typical unfolding transitions for tetrameric parallel GQs involve base unzipping, opening of the G-stem, strand slippage, and rotation to cross-like structures. The unzipping was detected as the first and dominant unfolding event, and it usually started at the 3'-end. Furthermore, results from both SMD and standard MD simulations indicate that partial spiral conformations serve as a transient ensemble during the (un)folding of GQs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyue Zhang
- Institute
of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno 61200, Czech Republic
- CEITEC−Central
European Institute of Technology, Masaryk
University, Kamenice
5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
- National
Center for Biomolecular Research,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Mlýnský
- Institute
of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno 61200, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Krepl
- Institute
of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno 61200, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute
of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno 61200, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Stadlbauer
- Institute
of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno 61200, Czech Republic
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30
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Sabei A, Hognon C, Martin J, Frezza E. Dynamics of Protein-RNA Interfaces Using All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38740056 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Facing the current challenges posed by human health diseases requires the understanding of cell machinery at a molecular level. The interplay between proteins and RNA is key for any physiological phenomenon, as well protein-RNA interactions. To understand these interactions, many experimental techniques have been developed, spanning a very wide range of spatial and temporal resolutions. In particular, the knowledge of tridimensional structures of protein-RNA complexes provides structural, mechanical, and dynamical pieces of information essential to understand their functions. To get insights into the dynamics of protein-RNA complexes, we carried out all-atom molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent on nine different protein-RNA complexes with different functions and interface size by taking into account the bound and unbound forms. First, we characterized structural changes upon binding and, for the RNA part, the change in the puckering. Second, we extensively analyzed the interfaces, their dynamics and structural properties, and the structural waters involved in the binding, as well as the contacts mediated by them. Based on our analysis, the interfaces rearranged during the simulation time showing alternative and stable residue-residue contacts with respect to the experimental structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afra Sabei
- Université Paris Cité, CiTCoM, CNRS, Paris F-75006, France
| | - Cécilia Hognon
- Université Paris Cité, CiTCoM, CNRS, Paris F-75006, France
| | - Juliette Martin
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5086 MMSB, Lyon 69367, France
- Laboratory of Biology and Modeling of the Cell, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1293, Lyon 69367, France
| | - Elisa Frezza
- Université Paris Cité, CiTCoM, CNRS, Paris F-75006, France
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31
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Nourian P, Azadi S, Bai N, de Andrade B, Abu Zaid N, Rezvani S, Pereira Roders A. EquiCity game: a mathematical serious game for participatory design of spatial configurations. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10912. [PMID: 38740819 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61093-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
We propose a mathematical framework for developing social-choice games that are designed to mediate decision-making processes for city planning, urban area redevelopment, and architectural configuration of urban housing complexes. The proposed framework features a digital serious gaming approach for participatory design to support transparency and inclusion in the process of decision-making and ensure an equitable balance of sustainable development goals in spatial design outcomes. The mathematical process consists of a Markovian design machine for balancing the design decisions of actors, a massing configurator equipped with fuzzy logic and multi-criteria decision analysis, algebraic graph-theoretical accessibility evaluators, and automated solar-climatic evaluators using geospatial computational geometry. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework by implementing a multi-player online game that facilitates a participatory decision-making workshop for forming multi-functional building complexes by providing a generative configurator equipped with automated appraisal/scoring mechanisms for revealing the aggregate impact of alternatives. The EquiCity game empowers a group of decision-makers to reach a fair consensual spatial design by mathematically simulating many rounds of reasonable trade-offs between their decisions, with different levels of interest or control over various types of investments. The novelty of the framework is in its capability to encompass decision-making about the most idiosyncratic aspects of a site related to its heritage status and cultural significance to the most generic aspects such as balancing access to sunlight for the site while respecting 'the right to sunlight' of the neighbours of the site, ensuring coherence of the entire configuration with regards to a network of desired closeness ratings, the satisfaction of a programme of requirements, and intricately balancing individual development goals in conjunction with communal goals and environmental design codes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pirouz Nourian
- Department of Planning and Geoinformation Management, University of Twente, 7522 NH, Enschede, Netherlands.
