bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic restructuring of nickel sulfides for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Ding Xingyu , Liu Da , Zhao Pengju , Chen Xing , Wang Hongxia , Oropeza Freddy E. , Gorni Giulio , Barawi Mariam , García-Tecedor Miguel , de la Peña O’Shea Víctor A. , Hofmann Jan P. , Li Jianfeng , Kim Jongkyoung , Cho Seungho , Wu Renbing , Zhang Kelvin H. L.
Published: June 2024

Transition metal chalcogenides have been identified as low-cost and efficient electrocatalysts to promote the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media. However, the identification of active sites and the underlying catalytic mechanism remain elusive. In this work, we employ operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to elucidate that NiS undergoes an in-situ phase transition to an intimately mixed phase of Ni3S2 and NiO, generating highly active synergistic dual sites at the Ni3S2/NiO interface. The interfacial Ni is the active site for water dissociation and OH* adsorption while the interfacial S acts as the active site for H* adsorption and H2 evolution. Accordingly, the in-situ formation of Ni3S2/NiO interfaces enables NiS electrocatalysts to achieve an overpotential of only 95 ± 8 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Our work highlighted that the chemistry of transition metal chalcogenides is highly dynamic, and a careful control of the working conditions may lead to the in-situ formation of catalytic species that boost their catalytic performance.
Environmental versus phylogenetic controls on leaf nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations in vascular plants
Authors: Tian Di , Yan Zhengbing , Schmid Bernhard , Kattge Jens , Fang Jingyun , Stocker Benjamin D.
Published: June 2024

Global patterns of leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry have been interpreted as reflecting phenotypic plasticity in response to the environment, or as an overriding effect of the distribution of species growing in their biogeochemical niches. Here, we balance these contrasting views. We compile a global dataset of 36,413 paired observations of leaf N and P concentrations, taxonomy and 45 environmental covariates, covering 7,549 sites and 3,700 species, to investigate how species identity and environmental variables control variations in mass-based leaf N and P concentrations, and the N:P ratio. We find within-species variation contributes around half of the total variation, with 29%, 31%, and 22% of leaf N, P, and N:P variation, respectively, explained by environmental variables. Within-species plasticity along environmental gradients varies across species and is highest for leaf N:P and lowest for leaf N. We identified effects of environmental variables on within-species variation using random forest models, whereas effects were largely missed by widely used linear mixed-effect models. Our analysis demonstrates a substantial influence of the environment in driving plastic responses of leaf N, P, and N:P within species, which challenges reports of a fixed biogeochemical niche and the overriding importance of species distributions in shaping global patterns of leaf N and P.
Unravelling the operation of organic artificial neurons for neuromorphic bioelectronics
Authors: Belleri Pietro , Pons i Tarrés Judith , McCulloch Iain , Blom Paul W. M. , Kovács-Vajna Zsolt M. , Gkoupidenis Paschalis , Torricelli Fabrizio
Published: June 2024

Organic artificial neurons operating in liquid environments are crucial components in neuromorphic bioelectronics. However, the current understanding of these neurons is limited, hindering their rational design and development for realistic neuronal emulation in biological settings. Here we combine experiments, numerical non-linear simulations, and analytical tools to unravel the operation of organic artificial neurons. This comprehensive approach elucidates a broad spectrum of biorealistic behaviors, including firing properties, excitability, wetware operation, and biohybrid integration. The non-linear simulations are grounded in a physics-based framework, accounting for ion type and ion concentration in the electrolytic medium, organic mixed ionic-electronic parameters, and biomembrane features. The derived analytical expressions link the neurons spiking features with material and physical parameters, bridging closer the domains of artificial neurons and neuroscience. This work provides streamlined and transferable guidelines for the design, development, engineering, and optimization of organic artificial neurons, advancing next generation neuronal networks, neuromorphic electronics, and bioelectronics.
Re-thinking all-cause COVID-19 hospitalizations as a surrogate measure for severe illness in observational surveillance studies
Authors: Kelly J. Daniel , Leonard Samuel , Boscardin W. John , Hoggatt Katherine J. , Lum Emily N. , Austin Charles C. , Byers Amy L. , Tien Phyllis C. , Bravata Dawn M. , Keyhani Salomeh
Published: June 2024

All-cause COVID-19 hospitalization ≤ 30 days of infection is a common outcome for severe illness in observational/surveillance studies. Milder COVID-19 disease and COVID-19-specific measurements calls for an evaluation of this endpoint. This was a descriptive, retrospective cohort study of adults ≥ 18 who were established in primary care at Veteran Health Administration (VHA) facilities. The outcome was hospitalization within 30 days of a laboratory-confirmed, symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Between December 15, 2021 and May 1, 2022, a simple random sample of all VA facilities, excluding Puerto Rico or Philippines, was drawn to identify these hospitalized cases and determine whether hospitalization was due to COVID-19-specific causes. A chart review was conducted to record the inpatient clinical team’s diagnosis and whether the inpatient team classified the diagnosis as COVID-19 related or not. These data were used to classify hospitalizations as either due to COVID-19-specific causes (direct manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection) or non-COVID-19-specific hospitalizations (incidental SARS-CoV-2 infection), A simple random sample of 9966 (12.3%) all-cause hospitalizations (95% CI: 12.1%, 12.5%) was used to select 300 representative patients. Of these, 226/300 (75.3%) were determined to be COVID-19-specific. COVID-19 pneumonia was most common (147/226, 65.0%). The highest proportion of COVID-19-specific hospitalizations occurred among unvaccinated (85.0%), followed by vaccinated but not boosted (73.7%) and boosted (59.4%) (p < 0.001). The proportion of non-COVID-19-specific hospitalizations was higher in the later period (15–30 days: 55.0%) than the early (0–15 days: 22.5%) (p = 0.003). This study supports the outcome of COVID-19-specific hospitalization instead of all-cause hospitalization in observational studies. The earlier outcome period (0–15 days) was less susceptible to potential measurement bias.
Kit foxes demonstrate adaptive compromise characteristics under intraguild predation pressure by coyotes in the Great Basin desert
Authors: Pershyn Nadine A. , Gese Eric M. , Stuber Erica F. , Kluever Bryan M.
Published: June 2024

