Browse Articles

Retraction: Activated α2-macroglobulin binding to cell surface GRP78 induces T-loop phosphorylation of Akt1 by PDK1 in association with raptor

Design and numerical analysis of a gap-compensated low loss hollow-core antiresonant fiber with nested elliptical tubes

IL-10 from tumoral B cells modulates the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma microenvironment and response to immunotherapy

Abstract The contribution of interleukin-10 (IL-10), secreted by tumoral B cells, to the progression and shaping of the microenvironment in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with activated B-cell–like (ABC) phenotype is not yet completely understood. To shed light on this issue, we generated an immunocompetent mouse model of ABC-DLBCL with conditional knockout of IL-10 specifically in malignant B cells. Paradoxically, these mice had significantly worse overall survival when left untreated but experienced increased sensitivity to conventional anti-CD20 immunotherapy or regulatory T-cell depletion. We identified various immunomodulatory mechanisms involved in this behavior. In particular, we show that IL-10–deficient lymphomas acquire a highly immunosuppressed and T-cell–exhausted microenvironment with increased angiogenesis that results in a more aggressive phenotype, which is refractory to PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade. However, the response of IL-10–deficient mice to anti-CD20 immunotherapy was greatly enhanced by upregulation of calcium channels in B cells. In general, IL-10 autocrine signaling promotes the survival of malignant B cells, whereas the paracrine action of B-cell–derived IL-10 maintains an immunoreactive microenvironment that influences the efficacy of emerging immunotherapy strategies targeting the lymphoma microenvironment. Furthermore, IL-10–associated transcriptional signatures derived from our studies may correctly predict clinical outcomes of patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone). Thus, our work provides important functional and mechanistic insights into the role of B-cell–derived IL-10 in the biology of ABC-DLBCL.

Bacterial membrane nanovesicles encapsulating prodrug assemblies combine chemical and immunological therapies for chronic bacterial infection

Advancing sentiment analysis for low-resourced african languages using pre-trained language models

While sentiment analysis systems excel in high-resource languages, most African languages facing limited resources, remain under-represented. This gap leaves a significant portion of the world’s population without access to technologies in their native languages. However, multilingual pre-trained language models (PLM) offer a promising approach for sentiment analysis in low-resource languages. Although the absence of large data in African languages poses a challenge for developing PLMs, fine-tuning and task adaptation of existing multilingual PLMs is an alternative solution. This paper explores the use of multilingual PLMs for sentiment analysis in five Southern African languages: Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, isiXhosa, and isiZulu. We leverage existing PLMs and fine-tune them for this specific task, avoiding training the models from scratch. Our work expands on the SAfriSenti corpus, a Twitter sentiment dataset for these languages. We employ various annotation techniques to create a labelled dataset and perform benchmark experiments utilising various multilingual PLMs. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of multilingual PLM, particularly for closely-related languages (Sotho-Tswana), where the ensemble PLMs method achieved an average weighted F1 score above 63%. In particular, Nguni closely-related languages achieved an even higher average weighted F1 score, exceeding 77%, highlighting the potential of PLMs for sentiment analysis in South African languages.

Biochemical, nutritional, and nutraceutical properties of cactus pear accessions

Single-cell panleukemia signatures of HSPC-like blasts predict drug response and clinical outcome

Abstract The critical role of leukemia-initiating cells as a therapy-resistant population in myeloid leukemia is well established. However, the molecular signatures of such cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia remain underexplored. Moreover, their role in therapy response and patient prognosis is yet to be systematically investigated across various types of acute leukemia. We used single-cell multiomics to analyze diagnostic specimens from 96 pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic, myeloid, and lineage-ambiguous leukemias. Through the integration of single-cell multiomics with extensive bulk RNA sequencing and clinical data sets, we uncovered a prevalent, chemotherapy-resistant subpopulation that resembles hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC-like) and is associated with poor clinical outcomes across all subtypes investigated. We identified a core transcriptional regulatory network (TRN) in HSPC-like blasts that is combinatorially controlled by HOXA/AP1/CEBPA. This TRN signature can predict chemotherapy response and long-term clinical outcomes. We identified shared potential therapeutic targets against HSPC-like blasts, including FLT3, BCL2, and the PI3K pathway. Our study provides a framework for linking intratumoral heterogeneity with therapy response, patient outcomes, and the discovery of new therapeutic targets for pediatric acute leukemias.

