Tracing fineware production in the Neo-Assyrian empire: Neutron activation analysis of common and Palace Ware in the upper Tigris River Valley, Turkey.

In the Iron Age, the Neo-Assyrian empire (c. 900-600 BC) conquered territory across southwest Asia and established regional capitals along its borders to secure its gains. Governors at these centers oversaw resource extraction and craft production for shipment to the imperial heartland in modern-day northern Iraq.

Pursuing theranostics: a multimodal architecture approach.

Theranostics is a field of nuclear medicine which uses the same targeting vector and chelating system for both a diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclide, allowing for uniformity in imaging and treatment. This growing field requires the development of more flexible chelate systems that permit novel targeting strategies. Toward this end, a multimodal architecture has been realized, making use of a phosphazene-based core and click chemistry to achieve a flexible and customizable scaffold.

Ochre communities of practice in Stone Age Eswatini.

Our species and other hominins have used earth mineral pigments since at least ~500,000 years ago, if not earlier. Its preservation and ubiquity within archaeological records across sub-Saharan Africa are well documented, but regional-scale networks of mineral selection, mining, transport, and use is an underdeveloped field. Here, we present a framework for interpreting regional variations within an overarching ochre-behavioral community of practice.

Low-dimensional metal-organic frameworks: a pathway to design, explore and tune magnetic structures.

The magnetic structure adopted by a material relies on symmetry, the hierarchy of exchange interactions between magnetic ions and local anisotropy. A direct pathway to control the magnetic interactions is to enforce dimensionality within the material, from zero-dimensional isolated magnetic ions, one-dimensional (1D) spin-chains, two-dimensional (2D) layers to three-dimensional (3D) order. Being able to design a material with a specific dimensionality for the phenomena of interest is non-trivial.

The production and separation of Tb with high specific activity at the University of Utah.

Targeted radiotherapy (TRT) is an increasingly prominent area of research in nuclear medicine, particularly in the context of treating cancerous tumors. One radionuclide of considerable interest for TRT is terbium-161 (t = 6.95 days), which undergoes beta emission and shares similar decay properties as Lu (FDA-approved as LUTATHERA® and PLUVICTO®).

Bimodal MRI/Fluorescence Nanoparticle Imaging Contrast Agent Targeting Prostate Cancer.

We developed a novel site-specific bimodal MRI/fluorescence nanoparticle contrast agent targeting gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRPrs), which are overexpressed in aggressive prostate cancers. Biocompatible ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles were synthesized using glucose and casein coatings, followed by conjugation with a Cy7.5-K-8AOC-BBN [7-14] peptide conjugate.

Elevating theranostics: The emergence and promise of radiopharmaceutical cell-targeting heterodimers in human cancers.

Optimal therapeutic and diagnostic efficacy is essential for healthcare's global mission of advancing oncologic drug development. Accurate diagnosis and detection are crucial prerequisites for effective risk stratification and personalized patient care in clinical oncology. A paradigm shift is emerging with the promise of multi-receptor-targeting compounds.

Albumin-Binding Lutetium-177-Labeled LLP2A Derivatives as Theranostics for Melanoma.

Very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) is a transmembrane integrin protein that is highly expressed in aggressive forms of metastatic melanoma. A small-molecule peptidomimetic, LLP2A, was found to have a low pM affinity binding to VLA-4. Because LLP2A itself does not inhibit cancer cell proliferation and survival, it is an ideal candidate for the imaging and delivery of therapeutic payloads.

Biodistribution and therapeutic efficacy of a gold nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery system against pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by desmoplasia; crosstalk between pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) leads to the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins in the tumor environment resulting in poor vascularity. Targeting either PCCs or PSCs individually has produced mixed results, and there is currently no effective strategy to target both cell types simultaneously. Previously, we demonstrated, through in vitro cell culture experiments, that a specific gold nanoparticle-based nanoformulation containing the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab (C225) as a targeting agent and gemcitabine as a chemotherapeutic agent effectively targets both PCCs and PSCs simultaneously.

Large magnetic anisotropy of a decorated spin-chain system KCo(MoO)(OH).

