Ultralight flexible 3D nickel micromesh decorated with NiCoP for high stability alkaline zinc batteries.

Rechargeable alkaline zinc batteries are emerging as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems, owing to their affordability, eco-friendliness and high energy density. However, their widespread application is hindered by stability challenges, particularly in alkaline environments, due to cathode corrosion and deformation, as well as dendrite formation and unwanted side reactions at the Zn anode. To address these issues, we successfully developed a 3D nickel micromesh-supported NiCoP (3D NM@NiCoP) electrode.

Robust analysis of diel activity patterns.

Research Highlight: Iannarilli, F., Gerber, B. D.

3D-Bioprinted Urinary Catheters Enable Sustained Probiotic Recovery Under Flow and Improve Bladder Colonization In Vivo.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) account for a large proportion of healthcare-associated infections. CAUTIs, caused by colonization of the catheter surface by uropathogens, are challenging to treat, especially when compounded by antibiotic resistance. One prophylactic strategy that could reduce pathogen colonization is bacterial interference, whereby the catheter surface is coated with non-pathogenic bacteria.

Topological epigenetics: The biophysics of DNA supercoiling and its relation to transcription and genome instability.

Whilst DNA encodes our genetic blueprint as individual nucleobases, as well as epigenetic annotations in the form of biochemical marks, it also carries an extra layer of topological information -, the local over or underwinding of the double helix, known as DNA supercoiling. Supercoiling is a fundamental property of DNA that can be viewed as "topological epigenetics": it stores energy and structural information, and is tightly linked to fundamental processes; however, its quantification and study, by experiments and modelling alike, is challenging. We review experimental and simulation techniques to study supercoiling and its partition into twist and writhe, especially in the context of chromatin.

Adult influenza vaccination coverage before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Background: Vaccination prevents seasonal influenza and its complications, particularly among high-risk populations. The COVID-19 pandemic has been reported to impact healthcare behaviors and vaccination patterns. This study aims to assess influenza vaccination coverage and changes in vaccination settings among Canadian adults from the 2018-2019 to the 2023-2024 seasons.

What Is Normal Growth? Principles, Practicalities and Pitfalls of Growth Assessments in Infants and Children.

Background: Growth assessments are a pillar of public health surveillance, individual health screening, and clinical care. Normal growth is defined differently for individuals versus populations. The World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards were developed to describe the pattern of growth in healthy children without socioeconomic limitations whose mothers planned to breastfeed.

Genome-wide chromosome architecture prediction reveals biophysical principles underlying gene structure.

Classical observations suggest a connection between 3D gene structure and function, but testing this hypothesis has been challenging due to technical limitations. To explore this, we developed epigenetic highly predictive heteromorphic polymer (e-HiP-HoP), a model based on genome organization principles to predict the 3D structure of human chromatin. We defined a new 3D structural unit, a "topos," which represents the regulatory landscape around gene promoters.

Nur77 protects the bladder urothelium from intracellular bacterial infection.

Intracellular infections by Gram-negative bacteria are a significant global health threat. The nuclear receptor Nur77 (also called TR3, NGFI-B, or NR4A1) was recently shown to sense cytosolic bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, the potential role for Nur77 in controlling intracellular bacterial infection has not been examined.

Effective requesting method to detect fusion transcripts in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia RNA-seq.

RNA sequencing technology combining short read and long read analysis can be used to detect chimeric RNAs in malignant cells. Here, we propose an integrated approach that uses k-mers to analyze indexed datasets. This approach is used to identify chimeric RNA in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) cells, a myeloid malignancy that associates features of myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Can internal range structure predict range shifts?

Poleward and uphill range shifts are a common-but variable-response to climate change. We lack understanding regarding this interspecific variation; for example, functional traits show weak or mixed ability to predict range shifts. Characteristics of species' ranges may enhance prediction of range shifts.

Young People Talk About Digital Support for Mental Health: An Online Survey of 15-30-Year Olds in New Zealand.

Background: Mental distress is on the rise for young people, and there are high levels of unmet need for support. Increasingly, young people are engaging with online mechanisms of support to avoid cost and wait times; however, online support does have its limitations. We surveyed young people, 15-30 years of age, in Aotearoa New Zealand to explore their views of digital support for mental health.

Measuring the performance of Antarctic Treaty decision-making.

Agreements reached at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCMs) are among the primary means for addressing Antarctic conservation and environmental protection issues. However, according to contemporary scholars, Antarctic Treaty decision-making is becoming increasingly unresponsive to the rising environmental challenges in the region. We assessed the performance of Antarctic Treaty decision-making by measuring the rate and diversity of decision-making over the last 6 decades.

Structure of a model lipid membrane oxidized by human 15-lipoxygenase-2.

Enzyme-mediated lipid oxidation is an important regulatory event in cell signaling, with oxidized lipids being potent signaling molecules that can illicit dramatic changes in cell behavior. For example, peroxidation of an arachidonoyl poly-unsaturated fatty acid by the human enzyme 15-lipoxygenase-2 (15-LOX-2) has been associated with formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Previous work on synthetically oxidized membranes has shown that oxidized lipid tails will change their conformation to facilitate interactions between the peroxide group and the lipid headgroups.

The structure of the SufS-SufE complex reveals interactions driving protected persulfide transfer in iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis.

Fe-S clusters are critical cofactors for redox chemistry in all organisms. The cysteine desulfurase, SufS, provides sulfur in the SUF Fe-S cluster bioassembly pathway. SufS is a dimeric, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that uses cysteine as a substrate to generate alanine and a covalent persulfide on an active site cysteine residue.

Soil organic carbon regulation by pH in acidic red soil subjected to long-term liming and straw incorporation.

The manipulation of soil pH through liming and straw incorporation plays a pivotal role in influencing soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in acidic red soil. This study aimed to assess the impact of these practices on SOC and elucidate the relationship between SOC and pH. Over a 31-year field experiment, seven different fertilization treatments were implemented: unfertilized (CK), nitrogen and potassium fertilizers (NK), NK with lime (NKCa), nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium fertilizers (NPK), NPK with lime (NPKCa), NPK with straw (NPKS), and NPKS with lime (NPKSCa).

Nuclear RNA: a transcription-dependent regulator of chromatin structure.

Although the majority of RNAs are retained in the nucleus, their significance is often overlooked. However, it is now becoming clear that nuclear RNA forms a dynamic structure through interacting with various proteins that can influence the three-dimensional structure of chromatin. We review the emerging evidence for a nuclear RNA mesh or gel, highlighting the interplay between DNA, RNA and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), and assessing the critical role of protein and RNA in governing chromatin architecture.

Anaphylactoid reactions during implantation of polymer-filled ring stent grafts for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Polymer ring stent grafts from Endologix are reliable to treat challenging abdominal aortic aneurysm anatomy (hostile neck and tortuous or narrow iliac arteries). Rare cases of anaphylactoid reactions have been reported during the filing time of the graft rings due to polymer leakage. Management with amines, an antihistamine drug, and supportive care quickly stabilized both of our patients, which permitted the continuation and completion of their surgery.

cBAF generates subnucleosomes that expand OCT4 binding and function beyond DNA motifs at enhancers.

The canonical BRG/BRM-associated factor (cBAF) complex is essential for chromatin opening at enhancers in mammalian cells. However, the nature of the open chromatin remains unclear. Here, we show that, in addition to producing histone-free DNA, cBAF generates stable hemisome-like subnucleosomal particles containing the four core histones associated with 50-80 bp of DNA.