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In-silico identification of novel Cis-aconitate decarboxylase inhibitors as potential anti-inflammatory agents using molecular docking and dynamics
Red single wavelength emitting up-conversion nanoparticles modulate cellular dynamics and gene expression in T24 bladder cancer cells
Abstract Bladder cancer persists in posing a significant global health challenge, highlighting the need for the development of advanced therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the effects of red single-wavelength upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), co-doped with Sm 3 ⁺ and Nd 3 ⁺ in a NaYbF 4 matrix, on T24 bladder cancer cells. The UCNPs were synthesized using a thermal decomposition method and characterized for their optical, structural, and morphological properties. The nanoparticles exhibited strong red emission under 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) excitation. Cytotoxicity assays revealed concentration-dependent cell death, with enhanced effects under radiation. Wound healing assays demonstrated that UCNPs reduced cellular repair mechanisms, with radiation further enhancing this effect. Gene expression analysis revealed significant modulation of key genes involved in cancer progression, including upregulation of IL-6, and downregulation of anti-apoptotic genes such as BCL2, HIF, and Survivin. Additionally, UCNPs raised the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), indicating oxidative stress. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of UCNPs in bladder cancer treatment.
Quantum light sources with configurable lifetime leveraging parity-time symmetry
Development of a deep learning-based foreign object detection algorithm for coal mine conveyor belts
The additive effect of hemoglobin glycation index and glycemic variability to predict mortality in cardiac intensive care patients with and without diabetes
Efferocytic remodelling of pancreatic islet macrophages by limited β-cell death
Tough and tear resistant hydrogel with a sandwich mineralized structure induced by bidirectional ion migration
Dual-step pulsed electrodeposition enables microstructural control and redox kinetics in iron oxide films
Quantitative characterization of pore development and its application in shale oil reservoirs of the Qingshankou formation, Songliao basin
Ce-induced synergistic effect in exsolved perovskite catalyst for highly efficient and robust methane dry reforming
Abstract Dry reforming of methane is an effective approach to convert two major greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide, into high-value syngas, used as a feedstock for bulk and fine chemical synthesis. However, catalyst deactivation and carbon deposition under harsh conditions hinder its industrialization process. Herein, we present a Ce-modified and Ni-exsolved perovskite catalyst, 0.2Ce-La 0.97 Ni 0.4 Cr 0.6 O 3 , for achieving highly efficient and robust CH 4 -CO 2 reforming with CH 4 and CO 2 conversions of 87.4% and 92.9% at 800 °C, respectively. Moreover, this unique catalyst exhibits remarkable stability, maintaining its superior activity over 800 h. Characterization and density functional theory reveal that two Ce species are present: surface oxygen vacancy-moderate CeO 2- x (Ce surf ) and bulk lattice Ce (Ce bulk ). These play a specific role in methane dry reforming, where the Ce surf promotes CO 2 adsorption and hinders carbon deposition, while Ce bulk induces lattice strain and Ni exsolution, key factors contributing to the high activity and stability.
Task evoked EEG reveals neural processing differences in aphantasia
Impact of tellurium anion distribution depending on doping concentration and substrate temperature on the photovoltaic performance of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells
Delta-type glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels
Polymorphic functionalization driven by ion displacement-induced antiferroelectric ordering in CuBiP₂Se₆
Demonstrating soft X-ray tomography in the lab for correlative cryogenic biological imaging using X-rays and light microscopy
Abstract Soft X-ray tomography (SXT) enables native-contrast three-dimensional (3D) imaging of fully hydrated, cryogenically preserved biological samples, revealing ultrastructural details without the need for staining, embedding, or sectioning. Traditionally available only at synchrotron facilities, recent advances in laser-driven plasma sources have led to the development of compact soft X-ray microscopes. Achieving a resolution of 54 nm full-pitch and tomogram acquisition times of 30 min to two hours, we validate the system across a range of biologically relevant contexts, including protists, yeast, and mammalian cells containing polymeric and inorganic nanoparticles. These use cases establish the robustness of the laboratory based system for studying cell architecture, organelle interactions, and nanoparticle trafficking. By showing that a compact SXT system can achieve reliable high-resolution imaging across various cell types, this study highlights a major step toward making correlative cryogenic X-ray imaging broadly accessible in laboratory settings. Future developments will aim at enhanced throughput, deeper integration with correlative imaging modalities, and extension to more complex specimen types, including tissue.
Alterations in carbon and nitrogen metabolism under phenylalanine ammonia-lyase inhibition in winter triticale seedlings
A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling
Abstract Microbial and viral co-evolution has created immunity mechanisms involving oligonucleotide signalling that share mechanistic features with human antiviral systems 1 . In these pathways, including cyclic oligonucleotide-based antiphage signalling systems (CBASSs) and type III CRISPR systems in bacteria and cyclic GMP–AMP synthase–stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS–STING) in humans, oligonucleotide synthesis occurs upon detection of virus or foreign genetic material in the cell, triggering the antiviral response 2–4 . Here, in an unexpected inversion of this process, we show that the CRISPR-related enzyme mCpol synthesizes cyclic oligonucleotides constitutively as part of an active mechanism that represses a toxic effector. Cell-based experiments demonstrated that the absence or loss of mCpol-produced cyclic oligonucleotides triggers cell death, preventing the spread of viruses that attempt immune evasion by depleting host cyclic nucleotides. Structural and mechanistic investigation revealed mCpol to be a di-adenylate cyclase whose product, c-di-AMP, prevents toxic oligomerization of the effector protein 2TMβ. Analysis of cells by fluorescence microscopy showed that lack of mCpol allows 2TMβ-mediated cell death due to inner membrane collapse. These findings unveil a powerful defence strategy against virus-mediated immune suppression, expanding our understanding of the role of oligonucleotides in immunity.