bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene/polypyrrole/carbon black nanocomposite material ink-based screen-printed low-cost, flexible humidity sensor
Authors: Parthasarathy P.
Published: November 2023

The detection of humidity is crucial for various applications in industry, healthcare, and the environment. To meet the needs of many of these applications, humidity sensors must be flexible, disposable, and easily fabricated. This article introduces a cost-effective and flexible humidity sensor created on a paper substrate, using graphene-polypyrrole-carbon black ink. The sensor shows excellent sensing capabilities, with a resistance change of approximately 12.2 Ω/%RH when exposed to humidity ranging from 23%RH to 92.7%RH. Additionally, the sensor is highly flexible, stable, and repeatable for over 50 cycles, with a short response/recovery time of approximately 5 s/7 s for respiration rate monitoring. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrates good reproducibility, with minor variations of approximately ± 1 Ω/%RH. The performance of the produced humidity sensor is assessed for monitoring humidity in a spatial setting as well as monitoring soil moisture. As a result, these findings indicate that the proposed humidity sensor is resilient enough to be used in wearable and flexible electronic devices.
The role of protein arginine methylation 5 in DNA damage repair and cancer therapy
Authors: Gao Qikun , Liu Ziyi , Liu Jinyang , Yan Xuyang , Dai Junfei , Zhang Zixuan , Li Rongxiao , Basnet Shiva , Du Changzheng
Published: November 2023

Protein arginine methylation, a post-translational modification (PTM), is fundamental in regulating protein function and stability. Among the nine protein methyl transferases (PRMT), PRMT5 plays a critical role in promoting oncogenic processes including tumor proliferation, invasiveness, immune escape and DNA damage repair through different signaling pathways. It is also a target in cancer therapy, with numerous inhibitors in clinical trial. In this review, we focus on the biological functions of PRMT5 in DNA damage repair and maintenance of genome stability in cancer, and summarize the development advance of PRMT5 inhibitors in cancer therapy.
Experimental study of the influence of pad angle on the thermal performance of a direct evaporative cooling system
Authors: Mehrabi M. , Goudarzi K. , Farahani S. Davoodabadi
Published: November 2023

One of the most important parts of direct evaporative cooling systems is the cooling pad. Pads vary in materials and construction features. The parameters studied in the performance of the pads are air speed, pad thickness, geometrical characteristics, and its configuration and the provided water flow rate. The performance of the pads is usually determined through saturation efficiency, pressure drop, temperature drop and humidity increase in the treated air, evaporation and water consumption, cooling capacity, coefficient of performance, and heat and mass transfer coefficients. Since the geometry and how to place the pad in the evaporative cooling system is one of the most important issues related to the performance of such systems, the present work experimentally investigates the amount of cooling and evaporation of the direct evaporative cooling system under 5 different angles of placement of the cellulose pad in relation to the vertical position. It includes angles of $$0^\circ$$

0
∘

, $$5^\circ$$

5
∘

, $$10^\circ$$

10
∘

, $$15^\circ$$

15
∘

, and $$20^\circ$$

20
∘

in 5 different air speeds, 2 different inlet water flow rates, 2 inlet air temperatures, and 2 different inlet water temperatures. Results show that the lowest output temperature, highest air relative humidity, highest coefficient of performance (about 12% more than $$0^\circ$$

0
∘

), highest saturation efficiency, and highest evaporation rate are obtained in the case of a $$15^\circ$$

15
∘

of cooling pad placement angle.
The Jewish Imperial Imagination
Authors: Feller Yaniv
Published: November 2023

Leo Baeck (1873–1956) was a rabbi, public intellectual, and the official leader of German Jewry during the Holocaust. The Jewish Imperial Imagination shows the myriad ways in which the German imperial enterprise left its imprint on his religious and political thought, and on modern Judaism more generally. This book is the first to explore Baeck's religious thought as political, and situate it within the imperial context of the period which is often ignored in discussions of modern Jewish thought. Baeck's work during the Holocaust is analysed in-depth, drawing on unpublished manuscripts written in Nazi Germany and in the Theresienstadt Ghetto. In the process Yaniv Feller raises new questions about the nature of Jewish missionizing and the German-Jewish imagination of the East as a space for colonisation. He thus develops the concept of the 'Jewish imperial imagination', moving beyond a simple dichotomy of ascribing to or resisting hegemonic narratives.
Multidimensional Grief Therapy
Authors: Kaplow Julie B. , Layne Christopher M. , Pynoos Robert S. , Saltzman William
Published: November 2023

Multidimensional Grief Therapy (MGT) provides counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists (as well as students in these fields) with a flexible program for assessing and supporting children and adolescents who have experienced bereavement. MGT is a strength-based intervention, designed to reduce unhelpful grief reactions that prevent adjustment, and promote adaptive grief reactions that enable children to cope better after a death. It also reduces associated symptoms of psychological distress and helps bereaved children and adolescents lead healthy, happy, productive lives. As young people grieve in different ways and “one-size-fits-all” treatments often lack effectiveness, MGT uses an assessment-driven, two-phased approach to effectively address the unique mental health needs of diverse youth. This manual provides a wealth of activities and handouts designed specifically to engage and empower youth after experiencing a death, including under traumatic circumstances.
Marine conservation palaeobiology: What does the late Quaternary fossil record tell us about modern-day extinctions and biodiversity threats?
Authors: Kowalewski Michał , Nawrot Rafał , Scarponi Daniele , Tomašových Adam , Zuschin Martin
Published: November 2023