Finite element analysis of the human mandible: a systematic review with meta-analysis of the essential input parameters

Correction: Long-term systemic androgen deprivation partially modulates neuroinflammation in male AppNL−G−F/NL−G−F mice

A novel enhanced FBR and low SAR MIMO antenna with limited ground plane for wearable devices

Abstract This study explores a novel approach to mitigate the challenge of a small ground plane inducing substantial back lobes in high front-to-back ratio (FBR) microstrip patch antennas. Introducing a combined technique employing rectangular strip and connecting strip methods, this research aims to counteract backward radiation by generating supplementary magnetic currents through an inductive effect. The hybrid method effectively reduces the backward radiation from the original patch. The proposed single antenna element occupies a notably smaller area (approximately 0.029 λ × 0.036 λ, where λ denotes the cutoff wavelength at 5.9 GHz), making it particularly suitable for wearable applications. Additionally, an equivalent circuit model illustrates the coordinated action, offering comprehensive insights into the physical mechanisms. The achieved FBR surpasses directivity by up to 6.03 dB, leading to a diminished specific absorption rate (SAR) when worn while maintaining minimal impact on radiation efficiency due to human presence, a crucial quality for wearable devices.

In-Situ Gelled Covalent Organic Framework Membrane with Vacancies-Enhanced Anhydrous Proton Conductivity

Nonlinear waveform optimization for wireless power transfer systems

Morphological variation and genetic diversity of Circinaria contorta (Megasporaceae, Ascomycota), including C. contorta subsp. albida subsp. nov.

Abstract Circinaria contorta is a widely distributed, crustose, saxicolous lichen, which thallus is composed of olive-brown, white pruinose areoles and crater-like apothecia. Although it is one of the more common taxa occurring on limestone substrata in Europe and a generic type species, no type specimen has ever been designated for this species, and there are only a very few studies concerning this taxon. During research on C. contorta in Poland, tree main phenotypes (groups A, B and C) were delineated within the sampled material. Molecular analyses of sequences of the genus Circinaria from worldwide sampling indicated that representatives of C. contorta did not form one clade but rather were distributed at different points within the phylogenetic tree, probably due to difficulties in the correct identification of this species. Analyses based on three molecular markers, namely nucITS rDNA, MCM7, and mtSSU rDNA sequences, showed that specimens representing the phenotypic groups A and C were intermixed on the phylogenetic tree within the C. contorta group. However, the specimens from group B formed a separate, well-supported clade and are described herein as a new taxon at subspecies rank, Circinaria contorta subsp. albida. Specimens of group C had phenotypic features similar to those of Circinaria hoffmanniana, suggesting that the taxonomic concept of this species needs clarification. Furthermore, the species concept of Circinaria contorta subsp. contorta has been specified by designating an epitype specimen collected in Germany. This specimen belonged to phenotypic group A and contained aspicilin as a secondary metabolite.

