Discovery of a pan anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody with highly efficient infected cell killing capacity for novel immunotherapeutic approaches.

Unlocking the potential of broadly reactive coronavirus monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and their derivatives offers a transformative therapeutic avenue against severe COVID-19, especially crucial for safeguarding high-risk populations. Novel mAb-based immunotherapies may help address the reduced efficacy of current vaccines and neutralizing mAbs caused by the emergence of variants of concern (VOCs). Using phage display technology, we discovered a pan-SARS-CoV-2 mAb (C10) that targets a conserved region within the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the virus.

Impact of eyewear insurance coverage on utilization of eyecare providers in Ontario, Canada.

Objective: To obtain prescription eyewear in Ontario, eye exams must be performed by optometrists or ophthalmologists (eye care providers [ECPs]). In 2004, government-insured routine eye exams were delisted for Ontarians aged 20-64 leaving eye exam coverage only for those aged ≤19 and 65+. We assessed whether having eyewear insurance impacts Ontarians' utilization of ECPs.

Silt erosion and cavitation impact on hydraulic turbines performance: An in-depth analysis and preventative strategies.

The primary issues in the Himalayan Rivers are sediment and cavitation degradation of the hydroelectric power turbine components. During the monsoon season, heavy material is transported by streams in hilly areas like the Himalayas through regular rainfalls, glacial and sub-glacial hydrological activity, and other factors. The severe erosion of hydraulic turbines caused by silt abrasion in these areas requires hydropower facilities to be regularly shut down for maintenance, affecting the plant's overall efficiency.

Fulbright as Opportunity for U.S. Nursing Educators and International Nursing Schools.

Background: Nursing education across the globe is rapidly evolving in terms of curricular expectations and professional preparation. While there is a plethora of curricular resources and graduate programs in the United States, in some countries, these resources are limited. Methods: The Fulbright Specialist program, the application process, and challenges as well as the benefits of the role are described.

Multi-step semi-synthesis, structural characterization and growth factor interaction study of regiochemically sulfated diabolican polysaccharides.

Diabolican is an exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Vibrio diabolicus HE800, a mesophilic bacterium firstly isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal field. Its glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-like structure, consisting of a tetrasaccharide repeating unit composed of two aminosugars (N-acetyl-glucosamine and N-acetyl-galactosamine) and two glucuronic acid units, suggested to subject it to regioselective sulfation processes, in order to obtain some sulfated derivatives potentially acting as GAG mimics. To this aim, a multi-step semi-synthetic approach, relying upon tailored sequence of regioselective protection, sulfation and deprotection steps, was employed in this work.

High-directivity far-field radiation of quantum dot-based single-photon emitter coupled to polymeric circular waveguide resonant grating.

Solid-state single-photon emitters (SPEs) commonly encounter the limitation of quasi-omnidirectional radiation patterns, which poses challenges in utilizing their emission with conventional optical instruments. In this study, we demonstrate the tailoring of the far-field radiation patterns of SPEs based on colloidal quantum dots (QDs), both theoretically and experimentally, by employing a polymer-based dielectric antenna. We introduce a simple and cost-effective technique, namely low one-photon absorption direct laser writing, to achieve precise coupling of a QD into an all-polymer circular waveguide resonance grating.

Chemical Composition, Larvicidal and Molluscicidal Activity of Essential Oils of Six Guava Cultivars Grown in Vietnam.

Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and snails cause a large burden of disease in less developed countries, especially those with low-income levels. An approach to control vectors and intermediate hosts based on readily available essential oils, which are friendly to the environment and human health, may be an effective solution for disease control. Guava is a fruit tree grown on a large scale in many countries in the tropics, an area heavily affected by tropical diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and snails.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy combined gastroduodenal collateral reconstruction and preservation due to median arcuate ligament syndrome: technical notes with two surgical cases report (with video).

Introduction: Pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with CA stenosis due to median arcuate ligament often required carefully collateral pathways management to avoid hepatic ischemic complications.

Cases Presentation: Case 1: A 63-year-old man was referred to our department because of jaundice with distal common bile duct tumor. Pancreaticoduodenectomy with left posterior SMA first approach and circumferential lymphadenectomy was performed.

Physico-chemical and biological remediation techniques for the elimination of endocrine-disrupting hazardous chemicals.

Due to their widespread occurrence and detrimental effects on human health and the environment, endocrine-disrupting hazardous chemicals (EDHCs) have become a significant concern. Therefore, numerous physicochemical and biological remediation techniques have been developed to eliminate EDHCs from various environmental matrices. This review paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art remediation techniques for eliminating EDHCs.

On-Chip 3D Printing of Polymer Waveguide-Coupled Single-Photon Emitter Based on Colloidal Quantum Dots.

