Neuromorphic learning and recognition in WOthin film-based forming-free flexible electronic synapses.

In pursuing advanced neuromorphic applications, this study introduces the successful engineering of a flexible electronic synapse based on WO, structured as W/WO/Pt/Muscovite-Mica. This artificial synapse is designed to emulate crucial learning behaviors fundamental to in-memory computing. We systematically explore synaptic plasticity dynamics by implementing pulse measurements capturing potentiation and depression traits akin to biological synapses under flat and different bending conditions, thereby highlighting its potential suitability for flexible electronic applications.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 inhibition suppresses pancreatic cancer chemoresistance and chemotherapy-driven aggressiveness.

Aims: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is often intrinsically-resistant to standard-of-care chemotherapies such as gemcitabine. Acquired gemcitabine resistance (GemR) can arise from treatment of initially-sensitive tumors, and chemotherapy can increase tumor aggressiveness. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance and chemotherapy-driven tumor aggressiveness, which are understood incompletely.

Dual-Hit Strategy for Therapeutic Targeting of Pancreatic Cancer in Patient-Derived Xenograft Tumors.

Purpose: Paracrine activation of pro-fibrotic hedgehog (HH) signaling in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) results in stromal amplification that compromises tumor drug delivery, efficacy, and patient survival. Interdiction of HH-mediated tumor-stroma crosstalk with smoothened (SMO) inhibitors (SHHi) "primes" PDAC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumors for increased drug delivery by transiently increasing vascular patency/permeability, and thereby macromolecule delivery. However, patient tumor isolates vary in their responsiveness, and responders show co-induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 correlates inversely with the efficacy of single-agent fibroblast growth factor receptor-specific inhibitors in pancreatic cancer.

Background And Purpose: Elevated fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) activity correlates with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression and poor prognosis. However, its potential as a therapeutic target remains largely unexplored.

Experimental Approach: The mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of selective pan-FGFR inhibitors (pan-FGFRi) were explored using in vitro and in vivo PDAC models ranging from gemcitabine-sensitive to highly gemcitabine-resistant (GemR).

DUF916 and DUF3324 in the WxL protein cluster bind to WxL and link bacterial and host surfaces.

Bacterial WxL proteins contain peptidoglycan-binding WxL domains, which have a dual Trp-x-Leu motif and are involved in virulence. It was recently shown that WxL proteins occur in gene clusters, containing typically a small WxL protein (which in the mature protein consists only of a WxL domain), a large WxL protein (which contains a C-terminal WxL domain with N-terminal host-binding domains), and a conserved protein annotated as a Domain of Unknown Function (DUF). Here we analyze this DUF and show that it contains two tandem domains-DUF916 and DUF3324-which both have an IgG-like fold and together form a single functional unit, connected to a C-terminal transmembrane helix.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Interface on Screen-Printed ZnO Nanorod Field Effect Transistors for Serotonin Detection in Clinical Samples.

Ultrasensitive detection of serotonin is crucial for the early diagnosis of several diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Most of the existing detection strategies are still not suitable for sensitive point-of-care applications. This study presents direct molecular imprinting of serotonin on the surface of three-dimensional zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod devices connected in a field effect transistor (FET) configuration to achieve ultrasensitive, real-time, and rapid detection with a convenient and affordable approach, which has significant potential for translation to clinical settings.

An intact S-layer is advantageous to Clostridioides difficile within the host.

Clostridioides difficile is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality in antibiotically-treated, hospitalised, elderly patients, in which toxin production correlates with diarrhoeal disease. While the function of these toxins has been studied in detail, the contribution of other factors, including the paracrystalline surface layer (S-layer), to disease is less well understood. Here, we highlight the essentiality of the S-layer in vivo by reporting the recovery of S-layer variants, following infection with the S-layer-null strain, FM2.

Early Insight Into the Retrospective Data of a Case Series on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on Alternate-Day Dosing of Oral Semaglutide: Utopia or Reality?

Introduction Oral semaglutide, with a long half-life of seven days, is the first oral-based peptide drug and is used as an antidiabetic for the reduction of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Oral semaglutide, like other glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RAs), is costly and has gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, especially with a 14 mg dose. In the real world, some type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients on 14 mg oral dose adopt an alternate-day strategy to minimize unwanted GI symptoms.

COVID-19 and Pre-existing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Observational Study From Eastern India on the Association Between Glycaemic Control and Treatment Outcomes.

Background: Diabetes has emerged as an important risk factor for causing severe illness and death from COVID-19. There is a paucity of structured data from the Indian subcontinent on the impact that glycaemic control (both immediate and remote) has on the degree of required medical intervention and mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Objectives: To evaluate the differences in clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes between well-controlled and poorly controlled patients with T2DM and COVID-19.

Synthesis and characterization of two self-assembled [CuGd] and [CuDy] complexes exhibiting the magnetocaloric effect, slow relaxation of magnetization, and anticancer activity.