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are believed to contribute to declining kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) numbers in the Great Basin desert through intraguild predation. Intraguild prey have been shown to exhibit adaptive compromise, whereby an animal increases selection for risky, but food-rich areas during times of food stress (i.e. winter). We evaluated the habitat selection of kit foxes in the Great Basin desert to elucidate if they demonstrated adaptive compromise as a method of coexisting with coyotes. We created 2nd order resource selection functions to analyze kit fox habitat selection associated with coyote relative probability of use (RPU), prey abundance, and type of soil substrate. In the summer, we found that kit fox selection for areas of relatively more abundant prey was not significant, and there was a small positive selection for coyote RPU. In the winter, we found a positive relationship between kit fox selection and prey abundance as well as a stronger selection for coyote RPU. These findings do follow the pattern of adaptive compromise. We also found kit foxes selected for silty and sandy soils, which are conducive to den construction, as they use dens seasonally for breeding but also year-round for multiple uses, including refugia from predators and extreme heat. Soil substrate appeared to be an important factor impacting kit fox habitat selection.
Comparative analysis of light storage in antirelaxation-coated and buffer-gas-filled alkali vapor cells
Authors: Đujić M. , Buhin D. , Šantić N. , Aumiler D. , Ban T.
Published: June 2024

We explore light storage in antirelaxation-coated and buffer-gas-filled alkali vapor cells, employing electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in warm rubidium vapor. We conduct a comparative study of light storage performance under identical experimental conditions for these two cell types. Using a buffer-gas-filled cell resulted in approximately a tenfold improvement in memory efficiency and storage time compared to antirelaxation-coated cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that memory efficiency can be further enhanced by choosing a near-resonant EIT $$\Lambda$$
Λ
-scheme over a resonant one. Our findings provide valuable insights for optimizing light storage, thereby contributing to the development of field-deployable quantum memories.
Paleoseismological evidence for segmentation of the Main Himalayan Thrust in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya
Authors: Brice Atul , Jayangondaperumal R. , Priyanka Rao Singh , Pandey Arjun , Mishra Rajeeb Lochan , Singh Ishwar , Sati Madhusudan , Kumar Pankaj , Dash Sandipta Prasad
Published: June 2024

Whether the Main Himalayan Thrust can host a single surface-rupturing event in the Himalaya with a rupture length of > 700 km remains controversial. Previous paleoseismological studies in the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya (DSH) suggested medieval surface-rupturing earthquakes, correlating them with the eleventh–thirteenth century events from Nepal and Bhutan and extending the coseismic rupture length > 700 km. Conversely, there is no rupture evidence of the 1714 Bhutan and 1934 Bihar–Nepal earthquakes in the DSH, resulting in a discrepancy in the rupture extent of the great earthquakes. Consequently, we conducted a paleoseismological investigation across a ~ 10 m-high fault scarp on the Himalayan Frontal Thrust at Chenga village, DSH, revealing a surface-faulting event during 1313–395 BCE. We suggest that the DSH is a 150 km-long independent segment bounded by a transverse ridge and fault and has a recurrence interval of ~ 949–1963 years, which is significantly larger than Nepal (~ 700–900 years) and Bhutan Himalaya (~ 339–761 years).
The absence of canonical respiratory complex I subunits in male-type mitogenomes of three Donax species
Authors: Burzyński Artur , Śmietanka Beata , Fernández-Pérez Jenyfer , Lubośny Marek
Published: June 2024

Bivalves are an extraordinary class of animals in which species with a doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mitochondrial DNA have been described. DUI is characterized as a mitochondrial homoplasmy of females and heteroplasmy of male individuals where F-type mitogenomes are passed to the progeny with mother egg cells and divergent M-type mitogenomes are inherited with fathers sperm cells. However, in most cases only male individuals retain divergent mitogenome inherited with spermatozoa. Additionally, in many of bivalves, unique mitochondrial features, like additional genes, gene duplication, gene extensions, mitochondrial introns, and recombination, were observed. In this study, we sequenced and assembled male-type mitogenomes of three Donax species. Comparative analysis of mitochondrial sequences revealed a lack of all seven NADH dehydrogenase subunits as well as the presence of three long additional open reading frames lacking identifiable homology to any of the existing genes.
On body and off body communication using a compact wideband and high gain wearable textile antenna
Authors: Sharma Deepti , Kumar Sachin , Tiwari Rakesh Nath , Choi Hyun Chul , Kim Kang Wook
Published: June 2024

