AND-gated protease-activated nanosensors for programmable detection of anti-tumour immunity.

The forward design of biosensors that implement Boolean logic to improve detection precision primarily relies on programming genetic components to control transcriptional responses. However, cell- and gene-free nanomaterials programmed with logical functions may present lower barriers for clinical translation. Here we report the design of activity-based nanosensors that implement AND-gate logic without genetic parts via bi-labile cyclic peptides.

Engineering ultra-strong electron-phonon coupling and nonclassical electron transport in crystalline gold with nanoscale interfaces.

Electrical resistivity in good metals, particularly noble metals such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), or copper, increases linearly with temperature (T) for T > Θ, where Θ is the Debye temperature. This is because the coupling (λ) between the electrons and the lattice vibrations, or phonons, in these metals is weak, with λ ~ 0.1-0.

Trends in Mortality Due to Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the United States: A CDC WONDER Database Analysis (1999-2020).

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a global health issue profoundly impacting quality of life. The United States accounts for nearly a quarter of the world's IBD patients, with the highest prevalence rates. This study aims to identify the demographic and regional trends of IBD-related mortality in the U.

Becoming a leader for underserved patients-the importance of student run free clinics.

Many students enter medical school with aspirations of expanding healthcare to underserved communities and reducing healthcare access barriers; yet they lack the leadership skills to achieve this goal. This perspective discusses the role of student-run free clinics in developing medical students' leadership abilities-problem-solving, partnership building, planning, decision-making, and resource acquisition-to address the healthcare needs of marginalized patient populations. It also discusses how fostering leadership skills in the context of serving underserved patients also develops medical students' structural competency and thus awareness of how inequities embedded within hierarchies and social institutions shape health outcomes.

Exposure to the Polychlorinated biphenyl mixture Aroclor 1254 elicits neurological and cardiac developmental effects in early life stage zebrafish (Danio rerio).

The goal of this study was to compare the bioaccumulation of the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254 in zebrafish to cardiac and neurologic outcomes. The establishment of effect concentrations (ECs) for cardiac and neurotoxic effects of PCBs in early life stage fish is challenging due to a lack of measured PCB concentrations in test media (e.g.

Timing of Infection as a Key Driver of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Mortality Rates During the Prevaccine Period.

Disparities in coronavirus disease 2019 mortality are driven by inequalities in group-specific incidence rates (IRs), case fatality rates (CFRs), and their interaction. For emerging infections, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, group-specific IRs and CFRs change on different time scales, and inequities in these measures may reflect different social and medical mechanisms. To be useful tools for public health surveillance and policy, analyses of changing mortality rate disparities must independently address changes in IRs and CFRs.

Beyond the Hawthorne Reaction: Li Induced Thermal Dehydrocoupling of -10-vertex Carborane Anions.

In the 1970s Hawthorne reported an electrochemical dehydrocoupling reaction of the -carborane anion [HCBH] to form the biscarborane [CBH] . In this Communication we show that the said "Hawthorne Reaction" can be achieved thermally and that it tolerates C-butylation. The new compound was fully characterized by B, H, and C NMR spectroscopies, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

"Putting yourself in the shoes of others" - Relatability as a novel measure to explain the difference in stigma toward depression and schizophrenia.

Purpose: Attitudes toward schizophrenia and depression have evolved differently over the last decades, exposing people with schizophrenia to growing stigma. Classic descriptions of schizophrenia symptoms as being particularly unrelatable might offer an explanation for this gap in attitudes that has not yet been tested. We examine to what extent relatability explains the difference in social distance toward people with depression or schizophrenia.

Estimation of neighborhood scale PM impacts in rural towns in the Purepecha region of Mexico.

The impact of cooking with solid fuels on neighborhood-scale PM concentrations in rural towns and communities is poorly quantified due to the lack of credible ground-level monitoring sites and spatial heterogeneity at a scale that is below the resolution of remote sensing GEOS-Chem hybrid models. Emissions of PM from use of open fires for cooking in rural Mexico are known to cause poor indoor air quality. The effectiveness of different intervention strategies to reduce such pollution exposures also varies because of different local building densities and source intensities.

Hepatocellular carcinoma national burden across different geographical regions in the United States between 2001 and 2020.

Background: While prior data showed an increasing incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States, there are limited comprehensive and comparative data on the geographical variations of HCC trends in different demographic-specific populations.

Aim: To evaluate sex and age-specific incidence rates and time trends in different geographical regions in the United States.

Methods: Age-adjusted HCC incidence rates were collected from the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) database which covers approximately 98% of the population in the United States.

Developing Practice Guidelines on Chest Masculinization: Designing Male Neo-nipple-Areolar Complex.

Background: Successful nipple-areolar complex (NAC) reconstruction greatly influences patient outcomes for transgender patients undergoing chest masculinization. Despite the recent rise in case volume, little is known on designing the ideal NAC that maintains its aesthetics in dynamic settings. This study aimed to examine the characteristics of male NACs and their dimensional variability to help develop guidelines on designing the neo-NAC.

Not all is lost: resilience of microbiome samples to freezer failures and long-term storage.

