-Phenylphenothiazine-based Hyper-cross-linked Polymers for Recyclable, Heterogeneous Photocatalysis of Organic Transformations: A Strategy to Access 6-Difluoromethyl-phenanthridines.

Herein, a -phenylphenothiazine-based hyper-cross-linked polymer (PTH-HCP) was finely designed and constructed, which serves as a metal-free heterogeneous photocatalyst for organic transformations. Characterization experiments have shown that this polymer demonstrates outstanding stability, extensive surface area, and exceptional photoelectric response properties. Moreover, PTH-HCP showed good catalytic efficiency and recyclability in the photochemically driven difluoromethylation/cyclization reactions.

Revisiting the exclusion principle in epidemiology at the limit of a large competitive advantage.

The competitive exclusion principle in epidemiology implies that when competing strains of a pathogen provide complete protection for each other, the strain with the largest reproduction number outcompetes the other strains and drives them to extinction. The introduction of various trade-off mechanisms may facilitate the coexistence of competing strains, especially when their respective basic reproduction numbers are close so that the competition between the strains is weak. Yet, one may expect that a substantial competitive advantage of one of the strains will eventually outbalance trade-off mechanisms driving less competitive strains to extinction.

Phenylboronic acid-modified carbon dot-proteinase K nanohybrids for enhanced photodynamic therapy against bacterial biofilm infections.

Nanohybrids combining phenylboronic acid-modified carbon dots (PCDs) and proteinase K have been engineered for addressing the formidable challenges of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against bacterial biofilm infections, overcoming biofilm barrier obstruction, the limited diffusion of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the inadequate ROS generation of traditional photosensitizers. PCDs are formulated for superior water solubility and robust singlet oxygen (O) production, mitigating issues related to dispersion and aggregation-induced quenching typical of conventional photosensitizers. The conjugation of phenylboronic acid to CDs not only enhanced O generation through increased electron-hole separation but also imparted strong bacterial binding capabilities to the PCDs, enabling broad-spectrum sterilization by maximizing the ROS-mediated bacterial destruction.

Semaglutide in obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and type 2 diabetes across baseline HbA levels (STEP-HFpEF DM): a prespecified analysis of heart failure and metabolic outcomes from a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: About half of patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have type 2 diabetes. In the STEP-HFpEF DM trial of adults with obesity-related HFpEF and type 2 diabetes, subcutaneous once weekly semaglutide 2·4 mg conferred improvements in heart failure-related symptoms and physical limitations, bodyweight, and other heart failure outcomes. We aimed to determine whether these effects of semaglutide differ according to baseline HbA.

Like, share, and spike: Glioblastoma progenitors influence neuronal excitability at the glioma-neural interface.

Writing in Neuron, Zhang et al. identify a subpopulation of glioblastoma cells from patient tumor samples with progenitor-like features that expresses the potassium ion channel KCND2. In mouse and organoid models, these cells enhance neural activity at the glioma-neural interface.

The architecture of theory and data in microbiome design: towards an S-matrix for microbiomes.

Designing microbiomes for applications in health, bioengineering, and sustainability is intrinsically linked to a fundamental theoretical understanding of the rules governing microbial community assembly. Microbial ecologists have used a range of mathematical models to understand, predict, and control microbiomes, ranging from mechanistic models, putting microbial populations and their interactions as the focus, to purely statistical approaches, searching for patterns in empirical and experimental data. We review the success and limitations of these modeling approaches when designing novel microbiomes, especially when guided by (inevitably) incomplete experimental data.

Editorial: 21st meeting of the international council for near infrared spectroscopy - NIR 2023.

NIR 2023, or the 21st meeting of The International Council for Near Infrared Spectroscopy (ICNIRS), held in Innsbruck, Austria, in August 2023, was a significant event for the NIR spectroscopy community, bringing together 386 participants from 37 countries. This editorial introduces the Special Issue of Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, featuring nearly 30 articles that represent the topics from the conference. Like the NIR 2023 event itself, this collection highlights advancements in NIR spectroscopy, including fundamental research, instrumentation, and applications.

Mn-Mn Dimers Induced Multimode Emitters in Mn-Activated AZn(PO) (A = K, Rb, and Cs) with Unique [ZnPO] Chains and [ZnO] Groups.

