Time-resolved fluorescence measurements of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a function of environmental parameters in estuarine waters.

Fluorescent lifetimes of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and associated physicochemical parameters were measured over 14 months in an estuary in Southern California, USA. Measurements were made on 77 samples from sites near the inlet, mid-estuary, and outlet to maximize the range of physicochemical variables. Time-resolved fluorescence data were well fit to a triexponential model with an intermediate lifetime component (τ: 1 to 5 ns), a long lifetime component (τ: 2 to 15 ns), and a short lifetime component (τ: < 1 ns).

Quantification of alcohol intake in patients with steatotic liver disease and excessive alcohol intake.

Background & Aims: Quantifying alcohol intake is crucial for subclassifying participants with steatotic liver disease (SLD) and interpreting clinical trials of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and metabolic and alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD). However, the accuracy of self-reported alcohol intake is considered imprecise. We compared the diagnostic and prognostic utility of self-reported alcohol intake with blood-based biomarkers of alcohol intake: phosphatidylethanol (PEth) and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT).

The effects of diatom polyunsaturated aldehydes on embryonic and larval zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Marine diatoms are pervasive in many planktonic and benthic environments and represent an important food source for a wide range of species. Some diatoms produce polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) as defensive toxins. PUA exposure is known to reduce the fecundity of invertebrate grazers like copepods and echinoderm larvae, but little is known about the effects of PUAs on vertebrates.

Tailoring superstructure units for improved oxygen redox activity in Li-rich layered oxide battery's positive electrodes.

The high-voltage oxygen redox activity of Li-rich layered oxides enables additional capacity beyond conventional transition metal (TM) redox contributions and drives the development of positive electrode active materials in secondary Li-based batteries. However, Li-rich layered oxides often face voltage decay during battery operation. In particular, although Li-rich positive electrode active materials with a high nickel content demonstrate improved voltage stability, they suffer from poor discharge capacity.

Biophysical characterization of blood coagulation factor VIII binding to lipid nanodiscs that mimic activated platelet surfaces.

Background: Following proteolytic activation, activated blood coagulation factor (F)VIII (FVIIIa) binds to activated platelet membranes, forming the intrinsic tenase complex with activated FIX (FIXa). Previous studies have identified the C1 and C2 domains as the membrane binding domains of FVIII through conserved arginine residues. A membrane binding model for the FVIII C domains proposes that surface-exposed hydrophobic and positively charged residues at each C domain interact with the membrane, yet a comprehensive thermodynamic and structural description of this interaction is lacking.

Noisy nests: Early-life noise exposure impacts songbird fitness.

Recent findings indicate that noise pollution - presented in the absence of other variables - has both immediate-term impacts on young birds' developmental rates and physiology as well as long-term effects on adult telomere length and reproductive success. This work highlights yet another set of negative impacts caused by anthropogenic noise, and suggests that the dramatic fitness consequences observed likely have implications for the evolution of learning and behavior in animals living in noisy environments.

Time-resolved fluorescence of oils and oil distillates in artificial seawater at low excitation wavelengths: Assessing the use of lifetimes to decouple oil and dissolved organic matter (DOM) fluorophores in natural waters.

It is challenging to decouple typical protein-like chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorophores from oil-related fluorophores in natural waters using standard steady-state fluorescence techniques. In the present work, time-resolved florescence spectroscopy was explored as a means of differentiating between these two types of fluorophores. Fluorescence lifetimes of oil products were measured as a function of excitation and emission wavelength in artificial seawater.

Children's beliefs about the emotional consequences of norm adherence and violation.

What behaviors make people happy? In the current studies, we investigated 4- to 7-year-old children's (N = 148) emotion attributions for people who follow or violate a conventional norm when doing so aligns or conflicts with other psychological motivations. In Study 1, we tested whether children believe people are happier when they desire (vs. do not desire) adhering to (vs.

Continuous Patient-Independent Estimation of Respiratory Rate and Blood Pressure Using Robust Spectro-Temporal Features Derived From Photoplethysmogram Only.

A patient-independent approach for continuous estimation of vital signs using robust spectro-temporal features derived from only photoplethysmogram (PPG) signal. In the pre-processing stage, we remove baseline shifts and artifacts of the PPG signal using Incremental Merge Segmentation with adaptive thresholding. From the cleaned PPG, we extract multiple parameters independent of individual patient PPG morphology for both Respiration Rate (RR) and Blood Pressure (BP).

PITX2 deficiency leads to atrial mitochondrial dysfunction.

Aims: Reduced left atrial PITX2 is associated with atrial cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation (AF). PITX2 is restricted to left atrial cardiomyocytes (aCMs) in the adult heart. The links between PITX2 deficiency, atrial cardiomyopathy, and AF are not fully understood.

Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptors LPAR5 and LPAR2 Inversely Control Hydroxychloroquine-Evoked Itch and Scratching in Mice.

Lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) evoke nociception and itch in mice and humans. In this study, we assessed the signaling paths. Hydroxychloroquine was injected intradermally to evoke itch in mice, which evoked an increase of LPAs in the skin and in the thalamus, suggesting that peripheral and central LPA receptors (LPARs) were involved in HCQ-evoked pruriception.

Murine Models of Secondary Cytokine Storm Syndromes.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) comprises a broad spectrum of life-threatening cytokine storm syndromes, classified into primary (genetic) or secondary (acquired) HLH. The latter occurs in a variety of medical conditions, including infections, malignancies, autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, acquired immunodeficiency, and metabolic disorders. Despite recent advances in the field, the pathogenesis of secondary HLH remains incompletely understood.

