Engraft: A Collaborative Learning Health Network for Enhanced Transplant and Cellular Therapy Outcomes.

The Engraft Learning Health Network (LHN) aims to improve outcomes for patients undergoing transplant and cellular therapy (TCT) through a collaborative, data-driven approach. Engraft brings together diverse stakeholders, including clinicians, patients, caregivers, and institutions, to standardize best practices and accelerate the dissemination of innovations in TCT care. By establishing a multicenter, real-world clinical registry focused on rapid-cycle quality improvement (QI) and implementation research, Engraft seeks to reduce variability in clinical practice to improve TCT outcomes across centers.

Iodide Double Perovskites and the Limits of their Structural Stability.

While halide double perovskites AM(I)M(III)X have attracted significant attention, examples involving iodides are rare. We examine the limits of the structural stability of iodide double perovskites, presenting the synthesis and single-crystal structures of CsNaScI and CsNaYI. Bypassing the common expectation that iodides have small band gaps, these compounds display optical gaps of 3.

Scalable Synthesis of Degradable Copolymers Containing α-Lipoic Acid via Miniemulsion Polymerization.

A robust method is described to synthesize degradable copolymers under aqueous miniemulsion conditions using α-lipoic acid as a cheap and scalable building block. Simple formulations of α-lipoic acid (up to 10 mol %), -butyl acrylate, a surfactant, and a costabilizer generate stable micelles in water with particle sizes <200 nm. The ready availability of these starting materials facilitated performing polymerization reactions at large scales (4 L), yielding 600 g of poly(-butyl acrylate--α-lipoic acid) latexes that degrade under reducing conditions (250 kg mol → 20 kg mol).

Embryonic macrophages support endocrine commitment during human pancreatic differentiation.

Organogenesis is a complex process that relies on a dynamic interplay between extrinsic factors originating from the microenvironment and tissue-specific intrinsic factors. For pancreatic endocrine cells, the local niche consists of acinar and ductal cells as well as neuronal, immune, endothelial, and stromal cells. Hematopoietic cells have been detected in human pancreas as early as 6 post-conception weeks, but whether they play a role during human endocrinogenesis remains unknown.

Tuning the Optical Absorption Edge of Vacancy-Ordered Double Perovskites through Metal Precursor and Solvent Selection.

Vacancy-ordered double perovskites with the formula (where is a +1 cation, is a +4 metal, and is a halide ion) offer improved ambient stability over other main-group halide perovskites and potentially reduced toxicity compared to those containing lead. These compounds are readily formed through a number of synthetic routes; however, the manner in which the synthetic route affects the resulting structure or optoelectronic properties has not been examined. Here, we investigate the role of distinct precursors and solvents in the formation of the indirect band gap vacancy-ordered double perovskite CsTeBr.

Molecular Origins of Near-Infrared Luminescence in Molybdenum and Tungsten Oxyhalide Perovskites.

Materials with near-infrared (near-IR) luminescence are desirable for applications in communications and sensing, as well as biomedical diagnostics and imaging. The most used inorganic near-IR emitters rely on precise doping of host crystal structures with select rare-earth or transition metal ions. Recently, another class of materials with intrinsic near-IR emission has been reported.

Human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells support the development of functional human pluripotent stem cell-derived Kupffer cells.

In mice, the first liver-resident macrophages, known as Kupffer cells (KCs), are thought to derive from yolk sac (YS) hematopoietic progenitors that are specified prior to the emergence of the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC). To investigate human KC development, we recapitulated YS-like hematopoiesis from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and transplanted derivative macrophage progenitors into NSG mice previously humanized with hPSC-liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). We demonstrate that hPSC-LSECs facilitate stable hPSC-YS-macrophage engraftment for at least 7 weeks.

Primitive macrophages induce sarcomeric maturation and functional enhancement of developing human cardiac microtissues via efferocytic pathways.

Yolk sac macrophages are the first to seed the developing heart, however we have no understanding of their roles in human heart development and function due to a lack of accessible tissue. Here, we bridge this gap by differentiating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into primitive LYVE1 macrophages (hESC-macrophages) that stably engraft within contractile cardiac microtissues composed of hESC-cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. Engraftment induces a human fetal cardiac macrophage gene program enriched in efferocytic pathways.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Along the Perivascular-Space Index Is Associated with Disease Progression in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: The glymphatic clearance pathway is a waste clearance system that allows for removal of soluble proteins such as amyloid β (Aβ) from the brain. Higher Aβ levels are associated with cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). Diffusion tensor imaging-along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) is an imaging measure proposed to indirectly measure glymphatic function.