In the field of quantum technology, there has been a growing interest in fully integrated systems that employ single photons due to their potential for high performance and scalability. Here, a simple method is demonstrated for creating on-chip 3D printed polymer waveguide-coupled single-photon emitters based on colloidal quantum dots (QDs). By using a simple low-one photon absorption technique, we were able to create a 3D polymeric crossed-arc waveguide structure with a bright QD on top.

Joint-embeddings reveal functional differences in default-mode network architecture between marmosets and humans.

The default-mode network (DMN) is a distributed functional brain system integral for social and higher-order cognition in humans with implications in a myriad of neuropsychological disorders. In this study, we compared the functional architecture of the DMN between humans and marmosets to assess their similarities and differences using joint gradients. This approach permits simultaneous large-scale mapping of functional systems across the cortex of humans and marmosets, revealing evidence of putative homologies between them.

Chemistry and Bioactivity of Essential Oils: Literature Survey and from Vietnam.

Using essential oils to control vectors, intermediate hosts, and disease-causing microorganisms is a promising approach. The genus in the family Euphorbiaceae is a large genus, with many species containing large amounts of essential oils, however, essential oil studies are limited in terms of the number of species investigated. In this work, the aerial parts of growing wild in Vietnam were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

Direct Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles in Polymer Matrix.

We report an original method for directly fabricating gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in a polymer matrix using a thermal treatment technique and theoretically and experimentally investigate their plasmonic properties. The polymeric-metallic nanocomposite samples were first prepared by simply mixing SU-8 resist and Au salt with different concentrations. The Au NPs growth was triggered inside the polymer through a thermal process on a hot plate and in air environment.

Direct growth of monolayer MoS on nanostructured silicon waveguides.

We report for the first time the direct growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS) monolayers on nanostructured silicon-on-insulator waveguides. Our results indicate the possibility of utilizing the Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) on nanostructured photonic devices in a scalable process. Direct growth of 2D material on nanostructures rectifies many drawbacks of the transfer-based approaches.

A transformer-Based neural language model that synthesizes brain activation maps from free-form text queries.

Neuroimaging studies are often limited by the number of subjects and cognitive processes that can be feasibly interrogated. However, a rapidly growing number of neuroscientific studies have collectively accumulated an extensive wealth of results. Digesting this growing literature and obtaining novel insights remains to be a major challenge, since existing meta-analytic tools are constrained to keyword queries.

BCL-3 loss sensitises colorectal cancer cells to DNA damage by targeting homologous recombination.

The proto-oncogene BCL-3 is upregulated in a subset of colorectal cancers (CRC), where it has been shown to enhance tumour cell survival. However, although increased expression correlates with poor patient prognosis, the role of BCL-3 in determining therapeutic response remains largely unknown. In this study, we use combined approaches in multiple cell lines and pre-clinical mouse models to investigate the function of BCL-3 in the DNA damage response.

Timing of birth and adverse pregnancy outcomes in cases of prenatally diagnosed vasa previa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The ideal time for birth in pregnancies diagnosed with vasa previa remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review aiming to identify the gestational age at delivery that best balances the risks for prematurity with that of pregnancy prolongation in cases with prenatally diagnosed vasa previa.

Data Sources: Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception to January 2022.

Predicting individual task contrasts from resting-state functional connectivity using a surface-based convolutional network.

Task-based and resting-state represent the two most common experimental paradigms of functional neuroimaging. While resting-state offers a flexible and scalable approach for characterizing brain function, task-based techniques provide superior localization. In this paper, we build on recent deep learning methods to create a model that predicts task-based contrast maps from resting-state fMRI scans.

Drosophila p38 MAPK interacts with BAG-3/starvin to regulate age-dependent protein homeostasis.

As organisms age, they often accumulate protein aggregates that are thought to be toxic, potentially leading to age-related diseases. This accumulation of protein aggregates is partially attributed to a failure to maintain protein homeostasis. A variety of genetic factors have been linked to longevity, but how these factors also contribute to protein homeostasis is not completely understood.

Development of Amino Acids Functionalized SBA-15 for the Improvement of Protein Adsorption.

Ordered mesoporous materials and their modification with multiple functional groups are of wide scientific interest for many applications involving interaction with biological systems and biomolecules (e.g., catalysis, separation, sensor design, nano-science or drug delivery).

Direct fabrication and characterization of gold nanohole arrays.

We demonstrate a one-step fabrication method to realize desired gold (Au) nanoholes arrays by using a one-photon absorption based direct laser writing technique. Thanks to the optically induced thermal effect of Au material at 532 nm excitation wavelength, the local temperature at the laser focus area can reach as high as 600°C, which induces an evaporation of the Au thin film resulting in a metallic nanohole. By controlling the laser spot movement and exposure time, different two-dimensional Au nanoholes structures with periodicity as small as 500 nm have been demonstrated.