Ice-binding proteins are crucial for adaptation of various organisms to low temperatures. Some of these, called antifreeze proteins, are usually thought to inhibit growth and/or recrystallization of ice crystals. However, prior to these events, ice must somehow appear in the organism, either coming from outside or forming inside through the nucleation process. Unlike most other works, our paper is focused on ice nucleation rather than the behavior of the already existing ice. The nucleation kinetics is studied both theoretically, with special attention paid to ice nucleation on ice-binding surfaces, and experimentally. For experimental studies, we use the ice-binding protein mIBP83, a previously constructed mutant of a spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana antifreeze protein. We show that mIBP83 does not affect the ice nucleation temperature in the buffer in test tubes, but hinders the impact of potent ice nucleators of various chemical natures, namely CuO powder and ice-nucleating bacteria Pseudomonas syringae. Additional experiments on human cells show that mIBP83 is concentrated in some regions, but only in cooled cells. Thus, the antifreeze protein not only binds to ice, but also blocks various sites that act or can act as ice nucleators. Such ice-preventing binding may be the crucial biological task of antifreeze proteins.

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) have several functions that permit their hosts to thrive in the presence of ice. The ability of IBPs to control ice growth makes them potential additives in various industries ranging from food storage and cryopreservation to anti-icing systems. For IBPs to be used in commercial applications, however, methods are needed to produce sufficient quantities of high-quality proteins. Here, we describe a new method for IBP purification, termed falling water ice purification (FWIP). The method is based on the affinity of IBPs for ice. A crude IBP solution is allowed to flow continuously over the large chilled vertical surface of a commercial ice machine. The temperature of the surface is lowered gradually until ice crystals are produced, to which the IBPs bind but other solutes do not. As in other ice affinity methods, FWIP does not require molecular tags and is suitable for purifying recombinant IBPs as well as IBPs from natural sources. The advantage of FWIP over other ice affinity methods is that it exploits an ice machine designed to produce large volumes of clear ice daily. This system can be easily scaled up and suits the purification of industrial quantities of IBPs. The FWIP method significantly advances the use of IBPs in research and industry.

The conventional measure of cosmic acceleration, denoted as \( q \), relies heavily on the frame of reference and operates within a 3D space-like coordinate system, potentially leading to misinterpretations of underlying physics. In this study, we propose a novel measure, \( q_E \), grounded in distances between causal events in 4D null space. We compare \( q_E \) with the standard \( q \) using observational data from supernovae (SN) and radial galaxy/quasar (QSO) clustering (BAO) to find a better alignment of data with \( q_E \). Our analysis indicates that cosmic expansion, when viewed in the rest frame, is decelerating, with events confined by an Event Horizon akin to that of a Black Hole interior. Rather than invoking new dark energy or modified gravity, we propose that \( \Lambda \) corresponds to a boundary term exerting an attractive influence, analogous to a rubber band resisting further expansion and preventing horizon crossing of events. Contrary to prevailing notions, interpreting current cosmic expansion measurements as deceleration, rather than acceleration, offers a more accurate depiction of observed phenomena and the underlying physics. This reevaluation prompts further investigation into the nature of cosmic expansion, as well as the exploration of alternative frameworks and measures in cosmology.

Proteins possess complex three-dimensional structures, and these structures are stable only within specific ranges of temperature which mostly correspond to the temperature ranges of the host organisms. However, few exceptional proteins, called heat-stable proteins, are stable at temperatures that are substantially higher than those tolerated by the host organisms themselves. Most of the heat-stable proteins possess heat stability to perform their functions at high temperatures, but some of them are intrinsically heat-stable due to their structure. Heat-stable proteins are usually divided into three or four groups depending upon the intricacies of their structures and thermal behaviors. Their peculiar property, i.e. heat-stability, makes them very valuable in applications such as polymerase chain reaction, industrial processes requiring high temperature, and protein engineering. Heat-stability also makes it feasible to purify such proteins, from the rest of the heat-labile proteins, using a simple heat-treatment method. Moreover, heat treatment can be used as a combined cell-lysis and protein purification step which, as compared to conventional methods, can result in a higher yield of heat-stable proteins. Furthermore, some special heat-stable proteins, i.e. intrinsically disordered proteins (which include the proteins involved in important neurodegenerative diseases), need heat-treatment step, in some cases, as the only way for their successful purification and study. Hence, this paper provides a first-ever comprehensive review of all major aspects of heat-stable proteins, i.e., their structure, evolution, classification, significance, and heat-treatment mediated purification.

