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SLC29A1 and SLC29A2 are human nicotinamide cell membrane transporters
The impact of visual fidelity on screen-based virtual reality food choices: A randomized pilot study
Objective To understand the impact of fidelity and perceived realism on virtual reality food choices, and task motivation, engagement, and interest. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Online. Participants 84 participants recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Intervention Participants were randomly assigned to either a high- (n = 43) or a low- (n = 41) visual fidelity environment and were asked to select foods to have a meal with a friend. Main outcome measures Food choice, motivation of food choices, engagement, and interest. Analysis Simple linear regressions between visual fidelity and perceived realism, and log-linear regressions for visual fidelity or perceived realism on either motivation, interest, or engagement. Poisson models between visual fidelity or perceived realism, and food selections. Results Manipulating visual fidelity was not associated with perceived realism, motivation, interest, or engagement in the food selection task. Perceived realism increased motivation by 0.3% (SE 0.056; p = 0.022), interest by 1.4% (SE 0.002; p<0.001), and engagement by 0.9% (SE 0.001; p<0.001) in the food selection task. High visual fidelity decreased the total number of foods selected (B = 0.216; CI (-0.384; -0.047); p = 0.012). Conclusion and implications Perceived realism, but not visual fidelity, is important for task related factors like motivation, engagement, and interest. Visual fidelity may influence some food selections.
Author Correction: Examinations of effects of socio-demographic features and disease-related data of patients with hemodialysis on the quality of life
Oncolytic reprogramming of tumor microenvironment shapes CD4 T-cell memory via the IL6ra-Bcl6 axis for targeted control of glioblastoma
Abstract Oncolytic viruses (OVs) emerge as a promising cancer immunotherapy. However, the temporal impact on tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment, and the nature of anti-tumor immunity post-therapy remain largely unclear. Here we report that CD4+ T cells are required for durable tumor control in syngeneic murine models of glioblastoma multiforme after treatment with an oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) engineered to express IL-12. The upregulated MHCII on residual tumor cells facilitates programmed polyfunctional CD4+ T cells for tumor control and for recall responses. Mechanistically, the proper ratio of Bcl-6 to T-bet in CD4+ T cells navigates their enhanced anti-tumor capacity, and a reciprocal IL6ra-Bcl-6 regulatory axis in a memory CD4+ T-cell subset, which requires MHCII signals from reprogrammed tumor cells, tumor-infiltrating and resident myeloid cells, is necessary for the prolonged response. These findings uncover an OV-induced tumor/myeloid-CD4+ T-cell partnership, leading to long-term anti-tumor immune memory, and improved OV therapeutic efficacy.
The PainSMART project: Protocol for a research program on effectiveness, mechanisms of effect and patient-practitioner experiences of the PainSMART-strategy as an adjunct to usual primary care physiotherapy management for musculoskeletal pain
Background Musculoskeletal pain (MSKP) disorders entail a significant burden for individuals and healthcare systems. The PainSMART-strategy has been developed aiming to reduce divergences between patients and healthcare practitioners in their understanding of MSKP by providing a shared basis for communication and to facilitate patients’ self-management of MSKP. The objective of the PainSMART-project is to evaluate the effects of the PainSMART-strategy as an adjunct to usual physiotherapy management compared to usual physiotherapy management alone. Methods The PainSMART-project is a research program with a collective suite of studies utilising mixed methods, centred around a randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06187428). Subjects: Adults (18 years or older) seeking primary care for MSKP who are triaged and booked for an initial physiotherapy consultation at five primary care physiotherapy departments within the Swedish public healthcare regions of Östergötland and Jönköping. A total of 490 subjects will be randomised to receive one of two possible interventions. Interventions Both groups will receive usual physiotherapy management for benign MSKP. The intervention group will also receive the PainSMART-strategy consisting of an educational film, reflection and reinforcement of the film’s key messages prior to the initial physiotherapy consultation and a patient-practitioner discussion based on the film. Outcome The primary outcome is 1) between group mean change over time from baseline to 24 hours post initial physiotherapy consultation and baseline to 3 months regarding self-reported average pain intensity and pain self-efficacy. Secondary outcomes include similar measurements for MSKP illness perception, reassurance of benign nature, pain coping, physical activity, analgesic medication use, sick leave, healthcare use and direct healthcare costs. Physiotherapist and patient reported experience measures and qualitative evaluation of the effects of the PainSMART-strategy on communication at the initial physiotherapy consultation will also be explored. Discussion This study will investigate potential added effects of PainSMART-strategy upon usual primary care physiotherapy for MSKP.
