A Thermal Cycler Based on Magnetic Induction Heating and Anti-Freezing Water Cooling for Rapid PCR.

Distinguished by its exceptional sensitivity and specificity, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a pivotal technology for pathogen detection. However, traditional PCR instruments that employ thermoelectric cooling (TEC) are often constrained by cost, efficiency, and performance variability resulting from the fluctuations in ambient temperature. Here, we present a thermal cycler that utilizes electromagnetic induction heating at 50 kHz and anti-freezing water cooling with a velocity of 0.

Three-Axis Vibration Isolation of a Full-Scale Magnetorheological Seat Suspension.

This study examines the three-axis vibration isolation capabilities of a full-scale magnetorheological (MR) seat suspension system utilizing experimental methods to assess performance under both single-axis and simultaneous three-axis input conditions. To achieve this, a semi-active MR seat damper was designed and manufactured to address excitations in all three axes. The damper effectiveness was tested experimentally for axial and lateral motions, focusing on dynamic stiffness and loss factor using an MTS machine.

Licochalcone A-Inspired Chalcones: Synthesis and Their Antiproliferative Potential in Prostate Cancer Cells.

Prostate cancer remains a significant global health concern, prompting ongoing exploration of novel therapeutic agents. Licochalcone A, a natural product in the chalcone family isolated from licorice root, is characterized by its enone structure and demonstrates antiproliferative activity in the micromolar range across various cell lines, including prostate cancer. Building on our prior success in enhancing curcumin's antiproliferative potency by replacing the substituted phenol with a 1-alkyl-1H-imizadol-2-yl moiety, we applied a similar approach to design a new class of licochalcone A-inspired chalcones.

Novel Copper(II) Coordination Compounds Containing Pyridine Derivatives of -Methoxyphenyl-Thiosemicarbazones with Selective Anticancer Activity.

Ten coordination compounds, [Cu(L)Cl] (), [Cu(L)NO] (), [Cu(L)Cl] (C3), [Cu(L)NO] (), [Cu(L)Cl] (), [Cu(L)NO] (), [Cu(L)NO] (), [Cu(L)Cl] (), [Cu(L)Cl] (), and [Cu(L)NO] (), containing pyridine derivatives of -methoxyphenyl-thiosemicarbazones were synthesized and characterized. The molecular structure of four compounds was investigated using single crystal X-ray diffraction. Spectral analysis techniques such as FT-IR, H NMR, C NMR, elemental analysis, and molar conductivity were used for all the synthesized compounds.

The Anti-AGEing and RAGEing Potential of Isothiocyanates.

Isothiocyanates (ITCs), found in edible plants such as cruciferous vegetables, are a group of reactive organo-sulfur phytochemicals produced by the hydrolysis of precursors known as glucosinolates. ITCs have been studied extensively both in vivo and in vitro to define their therapeutic potential for the treatment of chronic health conditions. Therapeutically, they have shown an intrinsic ability to inhibit oxidative and inflammatory phenotypes to support enhanced health.

Modelling the Impact of Argon Atoms on a WO Surface by Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Machine learning potential energy functions can drive the atomistic dynamics of molecules, clusters, and condensed phases. They are amongst the first examples that showed how quantum mechanics together with machine learning can predict chemical reactions as well as material properties and even lead to new materials. In this work, we study the behaviour of tungsten trioxide (WO) surfaces upon particle impact by employing potential energy surfaces represented by neural networks.

Heterologous Expression and Functional Verification of Extracellular Carbonic Anhydrases in from Mariana Trench.

The exploration and exploitation of deep-sea microbial resources is of great scientific value for understanding biological evolution under extreme conditions. Deep-sea microorganisms are critical in the ocean carbon cycle, and marine heterotrophic microorganisms secrete extracellular carbonic anhydrase (CA) to fix inorganic carbon, an important process in climate regulation. Extracellular CA provides a green method for fixing carbon dioxide into stable minerals containing Ca.

Molecular Design and Mechanism Study of Non-Activated Collectors for Sphalerite (ZnS) Based on Coordination Chemistry Theory and Quantum Chemical Simulation.

Sphalerite flotation is generally achieved by copper activation followed by xanthate collection. This study aims to propose a design idea to find novel collectors from the perspective of molecular design and prove the theoretical feasibility that the collector can effectively recover sphalerite without copper activation. To address this, 30 compounds containing different structures of sulfur atoms and different neighboring atoms were designed based on coordination chemistry.