| | - Shervin Azadi
- Department of Built Environment, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5612 AZ, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Nan Bai
- Department of Engineering and Technology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BL, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Bruno de Andrade
- Department of Architecture and Multimedia Gallaecia, University Portucalense, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nour Abu Zaid
- Forensic Architecture Research Group, Goldsmiths University of London, London, SE14 6NW, UK
| | - Samaneh Rezvani
- Department of Research and Development, DEMO Consultants B.V., 2628 XJ, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Ana Pereira Roders
- Department of Engineering and Technology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BL, Delft, Netherlands
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32
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McColl K, Coles SW, Zarabadi-Poor P, Morgan BJ, Islam MS. Phase segregation and nanoconfined fluid O 2 in a lithium-rich oxide cathode. Nat Mater 2024:10.1038/s41563-024-01873-5. [PMID: 38740957 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-024-01873-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Lithium-rich oxide cathodes lose energy density during cycling due to atomic disordering and nanoscale structural rearrangements, which are both challenging to characterize. Here we resolve the kinetics and thermodynamics of these processes in an exemplar layered Li-rich (Li1.2-xMn0.8O2) cathode using a combined approach of ab initio molecular dynamics and cluster expansion-based Monte Carlo simulations. We identify a kinetically accessible and thermodynamically favourable mechanism to form O2 molecules in the bulk, involving Mn migration and driven by interlayer oxygen dimerization. At the top of charge, the bulk structure locally phase segregates into MnO2-rich regions and Mn-deficient nanovoids, which contain O2 molecules as a nanoconfined fluid. These nanovoids are connected in a percolating network, potentially allowing long-range oxygen transport and linking bulk O2 formation to surface O2 loss. These insights highlight the importance of developing strategies to kinetically stabilize the bulk structure of Li-rich O-redox cathodes to maintain their high energy densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kit McColl
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
- The Faraday Institution, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK.
| | - Samuel W Coles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- The Faraday Institution, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Pezhman Zarabadi-Poor
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- The Faraday Institution, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Benjamin J Morgan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- The Faraday Institution, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - M Saiful Islam
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
- The Faraday Institution, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK.
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Arcas JM, Oudaha K, González A, Fernández-Trillo J, Peralta FA, Castro-Marsal J, Poyraz S, Taberner F, Sala S, de la Peña E, Gomis A, Viana F. The ion channel TRPM8 is a direct target of the immunosuppressant rapamycin in primary sensory neurons. Br J Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38741464 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway is a key regulator of cell growth and metabolism. Its deregulation is implicated in several diseases. The macrolide rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR, has immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties. Recently, we identified tacrolimus, another macrolide immunosuppressant, as a novel activator of TRPM8 ion channels, involved in cold temperature sensing, thermoregulation, tearing and cold pain. We hypothesized that rapamycin may also have agonist activity on TRPM8 channels. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Using calcium imaging and electrophysiology in transfected HEK293 cells and wildtype or Trpm8 KO mouse DRG neurons, we characterized rapamycin's effects on TRPM8 channels. We also examined the effects of rapamycin on tearing in mice. KEY RESULTS Micromolar concentrations of rapamycin activated rat and mouse TRPM8 channels directly and potentiated cold-evoked responses, effects also observed in human TRPM8 channels. In cultured mouse DRG neurons, rapamycin increased intracellular calcium levels almost exclusively in cold-sensitive neurons. Responses were markedly decreased in Trpm8 KO mice or by TRPM8 channel antagonists. Cutaneous cold thermoreceptor endings were also activated by rapamycin. Topical application of rapamycin to the eye surface evokes tearing in mice by a TRPM8-dependent mechanism. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS These results identify TRPM8 cationic channels in sensory neurons as novel molecular targets of the immunosuppressant rapamycin. These findings may help explain some of its therapeutic effects after topical application to the skin and the eye surface. Moreover, rapamycin could be used as an experimental tool in the clinic to explore cold thermoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Miguel Arcas
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Khalid Oudaha
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Alejandro González
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Jorge Fernández-Trillo
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Júlia Castro-Marsal
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Seyma Poyraz
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Francisco Taberner
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Salvador Sala
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Elvira de la Peña
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Ana Gomis
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Félix Viana
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
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Ni B, Wang H, Khalaf HKS, Blay V, Houston DR. AutoDock-SS: AutoDock for Multiconformational Ligand-Based Virtual Screening. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:3779-3789. [PMID: 38624083 PMCID: PMC11094722 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Ligand-based virtual screening (LBVS) can be pivotal for identifying potential drug leads, especially when the target protein's structure is unknown. However, current LBVS methods are limited in their ability to consider the ligand conformational flexibility. This study presents AutoDock-SS (Similarity Searching), which adapts protein-ligand docking for use in LBVS. AutoDock-SS integrates novel ligand-based grid maps and AutoDock-GPU into a novel three-dimensional LBVS workflow. Unlike other approaches based on pregenerated conformer libraries, AutoDock-SS's built-in conformational search optimizes conformations dynamically based on the reference ligand, thus providing a more accurate representation of relevant ligand conformations. AutoDock-SS supports two modes: single and multiple ligand queries, allowing for the seamless consideration of multiple reference ligands. When tested on the Directory of Useful Decoys─Enhanced (DUD-E) data set, AutoDock-SS surpassed alternative 3D LBVS methods, achieving a mean AUROC of 0.775 and an EF1% of 25.72 in single-reference mode. The multireference mode, evaluated on the augmented DUD-E+ data set, demonstrated superior accuracy with a mean AUROC of 0.843 and an EF1% of 34.59. This enhanced performance underscores AutoDock-SS's ability to treat compounds as conformationally flexible while considering the ligand's shape, pharmacophore, and electrostatic potential, expanding the potential of LBVS methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Ni
- Institute
for Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, U.K.
