Browse Articles

Brain maintenance biomarkers from structural and functional interactions in aging and neurodegeneration

A Broadly Accessible Approach to Elucidate the Carbon–Carbon Double Bond Position in Unsaturated Lipids by a Post-column In-Line Photochemical Reaction and Mass Spectrometry

Prioritizing psychological factors in young consumers’ coffee brand preferences through a novel behavioral leadership fuzzy decision-making modelling

Author Correction: Electrified interfacial oxygen-down water boosts efficient and durable electrolysis

Selective Electrosynthesis of Ammonia via Sequential Electron–Proton Transfer

Intravitreal rezafungin and anidulafungin in a rabbit model of Aspergillus fumigatus endophthalmitis

Abstract Rezafungin (RZF) and anidulafungin (AFG) are echinocandins with potential for treating Aspergillus fumigatus endophthalmitis. We evaluated their antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in a rabbit endophthalmitis model. In vitro, minimum effective concentrations and minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined, biofilm inhibition was assessed, and drug-induced structural damage was examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA levels in RAW 264.7 macrophages were measured to assess inflammatory regulation. In vivo, a rabbit model of A. fumigatus endophthalmitis was established and, 24 h after infection, eyes received a single intravitreal injection of liposomal amphotericin B, voriconazole, RZF, AFG or normal saline. Clinical inflammation scores, intraocular fungal burden, aqueous humor TNF-α levels and histopathological changes were compared among groups. RZF and AFG showed low minimum effective concentrations, inhibited biofilm formation, disrupted fungal cell wall and membrane integrity in vitro and significantly reduced intraocular inflammation, fungal burden and aqueous humor TNF-α in vivo, with overall efficacy comparable to that of liposomal amphotericin B and voriconazole. These findings support RZF and AFG as promising alternative agents for intravitreal therapy of A. fumigatus endophthalmitis.

Selective lignin conversion via flow photocatalysis for vanillin and bioplasticizers production

pH-Driven Restructuring of Hydration Layers and Cation Adsorption at the Alumina–Water Interface

Optimization of Material and Bandgap Engineering for Distinctive Layers in Perovskite Solar Cells

Long-term spatiotemporal evolution of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in China

Microporous Confinement of One-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks for Surface-Regulated Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Moderate pre-stroke physical activity has a protective effect on symptoms of depression in the post-acute phase after stroke

Abstract Post-stroke depression (PSD) and anxiety (PSA) are common stroke-related complications that negatively impact recovery and quality of life. Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable factor that may influence these conditions. This study aimed to examine the association between pre-stroke PA and symptoms of depression and anxiety in post-stroke patients at 3 and 12 months after discharge. The analysis was based on 821 patients from the SCHANA study, recruited between 2018 and 2022 at the University Hospital Augsburg. PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and categorized into low, moderate, and high activity level groups. Depression and anxiety were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), respectively. Multivariable linear regression models were applied. Moderate PA before stroke was associated with fewer depressive symptoms at 3 months post-stroke compared to low PA (β = -1.01, p = 0.007), but not after 12 months. High PA showed no significant association at either time point. Additionally, no significant association was observed for anxiety outcomes. A strong correlation was identified between symptoms of depression and anxiety at 3 months follow-up (r = 0.75, p < 0.001). Engaging in PA before stroke may contribute to better mental well-being during the subacute phase of stroke recovery. The association between depression and anxiety highlights the potential of lifestyle interventions to impact mental health outcomes post-stroke. Physicians should pay close attention to both inactive and highly active patients, as poor mental health can negatively affect recovery process. 

PRMT3-Mediated Arginine Methylation Stabilizes PCSK9 to Promote Aortic Valve Calcification

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve calcification increases leaflet stiffness and contributes to the development of calcific aortic valve disease. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying calcification remain unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of PRMT3 (protein arginine methyltransferase 3) in valvular calcification and calcific aortic valve disease progression. METHODS: Both aortic valve leaflets and valvular interstitial cells from patients were used to evaluate the expression pattern and investigate the underlying mechanism of PRMT3 in calcific aortic valve disease pathogenesis. High-cholesterol diet–fed Apoe (apolipoprotein E)–deficient ( ApoE −/− ) mice with Prmt3 haploinsufficiency were used to examine the role of PRMT3 in aortic valve calcification. The effects of PRMT3 inhibition (SGC707) and degradation (PROTAC compound 11) on aortic valve calcification were investigated in vivo. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the procalcific effects of PRMT3, we performed immunoprecipitation coupled with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and coimmunoprecipitation assays with an enzymatically inactive PRMT3 variant as well as arginine-to-lysine and lysine-to-alanine substitution PCSK9 variants. RESULTS: We found that PRMT3 expression was significantly upregulated during aortic valve calcification. RUNX2 (runt-related transcription factor 2) recruited P300 to promote PRMT3 expression through histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation. Moreover, Prmt3 haploinsufficiency markedly ameliorated aortic valve calcification in high-cholesterol diet–fed ApoE −/− mice, as revealed by reduced thickness and calcium deposition in the aortic valve leaflets, improved echocardiographic measures (decreased peak transvalvular jet velocity, reduced mean transvalvular pressure gradient, and increased aortic valve area), and decreased levels of osteogenic markers OPN (osteopontin) and Osx (Osterix) in the aortic valve leaflets. In addition, anticalcific effects were achieved through pharmacologic PRMT3 inhibition with SGC707 and PRMT3 degradation through PROTAC. Consistent with the in vivo results, we found that PRMT3 promoted the osteogenic differentiation of human valvular interstitial cells through its enzymatic activity. Mechanistically, we revealed that PRMT3 catalyzed the asymmetric dimethylation of PCSK9 at the arginine 582 residue (R582), which was accompanied by a prolonged PCSK9 half-life. This methylation prevented the binding of the E3 ligase CHIP (carboxyl terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein) to PCSK9 at lysine 575 (K575), thereby abrogating ubiquitination-mediated degradation of PCSK9, which is a procalcific factor, and accelerating aortic valve calcification progression. CONCLUSIONS: We identify a previously unrecognized posttranslational mechanism regulating PCSK9 stability in valve interstitial cells during calcific aortic valve disease and establish a link between PRMT3-mediated arginine methylation and valve-specific lipid–osteogenic coupling.

