Browse Articles

Redox profiling of preovulatory follicular fluid in the donkey is species-specific, and contributes to modulate sperm function

Coupling of electronic transition to ferroelectric order in a 2D semiconductor

Vascular access dysfunction incidence among Japanese dialysis patients from NDB Open Data Japan

Increased ectodysplasin-A2-receptor EDA2R is a ubiquitous hallmark of aging and mediates parainflammatory responses

Abstract Intensive efforts have been made to identify features that could serve as biomarkers of aging. Yet, drug-based interventions aimed at lessening the detrimental effects of getting older are lacking. This is largely attributable to tissue-specificity, sex-related differences, and to the difficulty of identifying actionable targets, which continues to pose a significant challenge. Here, we implement a bioinformatics approach revealing that aging-associated increase of the transmembrane Ectodysplasin-A2-Receptor is a prominent tissue-independent alteration occurring in humans and other species, and is particularly pronounced in models of accelerated aging. We show that strengthening of the Ectodysplasin-A2-Receptor signalling axis in myogenic precursors and differentiated myotubes suffices to trigger potent parainflammatory responses, mirroring aspects of aging-driven sarcopenia. Intriguingly, obesity, insulin-resistance, and aging-related comorbidities, such as type-2-diabetes, result in heightened levels of the Ectodysplasin-A2 ligand. Our findings suggest that targeting the Ectodysplasin-A2 surface receptor represents a promising pharmacological strategy to mitigate the development of aging-associated phenotypes.

Peripheral refraction and aberrations in myopic eyes after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery

Epidemiology and socioeconomic correlates of gastric cancer in Asia: results from the GLOBOCAN 2020 data and projections from 2020 to 2040

The association between non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis among US adults based on NHANES

Immunoglobulin superfamily 3 (Igsf3) function is dispensable for brain development

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) suppresses cellular senescence by riboflavin uptake-dependent demethylation activity

Neuroprotective mitochondria targeted small molecule restores synapses and the distribution of synaptic mitochondria in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice

Topological phononic switch based on reconfigurable symmetry-broken crystals with rotatable scatterers

Unveiling the cell-type-specific landscape of cellular senescence through single-cell transcriptomics using SenePy

Abstract Senescent cells accumulate in most tissues with organismal aging, exposure to stressors, or disease progression. It is challenging to identify senescent cells because cellular senescence signatures and phenotypes vary widely across distinct cell types and tissues. Here we developed an analytical algorithm that defines cell-type-specific and universal signatures of cellular senescence across a wide range of cell types and tissues. We utilize 72 mouse and 64 human weighted single-cell transcriptomic signatures of cellular senescence to create the SenePy scoring platform. SenePy signatures better recapitulate in vivo cellular senescence than signatures derived from in vitro senescence studies. We use SenePy to map the kinetics of senescent cell accumulation in healthy aging as well as multiple disease contexts, including tumorigenesis, inflammation, and myocardial infarction. SenePy characterizes cell-type-specific in vivo cellular senescence and could lead to the identification of genes that serve as mediators of cellular senescence and disease progression.

Identifying signatures of past and present cryovolcanism on Europa

Abstract Europa, the most visibly active icy moon of Jupiter, is a prime target for the search for life in the outer solar system. Two spacecraft missions, Europa Clipper from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE) from the European Space Agency (ESA), will observe its surface, probe its interior structure, and characterize the space environment starting in 2030. Occasional eruptions of water sourced from Europa’s interior may provide a window on the interior conditions and habitability of the moon. Here, we investigate the storage and evolution of briny water in Europa’s ice shell and propose a framework to interpret spectral, thermal, radar and gravity data collected by future missions. We show that it is possible to discriminate between water erupting from the deep ocean or from shallow liquid reservoirs using combined measurements of the material’s salinity, surface temperature and ice shell thickness.

Universal in situ oxide-based ABX3-structured seeds for templating halide perovskite growth in All-perovskite tandems

Abstract Precise control over halide perovskite crystallization is pivotal for realizing efficient solar cells. Here, we introduce a strategy utilizing in-situ-formed oxide-based ABX3-structured seeds to regulate perovskite crystallization and growth. Introducing potassium stannate into perovskite precursors triggers a spontaneous reaction with lead iodide, producing potassium iodide and lead stannate. Potassium iodide effectively passivates defects, while PbSnO3 (ABX3-structured), exhibiting a 98% lattice match, acts as a template and seed. This approach facilitates pre-nucleation cluster formation, preferential grain orientation, and the elimination of intermediate-phase processes in perovskite films. Incorporating potassium stannate into both the perovskite precursors and the buried hole transport layers enables single-junction 1.25 eV-bandgap Sn-Pb perovskite solar cells to achieve a steady-state efficiency of 23.12% and enhanced stability. Furthermore, all-perovskite tandem devices yield efficiencies of 28.12% (two-terminal) and 28.81% (four-terminal). This versatile templating method also boosts the performance of 1.77 eV and 1.54 eV-bandgap cells, underscoring its broad applicability.