Near-time conservation palaeobiology uses palaeontological, archaeological and other geohistorical records to study the late Quaternary transition of the biosphere from its pristine past to its present-day, human-altered state. Given the scarcity of data on recent extinctions in the oceans, geohistorical records are critical for documenting human-driven extinctions and extinction threats in the marine realm. The historical perspective can provide two key insights. First, geohistorical records archive the state of pre-industrial oceans at local, regional and global scales, thus enabling the detection of recent extinctions and extirpations as well as shifts in species distribution, abundance, body size and ecosystem function. Second, we can untangle the contributions of natural and anthropogenic processes by documenting centennial-to-millennial changes in the composition and diversity of marine ecosystems before and after the onset of major human impacts. This long-term perspective identifies recently emerging patterns and processes that are unprecedented, thus allowing us to better assess human threats to marine biodiversity. Although global-scale extinctions are not well documented for brackish and marine invertebrates, geohistorical studies point to numerous extirpations, declines in ecosystem functions, increases in range fragmentation and dwindling abundance of previously widespread species, indicating that marine ecosystems are accumulating a human-driven extinction debt.
Threats and the Public Constraint on Military Spending
Authors: DiGiuseppe Matthew , Aspide Alessia , Becker Jordan
Published: November 2023

The public places an important constraint on funding security in Europe, and austerity risks making the constraint tighter. Several recent studies show that curtailing military spending is a popular way to reduce debt in Europe. Yet it remains unclear if military spending aversion persists when threats are salient. We fielded an original survey experiment in Italy weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine to examine how information about security threats influences military spending preferences and fiscal trade-offs. We found that information about threats increases support for military spending. To validate the survey experiment, we recontacted and remeasured our respondent's preferences three weeks after Russia's invasion and find evidence consistent with our initial experiment. Our findings suggest that, while public opposition to military spending remains high in Italy, external threats dampen the public's opposition to military spending, even under high debt burdens.
ETA, the Algerian FLN, and the Strategy of Political Defence between Europe and the Third World, 1950s–1970s
Authors: Casanellas Pau
Published: November 2023

In recent years, most research on the long ’68 has underlined the importance of connections between the First World and the Third World. This article takes one of these intertwined histories into account: the one that ties ETA to the Algerian FLN. More specifically, it focuses on the strategy of political defence used in some of the trials against ETA members and their inspiration in previous FLN processes. The research pays particular attention to the Burgos Trial of December 1970, which was one of the most notable events in Europe’s long ’68. In Spain, the protests against this court martial marked a turning point in the pathway of the Franco regime. At the same time, the trial inspired an exceptional expression of international solidarity. The article stresses the key role played during the Burgos Trial – and before – by several left-wing lawyers from Spain and France. Their collective experiences and personal trajectories show the relevance of transnational interconnections and illustrate the different genealogies of the idea of political defence, based mainly on communist and anticolonial struggles. Despite pointing out the importance of these exchanges, the research also emphasizes some of their limits and contradictions, something that previous studies have insufficiently addressed.
Arthritis Patient Education: How Economic Evaluations Can Inform Health Policy
Authors: Clarke Ann E.
Published: November 2023

As Canadian health policy-makers struggle to contain costs while maintaining quality, patient education is promoted as making patients more effective producers of health and consumers of health care. Assessment of existing psychoeducational interventions has concentrated on knowledge enhancement, behaviour modification, and health status while economic outcomes have remained unexplored. Given that such programs are likely to be effective, but costly, economic appraisals are necessary to convince cost-conscious policy-makers. This manuscript describes a cost-effectiveness evaluation of the Arthritis Self-Management Program (ASMP) that I and my collaborators are conducting by randomizing participants to the ASMP as an adjunct to usual medical care versus usual medical care. Direct and indirect costs are evaluated through self-reporting of health services utilization and diminished productivity and effectiveness through a visual analogue scale and the SF-36. To influence health policy, the results must be disseminated to public health authorities, private insurers, and patient and health professional organizations, thereby encouraging funding, increasing awareness, and promoting participation.
Frequency reconfigurable two-element MIMO antenna for cognitive radio and 5G new radio sub-6 GHz applications
Authors: Benghanem Yahia , Mansoul Ali , Mouffok Lila
Published: November 2023