In this paper, a compact low-profile dual-band wearable textile antenna is proposed for on-body and off-body communications. The presented antenna works efficiently in the 5G n79 frequency band (4.4 − 5 GHz) and the ISM band (5.725 − 5.875 GHz). The designed antenna has an ultra-wide impedance bandwidth of 2.01 GHz and peak realized gains of 10.5 dBi and 12 dBi at 4.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively. The antenna has a small footprint (π × 0.3λ02), which is inspired by circular fractal geometry. The performance of the presented wearable antenna is evaluated at various body parts, including the arm, wrist, and chest. The link margin is evaluated in the on-body and off-body communication scenarios, i.e., communication with the implantable antenna and the outside-body antenna, which is 80 dB and 65 dB at 4.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively. The 1 gm/10 gm specific absorption rate values at 4.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz are 0.12/0.098 and 0.11/0.082, respectively, which are significantly lower than the standard values, making the proposed antenna suitable for modern wearable applications.
Oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide disrupts zebrafish visual development by altering apoptosis, antioxidant and estrogen related genes
Authors: Saputra Febriyansyah , Kishida Mitsuyo , Hu Shao-Yang
Published: June 2024

Hydrogen peroxide is considered deleterious molecule that cause cellular damage integrity and function. Its key redox signaling molecule in oxidative stress and exerts toxicity on a wide range of organisms. Thus, to understand whether oxidative stress alters visual development, zebrafish embryos were exposed to H2O2 at concentration of 0.02 to 62.5 mM for 7 days. Eye to body length ratio (EBR) and apoptosis in retina at 48 hpf, and optomotor response (OMR) at 7 dpf were all measured. To investigate whether hydrogen peroxide-induced effects were mediated by oxidative stress, embryos were co-incubated with the antioxidant, glutathione (GSH) at 50 μM. Results revealed that concentrations of H2O2 at or above 0.1 mM induced developmental toxicity, leading to increased mortality and hatching delay. Furthermore, exposure to 0.1 mM H2O2 decreased EBR at 48 hpf and impaired OMR visual behavior at 7 dpf. Additionally, exposure increased the area of apoptotic cells in the retina at 48 hpf. The addition of GSH reversed the effects of H2O2, suggesting the involvement of oxidative stress. H2O2 decreased the expression of eye development-related genes, pax6α and pax6β. The expression of apoptosis-related genes, tp53, casp3 and bax, significantly increased, while bcl2α expression decreased. Antioxidant-related genes sod1, cat and gpx1a showed decreased expression. Expression levels of estrogen receptors (ERs) (esr1, esr2α, and esr2β) and ovarian and brain aromatase genes (cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b, respectively) were also significantly reduced. Interestingly, co-incubation of GSH effectivity reversed the impact of H2O2 on most parameters. Overall, these results demonstrate that H2O2 induces adverse effects on visual development via oxidative stress, which leads to alter apoptosis, diminished antioxidant defenses and reduced estrogen production.
Enabling high-throughput enzyme discovery and engineering with a low-cost, robot-assisted pipeline
Authors: Norton-Baker Brenna , Denton Mackenzie C. R. , Murphy Natasha P. , Fram Benjamin , Lim Samuel , Erickson Erika , Gauthier Nicholas P. , Beckham Gregg T.
Published: June 2024

As genomic databases expand and artificial intelligence tools advance, there is a growing demand for efficient characterization of large numbers of proteins. To this end, here we describe a generalizable pipeline for high-throughput protein purification using small-scale expression in E. coli and an affordable liquid-handling robot. This low-cost platform enables the purification of 96 proteins in parallel with minimal waste and is scalable for processing hundreds of proteins weekly per user. We demonstrate the performance of this method with the expression and purification of the leading poly(ethylene terephthalate) hydrolases reported in the literature. Replicate experiments demonstrated reproducibility and enzyme purity and yields (up to 400 µg) sufficient for comprehensive analyses of both thermostability and activity, generating a standardized benchmark dataset for comparing these plastic-degrading enzymes. The cost-effectiveness and ease of implementation of this platform render it broadly applicable to diverse protein characterization challenges in the biological sciences.
Direct Z-scheme heterojunction impregnated MoS2–NiO–CuO nanohybrid for efficient photocatalyst and dye-sensitized solar cell
Authors: Dharmalingam Karthigaimuthu , Bojarajan Arjun Kumar , Gopal Ramalingam , Thangavel Elangovan , Burhan Al Omari Salah Addin , Sangaraju Sambasivam
Published: June 2024

In this present work, the preparation of ternary MoS2–NiO–CuO nanohybrid by a facile hydrothermal process for photocatalytic and photovoltaic performance is presented. The prepared nanomaterials were confirmed by physio-chemical characterization. The nanosphere morphology was confirmed by electron microscopy techniques for the MoS2–NiO–CuO nanohybrid. The MoS2–NiO–CuO nanohybrid demonstrated enhanced crystal violet (CV) dye photodegradation which increased from 50 to 95% at 80 min; The degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye increased from 56 to 93% at 100 min under UV–visible light irradiation. The trapping experiment was carried out using different solvents for active species and the Z-Scheme photocatalytic mechanism was discussed in detail. Additionally, a batch series of stability experiments were carried out to determine the photostability of materials, and the results suggest that the MoS2–NiO–CuO nanohybrid is more stable even after four continuous cycles of photocatalytic activity. The MoS2–NiO–CuO nanohybrid delivers photoconversion efficiency (4.92%) explored efficacy is 3.8 times higher than the bare MoS2 (1.27%). The overall results indicated that the MoS2–NiO–CuO nanohybrid nanostructure could be a potential candidate to be used to improve photocatalytic performance and DSSC solar cell applications as well.
Conditions that promote transcellular neutrophil migration in vivo
Authors: Xia Min , Stegmeyer Rebekka I. , Shirakura Keisuke , Butz Stefan , Thiriot Aude , von Andrian Ulrich H. , Vestweber Dietmar
Published: June 2024

