Active Phase Research Articles

The temporal expression pattern of classical MHC class I in sleep-restricted mice: Generalizations and broader implications

The intricate relationship between sleep and leukocyte trafficking has garnered intense attention, particularly their homing dynamics to secondary lymphoid organs under normal and restricted sleep (SR). Considering the scarcity of information regarding circadian rhythms in major histocompatibility class I (MHC-I) expression in SR, we designed a study that assessed the temporal expression of MHC-I in murine lymph nodes and spleen and the subsequent effects of sleep recovery. Male C57BL/6, housed in 12:12 light/dark cycle, were grouped into control (C) and SR. SR was carried for one week before lymphoid tissues were sampled at selected time points and assessed for leukocyte number and MHC-I expression.SR resulted in 21% decrease in granulocyte and 24% increase in agranulocyte numbers.In C, MHC-I expression pattern in lymph nodes was bimodal and relatively higher than splenocytes during the animal’s active phase (110.2 ± 1.8 vs 81.9 ± 3.8, respectively; p = 0.002). Splenocytes; however, showed a bimodal pattern upon SR, with higher protein levels during the rest than the activity period (154.6 + 36.2 vs 99.5 + 15.9, respectively; p = 0.002), suggesting preparedness for a potential infection. Furthermore, SR caused a significant drop in MHC-I expression at the onset of rest with 57% and 30% reduction in lymph nodes and splenocytes, respectively. However, the overall protein expression collectively taken from both lymphoid tissues remained stable, emphasizing its indispensable role in immunological homeostasis. This stability coincided with the restoration of protein levels to baseline after a short sleep recovery period, resembling a reset for MHC-I antigen presentation following a week of SR.Understanding the interplay between MHC-I expression and contextual factors could enhance treatment protocols, refining the efficacy and time precision of glucocorticoid-based therapies in immune modulation.

Effect of Lithium on Orthodontic Tooth Movement: a Systematic Review of Animal Studies.

This study aimed to systematically review the effect of lithium on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). The focus question was "does lithium have an effect on OTM?" A systematic search was conducted using indexed databases and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. The quality assessment of the selected studies was performed according to the systematic review center for laboratory animal experimentation. Five of the initially identified 656 articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were selected for this review. The studies reported that lithium administration lowered the rate of OTM by inducing a reduction in the number of osteoclasts and possibly inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. These studies further showed an increase in bone density and bone volume by promoting the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and osteoblastogenesis. It was also noted that lithium reduced orthodontically induced root resorption during experimental OTM. Further, standardized studies are warranted to understand the impact of lithium in OTM. Overall, the risk of bias for 3 studies was very high, high in 1 study, and moderate in 1 study. On an experimental level in animals, lithium decreased the rate of OTM during the active treatment phase by increasing bone density and bone volume and reducing root resorption. In addition, lithium may enhance alveolar bone formation during orthodontic retention. Clinically, this may impact the orthodontic treatment duration in patients receiving lithium, and further studies are needed to understand the true impact of lithium on OTM.

Identifying who benefits most from supportive versus expressive techniques in psychotherapy for depression: Moderators of within- versus between-individual effects.

A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) indicated that individuals with higher levels of attachment anxiety exhibited better treatment outcomes in supportive-expressive therapy (SET) relative to supportive therapy (ST). But to gain insight into within-patient therapeutic changes, a within-individual design is required. The present study contrasts previous findings based on theory-driven between-patient moderators with data-driven moderators of within-patient processes to investigate whether findings converge or diverge across these two approaches. We used data of 118 patients from the pilot and active phases of a recent RCT for patients with major depressive disorder, comparing ST with SET, a time-limited psychodynamic therapy. The predefined primary outcome measure was the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Supportive versus expressive techniques were rated based on patients' end-of-session perspective. We compared previous findings based on moderators of between-patient effects with a data-driven approach for identifying moderators of within-patient effects of techniques on subsequent outcome. After false discovery rate corrections, of 10 preselected moderators, patients' attachment anxiety and domineering style remained significant. Of these, bootstrap resampling revealed significant differences between ST and SET techniques for the attachment anxiety moderator: Those with higher attachment anxiety benefited more from greater use of ST than SET techniques in a particular session, as evidenced by lower levels of symptoms at the subsequent session. Our within-individual findings diverge from previously published between-individual analyses. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the importance of complementing between-individuals with within-individual analyses to achieve better understanding of who benefits most from specific treatment techniques. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

