Haptiknit: Distributed stiffness knitting for wearable haptics.

Haptic devices typically rely on rigid actuators and bulky power supply systems, limiting wearability. Soft materials improve comfort, but careful distribution of stiffness is required to ground actuation forces and enable load transfer to the skin. We present Haptiknit, an approach in which soft, wearable, knit textiles with embedded pneumatic actuators enable programmable haptic display.

Epigenetic regulation by polycomb repressive complex 1 promotes cerebral cavernous malformations.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are anomalies of the cerebral vasculature. Loss of the CCM proteins CCM1/KRIT1, CCM2, or CCM3/PDCD10 trigger a MAPK-Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) signaling cascade, which induces a pathophysiological pattern of gene expression. The downstream target genes that are activated by KLF2 are mostly unknown.

Boron Cluster Anions Dissolve En Masse in Lipids Causing Membrane Expansion and Thinning.

Boron clusters are applied in medicinal chemistry because of their high stability in biological environments and intrinsic ability to capture neutrons. However, their intermolecular interactions with lipid membranes, which are critical for their cellular delivery and biocompatibility, have not been comprehensively investigated. In this study, we combine different experimental methods - Langmuir monolayer isotherms at the air-water interface, calorimetry (DSC, ITC), and scattering techniques (DLS, SAXS) - with MD simulations to evaluate the impact of closo-dodecaborate clusters on model membranes of different lipid composition.

Mild coronavirus disease 2019: Results of a multicentric prospective study on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 presence in semen fractions and cells and its effects on semen parameters.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019, affects multiple organs. The virus enters cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 and host factors present in genital organs, leading to concern over virus shedding in semen and reproductive function.

Objectives: To investigate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in semen from patients with a mild infection, identify the seminal infected cells, and explore the effect of the infection on sex hormones and semen parameters.

Controlling Protein Assembly with Superchaotropic Nano-Ions.

In living systems, protein assemblies have essential functions, serving as structural supports, transport highways for molecular cargo, and containers of genetic material. The construction of protein assemblies, which involves control over space and time, remains a significant challenge in biotechnology. Here, we show that anionic boron clusters, 3,3'-commo-bis[closo-1,2-dicarba-3-cobaltadodecaborane] (COSAN), and halogenated closo-dodecarboranes (BX , X=H, Cl, or I), described as super-chaotropic nano-ions, induce the formation of 2D assemblies of model proteins, myoglobin, carbonic anhydrase, and trypsin inhibitor.