| | - Haoying Wang
- Institute
for Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, U.K.
| | - Huda Kadhim Salem Khalaf
- Institute
for Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, U.K.
| | - Vincent Blay
- Department
of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - Douglas R. Houston
- Institute
for Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, U.K.
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Halle S, Hirshberg O, Manzi F, Wolinska J, Ben-Ami F. Coinfection frequency in water flea populations is a mere reflection of parasite diversity. Commun Biol 2024; 7:559. [PMID: 38734859 PMCID: PMC11088698 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06176-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In nature, parasite species often coinfect the same host. Yet, it is not clear what drives the natural dynamics of coinfection prevalence. The prevalence of coinfections might be affected by interactions among coinfecting species, or simply derive from parasite diversity. Identifying the relative impact of these parameters is crucial for understanding patterns of coinfections. We studied the occurrence and likelihood of coinfections in natural populations of water fleas (Daphnia magna). Coinfection prevalence was within the bounds expected by chance and parasite diversity had a strong positive effect on the likelihood of coinfections. Additionally, coinfection prevalence increased over the season and became as common as a single infection. Our results demonstrate how patterns of coinfection, and particularly their temporal variation, are affected by overlapping epidemics of different parasites. We suggest that monitoring parasite diversity can help predict where and when coinfection prevalence will be high, potentially leading to increased health risks to their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snir Halle
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
| | - Ofir Hirshberg
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Florent Manzi
- Department of Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Justyna Wolinska
- Department of Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frida Ben-Ami
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
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36
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Marks M, Jeppesen H, Nielsen MLN, Kong J, Ceccato M, van der Veen MA, Bøjesen ED, Lock N. Elucidating Structural Disorder in Ultra-Thin Bi-Rich Bismuth Oxyhalide Photocatalysts. Small 2024:e2401413. [PMID: 38733238 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202401413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Advancing the field of photocatalysis requires the elucidation of structural properties that underpin the photocatalytic properties of promising materials. The focus of the present study is layered, Bi-rich bismuth oxyhalides, which are widely studied for photocatalytic applications yet poorly structurally understood, due to high levels of disorder, nano-sized domains, and the large number of structurally similar compounds. By connecting insights from multiple scattering techniques, utilizing electron-, X-ray- and neutron probes, the crystal phase of the synthesized materials is allocated as layered Bi24O31X10 (X = Cl, Br), albeit with significant deviation from the reported 3D crystalline model. The materials comprise anisotropic platelet-shaped crystalline domains, exhibiting significant in-plane ordering in two dimensions but disorder and an ultra-thin morphology in the layer stacking direction. Increased synthesis pH tailored larger, more ordered crystalline domains, leading to longer excited state lifetimes determined via femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (fs-TAS). Although this likely contributes to improved photocatalytic properties, assessed via the photooxidation of benzylamine, increasing the overall surface area facilitated the most significant improvement in photocatalytic performance. This study, therefore, enabled both phase allocation and a nuanced discussion of the structure-property relationship for complicated, ultra-thin photocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Marks
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Åbogade 40, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Henrik Jeppesen
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mads Lund Nygaard Nielsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Jintao Kong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technische Universiteit Delft, Delft, HZ 2629, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Ceccato
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Åbogade 40, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Monique A van der Veen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technische Universiteit Delft, Delft, HZ 2629, The Netherlands
| | - Espen Drath Bøjesen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
- iMAT Aarhus University Centre for Integrated Materials Research, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Nina Lock
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Åbogade 40, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
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Raharinirina NA, Sunkara V, von Kleist M, Fackeldey K, Weber M. Multi-Input data ASsembly for joint Analysis (MIASA): A framework for the joint analysis of disjoint sets of variables. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302425. [PMID: 38728301 PMCID: PMC11086896 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The joint analysis of two datasets [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] that describe the same phenomena (e.g. the cellular state), but measure disjoint sets of variables (e.g. mRNA vs. protein levels) is currently challenging. Traditional methods typically analyze single interaction patterns such as variance or covariance. However, problem-tailored external knowledge may contain multiple different information about the interaction between the measured variables. We introduce MIASA, a holistic framework for the joint analysis of multiple different variables. It consists of assembling multiple different information such as similarity vs. association, expressed in terms of interaction-scores or distances, for subsequent clustering/classification. In addition, our framework includes a novel qualitative Euclidean embedding method (qEE-Transition) which enables using Euclidean-distance/vector-based clustering/classification methods on datasets