Two new paths for coordination driven self-assembly reactions under the binding support of 2-((1-hydroxy-2-methylpropan-2-ylimino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol (HL) have been discovered from the reactions of Cu(ClO)·6HO, NEt and GdCl/DyCl·6HO in MeOH/CHCl (2 : 1) medium. A similar synthetic protocol is useful to provide two different types of self-aggregated molecular clusters [CuGd(L)(HL)(μ-Cl)(μ-OH)(OH)]ClO·4HO (1) and [CuDy(L)(HL)(μ-Cl)(μ-OH)(ClO)(HO)](ClO)·2NHEtCl·21HO (2). The adopted reaction procedure established the importance of the HO and Cl ions in the mineral-like growth of the complexes, derived from solvents and metal ion salts.

Long-circulating magnetoliposomes as surrogates for assessing pancreatic tumour permeability and nanoparticle deposition.

Nanocarriers are candidates for cancer chemotherapy delivery, with growing numbers of clinically-approved nano-liposomal formulations such as Doxil® and Onivyde® (liposomal doxorubicin and irinotecan) providing proof-of-concept. However, their complex biodistribution and the varying susceptibility of individual patient tumours to nanoparticle deposition remains a clinical challenge. Here we describe the preparation, characterisation, and biological evaluation of phospholipidic structures containing solid magnetic cores (SMLs) as an MRI-trackable surrogate that could aid in the clinical development and deployment of nano-liposomal formulations.

Genome-enabled discovery of candidate virulence loci in Striga hermonthica, a devastating parasite of African cereal crops.

Parasites have evolved proteins, virulence factors (VFs), that facilitate plant colonisation, however VFs mediating parasitic plant-host interactions are poorly understood. Striga hermonthica is an obligate, root-parasitic plant of cereal hosts in sub-Saharan Africa, causing devastating yield losses. Understanding the molecular nature and allelic variation of VFs in S.

or ? Unpacking Experiences of Minority Stress, Coping, and Resistance among Gender and Sexual Minorities in India.

In India, sexuality has long been a silent battleground, which has led to the legal acceptance of non-heteronormative practices in recent years. Given the risk of facing difficulties and social discrimination, questions may arise on the consequences of revealing non-heteronormative gender identity and sexual orientation. Using data from a two-year qualitative immersive study on the queer individuals in India and extant theories on Concealed Stigmatized Identity and Minority Stress, we explore the dynamics of disclosure, or "Coming-out of the closet" and construct a narrative on their lived experiences of stress and coping associated with marginal gender identity.

Competitive Impedance Spectroscopy in a Schottky-Contacted ZnO Nanorod Structure for Ultrasensitive and Specific Biosensing in a Physiological Analyte.

To enable detection and discovery of biomarkers, development of label-free, ultrasensitive, and specific sensors is the need of the hour. For addressing this requirement, here, a Schottky-contacted ZnO nanorod biosensor has been demonstrated, which explores the interplay between Schottky junction capacitance and solution resistance, resulting in an interesting sensing principle of competitive impedance spectroscopy. When the transition of dominating impedance occurs from solution resistance to junction capacitance, a notch or a peak appears in the impedance response at a particular frequency (referred to as the corner frequency) depending on the charge of the target molecule.

Nitrogen doped InO-ZnO nanocomposite mesoporous thin film based highly sensitive and selective ethanol sensors.

Nanocomposite metal oxide thin films exhibit promising qualities in the field of gas sensors due to the opportunities provided by the heterointerface formation. In this work, we present the synthesis of nitrogen doped mesoporous InO-ZnO nanocomposite thin films by a simple wet chemical method using urea as the nitrogen precursor. SEM investigation suggests the formation of mesoporous nanocomposite thin films, where the uniformity of the surface pore distribution depends on the relative proportion of InO and ZnO in the composites.

A review on nanopores based protein sensing in complex analyte.

Solid-state nanopore has the ability to detect proteins at a single-molecule level with its high sensitivity, high-throughput, and low cost. Improvements in fabrication, functionalization, and characterization of solid-state nanopores keep evolving. Various analytical methods targeted towards diagnostic applications using nanopore-based devices are appearing.

Looking through the FOG: microbiome characterization and lipolytic bacteria isolation from a fatberg site.

Sewer systems are complex physical, chemical and microbial ecosystems where fats, oils and grease (FOG) present a major problem for sewer management. Their accumulation can lead to blockages ('Fatbergs'), sewer overflows and disruption of downstream wastewater treatment. Further advancements of biological FOG treatments need to be tailored to degrade the FOG, and operate successfully within the sewer environment.

Rationally designed vectors for functional genomic analysis of and other species by transposon-directed insertion-site sequencing (TraDIS).

Comprehensive identification of conditionally essential genes requires efficient tools for generating high-density transposon libraries that, ideally, can be analysed using next-generation sequencing methods such as Transposon Directed Insertion-site Sequencing (TraDIS). The () transposon is ideal for generating near-saturating mutant libraries, especially in AT-rich chromosomes, as the requirement for integration is a TA dinucleotide, and this transposon has been used for mutagenesis of a wide variety of bacteria. However, plasmids for delivery do not necessarily work well in all bacteria.

Stable hybrid plasmonic directional coupler based on an embedded silver nanostructure waveguide.

In this paper, a stable hybrid plasmonic optical directional coupler based on an embedded silver nanostructure that can offer a power transfer up to 95% is presented. This optimum power transfer is obtained at an outer edge-to-edge separation of 0.58 µm between the two waveguides.