Circulating leukocytes enter tissue either through endothelial junctions (paracellular) or via a pore through the body of endothelial cells (transcellular). We have previously shown that genetically replacing VE-cadherin with a VE-cadherin-α-catenin (VEC-αC) fusion construct—which binds constitutively to actin—obstructs junctions, and blocks leukocyte extravasation in lung, skin and postcapillary venules of cremaster muscle. However, neutrophil recruitment into the inflamed peritoneal cavity was unimpaired. Investigating reasons for this, here, we visualized neutrophil diapedesis by 3D intravital video microscopy in the cremaster muscle and omentum, the major site of neutrophil recruitment into the peritoneal cavity. We found that 80% of neutrophil-extravasation occurred through HEVs in the omentum, which was unimpaired by VEC-αC. In addition, in larger venules (60–85 µm) of both tissues, less than 15% of neutrophils extravasated transcellularly in WT mice. However, in VEC-α-C mice, transcellular diapedesis increased severalfold in the omentum, but not in the cremaster. In line with this, omental venules expressed higher levels of ICAM-1 and atypical chemokine receptor 1. Furthermore, only in the omentum, VEC-αC expression caused reduced elongation of venular endothelium in flow-direction, suggesting different biomechanical properties. Collectively, VEC-αC does not inhibit paracellular transmigration in all types of venules and can modulate the diapedesis route.
Comparative electrochemical study of veterinary drug danofloxacin at glassy carbon electrode and electrified liquid–liquid interface
Authors: Rudnicki Konrad , Budzyńska Sylwia , Skrzypek Sławomira , Poltorak Lukasz
Published: June 2024

This work compares the electroanalytical performance of two electroanalytical systems based on (1) the glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and (2) the electrified liquid–liquid interface (eLLI), for the detection of fluoroquinolone antibiotic–danofloxacin (DANO). Our aim was to define the optimal conditions to detect the chosen analyte with two employed systems, extract a number of electroanalytical parameters, study the mechanism of the charge transfer reactions (oxidation at GCE and ion transfer across the eLLI), and to provide physicochemical constants for DANO. Detection of the chosen analyte was also performed in the spiked milk samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that directly compares the electroanalytical parameters obtained with solid electrode (in this case GCE) and eLLI. We have found that for DANO the latter provides better electroanalytical parameters (lower LOD and LOQ) as well as good selectivity when the milk was analyzed.
Effect of apigetrin in pseudo-SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammatory and pulmonary fibrosis in vitro model
Authors: Han Hengmin , Kim Jung-Eun , Lee Hyo-Jeong
Published: June 2024

SARS-CoV-2 has become a global public health problem. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the leading cause of death due to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a severe and frequently reported COVID-19 sequela. In this study, an in vitro model of ARDS and PF caused by SARS-CoV-2 was established in MH-S, THP-1, and MRC-5 cells using pseudo-SARS-CoV-2 (PSCV). Expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) and HIF-1α was increased in PSCV-infected MH-S and THP-1 cells, ARDS model, consistent with other profiling data in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients have been reported. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) siRNA and cobalt chloride were tested using this in vitro model. HIF-1α knockdown reduces inflammation caused by PSCV infection in MH-S and THP-1 cells and lowers elevated levels of CTGF, COLA1, and α-SMA in MRC-5 cells exposed to CPMSCV. Furthermore, apigetrin, a glycoside bioactive dietary flavonoid derived from several plants, including Crataegus pinnatifida, which is reported to be a HIF-1α inhibitor, was tested in this in vitro model. Apigetrin significantly reduced the increased inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) expression and secretion by PSCV in MH-S and THP-1 cells. Apigetrin inhibited the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein RBD to the ACE2 protein. An in vitro model of PF induced by SARS-CoV-2 was produced using a conditioned medium of THP-1 and MH-S cells that were PSCV-infected (CMPSCV) into MRC-5 cells. In a PF model, CMPSCV treatment of THP-1 and MH-S cells increased cell growth, migration, and collagen synthesis in MRC-5 cells. In contrast, apigetrin suppressed the increase in cell growth, migration, and collagen synthesis induced by CMPSCV in THP-1 and MH-S MRC-5 cells. Also, compared to control, fibrosis-related proteins (CTGF, COLA1, α-SMA, and HIF-1α) levels were over two-fold higher in CMPSV-treated MRC-5 cells. Apigetrin decreased protein levels in CMPSCV-treated MRC-5 cells. Thus, our data suggest that hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) might be a novel target for SARS-CoV-2 sequela therapies and apigetrin, representative of HIF-1alpha inhibitor, exerts anti-inflammatory and PF effects in PSCV-treated MH-S, THP-1, and CMPVSC-treated MRC-5 cells. These findings indicate that HIF-1α inhibition and apigetrin would have a potential value in controlling SARS-CoV-2-related diseases.
Preliminary study of luminescence phenomena from various materials under ultra-high dose rate proton beam irradiation for dose management
Authors: Yamada Ryosaku , Nishio Teiji , Kinkawa Daiki , Tanaka Taketo , Omura Mizuki , Tabata Yoji , Yoshimura Hitoshi , Kataoka Jun
Published: June 2024