that have a non-Euclidean-based interaction structure. As an alternative to conventional optimization-based multidimensional scaling methods which are prone to uncertainties, our qEE-Transition generates a new vector representation for each element of the dataset union [Formula: see text] in a common Euclidean space while strictly preserving the original ordering of the assembled interaction-distances. To demonstrate our work, we applied the framework to three types of simulated datasets: samples from families of distributions, samples from correlated random variables, and time-courses of statistical moments for three different types of stochastic two-gene interaction models. We then compared different clustering methods with vs. without the qEE-Transition. For all examples, we found that the qEE-Transition followed by Ward clustering had superior performance compared to non-agglomerative clustering methods but had a varied performance against ultrametric-based agglomerative methods. We also tested the qEE-Transition followed by supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods and found promising results, however, more work is needed for optimal parametrization of these methods. As a future perspective, our framework points to the importance of more developments and validation of distance-distribution models aiming to capture multiple-complex interactions between different variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nomenjanahary Alexia Raharinirina
- Department of Mathematics & Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Departement of Modeling and Simulation of Complex Processes, Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vikram Sunkara
- Departement of Visual and Data-Centric Computing, Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Max von Kleist
- Department of Mathematics & Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Project Groups, Robert-Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Konstantin Fackeldey
- Departement of Modeling and Simulation of Complex Processes, Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Mathematics, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus Weber
- Departement of Modeling and Simulation of Complex Processes, Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Friedrichson B, Ketomaeki M, Jasny T, Old O, Grebe L, Nürenberg-Goloub E, Adam EH, Zacharowski K, Kloka JA. Web-based Dashboard on ECMO Utilization in Germany: An Interactive Visualization, Analyses, and Prediction Based on Real-life Data. J Med Syst 2024; 48:48. [PMID: 38727980 PMCID: PMC11087321 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02068-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
In Germany, a comprehensive reimbursement policy for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) results in the highest per capita use worldwide, although benefits remain controversial. Public ECMO data is unstructured and poorly accessible to healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers. In addition, there are no uniform policies for ECMO allocation which confronts medical personnel with ethical considerations during health crises such as respiratory virus outbreaks.Retrospective information on adult and pediatric ECMO support performed in German hospitals was extracted from publicly available reimbursement data and hospital quality reports and processed to create the web-based ECMO Dashboard built on Open-Source software. Patient-level and hospital-level data were merged resulting in a solid base for ECMO use analysis and ECMO demand forecasting with high spatial granularity at the level of 413 county and city districts in Germany.The ECMO Dashboard ( https://www.ecmo-dash.de/ ), an innovative visual platform, presents the retrospective utilization patterns of ECMO support in Germany. It features interactive maps, comprehensive charts, and tables, providing insights at the hospital, district, and national levels. This tool also highlights the high prevalence of ECMO support in Germany and emphasizes districts with ECMO surplus - where patients from other regions are treated, or deficit - origins from which ECMO patients are transferred to other regions. The dashboard will evolve iteratively to provide stakeholders with vital information for informed and transparent resource allocation and decision-making.Accessible public routine data could support evidence-informed, forward-looking resource management policies, which are urgently needed to increase the quality and prepare the critical care infrastructure for future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Friedrichson
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Markus Ketomaeki
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Jasny
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Oliver Old
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lea Grebe
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Elina Nürenberg-Goloub
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Elisabeth H Adam
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Kai Zacharowski
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Andreas Kloka
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
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Chung J, Bridgeford EW, Powell M, Pisner D, Xu T, Vogelstein JT. Are human connectomes heritable? bioRxiv 2024:2023.04.02.532875. [PMID: 37066291 PMCID: PMC10103997 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.02.532875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
A complete understanding of human behavior and disease depends upon our ability to parse genetic and environmental influences in the human brain. The heritability of a trait quantifies the degree of its variability due to genetic influences. Classical approach for quantifying heritability operate on simple traits, and sometimes do not properly model and control for other potential sources of variation, such as age or sex. We therefore develop Causal Heritability of Networks (CHaiN) to rigorously quantify heritability of human brain networks (i.e., connectomes). We applied CHaiN to 1024 anatomical connectomes derived from the Human Connectome Project. Connectomes appeared to be heritable, but heritability was insignificant once we addressed variability within networks. These results suggest that previous conclusions on connectome heritability may be driven by the shared network structures, and highlights the importance of modeling networks and other sources of variability when studying heritability of connectomes.