In this paper, a compact two-element reconfigurable multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for 5G new radio sub-6 GHz is presented and discussed. The proposed MIMO antenna has four frequency operating modes: a wideband operating mode (2.41–6 GHz), a wideband operating mode with a notching band at 3.5 GHz (3.2–3.66 GHz), a low-pass filter mode that filters the higher frequencies with a wide operating band from 2.41 GHz to 4.7 GHz, and a dual-band mode with two operating narrow bands (2.41–3.16 GHz and 3.64–4.7 GHz). To improve the isolation over the entire operating band, a strip line connecting the two ground planes of the two antenna elements has been used. To validate the proposed approach, different prototypes have been fabricated and measured. The simulation results are in good agreement with the measurement results. The proposed antenna has good MIMO diversity performance with a maximum gain of 4.64 dBi. The minimum isolation is 18 dB for the four operating modes, while a measured envelope correlation coefficient of less than 0.008 is achieved. The diversity gain is near 10 dB for various operating modes. The antenna is suitable for cognitive radio and 5G sub-6 GHz applications.
Progress toward alleviating preventable waterborne diseases over the past 30 years
Authors: Ford Tim , Hamner Steve
Published: November 2023

Over the past several decades, there have been a number of national and international meetings on waterborne diseases. Conclusions from these meetings often seem remarkably similar and suggest little progress in the field of water and health. This is both a true and a false premise, as our ability to use molecular tools to describe microbial communities has advanced to the level at which whole genome sequencing is now a routine practice and can even be deployed in the field. This article seeks to illustrate both these advances and their limitations, especially for use in low-resourced settings. What remains clear is that for most of the world, basic hygiene and sanitation measures can do more for human health than any of our current advances in molecular biology. That is not to say that these advances are not remarkable and that they can undoubtedly revolutionize risk-based testing and surveillance. Although there are many factors that contribute to increased risks from waterborne diseases, climate change above all else is creating challenges that we are ill-prepared to meet. The biggest barrier to control of these diseases is not limitations in technology but has been and continues to be the lack of political will and economic incentives.
Differences in Methanogenic Pathways and Communities in Paddy Soils Under Three Typical Cropping Modes
Authors: Shen Wanyu , Ji Yang , Huang Qiong , Zhu Xiaoli , Ma Jing , Zhang Guangbin , Xu Hua
Published: November 2023

The methane (CH4) production process in paddy fields varies depending on different cropping modes. However, there is limited knowledge on the changes in anaerobically produced CH4 isotopic ratios (δ13CH4), the methanogenic pathways, and the dominant communities of methanogens in paddy soils under different modes. To address this, we conducted experiments using anaerobic incubation methods, stable carbon isotope fractionation through inhibition studies with fluoromethane, and high‐throughput sequencing. These methods allowed us to measure the CH4 production potential (MPP), the relative contribution of acetoclastic methanogenesis to CH4 production (fac), and the composition of the methanogen community in paddy soils under three typical cropping modes: Rice‐Wheat (RW), Rice‐Fallow (RF), and Double‐Rice (DR) in China. The results showed that MPP was 30.7 μg CH4 g−1 d−1 in DR soil, around 57% and 66% higher than that in RW and RF soils, respectively, possibly due to the lower pH, clay content, and higher abundance of the mcrA gene. Moreover, RF soil had the highest value of produced δ13CH4 (−43.9‰) but the lowest value of produced δ13CO2 (−26.3‰). Based on the carbon isotope fractionation associated with methanogenesis via H2/CO2 reduction (1.049–1.062), the values of fac estimated in the RF soil (80%–98%) were much higher than that in the RW (39%–60%) and DR soils (52%–75%). This could be supported by the finding showing that Methanosarcina, the acetoclastic methanogens, were dominant in RF soil, while Methanosarcina and Methanobacterium (the hydrogenotrophic methanogens) dominated in RW and DR soils. Redundancy analysis revealed that the community structure of methanogens was significantly affected by soil pH. The findings suggest that differences in the abundance and composition of methanogens, possibly driven by soil pH, play a key role in regulating methanogenesis in the paddy soils, and further provide valuable insights into the process of CH4 production in different cropping modes.
The tumor-enriched small molecule gambogic amide suppresses glioma by targeting WDR1-dependent cytoskeleton remodeling
Authors: Qu Jiaorong , Qiu Bojun , Zhang Yuxin , Hu Yan , Wang Zhixing , Guan Zhiang , Qin Yiming , Sui Tongtong , Wu Fan , Li Boyang , Han Wei , Peng Xiaozhong
Published: November 2023