This research aimed to identify materials capable of emitting visible light useful for dose management at ultra-high dose rate (uHDR). Various materials were irradiated with proton beams at a normal dose rate (NDR) and uHDR, and the resulting surface luminescence was captured using a high-sensitivity camera. The luminescence images were compared with the corresponding dose distributions. The luminescence of Tough Water Phantoms (Kyoto Kagaku Co. Ltd.) with various thicknesses was also observed to evaluate the depth distributions. Dose distributions were measured using two-dimensional ionization chamber detector arrays. The Tough Bone Phantom (Kyoto Kagaku Co. Ltd.) exhibited the strongest luminescence among the materials, followed by the Tough Water Phantom. The metals exhibited relatively weak luminescence. The luminescence profiles of the Tough Water Phantom, water, the Tough Lung Phantom (Kyoto Kagaku Co. Ltd.), and an acrylic were similar to the dose profiles. The luminescence distribution of the Tough Water Phantom in the depth direction was similar to that of the dose distributions. The luminescence at uHDR and NDR were approximately equivalent. The Tough Water Phantom was found to be a suitable material for dosimetry, even at uHDR. More detailed measurement data, such as wavelength data, must be collected to elucidate the luminescence mechanism.
Nicotiana benthamiana-derived dupilumab-scFv reaches deep into the cultured human nasal epithelial cells and inhibits CCL26 expression
Authors: Kwon Beom Jun , Cho Na Hyun , Ahn Taeyoung , Kim Geunah , Diệu Nguyễn Thị Xuân , Kim Woo Taek , Cho Hyung-Ju , Seo Dong Hye , Kim Joo Young
Published: June 2024

Plants offer a cost-effective and scalable pharmaceutical platform devoid of host-derived contamination risks. However, their medical application is complicated by the potential for acute allergic reactions to external proteins. Developing plant-based protein therapeutics for localized diseases with non-invasive treatment modalities may capitalize on the benefits of plant proteins while avoiding their inherent risks. Dupilumab, which is effective against a variety of allergic and autoimmune diseases but has systemic responses and injection-related side effects, may be more beneficial if delivered locally using a small biological form. In this study, we engineered a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of dupilumab, termed Dup-scFv produced by Nicotiana benthamiana, and evaluated its tissue permeability and anti-inflammatory efficacy in air–liquid interface cultured human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs). Despite showing 3.67- and 17-fold lower binding affinity for IL-4Ra in surface plasmon resonance assays and cell binding assays, respectively, Dup-scFv retained most of the affinity of dupilumab, which was originally high, with a dissociation constant (KD) of 4.76 pM. In HNECs cultured at the air–liquid interface, Dup-scFv administered on the air side inhibited the inflammatory marker CCL26 in hard-to-reach basal cells more effectively than dupilumab. In addition, Dup-scFv had an overall permeability of 0.8% across cell layers compared to undetectable levels of dupilumab. These findings suggest that plant-produced Dup-scFv can be delivered non-invasively to cultured HNESc to alleviate inflammatory signaling, providing a practical approach to utilize plant-based proteins for topical therapeutic applications.
Numerical computation and experimental assessment of a pressure-retaining gas-tight sediment sampler
Authors: He Shudong , Xie Yangbin , Bai Haocen , Peng Youduo , Jin Yongping
Published: June 2024

The pressure of the recovered sample is intricately connected to seawater temperature, the recovery velocity, and the pressure of the pre-charged gas. To better understand the sample pressure dynamics during the sampling recovery process, we focus on a gas-tight sediment sampler, delving into its pressure-compensation and pressure-retaining mechanisms. A comprehensive thermal and thermodynamic analysis is conducted throughout the entire pressure-retaining sampling process, examining the temporal variations in the temperatures of seawater and nitrogen within the sampler at various descending velocities. The heat transfer and thermodynamics are examined throughout the entire pressure-retaining sampling process to determine how changes in the temperatures of seawater and nitrogen, as well as the descent velocity, affect the pressure-retaining performance. The influence of pre-charging pressure and recovery velocities on the pressure-retaining performance of the sampler is examined. Then the proposed numerical model was well verified by the ultra-high-pressure vessel experiments of the sampler under 115 MPa. Finally, the sea trial results further verified the accuracy of the numerical model.
Attitudes toward colorectal cancer and colonoscopy in Palestine: a questionnaire-based study
Authors: Elshami Mohamedraed , Ayyad Mohammed , Alser Mohammed , Al-Slaibi Ibrahim , Mohamad Balqees M. , Albandak Maram , Dwikat Mohammad F. , Naji Shoruq A. , Isleem Wejdan S. , Shurrab Adela , Yaghi Bashar , Qabaja Yahya Ayyash , Hamdan Fatma K. , Sweity Raneen R. , Jneed Remah T. , Assaf Khayria A. , Hmaid Mohammed M. , Awwad Iyas I. , Alhabil Belal K. , Alarda Marah N. , Alsattari Amani S. , Aboyousef Moumen S. , Aljbour Omar A. , AlSharif Rinad , Giacaman Christy T. , Alnaga Ali Y. , Abu Nemer Ranin M. , Almadhoun Nada M. , Skaik Sondos M. , Albarqi Shurouq I. , Bottcher Bettina , Abu-El-Noor Nasser
Published: June 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a frequent cause of cancer-related mortality in the Palestinian population. This cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2019 to March 2020 and examined attitudes toward CRC and colonoscopy, as well as the interplay between both. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling from public spaces, governmental hospitals, and primary healthcare centers across 11 governorates in Palestine. Displaying a positive attitude was defined as agreeing on at least the median number of questions related to CRC (5 of 11 questions) or colonoscopy (6 of 10 questions). A total of 4623 participants were included. Most participants agreed that ‘early detection of CRC increases the possibility of more effective treatment’ (n = 4161, 89.7%). Similarly, the majority of participants agreed on ‘preferring a physician with a gender similar to the participants to perform the colonoscopy’ (n = 3738, 80.9%) and ‘willingness to have colonoscopy even if the participant had to pay for it’ (n = 3727, 80.6%). Furthermore, 3115 participants (67.4%) demonstrated positive attitudes toward CRC, while 2540 participants (55.0%) displayed similar attitudes toward colonoscopy. Participants from the West Bank and Jerusalem were more likely than those from the Gaza Strip to display positive attitudes toward colonoscopy (59.2% vs. 48.9%). Participants with positive attitudes toward CRC were more likely to also display positive attitudes toward colonoscopy and vice versa. About two thirds of study participants exhibited positive attitudes toward CRC, and 55.0% displayed positive attitudes toward colonoscopy. There was a reciprocal relationship between having positive attitudes toward CRC and colonoscopy.
Evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of QIAreach QuantiFERON-TB compared to QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus for tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mahmoudi Shima , Nourazar Sadra
Published: June 2024

