Spatiotemporal evolution and transmission dynamics of Alpha and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants contributing to sequential outbreaks in Cambodia during 2021.

Background: Tracking the emergence, introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern are essential for informing public health strategies. In 2021, Cambodia faced two major epidemic waves of SARS-CoV-2 triggered by the successive rise of the Alpha and Delta variants.

Methods: Phylodynamic analysis of 1,163 complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Cambodia, along with global sequences, were conducted between February and September 2021 to infer viral introductions, molecular epidemiology and population dynamics.

Design and Reaction Mechanism of Rechargeable Lithium-Carbon Fluoride Battery.

Recharging primary batteries is of great importance for increasing the energy density of energy storage systems to power electric aircraft and beyond. Carbon fluoride (CF) cathodes are characterized by high specific capacity and energy density (865 mAh g and 2180 Wh kg, respectively). Preventing the crystallization of LiF with an intermediate and lowering the energy barrier from LiF to CF is expected to render the Li/CF battery reversible.

In vivo gene delivery to immune cells.

Immune cell therapies are an emerging class of living drugs that rely on the delivery of therapeutic transgenes to enhance, modulate, or restore cell function, such as those that encode for tumor-targeting receptors or replacement proteins. However, many cellular immunotherapies are autologous treatments that are limited by high manufacturing costs, typical vein-to-vein time of 3-4 weeks, and severe immune-related adverse effects. To address these issues, different classes of gene delivery vehicles are being developed to target specific immune cell subsets in vivo to address the limitations of ex vivo manufacturing, modulate therapeutic responses in situ, and reduce on- and off-target toxicity.

Aquatic photolysis of high-risk fluorinated liquid crystal monomers: Kinetics, toxicity evaluation, and mechanisms.

Despite the frequent detection of fluorinated liquid-crystal monomers (FLCMs) in the environment, the level of understanding of their fate, toxicity, and transformation remains insufficient. Herein, we investigated the degradation kinetics and mechanism of an FLCM (4-cyano-3-fluorophenyl 4-ethylbenzoate, CEB-F) under ultraviolet (UV) photolysis in aquatic environment. Our findings demonstrated that the UV photolysis of CEB-F followed first-order kinetics.

Genetic parameters for bull effects on in vitro embryo production (IVP) and relationship between semen quality traits and IVP performance.

In vitro production of embryos (IVP) is increasingly applied in dairy cattle breeding and promises widespread use of females of superior genetic merits. One of the current challenges with implementation of IVP is the variability in blastocyst rates. Several factors contribute to these variabilities, among which is known to be the bull used for oocytes fertilization.

Neurotrophin-4 promotes development and maturation of human secondary follicles yielding metaphase II oocytes and successful blastocyst formation.

Study Question: Does a matrix-free culture system supplemented with neurotrophic factor 4 (NT4) improve human follicular development and meiotic maturation, ultimately resulting in fertilizable oocytes?

Summary Answer: NT4 supplementation of culture significantly enhances the growth, steroid hormone production, and maturity potential of human secondary follicles derived from fresh ovarian medulla (from post- and pre-pubertal patients), thereby yielding fertilizable oocytes.

What Is Known Already: Reconstituting folliculogenesis is of paramount importance in the realms of fertility preservation, reproductive biology research, and reproductive toxicity assessments. However, the efficiency of culture systems remains suboptimal, as the attainment of fertilizable oocytes from growth (IVG) of human follicles remains unachieved, with the data being particularly scant regarding follicles from prepubertal girls.

Probing Molecular Packing of Amorphous Pharmaceutical Solids Using X-ray Atomic Pair Distribution Function and Solid-State NMR.

The structural investigation of amorphous pharmaceuticals is of paramount importance in comprehending their physicochemical stability. However, it has remained a relatively underexplored realm primarily due to the limited availability of high-resolution analytical tools. In this study, we utilized the combined power of X-ray pair distribution functions (PDFs) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) techniques to probe the molecular packing of amorphous posaconazole and its amorphous solid dispersion at the molecular level.

Coating-Free Culture Medium for Establishing and Maintaining Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Cell expansion of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) commonly depends on Matrigel as a coating matrix on two-dimensional (2D) culture plates and 3D microcarriers. However, the xenogenic Matrigel requires sophisticated quality-assurance processes to meet clinical requirements. In this study, we develop an innovative coating-free medium for expanding hPSCs.

A national, multicenter, retrospective study of Castleman disease in China implementing CDCN criteria.

Background: Castleman disease (CD) is a group of rare and heterogenous lymphoproliferative disorders including unicentric CD (UCD), human herpesvirus-8(HHV-8)-associated multicentric CD (HHV8-MCD), and HHV-8-negative/idiopathic multicentric CD (iMCD). Knowledge of CD mainly comes from case series or retrospective studies, but the inclusion criteria of these studies vary because the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) diagnostic criteria for iMCD and UCD were not available until 2017 and 2020, respectively. Further, these criteria and guidelines have not been systematically evaluated.

LTBP4 Protects Against Renal Fibrosis via Mitochondrial and Vascular Impacts.