Glioma is the most prevalent brain tumor, presenting with limited treatment options, while patients with malignant glioma and glioblastoma (GBM) have poor prognoses. The physical obstacle to drug delivery imposed by the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) and glioma stem cells (GSCs), which are widely recognized as crucial elements contributing to the unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. In this study, we found a small molecule, gambogic amide (GA-amide), exhibited the ability to effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and displayed a notable enrichment within the tumor region. Moreover, GA-amide exhibited significant efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth across various in vivo glioma models, encompassing transgenic and primary patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. We further performed a genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) knockout screen to determine the druggable target of GA-amide. By the combination of the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), the drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) approach, molecular docking simulation and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, WD repeat domain 1 (WDR1) was identified as the direct binding target of GA-amide. Through direct interaction with WDR1, GA-amide promoted the formation of a complex involving WDR1, MYH9 and Cofilin, which accelerate the depolymerization of F-actin to inhibit the invasion of patient-derived glioma cells (PDCs) and induce PDC apoptosisviathe mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, our study not only identified GA-amide as an effective and safe agent for treating glioma but also shed light on the underlying mechanisms of GA-amide from the perspective of cytoskeletal homeostasis.
Inflammation in the tumor-adjacent lung as a predictor of clinical outcome in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Dolgalev Igor , Zhou Hua , Murrell Nina , Le Hortense , Sakellaropoulos Theodore , Coudray Nicolas , Zhu Kelsey , Vasudevaraja Varshini , Yeaton Anna , Goparaju Chandra , Li Yonghua , Sulaiman Imran , Tsay Jun-Chieh J. , Meyn Peter , Mohamed Hussein , Sydney Iris , Shiomi Tomoe , Ramaswami Sitharam , Narula Navneet , Kulicke Ruth , Davis Fred P. , Stransky Nicolas , Smolen Gromoslaw A. , Cheng Wei-Yi , Cai James , Punekar Salman , Velcheti Vamsidhar , Sterman Daniel H. , Poirier J. T. , Neel Ben , Wong Kwok-Kin , Chiriboga Luis , Heguy Adriana , Papagiannakopoulos Thales , Nadorp Bettina , Snuderl Matija , Segal Leopoldo N. , Moreira Andre L. , Pass Harvey I. , Tsirigos Aristotelis
Published: November 2023

Approximately 30% of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma patients present with disease progression after successful surgical resection. Despite efforts of mapping the genetic landscape, there has been limited success in discovering predictive biomarkers of disease outcomes. Here we performed a systematic multi-omic assessment of 143 tumors and matched tumor-adjacent, histologically-normal lung tissue with long-term patient follow-up. Through histologic, mutational, and transcriptomic profiling of tumor and adjacent-normal tissue, we identified an inflammatory gene signature in tumor-adjacent tissue as the strongest clinical predictor of disease progression. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the progression-associated inflammatory signature was expressed in both immune and non-immune cells, and cell type-specific profiling in monocytes further improved outcome predictions. Additional analyses of tumor-adjacent transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas validated the association of the inflammatory signature with worse outcomes across cancers. Collectively, our study suggests that molecular profiling of tumor-adjacent tissue can identify patients at high risk for disease progression.
Generalised analytical method unravels framework-dependent kinetics of adsorption-induced structural transition in flexible metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Sakanaka Yuta , Hiraide Shotaro , Sugawara Iori , Uematsu Hajime , Kawaguchi Shogo , Miyahara Minoru T. , Watanabe Satoshi
Published: November 2023

Flexible metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibiting adsorption-induced structural transition can revolutionise adsorption separation processes, including CO2 separation, which has become increasingly important in recent years. However, the kinetics of this structural transition remains poorly understood despite being crucial to process design. Here, the CO2-induced gate opening of ELM-11 ([Cu(BF4)2(4,4’-bipyridine)2]n) is investigated by time-resolved in situ X-ray powder diffraction, and a theoretical kinetic model of this process is developed to gain atomistic insight into the transition dynamics. The thus-developed model consists of the differential pressure from the gate opening (indicating the ease of structural transition) and reaction model terms (indicating the transition propagation within the crystal). The reaction model of ELM-11 is an autocatalytic reaction with two pathways for CO2 penetration of the framework. Moreover, gas adsorption analyses of two other flexible MOFs with different flexibilities indicate that the kinetics of the adsorption-induced structural transition is highly dependent on framework structure.
Unlocking the potential of allogeneic Vδ2 T cells for ovarian cancer therapy through CD16 biomarker selection and CAR/IL-15 engineering
Authors: Lee Derek , Dunn Zachary Spencer , Guo Wenbin , Rosenthal Carl J. , Penn Natalie E. , Yu Yanqi , Zhou Kuangyi , Li Zhe , Ma Feiyang , Li Miao , Song Tsun-Ching , Cen Xinjian , Li Yan-Ruide , Zhou Jin J. , Pellegrini Matteo , Wang Pin , Yang Lili
Published: November 2023

Allogeneic Vγ9Vδ2 (Vδ2) T cells have emerged as attractive candidates for developing cancer therapy due to their established safety in allogeneic contexts and inherent tumor-fighting capabilities. Nonetheless, the limited clinical success of Vδ2 T cell-based treatments may be attributed to donor variability, short-lived persistence, and tumor immune evasion. To address these constraints, we engineer Vδ2 T cells with enhanced attributes. By employing CD16 as a donor selection biomarker, we harness Vδ2 T cells characterized by heightened cytotoxicity and potent antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) functionality. RNA sequencing analysis supports the augmented effector potential of Vδ2 T cells derived from CD16 high (CD16Hi) donors. Substantial enhancements are further achieved through CAR and IL-15 engineering methodologies. Preclinical investigations in two ovarian cancer models substantiate the effectiveness and safety of engineered CD16Hi Vδ2 T cells. These cells target tumors through multiple mechanisms, exhibit sustained in vivo persistence, and do not elicit graft-versus-host disease. These findings underscore the promise of engineered CD16Hi Vδ2 T cells as a viable therapeutic option for cancer treatment.
Temporal chromatin accessibility changes define transcriptional states essential for osteosarcoma metastasis
Authors: Pontius W. Dean , Hong Ellen S. , Faber Zachary J. , Gray Jeremy , Peacock Craig D. , Bayles Ian , Lovrenert Katreya , Chin Diana H. , Gryder Berkley E. , Bartels Cynthia F. , Scacheri Peter C.
Published: November 2023

