Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls.

Pectin is a major component of plant cells walls. The extent to which pectin chains crosslink with one another determines crucial properties including cell wall strength, porosity, and the ability of small, biologically significant molecules to access the cell. Despite its importance, significant gaps remain in our comprehension, at the molecular level, of how pectin cross-links influence the mechanical and physical properties of cell walls.

Subsets of extraocular motoneurons produce kinematically distinct saccades during hunting and exploration.

Animals construct diverse behavioral repertoires by moving a limited number of body parts with varied kinematics and patterns of coordination. There is evidence that distinct movements can be generated by changes in activity dynamics within a common pool of motoneurons or by selectively engaging specific subsets of motoneurons in a task-dependent manner. However, in most cases, we have an incomplete understanding of the patterns of motoneuron activity that generate distinct actions and of how upstream premotor circuits select and assemble such motor programs.

The Impact of Storage Conditions on Stool Smellprints as Assessed by an Electronic Nose.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), odoriferous compounds released as a byproduct of bacterial metabolism, can be used as a proxy for gut health. We hypothesized that patients with NEC would have different microbial profiles and elicit different VOC signatures as assessed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or an electronic nose compared to controls.

A Comprehensive Assessment of the Marginal Abatement Costs of CO of Co-Optima Multi-Mode Vehicles.

The Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) is a research and development consortia funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, which has engaged partners from national laboratories, universities, and industry to conduct multidisciplinary research at the intersection of biofuels and combustion sciences.

Biparietal Osteodystrophy Visualized on a Dermatologist's Scalp Examination.

Biparietal osteodystrophy, also known as biparietal thinning, is an uncommon illness that causes symmetrical thinning of the parietal bones. It primarily affects women in their sixth and seventh decades of life. We present a case of a 73-year-old female with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis who visited a dermatology clinic with a bulging mass around her vertex scalp, accompanied by episodes of dizziness and blurred vision.

Toward optimizing gain in Er-Ba nanoparticle-doped optical fibers.

Modern commercial erbium-doped fibers are limited in their doping concentrations due to the tendency of Er ions to cluster in silicate glasses. Clustering inevitably leads to ion quenching, one major obstacle preventing erbium-doped fibers (EDFs) from scaling to higher laser power near 15XX nm. Here, we present a new, to our knowledge, method for doping erbium into fibers through the use of Er:BaF nanoparticle (NP) precursors.

Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing.

Nonisocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) show promise as more sustainable alternatives to conventional isocyanate-based polyurethanes (PUs). In this study, polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) and nonisocyanate polythiourethane (NIPTU) production and reprocessing models inform the results of a techno-economic analysis and a life cycle assessment. The profitability of selling PHU and NIPTU is rationalized by identifying significant production costs, indicating that raw materials drive the costs of PHU and NIPTU production and reprocessing.

Solid-state transverse Anderson localized fiber laser.

For the first time, to our knowledge, an all-solid transverse Anderson localizing optical fiber laser is demonstrated. A combination of the molten core and stack-and-draw fiber fabrication techniques is used to produce a 112 µm core diameter fiber that is a random array of Yb-doped high index and passive low index regions. A localized channel first assists in the guidance of amplified spontaneous emission before stimulating laser action, which occurs in the same channel via mixed Anderson localization and step index wave-guiding.

-Hydroxycinnamic Acid Mitigates Senescence and Inflammaging in Human Skin Models.

-hydroxycinnamic acid (pHCA) is one of the most abundant naturally occurring hydroxycinnamic acids, a class of chemistries known for their antioxidant properties. In this study, we evaluated the impact of pHCA on different parameters of skin aging in in vitro skin models after HO and UV exposure. These parameters include keratinocyte senescence and differentiation, inflammation, and energy metabolism, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Versatile luminescence thermometry via intense green defect emission from an infrared-pumped fluorosilicate optical fiber.

An all-glass optical fiber capable of two distinct methods of optical thermometry is described. Specifically, a silica-clad, barium fluorosilicate glass core fiber, when pumped in the infrared, exhibits visibly intense green defect luminescence whose intensity and upper-state lifetime are strong functions of temperature. Intensity-based optical thermometry over the range from 25°C to 130°C is demonstrated, while a lifetime-based temperature sensitivity is shown from 25°C to 100°C.

A model for supporting biomedical and public health researcher use of publicly available All of Us data at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe opportunities and challenges associated with the development and implementation of a program for supporting researchers underrepresented in biomedical research.

Approach: We describe a case study of the All of Us Researcher Academy supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including feedback from participants, instructors, and coaches.

Findings: Lessons include the importance of inviting role models into learning networks, establishing and maintaining trusted relationships, and making coaches available for technical questions from researcher participants.

Cachd1 interacts with Wnt receptors and regulates neuronal asymmetry in the zebrafish brain.

Neurons on the left and right sides of the nervous system often show asymmetric properties, but how such differences arise is poorly understood. Genetic screening in zebrafish revealed that loss of function of the transmembrane protein Cachd1 resulted in right-sided habenula neurons adopting left-sided identity. Cachd1 is expressed in neuronal progenitors, functions downstream of asymmetric environmental signals, and influences timing of the normally asymmetric patterns of neurogenesis.

High-efficiency radiation-balanced Yb-doped silica fiber laser with 200-mW output.

The focus of this study was the development of a second generation of fiber lasers internally cooled by anti-Stokes fluorescence. The laser consisted of a length of a single-mode fiber spliced to fiber Bragg gratings to form the optical resonator. The fiber was single-moded at the pump (1040 nm) and signal (1064 nm) wavelengths.