S2k guideline: Diagnosis and therapy of localized scleroderma.

The updated S2k guideline deals with the diagnosis and therapy of localized scleroderma (LoS). LoSrepresents a spectrum of sclerotic skin diseases in which, depending on the subtype and localisation, structures such as adipose tissue, muscles, joints, and bones may also be affected. Involvement of internal organs or progression to systemic sclerosis does not occur. LoScan be classified into four main forms: limited, generalized, linear, and mixed forms, with some additional subtypes. For cases of limited skin involvement, the guideline primarily recommends therapy with topical corticosteroids. UV therapy can also be recommended. In subtypes with severe skin or musculoskeletal involvement, systemic therapy with methotrexate is recommended. During the active phase of the disease, systemic glucocorticosteroids can be used additionally. In cases of methotrexate and steroid refractory courses, contraindications, or intolerance, mycophenolate mofetil, mycophenolic acid, or abatacept can be considered as second-line systemic therapies. In the case of linear LoS, autologous adipose-derived stem cell transplantation can also be performed for correcting soft tissue defects.

Active phase recognition method of hydrogenation catalyst based on multi-feature fusion Mask CenterNet

Active phase recognition method of hydrogenation catalyst based on multi-feature fusion Mask CenterNet

Strategic approach to the application of economic levers in environmentally safe agriculture

This article examines the issue of application and implementation of economic levers for ecologically safe goods of agricultural origin as a part of a complex of measures of the general environmental policy of the state in the long term, which is regulated by the current norms of Ukrainian legislation. The toolkit for this category of goods is presented in the form of state and commercial means that regulate the sale and use of environmentally safe goods and services, not limiting their direction only to the greening of the production process of agriculture, but also to the comprehensive solution of modern problems of environmental awareness of society and solution of urgent problems of the economy of nature use. At the same time, both at the level of the average individual and at the level of the industrial consumer of agricultural resources, as well as the interests of the state in the context of ensuring environmental safety standards are taken into account. Consideration of this issue was carried out using the assessment of four categories of economic levers: taxes on ecological products of agriculture, tax differentiation of this category of goods, a system of incentives for the transformation of the agricultural production process to a resource-saving business model, the responsibility of producers for causing damage to the surrounding natural environment of the agricultural sphere as at the state level and at the level of individual producers. It was determined that each of these levers has certain advantages and disadvantages, as a result of which it is appropriate to use them in connection with certain measures within the framework of the general environmental policy for certain goods, while in other cases they are less effective. At the current stage of the development of the environmental policy of Ukraine, the main task is to determine the appropriate tools for solving a specific environmental problem, in particular — the post-war restoration of agricultural resources, the elimination of the consequences of the active phase of hostilities of the Russian-Ukrainian war in the medium and long term, as well as increasing the further level of environmental information support for the purpose of solving environmental problems of the post-war restoration of agricultural resources.

Mid-temperature CO2 Adsorption over Different Alkaline Sorbents Dispersed over Mesoporous Al2O3.