The metastasis-invasion cascade describes the series of steps required for a cancer cell to successfully spread from its primary tumor and ultimately grow within a secondary organ. Despite metastasis being a dynamic, multistep process, most omics studies to date have focused on comparing primary tumors to the metastatic deposits that define end-stage disease. This static approach means we lack information about the genomic and epigenomic changes that occur during the majority of tumor progression. One particularly understudied phase of tumor progression is metastatic colonization, during which cells must adapt to the new microenvironment of the secondary organ. Through temporal profiling of chromatin accessibility and gene expression in vivo, we identify dynamic changes in the epigenome that occur as osteosarcoma tumors form and grow within the lung microenvironment. Furthermore, we show through paired in vivo and in vitro CRISPR drop-out screens and pharmacological validation that the upstream transcription factors represent a class of metastasis-specific dependency genes. While current models depict lung colonization as a discrete step within the metastatic cascade, our study shows it is a defined trajectory through multiple epigenetic states, revealing new therapeutic opportunities undetectable with standard approaches.
Immuno-metabolic dendritic cell vaccine signatures associate with overall survival in vaccinated melanoma patients
Authors: Adamik Juraj , Munson Paul V. , Maurer Deena M. , Hartmann Felix J. , Bendall Sean C. , Argüello Rafael J. , Butterfield Lisa H.
Published: November 2023

Efficacy of cancer vaccines remains low and mechanistic understanding of antigen presenting cell function in cancer may improve vaccine design and outcomes. Here, we analyze the transcriptomic and immune-metabolic profiles of Dendritic Cells (DCs) from 35 subjects enrolled in a trial of DC vaccines in late-stage melanoma (NCT01622933). Multiple platforms identify metabolism as an important biomarker of DC function and patient overall survival (OS). We demonstrate multiple immune and metabolic gene expression pathway alterations, a functional decrease in OCR/OXPHOS and increase in ECAR/glycolysis in patient vaccines. To dissect molecular mechanisms, we utilize single cell SCENITH functional profiling and show patient clinical outcomes (OS) correlate with DC metabolic profile, and that metabolism is linked to immune phenotype. With single cell metabolic regulome profiling, we show that MCT1 (monocarboxylate transporter-1), a lactate transporter, is increased in patient DCs, as is glucose uptake and lactate secretion. Importantly, pre-vaccination circulating myeloid cells in patients used as precursors for DC vaccine generation are significantly skewed metabolically as are several DC subsets. Together, we demonstrate that the metabolic profile of DC is tightly associated with the immunostimulatory potential of DC vaccines from cancer patients. We link phenotypic and functional metabolic changes to immune signatures that correspond to suppressed DC differentiation.
Real-time signal processing via chemical reactions for a microfluidic molecular communication system
Authors: Walter Vivien , Bi Dadi , Salehi-Reyhani Ali , Deng Yansha
Published: November 2023

Signal processing over the molecular domain is critical for analysing, modifying, and synthesising chemical signals in molecular communication systems. However, the lack of chemical signal processing blocks and the wide use of electronic devices to process electrical signals in existing molecular communication platforms can hardly meet the biocompatible, non-invasive, and size-miniaturised requirements of applications in various fields, e.g., medicine, biology, and environment sciences. To tackle this, here we design and construct a liquid-based microfluidic molecular communication platform for performing chemical concentration signal processing and digital signal transmission over distances. By specifically designing chemical reactions and microfluidic geometry, the transmitter of our platform is capable of shaping the emitted signals, and the receiver is able to threshold, amplify, and detect the chemical signals after propagation. By encoding bit information into the concentration of sodium hydroxide, we demonstrate that our platform can achieve molecular signal modulation and demodulation functionalities, and reliably transmit text messages over long distances. This platform is further optimised to maximise data rate while minimising communication error. The presented methodology for real-time chemical signal processing can enable the implementation of signal processing units in biological settings and then unleash its potential for interdisciplinary applications.
Accessible hotspots for single-protein SERS in DNA-origami assembled gold nanorod dimers with tip-to-tip alignment
Authors: Schuknecht Francis , Kołątaj Karol , Steinberger Michael , Liedl Tim , Lohmueller Theobald
Published: November 2023