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40
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Jing Z, Yang B, Bai Y. Protocol for enhancing visualization clarity for categorical spatial datasets using Spaco. STAR Protoc 2024; 5:103062. [PMID: 38733590 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In categorical data visualization, appropriate color arrangements can avoid perceptual ambiguity and help perceive underlying data patterns. We introduce a protocol to assign contrastive colors to neighboring categories using both Python and R packages. We describe steps for calculating the interlacement between clusters and generating a proper color palette and calculating color contrast. We then detail procedures for aligning cluster interlacement and color contrast to get an optimized cluster-color assignment, achieving clear categorical visualization. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Jing et al.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Jing
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI Research, Hangzhou 310012, China.
| | - Bolin Yang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI Research, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Yinqi Bai
- BGI Research, Hangzhou 310012, China; BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China.
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41
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Bull P, Guandalin C, Addis C. Modes of the Dark Ages 21 cm field accessible to a lunar radio interferometer. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2024; 382:20230072. [PMID: 38522462 PMCID: PMC10961186 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2023.0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
At redshifts beyond [Formula: see text], the 21 cm line from neutral hydrogen is expected to be essentially the only viable probe of the three-dimensional matter distribution. The lunar far-side is an extremely appealing site for future radio arrays that target this signal, as it is protected from terrestrial radio frequency interference, and has no ionosphere to attenuate and absorb radio emission at low frequencies (tens of MHz and below). We forecast the sensitivity of low-frequency lunar radio arrays to the bispectrum of the 21 cm brightness temperature field, which can in turn be used to probe primordial non-Gaussianity generated by particular early universe models. We account for the loss of particular regions of Fourier space due to instrumental limitations and systematic effects, and predict the sensitivity of different representative array designs to local-type non-Gaussianity in the bispectrum, parametrized by [Formula: see text]. Under the most optimistic assumption of sample variance-limited observations, we find that [Formula: see text] could be achieved for several broad redshift bins at [Formula: see text] if foregrounds can be removed effectively. These values degrade to between [Formula: see text] and 0.7 for [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], respectively, when a large foreground wedge region is excluded. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Astronomy from the Moon: the next decades (part 2)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Bull
- Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa
| | - Caroline Guandalin
- School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Chris Addis
- School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
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42
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Meyer DH, Schumacher B. Aging clocks based on accumulating stochastic variation. Nat Aging 2024:10.1038/s43587-024-00619-x. [PMID: 38724736 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00619-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/15/2024]
Abstract
Aging clocks have provided one of the most important recent breakthroughs in the biology of aging, and may provide indicators for the effectiveness of interventions in the aging process and preventive treatments for age-related diseases. The reproducibility of accurate aging clocks has reinvigorated the debate on whether a programmed process underlies aging. Here we show that accumulating stochastic variation in purely simulated data is sufficient to build aging clocks, and that first-generation and second-generation aging clocks are compatible with the accumulation of stochastic variation in DNA methylation or transcriptomic data. We find that accumulating stochastic variation is sufficient to predict chronological and biological age, indicated by significant prediction differences in smoking, calorie restriction, heterochronic parabiosis and partial reprogramming. Although our simulations may not explicitly rule out a programmed aging process, our results suggest that stochastically accumulating changes in any set of data that have a ground state at age zero are sufficient for generating aging clocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Meyer
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease, University Hospital and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Björn Schumacher
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease, University Hospital and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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43