CO2 adsorbents comprising various alkaline sorption active phases supported on mesoporous Al2O3 were prepared. The materials were tested regarding their CO2 adsorption behavior in the mid-temperature range, i.e., around 300 °C, as well as characterized via XRD, N2 physisorption, CO2-TPD and TEM. It was found that the Na2O sorption active phase supported on Al2O3 (originated following NaNO3 impregnation) led to the highest CO2 adsorption capacity due to the presence of CO2-philic interfacial Al-O--Na+ sites, and the optimum active phase load was shown to be 12 wt % (0.22 Na/Al molar ratio). Additional adsorbents were prepared by dispersing Na2O over different metal oxide supports (ZrO2, TiO2, CeO2 and SiO2), showing an inferior performance than that of Na2O/Al2O3. The kinetics and thermodynamics of CO2 adsorption were also investigated at various temperatures, showing that CO2 adsorption over the best-performing Na2O/Al2O3 material is exothermic and follows the Avrami model, while tests under varying CO2 partial pressures revealed that the Langmuir isotherm best fits the adsorption data. Lastly, Na2O/Al2O3 was tested under multiple CO2 adsorption-desorption cycles at 300 and 500 °C, respectively. The material was found to maintain its CO2 adsorption capacity with no detrimental effects on its nanostructure, porosity and surface basic sites, thereby rendering it suitable as a reversible CO2 chemisorbent or as a support for the preparation of dual-function materials.

Autekologi sebagai Tahapan Awal Rehabilitasi Ekosistem Mangrove Cuku Nyinyi, Desa Sidodadi, Kecamatan Teluk Pandan, Pesawaran

The presence of mangroves tends to decrease every year, one of the reasons being degradation due to land cultivation. Mangrove rehabilitation activities are crucial to maintain the mangrove ecosystem sustainability. Cuku Nyinyi Mangrove located in Sidodadi Village, Teluk Pandan District, Pesawaran Regency. This ecosystem plays a vital role for both resident and migratory wildlife, living among the roots of mangrove trees. This research represents the initial phase of mangrove rehabilitation activities, focusing on autecology, which includes the analysis of reproductive patterns, normal hydrological patterns, and the biophysical condition of the mangrove ecosystem. The study utilizes primary and secondary data collection from three different mangrove zones. The sampling technique involves the transect line spot method. The reproductive pattern of mangroves in all three zones of Cuku Nyinyi Mangrove is dominated by the Rhizophora sp., with propagules as the type of seeds. The normal hydrological pattern for the tidal zone type is consistently inundated with a tree height ranging from 1.6 meters to 7 meters. The biophysical condition of the mangrove ecosystem in the three zones shows a salinity range from 25 to 33 ppt, temperature ranging from 25 °C to 29 °C, and pH levels from 7.2 to 7.8.

Mitigating the efficiency-voltage trade-off in magnesium air battery via a novel active learning framework

Reconciling the inherent trade-off between anodic efficiency and discharge voltage in the design of high-energy-density magnesium-air (Mg-air) batteries has been a persistent challenge. Herein, we propose a pioneering active learning strategy that integrates physically motivated variables, machine learning, exploration of the Pareto front, experimental data feedback, and generated data feedback for the purpose of designing magnesium anodes. Within an extensive compositional space (∼350,000 possibilities), we have pinpointed a novel alloy, Mg-1Ga-1Ca-0.5In, exhibiting exceptional performance with high efficiency (64 ± 5.5 % at 1 mA cm−2, 64 ± 0.5 % at 10 mA cm−2) and high voltage (1.80 ± 0.00 V at 1 mA cm−2, 1.57 ± 0.01 V at 10 mA cm−2), surpassing conventional methods of alloying. Subsequent experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have unveiled that the outstanding performance of Mg-1Ga-1Ca-0.5In stems from “grain boundary activation” induced by active second phases and “intra-grain inhibition” resulting from the orbital hybridization between solute atoms and Mg atoms. This study provides a novel research paradigm and offers valuable insights for the further development of high-performance Mg-air batteries.

TCR signaling and cellular metabolism regulate the capacity of murine epidermal γδ T cells to rapidly produce IL-13 but not IFN-γ.