The label-free identification of individual proteins from liquid samples by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is a highly desirable goal in biomedical diagnostics. However, the small Raman scattering cross-section of most (bio-)molecules requires a means to strongly amplify their Raman signal for successful measurement, especially for single molecules. This amplification can be achieved in a plasmonic hotspot that forms between two adjacent gold nanospheres. However, the small (≈1−2 nm) gaps typically required for single-molecule measurements are not accessible for most proteins. A useful strategy would thus involve dimer structures with gaps large enough to accommodate single proteins, whilst providing sufficient field enhancement for single-molecule SERS. Here, we report on using a DNA origami scaffold for tip-to-tip alignment of gold nanorods with an average gap size of 8 nm. The gaps are accessible to streptavidin and thrombin, which are captured at the plasmonic hotspot by specific anchoring sites on the origami template. The field enhancement achieved for the nanorod dimers is sufficient for single-protein SERS spectroscopy with sub-second integration times. This design for SERS probes composed of DNA origami with accessible hotspots promotes future use for single-molecule biodiagnostics in the near-infrared range.
Emergence of Weyl fermions by ferrimagnetism in a noncentrosymmetric magnetic Weyl semimetal
Authors: Li Cong , Zhang Jianfeng , Wang Yang , Liu Hongxiong , Guo Qinda , Rienks Emile , Chen Wanyu , Bertran Francois , Yang Huancheng , Phuyal Dibya , Fedderwitz Hanna , Thiagarajan Balasubramanian , Dendzik Maciej , Berntsen Magnus H. , Shi Youguo , Xiang Tao , Tjernberg Oscar
Published: November 2023

Condensed matter physics has often provided a platform for investigating the interplay between particles and fields in cases that have not been observed in high-energy physics. Here, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we provide an example of this by visualizing the electronic structure of a noncentrosymmetric magnetic Weyl semimetal candidate NdAlSi in both the paramagnetic and ferrimagnetic states. We observe surface Fermi arcs and bulk Weyl fermion dispersion as well as the emergence of new Weyl fermions in the ferrimagnetic state. Our results establish NdAlSi as a magnetic Weyl semimetal and provide an experimental observation of ferrimagnetic regulation of Weyl fermions in condensed matter.
Rational design of microRNA-responsive switch for programmable translational control in mammalian cells
Authors: Ning Hui , Liu Gan , Li Lei , Liu Qiang , Huang Huiya , Xie Zhen
Published: November 2023

Artificial RNA translation modulation usually relies on multiple components, such as RNA binding proteins (RBPs) or microRNAs (miRNAs) for off-switches and double-inverter cascades for on-switches. Recently, translational circular RNAs (circRNAs) were developed as promising alternatives for linear messenger RNAs (mRNAs). However, circRNAs still lack straightforward and programmable translation control strategies. Here, we rationally design a programmable miRNA-responsive internal ribosome entry site (IRES) translation activation and repression (PROMITAR) platform capable of implementing miRNA-based translation upregulation and downregulation in a single RNA construct. Based on the PROMITAR platform, we construct logic gates and cell-type classifier circRNAs and successfully identify desired mammalian cell types. We also demonstrate the potential therapeutic application of our platform for targeted cancer cell killing by encoding a cytotoxic protein in our engineered circRNAs. We expect our platform to expand the toolbox for RNA synthetic biology and provide an approach for potential biomedical applications in the future.
IL6 suppresses vaccine responses in neonates by enhancing IL2 activity on T follicular helper cells
Authors: Parvathaneni Swetha , Yang Jiyeon , Lotspeich-Cole Leda , Sakai Jiro , Lee Robert C. , Akkoyunlu Mustafa
Published: November 2023

The inability of neonates to develop CD4+FoxP3-CXCR5hiPD-1hi T follicular helper (TFH) cells contributes to their weak vaccine responses. In previous studies, we measured diminished IgG responses when IL-6 was co-injected with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in neonatal mice. This is in sharp contrast to adults, where IL-6 improves vaccine responses by downregulating the expression of IL-2Rβ on TFH cells and protecting them from the inhibitory effect of IL-2. In this study, we found that splenic IL-6 levels rapidly increased in both adult and neonatal mice following immunization, but the increase in neonatal mice was significantly more than that of adult mice. Moreover, immunized neonatal TFH cells expressed significantly more IL-2 as well as its receptors, IL-2Rα and IL-2Rβ, than the adult cells. Remarkably, IL-6 co-injection with PCV vaccine further increased the production of IL-2 and the expression of its receptors by neonatal TFH cells, whereas excess IL-6 had totally opposite effect in immunized adult mice. Underscoring the role of IL-6 in activating the IL-2 mediated suppression of vaccine responses, immunization of IL-6 knock-out neonates led to improved antibody responses accompanied by expanded TFH cells as well as lower levels of IL-2 and IL-2 receptors on TFH cells. Moreover, CpG containing PCV improved TFH response in neonates by suppressing the expression of IL-2 receptors on TFH cells and inhibiting IL-2 activity. These findings unveil age-specific differences in IL-6 mediated vaccine responses and highlight the need to consider age-related immunobiological attributes in designing vaccines.
An annotated grain kernel image database for visual quality inspection
Authors: Fan Lei , Ding Yiwen , Fan Dongdong , Wu Yong , Chu Hongxia , Pagnucco Maurice , Song Yang
Published: November 2023

