Browse Articles

Evolution- and structure-guided redesign of the Stachel motif yields soluble and potent modulators of adhesion GPCRs

Structural basis for independent pore function of Vpb4 from Bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract The Bacterial_Exotoxin_B family constitutes translocating pore-forming proteins that function as the binding (B) component in the binary AB Toxin mechanism. While the two-component system of the family is consistent among well-characterised members, the single-component Vpb4 subclass from entomopathogenic Bacillus thuringiensis challenges this dogma. Here, through single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, we elucidate the inserted pore structure of a Vpb4 member, Vpb4Aa2, at 2.2 Å resolution. The structure reveals distinguishing features from other family members: missing molecular bottleneck and neutrally charged β-barrel. Accordingly, preliminary electrophysiology studies show greater ion flux by Vpb4Aa2 compared to archetypal family member, PA. Through our findings, structure-guided database search allows identification of putative Vpb4-like proteins, which suggest a broader class of single-component proteins within the larger family. This provides mechanistic understanding of the differences between independent pores and translocating pores, with implications in the agricultural industry for screening and identification of future pest control candidates.

Total Synthesis of Nineteen-Carbon Picrotoxane Terpenoid Picrodendrin L

Admission NT-proBNP provides stronger prognostic discrimination than the AHEAD score for 1-year mortality in hospitalized acute heart failure: A retrospective cohort study

Background Both admission N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the AHEAD score predict prognosis in acute heart failure, but their comparative and complementary value for admission risk stratification remains uncertain. Methods We screened 512 consecutive adult hospitalizations for acute heart failure; 478 records had sufficient baseline data, and 430 patients had ascertainable 1-year vital-status follow-up and constituted the analytic cohort. We compared admission NT-proBNP (log-transformed) with the AHEAD score for 1-year all-cause mortality using Cox models, Harrell C-index, apparent calibration, and reclassification (continuous net reclassification improvement [NRI] and integrated discrimination improvement [IDI]). A combined model of both markers and a combined AHEAD x NT-proBNP stratification were also evaluated. Results During 1 year, 84 deaths (19.5%) occurred. ln(NT-proBNP) was strongly associated with mortality (adjusted HR 2.63, 95% CI 2.05–3.37 per 1-unit increase; approximately HR 1.95 per doubling). AHEAD categories were associated with mortality in univariable analysis (HR 1.95 for score 2 and 3.61 for score ≥ 3 vs 0−1), but were attenuated after adjustment for ln(NT-proBNP) and admission covariates (adjusted HR 1.03 and 1.81). ln(NT-proBNP) showed higher discrimination than AHEAD categories (Harrell C-index 0.758 vs 0.608). The combined model improved discrimination and reclassification compared with AHEAD alone (C-index 0.757; Delta C-index 0.150; continuous NRI 0.840; IDI 0.136), but not compared with ln(NT-proBNP) alone (Delta C-index 0.000). In combined stratification, the highest NT-proBNP tertile (T3; > 6,385 pg/mL) identified high-risk groups regardless of AHEAD category. Conclusions In hospitalized acute heart failure, admission NT-proBNP provided stronger prognostic discrimination than AHEAD categories for 1-year mortality in this cohort. AHEAD may still provide complementary clinical context, but adding AHEAD to ln(NT-proBNP) did not materially improve discrimination beyond NT-proBNP alone. External validation is warranted.

The quality and reliability of short videos about liver transplantation and lung transplantation on BiliBili and TikTok: cross-sectional study

Abstract Liver and lung transplantation are life-saving treatments for end-stage organ failure. While short-video platforms have become crucial health information sources, the educational quality and reliability of transplantation-related content remains uncertain. This cross-sectional study evaluated 416 liver (223) and lung (193) transplantation-related videos from TikTok and Bilibili in China (December 2025) using four validated instruments: Global Quality Score (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), Medical Quality Video Evaluation Tool (MQ-VET), and Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI). Overall content quality was moderate to low. Videos by medical practitioners achieved statistically significantly higher quality scores than non-medical videos, though absolute differences were modest. TikTok videos achieved higher overall quality scores, while Bilibili videos showed better content reliability. Notably, user engagement metrics were inversely associated with medical professional quality scores in liver transplantation videos (a correlational observation that does not imply causation), with no such association in lung transplantation content. These findings, situated within the unique regulatory and content-governance environment of the Chinese digital ecosystem, highlight the need to optimize platform content governance and promote specialist-led educational content to improve the overall educational quality of transplantation-related short videos.

Rational engineering of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant cysteine oxidase 4 active site can reduce biochemical activity and improve submergence tolerance

Graphitizable pitch from pine resin enables bulk graphite from terpenes

Unraveling N–O Cleavage and N–H Bond Formation for NO Reduction to NH ₃ at a Bimetallic Fe–Mo Site

Paying in public: Peer effects, impression management, and willingness to pay on digital payment platforms

How do the social features of payment forms shape willingness to pay (WTP)? We conduct a purchasing experiment during Covid-19 in which 261 U.S. undergraduates are randomly assigned a payment form in which to complete a real transaction – either via debit card, credit card, or via one of the payment visibility settings within Venmo . We then elicit both stated preferences and WTP for ten household items. We find that the previously documented digital payment premium only persists when transactions are either private or are visible to the public at-large. When transactions are visible only to participants’ friends, however, we find a large decrease in their WTP consistent with impression management when peers are frugal. We find that viewing others’ transactions increases the magnitude of this effect. Payment visibility matters for WTP, but causes no differences in stated preference. These findings highlight the importance of considering social features of payment forms in addition to more well-documented features such as convenience, transparency and pain of payment.