Primitive macrophages enable long-term vascularization of human heart-on-a-chip platforms.

The intricate anatomical structure and high cellular density of the myocardium complicate the bioengineering of perfusable vascular networks within cardiac tissues. In vivo neonatal studies highlight the key role of resident cardiac macrophages in post-injury regeneration and angiogenesis. Here, we integrate human pluripotent stem-cell-derived primitive yolk-sac-like macrophages within vascularized heart-on-chip platforms.

Foray movements are common and vary with natal habitat for a highly mobile bird.

Understanding dispersal is central to interpreting the effects of climate change, habitat loss and habitat fragmentation, and species invasions. Prior to dispersal, animals may gather information about the surrounding landscape via forays, or systematic, short-duration looping movements away from and back to the original location. Despite theory emphasizing that forays can be beneficial for dispersing organisms and that such behaviors are predicted to be common, relatively little is known about forays in wild populations.

Hybrid Iodide Perovskites of Divalent Alkaline Earth and Lanthanide Elements.

Hybrid halide perovskites AMX (A = ammonium cation, M = divalent cation, X = Cl, Br, I) have been extensively studied but have only previously been reported for the divalent carbon group elements Ge, Sn, and Pb. While they have displayed an impressive range of optoelectronic properties, the instability of Ge and Sn and the toxicity of Pb have stimulated significant interest in finding alternatives to these carbon group-based perovskites. Here, we describe the low-temperature solid-state synthesis of five new hybrid iodide perovskites centered around divalent alkaline earth and lanthanide elements, with the general formula AMI (A = methylammonium, MA; M = Sr, Sm, Eu, and A = formamidinium, FA; M = Sr, Eu).

Dimerization and ring-opening in bis(diisopropylamino)cyclopropenylidene (BAC) mediated by [U(NR)(CCPh)] (R = SiMe).

Addition of 2 equiv. of bis(diisopropylamino)cyclopropenylidene (BAC) to [U(NR)(CCPh)] (1, R = SiMe), in EtO, results in formation of [-N(Pr)C(Me)CH(NPr)C{CHC(NPr)}][U(NR)((SiMe)SiMeH)(CCPh)] (2) in moderate isolated yield. Complex 2 is the result of coupling and protonation of two BAC molecules, where complex 1 contributes the required proton.

Elusive Double Perovskite Iodides: Structural, Optical, and Magnetic Properties.

Halide double perovskites [A M M X ] are an important class of materials that have garnered substantial interest as non-toxic alternatives to conventional lead iodide perovskites for optoelectronic applications. While numerous studies have examined chloride and bromide double perovskites, reports of iodide double perovskites are rare, and their definitive structural characterization has not been reported. Predictive models have aided us here in the synthesis and characterization of five iodide double perovskites of general formula Cs NaLnI (Ln=Ce, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy).

MITF Is Regulated by Redox Signals Controlled by the Selenoprotein Thioredoxin Reductase 1.

TR1 and other selenoproteins have paradoxical effects in melanocytes and melanomas. Increasing selenoprotein activity with supplemental selenium in a mouse model of UV-induced melanoma prevents oxidative damage to melanocytes and delays melanoma tumor formation. However, TR1 itself is positively associated with progression in human melanomas and facilitates metastasis in melanoma xenografts.

Plant-based diets: a review of the definitions and nutritional role in the adult diet.

Plant-based (PB) diets are associated with good health and are also recommended for environmental sustainability. The present review aimed to summarise the definitions of PB diets globally and to investigate the nutritional role of PB diets in adults. This review found that there is a wide range of PB definitions ranging from the traditional vegetarian diets (including vegan) to semi-vegetarian/flexitarian diets.

"Near Cure" treatment of severe acute EAE in MIF-1-deficient female and male mice with a bifunctional MHCII-derived molecular construct.

