The internal decay of wood is driven by the interplay between foraging Magellanic woodpeckers and environmental conditions.

Although woodpeckers are known to forage in decaying trees, their contribution to internal wood decay is not well known. In this sense, non-destructive techniques for structural wood degradation provide an opportunity to quantitatively assess the role of woodpeckers in tree decay. We used sonic tomography to test that the trunks of living trees pecked by Magellanic woodpeckers show pronounced decay, which accelerates under environmental conditions favorable to wood-decaying fungi.

Development and deployment of a histopathology-based deep learning algorithm for patient prescreening in a clinical trial.

Accurate identification of genetic alterations in tumors, such as Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor, is crucial for treating with targeted therapies; however, molecular testing can delay patient care due to the time and tissue required. Successful development, validation, and deployment of an AI-based, biomarker-detection algorithm could reduce screening cost and accelerate patient recruitment. Here, we develop a deep-learning algorithm using >3000 H&E-stained whole slide images from patients with advanced urothelial cancers, optimized for high sensitivity to avoid ruling out trial-eligible patients.

Site specific redox properties in ligand differentiated di-nickel complexes inspired by the acetyl CoA synthase active site.

Bimetallic transition metal complexes with site-specific redox properties offer a versatile platform for understanding electron polarization, intramolecular electron transfer processes, and customizing electronic and magnetic properties that might impact reactivity and catalyst design. Inspired by the dissymmetric nickel sites in the Acetyl CoA Synthase (ACS) Active Site, three new bimetallic Ni(NS)-Ni(SCR) complexes based on Ni(NS) metalloligand donor synthons, Ni, in mimicry of the nickel site distal to the redox-active iron sulfur cluster of ACS, and nickel dithiolene receiver units, designated as Ni, the nickel proximal to the 4Fe4S cluster, were combined to explore the influence of ligand environment on electronic structure and redox properties of each unit. The combination of synthons gave a matrix of three S-bridged dinickel complexes, characterized by X-ray crystallography, and appropriate spectroscopies.

Development of (NO)Fe(NS) as a Metallodithiolate Spin Probe Ligand: A Case Study Approach.

ConspectusThe ubiquity of sulfur-metal connections in nature inspires the design of bi- and multimetallic systems in synthetic inorganic chemistry. Common motifs for biocatalysts developed in evolutionary biology include the placement of metals in close proximity with flexible sulfur bridges as well as the presence of π-acidic/delocalizing ligands. This Account will delve into the development of a (NO)Fe(NS) metallodithiolate ligand that harnesses these principles.