We present a machine vision-based database named GrainSet for the purpose of visual quality inspection of grain kernels. The database contains more than 350K single-kernel images with experts’ annotations. The grain kernels used in the study consist of four types of cereal grains including wheat, maize, sorghum and rice, and were collected from over 20 regions in 5 countries. The surface information of each kernel is captured by our custom-built device equipped with high-resolution optic sensor units, and corresponding sampling information and annotations include collection location and time, morphology, physical size, weight, and Damage & Unsound grain categories provided by senior inspectors. In addition, we employed a commonly used deep learning model to provide classification results as a benchmark. We believe that our GrainSet will facilitate future research in fields such as assisting inspectors in grain quality inspections, providing guidance for grain storage and trade, and contributing to applications of smart agriculture.
Emphatic information on bone mineral loss using quantitative ultrasound sonometer for expeditious prediction of osteoporosis
Authors: Ramaraj Kottaimalai , Murugan Pallikonda Rajasekaran , Amiya Gautam , Govindaraj Vishnuvarthanan , Vasudevan Muneeswaran , Thirumurugan M. , Zhang Yudong , Abdullah S. Sheik , Thiyagarajan Arunprasath
Published: November 2023

Osteoporosis (OP) and osteoarthritis (OA) are skeletal disorders characterized by a reduction in bone density and quality, resulting in increased fragility and susceptibility to fractures. These illnesses are exhibiting a higher prevalence among both males and females. Fracture risk is determined by using the BMD score (Bone Mineral Density). Looking at the bone loss that comes with osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis (OP), this study also looks at the technological methods used to test for these conditions in order to improve therapies and treatment plans for older people. As a matter of consideration, the prevalence of osteoporosis is higher among postmenopausal women (20%) compared to premenopausal women (14.28%) and males (6.77%). The utilization of a preliminary calcaneal Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) examination is warranted in order to effectively handle the matter of osteoporosis. The prompt assessment of a patient can provide valuable insights into potential fractures and aid in the prevention of bone injury. In a nutshell, it is imperative to comprehend the impact of OA (osteoarthritis) and OP (osteoporosis) on bone health in order to effectively manage the escalating apprehensions surrounding these conditions. Sophisticated diagnostic techniques, such as the calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) test, have the potential to enhance the well-being of older individuals by enabling early detection and treatment of many ailments.
Field emission in vacuum resonant tunneling heterostructures with high current densities
Authors: Davidovich Michael V. , Nefedov Igor S. , Glukhova Olga E. , Slepchenkov Michael M. , Rubi J. Miguel
Published: November 2023

We analyse the steady-state thermal regime of a one-dimensional triode resonant tunnelling structure. The high currents generated by resonant tunnelling produce a large amount of heat that could damage the structure. Establishing the conditions under which it can operate at optimum efficiency is therefore a problem of great relevance for applications. The tunnel current is found via eigenvalues of the Schrödinger equation in quantum wells. By calculating the current generated in the device and using the energy conservation law in the electrodes, the temperature reached is obtained for different types of electrodes and the importance of heat conduction and thermal radiation is analysed. In the cases discussed, conduction is dominant. When the electrode material is copper, the temperature reached is similar to that of the thermostat for a wide range of electrode lengths, whereas when the cathode material is diamond-graphite and the anode material is copper, the temperature increases significantly as a function of length. The results obtained allow the temperature to be controlled for optimum performance of the field-emitting triode structures.
Electrochemical and DFT studies of Terminalia bellerica fruit extract as an eco-friendly inhibitor for the corrosion of steel
Authors: Abuelela Ahmed M. , Kaur Jasdeep , Saxena Akhil , Bedair Mahmoud A. , Verma Dakeshwar Kumar , Berdimurodov Elyor
Published: November 2023

It is well known that metal corrosion causes serious economy losses worldwide. One of the most effective ways to prevent corrosion is the continuous development of high-efficient and environment-friendly corrosion inhibitors. Among the widely used organic and inorganic corrosion inhibitors, plant extracts are top candidates due to their nontoxic nature. The present study reports a novel application of the methanolic extract of Terminalia bellerica fruits as an environment friendly corrosion inhibitor for steel in sulphuric acid medium. The phytochemicals of the extract, namely Ellagic, Gallic, and Malic acids, play a key role of the anti-corrosive behavior of the extract. The corrosion prevention activity was studied on the steel in 1 M H2SO4 using a variety of approaches including weight loss analysis (WL), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), density functional theory (DFT), natural bond orbital analysis (NBO), Fukui function and Monte Carlo simulations (MC). In 1 M H2SO4 solution, the maximum electrochemical inhibition efficiency of 91.79% was observed at 4000 mg/L concentration of the extract. The NBO analysis showed that the charge density of the double bonds and the oxygen atoms of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups of the phytochemicals lies on the top of the natural bond orbitals which promotes the anticorrosive properties of the investigated inhibitors. The surface coverage of steel was validated by SEM measurements. According to DFT studies, numerous nucleophilic regions were present in the active phytochemical constituents of the inhibitor, demonstrating their favorable nucleophilicity. The computed electronic structure of the phytochemicals revealed band gaps of 4.813, 5.444, and 7.562 eV for Ellagic, Gallic, and Malic acids respectively suggesting effective metal-inhibitor interactions. A good correlation between experimental and theoretical findings was addressed.
The mitochondrial respiration signature of the bovine blastocyst reflects both environmental conditions of development as well as embryo quality
Authors: Kurzella Jessica , Miskel Dennis , Rings Franca , Tholen Ernst , Tesfaye Dawit , Schellander Karl , Salilew-Wondim Dessie , Held-Hoelker Eva , Große-Brinkhaus Christine , Hoelker Michael
Published: November 2023

