Baseline gray matter volume associates with working memory performance after prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation.

Working memory is crucial for daily life and is often impaired in neuropsychiatric conditions. Attempts to enhance it using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have shown mixed results, possibly due to large inter-individual variability. This study assessed whether baseline regional brain volume was associated with working memory performance following tDCS.

Mlh1-Pms1 ATPase activity is regulated distinctly by self-generated nicks and strand discrimination signals in mismatch repair.

In eukaryotic post-replicative mismatch repair, MutS homolog complexes detect mismatches and in the major eukaryotic pathway, recruit Mlh1-Pms1/MLH1-PMS2 (yeast/human) complexes, which nick the newly replicated DNA strand upon activation by the replication processivity clamp, PCNA. This incision enables mismatch removal and DNA repair. Beyond its endonuclease role, Mlh1-Pms1/MLH1-PMS2 also has ATPase activity, which genetic studies suggest is essential for mismatch repair, although its precise regulatory role on DNA remains unclear.

Understanding photoacoustic signal formation in the presence of transparent thin films.

Strain-induced variation of the refractive index is the main mechanism of strain detection in photoacoustic experiments. However, weak strain-optic coupling in many materials limits the application of photoacoustics as an imaging tool. A straightforward deposition of a transparent thin film as a top layer has previously been shown to provide signal enhancement due to elastic boundary effects.

Action-At-A-Distance in DNA Mismatch Repair: Mechanistic Insights and Models for How DNA and Repair Proteins Facilitate Long-Range Communication.

Many DNA metabolic pathways, including DNA repair, require the transmission of signals across long stretches of DNA or between DNA molecules. Solutions to this signaling challenge involve various mechanisms: protein factors can travel between these sites, loop DNA between sites, or form oligomers that bridge the spatial gaps. This review provides an overview of how these paradigms have been used to explain DNA mismatch repair, which involves several steps that require action-at-a-distance.

Computational vibration mitigation using phase interpolation in digital holographic microscopy for overlay metrology.

Digital holographic microscopy retrieves amplitude and phase information of an image which allows us to computationally correct for imperfections in the imaging optics. However, digital holographic microscopy is an interferometric technique that is inherently sensitive to undesired phase variations between object and reference beam. These phase variations lower the fringe contrast if they are integrated over a finite exposure time which leads to a reduced amplitude of the retrieved image.

Mid-infrared optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier at 50 W and 38 fs pumped by a high-power Yb-InnoSlab platform.

High-power Yb:InnoSlab lasers are proliferating into multiple modern application areas of laser physics ranging from plasma physics and nanolithography to driving optical parametric amplifiers for high-harmonic generation and attosecond science. Here, we present, the layout, design and first results of an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier system pumped by a kW-level average power Yb-InnoSlab laser. We describe the layout and concepts of the pump lasers, with particular attention to the specific design principles required for our application.

Characterizing post-compression of mJ-level ultrafast pulses via loose focusing in a gas cell.

The ability to generate high-intensity ultrashort laser pulses is a key driver for advancing the strong-field physics and its applications. Post-compression methods aim to increase the peak intensity of amplified laser pulses via spectral broadening through self-phase modulation (SPM), followed by temporal pulse compression. However, other unavoidable nonlinear self-action effects, which typically occur parallel to SPM, can lead to phase distortions and beam quality degradation.

Sub-cycle dynamics in two-color high-harmonic generation from laser-produced plasmas.

We present high-order harmonic generation (HHG) in laser-produced aluminium and tin plasmas driven by a two-color field with orthogonal polarization, leading to the generation of both odd and even harmonics. We shape the effective drive field with sub-cycle resolution by controlling the phase between the fundamental wave and its second harmonic. The shape of the drive field influences the electron trajectories of the various harmonics generated in these plasmas.

Fast spectroscopic imaging using extreme ultraviolet interferometry.