The magnetic structure of KCo(MoO)(OH) is studied in detail. The material has a half-sawtooth one-dimensional (1-D) structure containing two unique Co ions, one in the chain backbone and one on the apex of the sawtooth creating a series of isosceles triangles along the -axis. These triangles can be a source of magnetic frustration.

Serum zinc concentration and dietary zinc intake in relation to cognitive function: an analysis of the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort.

Purpose: There are several pathways by which zinc may be a modifiable factor to slow age-related cognitive decline. We investigated the associations between serum and dietary zinc and cognitive impairment in a longitudinal cohort.

Methods: We used data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Cohort (n = 30,239) and the REGARDS Trace Element Study (n = 2666).

Regulation of SELENOF translation by eIF4a3: Possible role in prostate cancer progression.

The levels of the SELENOF selenoprotein are dramatically reduced in prostate cancer compared to adjacent benign tissue and reducing SELENOF in prostate epithelial cells results in the acquisition of features of the transformed phenotype. It was hypothesized that the aberrant increase in the eiF4a3 translation factor, which has an established role in RNA splicing and the regulation of selenoprotein translation, contributes to the lower levels of SELENOF. Using the available databases, eIF4a3 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels are elevated in prostate cancer compared to normal tissue as is the hypomethylation of the corresponding gene.

Synthesis and preclinical evaluation of a novel fluorine-18 labeled small-molecule PET radiotracer for imaging of CXCR3 receptor in mouse models of atherosclerosis.

Background: CXCR3 is a chemokine receptor and is expressed in innate and adaptive immune cells. It promotes the recruitment of T-lymphocytes and other immune cells to the inflammatory site in response to the binding of cognate chemokines. Upregulation of CXCR3 and its chemokines has been found during atherosclerotic lesion formation.

Interactions between Trypillian farmers and North Pontic forager-pastoralists in Eneolithic central Ukraine.

The establishment of agrarian economy in Eneolithic East Europe is associated with the Pre-Cucuteni-Cucuteni-Trypillia complex (PCCTC). PCCTC farmers interacted with Eneolithic forager-pastoralist groups of the North Pontic steppe as PCCTC extended from the Carpathian foothills to the Dnipro Valley beginning in the late 5th millennium BCE. While the cultural interaction between the two groups is evident through the Cucuteni C pottery style that carries steppe influence, the extent of biological interactions between Trypillian farmers and the steppe remains unclear.

NiSi: A New Venue for Antiferromagnetic Spintronics.

Envisaging antiferromagnetic spintronics pivots on two key criteria of high transition temperature and tuning of underlying magnetic order using straightforward application of magnetic field or electric current. Here, it is shown that NiSi metal can provide suitable new platform in this quest. First, the study unveils high-temperature antiferromagnetism in single-crystal NiSi with Néel temperature, T ⩾ 700 K.

Predicting the geographic distribution of ancient Amazonian archaeological sites with machine learning.

Amazonia has as least two major centers of ancient human social complexity, but the full geographic extents of these centers remain uncertain. Across the southern rim of Amazonia, over 1,000 earthwork sites comprised of fortified settlements, mound villages, and ditched enclosures with geometric designs known as geoglyphs have been discovered. Qualitatively distinct and densely located along the lower stretches of major river systems and the Atlantic coast are Amazonian Dark Earth sites (ADEs) with deep anthropogenic soils enriched by long-term human habitation.

Magnetic structures and excitations in sawtooth olivine chalcogenides MnSiX (X = S, Se).

The Mn lattice in olivine chalcogenide MnSiX (X = S, Se) compounds forms a sawtooth, which is of special interest in magnetism owing to the possibility of realizing flat bands in magnon spectra, a key component in magnonics. In this work, we investigate the MnSiX olivines using magnetic susceptibility, and X-ray and neutron diffraction. We have determined the average and local crystal structures of MnSiS and MnSiSe using synchrotron X-ray, neutron diffraction, and X-ray total scattering data followed by Rietveld and pair distribution function analyses.

Chemically induced ferromagnetism near room temperature in single crystal (Zn Cr )Te half-metal.