Short-Term Cannabidiol with Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Cannabis use is frequent in Parkinson's disease (PD), despite inadequate evidence of benefits and risks.

Objective: The aim is to study short-term efficacy and tolerability of relatively high cannabidiol (CBD)/low Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to provide preliminary data for a longer trial.

Methods: Persons with PD with ≥20 on motor Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) who had negative cannabis testing took cannabis extract (National Institute of Drug Abuse) oral sesame oil solution for 2 weeks, increasing to final dose of 2.

The Cerebellar Cognitive Affective/Schmahmann Syndrome Scale in Spinocerebellar Ataxias.

The Cerebellar Cognitive Affective/Schmahmann Syndrome (CCAS) manifests as impaired executive control, linguistic processing, visual spatial function, and affect regulation. The CCAS has been described in the spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), but its prevalence is unknown. We analyzed results of the CCAS/Schmahmann Scale (CCAS-S), developed to detect and quantify CCAS, in two natural history studies of 309 individuals Symptomatic for SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, or SCA8, 26 individuals Pre-symptomatic for SCA1 or SCA3, and 37 Controls.

Life Cycle Analysis of Fischer-Tropsch Diesel Produced by Tri-Reforming and Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (TriFTS) of Landfill Gas.

Renewable liquid fuels production from landfill waste provides a promising alternative to conventional carbon-intensive waste management methods and has the potential to contribute to the transition toward low-carbon fuel pathways. In this work, we investigated the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of producing Fischer-Tropsch diesel from landfill gas (LFG) using the TriFTS catalytic conversion process and compared it to fossil-based petroleum diesel. A life cycle-based comparison was made between TriFTS diesel and other LFG waste management pathways, LFG-to-Electricity and LFG-to-Compressed renewable natural gas (RNG), on a per kilogram of feedstock basis as well as on a per MJ of energy basis, which also included the LFG-to-Direct Combustion pathway.

Implications of CO Sourcing on the Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Costs of Algae Biofuels.

Production of algal biomass and its conversion to biofuels are important technological platforms within the larger umbrella of CO capture and utilization. This analysis incorporates a life-cycle assessment (LCA) with respect to global warming potential and techno-economic assessment (TEA) of algae biofuels, focusing on the sourcing and delivery of CO. This analysis evolves past work in this area to include high-purity biogenic CO, industrial fossil fuel use, fossil power plants, and direct air capture, and uses a Sherwood plot approach to estimate the CO capture energy penalty.

NET4 and RabG3 link actin to the tonoplast and facilitate cytoskeletal remodelling during stomatal immunity.

Members of the NETWORKED (NET) family are involved in actin-membrane interactions. Here we show that two members of the NET family, NET4A and NET4B, are essential for normal guard cell actin reorganization, which is a process critical for stomatal closure in plant immunity. NET4 proteins interact with F-actin and with members of the Rab7 GTPase RABG3 family through two distinct domains, allowing for simultaneous localization to actin filaments and the tonoplast.

Cluster Sets to Prescribe Interval Resistance Training: A Potential Method to Optimise Resistance Training Safety, Feasibility and Efficacy in Cardiac Patients.

The integration of resistance training for cardiac patients leads to important health outcomes that are not optimally obtained with aerobic exercise; these include an increase in muscle mass, maintenance of bone mineral density, and improvements in muscular fitness parameters. Despite the proliferation of evidence supporting resistance exercise in recent decades, the implementation of resistance training is underutilised, and prescription is often sub-optimal in cardiac patients. This is frequently associated with safety concerns and inadequate methods of practical exercise prescription.

Raman amplification at 2.2 μm in silicon core fibers with prospects for extended mid-infrared source generation.

Raman scattering provides a convenient mechanism to generate or amplify light at wavelengths where gain is not otherwise available. When combined with recent advancements in high-power fiber lasers that operate at wavelengths ~2 μm, great opportunities exist for Raman systems that extend operation further into the mid-infrared regime for applications such as gas sensing, spectroscopy, and biomedical analyses. Here, a thulium-doped fiber laser is used to demonstrate Raman emission and amplification from a highly nonlinear silicon core fiber (SCF) platform at wavelengths beyond 2 μm.

Comparing Life-Cycle Emissions of Biofuels for Marine Applications: Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Wet Wastes, Pyrolysis of Wood, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis of Landfill Gas, and Solvolysis of Wood.

Recent restrictions on marine fuel sulfur content and a heightened regulatory focus on maritime decarbonization are driving the deployment of low-carbon and low-sulfur alternative fuels for maritime transport. In this study, we quantified the life-cycle greenhouse gas and sulfur oxide emissions of several novel marine biofuel candidates and benchmarked the results against the emissions reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organization. A total of 11 biofuel pathways via four conversion processes are considered, including (1) biocrudes derived from hydrothermal liquefaction of wastewater sludge and manure, (2) bio-oils from catalytic fast pyrolysis of woody biomass, (3) diesel via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of landfill gas, and (4) lignin ethanol oil from reductive catalytic fractionation of poplar.

Determinants of fatigue in emergency department clinicians who wear personal protective equipment.

Objective: To determine the independent predictors for clinician fatigue and decline in cognitive function following a shift in the ED during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a prospective, quasi-experimental study conducted in a metropolitan adult tertiary-referral hospital ED over 20 weeks in 2021. The participants were ED doctors and nurses working clinical shifts in an ED isolation area or high-risk zone (HRZ) with stringent personal protective equipment (PPE).