Extreme ultraviolet pulses as generated by high harmonic generation (HHG) are a powerful tool for both time-resolved spectroscopy and coherent diffractive imaging. However, the integration of spectroscopy and microscopy to harness the unique broadband spectra provided by HHG is hardly explored due to the challenge to decouple spectroscopic and microscopic information. Here, we present an interferometric approach to this problem that combines Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) with Fourier transform holography (FTH).

Breaking Abbe's diffraction limit with harmonic deactivation microscopy.

Nonlinear optical microscopy provides elegant means for label-free imaging of biological samples and condensed matter systems. The widespread areas of application could even be increased if resolution was improved, which the famous Abbe diffraction limit now restrains. Super-resolution techniques can break the diffraction limit but most rely on fluorescent labeling.

Pulsar Nulling and Vacuum Radio Emission from Axion Clouds.

Nonrelativistic axions can be efficiently produced in the polar caps of pulsars, resulting in the formation of a dense cloud of gravitationally bound axions. Here, we investigate the interplay between such an axion cloud and the electrodynamics in the pulsar magnetosphere, focusing specifically on the dynamics in the polar caps, where the impact of the axion cloud is expected to be most pronounced. For sufficiently light axions m_{a}≲10^{-7}  eV, we show that the axion cloud can occasionally screen the local electric field responsible for particle acceleration and pair production, inducing a periodic nulling of the pulsar's intrinsic radio emission.

Machine Learning Classification of Integrin-Expression-Based Magnetic Sorted SW 620 Cells by Simultaneous O-PTIR and SERS.

Immortalized cell lines are commonly used for in vitro studies such as drug efficacy, toxicology, and life cycle due to their cost effectiveness and accessibility; however, subpopulations within a cell line can arise from random mutations or asynchronous cell cycles which may lead to results that make interpretation difficult. A method that could classify these differences and separate unique subpopulations would increase our understanding of heterogeneous cellular responses. In the present work, we explore spectroscopic signals associated with subpopulations of cells magnetically sorted on the basis of αβ integrin binding to cyclic-RGDfC which mimics fibronectin in the extracellular matrix.

Defective mitochondrial COX1 translation due to loss of COX14 function triggers ROS-induced inflammation in mouse liver.

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) fuels cellular ATP demands. OXPHOS defects lead to severe human disorders with unexplained tissue specific pathologies. Mitochondrial gene expression is essential for OXPHOS biogenesis since core subunits of the complexes are mitochondrial-encoded.

Conducting high-frequency data collection in low-resource settings: Lessons from a financial diary study among women engaged in sex work in Uganda.

Poverty and economic insecurity are driving forces in entering sex work among women in low resource areas. This increases their risk for HIV by influencing the decision-making process for high-risk behaviors. Few studies examine financial behaviors and capacities of women engaged in sex work (WESW).

Enhancing sepsis biomarker development: key considerations from public and private perspectives.

Implementation of biomarkers in sepsis and septic shock in emergency situations, remains highly challenging. This viewpoint arose from a public-private 3-day workshop aiming to facilitate the transition of sepsis biomarkers into clinical practice. The authors consist of international academic researchers and clinician-scientists and industry experts who gathered (i) to identify current obstacles impeding biomarker research in sepsis, (ii) to outline the important milestones of the critical path of biomarker development and (iii) to discuss novel avenues in biomarker discovery and implementation.

Continuous theta burst stimulation for bipolar depression: A multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled study exploring treatment efficacy and predictive potential of kynurenine metabolites.

Background: While theta burst stimulation (TBS) shows promise in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), its effectiveness in bipolar depression (BD-D) remains uncertain. Optimizing treatment parameters is crucial in the pursuit of rapid symptom relief. Moreover, aligning with personalized treatment strategies and increased interest in immunopsychiatry, biomarker-based stratification of patients most likely to benefit from TBS might improve remission rates.

The Mlh1-Pms1 endonuclease uses ATP to preserve DNA discontinuities as strand discrimination signals to facilitate mismatch repair.

