Two-stage assembly of patchy ellipses: From bent-core particles to liquid crystal analogs.

We investigate the two-dimensional behavior of colloidal patchy ellipsoids specifically designed to follow a two-step assembly process from the monomer state to mesoscopic liquid-crystal phases via the formation of the so-called bent-core units at the intermediate stage. Our model comprises a binary mixture of ellipses interacting via the Gay-Berne potential and decorated by surface patches, with the binary components being mirror-image variants of each other-referred to as left-handed and right-handed ellipses according to the position of their patches. The surface patches are designed so as in the first stage of the assembly the monomers form bent-cores units, i.

Noise-Induced Phase Separation and Time Reversal Symmetry Breaking in Active Field Theories Driven by Persistent Noise.

Within the Landau-Ginzburg picture of phase transitions, scalar field theories develop phase separation because of a spontaneous symmetry-breaking mechanism. This picture works in thermodynamics but also in the dynamics of phase separation. Here we show that scalar nonequilibrium field theories undergo phase separation just because of nonequilibrium fluctuations driven by a persistent noise.

Promising Support Coming from Nature: Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Wood Distillate on Skin Cells.

Tissue homeostasis, function recovery, and protection mechanisms are boosted by the balanced and timely control of inflammation and oxidative stress. Nowadays, many natural products and bio-derivates exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, supporting medical care and tissue wellness against inflammation, oxidative stress, and inflammaging. wood distillate (WD) is a bio-derivative used as a corroborant and biofertilizer in agriculture.

Piercing the Shadows: Exploring the Influence of Signal Preprocessing on Interpreting Ultrasensitive Bioelectronic Sensor Data.

The development of ultrasensitive electronic sensors for in vitro diagnostics is essential for the reliable monitoring of asymptomatic individuals before illness proliferation or progression. These platforms are increasingly valued for their potential to enable timely diagnosis and swift prognosis of infectious or progressive diseases. Typically, the responses from these analytical tools are recorded as digital signals, with electronic data offering simpler processing compared to spectral and optical data.

Dilute suspensions of Janus rods: the role of bond and shape anisotropy.

Nanometer-sized clusters are often targeted due to their potential applications as nanoreactors or storage/delivery devices. One route to assemble and stabilize finite structures consists of imparting directional bonding patterns between the nanoparticles. When only a portion of the particle surface is able to form an inter-particle bond, finite-size aggregates such as micelles and vesicles may form.

Ion-Pairing Stereodynamic Probes for Circular Dichroism Chiral Sensing of Amines.

Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine () and tris(2-phenolmethyl)amine () metal complexes have been extensively used for catalysis and molecular recognition applications. In particular, due to their ability to form stereodynamic complexes through the helical arrangement of the ligand around the metal in a propeller shape, chiroptical sensing has been extensively investigated. In particular, the capability of the analyte, usually a Lewis base, to bind the metal complex has been the predominant recognition motif.

Ecological interactions in glacier environments: a review of studies on a model Alpine glacier.

Glaciers host a variety of cold-adapted taxa, many of which have not yet been described. Interactions among glacier organisms are even less clear. Understanding ecological interactions is crucial to unravelling the functioning of glacier ecosystems, particularly in light of current glacier retreat.

Quality improvement in neonatal care through enhanced patient safety and clinical risk management: a before-and-after study about neonatal sepsis.

Introduction: Neonatal sepsis, classified into early-onset and late-onset based on symptom timing, poses significant risks of morbidity and mortality, especially in low birth weight infants. Effective clinical risk management protocols are crucial in reducing these risks.

Methods: This before-and-after study evaluated the impact of a newly implemented clinical risk management protocol in the Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Policlinico Hospital-University of Bari.

A unified flow strategy for the preparation and use of trifluoromethyl-heteroatom anions.

The trifluoromethyl group (CF) is a key functionality in pharmaceutical and agrochemical development, greatly enhancing the efficacy and properties of resulting compounds. However, attaching the CF group to heteroatoms such as sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen poses challenges because of the lack of general synthetic methods and reliance on bespoke reagents. Here, we present a modular flow platform that streamlines the synthesis of heteroatom-CF motifs.

Sandwich d/f Heterometallic Complexes [(Ln(hfac))M(acac)] (Ln = La, Pr, Sm, Dy and M = Co; Ln = La and M = Ru).

Sandwich d/f heterometallic complexes [(Ln(hfac))M(acac)] (Ln = La, Pr, Sm, Dy and M = Co; Ln = La and M = Ru) were prepared in strictly anhydrous conditions reacting the formally unsaturated fragment [Ln(hfac)] and [M(acac)] in a 2-to-1 molar ratio. These heterometallic complexes are highly sensitive to moisture. Spectroscopic observation revealed that on hydrolysis, these compounds yield dinuclear heterometallic compounds [Ln(hfac)M(acac)], prepared here for comparison purposes only.