Magnetic semiconductors are at the core of recent spintronics research endeavors. Chemically doped II-VI diluted magnetic semiconductors, such as (Zn Cr )Te, provide a promising platform in this quest. However, a detailed knowledge of the microscopic nature of magnetic ground state is necessary for any practical application.

Antiproliferative Activity of (Willd.) against Melanoma and Modulation of Angiogenesis.

Melanoma cells secrete pro-angiogenic factors, which stimulates growth, proliferation and metastasis, and therefore are key therapeutic targets. (BS), and an isolated triterpenoid mixture (DT-BS-01) showed a fifty percent inhibitory concentration (IC) of 33.80 ± 1.

Preclinical evaluation of new C-11 labeled benzo-1,4-dioxane PET radiotracers for brain α2C adrenergic receptors.

As one of the nine subtypes of adrenergic receptors (ARs) in the brain, α2C-ARs play essential roles in emotion and memory, and are implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, Alzheimer's disease, substance use disorder, and schizophrenia. A recently developed α2C-AR specific positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer, [C]ORM-13070, showed promise for imaging α2C-ARs in the brain. Herein, we prepared highly potent C-11 labeled benzo-1,4-dioxane derivatives and compared them with [C]ORM-13070, aiming to improve the specific binding signal, as evaluated by in vivo rodent brain PET imaging.

Gold Nanoparticles Disrupt the IGFBP2/mTOR/PTEN Axis to Inhibit Ovarian Cancer Growth.

By exploiting the self-therapeutic properties of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) a molecular axis that promotes the growth of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), one of the deadliest gynecologic malignancies with poorly understood underlying molecular mechanisms, has been identified. The biodistribution and toxicity of GNPs administered by intravenous or intraperitoneal injection, both as a single dose or by repeated dosing over two weeks are first assessed; no biochemical or histological toxicity to vital organs is found. Using an orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of HGSOC, the authors then show that GNP treatment robustly inhibits tumor growth.

SPECT/CT Imaging of Ag for the Preclinical Evaluation of Silver-Based Antimicrobial Nanomedicines.

With the growing interest in developing silver-based antimicrobials, there is a need to better understand the behavior of silver within biological systems. To address this, we showed that single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a suitable method to noninvasively image Ag-labeled compounds in mice. Formed by neutron irradiation of palladium foil, Ag can be rapidly isolated with a high degree of purity and stably incorporated into antimicrobial silver nanoparticles.

IAEA Contribution to Nanosized Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals for Drug Delivery.

The rapidly growing interest in the application of nanoscience in the future design of radiopharmaceuticals and the development of nanosized radiopharmaceuticals in the late 2000's, resulted in the creation of a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2014. This CRP entitled ' involved a team of expert scientist from various member states. This team of scientists worked on a number of cutting-edge areas of nanoscience with a focus on developing well-defined, highly effective and site-specific delivery systems of radiopharmaceuticals.

Adsorption-Induced Expansion of Graphene Oxide Frameworks with Covalently Bonded Benzene-1,4-diboronic Acid: Numerical Studies.

Graphene oxide frameworks (GOFs) are interesting adsorbent materials with well-defined slit-shaped pores of almost monodisperse separation of ∼1 nm between graphene-like layers; however, the exact nature of the structure has remained undetermined. Recently, GOFs were observed to swell monotonically upon the adsorption of methane and xenon under supercritical conditions. Here, we present the results of molecular dynamics simulations of the adsorption of methane and xenon for various proposed GOF structures based upon force fields based on B3LYP density functional theory calculations.

Mercury, selenium, and fatty acids in the axial muscle of largemouth bass: evaluating the influence of seasonal and sexual changes in fish condition and reproductive status.

Largemouth bass (LMB, 265-475 mm) were collected to document whether changes in fish condition and reproductive status influenced the concentration of total mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) in axial muscle by season and sex. The fatty acid (FA) composition of fish was also examined to describe seasonal and sexual differences and identify whether arachidonic acid (ARA) could be used as a biomarker of Hg toxicity. There was a trend for females to have lower (p < 0.