Background: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPAs) are responsible for disease onset and progression, however, our knowledge is limited on ligand binding affinities of autoantibodies with different citrulline-peptide specificity. Methods: Citrulline-peptide specific ACPA IgGs were affinity purified and tested by ELISA. Binding affinities of ACPA IgGs and serum antibodies were compared by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. Bifunctional nanoparticles harboring a multi-epitope citrulline-peptide and a complement activating peptide were used to induce selective depletion of ACPA producing B cells. Results: KD values of affinity purified ACPA IgGs varies between 10-6-10-8 M and inversely correlate with disease activity. Based on their cross-reaction with citrulline-peptides we designed a novel multi-epitope peptide, containing Cit-Gly and Ala-Cit motifs in two-two copies, separated with a short, neutral spacer. This peptide detects antibodies in RA sera with 66 % sensitivity and 98 % specificity in ELISA and is recognized by 90% of RA sera, while none of the healthy samples in SPR. When coupled to nanoparticles, the multi-epitope peptide specifically targets and depletes ACPA producing B cells ex vivo. Conclusions: The unique multi-epitope peptide designed on the basis of ACPA cross-reactivity might be suitable to develop better diagnostics and novel therapies for RA.

Quantifying the landscape pattern change can effectively demonstrate the ecological progresses and the consequences of urbanization. Based on remotely sensed land cover data in 1994, 2000, 2006 and a gradient analysis with landscape metrics at landscape- and class- level, we attempted to characterize the individual and entire landscape patterns of Shanghai metropolitan during the rapid urbanization. We highlighted that a roadscape transect approach that combined the buffer zone method and the transect-based approach was introduced to describe the urban-rural patterns of agricultural, residential, green, industrial, and public facilities land along the railway route. Our results of landscape metrics showed significant spatiotemporal patterns and gradient variations along the transect. The urban growth pattern in two time spans conform to the hypothesis for diffusion–coalescence processes, implying that the railway is adaptive as a gradient element to analyze the landscape patterns with urbanization. As the natural landscape was replaced by urban landscape gradually, the urban fringe expanded radically. The results also showed that the desakota region expanded its extent widely. Satellite towns witnessed the continual transformation from the predominantly rural landscape to peri-urban landscape. Furthermore, the gap between urban and rural areas remained large especially in public service. More reasonable urban plans and land use policies should push to make more of an effort to transition from the urban-rural separation to coordinated urban-rural development. This study is a meaningful trial in demonstrating a new form of urban–rural transects to study the landscape change of large cities from a strategic viewpoint. By combining gradient analysis with landscape metrics, we addressed the process of urbanization both spatially and temporally, and provided a more quantitative approach to urban studies.

Galectins are β-galactosyl-binding proteins that fulfill essential physiological functions. Recently, we introduced galectin-1 (Gal-1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) as fusion proteins of a His6-tag, a SNAP-tag, and a fluorescent protein. We characterized their binding in ELISA-type assays and their application in cell-surface binding. In the present study, we have constructed further fusion proteins of galectins with fluorescent protein color code. The fusion proteins of Gal-1, Gal-3, and Gal-8 were purified by affinity chromatography. For this, we have prepared glycoprotein affinity resins based on asialofetuin (ASF) and fetuin and combined this in a two-step purification with Immobilized Metal Affinity chromatography (IMAC) to get pure and active galectins. Purified galectin fractions were analyzed by size-exclusion chromatography. The binding characteristics to ASF of solely His6-tagged galectins and galectin fusion proteins were compared. As an example, we demonstrate a 1.6-3-fold increase in binding efficiency for HSYGal-3 (His6-SNAP-yellow fluorescent protein-Gal-3) compared to the HGal-3 (His6-Gal-3). Our results reveal an apparent higher binding efficiency for galectin SNAP-tag fusion proteins compared to His6-tagged galectins which are independent of the purification mode. This is also demonstrated by the binding of galectin fusion proteins to extracellular glycoconjugates laminin, fibronectin, and collagen IV. Our results indicate the probable involvement of the SNAP-tag in apparently higher binding signals, which we discuss in this study.

