Oomycete communities in lowland tropical forest soils vary in species abundance and comprise saprophytes and pathogens of seeds and seedlings of multiple plant species.

Premise: The soils in lowland tropics are teeming with microbial life, which can impact plant community structure and diversity through plant-soil feedbacks. While bacteria and fungi have been the focus of most studies in the tropics, oomycetes may have an outsized effect on seed and seedling health and survival, given their affinity for moister, warmer environments.

Methods: We assessed the diversity and pathogenicity of oomycete species present in a lowland tropical forest in Panama.

Well Plate-Based Localized Electroporation Workflow for Rapid Optimization of Intracellular Delivery.

Efficient and nontoxic delivery of foreign cargo into cells is a critical step in many biological studies and cell engineering workflows with applications in areas such as biomanufacturing and cell-based therapeutics. However, effective molecular delivery into cells involves optimizing several experimental parameters. In the case of electroporation-based intracellular delivery, there is a need to optimize parameters like pulse voltage, duration, buffer type, and cargo concentration for each unique application.

Thermomechanical Properties of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides Predicted by a Machine Learning Parameterized Force Field.

The mechanical and thermal properties of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are directly relevant to their applications in electronics, thermoelectric devices, and heat management systems. In this study, we use a machine learning (ML) approach to parametrize molecular dynamics (MD) force fields to predict the mechanical and thermal transport properties of a library of monolayered TMDs (MoS, MoTe, WSe, WS, and ReS). The ML-trained force fields were then employed in equilibrium MD simulations to calculate the lattice thermal conductivities of the foregoing TMDs and to investigate how they are affected by small and large mechanical strains.

Fungal community dissimilarity predicts plant-soil feedback strength in a lowland tropical forest.

Soil microbes impact plant community structure and diversity through plant-soil feedbacks. However, linking the relative abundance of plant pathogens and mutualists to differential plant recruitment remains challenging. Here, we tested for microbial mediation of pairwise feedback using a reciprocal transplant experiment in a lowland tropical forest in Panama paired with amplicon sequencing of soil and roots.

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum in a 15-Year-Old Adolescent After Unintended Overexposure to Paint Diluent (Thinner) Fumes: First Reported Case.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is the presence of air in the mediastinal interstices in the absence of any surgical or medical procedure, chest trauma, or mechanical ventilation. SPM can occur during vigorous Valsalva maneuvers, such as weight lifting, coughing fits, hyperemesis gravidarum, and so on, or during inhalation of illicit substances or toxic agents, as a result of an abrupt increase in pressure in the tracheal tree. Preexisting underlying lung disease may be a contributing factor.

Single cell transcriptomics reveals reduced stress response in stem cells manipulated using localized electric fields.

Membrane disruption using Bulk Electroporation (BEP) is a widely used non-viral method for delivering biomolecules into cells. Recently, its microfluidic counterpart, Localized Electroporation (LEP), has been successfully used for several applications ranging from for therapeutic purposes to from live cells for temporal analysis. However, the side effects of these processes on gene expression, that can affect the physiology of sensitive stem cells are not well understood.

Cellular Delivery of Large Functional Proteins and Protein-Nucleic Acid Constructs via Localized Electroporation.

Delivery of proteins and protein-nucleic acid constructs into live cells enables a wide range of applications from gene editing to cell-based therapies and intracellular sensing. However, electroporation-based protein delivery remains challenging due to the large sizes of proteins, their low surface charge, and susceptibility to conformational changes that result in loss of function. Here, we use a nanochannel-based localized electroporation platform with multiplexing capabilities to optimize the intracellular delivery of large proteins (β-galactosidase, 472 kDa, 75.

Myiasis in a Neglected Elderly: Urgent Action Needed in South America.

Background: Myiasis is an infestation by fly larvae. Some species exclusively affect humans, contaminating wounds, mucous membranes, and other tissues. It is a disease with marked socioeconomic connotations.

In-Line Wood Defect Detection Using Simple Scalar Network Analyzer.

Timber is widely used in new structures. The leading causes of structural failure are sited at bolt connections, cavities, and knots. This paper introduces a simple method to detect bolts in wood using a UHF Scalar Network Analyzer (SNA).

Effects of Capacitive-Resistive Electric Transfer on Sports Performance in Paralympic Swimmers: A Stopped Randomized Clinical Trial.

Throughout history a variety of therapeutic tools have been studied as possible enhancers of sports activities. This study proposes the use of Capacitive-Resistive Electric Transfer (CRET) as a performance booster to paralympic athletes, specifically those belonging to the Spanish Paralympic swimming committee. The study was a randomized, single-blind, and observer-blind, crossover clinical trial.

Atomistic measurement and modeling of intrinsic fracture toughness of two-dimensional materials.

Quantifying the intrinsic mechanical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential to predict the long-term reliability of materials and systems in emerging applications ranging from energy to health to next-generation sensors and electronics. Currently, measurements of fracture toughness and identification of associated atomistic mechanisms remain challenging. Herein, we report an integrated experimental-computational framework in which in-situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements of the intrinsic fracture energy of monolayer MoS and MoSe are in good agreement with atomistic model predictions based on an accurately parameterized interatomic potential.

Integrating Micro and Nano Technologies for Cell Engineering and Analysis: Toward the Next Generation of Cell Therapy Workflows.