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van Strien MJ, Grêt-Regamey A. A global time series of traffic volumes on extra-urban roads. Sci Data 2024; 11:470. [PMID: 38719888 PMCID: PMC11078983 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03287-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Traffic on roads outside of urban areas (i.e. extra-urban roads) can have major ecological and environmental impacts on agricultural, forested, and natural areas. Yet, data on extra-urban traffic volumes is lacking in many regions. To address this data gap, we produced a global time-series of traffic volumes (Annual Average Daily Traffic; AADT) on all extra-urban highways, primary roads, and secondary roads for the years 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2015. We constructed time series of road networks from existing global datasets on roads, population density, and socio-economic indicators, and combined these with a large collection of empirical AADT data from all continents except Antarctica. We used quantile regression forests to predict the median and 5% and 95% prediction intervals of AADT on each road section. The validation accuracy of the model was high (pseudo-R2 = 0.7407) and AADT predictions from 1975 were also accurate. The resulting map series provides standardised and fine-scaled information on the development of extra-urban road traffic and has a wide variety of practical and scientific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten J van Strien
- Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems PLUS, ETH Zurich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Adrienne Grêt-Regamey
- Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems PLUS, ETH Zurich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
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44
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Kenney M, Vasylieva I, Hood G, Cao-Berg I, Tuite L, Laghaei R, Smith MC, Watson AM, Ropelewski AJ. The Brain Image Library: A Community-Contributed Microscopy Resource for Neuroscientists. bioRxiv 2024:2023.12.22.573024. [PMID: 38187527 PMCID: PMC10769375 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.573024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Advancements in microscopy techniques and computing technologies have enabled researchers to digitally reconstruct brains at micron scale. As a result, community efforts like the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) have generated thousands of whole-brain imaging datasets to trace neuronal circuitry and comprehensively map cell types. This data holds valuable information that extends beyond initial analyses, opening avenues for variation studies and robust classification of cell types in specific brain regions. However, the size and heterogeneity of these imaging data have historically made storage, sharing, and analysis difficult for individual investigators and impractical on a broad community scale. Here, we introduce the Brain Image Library (BIL), a public resource serving the neuroscience community that provides a persistent centralized repository for brain microscopy data. BIL currently holds thousands of brain datasets and provides an integrated analysis ecosystem, allowing for exploration, visualization, and data access without the need to download, thus encouraging scientific discovery and data reuse.
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45
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Kent RM, Barbosa WAS, Gauthier DJ. Controlling chaos using edge computing hardware. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3886. [PMID: 38719856 PMCID: PMC11079072 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48133-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Machine learning provides a data-driven approach for creating a digital twin of a system - a digital model used to predict the system behavior. Having an accurate digital twin can drive many applications, such as controlling autonomous systems. Often, the size, weight, and power consumption of the digital twin or related controller must be minimized, ideally realized on embedded computing hardware that can operate without a cloud-computing connection. Here, we show that a nonlinear controller based on next-generation reservoir computing can tackle a difficult control problem: controlling a chaotic system to an arbitrary time-dependent state. The model is accurate, yet it is small enough to be evaluated on a field-programmable gate array typically found in embedded devices. Furthermore, the model only requires 25.0 ± 7.0 nJ per evaluation, well below other algorithms, even without systematic power optimization. Our work represents the first step in deploying efficient machine learning algorithms to the computing "edge."
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Kent
- The Ohio State University, Department of Physics, 191 West Woodruff Ave., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Wendson A S Barbosa
- The Ohio State University, Department of Physics, 191 West Woodruff Ave., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Daniel J Gauthier
- The Ohio State University, Department of Physics, 191 West Woodruff Ave., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- ResCon Technologies, LLC, 1275 Kinnear Rd., Suite 239, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA.