Resident epidermal T cells of murine skin, called dendritic epidermal T cells (DETCs), express an invariant γδ TCR that recognizes an unidentified self-ligand expressed on epidermal keratinocytes. Although their fetal thymic precursors are preprogrammed to produce IFN-γ, DETCs in the adult epidermis rapidly produce IL-13 but not IFN-γ early after activation. Here, we show that preprogrammed IFN-γ-producing DETC precursors differentiate into rapid IL-13 producers in the perinatal epidermis. The addition of various inhibitors of signaling pathways downstream of TCR to the in vitro differentiation model of neonatal DETCs revealed that TCR signaling through the p38 MAPK pathway is essential for the functional differentiation of neonatal DETCs. Constitutive TCR signaling at steady state was also shown to be needed for the maintenance of the rapid IL-13-producing capacity of adult DETCs because in vivo treatment with the p38 MAPK inhibitor decreased adult DETCs with the rapid IL-13-producing capacity. Adult DETCs under steady-state conditions had lower glycolytic capacity than proliferating neonatal DETCs. TCR stimulation of adult DETCs induced high glycolytic capacity and IFN-γ production during the late phase of activation. Inhibition of glycolysis decreased IFN-γ but not IL-13 production by adult DETCs during the late phase of activation. These results demonstrate that TCR signaling promotes the differentiation of IL-13-producing DETCs in the perinatal epidermis and is needed for maintaining the rapid IL-13-producing capacity of adult DETCs. The low glycolytic capacity of adult DETCs at steady state also regulates the rapid IL-13 response and delayed IFN-γ production after activation.

Should a different Partogram be used for the Trial of Labour in Women with the Previous One Caesarean Section Scar as Compared to Primiparous Women; A Comparative study

Objective: To compare various labour parameters in partogram among primiparous women and women with one previous caesarean section scar Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Oct 2021 to Sep 2022. Methodology: This study was conducted on primiparous women and women with one previous scar who were booked cases in our department for antenatal checkups and labour. Patients were divided into two groups for comparison. Group-I were primiparous, while Group-II had one previous scar. All women underwent detailed labour records via conventional partogram in the labour room. Duration of the active phase of labour, duration of the second stage, time to progress by 1 cm and time after the alert line were compared in partograms of both the study groups. Results: A total of 390 women who were either primiparous or had one previous caesarean section were recruited for this study. Of the study participants, 226(42.6%) were primiparous, while 164(57.4%) had one previous caesarean section scar. Statistical analysis revealed that the duration of the active phase of labour, time to progress by 1 cm and time after the alert line were statistically significant (p-value<0.05) in partograms of women in Group-I (primiparous) as compared to those in Group- II (women with one previous scar) (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: The main parameters of the partogram differ significantly among primiparous women and women with one previous caesarean section scar.

Analysis of the Effect of Variations of Silica Concentration on Synthesis γ-Al2O3

Research has been carried out to analyze the effect of variations in silica concentration on the synthesis of γ-Al2O3. This research was conducted to determine the variation of Silica against the support γ-Al2O3which is the best as a hydrotreating catalyst in the green fuel industry by using several physical characteristics and analyzing the effect of silica variations on the surface area, pore volume, and pore size of the support. This study uses materials such as Boehmite (AlOOH), equates, 25% NH4OH solution, 6% HNO3, and several variations of Silica such as (Carboxyl, SIRAL, and ZSM). In the process of making supports γ-Al2O3with the sol-gel method in order to homogenize the solutions and silica powders as a buffer variant, it becomes AlOH powder, which is then printed with a press and calcined at a temperature of 550oC gradually to become powder.buffer γ-Al2O3. From the study results, the best variation of γ-Al2O3 silica buffer was carboxyl with a concentration of 6% because several characterization studies showed superior results to γ-Al2O3 support without silica variation. The results of the Surface Area Analyzer characterization greatly affect the hydrotreating catalyst process in the green fuel industry, namely the γ-Al2O3 buffer with the addition of 6% silica carboxyl concentration. This is because a large surface area, pore size, and large pore volume can contain more impregnant solution, and the amount of active phase dispersed will also be greater.