The emerging field of cell therapy offers the potential to treat and even cure a diverse array of diseases for which existing interventions are inadequate. Recent advances in micro and nanotechnology have added a multitude of single cell analysis methods to our research repertoire. At the same time, techniques have been developed for the precise engineering and manipulation of cells.

Multiplexed high-throughput localized electroporation workflow with deep learning-based analysis for cell engineering.

Manipulation of cells for applications such as biomanufacturing and cell-based therapeutics involves introducing biomolecular cargoes into cells. However, successful delivery is a function of multiple experimental factors requiring several rounds of optimization. Here, we present a high-throughput multiwell-format localized electroporation device (LEPD) assisted by deep learning image analysis that enables quick optimization of experimental factors for efficient delivery.

High-Throughput Microfluidics Platform for Intracellular Delivery and Sampling of Biomolecules from Live Cells.

Nondestructive cell membrane permeabilization systems enable the intracellular delivery of exogenous biomolecules for cell engineering tasks as well as the temporal sampling of cytosolic contents from live cells for the analysis of dynamic processes. Here, we report a format live-cell analysis device (LCAD) that can perform localized-electroporation induced membrane permeabilization, for cellular delivery or sampling, and directly interfaces with surface-based biosensors for analyzing the extracted contents. We demonstrate the capabilities of the LCAD via an automated high-throughput workflow for multimodal analysis of live-cell dynamics, consisting of quantitative measurements of enzyme activity using self-assembled monolayers for MALDI mass spectrometry (SAMDI) and deep-learning enhanced imaging and analysis.

Deep Learning-Assisted Automated Single Cell Electroporation Platform for Effective Genetic Manipulation of Hard-to-Transfect Cells.

Genome engineering of cells using CRISPR/Cas systems has opened new avenues for pharmacological screening and investigating the molecular mechanisms of disease. A critical step in many such studies is the intracellular delivery of the gene editing machinery and the subsequent manipulation of cells. However, these workflows often involve processes such as bulk electroporation for intracellular delivery and fluorescence activated cell sorting for cell isolation that can be harsh to sensitive cell types such as human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).

Edge-Mediated Annihilation of Vacancy Clusters in Monolayer Molybdenum Diselenide (MoSe ) under Electron Beam Irradiation.

Annihilation of vacancy clusters in monolayer molybdenum diselenide (MoSe ) under electron beam irradiation is reported. In situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy observation reveals that the annihilation is achieved by diffusion of vacancies to the free edge near the vacancy clusters. Monte Carlo simulations confirm that it is energetically favorable for the vacancies to locate at the free edge.

The Effect of Human Tissue on Field Strength Measurements In Vivo Using a Resonant UHF Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna.

An inward-looking wearable antenna can be used for radio communications with internal transceivers in vivo. The radio transmissions are recorded using an array of electric field sensors on the skin. This paper reports the effect of living tissue on a small cavity-backed slot antenna pressed onto soft tissue of the human torso at 2.

Deep Learning and Computer Vision Strategies for Automated Gene Editing with a Single-Cell Electroporation Platform.

Single-cell delivery platforms like microinjection and nanoprobe electroporation enable unparalleled control over cell manipulation tasks but are generally limited in throughput. Here, we present an automated single-cell electroporation system capable of automatically detecting cells with artificial intelligence (AI) software and delivering exogenous cargoes of different sizes with uniform dosage. We implemented a fully convolutional network (FCN) architecture to precisely locate the nuclei and cytosol of six cell types with various shapes and sizes, using phase contrast microscopy.

A matter of size? Material, structural and mechanical strategies for size adaptation in the elytra of Cetoniinae beetles.

Nature's masterfully synthesized biological materials take on greater relevance when viewed through the perspective of evolutionary abundance. The fact that beetles (order Coleoptera) account for a quarter of all extant lifeforms on Earth, makes them prime exponents of evolutionary success. In fact, their forewings are acknowledged as key traits to their radiative-adaptive success, which makes the beetle elytra a model structure for next-generation bioinspired synthetic materials.

Kirigami Engineering-Nanoscale Structures Exhibiting a Range of Controllable 3D Configurations.

Kirigami structures provide a promising approach to transform flat films into 3D complex structures that are difficult to achieve by conventional fabrication approaches. By designing the cutting geometry, it is shown that distinct buckling-induced out-of-plane configurations can be obtained, separated by a sharp transition characterized by a critical geometric dimension of the structures. In situ electron microscopy experiments reveal the effect of the ratio between the in-plane cut size and film thickness on out-of-plane configurations.

High Throughput and Highly Controllable Methods for In Vitro Intracellular Delivery.

In vitro and ex vivo intracellular delivery methods hold the key for releasing the full potential of tissue engineering, drug development, and many other applications. In recent years, there has been significant progress in the design and implementation of intracellular delivery systems capable of delivery at the same scale as viral transfection and bulk electroporation but offering fewer adverse outcomes. This review strives to examine a variety of methods for in vitro and ex vivo intracellular delivery such as flow-through microfluidics, engineered substrates, and automated probe-based systems from the perspective of throughput and control.

Nanofountain Probe Electroporation Enables Versatile Single-Cell Intracellular Delivery and Investigation of Postpulse Electropore Dynamics.

Introducing exogenous molecules into cells with high efficiency and dosage control is a crucial step in basic research as well as clinical applications. Here, the capability of the nanofountain probe electroporation (NFP-E) system to deliver proteins and plasmids in a variety of continuous and primary cell types with appropriate dosage control is reported. It is shown that the NFP-E can achieve fine control over the relative expression of two cotransfected plasmids.