Browse Articles

Elicitor effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on secondary metabolite–related gene expression in different tissues and differentiation conditions of saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

Charge-spin dichotomy in the kagome metal CsCr3Sb5

Validity and feasibility of the simplified dietary inflammatory index in Chinese older adults

Targeted polar entropy regulation enables superior energy-storage in tungsten bronze multilayer capacitors

General semantic, personal semantic and episodic details when thinking about the past and the future in moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury

IL-26-driven epigenetic remodeling promotes immune evasion in colorectal cancer

Schizotypy and subclinical depression relate to specific trait curiosity dimensions

Abstract Curiosity promotes human development, but its link to subclinical psychological variations remains poorly understood. In two online experiments, we examined associations of trait and state curiosity with schizotypal characteristics (experiment 1, n  = 238) and subclinical depressive symptoms (experiment 2, n  = 264) in samples from the general population. In addition to an established multidimensional curiosity framework that allowed us to quantify specific trait curiosity facets, such as Joyous Exploration, Stress Tolerance and Deprivation Sensitivity, we also employed a previously established test to assess state epistemic curiosity. Both schizotypal characteristics and subclinical depressive symptoms were associated with lower Joyous Exploration and Stress Tolerance, while higher Deprivation Sensitivity showed more selective associations with schizotypy. In contrast, state epistemic curiosity did not significantly correlate with schizotypy or depressive symptoms. Together, these findings suggest that trait curiosity dimensions show both shared and selective associations with subclinical depression and schizotypy, potentially reflecting distinct motivational and affective processes. From a broader perspective, this underscores the value of a multidimensional approach to curiosity in mental health.

Bound water as a kinetic crosslinker for bio-inspired impact-stiffening polymers

Temporal dependency modeling of data inconsistencies in AI-driven ETL systems using graph-based embeddings

Antiretroviral therapy in the peripartum period impairs post pregnancy cardiac reverse remodeling in a rodent model

Abstract Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide and has been partially linked to the cardiometabolic remodeling required to support fetal growth. In healthy pregnancies, these adaptations reverse postpartum without long-term consequences; however, impaired reverse remodeling (RR) increases future CV risk. Pregnant women living with HIV face additional risk, though it remains unclear whether this is driven by chronic low-level viremia or continuous antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART used during pregnancy often includes nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), which can affect mitochondria - organelles essential for maintaining cardiac function. Here, we tested the hypothesis that NRTI-containing ART negatively impacts the maternal heart. Using a rat model, we show that ART impairs pregnancy-associated cardiac RR. Mechanistically, ART induced mitochondrial alterations in both the heart and the liver, leading to dyslipidemia that collectively compromised cardiac function. These findings emphasize the importance of maternal cardiovascular health research and the need for further studies on the long-term effects of ART.

Interstitial fluid N-glycans serve as a proxy for serum biomarker discovery in a pilot study

Abstract Protein glycosylation is the most prevalent post-translational modification and is known to undergo profound alterations in disease. While serum N -glycosylation has been extensively studied, interstitial fluid is gaining prominence as a minimally invasive biomarker source, underscored by the widespread clinical adoption of wearable glucose monitors in diabetic patients. However, the glycomic landscape of interstitial fluid remains largely unexplored. Here, we have performed a comparative analysis of the N -glycome from interstitial fluid and matched plasma from five healthy volunteers using liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and exoglycosidase digestions. Strikingly, the interstitial fluid N -glycome closely shows overlapping profiles with the plasma of each individual, with only subtle differences that did not reach statistical significance. Glycosylation profiles were highly individualised, reinforcing the biological specificity of the glycome of each person. These findings demonstrate that interstitial fluid closely reflects systemic N -glycosylation and therefore may represent a powerful, accessible matrix for glycan biomarker discovery. They further support the development of minimally invasive or wearable technologies for monitoring glycosylation-based indicators of disease onset, progression and treatment response.