Modified Gravity in the Presence of Matter Creation: Scenario for the Late Universe.

We consider a dynamic scenario for characterizing the late Universe evolution, aiming to mitigate the Hubble tension. Specifically, we consider a metric f(R) gravity in the Jordan frame which is implemented to the dynamics of a flat isotropic Universe. This cosmological model incorporates a matter creation process, due to the time variation of the cosmological gravitational field.

Precision Medicine in Peritoneal Dialysis: An Expert Opinion on the Application of the Sharesource Platform for the Remote Management of Patients.

The management of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) has been constantly evolving over the last decade with the development of targeted approaches. In this field, telemedicine and remote monitoring are based on the availability of new cyclers that allow for bidirectional communication (between patient and physician) and for the application of the Sharesource cloud-based platform. These technologies allow patients with ESKD to undergo automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) at home.

Sorcin in Cancer Development and Chemotherapeutic Drug Resistance.

SOluble Resistance-related Calcium-binding proteIN (sorcin) earned its name due to its co-amplification with ABCB1 in multidrug-resistant cells. Initially thought to be an accidental consequence of this co-amplification, recent research indicates that sorcin plays a more active role as an oncoprotein, significantly impacting multidrug resistance (MDR). Sorcin is a highly expressed calcium-binding protein, often overproduced in human tumors and multidrug-resistant cancers, and is a promising novel MDR marker.

Understanding Stabilization Factors in Heterodinuclear Ln-Al Complexes from DFT Simulations on Thermochemistry Data: A Counterintuitive Conclusion.

This study validates a computational protocol to predict the stability of heterodinuclear complexes by varying ligands on both moieties and analyzing the reaction Gibbs free energy (Δ) values. To this purpose, a series of Eu-Al complexes with the general formula [Eu()Al()], where is the ligand of europium and is an oxygen donor ligand of aluminum, is used. The nature of the bridging bonds and thermochemical characteristics (Δ, enthalpy, and entropy) of the complexes were evaluated via DFT calculations.

Protein corona alleviates adverse biological effects of nanoplastics in breast cancer cells.

Pollution from micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) has long been a topic of concern due to its potential impact on human health. MNPs can circulate through human blood and, thus far, have been found in the lungs, spleen, stomach, liver, kidneys and even in the brain, placenta, and breast milk. While data are already available on the adverse biological effects of pristine MNPs ( oxidative stress, inflammation, cytotoxicity, and even cancer induction), no report thus far clarified whether the same effects are modulated by the formation of a protein corona around MNPs.

Belzutifan versus Everolimus for Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Belzutifan, a hypoxia-inducible factor 2α inhibitor, showed clinical activity in clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma in early-phase studies.

Methods: In a phase 3, multicenter, open-label, active-controlled trial, we enrolled participants with advanced clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma who had previously received immune checkpoint and antiangiogenic therapies and randomly assigned them, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive 120 mg of belzutifan or 10 mg of everolimus orally once daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects occurred. The dual primary end points were progression-free survival and overall survival.

Adjunctive cenobamate in people with focal onset seizures: Insights from the Italian Expanded Access Program.

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness/tolerability of adjunctive cenobamate, variations in the load of concomitant antiseizure medications (ASMs) and predictors of clinical response in people with focal epilepsy.

Methods: This was a retrospective study at 21 centers participating in the Italian Expanded Access Program. Effectiveness outcomes included retention and responder rates (≥50% and 100% reduction in baseline seizure frequency).

LaSrCaTiO Surface Reactivity with H: A Combined NEXAFS and Computational Study.

A-site doped SrTiO is considered as a promising substitute for traditional anodic metals in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In this study, we present the reactivity of LaSrCaTiO (LCSTO), LaSrTiO (LSTO), and SrTiO (STO) toward H by ambient pressure NEXAFS spectroscopy and theoretical spectra simulation with FDMNES code. The samples were synthesized by MBE (molecular beam epitaxy), hydrothermal, and modified-Pechini routes.

Assessing microclimate thresholds for heritage preventive conservation to achieve sustainable and energy efficiency goals in a changing climate.

This research addresses the issue of the heritage preventive conservation in the perspective of energy sustainability, for contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and towards the EU Green Deal. The study analyses and compares four cases associated with different microclimate thresholds as suggested by the standard EN 16893:2018 (Cases 1-3) and as derived from the outputs of three degradation models for preserving paper, wood, and canvas paintings (Case 4). Weather-based indices (degree and gram days) were calculated to estimate trends in the potential energy demand of collection facilities in three European cities belonging to different Köppen-Geiger climate zones (Cfb, Csa, and Dfb), under recent past (1981-2010) and near/far future climate scenarios (2021-2050 and 2071-2100) from two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP2-4.