Impact of Species and Tissue Differences on In Vitro Glucuronidation of Diclofenac.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the impact of species and tissue differences on the glucuronidation of diclofenac in vitro.

Method: Microsomes from different species (rat, monkey, mouse, dog, and human) and rat and human tissues (liver, intestine, and kidney) were used to assess the rate of glucuronidation reaction of diclofenac. The metabolites were quantified using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and fitted into a Michaelis-Menten model to determine the metabolic kinetic parameters.

Investigation of the Structure-Property Relation of Anthraquinone Dye Molecules with High Dichroism in Guest-Host Liquid Crystal Systems via Computational Methods.

By combining molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT), the influence of dye structure on the optical modulation properties of negative-mode guest-host liquid crystal (GHLC) systems was systematically investigated. Firstly, the reliability of the simulation method was validated by comparing the performance parameters of the GHLC system obtained from simulations with those from experimental results. Subsequently, a series of guest dye molecules, along with their mixtures with negative dielectric anisotropy mesogens, were designed and analyzed.

Mechanisms Behind Graphitization Modification in Polycrystalline Diamond by Nanosecond Pulsed Laser.

The ultraprecision machining of diamond presents certain difficulties due to its extreme hardness. However, the graphitization modification can enhance its machinability. This work presents an investigation into the characteristics of the graphitization modification in polycrystalline diamond induced by a nanosecond pulsed laser.

Porphyrin-Based Aluminum Metal-Organic Framework with Copper: Pre-Adsorption of Water Vapor, Dynamic and Static Sorption of Diethyl Sulfide Vapor, and Sorbent Regeneration.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are hybrid inorganic-organic 3D coordination polymers with metal sites and organic linkers, which are a "hot" topic in the research of sorption, separations, catalysis, sensing, and environmental remediation. In this study, we explore the molecular mechanism and kinetics of interaction of the new copper porphyrin aluminum metal-organic framework (actAl-MOF-TCPPCu) compound with a vapor of the volatile organic sulfur compound (VOSC) diethyl sulfide (DES). First, compound was synthesized by post-synthetic modification (PSM) of Al-MOF-TCPPH compound by inserting Cu ions into the porphyrin ring and characterized by complementary qualitative and quantitative chemical, structural, and spectroscopic analysis.

Effect of Temperature Gradient and Cooling Rate on the Solidification of Iron: A Molecular Dynamics Study.

In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to compare the effects of different solidification conditions on the solidification behaviour, stress distribution, and degree of crystallization of iron. The results indicate significant differences in nucleation and microstructural evolution between the two solidification methods. In the homogeneous temperature field, the solidification of iron is characterized by instantaneous nucleation.

sp. nov., a New Mite Species Infesting .

, or "mamey sapote", is a tropical fruit tree native to Central America and Southern Mexico, producing sweet, nutrient and vitamin-rich fruit. Several insect pests are known to infest but none have been associated with plant growth alterations. Eriophyoid mites are well known to cause plant malformations, but mites that cause this type of damage to mamey sapote have not been reported.

The Dynamics of Pheromone Release in Two Passive Dispensers Commonly Used for Mating Disruption in the Control of and in Vineyards.

Background: Mating disruption (MD) is a worthwhile technique for the control of and in central Europe and Mediterranean areas. MD efficacy is affected by the pheromone release (PR), which in turn is influenced by environmental conditions.

Methods: The effect of weather conditions on PR was evaluated under four different fields in northern Italy.

Sexual Dimorphism of Ethanol-Induced Mitochondrial Dynamics in Purkinje Cells.

The cerebellum, a key target of ethanol's toxic effects, is associated with ataxia following alcohol consumption. However, the impact of ethanol on Purkinje cell (PC) mitochondria remains unclear. To investigate how ethanol administration affects mitochondrial dynamics in cerebellar Purkinje cells, we employed a transgenic mouse model expressing mitochondria-targeted yellow fluorescent protein in Purkinje cells (PC-mito-eYFP).

Somatic Instability Leading to Mosaicism in Fragile X Syndrome and Associated Disorders: Complex Mechanisms, Diagnostics, and Clinical Relevance.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic condition caused by the inheritance of alleles with >200 CGG repeats in the 5' UTR of the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 () gene. These full mutation (FM) alleles are associated with DNA methylation and gene silencing, which result in intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, and social and behavioral issues. Mosaicism for both the size of the CGG repeat tract and the extent of its methylation is commonly observed in individuals with the FM.

