RNA Translocation through Protein Nanopores: Interlude of the Molten RNA Globule.

Direct translocation of RNA with secondary structures using single-molecule electrophoresis through protein nanopores shows significant fluctuations in the measured ionic current, in contrast to unstructured single-stranded RNA or DNA. We developed a multiscale model combining the oxRNA model for RNA with the 3-dimensional Poisson-Nernst-Planck formalism for electric fields within protein pores, aiming to map RNA conformations to ionic currents as RNA translocates through three protein nanopores: α-hemolysin, CsgG, and MspA. Our findings reveal three distinct stages of translocation (pseudoknot, melting, and molten globule) based on contact maps and current values.

N-Arylsulfonylated C-Homoaporphines as a New Class of Antiplatelet and Antimicrobial Agents.

A series of novel N-arylsulfonylated C-homoaporphine alkaloids were synthesized under microwave irradiation and evaluated for their antiplatelet and antimicrobial activities. Among the series, compounds , , , , , , , , and demonstrated highly potent (∼3-fold) platelet aggregation inhibitory activity than acetylsalicylic acid (IC = 21.34 μg/mL).

Design and implementation of optics for the experiment for cryogenic large-aperture intensity mapping (EXCLAIM).

This work describes the design and implementation of optics for EXCLAIM, the EXperiment for Cryogenic Large-Aperture Intensity Mapping. EXCLAIM is a balloon-borne telescope that will measure integrated line emission from carbon monoxide at redshifts z < 1 and ionized carbon ([CII]) at redshifts z = 2.5 - 3.

Clinical validity of IntelliSpace Cognition digital assessment platform in mild cognitive impairment.

We evaluated a digital cognitive assessment platform, Philips IntelliSpace Cognition, in a case-control study of patients diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitively normal (CN) older adults. Performance on individual neuropsychological tests, cognitive -scores, and Alzheimer's disease (AD)-specific composite scores was compared between the CN and MCI groups. These groups were matched for age, sex, and education.

Discovering genetic modulators of the protein homeostasis system through multilevel analysis.

Every protein progresses through a natural lifecycle from birth to maturation to death; this process is coordinated by the protein homeostasis system. Environmental or physiological conditions trigger pathways that maintain the homeostasis of the proteome. An open question is how these pathways are modulated to respond to the many stresses that an organism encounters during its lifetime.

Anomalous pumping in the non-Hermitian Rice-Mele model.

We study topological charge pumping (TCP) in the Rice-Mele (RM) model with irreciprocal hopping. The non-Hermiticity gives rise to interesting pumping physics, owing to the presence of skin effect and exceptional points. In the static one-dimensional (1D) RM model, we find two independent tuning knobs that can drive the topological transition, namely, non-Hermitian parameter $\gamma$ and system size $N$.

Exploring the Frontiers of Nanopore Sequencing in Food Safety and Food Microbiology.

Foodborne illnesses are a significant global public health challenge, with an estimated 600 million cases annually. Conventional food microbiology methods tend to be laborious and time consuming, pose difficulties in real-time utilization, and can display subpar accuracy or typing capabilities. With the recent advancements in third-generation sequencing and microbial omics, nanopore sequencing technology and its long-read sequencing capabilities have emerged as a promising platform.

What Do Mothers Know About Nutrition? Impacts on Childhood Nutrition Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Introduction: Globally, the prevalence of undernutrition is highest in the sub-Saharan African region with over a third of the world's stunted children residing in this region. Many studies have explored child nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa, but they often overlook the intricate nuances of maternal knowledge. We examined the association between maternal nutritional knowledge and childhood nutritional outcomes.

Phonetic retuning to idiosyncrasies in word onsets: The interplay of lexical context and prediction.

Listeners can use both lexical context (i.e., lexical knowledge activated by the word itself) and lexical predictions based on the content of a preceding sentence to adjust their phonetic categories to speaker idiosyncrasies.

Safe Production of Rice ( L.) in Arsenic-Contaminated Soil: a Remedial Strategy using Micro-Nanostructured Bone Biochar.

This study investigated the effects of fine-sized pork bone biochar particles on remediating As-contaminated soil and alleviating associated phytotoxicity to rice in 50-day short-term and 120-day full-life-cycle pot experiments. The addition of micro-nanostructured pork bone biochar (BC) pyrolyzed at 400 and 600 °C (BC400 and BC600) significantly increased the As-treated shoot and root fresh weight by 24.4-77.

Protists as mediators of complex microbial and viral associations.

Microbial eukaryotes (aka protists) are known for their important roles in nutrient cycling across different ecosystems. However, the composition and function of protist-associated microbiomes remains largely elusive. Here, we employ cultivation-independent single-cell isolation and genome-resolved metagenomics to provide detailed insights into underexplored microbiomes and viromes of over 100 currently uncultivable ciliates and amoebae isolated from diverse environments.