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46
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Sarwar SA, O'Malley GR, Botvinov J, Khan Y, Kumar RP, Ali M, Cassimatis ND, Hundal JS, Patel NV. Impact of environmental pollutants on pediatric brain tumor incidence in New Jersey. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2024; 242:108318. [PMID: 38759503 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2024.108318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The relationship between environmental contaminants and brain tumor incidence in adults has been thoroughly explored but research into how these contaminants affect pediatric brain tumor (PBT) incidence has not been explored. Children, typically having more limited geographical movement and thus more consistent environmental contaminant exposure, might offer more reliable insights into which environmental contaminants affect the incidence of brain tumors. The present study is the first to focus on exploring whether a possible association exists between the incidence of PBTs and exposure to environmental pollutants in New Jersey (NJ). METHODS Linear regressions were run between PBT incidence and the concentration of air quality pollutants such as Ozone (O3), Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), Particulate Matter 10 (PM10), and Carbon Monoxide (CO). Similarly, linear regressions were run between PBT incidence and Elevated Blood Lead Levels (BLL). RESULTS The study observed a significant positive relationship between O3 and PBT incidence (β = 0.34, p = 0.028). However, the relationship between PBT incidence, and environmental pollutants such as CO (β = 0.0047, p = 0.098), PM2.5 (β = -0.2624, p = 0.74), and PM10 (β = -0.7353, p = 0.073) were found to be nonsignificant. For elevated BLL, nonsignificant relationships with PBT incidence were observed at 10-14 µg/dL (β = -39.38, p = 0.30), 15-19 µg/dL (β = -67.00, p = 0.21), and 20-44 µg/dL (β = -201.98, p = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate a possible impact of O3 on the incidence of PBTs in NJ. In contrast to the significant links found in prior studies of adult brain tumors, the associations between PBT occurrence and particulate matter were not significant. These findings highlight the importance of further investigating how environmental factors, especially O3, relate to PBTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed A Sarwar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian Health - Jersey Shore University Medical Center, USA.
| | | | - Julia Botvinov
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, USA
| | - Yasmin Khan
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Rohit Prem Kumar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, USA
| | - Mir Ali
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, USA
| | | | - Jasdeep S Hundal
- Department of Neurology, Hackensack Meridian Health - Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ, USA
| | - Nitesh V Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian Health - Jersey Shore University Medical Center, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, USA
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47
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Gorin G, Carilli M, Chari T, Pachter L. Spectral neural approximations for models of transcriptional dynamics. Biophys J 2024:S0006-3495(24)00314-X. [PMID: 38715358 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.04.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The advent of high-throughput transcriptomics provides an opportunity to advance mechanistic understanding of transcriptional processes and their connections to cellular function at an unprecedented, genome-wide scale. These transcriptional systems, which involve discrete stochastic events, are naturally modeled using chemical master equations (CMEs), which can be solved for probability distributions to fit biophysical rates that govern system dynamics. While CME models have been used as standards in fluorescence transcriptomics for decades to analyze single-species RNA distributions, there are often no closed-form solutions to CMEs that model multiple species, such as nascent and mature RNA transcript counts. This has prevented the application of standard likelihood-based statistical methods for analyzing high-throughput, multi-species transcriptomic datasets using biophysical models. Inspired by recent work in machine learning to learn solutions to complex dynamical systems, we leverage neural networks and statistical understanding of system distributions to produce accurate approximations to a steady-state bivariate distribution for a model of the RNA life cycle that includes nascent and mature molecules. The steady-state distribution to this simple model has no closed-form solution and requires intensive numerical solving techniques: our approach reduces likelihood evaluation time by several orders of magnitude. We demonstrate two approaches, whereby solutions are approximated by 1) learning the weights of kernel distributions with constrained parameters or 2) learning both weights and scaling factors for parameters of kernel distributions. We show that our strategies, denoted by kernel weight regression and parameter-scaled kernel weight regression, respectively, enable broad exploration of parameter space and can be used in existing likelihood frameworks to infer transcriptional burst sizes, RNA splicing rates, and mRNA degradation rates from experimental transcriptomic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady Gorin
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Maria Carilli
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Tara Chari
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Lior Pachter
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California; Department of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.