The role of Tyr34 in proton coupled electron transfer and product inhibition of manganese superoxide dismutase

Anomalous δ15N values in the Neoarchean associated with an abundant supply of hydrothermal ammonium

Abstract Unusually high δ15N values in the Neoarchean sedimentary record in the time period from 2.8 to 2.6 Ga, termed the Nitrogen Isotope Event (NIE), might be explained by aerobic N cycling prior to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Here we report strongly positive δ15N values up to +42.5 ‰ in ~2.75 – 2.73 Ga shallow-marine carbonates from Zimbabwe. As the corresponding deeper-marine shales exhibit negative δ15N values that are explained by partial biological uptake from a large ammonium reservoir, we interpret our data to have resulted from hydrothermal upwelling of 15N-rich ammonium into shallow, partially oxic waters, consistent with uranium isotope variations. This work shows that anomalous N isotope signatures at the onset of the NIE temporally correlate with extensive volcanic and hydrothermal activity both locally and globally, which may have stimulated primary production and spurred biological innovation in the lead-up to the GOE.

Low-temperature pressure-assisted liquid-metal printing for β-Ga2O3 thin-film transistors

Abstract Developing a low-temperature and cost-effective manufacturing process for energy-efficient and high-performance oxide-thin-film transistors (TFTs) is a crucial step toward advancing next-generation device applications such as wearable and flexible electronics. Among several methods, a liquid-metal printing technique is considered a promising, cost-effective oxide semiconductor process due to its inherent advantages, such as vacuum-free, low-thermal budget, high throughput, and scalability. In this study, we have developed a pressure-assisted liquid-metal printing technique enabling the low-temperature synthesis of polycrystalline wide bandgap n-channel oxide-TFTs. The n-channel oxide TFTs based on ~3 nm-thick β-Ga2O3 channels exhibited good TFT switching properties with a threshold voltage of ~3.8 V, a saturation mobility of ~11.7 cm2 V−1 s−1, an on/off-current ratio of ~109, and a subthreshold slope of ~163 mV/decade. We also observed p-channel operation in the off-stoichiometric GaOx channels fabricated at high-pressure conditions. Toward oxide-based circuit applications, we developed high-performance oxide-TFT-based inverters. While our approach can promote the advancement of low-temperature manufacturing for oxide TFT technology, further work will be necessary to confirm the role of the applied pressure in the β-Ga2O3 crystallization process.

Cold spells over Greenland during the mid-Pliocene Warm Period

Abstract The mid-Pliocene Warm Period (mPWP; 3.26–3.02 Ma) is an interval often suggested as a potential analogue of the near future climate and fate of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS). Here, neodymium and lead isotopes from marine sediment cores collected off the southern Greenland margin suggest pulses of intense glacial erosion of Precambrian terranes during this interval, while grain size data indicate a reduction in the strength of contour currents, both following a near obliquity cycle (~41 ka) pacing. These cold spells were thus sufficiently intense to trigger recurrent ice growth over Greenland, even under the high atmospheric CO 2 concentration (~400 ppmV) of the interval, before the intensification of the Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (~2.7 Ma). However, the mPWP was marked by a low amplitude in the axial tilt oscillation of the Earth, thus lesser variations in summer insolation at high latitudes than in the present era. Therefore, although it may offer some similarities with the future of the Earth’s climate, the mid-Pliocene cannot be seen as a genuine analogue for predicting the fate of the GIS.

Spatial recognition and semi-quantification of epigenetic events in pancreatic cancer subtypes with multiplexed molecular imaging and machine learning

Abstract Genomic alterations are the driving force behind pancreatic cancer (PC) tumorigenesis, but they do not fully account for its diverse phenotypes. Investigating the epigenetic landscapes of PC offers a more comprehensive understanding and could identify targeted therapies that enhance patient survival. In this study, we have developed a new promising methodology of spatial epigenomics that integrates multiplexed molecular imaging with convolutional neural networks. Then, we used it to map epigenetic modification levels in the six most prevalent PC subtypes. We analyzed and semi-quantified the resulting molecular data, revealing significant variability in their epigenomes. DNA and histone modifications, specifically methylation and acetylation, were investigated. Using the same technique, we examined DNA conformational changes to further elucidate the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involved in PC differentiation. Our results revealed that the foamy-gland and squamous-differentiated subtypes exhibited significantly increased global levels of epigenetic modifications and elevated Z-DNA ratios. Overall, our findings may suggest a potentially reduced efficacy of therapeutics targeting epigenetic regulators for these subtypes. Conversely, the conventional ductal PC subtype has emerged as a promising candidate for treatment with epigenetic modulators.

Cationic-anionic synchronous ring-opening polymerization