Mn-doped luminescent materials play a significant role in a variety of fields, including modern lighting, displays, and imaging. Mn exhibits a broad and adjustable emission, hinging on the local environment of the crystal field and the interaction of the 3d electrons. However, it is still a challenge to realize the precise control of the emission of Mn ions due to site-prior occupation in a specific lattice.

Highly multiplexed spatial transcriptomics in bacteria.

Single-cell decisions made in complex environments underlie many bacterial phenomena. Image-based transcriptomics approaches offer an avenue to study such behaviors, yet these approaches have been hindered by the massive density of bacterial messenger RNA. To overcome this challenge, we combined 1000-fold volumetric expansion with multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) to create bacterial-MERFISH.

Quality of life disparities among Mexican people with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Higher prevalence and worst outcome have been reported among people with systemic lupus erythematosus with non-European ancestries, with both genetic and socioeconomic variables as contributing factors. In Mexico, studies assessing the inequities related to quality of life for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients remain sparse. This study aims to assess the inequities related to quality of life in a cohort of Mexican people with SLE.

Lessons Learned in Emergency Pelvic and First-Trimester US: Focus on Cognitive Biases.

Nonpregnant and pregnant women who present with acute pelvic pain can pose a diagnostic challenge in the emergency setting. The clinical presentation is often nonspecific, and the differential diagnosis may be very broad. These symptoms are often indications for pelvic US, which is the primary imaging modality when an obstetric or gynecologic cause is suspected.

Epstein-Barr virus BALF0/1 subverts the Caveolin and ERAD pathways to target B cell receptor complexes for degradation.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) establishes persistent infection, causes infectious mononucleosis, is a major trigger for multiple sclerosis and contributes to multiple cancers. Yet, knowledge remains incomplete about how the virus remodels host B cells to support lytic replication. We previously identified that EBV lytic replication results in selective depletion of plasma membrane (PM) B cell receptor (BCR) complexes, composed of immunoglobulin and the CD79A and CD79B signaling chains.

New N-Substituted Adenine Derivatives with High Antiviral Activity against RNA-Containing Viruses.

In this work, two new compounds, N-(4,5-dimethoxyphenyl)adenine and N-(3,5-di-trifluoromethylphenyl)adenine, with a broad range of antiviral activity against RNA viruses were identified. We showed that these compounds exhibit pronounced antiviral activity against human poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3, belonging to enterovirus C species. Both compounds also demonstrated pronounced antiviral activity against Coxsackie viruses B3, B5, and B6, belonging to enterovirus B species.

Quantitative analysis of Δ- and Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites and isomers: a rapid assay in urine by LC-MS/MS.

An increasing number of cannabis-related products have become available and entered the market, particularly those containing cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-THC). Analytical methods for cannabinoids in urine have been described extensively in the literature. However, methods providing good resolution for distinguishing interferences from THC positional isomers are needed.

Catalyst-derived hierarchy in 2D imine-based covalent organic frameworks.

Identifying facile strategies for hierarchically structuring crystalline porous materials is critical for realizing diffusion length scales suitable for broad applications. Here, we elucidate synthesis-structure-function relations governing how room temperature catalytic conditions can be exploited to tune covalent organic framework (COF) growth and thereby access unique hierarchical morphologies without the need to introduce secondary templates or structure directing molecules. Specifically, we demonstrate how scandium triflate, an efficient catalyst involved in the synthesis of imine-based COFs, can be exploited as an effective growth modifier capable of selectively titrating terminal amines on 2D COF layers to facilitate anisotropic crystal growth.

Surfactin facilitates establishment of Bacillus subtilis in synthetic communities.

Soil bacteria are prolific producers of a myriad of biologically active secondary metabolites. These natural products play key roles in modern society, finding use as anti-cancer agents, as food additives, and as alternatives to chemical pesticides. As for their original role in interbacterial communication, secondary metabolites have been extensively studied under in vitro conditions, revealing many roles including antagonism, effects on motility, niche colonization, signaling, and cellular differentiation.

Screening analysis of doping agents in horse urine and plasma with dilute and shoot using liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry.