Accurate tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis remains challenging, especially in resource-limited settings. This study aims to assess the diagnostic performance of the QIAreach QuantiFERON-TB (QFT) assay, with a specific focus on comparing its diagnostic performance with the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus). We systematically reviewed relevant individual studies on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to January 20, 2024. The focus was on evaluating the diagnostic parameters of the QIAreach QFT assay for TB infection, which included sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and concordance with the QFT-Plus assay. QIAreach QFT demonstrated strong diagnostic performance with a pooled sensitivity of 99% (95% CI 95–100%) and specificity of 94% (95% CI 85–97%). Additionally, it showed a PLR of 15.6 (95% CI 6.5–37.5) and NLR of 0.01 (95% CI 0–0.03). The pooled PPV and NPV were 88% (95% CI 70–98%) and 100% (95% CI 99–100%), respectively. Concordance analysis with QFT-Plus revealed a pooled positive percent agreement of 98% (95% CI 88–100%) and pooled negative percent agreement of 91% (95% CI 81–97%), with a pooled overall percent agreement of 92% (95% CI 83–98). In conclusion, QIAreach QFT has shown promising diagnostic performance, with a strong concordance with QFT-Plus. However, further studies are needed to comprehensively evaluate its diagnostic performance in the context of TB infection.
Ligand substitution as a strategy to tailor cationic conductivity in all-solid-state batteries
Authors: Kristensen Lasse Gammelgaard , Grinderslev Jakob Bæk , Amdisen Mads Blichfeldt , Jensen Torben René
Published: June 2024

An increased electrification of society calls for a revolution of battery technologies to further improve energy densities, safety and reduce dependencies on critical raw materials. Here we present a new type of fast magnesium electrolytes for all solid-state batteries created as solid solutions of two other fast Mg2+ ionic conductors, Mg(BH4)2 ∙ NH3 and Mg(BH4)2 ∙ CH3NH2. However, the different ligands introduce stacking faults in the structures of the solid solutions, which are eliminated upon heating to T > 40 °C. The stacking faults appear to influence ionic conductivity, as the samples are less conductive after heating. Interestingly, the ionic conductivity does not correlate directly with the relative ligand content, as the highest conductivity is observed for the 1:1 molar composition (σ(Mg2+) = 7.3 ∙ 10−6 S cm−1 at 40 °C), which also has the lowest melting point of 60 °C. Thus, this work demonstrates a new approach to increase cationic conductivity using mixed ligand systems to alter conduction pathways and introduce microstructural strain.
Deep learning-based prediction of one-year mortality in Finland is an accurate but unfair aging marker
Authors: Vabalas Andrius , Hartonen Tuomo , Vartiainen Pekka , Jukarainen Sakari , Viippola Essi , Rodosthenous Rodosthenis S. , Liu Aoxing , Hägg Sara , Perola Markus , Ganna Andrea
Published: June 2024

Short-term mortality risk, which is indicative of individual frailty, serves as a marker for aging. Previous age clocks focused on predicting either chronological age or longer-term mortality. Aging clocks predicting short-term mortality are lacking and their algorithmic fairness remains unexamined. We developed a deep learning model to predict 1-year mortality using nationwide longitudinal data from the Finnish population (FinRegistry; n = 5.4 million), incorporating more than 8,000 features spanning up to 50 years. We achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.944, outperforming a baseline model that included only age and sex (AUC = 0.897). The model generalized well to different causes of death (AUC > 0.800 for 45 of 50 causes), including coronavirus disease 2019, which was absent in the training data. Performance varied among demographics, with young females exhibiting the best and older males the worst results. Extensive prediction fairness analyses highlighted disparities among disadvantaged groups, posing challenges to equitable integration into public health interventions. Our model accurately identified short-term mortality risk, potentially serving as a population-wide aging marker.
Smart insect-computer hybrid robots empowered with enhanced obstacle avoidance capabilities using onboard monocular camera
Authors: Li Rui , Lin Qifeng , Tran-Ngoc Phuoc Thanh , Le Duc Long , Sato Hirotaka
Published: June 2024