Water resources provided by alpine glaciers are an important pillar for people living in the arid regions in the west of China. In this study, the HBV (Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenavdelning) light model was applied to simulate glacier mass balance and runoff in the Koxkar River Basin (KRB) on the south slope of Mt. Tumur, western Tianshan Mts.. Daily temperature and precipitation were calculated by multiple linear regressions and gradient-inverse distance weighting, respectively, based on in-situ observed data by automatic weather stations (AWSs) in the basin (2007–2009) and at four meteorological stations neighbering the basin (1959–2009). Observed daily air temperature and precipitation were taken as input data for the HBV model, which was calibrated using runoff in 2007/08 and 2009/10, and validated in 2008/09 and 2010/11. Generally, the model could simulate runoff very well. The annual glacier mass balance and runoff were calculated using the HBV model driven by interpolated meteorological data for the period of 1959–2009. The simulated glacier mass balance were reasonable when compared with those observed values at nearby glaciers, indicating a decrease trend of mass balance in the basin with an average value of –370.4 mm a^-1 since 1959. The annual runoff showed a slight increase trend (5.51 mm a^-1). Futher analysis indicated that the runoff is more sensitive to temperature than precipitation amuont in the Koxkar river basin.

Immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) is a popular and valuable method for the affinity purification of polyhistidine-tagged recombinant proteins. However, it often shows practical limitations, which might require cumbersome optimizations, additional polishing, and enrichment steps. Here, we present functionalized corundum particles for the efficient, economical, and fast purification of recombinant proteins in a column-free format. The corundum surface is first derivatized with the amino silane APTES, then EDTA dianhydride, and subsequently loaded with nickel ions. The Kaiser test, well-known in solid-phase peptide synthesis, was used to monitor amino silanization and the reaction with EDTA dianhydride. In addition, ICP-MS was performed to quantify the metal-binding capacity. His-tagged protein A/G (PAG), mixed with bovine serum albumin (BSA), was used as a test system. The PAG binding capacity was around 3 mg protein per gram of corundum. Cytoplasm obtained from different E. coli strains was examined as an example of a complex matrix. The imidazole concentration was varied in the loading and washing buffers. As expected, higher imidazole concentrations during loading are usually beneficial when higher purities are desired. Even when higher sample volumes, such as one liter, were used, recombinant protein down to a concentration of 1 µg/mL could be isolated selectively. Comparing the corundum material with standard Ni-NTA agarose beads indicated higher purities of proteins isolated using corundum. His6-MBP-mSA2, a fusion protein consisting of monomeric streptavidin and maltose-binding protein in the cytoplasm of E. coli, was purified successfully. To show that this method is also suitable for mammalian cell culture supernatants, purification of the SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD His8 expressed in human Expi293F cells was performed. The material cost of the nickel-loaded corundum material (without regeneration) is estimated to be less than 30 cents for 1 gram of functionalized support or 10 cents per milligram of isolated protein. Another advantage of the novel system is the corundum particles' extremely high physical and chemical stability. The new material should be applicable in small laboratories and large-scale industrial applications. In summary, we could show that this new material is an efficient, robust, and cost-effective purification platform for the purification of His-tagged proteins, even in challenging, complex matrices and large sample volumes of low product concentration.