Unlabelled: Advances in technology have facilitated extensive sample collection to explore microbiomes across diverse systems, leading to a growing reliance on ultracold freezers for storing both samples and extracted DNA. However, freezer malfunctions can jeopardize data integrity. To evaluate the impact of an unexpected -80°C freezer failure and the recoverability of thawed soil samples, we extracted DNA and compared it to long-term DNA stored at -20°C and original 16S and ITS2 sequencing data collected before the malfunction.

Multilevel Mediators on the Associations of Neighborhood Social Environmental Factors and Severity of Metabolic Syndrome: The Jackson Heart Study.

Background: Neighborhood characteristics serve as risk factors for metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the intermediary factors linking this relationship remain understudied. Thus, we investigated the sex-specific mediating role of C-reactive protein, physical activity (PA), and perceived stress in the associations of perceived neighborhood social environment (PNSE) with MetS severity among Black adults.

Global change aggravates drought, with consequences for plant reproduction.

Background: The frequency and intensity of droughts are expected to increase under global change, driven by anthropogenic climate change and water diversion. Precipitation is expected to become more episodic under climate change, with longer and warmer dry spells, although some areas might become wetter. Diversion of freshwater from lakes and rivers and groundwater pumping for irrigation of agricultural fields are lowering water availability to wild plant populations, increasing the frequency and intensity of drought.

Transcriptomic Analysis of the CAM Species Under Low- and High-Temperature Regimes.

Temperature stress is one of the major limiting environmental factors that negatively impact global crop yields. is an obligate crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant species, exhibiting much higher water-use efficiency and tolerance to drought and heat stresses than C or C plant species. Previous studies on gene expression responses to low- or high-temperature stress have been focused on C and C plants.

The Opportunities and Challenges of Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Exosomes in Theranostics and Regenerative Medicine.

Cell-secreted nanovesicles of endosomal origin, called exosomes, are vital for mediating intracellular communication. As local or distal transporters of intracellular cargo, they reflect the unique characteristics of secretory cells and establish cell-specific interactions via characteristic surface proteins and receptors. With the advent of rapid isolation, purification, and identification techniques, exosomes have become an attractive choice for disease diagnosis (exosomal content as biomarkers), cell-free therapy, and tissue regeneration.

Solvent Effects and Internal Functions Control Molecular Recognition of Neutral Substrates in Functionalized Self-Assembled Cages.

suite of internally functionalized FeL cage complexes has been synthesized with lipophilic end groups to allow dissolution in varied solvent mixtures, and the scope of their molecular recognition of a series of neutral, nonpolar guests has been analyzed. The lipophilic end groups confer cage solubility in solvents with a wide range of polarities, from hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) to tetrahydrofuran, and the hosts show micromolar affinities for neutral guests, despite having no flat panels enclosing the cavity. These hosts allow interrogation of the effects of an internal functional group on guest binding properties, as well as solvent-based driving forces for recognition.

A new nondestructive method for monitoring red imported fire ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) populations in the field.

Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), also known as the red imported fire ant (RIFA), is currently established in many Southern and Central Californian regions. RIFA can be managed using various insecticides, but in recent decades, granular baits have become a standard and effective management tool. To improve and maintain effective RIFA management programs, researchers and pest control experts need to perform careful population monitoring before and after treatments.

Role of Soil Moisture in Disease Development of Charcoal Rot of Strawberries Caused by .

Charcoal rot, caused by the soilborne fungus , is one of the most economically important diseases affecting strawberry ( ×) production in California. Previous studies on non-strawberry hosts have shown that proper soil moisture management can limit pathogen colonization of plants and decrease disease severity. We performed field and greenhouse studies for two seasons with the objective of investigating the role of soil moisture in disease development and management of charcoal rot of strawberries.

The Effects of Nocturnal Hypoxemia on Cognitive Performance in Andean Highlanders.

Many Andean highlanders exposed to chronic hypoxemia are susceptible to excessive erythrocytosis (EE) and chronic mountain sickness (CMS). Nocturnal hypoxemia is more marked than diurnal hypoxemia and includes sustained and intermittent components. The potential for cognitive impairments related to nocturnal hypoxemia in this population has not been extensively studied, but improved understanding may provide opportunities for the prevention of long-term effects of EE and CMS.

Clinical Characteristics of Early Leavers From a Private Dual-Diagnosis Program.

Early leaving in substance use disorder treatment may be the single largest variable undermining treatment success. Existing work on early leaving tends to explore either client factors, which include age, race, gender, and diagnoses, or treatment factors, which include the type of treatment activities offered, treatment experiences of clients and staff, treatment amenities, and environmental factors in the residential treatment program. However, existing work on both client factors and treatment factors provides mixed results on what contributes to early leaving.

Constrained β-Hairpins Targeting the EphA4 Ligand Binding Domain.

The activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA4 has been implicated in several pathologies including oncology (gastric and pancreatic cancers) and neurodegenerative diseases (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease). However, advances in validating EphA4 as a possible drug target have been limited by the lack of suitable pharmacological inhibitors. Recently, we reported on the design of potent EphA4 agonistic agents targeting its ligand binding domain (LBD).