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A hybrid AI-Blockchain security framework for smart grids
Seismic stratigraphy and evolution of mesozoic deposits in the central Arabian basin
Molecular insights into pangenome localization and constructs design for Hemophilus influenza vaccine
Abstract Haemophilus influenza, a major contributor to respiratory infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, and acute otitis, poses a significant public health challenge, driven by rising antibiotic resistance particularly among the non-typeable H. influenza (NTHi) strains given their ability to evade immune surveillance. To address this, we employed a comprehensive immunoinformatics pipeline integrated with extensive pan-genome analysis of 59 strains of H. influenzae to design a novel multiepitope vaccine (MEV) candidate targeting most virulent and clinically significant proteins. Key surface exposed and virulence associated proteins, including Protein E, PilA, Protein D, P4, TolC, YadA, and HifC were prioritized based on their roles in bacterial adhesion, immune evasion, biofilm formation, and nutrient acquisition. Advanced in silico epitope prediction and verification strategies were utilized to map highly immunogenic regions across these proteins, followed by codon optimization to enhance expression efficiency in human systems. To further stabilize the vaccine construct, we performed disulfide engineering to enhance structural integrity and resilience. Comprehensive validation through in silico immune simulations, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and binding free energy calculations confirmed the structural stability, immunogenic potential, and strong receptor affinity of the MEV candidate. Phylogenetic and virulence factor analysis further corroborated the broad coverage of the pathogenic relevance of the selected proteins. Together, our integrative approach presents a robust pipeline for rational vaccine design, offering a promising avenue toward combating multidrug resistant and immune evasive H. influenza strains.
Soil heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration respond differently to seasonal variations in temperature and water content under monsoon continental climate
Characterization of glutamine synthetase involved in the fecundity of Rhopalosiphum padi
Abstract Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a pivotal enzyme crucial for the synthesis of glutamine (Gln), an important precursor in amino acid biosynthesis, essential for the growth, development, and reproduction of insects through its involvement in nitrogen metabolism. Despite its recognized significance in insect biology, the specific functions of GS in aphids have not been fully elucidated. Here, we cloned and characterized two GS genes, RpGS1 and RpGS2, from Rhopalosiphum padi and analyzed their expression profiles and explored the contribution of RpGS to aphid fecundity. The two isoforms, which are predicted to localize in the mitochondria and cytoplasm respectively, were successfully cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. Despite exhibiting 92% amino acid similarity, the isoforms displayed distinct enzymatic kinetic properties and demonstrated variations in mRNA expression levels across developmental stages and tissues. Notably, RpGS1 was highly expressed in the head, whereas RpGS2 was highly expressed in the intestine. Both RpGS genes were significantly expressed in alate adult aphids. Treatment with the specific inhibitor L-methionine S-sulfoximine (MSX) not only suppressed enzyme activity but also downregulated gene expression. Furthermore, inhibition of RpGS led to a marked decrease in the abundance of the obligate symbiont Buchnera and reduced the fecundity of R. padi. The transcript levels of RpVg and RpGT were also downregulated. These findings underscore the significant role of RpGS in regulating fecundity, suggesting its potential as a target for insecticide development in pest management strategies.
Neurons whisper, tissues respond: neurons as orchestrators of stress responses
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Diploidization in a wild rice allopolyploid is both episodic and gradual
Polyploid organisms evolve from their initial doubled genomic condition through a number of processes collectively termed diploidization, whose tempo and mode remain poorly understood mainly due to the difficulty of discriminating de novo evolution subsequent to polyploidy from variation inherited from progenitors. Here, we generated chromosome-scale genome assemblies for the wild rice allopolyploid Oryza minuta and its two diploid progenitors, Oryza punctata and Oryza officinalis , and employed a population genomic approach to investigate the diploidization process in O. minuta at the sequence and transcriptomic level. We show that this wild rice allopolyploid originated around 0.7 Mya, and during subsequent diploidization, its two subgenomes have retained highly conserved synteny with the genomes of its extant diploid progenitors. This populational approach allowed us to distinguish parental legacy of inherited variation from postpolyploidy evolution, and our analyses revealed that whereas gene fractionation occurred in an early burst, accumulation of transposable elements (TEs) and homoeologous exchanges has been gradual. Patterns of homoeolog expression bias are highly variable across tissues, with no consistent subgenome expression bias. Our assessments of the impact of DNA methylation, TE distribution, and parental legacy on expression patterns provide some support for the TE load theory (the theory that the TE densities in flanking regions surrounding genes strongly influence expression levels), while also illustrating the complexity of transcription regulation.
Extracellular vesicles derived from Lactobacillus gasseri GFC-1220 alleviate inflammation via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages
Hypochlorous acid as a potential cavity conditioner for caries-affected dentin
Study of caspase-6 activity in aggressive HCT116 cells using methotrexate-encapsulated lactoferrin-conjugated solid lipid nanoparticles via in silico and in vitro approaches
Automatic generation control optimization for power system resilience under real world load variations using genetic algorithm
Control of motor coordination by transient receptor potential melastatin 8 through γ-aminobutyric acidergic circuit modulation in the male mouse cerebellum
Exhaust manifold performance enhancement using nano fluids a design and CFD investigation for four stroke petrol engines
Utilizing a deep neural network for robot semantic classification in indoor environments
A network meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of adjuvant targeted therapy or immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer
Sex differences in the association of physical activity patterns with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a prospective cohort study from NHANES 2007–2018
Turmoil at US science academy as Trump cuts force layoffs
Photothermal catalysis of waste plastics into propionic acid and hydrogen via Ni single-atom site isolation effect
Currently, catalytic recycling of polyethylene (PE) into high-value chemicals using solar energy often faces poor product selectivity and low efficiency. This is mainly due to the difficulty in effectively controlling the intermediates during PE photoreforming and the long-standing challenge of inefficient charge dynamics. Here, we present a solar-driven photothermal catalytic approach for the selective conversion of PE waste into propionic acid and hydrogen under ambient conditions. Atomically dispersed Ni sites supported on CeO 2 (Ni SA /CeO 2 ) achieve a propionic acid yield of 331 μmol h –1 with 94.8% selectivity in the photothermal reaction. This performance is 1.6 times higher than that of catalysts supported by Ni clusters (Ni NP /CeO 2 ). Additionally, Ni SA /CeO 2 exhibits a hydrogen yield of 0.23 mmol h –1 with stable long-term performance. Mechanistic studies reveal that single Ni atoms form linear coordination with oxygen atoms in CeO 2 , introducing unoccupied mid-gap states that effectively capture hot electrons and enhance the photothermal effect through local hotspot formation. In contrast, Ni clusters suffer from inefficient heat accumulation due to multistep phonon scattering. Furthermore, site isolation of Ni single atoms spatially separates the reaction intermediates and suppresses dimerization of the key intermediate COOHCH 2 CH 2 *, thereby greatly improving the selectivity for propionic acid. In contrast, closely packed Ni cluster sites promote intermediate coupling and the formation of undesirable byproducts, reducing selectivity. This work provides mechanistic insights into the advantages of atomic-scale catalyst design for selective chemical transformations.