Our previous studies demonstrated increased serum levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF-1) and its homologue, MIF-2, in males during MS progression; and that genetically high-MIF-expressing male subjects with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) had a significantly greater risk of conversion to progressive MS than lower-MIF-expressing males and females. However, female MS subjects with severe disease expressed higher levels of CD74, the common MIF-1/MIF-2 receptor, on blood cells. In the murine model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), both male and female mice lacking MIF-1 and/or MIF-2 were clinically improved during development of moderately severe disease, thus implicating both homologs as co-pathogenic contributors.

Ring-opening of a thorium cyclopropenyl complex generates a transient thorium-bound carbene.

The reaction of [CpThCl] with generated 1-lithium-3,3-diphenylcyclopropene results in the formation of [CpTh(3,3-diphenylcyclopropenyl)] (1), in good yields. Thermolysis of 1 results in isomerization to the ring-opened product, [CpTh(3-phenyl-1-inden-1-yl)] (3) a hypothesized carbene intermediate. This transformation represents a new mode of reactivity of 3,3-diphenylcyclopropene with the actinides, improving our ability to use this reagent as a carbene source.

Synthesis and electronic structure analysis of the actinide allenylidenes, [{(NR)}An(CCCPh)] (An = U, Th; R = SiMe).

The reaction of [AnCl(NR)] (An = U, Th, R = SiMe) with generated lithium-3,3-diphenylcyclopropene results in the formation of [{(NR)}An(CH[double bond, length as m-dash]C[double bond, length as m-dash]CPh)] (An = U, ; Th, ) in good yields after work-up. Deprotonation of or with LDA/2.2.

-Activator Binding Site Context in RCNMV Modulates Subgenomic mRNA Transcription.

Many positive-sense RNA viruses transcribe subgenomic (sg) mRNAs during infections that template the translation of a subset of viral proteins. Red clover necrotic mosaic virus (RCNMV) expresses its capsid protein through the transcription of a sg mRNA from RNA1 genome segment. This transcription event is activated by an RNA structure formed by base pairing between a -activator (TA) in RNA2 and a -activator binding site (TABS) in RNA1.

Brief report: Enhanced DRα1-mMOG-35-55 treatment of severe EAE in MIF-1-deficient male mice.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF-1) and its homologue d-dopachrome tautomerase (MIF-2) share the common CD74 receptor and function innately to enhance severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model for MS. We previously demonstrated that genetically high-MIF-expressing male subjects with relapsing MS had a significantly greater risk of conversion to progressive MS (PMS) than lower-MIF-expressing males. To expand on this observation, we utilized MIF-1, MIF-2, and MIF-1/2-DUAL-deficient male mice to discern if there would be a greater contribution of these inflammatory factors in EAE mice with severe vs.

Synthesis of Parent Acetylide and Dicarbide Complexes of Thorium and Uranium and an Examination of Their Electronic Structures.

The reaction of [AnCl(NR)] (An = U or Th; R = SiMe) with NaCCH and tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) results in the formation of [An(C≡CH)(NR)] (, An = U; , An = Th), which can be isolated in good yields after workup. Similarly, the reaction of 3 equiv of NaCCH and TMEDA with [AnCl(NR)] results in the formation of [Na(TMEDA)][An(C≡CH)(NR)] (, An = U; , An = Th), which can be isolated in fair yields after workup. The reaction of with 2 equiv of KC and 1 equiv of 2.

Neither Beetroot Juice Supplementation nor Increased Carbohydrate Oxidation Enhance Economy of Prolonged Exercise in Elite Race Walkers.

Given the importance of exercise economy to endurance performance, we implemented two strategies purported to reduce the oxygen cost of exercise within a 4 week training camp in 21 elite male race walkers. Fourteen athletes undertook a crossover investigation with beetroot juice (BRJ) or placebo (PLA) [2 d preload, 2 h pre-exercise + 35 min during exercise] during a 26 km race walking at speeds simulating competitive events. Separately, 19 athletes undertook a parallel group investigation of a multi-pronged strategy (MAX; = 9) involving chronic (2 w high carbohydrate [CHO] diet + gut training) and acute (CHO loading + 90 g/h CHO during exercise) strategies to promote endogenous and exogenous CHO availability, compared with strategies reflecting lower ranges of current guidelines (CON; = 10).