Browse Articles

Targeting the glioblastoma resection margin with locoregional nanotechnologies

The impact of remdesivir on renal and liver functions in severe COVID-19 patients with presence of viral load

Evaluating fungal pathogen resistance across the leaf economics spectrum using the generalist fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Use of bovine serum albumin might impair immunofluorescence signal in thick tissue samples

Abstract Significant progress in microscopic imaging techniques allowed transition from predominantly qualitative methods to a powerful tool for quantitative research, driven by improved instrumentation and computational power. Furthermore, previously limited to thin, laser-permeable tissue sections, imaging techniques have been revolutionized by the advent of tissue optical clearing. This innovation enables the visualization and quantitative analysis of entire organs and even whole bodies at cellular resolution. However, achieving high-quality imaging depends not only on the transparency of the tissue preparation but also on precise immunofluorescence labeling to ensure accurate signal detection and reliable study outcomes. In this study, we evaluated whether various reagents that are typically applied during the tissue blocking step prior to immunofluorescence staining affect the quality of the obtained image in thick and optically cleared samples. We demonstrate that the commonly employed tissue blocking step does not improve imaging conditions and even can substantially degrade fluorescence signal quality, particularly in large, optically cleared tissues such as whole mouse brain hemispheres.

Single-cell transcriptomics analysis reveals a disrupted NK-T cell interaction network in liver metastatic cancer

Experimental verification of position sensing for a magnetic coil via Fano resonance

Abstract Predicting the position of a magnetic noise source in the kilohertz/megahertz range is of interest in academia and importance in industries. We consider a system consisting of one transmitting and four receiving coils around a frequency of 10 MHz. The transmitting coil is assumed to be a magnetic noise source that needs to be found in our study. We theoretically and experimentally show that the position of the transmitting coil can be predicted using Fano resonance, i.e., the four receiving coils are strongly coupled with each other, and weakly coupled to the transmitting coil via magnetic fields, by employing supervised machine learning. A coupled mode theory is built to elucidate such magnetic resonance coupling among coils. The characteristics of the system are investigated by using a method-of-moment based electromagnetic simulator, with sufficiently large volume of scattering parameters for different positions of the transmitting coil. Measured spectra of scattering parameters reasonably agree with analytical and numerical results. Experimental results reveal that the position of the transmitting coil is predicted in a range of 0.4 m to 2 m for the distance and ± 60º for the angle, with resolutions of 0.048 m and 8.8º, respectively.

Abnormal peripheral microcirculation by nailfold videocapillaroscopy reveals severity of atherosclerosis in coronary heart disease

Utilizing Saudi volcanic scoria in lightweight geopolymer for enhanced wellbore cementing

Mutational and low-coverage whole genome sequencing identifies actionable DNA repair alterations in prostate cancer plasma DNA

Roles of the gut microbiota in immune-related adverse events: mechanisms and therapeutic intervention

A compact dual-band reconfigurable antenna with metamaterial for IoT applications

Association between conicity index and prevalence of periodontitis in US adults: the 2009–2014 NHANES cross-sectional study

Fermi-level-managed multi-barrier heterojunction diodes for terahertz detection

Abstract Terahertz heterodyne receivers are essential for enabling coherent, high-sensitivity signal detection. At room temperature, GaAs Schottky barrier diodes remain the leading technology but present limitations, particularly in terms of high local oscillator power requirements and contact reproducibility. The fermi-level-managed barrier diode (FMBD), an all-semiconductor InGaAs/InP heterobarrier diode originally conceived for direct THz detection, has the potential to overcome these challenges. However, the intrinsic performance of the FMBD as a frequency mixer has not been fully reported, and there has been little analysis of how to optimise its epitaxial structure for heterodyne detection. In this study, we implement a semiconductor model to predict the nonlinear IV and CV characteristics of the FMBD based on its epitaxial layers, and conduct harmonic balance simulations to extract its intrinsic conversion loss and noise temperature. The results provide a guide for designing FMBD-based THz mixers, depending on the operating frequency, available LO power, and other design factors. In addition, we introduce a novel device concept: the fermi-level-managed multi-barrier diode (FMMBD), which consists of multiple concatenated heterobarriers. This design mitigates the trade-off between device area and junction capacitance. Simulations indicate the FMMBD improves device sensitivity, with intrinsic simulated noise temperatures approaching 10 $$\times$$ the quantum limit.

