A perspective of lipid nanoparticles for RNA delivery.

Over the last two decades, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have evolved as an effective biocompatible and biodegradable RNA delivery platform in the fields of nanomedicine, biotechnology, and drug delivery. They are novel bionanomaterials that can be used to encapsulate a wide range of biomolecules, such as mRNA, as demonstrated by the current successes of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Therefore, it is important to provide a perspective on LNPs for RNA delivery, which further offers useful guidance for researchers who want to work in the RNA-based LNP field.

Population distribution and drivers of habitat use for the Burrunan dolphins, Port Phillip Bay, Australia.

Bottlenose dolphin () populations, also described as the Burrunan dolphins, consist of a resident population of approximately 150 individuals in Port Phillip Bay (PPB), Victoria. Previous reports indicate distribution across a small southern region of PPB; however, little is known about their full distribution patterns across the entire PPB region. Here, we investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of the Burrunan dolphins across four zones representative of PPB benthic habitats and bathymetry to gain a better understanding of the potential drivers of the population's habitat use.

A machine learning method for estimating the probability of presence using presence-background data.

Estimating the prevalence or the absolute probability of the presence of a species from presence-background data has become a controversial topic in species distribution modelling. In this paper, we propose a new method by combining both statistics and machine learning algorithms that helps overcome some of the known existing problems. We have also revisited the popular but highly controversial Lele and Keim (LK) method by evaluating its performance and assessing the RSPF condition it relies on.

Tuning the Schottky barrier height in a multiferroic InSe/FeGeTe van der Waals heterojunction.

The ferroelectric material InSe is currently of significant interest due to its built-in polarisation characteristics that can significantly modulate its electronic properties. Here we employ density functional theory to determine the transport characteristics at the metal-semiconductor interface of the two-dimensional multiferroic InSe/FeGeTe heterojunction. We show a significant tuning of the Schottky barrier height as a result of the change in the intrinsic polarisation state of InSe: the switching in the electric polarisation of InSe results in the switching of the nature of the Schottky barrier, from being n-type to p-type, and is accompanied by a change in the spin polarisation of the electrons.

Towards antiviral polymer composites to combat COVID-19 transmission.

Polymer matrix composite materials have the capacity to aid the indirect transmission of viral diseases. Published research shows that respiratory viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19), can attach to polymer substrata as a result of being contacted by airborne droplets resulting from infected people sneezing or coughing in close proximity. Polymer matrix composites are used to produce a wide range of products that are "high-touch" surfaces, such as sporting goods, laptop computers and household fittings, and these surfaces can be readily contaminated by pathogens.

An acetate-yielding diet imprints an immune and anti-microbial programme against enteric infection.

Objectives: During gastrointestinal infection, dysbiosis can result in decreased production of microbially derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In response to the presence of intestinal pathogens, we examined whether an engineered acetate- or butyrate-releasing diet can rectify the deficiency of SCFAs and lead to the resolution of enteric infection.

Methods: We tested whether a high acetate- or butyrate-producing diet (HAMSA or HAMSB, respectively) condition infection in mice and assess its impact on host-microbiota interactions.

Data for the Determination of Total Carbon in Biosolids using MID-Infrared Spectroscopy.

The data presented in this article relates to "Determination of Total Carbon in Biosolids using MID-Infrared Spectroscopy" published in Science of the Total Environment. In this new article, we present the data used for the development of the methodology using Partial Least Squares (PLS) combined with MID-Infrared (MID-IR) spectroscopy for the determination of total carbon in biosolids. Based on the data used, MID-IR combined with PLS was found to be an acceptable alternative and inexpensive method to determine the total C of biosolids compared to conventional methods such as the Dumas combustion method using a LECO C analyser.

The Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics and their Applications.

Aminoglycosides, a class of antibiotics that includes gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, tobramycin and apramycin, are derived from various species. Despite the significant increase in the antibacterial resistant pathogens, aminoglycosides remain an important class of antimicrobial drugs due to their unique chemical structure which offers a broad spectrum of activity. The modification of antibiotics and their subsequent use in supramolecular chemistry is rarely reported.

Synthesis and Liquid Crystalline Properties of Unsymmetrically Substituted Naphthalenediimides with a Polar Headgroup: Effect of Amide Hydrogen Bonding and Alkyl Chain Length.

A series of new unsymmetrically substituted naphthalenediimide (NDI) moieties to were synthesized. The structures of these compounds were confirmed by means of FT-IR, H NMR, C NMR, ESI-mass and HRMS spectroscopic measurements. UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy were employed to investigate the photophysical properties of the prepared compounds in solution and in the solid state.