Insect-computer hybrid robots are receiving increasing attention as a potential alternative to small artificial robots due to their superior locomotion capabilities and low manufacturing costs. Controlling insect-computer hybrid robots to travel through terrain littered with complex obstacles of various shapes and sizes is still challenging. While insects can inherently deal with certain obstacles by using their antennae to detect and avoid obstacles, this ability is limited and can be interfered with by control signals when performing navigation tasks, ultimately leading to the robot being trapped in a specific place and having difficulty escaping. Hybrid robots need to add additional sensors to provide accurate perception and early warning of the external environment to avoid obstacles before getting trapped, ensuring smooth navigation tasks in rough terrain. However, due to insects’ tiny size and limited load capacity, hybrid robots are very limited in the sensors they can carry. A monocular camera is suitable for insect-computer hybrid robots because of its small size, low power consumption, and robust information acquisition capabilities. This paper proposes a navigation algorithm with an integrated obstacle avoidance module using a monocular camera for the insect-computer hybrid robot. The monocular cameras equipped with a monocular depth estimation algorithm based on deep learning can produce depth maps of environmental obstacles. The navigation algorithm generates control commands that can drive the hybrid robot away from obstacles according to the distribution of obstacle distances in the depth map. To ensure the performance of the monocular depth estimation model when applied to insect-computer hybrid robotics scenarios, we collected the first dataset from the viewpoint of a small robot for model training. In addition, we propose a simple but effective depth map processing method to obtain obstacle avoidance commands based on the weighted sum method. The success rate of the navigation experiment is significantly improved from 6.7% to 73.3%. Experimental results show that our navigation algorithm can detect obstacles in advance and guide the hybrid robots to avoid them before they get trapped.
Unveiling the critical roles of cellular metabolism suppression in antibiotic tolerance
Authors: Mohiuddin Sayed Golam , Ngo Han , Orman Mehmet A.
Published: June 2024

Metabolic inhibitors are known to exhibit complex interactions with antibiotics in bacteria, potentially acting as antagonists by inducing cell dormancy and promoting cell survival. However, the specific synergistic or antagonistic effects of these inhibitors depend on factors like their mechanisms of action, concentrations, and treatment timings, which require further investigation. In our study, we systematically explored the synergistic interactions of various metabolic inhibitors—such as chloramphenicol (a translation inhibitor), rifampicin (a transcription inhibitor), arsenate (an ATP production inhibitor), and thioridazine (a PMF inhibitor)—in combination with ofloxacin. We conducted this investigation under pre-, co-, and post-treatment conditions, employing a wide concentration range and utilizing four distinct synergy models. Chloramphenicol, rifampicin, and arsenate consistently showed minimal synergy scores, indicating a notable antagonistic relationship with ofloxacin across all models and conditions. In contrast, thioridazine consistently demonstrated elevated synergy scores, especially in pre- and co-treatment scenarios, albeit its synergy decreased during post-treatment conditions. When multivariable linear regression analyses were used for all drugs and conditions examined, a correlation between the synergy of thioridazine and its ability to suppress cellular energy metabolism became evident, underscoring the potential utility of certain metabolic inhibitors as effective anti-persistence adjuvants.
Study of key residues in MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 main proteases for resistance against clinically applied inhibitors nirmatrelvir and ensitrelvir
Authors: Krismer Laura , Schöppe Helge , Rauch Stefanie , Bante David , Sprenger Bernhard , Naschberger Andreas , Costacurta Francesco , Fürst Anna , Sauerwein Anna , Rupp Bernhard , Kaserer Teresa , von Laer Dorothee , Heilmann Emmanuel
Published: June 2024

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an epidemic, zoonotically emerging pathogen initially reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. MERS-CoV has the potential to mutate or recombine with other coronaviruses, thus acquiring the ability to efficiently spread among humans and become pandemic. Its high mortality rate of up to 35% and the absence of effective targeted therapies call for the development of antiviral drugs for this pathogen. Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, extensive research has focused on identifying protease inhibitors for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Our intention was therefore to assess whether these protease inhibitors are viable options for combating MERS-CoV. To that end, we used previously established protease assays to quantify inhibition of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and other main proteases. Nirmatrelvir inhibited several of these proteases, whereas ensitrelvir was less broadly active. To simulate nirmatrelvir’s clinical use against MERS-CoV and subsequent resistance development, we applied a safe, surrogate virus-based system. Using the surrogate virus, we previously selected hallmark mutations of SARS-CoV-2-Mpro, such as T21I, M49L, S144A, E166A/K/V and L167F. In the current study, we selected a pool of MERS-CoV-Mpro mutants, characterized the resistance and modelled the steric effect of catalytic site mutants S142G, S142R, S147Y and A171S.
Investigation of sodium insertion in hard carbon with operando small angle neutron scattering
Authors: Reynolds Emily M. , Fitzpatrick Jack , Jones Martin O. , Tapia-Ruiz Nuria , Playford Helen Y. , Hull Stephen , McClelland Innes , Baker Peter J. , Cussen Serena A. , Pérez Gabriel E.
Published: June 2024

Suggested sodiation mechanism of hard carbon during discharge from operando small angle neutron scattering data analysis.
A gelatin-based ionogel with anti-swelling properties for underwater human physiological signal detection
Authors: Guan Xin , Bi Mengliang , Sun Shengyu , Yang Yongqi , Sun Jian , Jin Zhaohui , Ren Hailun , Gao Zijian
Published: June 2024

Preparation of ionogels with excellent mechanical properties, anti-swelling behavior and electrical conductivity properties for underwater flexible sensors.
Transient polymer electronics enabled by grafting of oligo-3-hexylthiophenes onto polycaprolactone
Authors: Chan Eddie Wai Chi , Sun Xin , Uda Yuhka , Zhu Bicheng , Barker David , Travas-Sejdic Jadranka
Published: June 2024