Integrated Transcriptomic, Proteomic, and Metabolomic Analyses Revealed Molecular Mechanism for Salt Resistance in Soybean ( L.) Seedlings.

Salt stress poses a significant challenge to plant growth and restricts agricultural development. To delve into the intricate mechanisms involved in soybean's response to salt stress and find targets to improve the salt resistance of soybean, this study integrated transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analyses to explore the regulatory networks involved in soybean salt tolerance. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant changes in transcription factors, hormone-related groups, and calcium ion signaling.

Angiopoietin-2: A Therapeutic Target for Vascular Protection in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a pediatric condition characterized by clinical features that resemble accelerated aging. The abnormal accumulation of a toxic form of the lamin A protein known as progerin disrupts cellular functions, leading to various complications, including growth retardation, loss of subcutaneous fat, abnormal skin, alopecia, osteoporosis, and progressive joint contractures. Death primarily occurs as the result of complications from progressive atherosclerosis, especially from cardiac disease, such as myocardial infarction or heart failure, or cerebrovascular disease like stroke.

Disulfidptosis and Its Hub Gene Slc3a2 Involved in Ulcerative Colitis Pathogenesis, Disease Progression, and Patient Responses to Biologic Therapies.

To analyze the role of disulfidptosis in ulcerative colitis (UC), large-scale datasets combined with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning were utilized and analyzed. When the hub genes that are associated with UC disease phenotypes and have predictive performance were identified, immune cell infiltration and the CeRNA network were constructed, the role of hub genes in UC pathogenies and biotherapy were investigated, and molecular docking studies and mice-verified tests were carried out to further explore the potential core genes and potential target. Finally, we found 21 DRGs involved in UC pathogenesis, including SLC3A2, FLNA, CAPZB, TLN1, RPN1, etc.

Molecular Insights into Structural Dynamics and Binding Interactions of Selected Inhibitors Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease.

The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro, also known as 3CLpro) is a key target for antiviral therapy due to its critical role in viral replication and maturation. This study investigated the inhibitory effects of Bofutrelvir, Nirmatrelvir, and Selinexor on 3CLpro through molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and free energy calculations. Nirmatrelvir exhibited the strongest binding affinity across docking tools (AutoDock Vina: -8.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Suggest That Side-Chain Motions of Charged Amino Acids Determine Long-Range Effects in Proteins: An Egg of Coulomb.

Living systems cannot rely on random intermolecular approaches toward cell crowding, and hidden mechanisms must be present to favor only those molecular interactions required explicitly by the biological function. Electromagnetic messaging among proteins is proposed from the observation that charged amino acids located on the protein surface are mostly in adjacent sequence positions and/or in spatial proximity. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to predict electric charge proximities arising from concerted motions of charged amino acid side chains in two protein model systems, human ubiquitin and the chitinolytic enzyme from .

Compounds Inhibit MtrCDE Efflux Pump Transport Protein for the Potential Management of Gonorrhoea Infection.

The progressive development of resistance in to almost all available antibiotics has made it crucial to develop novel approaches to tackling multi-drug resistance (MDR). One of the primary causes of antibiotic resistance is the over-expression of the MtrCDE efflux pump protein, making this protein a vital target for fighting against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in . This study was aimed at evaluating the potential MtrCDE efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) and their stability in treating gonorrhoea infection.

Efficacy of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator Corrector C17 in Beta-Sarcoglycanopathy-Assessment of Patient's Primary Myotubes.

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2E/R4 (LGMD2E/R4) is a rare disease that currently has no cure. It is caused by defects in the gene, mainly missense mutations, which cause the impairment of the sarcoglycan complex, membrane fragility, and progressive muscle degeneration. Here, we studied the fate of some β-sarcoglycan (β-SG) missense mutants, confirming that, like α-SG missense mutants, they are targeted for degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome system.

Diversity and Characteristics of the Oral Microbiome Associated with Self-Reported Ancestral/Ethnic Groups.

Periodontitis disproportionately affects genetic ancestral/ethnic groups. To characterize the oral microbiome from different genetic ancestral/ethnic groups, we collected 161 dental plaque samples from self-identified African Americans (AAs), Caucasian Americans (CAs), and Hispanic Americans (HAs) with clinical gingival health or biofilm-induced gingivitis on an intact periodontium. DNA was extracted from these samples, and then DNA libraries were prepared and sequenced using an Illumina NovaSeq high-throughput sequencer.