ASB2 inhibits lipid accumulation to promote ILC1 homeostatic fitness and anti-tumor immunity in the mouse liver

Abstract Type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1) are abundant in the adult liver and are pivotal for immune surveillance and modulation, but the regulation of their maintenance and functionality remains underexplored. Here, we re-analyze published single-cell RNA- sequencing data and find increased expression of Asb2 in ILC1s from adult mouse livers. Conditional ablation of Asb2 in NKp46 + cells, depleting ASB2 in ILC1s and NK cells, in mice impairs ILC1 survival and reduces adult liver ILC1 numbers. Proteomics and bulk RNA-sequencing reveal enriched lipid metabolism pathways in ASB2-deficient ILC1s, concomitant with increased lipid storage. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of lipid synthesis prevents the apoptosis of ASB2-deficient ILC1s in vitro. In a mouse model of colorectal cancer liver metastasis, we find increased ILC1 lipid storage, and conditional Asb2 deficiency in ILC1 cells exacerbates liver metastasis progression. Conversely, inhibiting lipid accumulation in wild-type colorectal cancer-bearing mice prolongs animal survival, potentially via promoting ILC1-mediated anti-tumor immunity. Thus, our study uncovers ASB2-regulated lipid metabolism as a gatekeeper for ILC1 homeostatic fitness and tumor surveillance, highlighting potential ILC1-based therapeutic strategies against liver tumors.

Mechanical properties of diatomite modified concrete with different moisture contents after high temperature treatment

A computational framework for designing micron-scale crisscross DNA megastructures

Abstract Crisscross polymerization enables the assembly of hundreds of unique DNA origami ‘slats’ into micron-sized structures with nanoscale precision. To design these megastructures, thousands of handle sequences from a fixed library must be assigned to individual slats to encode the desired binding architecture. This complexity presents two major challenges: handles must be selected to minimize parasitic interactions that compete with desired assembly, and the fabrication of hundreds of unique slats creates a substantial logistical burden. Here, we develop a unified framework that standardizes the design and fabrication of crisscross megastructures. We use an evolutionary algorithm to optimize handle assignment and minimize parasitic binding between slats. Together with an expanded handle library, the algorithm enables the assembly of large, multi-layered megastructures that otherwise would be produced at negligible yields. We have released this framework as #-CAD, an open-source graphical application that integrates these algorithms, streamlines laboratory workflows, and makes crisscross DNA origami more broadly accessible.

Multi-objective optimization framework for dynamic energy management in hybrid microgrids using NSGA-III

Reforging Mitsunobu reaction via sulfoxides-catalyzed C(sp3)-O bond activation of alkanols

PI3K gene variants are associated with elevated IL-6 levels and COVID-19 severe outcomes in a multicenter study

Population expansion of early Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers triggered cultural complexity on Paleo-Honshu Island, Japan

LncRNA KIAA0125 promotes the proliferation of Kasumi-1 cells through the miR-4640-5p/KCNQ1 axis with associated changes in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

High-performance multijunction perovskite LEDs with reduced interconnection loss

Abstract Tandem light-emitting diodes (LEDs) offer advantages in efficiency, brightness and lower the current density for a target brightness, but their implementation in solution-processed perovskite LEDs is limited by interconnection strategies that introduce high voltage penalties and poor robustness. Here we demonstrate a hierarchically structured interconnection layer (ICL) integrating a near-degenerate charge-generation junction with a crystalline-amorphous oxide composite, enabling low-barrier transport and solvent-tolerant stacking with reduced loss. Using this ICL, we realize double-junction perovskite LEDs in which two subunits operate efficiently in series, achieving a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 42.6%, a maximum radiance of 690 W sr −1 m −2 , and low driving voltage. The ICL is compatible with multiple perovskite emitters and supports scalable multijunction integration, yielding multijunction devices with sub-bandgap turn-on voltages and high EQEs exceeding 60%. Our results establish a low-loss interconnection strategy for series-stacked perovskite emitters, providing a practical route toward high-brightness and multi-wavelength perovskite light sources.