Beta cell specific cannabinoid 1 receptor deletion counteracts progression to hyperglycemia in non-obese diabetic mice

ObjectiveType 1 diabetes (T1D) occurs because of islet infiltration by autoreactive immune cells leading to destruction of beta cells and it is becoming evident that beta cell dysfunction partakes in this process. We previously reported that genetic deletion and pharmacological antagonism of the cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1) in mice improves insulin synthesis and secretion, upregulates glucose sensing machinery, favors beta cell survival by reducing apoptosis, and enhances beta cell proliferation. Moreover, beta cell specific deletion of CB1 protected mice fed a high fat high sugar diet against islet inflammation and beta cell dysfunction. Therefore, we hypothesized that it would mitigate the dysfunction of beta cells in the precipitating events leading to T1D. MethodsWe genetically deleted CB1 specifically from beta cells in non-obese diabetic (NOD; NOD RIP Cre+ Cnr1fl/fl) mice. We evaluated female NOD RIP Cre+ Cnr1fl/fl mice and their NOD RIP Cre−Cnr1fl/fl and NOD RIP Cre+ Cnr1Wt/Wt littermates for onset of hyperglycemia over 26 weeks. We also examined islet morphology, islet infiltration by immune cells and beta cell function and proliferation. ResultsBeta cell specific deletion of CB1 in NOD mice significantly reduced the incidence of hyperglycemia by preserving beta cell function and mass. Deletion also prevented beta cell apoptosis and aggressive insulitis in NOD RIP Cre+ Cnr1fl/fl mice compared to wild-type littermates. NOD RIP Cre+ Cnr1fl/fl islets maintained normal morphology with no evidence of beta cell dedifferentiation or appearance of extra islet beta cells, indicating that protection from autoimmunity is inherent to genetic deletion of beta cell CB1. Pancreatic lymph node Treg cells were significantly higher in NOD RIP Cre+ Cnr1fl/flvs NOD RIP Cre−Cnr1fl/fl. ConclusionsCollectively these data demonstrate how protection of beta cells from metabolic stress during the active phase of T1D can ameliorate destructive insulitis and provides evidence for CB1 as a potential pharmacologic target in T1D.

Integrative temporal multi-omics reveals uncoupling of transcriptome and proteome during human T cell activation

Engagement of the T cell receptor (TCR) triggers molecular reprogramming leading to the acquisition of specialized effector functions by CD4 helper and CD8 cytotoxic T cells. While transcription factors, chemokines, and cytokines are known drivers in this process, the temporal proteomic and transcriptomic changes that regulate different stages of human primary T cell activation remain to be elucidated. Here, we report an integrative temporal proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of primary human CD4 and CD8 T cells following ex vivo stimulation with anti-CD3/CD28 beads, which revealed major transcriptome-proteome uncoupling. The early activation phase in both CD4 and CD8 T cells was associated with transient downregulation of the mRNA transcripts and protein of the central glucose transport GLUT1. In the proliferation phase, CD4 and CD8 T cells became transcriptionally more divergent while their proteome became more similar. In addition to the kinetics of proteome-transcriptome correlation, this study unveils selective transcriptional and translational metabolic reprogramming governing CD4 and CD8 T cell responses to TCR stimulation. This temporal transcriptome/proteome map of human T cell activation provides a reference map exploitable for future discovery of biomarkers and candidates targeting T cell responses.