SDEF-BEV: spatial-aware dual-expert radar-camera fusion for robust BEV 3D object detection

Letter by Liu and Yao Regarding Article, “Phenotypic Selectivity of Artificial Intelligence–Enhanced Electrocardiography in Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Risk Prediction”

Effects of chronic jetlag on high-fat and high-fructose diet induced renal injury in mice

Effects of organic amendments and crop cultivation on soil organic carbon storage, phosphorus components, and microbial respiration in stratified soils

Climate mediates phenological and phylogenetic differentiation in plant invasions

Darwin’s Naturalization Conundrum holds that both functional similarity and distinctiveness can facilitate biological invasions: invaders similar to natives may succeed through preadaptation to local abiotic conditions, whereas functionally distinct invaders may succeed by reducing competition. Yet the contexts in which either mechanism dominates are unclear. Prior research has primarily attributed variability in native–invasive differentiation to shifts in the balance between biotic and climatic barriers to invasion from local to regional scales. However, similarity and distinctiveness are frequent at both local and regional levels, indicating key drivers of native–invasive differentiation remain overlooked. Crucially, theory and evidence show that as climatic stress increases, competition weakens. This implies that harsh climates should favor invaders functionally similar to natives, whereas mesic climates should favor distinctiveness. However, this hypothesis has not been tested across climate regimes and functional traits. We addressed this gap by combining models of species distributions and flowering phenology for 2,810 species across the United States, estimating phylogenetic distance and phenological differentiation between natives and invasives relative to differentiation among co-occurring natives. In warm, humid regions, invasives flowered earlier, less synchronously, and were more distantly related to natives. In cold or dry regions, they flowered at similar or later times, more synchronously, and were more closely related than natives themselves. Across all climates, invasives consistently exhibited longer flowering durations, with little evidence of greater phenological plasticity. These findings reveal that Darwin’s Conundrum reflects a predictable continuum shaped by environmental context, highlighting climate as a key axis of invasion success.

Extreme nonequilibrium synthesis of a Ca–Cu–Si clathrate during the Trinity nuclear test

The Trinity nuclear test of July 16, 1945, generated extreme transient conditions that produced trinitite, a silicate glass containing rare metallic phases. Here we report the discovery and structural and chemical characterization of a previously unknown Ca–Cu–Si type-I clathrate, (Ca 3.3 Cu 0.4 Fe 0.3 ) Σ=4 Si 23 , identified within a Cu-rich metallic droplet embedded in red trinitite. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that this phase adopts the cubic clathrate-I topology, representing the first crystallographically confirmed clathrate structure documented among the solid-state products of a nuclear explosion. Beyond its intrinsic significance, this phase is notable for its close contextual association with the previously reported Si-rich icosahedral quasicrystal formed in the same detonation. Both phases formed under identical extreme conditions, occur within similar Cu-rich droplets, and share an unusually Si-rich Ca–Cu–Si–(Fe) chemistry, motivating an evaluation of whether the quasicrystal could be structurally derived from a clathrate framework. To evaluate this possibility, we performed density functional theory calculations on clathrate-based icosahedral models across a range of Cu contents. The results indicate that clathrate-derived icosahedral structures are mechanically plausible and metastable at low Cu concentrations (~10 to 11%) but become unstable as Cu content approaches that of the Trinity quasicrystal. These findings constrain viable structural models for the quasicrystal and argue against a simple clathrate-derived interpretation.

Spectral mapping reveals a resemblance of the anesthetic brain state to both sleep and coma

General anesthesia is often compared to sleep but may more closely resemble a medically induced coma. While all three states involve a loss of awareness, the extent of their neural similarity remains unclear. Electrophysiological markers, such as delta activity (< 4 Hz), are present in slow wave sleep, disorders of consciousness (DoC, including coma), and propofol anesthesia but are absent during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Frontal alpha oscillations are a key feature of propofol anesthesia and detectable via intraoperative EEG. However, it remains unclear whether alpha and delta activity fully define the brain state. Using whole-head EEG, we analyzed brain activity in individuals under propofol anesthesia, during sleep, or in DoC in the intensive care unit. Our spectral parameterization and similarity analyses revealed that propofol anesthesia exhibits spatiotemporal patterns resembling both coma and sleep. We introduced a spectral orthogonalization approach, identifying unique signatures of propofol anesthesia, including posterior slow waves, frontocentral delta, and reduced aperiodic activity. Critically, the reduction in aperiodic activity partially overlaps with REM sleep and may reflect decreased cortical excitability, contributing to reduced arousal, muscle atonia, and immobility common to both states. These results imply that propofol anesthesia creates a brain state where some features resemble sleep while others are more similar to coma. Embracing its full spatiotemporal complexity could improve titration of sedation, thus minimizing excessive suppression and the risk of postoperative cognitive deficits.