The major limitation of the widespread use of IVP derived embryos is their consistent deficiencies in vitality when compared with their ex vivo derived counterparts. Although embryo metabolism is considered a useful metric of embryo quality, research connecting mitochondrial function with the developmental capacity of embryos is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse bovine embryo respiration signatures in relation to developmental capacity. This was achieved by taking advantage of two generally accepted metrics for developmental capacity: (I) environmental conditions during development (vivo vs. vitro) and (II) developmental kinetics (day 7 vs. day 8 blastocysts). Our study showed that the developmental environment affected total embryo oxygen consumption while different morphokinetics illustrating the embryo qualities correlate with maximal mitochondrial respiration, mitochondrial spare capacity, ATP-linked respiration as well as efficiency of ATP generation. This respiration fingerprint for high embryo quality is reflected by relatively lower lipid contents and relatively higher ROS contents. In summary, the results of the present study extend the existing knowledge on the relationship between bovine embryo quality and the signature of mitochondrial respiration by considering contrasting developmental environments as well as different embryo morphokinetics.
The impact of brain lesions on tDCS-induced electric fields
Authors: Evans Carys , Johnstone Ainslie , Zich Catharina , Lee Jenny S. A. , Ward Nick S. , Bestmann Sven
Published: November 2023

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance motor and language rehabilitation after stroke. Though brain lesions distort tDCS-induced electric field (E-field), systematic accounts remain limited. Using electric field modelling, we investigated the effect of 630 synthetic lesions on E-field magnitude in the region of interest (ROI). Models were conducted for two tDCS montages targeting either primary motor cortex (M1) or Broca’s area (BA44). Absolute E-field magnitude in the ROI differed by up to 42% compared to the non-lesioned brain depending on lesion size, lesion-ROI distance, and lesion conductivity value. Lesion location determined the sign of this difference: lesions in-line with the predominant direction of current increased E-field magnitude in the ROI, whereas lesions located in the opposite direction decreased E-field magnitude. We further explored how individualised tDCS can control lesion-induced effects on E-field. Lesions affected the individualised electrode configuration needed to maximise E-field magnitude in the ROI, but this effect was negligible when prioritising the maximisation of radial inward current. Lesions distorting tDCS-induced E-field, is likely to exacerbate inter-individual variability in E-field magnitude. Individualising electrode configuration and stimulator output can minimise lesion-induced variability but requires improved estimates of lesion conductivity. Individualised tDCS is critical to overcome E-field variability in lesioned brains.
Influence of calcium carbonate sludge on cement-stabilized subgrade quality as investigated by means of electrical resistivity measurements
Authors: Wiwattanachang Narongchai , Vichalai Chanarop , Giao Pham Huy
Published: November 2023

Calcium carbonate [CaCO3] is a key raw material used in the clarification of sugarcane juice for syrup production. The CaCO3 sludge produced during the clarification process is waste that needs to be stored, creating a geoenvironmental problem. On the other hand, it has been found that cement-stabilized subgrade is a suitable alternative for improving the quality of a subgrade course. This study aimed to investigate the influence of calcium carbonate sludge on the quality of the subgrade. The subgrade was composed of a mixture of 10% to 30% CaCO3 sludge, 1% to 3% of original Portland cement (OPC), and 67% to 100% of unqualified crushed rocks by weight. The modified Proctor method was used to compact soil–cement admixture samples, which were then tested for mechanical properties and electrical resistivity. The Wenner electrode array was used to measure electrical resistivity and compare it to the unconfined compressive strength of 16 different types of soil–cement mixtures after 7 days. The results of experiments show that the basic properties of CaCO3 sludge, when mixed with OPC and packed down, can make the best soil–cement mixture. As a result of this study, electrical resistivity was found to be in good correlation with unconfined compressive strength, thus opening up a time-saving and cost-effective way to check the quality of a soil–cement mixture.
SIGNET: transcriptome-wide causal inference for gene regulatory networks
Authors: Jiang Zhongli , Chen Chen , Xu Zhenyu , Wang Xiaojian , Zhang Min , Zhang Dabao
Published: November 2023

Gene regulation plays an important role in understanding the mechanisms of human biology and diseases. However, inferring causal relationships between all genes is challenging due to the large number of genes in the transcriptome. Here, we present SIGNET (Statistical Inference on Gene Regulatory Networks), a flexible software package that reveals networks of causal regulation between genes built upon large-scale transcriptomic and genotypic data at the population level. Like Mendelian randomization, SIGNET uses genotypic variants as natural instrumental variables to establish such causal relationships but constructs a transcriptome-wide gene regulatory network with high confidence. SIGNET makes such a computationally heavy task feasible by deploying a well-designed statistical algorithm over a parallel computing environment. It also provides a user-friendly interface allowing for parameter tuning, efficient parallel computing scheduling, interactive network visualization, and confirmatory results retrieval. The Open source SIGNET software is freely available (https://www.zstats.org/signet/).