Arsenicum Album in Bronchitis Treatment: A Homeopathic Perspective

Bronchitis is one of the common conditions for frequent hospital visit. Homeopathy is much to offer in this condition not only in the active phase of illness, where it acts by providing prompt relief of the symptoms, but it is also capable of checking the further predisposition to these condition in sensitive individuals. Bronchitis is a common condition affect the people. Bronchitis is inflammation of bronchial tube. The cause is smoking, air pollution, viral and bacterial infection. The symptoms are dry cough, sneezing, running nose, chest compression or pain, body pain, chills, mild fever, wheezing, vomiting, sore throat. In this study 5 cases of bronchitis with symptoms of Arsenicum album. Potency was selected according to the susceptibility and improvement was accessed by their intensity of symptoms before and after treatment. After Prescribing Arsenicum album 200 in water dose for 5 patients within 4 to 5 days of treatment patients exhibited healthy enhancement in precinct symptoms, sternness of grumbles full-fledged and rest. Thus homoeopathic medicine paves a greater role in curing bronchitis and its associated diseases.

Impact of the Madden–Julian oscillation and equatorial waves on tracked mesoscale convective systems over southeast Asia

AbstractSoutheast Asia is a region dominated by high‐impact weather, but numerical weather prediction here is a challenge owing to the complex orography and interactions between small‐ and large‐scale phenomena. Localised mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) can produce intense precipitation. Here, we track MCSs over a 5‐year period in Himawari satellite data, characterise the distribution of MCSs in the region, and investigate how they are modulated by the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and equatorial waves. Between 10°S and 10°N in southeast Asia, MCSs account for 45–70% of the precipitation during boreal extended winter (November–April). Over most of the region, the fractional MCS contribution to rainfall is higher than average on days with extreme rainfall (>55%). Long‐lived (>12 hr) MCSs contribute disproportionately, providing 85% of the rainfall despite comprising only 34% of all MCSs. Variability in MCS rainfall accounts for >50% of the total rainfall variability during an MJO cycle, mostly due to larger numbers of MCSs in convectively active MJO phases. Variations in MCS size and mean rain rate due to shifts in the stratiform proportion provide compensating effects. In the west of the region, a shift to faster moving MCSs in active MJO phases and slower moving MCSs in inactive phases resulted in fast‐moving MCSs having the greatest impact on the MJO‐associated variability. Variability is larger in the west than in the east. Equatorial Kelvin waves modulate MCS rainfall, with MCSs accounting for 20–50% of local rainfall anomalies. This variability is again enhanced in the west. By contrast, rainfall anomalies due to westward‐propagating mixed Rossby–gravity waves and Rossby‐1 waves are dominated by tropical‐cyclone‐related rainfall. Skill at local scales may be extracted from forecasts of subseasonal drivers such as the MJO and Kelvin waves, by understanding how these modulate the number and characteristics of MCSs.

Fibrous Material Structure Developments for Sustainable Heterogeneous Catalysis – An Overview

AbstractThe continuous development of advanced catalysts to increase process yield and selectivity is crucial. A high specific surface area and a good active phase dispersion are generally essential to create catalytic materials with a large number of active sites. Notably, materials with a fibrous morphology are appealing because of their large surface‐to‐volume ratio and flexibility. This contribution highlights the morphology of different types of fibrous structures currently under investigation, all the way from the nanoscale to the macroscale and back, where the distinction lies in the length and diameter of the fibers, as well as in the connection between the structures. Fibers with at least one submicron to nanoscale characteristic result in a higher yield, but can display practical usability issues when unbound. Therefore, fibrous structure catalysts with a balance between the small diameter and handleability are important for industrial viability. By combining different morphologies, the best of both nanomaterials and macroscopic integer materials can be combined into advanced catalytic materials. This overview showcases the large potential of these materials but makes clear that further research is needed to keep expanding the use and effectiveness of fibrous structures in catalysis.

