Browse Articles

Integrative multi-omics reveals a regulatory and exhausted T-cell landscape in CLL and identifies galectin-9 as an immunotherapy target

Abstract T-cell exhaustion contributes to immunotherapy failure in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Here, we analyze T cells from CLL patients’ blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes, as well as from a CLL mouse model, using single-cell RNA sequencing, mass cytometry, and tissue imaging. T cells in CLL lymph nodes show the most distinct profiles, with accumulation of regulatory T cells and CD8+ T cells in various exhaustion states, including precursor (TPEX) and terminally exhausted (TEX) cells. Integration of T-cell receptor sequencing data and use of the predicTCR classifier suggest an enrichment of CLL-reactive T cells in lymph nodes. Interactome studies reveal potential immunotherapy targets, notably galectin-9, a TIM3 ligand. Inhibiting galectin-9 in mice reduces disease progression and TIM3+ T cells. Galectin-9 expression also correlates with worse survival in CLL and other cancers, suggesting its role in immune evasion and potential as a therapeutic target.

Exploring the relationship between circadian syndrome, serum uric acid levels, and hyperuricemia: evidence from NHANES 2005–2018

Classical dynamics in a quantum spirit: Refining semi-classical corrections for the scattering of H2 on W(100)

The collision dynamics of hydrogen on tungsten is studied using a combination of classical and quantum molecular dynamics approaches, making use of a multidimensional potential energy surface interpolated from density functional theory energies based on the vdW-DF2 functional. Corrections inspired by a semi-classical model are then introduced to improve the predictions of the classical description. In particular, a refined version of the adiabaticity correction (AC) is developed. This study demonstrates that, for H2 on W(100) in its ground state and in various rotationally excited states, applying both Gaussian binning and this refined AC to classical trajectories yields unparalleled agreement with time-dependent quantum wave packet results.

Photosynthate distribution determines spatial patterns in the rhizosphere microbiota of the maize root system

Abstract The spatial variation and underlying mechanisms of pattern formation in the rhizosphere microbiome are not well understood. We demonstrate that specific patterns in the distribution of recently fixed carbon within the plant root system influence the spatial organization of the rhizosphere microbiota. Non-invasive analysis of carbon allocation in the maize root system by 11C tracer-based positron emission tomography combined with magnetic resonance imaging reveals high spatial heterogeneity with highest 11C-signal accumulations at root tips and differences between root types. Strong correlations exist between root internal carbon allocation and rhizodeposition as evident from 13CO2 labeling. These patterns are reflected in the bacterial, fungal and protistan community structure in rhizosphere soil with differences depending on root structure and related spatial heterogeneities in carbon allocation. Especially the active consumers of 13C-labeled rhizodeposits are responsive to photosynthate distribution with differences in 13C-labeling according to their spatial localization within the root system. Thus, root photosynthate allocation supports distinct habitats in the plant root system and is a key determinant of microbial food web development, evident from 13C-labeling of diverse bacterial and protistan predators, especially at root bases, resulting in characteristic spatiotemporal patterns in the rhizosphere microbiome.

Epitaxial growth of monolayer white phosphorus on Cd(0001)

As a promising two-dimensional (2D) material, phosphorene has attracted tremendous research interest in both fundamental research and potential applications. Up to now, black phosphorene, blue phosphorene, violet phosphorene, and ultrathin nanosheets of red phosphorus have been successfully synthesized by mechanical exfoliation or epitaxial growth, while the synthesis of 2D white phosphorus (WP) has not been achieved. Here, we report the epitaxial growth of monolayer WP on Cd(0001) by means of low temperature (90 K) deposition. Scanning tunneling microscopy observation and first-principles calculations demonstrate that the monolayer WP is comprised of parallel dimer rows of P4 molecules, resembling the a–c plane of γ-phase WP. The monolayer WP is semiconducting with a bandgap of 1.5 eV. Increasing the substrate temperature to 120 K leads to the formation of a quasi-3 × 3 superstructure with building blocks of P4 nonamers. Voltage pulses from STM tip result in the structural transition from the quasi-3 × 3 superstructure to a 3 × 1 superstructure, of which the latter consists of alternating dimer rows and polymerized monomer rows. These observations demonstrate the essential role of dimerization, trimerization, and polymerization of P4 molecules in the formation of 2D white phosphorus.

Safety and Immunogenicity of aerosolized adenovirus-vectored COVID-19 vaccine and intramuscular mRNA vaccine bivalent boosters: a randomized open-label clinical trial

Ancient DNA reveals the prehistory of the Uralic and Yeniseian peoples

Thermodynamic analysis of heterogeneous nucleation on refractory nanoparticles

The present study investigates the influence of size effects and wettability on the process of heterogeneous nucleation of crystalline phase on refractory nanoparticles of different shapes. This work is based on the classical theory of nucleation. Formulas for the nucleation energy, incorporating linear tension as well as the influence of the nucleation surface curvature on surface tension, were employed for two distinct scenarios: the nucleation being formed on a convex (spherical) nanosubstrate or on a flat nanosubstrate. From the equilibrium condition of a spherical-cap nucleus on a convex surface, an equation defining the wetting contact angle by the standard angle of a large nucleus on a flat surface was obtained, and from the condition of the extremum of the nucleus energy, an equation for its critical radius was obtained. The method of successive approximations by the small parameter was utilized to solve these equations. A similar approach was adopted for the case of spherical-cap nucleation on a flat surface. This approach enabled the derivation of explicit expressions for the wetting function on both convex and flat substrates. The analysis of the obtained dependencies demonstrated that incorporating the linear tension and the Tolman effect resulted in a reduction of the energy required for heterogeneous nucleation. This effect is most significant on well-wetted convex nanosubstrates.