Although the dry ice method used to synthesize exfoliated graphite/graphene is little known and used, it has significant advantages over others: it is low cost, simple, and a large quantity of material can be obtained using some inorganic and highly available acids (which can be reused). Despite the above advantages, the main reason for its incipient development is the resulting presence of magnesium oxide in the final product. In the present work, three different treat-ments were tested to remove this remnant using some acid chemical leaching processes, making use of hydrochloric acid, aqua regia, and piranha solution. Based on the experimental evidence, it was found that using aqua regia and combining the leaching process with mechanical milling was the most efficient way of removing such a remnant, the residue being only 0.9 wt.%. This value is low when compared to that obtained with the other acid leaching solutions and purifi-cation process (2.8 - 29.6 wt.%). A mandatory high-energy mechanical milling stage was neces-sary during this treatment, in order to expose and dissolve the highly insoluble oxide without secondary chemical reactions on the graphenes. High-energy mechanical milling is an effective route to exfoliate graphite/graphene, which allows the magnesium oxide to be more susceptible to acid treatment. The obtained surface area was 504 m2g-1; this high value resulting from the in-tense exfoliation can potentiate the use of this material for a wide variety of applications.

Currently, the world is struggling with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Prion-like domains are critical for virulence and the development of therapeutic targets; however, the prion-like domains in the SARS-CoV-2 proteome have not been analyzed. In this in silico study, using the PLAAC algorithm, we identified the presence of prion-like domains in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Compared with other viruses, a striking difference was observed in the distribution of prion-like domains in the spike protein, since SARS-CoV-2 was the only coronavirus with a prion-like domain found in the receptor-binding domain of the S1 region of the spike protein. The presence and unique distribution of prion-like domains in the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domains of the spike protein is particularly interesting, since although the SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV S proteins share the same host cell receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), SARS-CoV-2 demonstrates a 10- to 20-fold higher affinity for ACE2. Finally, we identified prion-like domains in the α1 helix of the ACE2 receptor that interact with the viral receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, the present findings indicate that the identified PrDs in the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and ACE2 region that interact with RBD have important functional roles in viral adhesion and entry.

Brevibacillus laterosporus (Bl) is a Gram-positive and spore-forming bacterium belonging to the Brevibacillus brevis phylogenetic cluster. Globally, insect pathogenic strains of the bacterium have been isolated, characterised, and some activities patented. Two isolates, Bl 1821L and Bl 1951, exhibiting pathogenicity against the diamondback moth and mosquitoes, are under development as a biopesticide in New Zealand. However, due to the suspected activity of putative antibacterial proteins (ABPs), the endemic isolates often grow erratically. Various purification methods including size exclusion chromatography, sucrose density gradient centrifugation, polyethylene glycol precipitation, and ammonium sulphate precipitation employed in this study enabled the isolation of two putative antibacterial proteins of ~30 kD and ~48 kD from Bl 1821L and one putative antibacterial protein of ~30 kD from Bl 1951. Purification of the uninduced cultures of Bl 1821L and Bl 1951 also yielded the protein bands of ~30 kD and ~48 kD on SDS-PAGE which indicated their spontaneous induction. Disc diffusion assay was used to determine the antagonistic activities of the putative ABPs. Subsequent transmission electron microscope (TEM) examination of purified putative antibacterial protein-containing solution showed the presence of encapsulin (~30 kD) and polysheath (~48 kD) like structures. Although only the ~30 kD protein was purified from Bl 1951, both structures were seen in this strain under TEM. Furthermore, while assessing the antibacterial activity of some fractions of Bl 1951 against Bl 1821L in size exclusion chromatography method, population of Bl 1821L persister cells was noted. Overall, this work added a wealth of knowledge for the purification of the HMW proteins (bacteriocins) of the Gram-positive bacteria including Bl.