An approach to transience in polymer electronic materials featuring varying lengths of conductive oligo 3-hexylthiophene (O3HT) grafted, at different densities, onto a degradable polycaprolactone (PCL) backbone was demonstrated.
Comparative understanding of peroxide quantitation assays: a case study with peptide drug product degradation
Authors: Dutta Kingshuk , Zheng Tao , Hetrick Evan M.
Published: June 2024

In this article, three peroxide quantitation assays based on absorbance, fluorescence and chemiluminescence were compared; selected methods were tested to understand the forced degradation of peptide drug products with spiked hydrogen peroxide.
Detection of GSH with a dual-mode biosensor based on carbon quantum dots prepared from dragon fruit peel and the T-Hg(ii)-T mismatch
Authors: Zhao Weiqin , Zhai Ruichen , Chen Qianxiao , Huang Chun , Li Haojia , Zhu Youyu , Duan Yingfeng , Gao Jie
Published: June 2024

A dual-mode biosensor based on carbon quantum dots prepared from dragon fruit peel and the T-Hg(ii)-T mismatch for detection of GSH.
“Turn-on” fluorescence sensing for sensitively detecting Cr(vi) via a guest exchange process in Cu NCs@MIL-101 composites
Authors: Chen Huijing , Peng Bo , Zhang Ping , Yang Ying , Hu Xue
Published: June 2024

A ‘turn-on’ fluorescence sensing system based on the Cu NCs@MIL-101 composite for sensitively detecting Cr(vi) was developed via a simple guest exchange process between C(Cr) and Cu NCs in MIL-101.
Reactivity study of Lewis superacidic carborane-based analogue of 9-bromo-9-borafluorene towards Lewis bases
Authors: Xiang Libo , Matler Alexander , Tan Leibo , Ye Qing
Published: June 2024

The reactivity of the Lewis superacidic 3D analogue of 9-bromo-9-borafluorene with various Lewis bases has been investigated.
Inhibition mechanism of theaflavins on matrix metalloproteinase-2: inhibition kinetics, multispectral analysis, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Guo Jing , Hu Mengna , Yang Mingqi , Cao Huang , Li Hongan , Zhu Jiayu , Li Shuang , Zhang Jinsheng
Published: June 2024

Extraction, molecular structure, inhibition mechanism with MMP-2, and application prospects of theaflavins.
Strengthening eco-friendly packaging from pectin by filling with poly(ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles and tailoring the degree of methyl-esterification
Authors: Lorevice Marcos Vinicius , Baccarin Graziela Solferini , Souza Juliana Reghine , Claro Pedro Ivo Cunha , de Moura Márcia Regina , Otoni Caio Gomide , Mattoso Luiz Henrique Capparelli
Published: June 2024

Incorporating PCLNPs into pectin films increased their tensile strength by 3.5-fold (75 MPa) while maintaining their thermal stability, offering sustainable packaging alternatives.
Design and synthesis of chromene-1,2,3-triazole benzene sulfonamide hybrids as potent carbonic anhydrase-IX inhibitors against prostate cancer
Authors: Albelwi Fawzia F. , Nafie Mohamed S. , Albujuq Nader R. , Hourani Wafa , Aljuhani Ateyatallah , Darwish Khaled M. , Tawfik Mohamed M. , Rezki Nadjet , Aouad Mohamed Reda
Published: June 2024

A novel synthesized chromene-1,2,3-triazole benzene sulfonamide exhibited potent apoptosis induction through carbonic anhydrase-IX inhibition against prostate cancer.
Investigation and development of photocathodes using polyaniline Encapsulated Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets for dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Nagalingam Suruthi Priya , Pandiaraj Saravanan , Alodhayb Abdullah. N. , Grace Andrews Nirmala
Published: June 2024

Polyaniline (PANI) modified two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx MXene composites (PANI-Ti3C2Tx) as photocathodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).
Nanoscale, surface-confined phase separation by electron beam induced oxidation
Authors: Barth Sven , Porrati Fabrizio , Knez Daniel , Jungwirth Felix , Jochmann Nicolas P. , Huth Michael , Winkler Robert , Plank Harald , Gracia Isabel , Cané Carles
Published: June 2024

Electron-assisted oxidation of Co–Si-based focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) materials is shown to form an oxide bilayer with a total thickness of less than 15 nm by phase separation.
Enantioselective synthesis of all stereoisomers of geosmin and of biosynthetically related natural products
Authors: Yin Zhiyong , Maczka Michael , Schnakenburg Gregor , Schulz Stefan , Dickschat Jeroen S.
Published: June 2024

Several derivatives of geosmin were enantioselectively synthesised, resulting in the identification of a geosmin synthase side product and the determination of the absolute configuration of a reported compound.
Synthesis and performance evaluation of zinc oxide tubes/alginate microfibre composites for photodegradation of methylene blue: a novel reporting approach
Authors: Bsoul Anas , Alkhaldi Ibrahim , Albiss Borhan , Ocak Yusuf Selim , Mohamed Ali Mohamed Sultan
Published: June 2024

The synthesis of ZnO nanotubes-alginate microfibres for MB photocatalytic degradation with innovative results presentation.
Photoluminescence mechanisms of BF2-formazanate dye sensitizers: a theoretical study
Authors: Suwannakham Parichart , Panajapo Pannipa , Promma Phorntep , Khrootkaew Tunyawat , Kamkaew Anyanee , Sagarik Kritsana
Published: June 2024

Anti-L-ALM of the phenyl rings should be suppressed/delayed, whereas non-L-ALM should be promoted to enhance photoluminescence of the BF2-FORM-D photosensitizer.