Frequency-selective actuation of liquid crystalline elastomer actuators with radio-frequency

Abstract Soft and miniaturized robots possess the capability to operate inside narrow, confined environments. However, powering soft robots inside these environments with on-board batteries or wired connections to external power supplies can significantly restrain their mobility. Similarly, wireless actuation approaches are constrained by near-field actuation, line-of-sight operation, or indiscriminate actuation of many actuators. To provide higher mobility for wireless soft robot to operate inside non-line-of-sight scenarios, we present a radio-frequency system that introduces frequency-selective actuation of liquid crystal elastomer actuators. We create liquid crystalline elastomer actuators with a low actuation temperature and embed them with conductive traces that resonate and heat by selected frequencies of radio-frequency excitation in the 2.40 GHz range. We further develop a wireless actuation platform that infers the wireless channel and beamforms towards the actuator to achieve efficient beamforming. Demonstrations show our system is capable of selectively actuating different actuators while the robot is in motion and obstructed by occlusions.

Molecular processes as quantum information resources

In this contribution to Abraham Nitzan’s Festschrift, we present a perspective of theoretical research over the years that has pointed to the potential of molecular processes to act as quantum information resources. Under appropriate control, homonuclear dimer (diatom) dissociation (half-collision) and the inverse process of atom-pair collisions are shown to reveal translational (EPR-like) entanglement that enables molecular wave packet teleportation. When such processes involve electronic-state excitation of the diatom, the fluorescence following dissociation can serve as an entanglement witness that unravels the molecular-state characteristics and evolution. Such entangling processes can also exhibit anomalous quantum thermodynamic features, particularly temperature enhancement of a cavity field that interacts with dissociated entangled diatoms.

The HM-TARGET personalised real-time haemodynamic targets in critical care

Algorithms and software for open quantum system dynamics

Interfaces govern the structure of angstrom-scale confined water solutions

Abstract Nanoconfinement of aqueous electrolytes is ubiquitous in geological, biological, and technological contexts, including sedimentary rocks, water channel proteins, and applications like desalination and water purification membranes. The structure and properties of water in nanoconfinement can differ significantly from bulk water, exhibiting, for instance, modified hydrogen bonds, altered dielectric constant, and distinct phase transitions. Despite the importance of nanoconfined water, experimentally elucidating the nanoconfinement effects on water, such as its orientation and hydrogen bond (H-bond) network, has remained challenging. Here, we study two-dimensionally nanoconfined aqueous electrolyte solutions with tunable confinement from nanoscale to angstrom-scale sandwiched between a graphene sheet and calcium fluoride (CaF2) achieved by capillary condensation. We employ heterodyne-detection sum-frequency generation (HD-SFG) spectroscopy, a surface-specific vibrational spectroscopy capable of directly and selectively probing water orientation and H-bond environment at interfaces and under confinement. The vibrational spectra of the nanoconfined water can be described quantitatively by the sum of the individual interfacial water signals from the CaF2/water and water/graphene interfaces until the confinement reduces to angstrom-scale (<~8 Å). Machine-learning-accelerated ab initio molecular dynamics simulations confirm our experimental observation. These results manifest that interfacial, rather than nanoconfinement effects, dominate the water structure until angstrom-level confinement for the two-dimensionally nanoconfined aqueous electrolytes.

Evaluate the clinical performance of Bio-HPP and Vitallium frameworks in free-end removable partial dentures

Epigenetic evolution and clinicopathological implications of distinct DNA methylation profiles in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Chiral Metallic DM-EDT-TTF Radical Cation Salts: Anion Size-Dependent Structural and Electronic Transitions, Charge Ordering, and Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity

Microgrid anti islanding protection scheme based on deep neural network algorithm and unscented Kalman filtering

Strain-Distinct α-Synuclein and Tau Cross-Seeding Uncovered by Correlative Approach with Optical Photothermal Infrared Sub-Micron Imaging

Design of a novel shunt active harmonic compensator with AUV-PQ-SRF reference current extraction, OSV-MPC and SMC techniques

An increase in Fusobacterium is associated with the severity of oral mucositis after radiotherapy

Abstract Radiotherapy is a common treatment for head and neck cancer but often causes oral mucositis, which reduces quality of life. Recent studies suggest that radiotherapy affects the oral microbiota, but whether it contributes to the severity of mucositis has been unclear. This study investigated the association between radiotherapy-induced changes in the oral microbiota and the severity of mucositis using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. Oral samples were collected before, during, and after radiotherapy and were analyzed for changes in bacterial composition and diversity using the Shannon index and Chao1 index. Severity of mucositis was assessed, and its association with changes in bacterial groups was investigated. In total, 43 patients participated in the study. Fusobacterium was significantly increased in the group with severe mucositis (p = 0.020), with an occupancy rate of more than 7% after radiotherapy and a positive correlation with severity of mucositis (p = 0.042). There was a significant increase in the Chao1 index after radiotherapy (p = 0.001) but not in the Shannon index. Changes in oral microbiota may determine the severity of radiotherapy-induced mucositis. An increase in Fusobacterium was found to be closely associated with the severity of mucositis and should be controlled to prevent radiotherapy-induced mucositis in head and neck cancer patients.