Browse Articles

Gold geochemical anomalies delineated by the stratigraphic zoning anomaly lower limit contrast method: a case study of panjiaba, Shaanxi province, China

Serological evidence of clade Ib Mpox transmission by sex workers and within household in South Kivu, DRC

Localized surface plasmon resonance sensing of hydrogen sulfide using zinc oxide film

Abstract A localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor for hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been developed by coating a gold nanopattern with zinc oxide (ZnO) film. H2S detection was achieved by monitoring changes in absorbance at a specific wavelength in the LSPR spectrum. The absorbance increased during exposure to H2S and remained constant after H2S ceased. These responses indicate that the sensor can measure the integrated concentrations of H2S. The sensitivity to H2S was enhanced with increasing relative humidity, enabling detection of 0.05–3 ppm H2S within 10 min at 70% relative humidity. The sensor’s sensitivity and LSPR spectrum could be restored by heating it at 500 °C in air. Notably, the sensor did not respond to methyl mercaptan or dimethyl sulfide, demonstrating high selectivity for H2S. This study highlights the potential of the ZnO-deposited LSPR sensor for highly sensitive and selective detection of H2S.

Read my LIPSS: organic lasers on micromachined resonators

Abstract Thin-film lasers based on organic semiconductors offer significant potential for miniaturized sensing and optical memory. We present a new method for creating first-order distributed feedback (DFB) Bragg gratings using laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) as the optical resonator. These subwavelength structures, fabricated via femtosecond laser micromachining, exhibit stable periodicities and provide sufficient feedback for lasing in an Alq3:DCM film. The laser emission wavelength can be widely tuned by varying the LIPSS periodicity defined by the pulse spacing of the structuring laser. While lasing is limited by LIPSS imperfections, we demonstrate that individual LIPSS gratings optically couple into a coherent macroscopic supermode. This coupling dramatically increases lasing efficiency and reduces thresholds by two orders of magnitude compared to a single LIPSS element. This straightforward fabrication enables solid-state organic DFB lasers as integrated, on-chip coherent light sources, eliminating complex external coupling into photonic circuits.

Stress granules attenuate protein nanoparticle induced osmotic imbalance via membrane potential restoration

USP17L promotes the 2-cell-like program through deubiquitination of H2AK119ub1 and ZSCAN4

Abstract In mouse, minor zygotic genome activation (ZGA) precedes and is essential for major ZGA in two-cell (2C) embryos. A subset of ZGA genes (known as “2C” genes) are also activated in a rare population of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) (2C-like cells). However, the functions of the 2C genes are not fully understood. Here, we find that one family of the 2C genes, Usp17l, plays critical roles in transcriptional and post-translational regulation of the 2C-like state in mESCs. Specifically, USP17LE, a member of the USP17L family, deubiquitinates H2AK119ub1 and promotes the expression of Dux and the downstream 2C genes and retrotransposons. Moreover, USP17LE deubiquitinates and stabilizes ZSCAN4. In mouse pre-implantation embryos, Dux is marked by strong H2AK119ub1 except for the 1-cell and early 2-cell stages. Usp17le overexpression reduces H2AK119ub1 and promotes Dux and 2C gene activation. Thus, our findings identify USP17L as a potential regulator of the 2C program.

Decomposition rate and property changes of deadwood across an altitudinal gradient: a case study in the Babia Góra Massif, Poland

Abstract The decomposition of deadwood is a key process in the biogeochemical cycle of forests, affecting water retention, soil structure and biodiversity. The aim of this study is to understand how the rate of deadwood decomposition changes depending on the location in the altitude gradient in mountain forest ecosystems. Additionally, the study investigates how the physical properties of wood vary with elevation. The experiment was conducted on the slopes of the Babia Góra Massif, where wood samples of four species (beech, fir, spruce, maple) were placed at three altitudes (800, 1000 and 1200 m above sea level). After 30 months, laboratory analyses were carried out on the density, porosity, mass loss and hydrophobicity of wood. In the case of coniferous wood (spruce and fir), the decomposition process proceeded at a similar rate across all altitudes, but more slowly compared to deciduous species. In contrast, hardwood decomposed more rapidly at lower altitudes, likely due to higher temperatures, greater microbial activity, and soil conditions more favorable to hardwood-decaying organisms. Wood decomposition led to a decrease in density and an increase in porosity, and hydrophobicity increased with altitude. The study provides new data on the dynamics of wood decomposition in the context of changing thermal and moisture conditions. The results can be used in conservation and management strategies for mountain forests.