How hypnotic suggestions work - A systematic review of prominent theories of hypnosis.

In recent decades, hypnosis has increasingly moved into the mainstream of scientific inquiry. Hypnotic suggestions are frequently implemented in behavioral, neurocognitive, and clinical investigations and interventions. Despite abundant reports about the effectiveness of suggestions in altering behavior, perception, cognition, and agency, no consensus exists regarding the mechanisms driving these changes.

The effect of stroboscopic visual disruption on static stability measures in anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed individuals.

Background: Those who undergo ACL reconstruction are at an increased risk of suffering a second ACL injury. A suggested rationale for the increased injury risk is sensory reweighting to the visual system to compensate for a lack of somatosensory information from the knee. Understanding this proposed visual reliance may help clinicians improve return to sport outcomes and reduce the risk of a subsequent ACL injury.

Structural basis for inhibition of coagulation factor VIII reveals a shared antigenic hotspot on the C1 domain.

Background: Hemophilia A arises from dysfunctional or deficient coagulation factor (F)VIII and leads to inefficient fibrin clot formation and uncontrolled bleeding events. The development of antibody inhibitors is a clinical complication in hemophilia A patients receiving FVIII replacement therapy. LE2E9 is an anti-C1 domain inhibitor previously isolated from a mild/moderate hemophilia A patient and disrupts FVIII interactions with von Willebrand factor and FIXa, though the intermolecular contacts that underpin LE2E9-mediated FVIII neutralization are undefined.

Reactive molecular dynamics simulations of lithium-ion battery electrolyte degradation.

The development of reliable computational methods for novel battery materials has become essential due to the recently intensified research efforts on more sustainable energy storage materials. Here, we use a recently developed framework allowing to consistently incorporate quantum-mechanical activation barriers to classical molecular dynamics simulations to study the reductive solvent decomposition and formation of the solid electrolyte interphase for a graphite/carbonate electrolyte interface. We focus on deriving condensed-phase effective rates based on the elementary gas-phase reduction and decomposition energy barriers.

Sortases: structure, mechanism, and implications for protein engineering.

Sortase enzymes are critical cysteine transpeptidases on the surface of bacteria that attach proteins to the cell wall and are involved in the construction of bacterial pili. Due to their ability to recognize specific substrates and covalently ligate a range of reaction partners, sortases are widely used in protein engineering applications via sortase-mediated ligation (SML) strategies. In this review, we discuss recent structural studies elucidating key aspects of sortase specificity and the catalytic mechanism.

Tools to make Stachybotrys chartarum genetically amendable: Key to unlocking cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters.

The soil and indoor fungus Stachybotrys chartarum can induce respiratory disorders, collectively referred to as stachybotryotoxicosis, owing to its prolific production of diverse bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs) or mycotoxins. Although many of these toxins responsible for the harmful effects on animals and humans have been identified in the genus Stachybotrys, however a number of SMs remain elusive. Through in silico analyses, we have identified 37 polyketide synthase (PKS) genes, highlighting that the chemical profile potential of Stachybotrys is far from being fully explored.

Which Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) instruments are currently used in Germany: a survey.

Background: The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) records geriatric syndromes in a standardized manner, allowing individualized treatment tailored to the patient's needs and resources. Its use has shown a beneficial effect on the functional outcome and survival of geriatric patients. A recently published German S1 guideline for level 2 CGA provides recommendations for the use of a broad variety of different assessment instruments for each geriatric syndrome.

Structural Aspects of Ambient-Temperature Densification of Highly Crack-Resistant Borosilicate and Aluminoborosilicate Glasses: Two Case Studies Examined by Solid-State NMR.

The structural aspects of ambient-temperature densification via pressurization at 25 GPa were studied by solid-state NMR for two case studies: An alkaline earth boroaluminosilicate glass with the composition 6CaO-3SrO-1BaO-10AlO-10BO-70SiO (labeled SAB) and a sodium magnesium borosilicate glass with the composition 10NaO-10MgO-20BO-60SiO (labeled MNBS). For SAB glass, cold pressurization results in significant increases in the average coordination numbers of both boron and aluminum, in line with previous results found in hot-compressed alkali aluminoborosilicate glasses. In addition, Al/B dipolar recoupling experiments reveal a significant decrease in the B/Al dipolar interaction strength upon pressurization, suggesting that the higher-coordinated boron and aluminum species experience weaker magnetic interactions.

Individual recognition of Eurasian beavers () by their tail patterns using a computer-assisted pattern-identification algorithm.

Individual recognition of animals is an important aspect of ecological sciences. Photograph-based individual recognition options are of particular importance since these represent a non-invasive method to distinguish and identify individual animals. Recent developments and improvements in computer-based approaches make possible a faster semi-automated evaluation of large image databases than was previously possible.

Preschoolers negatively evaluate conventional norm violations in pretend play.

A growing body of research demonstrates that children's pretend play is largely influenced by their understanding of reality. The current work took a novel approach to testing children's understanding of pretense by investigating whether children apply and uphold their knowledge of conventional norms in pretend play. In this study, 3- to 5-year-old children (N = 200) were introduced to a series of pretend play scenarios (e.

Exposure to particulate matter may affect semen quality via trace metals: Evidence from a retrospective cohort study on fertile males.

Particulate matter (PM) exposure may be associated with male semen quality. Besides, PM exposure induces up and down levels of trace metals in tissues or organs. The levels of trace metals in semen are critical for adverse male semen quality.