A thin, wideband transmissive cross polarization converter
Fire-driven disruptions of global soil biochemical relationships
Correction: Exome sequencing reveals IFT172 variants in patients with non-syndromic cholestatic liver disease
Risk factor assessment of prediabetes and diabetes based on epidemic characteristics in new urban areas: a retrospective and a machine learning study
In situ osteogenic activation of mesenchymal stem cells by the blood clot biomimetic mechanical microenvironment
Correction: Factors affecting the relapse of maxilla and soft tissues of nose, upper lip and velopharyngeal structures after maxillary advancement in cleft patients
A study on the effect of blue light on kidney stone formation in rats via the brain-kidney axis
Machine learning photodynamics decode multiple singlet fission channels in pentacene crystal
Abstract Crystalline pentacene is a model solid-state light-harvesting material because its quantum efficiencies exceed 100% via ultrafast singlet fission. The singlet fission mechanism in pentacene crystals is disputed due to insufficient electronic information in time-resolved experiments and intractable quantum mechanical calculations for simulating realistic crystal dynamics. Here we combine a multiscale multiconfigurational approach and machine learning photodynamics to understand competing singlet fission mechanisms in crystalline pentacene. Our simulations reveal coexisting charge-transfer-mediated and coherent mechanisms via the competing channels in the herringbone and parallel dimers. The predicted singlet fission time constants (61 and 33 fs) are in excellent agreement with experiments (78 and 35 fs). The trajectories highlight the essential role of intermolecular stretching between monomers in generating the multi-exciton state and explain the anisotropic phenomenon. The machine-learning-photodynamics resolved the elusive interplay between electronic structure and vibrational relations, enabling fully atomistic excited-state dynamics with multiconfigurational quantum mechanical quality for crystalline pentacene.
Correction: Neural recordings can differentiate between spontaneously metastasizing melanomas and melanomas with low metastatic potential
High sensitivity flexible strain sensor for motion monitoring based on MWCNT@MXene and silicone rubber
Abstract Research on flexible strain sensors has grown rapidly and is widely applied in the fields of soft robotics, body motion detection, wearable sensors, health monitoring, and sports. In this study, MXene was successfully synthesized in powder form and combined with multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) to develop MWCNT@MXene conductive network-based flexible strain sensors with silicone rubber (SR) substrate. Combining MWCNTs with MXene as a conductive material has been shown to significantly improve the sensor performance, due to MXene’s high conductivity properties that strengthen the MWCNT conductive pathway, increase sensitivity, and improve sensor stability. The sensor is fabricated by a sandwich method consisting of three layers, which enables more accurate and reliable detection of strain changes. The main innovation of this research is the utilization of MWCNT@MXene as a conductive material that optimizes the performance of flexible strain sensors, overcomes the limitations of previous materials, and makes it a more effective solution for long-term applications. Furthermore, the sensor was evaluated to test its performance through sensitivity, linearity, response time, and durability tests. The results showed that the sensor exhibited excellent performance with a high sensitivity of 39.97 over a strain range of 0-100% and excellent linearity (0.99) over a strain of 0–50%. The sensor also has a fast response time of about 70 ms, it also has good stability during low (1–5%) and high (20–100%) strain cycle testing and can withstand up to 1200 loading and unloading cycles. In addition, the sensor effectively detects a wide range of body movements, including finger, wrist and knee movements. These findings show that the electromechanical properties of strain sensors are significantly improved through the use of MWCNT@MXene as a conductive material, so these sensors are considered a promising solution for applications in wearables and body motion monitoring.