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48
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Hills RA, Tan TK, Cohen AA, Keeffe JR, Keeble AH, Gnanapragasam PNP, Storm KN, Rorick AV, West AP, Hill ML, Liu S, Gilbert-Jaramillo J, Afzal M, Napier A, Admans G, James WS, Bjorkman PJ, Townsend AR, Howarth MR. Proactive vaccination using multiviral Quartet Nanocages to elicit broad anti-coronavirus responses. Nat Nanotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41565-024-01655-9. [PMID: 38710880 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01655-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Defending against future pandemics requires vaccine platforms that protect across a range of related pathogens. Nanoscale patterning can be used to address this issue. Here, we produce quartets of linked receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from a panel of SARS-like betacoronaviruses, coupled to a computationally designed nanocage through SpyTag/SpyCatcher links. These Quartet Nanocages, possessing a branched morphology, induce a high level of neutralizing antibodies against several different coronaviruses, including against viruses not represented in the vaccine. Equivalent antibody responses are raised to RBDs close to the nanocage or at the tips of the nanoparticle's branches. In animals primed with SARS-CoV-2 Spike, boost immunizations with Quartet Nanocages increase the strength and breadth of an otherwise narrow immune response. A Quartet Nanocage including the Omicron XBB.1.5 'Kraken' RBD induced antibodies with binding to a broad range of sarbecoviruses, as well as neutralizing activity against this variant of concern. Quartet nanocages are a nanomedicine approach with potential to confer heterotypic protection against emergent zoonotic pathogens and facilitate proactive pandemic protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory A Hills
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tiong Kit Tan
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alexander A Cohen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer R Keeffe
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Anthony H Keeble
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Kaya N Storm
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Annie V Rorick
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Anthony P West
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Michelle L Hill
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sai Liu
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Javier Gilbert-Jaramillo
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Madeeha Afzal
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Amy Napier
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gabrielle Admans
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - William S James
- James & Lillian Martin Centre, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Pamela J Bjorkman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Alain R Townsend
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Centre for Translational Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Mark R Howarth
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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49
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Aurrekoetxea JC, Hoy C, Hannam M. Revisiting the Cosmic String Origin of GW190521. Phys Rev Lett 2024; 132:181401. [PMID: 38759202 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.181401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
For the first time we analyze gravitational-wave strain data using waveforms constructed from strong gravity simulations of cosmic string loops collapsing to Schwarzschild black holes; a previously unconsidered source. Since the expected signal is dominated by a black-hole ringdown, it can mimic the observed gravitational waves from high-mass binary black hole mergers. To illustrate this, we consider GW190521, a short duration gravitational-wave event observed in the third LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observing run. We show that describing this event as a collapsing cosmic string loop is favored over previous cosmic string analyses by an approximate log Bayes factor of 22. The binary black hole hypothesis is still preferred, mostly because the cosmic string remnant is nonspinning. It remains an open question whether a spinning remnant could form from loops with angular momentum, but if possible, it would likely bring into contention the binary black hole preference. Finally, we suggest that searches for ringdown-only waveforms would be a viable approach for identifying collapsing cosmic string events and estimating their event rate. This Letter opens up an important new direction for the cosmic-string and gravitational-wave communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlie Hoy
- University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3FX, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Hannam
- Gravity Exploration Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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50
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Ram H, DePompa CM, Westmoreland PR. Thermochemistry of Gas-Phase Thermal Oxidation of C 2 to C 8 Perfluorinated Sulfonic Acids with Extrapolation to C 16. J Phys Chem A 2024; 128:3387-3395. [PMID: 38626401 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.4c01208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
New ideal-gas thermochemistry Cp°(T), H°(T), S°(T), and G°(T) are predicted for 53 species involved in the thermal destruction of perfluorinated sulfonic acids (PFSAs) ranging from C2 to C8 in perfluorinated alkyl chain length. Species were selected by considering both the pyrolytic and oxidative pathways of PFSA destruction. After the sulfur-containing moieties are removed, subsequent reactions largely involve species from a prior set of thermochemistry for the thermal destruction of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (Ram et al., J. Phys. Chem. A, 2024, 128, 7, 1313-1326). Enthalpies of formation at 0 K are computed using a new isogyric reaction scheme. Rigid-rotor harmonic-oscillator partition functions were calculated over a 200-2500 K temperature range using rovibrational properties at G4 (≤C3S1 species) and M06-2X-D3(0)/def2-QZVPP (≥C4S1 species), employing the 1D hindered rotor approximation to correct for torsional modes. Seven-coefficient NASA polynomial fits are reported in standardized formats. Bond dissociation energies and important reaction equilibria are examined to provide insights into the reactivity of potentially persistent species. Extrapolated NASA polynomials are also systematically predicted for 126 species larger than C8/C8S1 in size, allowing reasonably accurate estimates of thermochemistry without the need for expensive electronic structure calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hrishikesh Ram
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - C Murphy DePompa
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Phillip R Westmoreland
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
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