Enzyme kinetics model for the coronavirus main protease including dimerization and ligand binding.

The coronavirus main protease (MPro) plays a pivotal role in viral replication and is the target of several antivirals against SARS-CoV-2. In some species, CRCs of MPro enzymatic activity can exhibit biphasic behavior in which low ligand concentrations activate the enzyme whereas higher ones inhibit it. While this behavior has been attributed to ligand-induced dimerization, quantitative enzyme kinetics models have not been fit to it.

Pacific Northwest native plants and native cultivars, part I: pollinator visitation.

Planting native flora is a popular conservation strategy for pollinators. When searching for native plants, consumers may encounter cultivars of native plants, which can have different phenotypic traits than plants found in wild populations ("wild-type native plants"). Previous research evaluating pollinator visitation to wild-type native plants and native cultivars has yielded mixed results, in terms of whether their visitation rates are similar or distinct.

Incentives for smoking cessation.

Background: Financial incentives (money, vouchers, or self-deposits) can be used to positively reinforce smoking cessation. They may be used as one-off rewards, or in various schedules to reward steps towards sustained smoking abstinence (known as contingency management). They have been used in workplaces, clinics, hospitals, and community settings, and to target particular populations.

A mutant complement factor H (W1183R) enhances proteolytic cleavage of von Willebrand factor by ADAMTS-13 under shear.

Background: A loss-of-functional mutation (W1183R) in human complement factor H (CFH) is associated with complement-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome; mice carrying a similar mutation (W1206R) in CFH also develop thrombotic microangiopathy but its plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimer sizes were dramatically reduced. The mechanism underlying such a dramatic change in plasma VWF multimer distribution in these mice is not fully understood.

Objectives: To determine the VWF and CFH interaction and how CFH proteins affect VWF multimer distribution.

Optimized isolation of enzymatically active ubiquitin E3 ligase E6AP/UBE3A from mammalian cells.

E6AP/UBE3A is the founding member of the HECT (Homologous to the E6-AP Carboxyl Terminus) ubiquitin E3 ligase family, which add ubiquitin post-translationally to protein substrates. E6AP has been structurally defined in complex with human papillomavirus (HPV) oncoprotein E6 and its gain-of-function substrate tumor suppressor p53; however, there is currently no report of E6AP being expressed and purified from mammalian cells, as studies to date have isolated E6AP from E. coli or insect cells.

Educational Intervention Boosts Dietitians' Knowledge of the Safety and Approval of Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners.

Background/objectives: Low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCSs) provide sweetness in food applications that are suggested to support consumers' reduced consumption of caloric sweeteners and added sugar intake. Consumers seek guidance and advice on using LNCSs from healthcare providers, including dietitians and nutritionists. However, prior research suggests there may be inconsistent guidance on the use of LNCSs.

Metastable state preceding shear zone instability: Implications for earthquake-accelerated landslides and dynamic triggering.

Understanding the dynamic response of granular shear zones under cyclic loading is fundamental to elucidating the mechanisms triggering earthquake-induced landslides, with implications for broader fields such as seismology and granular physics. Existing prediction methods struggle to accurately predict many experimental and in situ landslide observations due to inadequate consideration of the underlying physical mechanisms. The mechanisms that influence landslide dynamic triggering, a transition from static (or extremely slow creeping) to rapid runout, remain elusive.

Satisfaction, user experiences, and initial efficacy of a technology-supported self-management intervention (iSMART) to improve post-stroke functioning: a remoted randomized controlled trial.

Background: Self-management interventions empower individuals to manage their chronic conditions and daily life after stroke. However, traditional in-person self-management interventions often face transportation and geographical barriers. Digital interventions may offer a solution to address this gap.

Brief Report: Transition Preparation and Post-Transition Evaluation Practices at Adult Clinics That Care for Young Adults With Perinatally Acquired HIV in Massachusetts, United States.

Background: Most young adults with perinatal HIV (PHIV) transition from pediatric or adolescent to adult clinical care. Although guidelines to increase transition success have been recommended, we know little about uptake of these guidelines, particularly by adult care clinics.

Methods: We administered web-based surveys to adult care providers of young adults with PHIV in Massachusetts to evaluate transition preparation and post-transition evaluation practices.

Validation of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Scale in a Sample of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Adults.

The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2) is a leading assessment of interoception. We examined the factor structure and psychometric characteristics of the MAIA-2 and its associations with psychopathology in a sample of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adults. Participants ( = 301) were recruited via Prolific Academic.

Near-infrared fluorogenic RNA for in vivo imaging and sensing.

Fluorogenic RNA aptamers have various applications, including use as fluorescent tags for imaging RNA trafficking and as indicators of RNA-based sensors that exhibit fluorescence upon binding small-molecule fluorophores in living cells. Current fluorogenic RNA:fluorophore complexes typically emit visible fluorescence. However, it is challenging to develop fluorogenic RNA with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence for in vivo imaging and sensing studies.