Biologists pinpoint neurons that sense how food tastes and feels — in maggots
Coherent harmonic generation of magnons in spin textures
Mechanical properties of a polylactic 3D-printed interim crown after thermocycling
Polylactic acid (PLA) has garnered attention for use in interim dental restorations due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, low cost, ease of fabrication, and moderate strength. However, its performance under intraoral conditions, particularly under heat and moisture, remains underexplored. This study evaluated the mechanical properties of PLA interim crowns compared with those of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and bisphenol crowns under simulated intraoral conditions with thermocycling. Three CAD/CAM polymers—PMMA (milling), PLA (fused deposition), and bisphenol (stereolithography)—were tested for fracture resistance, hardness, and surface roughness. For fracture strength, 25 crowns from each group were cemented onto dies. The Shore D hardness and surface roughness were measured on round discs before and after 10,000 thermocycles (5°C/55°C). The surface topography was assessed via scanning electron microscopy. PMMA exhibited the highest fracture strength (2787.93 N), followed by bisphenol (2165.47 N) and PLA (2088.78 N), with no significant difference between the latter two. PMMA and bisphenol showed vertical fractures and cracks, whereas PLA showed crown tearing or die deformation. Bisphenol had the highest Shore D hardness, followed by PMMA and PLA, with no significant changes after thermocycling. The surface roughness (Ra) was lowest for bisphenol and similar between PMMA and PLA. The roughness (Rz) increased from bisphenol to PMMA to PLA. The roughness of the PMMA remained unchanged after thermocycling, whereas the Ra but not the Rz of the PLA increased. Bisphenol showed a significant increase in both Ra and Rz (p<0.0001). In conclusion, PLA interim crowns demonstrated mechanical properties comparable to those of conventional PMMA and bisphenol crowns after thermocycling.
Quantitative analysis of amino acid excretion by Methanothermobacter marburgensis under N2-fixing conditions
Abstract Methanogenic archaea (methanogens) possess fascinating metabolic characteristics, such as the ability to fix molecular nitrogen (N2). Methanogens are of biotechnological importance due to the ability to produce methane (CH4) from molecular hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) and to excrete proteinogenic amino acids. This study focuses on analyzing the link between biological methanogenesis and amino acid excretion under N2-fixing conditions. Among five hydrogenotrophic, autotrophic methanogens, Methanothermobacter marburgensis was prioritized and further cultivated in closed batch cultivation mode under N2-fixing conditions. M. marburgensis was grown on chemically defined minimal medium with different concentrations of ammonium in a H2/CO2/N2 atmosphere. This enabled the quantification of ammonia uptake, N2-fixation, amino acid excretion and the conversion of H2/CO2 to CH4. To quantify N2-fixation rates in a mass balance setting a novel method has been established. The method utilizes the pressure drop below a certain threshold pressure in closed batch cultivation mode – the threshold pressure for N 2 -fixation (THpN2fix). Using the THpN2fix method, volumetric N2-fixation rates of M. marburgensis as high as 0.91 mmol L−1 h−1 were determined. Excretion of amino acids was found with highest detected values of glutamic acid, alanine, glycine and asparagine. The highest total amino acid excretion of 7.5 µmol L−1 h−1 was detected with H2/CO2/N2 at an ammonium concentration of 40 mmol L−1. This study sheds light on the link between methanogenesis, biological N2-fixation, and proteinogenic amino acid excretion. The concomitant production of amino acids and CH4 could become of biotechnological relevance in an integrated approach coupling biomethanation and N2-fixation in a biorefinery concept.