In eukaryotic post-replicative mismatch repair, MutS homologs (MSH) detect mismatches and recruit MLH complexes to nick the newly replicated DNA strand upon activation by the replication processivity clamp, PCNA. This incision enables mismatch removal and DNA repair. Biasing MLH endonuclease activity to the newly replicated DNA strand is crucial for repair.

Socio-ecological impacts of extreme weather events in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Climate change is expected to profoundly impact health and coping and widen social and environmental inequalities. People living in informal settlements are especially vulnerable to climate change as they are often located in ecologically sensitive areas more susceptible to extreme weather events (EWEs), such as floods, droughts, and heat waves. Women residing in informal settlements are especially vulnerable to climate change and related EWEs because they are more likely to experience worse health-related impacts than men but are less likely to have access to health-related services.

Crossroads of Choice: A qualitative study of the factors influencing decisions to transition from sex work among women engaged in sex work in Southern Uganda.

Background: Women Engaged in commercial Sex Work (WESW) are exposed to behavioral, biological, and structural factors that exacerbate their risk to HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections. While commercial sex work may appear voluntary, WESW are more likely to be constrained to selling sex due to limited viable alternatives. To effectively support this vulnerable group of women, it is critical to understand factors that facilitate and impede their decisions to transition from sex work into other careers or jobs.

Examining the Intrapersonal, Interpersonal and Community Level Correlates of Access to Medical Care Among Women Employed by Sex Work in Southern Uganda: A cross-sectional Analysis of the Kyaterekera Study.

Women employed by sex work (WESW) experience significant gaps in accessing necessary healthcare services, leading to unmet health needs. Yet, there is a dearth of literature on the barriers to medical care access among WESW in Uganda. We used data from the Kyaterekera baseline to examine the correlates of access to medical care among WESW, defined as the ability of individuals to obtain the necessary healthcare services they require in a timely, affordable, and equitable manner.

Correction: Time-, space- and energy-resolved characterization of catalysts by X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

Correction for 'Time-, space- and energy-resolved characterization of catalysts by X-ray absorption spectroscopy' by Stefan Peters , , 2023, , 12120-12123, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CC03277A.

The impact of an economic empowerment intervention on intimate partner violence among women engaged in sex work in southern Uganda: A cluster randomized control trial.

Women engaged in sex work (WESW) are at heightened risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to women in the general population. This study examines the impact of an economic empowerment intervention on IPV among WESW in Southern Uganda. We used data from 542 WESW in Southern Uganda recruited from 19 HIV hotspots between June 2019 and March 2020.

Costing of a Combination Intervention (Kyaterekera) Addressing Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors among Vulnerable Women in Southern Uganda.

In Uganda, women engaged in sex work (WESW) are a marginalized population at the intersection of multiple vulnerabilities. The Kyaterekera intervention is targeted at WESW in Rakai and the greater Masaka regions in Uganda and combines a traditional HIV risk-reduction approach with a savings-led economic empowerment intervention and financial literacy training. We estimated the economic costs of the Kyaterekera intervention from a program provider perspective using a prospective activity-based micro-costing method.

In Vivo Stimulation of Therapeutic Antigen-Specific T Cells in an Artificial Lymph Node Matrix.

T cells are critical mediators of antigen-specific immune responses and are common targets for immunotherapy. Biomaterial scaffolds have previously been used to stimulate antigen-presenting cells to elicit antigen-specific immune responses; however, structural and molecular features that directly stimulate and expand naïve, endogenous, tumor-specific T cells in vivo have not been defined. Here, an artificial lymph node (aLN) matrix is created, which consists of an extracellular matrix hydrogel conjugated with peptide-loaded-MHC complex (Signal 1), the co-stimulatory signal anti-CD28 (Signal 2), and a tethered IL-2 (Signal 3), that can bypass challenges faced by other approaches to activate T cells in situ such as vaccines.