Nutrient accumulation and fertilizer potential of terrace section soils in loess areas

Deconstructability prediction for building using machine learning and ensemble feature selection techniques

Abstract Construction industries remain one of the most significant users of materials and generators of waste in the UK and globally. Notwithstanding, the principle of circular economy is becoming prominent as an effective means for powering greater resource efficiency. It has the prospect of unlocking significant economic value, particularly at the building end of useful life through reuse. A noteworthy end-of-life practice which aligns with this idea is deconstruction, which is the careful disassembly of the building into components and sub-components for reuse. However, deconstruction is not meant for all buildings, and this is because a typical building is constructed as a permanent product waiting to be disposed of after use. Laying on this foundation, assessing the building for deconstruction is necessary, and it is mainly done via several manual inspections, which may be expensive and time-consuming. A deconstructability predictive model using a machine learning-based model and ensemble feature selection techniques was developed to tackle this problem. This paper elaborates on the model creation and illustrates its application through a real-world deconstruction project.

Protective effects of metabolites from lactic acid bacteria against infections of mastitis pathogen in bovine cells

Isolation and identification of the cis-abienol degrading strain Klebsiella oxytoca T2L and its aroma products

Abstract Cis-abienol, a naturally occurring labdanum diterpenoid, is believed to be an essential precursor of ambergris substances and is found on the surface of many plants. In this study, the strain Klebsiella oxytoca T2L was isolated from the soil of oriental tobacco and demonstrated effective degradation of cis-abienol. The strain was identified through morphological characteristics and 16 S rDNA sequence analysis. Under culture conditions of 30 °C, pH 7.0, 0.5 mg/mL ammonium sulfate, and 1 mg/mL cis-abienol—the degradation rate of cis-abienol by strain T2L reached 68.2% after 96 h. The influence of various carbon and nitrogen sources on the degradation effect of cis-abienol by T2L was examined. Additionally, the impact of pH and temperature on cell growth and cis-abienol degradation was also analyzed. GC-MS analysis indicated that the degradation of cis-abienol by strain T2L generated several potential aroma chemicals, including (+/-)-ambreinolide, sclareol, an analog of amberonne (isomer 3), and an analog of sclaral (sclareolide lactol), which resembled the composition of natural ambergris. This study provides a theoretical foundation for further research on the biodegradation of cis-abienol to high-value aroma compounds.

Revealing the composition of bacterial communities in various oil-contaminated soils and investigating their intrinsic traits in hydrocarbon degradation

Emerging advances and future opportunities in the molecular and therapeutic landscape of anal cancer

Practical design of variable fractional-order capacitors with a single tuning feature using field effect transistors and variable capacitance diodes

Abstract This paper presents two discrete circuit solutions for realizing passive, electronically adjustable constant-phase elements, specifically half-order capacitors with a –45° phase shift. Fractional-order capacitors with electronically adjustable pseudocapacitance are especially useful for designing tunable filters and oscillators. The ability to adjust pseudocapacitance electronically and continuously is a major improvement over traditional passive solutions. Their pseudocapacitance can be controlled by a DC voltage, allowing key parameters like the cut-off or oscillation frequency to be tuned. Two presented design approaches differ in accuracy, tuning range, and signal-handling capability. Both solutions maintain a constant phase over one frequency decade, with a phase ripple within ± 2°. The tuning range spans from hundreds of Hz to several MHz. Presented solutions allow pseudocapacitance tuning in range of hundreds of nano F/sec0.5 (with varicaps) and tens of micro F/sec0.5 (with MOSFETs). The MOS-based circuit offers a tuning ratio of 7 but shows a 19% deviation between simulation and measurement. It also suffers from notable nonlinearity, with undistorted operation limited to signal levels up to 20 mV peak-to-peak. The varicap-based solution achieves a tuning ratio of 5, with high accuracy (up to 6% error), and handles input signals in the hundreds of mV with acceptable distortion. PSpice simulations and laboratory measurements confirm the performance of both designs.