The study of strong metal-support interaction enhanced PdZn alloy nanocatalysts for methanol steam reforming

Methanol steam reforming faces a significant challenge due to CO formation, which can lead to poisoning of fuel cell electrodes. This study introduces a series of Pd/ZnO catalysts prepared by ethylene glycol reduction, exhibiting remarkable selectivity in methanol steam reforming (MSR). The majority of palladium species exist in the form of PdZn alloy, attributed to the dual reduction process. This process, along with the generation of zinc vacancies and oxygen vacancies, enhances the interaction between the metal-carrier, promoting the formation of PdZn alloy, significantly improving CO2 selectivity and catalytic activity. Even at a high temperature of 400 °C, the active phase remains stable. After 5 hours of MSR, the 3% Pd/ZnO-300 H2 catalyst achieves a hydrogen production rate of 1628.0 mmol·gcat−1·h−1, with methanol conversion stabilized at 94%, CO2 selectivity reaching 97.7%, and CO content as low as 0.5%. These results outperform recent studies on hydrogen production. Furthermore, DFT calculations elucidate the complete reaction pathway (111) on PdZn. This study provides initial insights into the influence of metal-carrier interaction on the formation of PdZn alloy, suggesting a new direction for palladium-based catalysts in methanol steam reforming.

Time-shifted expression of acetoclastic and methylotrophic methanogenesis by a single Methanosarcina genomospecies predominates the methanogen dynamics in Philippine rice field soil

BackgroundThe final step in the anaerobic decomposition of biopolymers is methanogenesis. Rice field soils are a major anthropogenic source of methane, with straw commonly used as a fertilizer in rice farming. Here, we aimed to decipher the structural and functional responses of the methanogenic community to rice straw addition during an extended anoxic incubation (120 days) of Philippine paddy soil. The research combined process measurements, quantitative real-time PCR and RT-PCR of particular biomarkers (16S rRNA, mcrA), and meta-omics (environmental genomics and transcriptomics).ResultsThe analysis methods collectively revealed two major bacterial and methanogenic activity phases: early (days 7 to 21) and late (days 28 to 60) community responses, separated by a significant transient decline in microbial gene and transcript abundances and CH4 production rate. The two methanogenic activity phases corresponded to the greatest rRNA and mRNA abundances of the Methanosarcinaceae but differed in the methanogenic pathways expressed. While three genetically distinct Methanosarcina populations contributed to acetoclastic methanogenesis during the early activity phase, the late activity phase was defined by methylotrophic methanogenesis performed by a single Methanosarcina genomospecies. Closely related to Methanosarcina sp. MSH10X1, mapping of environmental transcripts onto metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and population-specific reference genomes revealed this genomospecies as the key player in acetoclastic and methylotrophic methanogenesis. The anaerobic food web was driven by a complex bacterial community, with Geobacteraceae and Peptococcaceae being putative candidates for a functional interplay with Methanosarcina. Members of the Methanocellaceae were the key players in hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, while the acetoclastic activity of Methanotrichaceae members was detectable only during the very late community response.ConclusionsThe predominant but time-shifted expression of acetoclastic and methylotrophic methanogenesis by a single Methanosarcina genomospecies represents a novel finding that expands our hitherto knowledge of the methanogenic pathways being highly expressed in paddy soils.7k5euw-hvBknz_jds4sXXfVideo

Motility-induced phase separation and frustration in active matter swarmalators.

We introduce a two dimensional system of active matter swarmalators composed of elastically interacting run-and-tumble active disks with an internal parameter ϕ_{i}. The disks experience an additional attractive or repulsive force with neighboring disks depending upon their relative difference in ϕ_{i}, making them similar to swarmalators used in robotic systems. In the absence of the internal parameter, the system forms a motility-induced phase separated (MIPS) state, but when the swarmalator interactions are present, a wide variety of other active phases appear depending upon whether the interaction is attractive or repulsive and whether the particles act to synchronize or ant-synchronize their internal parameter values. These phases include a gas-free gel regime, arrested clusters, a labyrinthine state, a regular MIPS state, a frustrated MIPS state for attractive antisynchronization, and a superlattice MIPS state for attractive synchronization.