Various technical methodologies are required to accurately detect substances of different chemical and pharmacological properties in biological samples, which are increasing in number and variety daily. Therefore, laboratories where many samples and different factors are analyzed simultaneously need methods with easy sample preparation, short analysis times and low analysis costs. In this study, the objective was to scan substances susceptible to chemical degradation, amenable to analysis without hydrolysis, and exhibiting short-term stability by employing a straightforward, expeditious, and cost-efficient method.

Opportunities for More Tailored Approaches to Genotoxicity Testing and Carcinogenicity Strategy for Oligonucleotide Therapeutics: Outcome of an Industry Survey.

The Oligonucleotide Nonclinical Working Group (WG) of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations conducted an industry survey to understand current practices and regulatory expectations for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity assessment of oligonucleotide therapeutics (ONTs), along with historical genotoxicity testing results. The survey, involving 29 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, revealed a consistent absence of genotoxicity across a diverse range of oligonucleotide classes and chemistries, consistent with previous observations. Despite the lack of genotoxicity, companies continue to follow standard testing guidelines, with only limited divergence.

Defining a novel DYRK1A-gp130/IL-6R-pSTAT axis that regulates Th17 differentiation.

Dysregulated differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cells into T helper 17 (Th17) cells is likely a key factor predisposing to many autoimmune diseases. Therefore, better understanding how Th17 differentiation is regulated is essential to identify novel therapeutic targets and strategies to identify individuals at high risk of developing autoimmunity. Here, we extend our prior work using chemical inhibitors to provide mechanistic insight into a novel regulator of Th17 differentiation, the kinase dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A).

Impact of Short-Chain Perfluoropropylene Oxide Acids on Biochemical and Behavioural Parameters in (Savigny, 1826).

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent organic pollutants that pose a growing threat to environmental and human health. Soil acts as a long-term reservoir for PFAS, potentially impacting soil biodiversity and ecosystem function. Earthworms, as keystone species in soil ecosystems, are particularly vulnerable to PFAS exposure.

Friction Reduction and Antiwear Mechanisms of Cerium Sulfide Nanosheets under Different Sliding Conditions.

With the rapid development of modern industry, traditional lubricants often require a variety of additives to be used in conjunction with each other, which not only increases the cost but also causes a waste of resources. Therefore, the development of a lubricant additive with both a dyeing function and an antiwear and friction reduction performance can more effectively meet the industrial needs. Cerium sulfide (CeS), with its excellent photostability, weather resistance, thermal stability, and nontoxicity, shows great potential as an environmentally friendly pigment.

Chemical structure-biological activity of 1,4-naphthoquinone analogs as potential Aedes aegypti larvicides.

Background: 1,4-Naphthoquinone compounds have shown pesticidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae, a key vector of diseases such as dengue and Zika. However, limited knowledge of their structure-activity relationships has hindered their optimization for pesticide development. This study investigates the structure-activity relationships of 1,4-naphthoquinone, particularly 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and its derivatives.

Biomolecular Microneedle Initiates FeO/MXene Heterojunction-Mediated Nanozyme-Like Reactions and Bacterial Ferroptosis to Repair Diabetic Wounds.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a dual role in wound healing. They act as crucial signaling molecules and antimicrobial agents when present at moderate levels. However, excessive levels of ROS can hinder the healing process for individuals with diabetes.

A Contracted Channel Droplet Reinjection Chip-Based Simple Integrated ddpcr System for SARS-CoV-2 and H1N1 Detection.

Droplet microfluidics is a powerful method for digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) applications. However, precise droplet control, bulky peripherals, and multistep operation usually required in droplet detection process hinder the broad application of ddPCR. Here, a contracted channel droplet reinjection chip is presented, where droplets can be self-separated and detected one by one at intervals.

Multidimensional, integrative profiling identifies BCL2L1 methylation as a predictor of MCL1 dependency in pediatric malignancies.

Pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs) are the most aggressive brain tumors in children, necessitating innovative therapies to improve outcomes. Unlike adult gliomas, recent research reveals that childhood gliomas have distinct biological features, requiring specific treatment strategies. Here, we focused on deciphering unique genetic dependencies specific to childhood gliomas.