Shake-table testing of unreinforced fly ash brick masonry model with unreinforced elastomeric isolator

Abstract Seismic isolation techniques are widely used to mitigate earthquake-induced damage in structures; however, their application in low-cost unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings remains limited. This study investigates the effectiveness of Unreinforced Elastomeric Isolators (UEIs) for improving the seismic resilience of URM structures through comprehensive shake-table testing. A half-scale, single-story masonry model was constructed based on similitude laws and tested under both isolated and non-isolated conditions. The UEI was designed and experimentally characterized before implementation. Free and forced vibration tests were conducted to determine the natural frequencies of the model, followed by shake table tests simulating seven earthquake ground motions. Results indicate that the non-isolated model experienced significant acceleration amplification, whereas the isolated model demonstrated reduced roof acceleration and overall seismic force transmission. Despite observable rocking motion in the isolated case, the total roof displacement was lower than in the non-isolated scenario. Comparisons of base shear and overturning moments further confirmed the improved seismic performance of the UEI-supported model. These findings highlight UEIs as a promising, cost-effective solution for seismic protection of masonry structures, paving the way for further optimization and real-world implementation.

The hydroxamate based HDAC inhibitor WMJ-J-09 induces colorectal cancer cell death by targeting tubulin and downregulating survivin

Abstract Aberrant expression of histone deacetylases (HDACs) is associated with cancer drug resistance and tumor progression. While considerable studies and effort have been devoted to developing novel HDAC inhibitors in cancer therapy, hydroxamate-based HDAC inhibitors have gained growing interest for their broad-spectrum anti-tumor properties. We developed a series of HDAC inhibitors featuring a hydroxamate moiety, and WMJ-J-09 was selected due to its potent cytotoxic effect in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, and its molecular mechanisms driving CRC cell death were characterized. WMJ-J-09 reduced cell viability, arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M phase, and triggered apoptosis. Mechanistically, it activated LKB1-p38MAPK signaling, leading to p53 phosphorylation and acetylation, which elevated p21 and suppressed survivin levels. WMJ-J-09 also acetylated α-tubulin, impaired microtubule assembly, and acetylated survivin, resulting in proteasomal degradation. Both LKB1 siRNA and anacardic acid, a histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, reversed WMJ-J-09-reduced survivin, confirming its dual effects on survivin at transcriptional and post-translational levels. In vivo, the subcutaneous growth of HCT116 CRC xenografts was reduced by WMJ-J-09. In conclusion, WMJ-J-09 causes CRC cell death via the LKB1-p53-survivin signaling pathway and HDAC inhibition, leading to acetylation of α-tubulin, p53, and survivin. This study highlights WMJ-J-09’s potential as a promising therapeutic candidate for CRC treatment.

Validating ajzen’s theory of planned behavior in Saudi translation education programs using a reflective structural equation model

Causal role of immune cells in varicose veins: insights from a Mendelian randomization study

A hybrid GAN-based deep learning framework for thermogram-based breast cancer detection

Reduction of air-sea momentum flux due to whitecap residual foam observed during a laboratory experiment

The outcasts, the sick, and the undead: atypical burials of the late medieval to modern greater Poland

Abstract Past burial practices can provide insights into the social status of the inhumed and inform us of how the individuals were perceived by their community. Atypical or “deviant” burials may indicate that the deceased was considered an outcast, either due to disease, different provenance, criminal activity, or religious beliefs. To explore the importance of atypical burial practices in medieval and modern Poland, an interdisciplinary study was conducted on three Polish cemeteries (Dzwonowo, Skoki, and Wągrowiec) dating to the 14th -18th centuries CE. Twelve individuals were examined using archaeological evidence, anthropological analysis, and ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis. This study aimed to determine the underlying reasons behind the atypical nature of the burials (i.e., whether the individuals were outsiders, outcasts, relatives, or victims of infectious disease) and shed light on the complex interplay between health, social status, and community perception in medieval and modern Poland. The results revealed that a non-adult male and a middle-aged female, who were holding hands in a double burial in Skoki, possibly died from the plague. Yersinia pestis DNA was recovered from the non-adult individual, making it the third confirmed case of plague in Poland. Using the nonmetric skeletal traits, archaeological assemblage, and aDNA analysis, we identified several individuals as likely “outsiders” in the community. The results of this study expand our knowledge of past societal structures and cultural responses to disease as well as provide crucial context for interpreting burial patterns elsewhere in Europe.