Carvacrol nanoemulsion as a novel approach to augment H9N2 influenza vaccine efficacy

INAAC: An affinity chromatography strategy enabling characterization and quantification of influenza neuraminidase antigens in vaccines

Global inequality in roadkill burden concentrates collision risk on threatened species in low- and middle-income countries

Triplet-Mediated Photon Upconversion via Near-Infrared-II Excitation without Tetracene Derivatives

Statistical shape refinement and genetic algorithm calibration of design response spectra based on strong-motion records

Ground-motion parameters for different site conditions are conventionally prescribed in seismic design codes worldwide, based on post-earthquake damage surveys and statistical analyses of strong-motion databases. Design response spectra thus constitute the primary basis for engineering aseismic design, yet their shapes and characteristic parameters differ markedly among national codes. Systematic computations reveal that code-specified spectral shapes deviate appreciably from recorded earthquake spectra, providing an incomplete representation of site-specific ground-motion characteristics.To address this limitation, 1227 horizontal acceleration records were compiled and classified by magnitude, source distance and site class. Mean dynamic amplification spectra were computed for each subset, and numerical computation were performed to derive an improved analytical expression for the design spectrum. A genetic-algorithm-based calibration procedure was subsequently developed to determine optimal model parameters. The applicability of the proposed approach was examined by calibrating spectra for four independent strong-motion records; spectral parameters obtained with the improved shape were compared with those derived from the conventional code spectrum.Results demonstrate that the refined spectral form captures the frequency-dependent characteristics of earthquake response spectra more accurately than existing representations. The proposed calibration framework offers a valuable reference for advancing design-response-spectrum studies and for the potential updating of seismic design codes.

Leveraging socioeconomic flows to inform shared, migratory species conservation

Abstract Migratory species, and the many cultural and economic values they provide, are declining worldwide. Previous research has quantified ecosystem service flows for single migratory species to provide valuable information on the dynamics of socio-ecological systems to inform cross-jurisdictional management. The urgency of the conservation challenge suggests there is value in exploring the potential management efficiencies to be gained from considering the dynamics of multiple species (e.g., ecological guilds) simultaneously. As proof of concept, this paper demonstrates how ecosystem service flows can be aggregated spatially for a group of three North American migratory species. We further present a flexible approach to estimating how conservation funding can be allocated equitably between the socio-ecological regions of the migratory range. Results show that most benefits from these three migratory species are supported locally by habitat within each region, but net interregional flows exist, including a $33.1 M USD annual subsidy from Mexico to the U.S. and Canada. Results also suggest that directing 18% of net conservation funding raised for these species in the U.S. and Canada toward conservation projects in Mexico would redress inequities in shared management responsibility. Considering the values provided by multiple species simultaneously has the potential to broaden coalitions and expedite negotiation of international agreements by providing a better shared understanding of the benefits to each party.

A closely related pair of superoxide dismutase isozymes from Staphylococcus aureus show distinct stabilities and proton-exchange dynamics

TMEM216 inhibits breast cancer lung metastasis by modulating IGF1R-IRS4 signaling pathway

High-Entropy Perovskite Oxide Enables Visible-Light-Driven Overall Water Splitting via “inner-Z-Scheme” Pathway

Frequency-domain stability analysis of mixed traffic flow considering communication degradation and human driving heterogeneity

Mixed traffic containing connected automated vehicles (CAVs) and human-driven vehicles (HDVs) is sensitive to loss of cooperative information and heterogeneous driver responses. This study develops a probability-weighted full-frequency transfer-function framework to evaluate longitudinal string stability under communication degradation. CAVs are represented by cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) when cooperative information is available and by adaptive cruise control (ACC) when such information is unavailable; HDV responses are represented by the intelligent driver model (IDM), optimal velocity model (OVM), and risk-sensitive model (RSM). The framework preserves frequency-dependent disturbance responses and interprets the conventional algebraic condition as a low-frequency approximation. Under the adopted single-lane, small-perturbation assumptions, passive CACC-to-ACC degradation raised the global critical CAV penetration threshold from about 87.3% in an ideal connected-upgrade benchmark to about 96.0% in the degraded baseline. HDV heterogeneity mainly compressed local stable-speed regions rather than changing the global threshold, and this pattern persisted under 100 Latin Hypercube samples with ±10% HDV parameter perturbations. A 5% functional communication-reliability loss increased the critical threshold to about 99.7% and compressed the stable domain; an equivalent response delay reduced the stable-area ratio even when the global threshold changed only slightly at 0.20 s. An NGSIM US101 trajectory replay supported the IDM-based HDV component, with median speed and spacing root mean square errors of 0.8456 m/s and 3.5078 m. These findings indicate that mixed-flow stability depends not only on CAV penetration but also on cooperative-information availability and HDV response heterogeneity, while the full speed-penetration stability map remains a model-based prediction.

Liprin-α family proteins and their cellular functions