Discrete Immolative Guanidinium Transporters deliver mRNA to specific organs and red blood cells

Higher levels of plasma phosphatidylcholine (17:0_18:1) raise the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease

Aberrant pace of cortical neuron development in brain organoids from patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome-associated schizophrenia

Bringing the museum into the hospital to promote cultural wellness in patients undergoing haemodialysis through a virtual reality tour

Tumor control and immune activation through palliative irradiation and ATR inhibition, PATRIOT Part C: a phase Ib trial

Deep-learning model for embryo selection using time-lapse imaging of matched high-quality embryos

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of niclosamide nanohybrid for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19

Abstract Effective and reliable treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infections are a key part of global COVID-19 management. Based on vitro studies, niclosamide has been considered as a potential drug candidate for SARS-CoV-2, but its clinical development has been limited due to poor solubility and bioavailability. Here we report results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 300 patients (Clinical Trial Registration Number: KCT0007307) that assessed the efficacy and safety of the niclosamide nanohybrid CP-COV03 at two different doses. Oral CP-COV03 was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported in any treatment group. The primary endpoints demonstrated that CP-COV03 significantly alleviated all 12 FDA-recommended COVID-19 symptoms, with symptom improvement sustained for more than 48 h. Additionally, CP-COV03 reduced SARS-CoV-2 viral load by 56.7% within 16 h of the initial dose compared to baseline. Secondary endpoints, including time to sustained symptom resolution, time to return to usual health, and reduction in hospitalization risk, also showed favorable results in the CP-COV03 group compared to placebo. These findings indicate that CP-COV03 is a safe and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 and represents a promising advancement in the repurposing of niclosamide through nanohybrid engineering.

Skin burns after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation: a retrospective control study

Intestinal CD4−CD8αβ−TCRαβ+ T cells function as tolerogenic antigen presenting cells in mice

Trends in surgical indications and causative diagnoses in enucleation from 2007 to 2022

Abstract To evaluate surgical indications and causative underlying diseases in patients undergoing enucleation in a tertiary eye unit. Retrospective analysis of all enucleations performed at the University Eye Hospital of LMU Munich from January 2007 to December 2022. 491 eyes of 491 patients were enucleated in this period; 237 right and 254 left eyes. 59.3% (291) of patients were male, while 40.7% (200) were female. The median patient age at enucleation was 59 years (range 2–99, IQR 43–72). The four most common surgical indications were painful blind eye (318, 64.8%), malignancy (139, 28.3%), disfiguring blind eye (14, 2.9%) and treatment-refractory perforated corneal ulcer (13, 2.6%). There was only one indication for enucleation due to acute trauma (1, 0.2%). Information on causative diagnosis was available from 2013 to 2022 (257). The most common causative diagnoses leading to enucleation were choroidal melanoma (107, 41.6%), status post (s/p) trauma (65, 25.3%), and s/p retinal detachment (17, 6.6%). The annual enucleation count showed a decline from 2007 to 2022. Regarding indications for enucleation there is a negative trend for “painful blind eye” and “malignant tumor”. Our study demonstrates a decrease in the annual number of enucleations between 2007 and 2022. While the causative diagnoses remained unchanged over the last ten years, there was a negative trend in surgical indications due to malignant tumors and painful blind eyes. Only one enucleation was performed due to acute trauma.

A multicellular self-organized probiotic platform for oral delivery enhances intestinal colonization

State estimation of voltage and frequency stability in solar wind integrated grids using multiple filtering techniques

Abstract The increasing integration of solar and wind energy into modern power grids introduces challenges in maintaining voltage and frequency stability due to their intermittent and uncertain nature. This study evaluates the performance of three advanced state observers: extended Kalman filter (EKF), unscented Kalman filter (UKF), and cubature Kalman filter (CKF) for real-time monitoring and stability assessment in solar and wind-integrated grids (SAWIG). The analysis focuses on estimation accuracy, convergence speed, and classification performance under varying phasor measurement unit (PMU) sampling rates. Simulation results reveal that the CKF achieves the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.005 at a 10 Hz sampling rate, outperforming the UKF (0.007) and EKF (0.010). In terms of dynamic performance, CKF stabilizes within 0.1 s, while UKF and EKF require 0.2 and 0.4 s, respectively. Classification evaluation shows that CKF achieves the highest accuracy of 99.5%, with precision, recall, and F1-score of 99.2, 99.3, and 99.4%, respectively. In contrast, UKF reports values of 98.8, 98.5, 98.7, and 98.6%, while EKF records 97.6, 96.9, 97.1, and 97.3%. Confusion matrix analysis further confirms a classification accuracy of 95% for CKF. These results demonstrate its robustness, speed, and precision in ensuring reliable state estimation for voltage and frequency stability in renewable-integrated smart grids.

METTL9 sustains vertebrate neural development primarily via non-catalytic functions

Abstract METTL9 is an enzyme catalysing N1-methylation of histidine residues (1MH) within eukaryotic proteins. Given its high expression in vertebrate nervous system and its potential association with neurodevelopmental delay, we dissected Mettl9 role during neural development. We generated three distinct mouse embryonic stem cell lines: a complete Mettl9 knock-out (KO), an inducible METTL9 Degron and a line endogenously expressing a catalytically inactive protein, and assessed their ability to undergo neural differentiation. In parallel, we down-regulated mettl9 in Xenopus laevis embryos and characterised their neural development. Our multi-omics data indicate that METTL9 exerts a conserved role in sustaining vertebrate neurogenesis. This is largely independent of its catalytic activity and occurs through modulation of the secretory pathway. METTL9 interacts with key regulators of cellular transport, endocytosis and Golgi integrity; moreover, in Mettl9 KO cells Golgi becomes fragmented. Overall, we demonstrate a developmental function of Mettl9 and link it to a 1MH-independent pathway, namely, the maintenance of the secretory system, which is essential throughout neural development.