Background: As a part of natural disease progression, acute kidney injury (AKI) can develop into chronic kidney disease via renal fibrosis and inflammation. LTBP4 (latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 4) regulates transforming growth factor beta, which plays a role in renal fibrosis pathogenesis. We previously investigated the role of LTBP4 in chronic kidney disease.

Multibreed genomic prediction using summary statistics and a breed-origin-of-alleles approach.

Because of an increasing interest in crossbreeding between dairy breeds in dairy cattle herds, farmers are requesting breeding values for crossbred animals. However, genomically enhanced breeding values are difficult to predict in crossbred populations because the genetic make-up of crossbred individuals is unlikely to follow the same pattern as for purebreds. Furthermore, sharing genotype and phenotype information between breed populations are not always possible, which means that genetic merit (GM) for crossbred animals may be predicted without the information needed from some pure breeds, resulting in low prediction accuracy.

Age-dependent genetic and environmental variance of semen quality in Nordic Holstein bulls.

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic and environmental parameters, across bull's age, for semen quality traits including pre- and postcryopreservation semen concentration, sperm motility, and sperm viability as well as ejaculate volume and number of doses per ejaculate. A data set on 96,595 ejaculates from 2,831 Nordic Holstein bulls collected between 2006 and 2019 was used. Genetic and environmental parameters were estimated using a random regression model and applying the average-information REML approach.

Cu-catalyzed cascade difluoroalkylation/5- cyclization/β-fluorine cleavage of ynones.

A copper-catalyzed, redox-neutral cascade difluoroalkylation/5- annulation/β-fluorine cleavage of ynones is developed, providing a direct and stereoselective method to access synthetically important α-monofluoroalkenyl cyclopentanones. Mechanistic studies suggest an unprecedented Cu-assisted β-fluorine fragmentation, which may be valuable for the challenging but important C-F bond activation. Moreover, the generated difluorocarbene was found to serve as an effective reductant for the regeneration of copper(I) catalyst, thus avoiding the addition of external reductants.

Fluoropolymer: A Review on Its Emulsion Preparation and Wettability to Solid-Liquid Interface.

In the preparation of a superamphiphobic surface, the most basic method is to reduce the surface free energy of the interface. The C-F bond has a very low surface free energy, which can significantly change the wettability of the solid-liquid interface and make it a hydrophobic or oleophobic, or even superamphiphobic surface. Based on the analysis of a large number of research articles, the preparation and application progress in fluoropolymer emulsion were summarized.

Ultrafast deposition of polydopamine for high-performance fiber-reinforced high-temperature ceramic composites.

The low deposition time efficiency and small thickness limit the expansion of polydopamine (PDA) application to fiber-reinforced high-temperature ceramic composites. In this work, the electric field-assisted polymerization (EFAP) route was developed to improve the deposition time efficiency of PDA coating and overcome the thickness limitation. Carbonized polydopamine (C-PDA) coating was used as the interphase of carbon fiber-reinforced ZrB-based composites (C/ZrB-based composite) to bond rigid fibers and brittle ceramics, where C-PDA coating was prepared by the carbonization of PDA coating.

Young mice administered adult doses of AAV5-hFVIII-SQ achieve therapeutic factor VIII expression into adulthood.

Valoctocogene roxaparvovec (AAV5-hFVIII-SQ) gene transfer provided reduced bleeding for adult clinical trial participants with severe hemophilia A. However, pediatric outcomes are unknown. Using a mouse model of hemophilia A, we investigated the effect of vector dose and age at treatment on transgene production and persistence.

Restoring tubal patency with laparoscopic tubocornual anastomosis.

Objective: To assess the technical feasibility of laparoscopic tubocornual anastomosis (TCA) at restoring tubal patency in patients with proximal tubal occlusions.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of fourteen females with identified proximal tubal occlusions seeking to restore their tubal patency in a university-affiliated tertiary hospital between 2011 and 2018. Tubal patency within one year after the surgery was evaluated.

Rearrangement processes and structural variations show evidence of selection in oesophageal adenocarcinomas.

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) provides an ideal case study to characterize large-scale rearrangements. Using whole genome short-read sequencing of 383 cases, for which 214 had matched whole transcriptomes, we observed structural variations (SV) with a predominance of deletions, tandem duplications and inter-chromosome junctions that could be identified as LINE-1 mobile element (ME) insertions. Complex clusters of rearrangements resembling breakage-fusion-bridge cycles or extrachromosomal circular DNA accounted for 22% of complex SVs affecting known oncogenes.

Multi-Omics Signatures Link to Ticagrelor Effects on Vascular Function in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: Long-term antiplatelet agents including the potent P2Y12 antagonist ticagrelor are indicated in patients with a previous history of acute coronary syndrome. We sought to compare the effect of ticagrelor with that of aspirin monotherapy on vascular endothelial function in patients with prior acute coronary syndrome.

Methods: This was a prospective, single center, parallel group, investigator-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Long-term effect of perfluorooctanoic acid on the anammox system based on metagenomics: Performance, sludge characteristic and microbial community dynamic.

The effects of PFOA on the nitrogen removal performance, microbial community and functional genes of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) sludge in an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) were investigated. The removal efficiencies of ammonia nitrogen (NH-N) and nitrite (NO-N) decreased from 93.90 ± 3.