The affinity constant, also known as the equilibrium constant, binding constant, equilibrium association constant, or the reciprocal value, the equilibrium dissociation constant (K_d), can be considered as one of the most important characteristics for any antibody-antigen pair. Many methods based on different technologies have been proposed and used to determine this value. However, since a very large number of publications and commercial datasheets do not include this information, significant obstacles in performing such measurements seem to exist. In other cases where such data are reported, the results have often proved to be unreliable. This situation may indicate that most of the technologies available today require a high level of expertise that does not seem to be available in many laboratories. In this paper, we present a simple approach based on standard immunoassay technology that is easy and quick to perform. It relies on the effect that the molar IC₅₀ approaches the K_d value in the case of infinitely small concentrations of the reagent concentrations. A two-dimensional dilution of the reagents leads to an asymptotic convergence to K_d. The approach has some similarity to the well-known checkerboard titration used for the optimization of immunoassays. A well-known antibody against the FLAG peptide, clone M2, was used as a model system and the results were compared with other methods. This approach could be used in any case where a competitive assay is available or can be developed. The determination of an affinity constant should belong to the crucial parameters in any quality control of antibody-related products and assays and should be mandatory in papers using immunochemical protocols.

Poultry litter was converted to biochar by torrefaction and to hydrochar by hydrothermal carbonisation. Many parameters were measured for the resulting chars, to investigate the effect of production method and production temperature. SEM showed the presence of large quantities of crystalline material on the surface of the biochars. The elemental composition of some crystals was determined as 35% K and 31% Cl. This was confirmed as sylvite (KCl) crystals, which explains the high levels of water extractable potassium in the biochar and may also be important in germination inhibition. Biochars almost totally inhibited germination, whilst hydrochars decreased germination. Although germination occurred on hydrochar, root growth was severely inhibited. Consequently, germination index may be better to determine total phytotoxicity as it measures both effects and could be used as a bioassay for chars used as soil amendments. Washing removed germination inhibition in a low temperature char (3500C), possibly by removing KCl, however root toxicity remained. There were very low levels of heavy metals, suggesting they are not the source of toxicity. In biochars, pore mean size decreased with temperature from 3500C to 6000C, due to changes in pore size distribution. Mean pore size was measured directly using SEM. The merits of this method are discussed. Low temperature biochars seem best suited for fuel as they have high calorific value, high hydrophobicity, low ash content and high yield. Higher temperatures are better for soil amendment and sequestration applications with a smaller mean pore size, higher surface area, and higher pH.

Zinc finger proteins (ZFP) play important roles in cellular processes. The DNA binding region of ZFP consists of 3 zinc finger DNA binding domains connected by amino acid linkers, the sequence TGQKP connects ZF1 and ZF2, and TGEKP connects ZF2 with ZF3. Linkers act to tune the zinc finger protein in the right position to bind its DNA target, the type of amino acid residues and length of linkers reflect on ZF1-ZF2-ZF3 interactions and contribute to the search and recognition process of ZF protein to its DNA target. Linker mutations and the affinity of the resulting mutants to specific and nonspecific DNA targets were studied by MD simulations and MM_GB(PB)SA. The affinity of mutants to DNA varied with type and position of amino acid residue. Mutation of K in TGQKP resulted in loss in affinity due to the loss of positive K interaction with phosphates, mutation of G showed loss in affinity to DNA, WT protein and all linker mutants showed loss in affinity to a nonspecific DNA target, this finding confirms previous reports which interpreted this loss in affinity as due to ZF1 having an anchoring role, and ZF3 playing an explorer role in the binding mechanism. The change in ZFP-DNA affinity with linker mutations is discussed in view of protein structure and role of linker residues in binding.

This study explores the complexities involved in the extraction and purification of catechins, prominent bioactive compounds found in plant extracts and tea. It addresses challenges arising from the intricate molecular structure of catechins and their inherent variability across botanical sources. Despite these obstacles, catechins present significant potential, particularly in healthcare. Their potent antioxidant properties have been extensively investigated and associated with numerous health benefits, positioning them as promising therapeutic agents for combating chronic diseases. Furthermore, catechins have diverse applications across various industries, including food and beverage, cosmetics, agriculture, and materials science. This abstract emphasizes the importance of continued research and innovation in catechin extraction and utilization, which hold promise for advancing human health and technological progress across multiple domains.

Euler-Poisson equations of a charged symmetrical body in external constant and homogeneous electric and magnetic fields are deduced starting from the variational problem, where the body is considered as a system of charged point particles subject to holonomic constraints. The final equations are written for the center-of mass-coordinate, rotation matrix and angular velocity. General solution to the equations of motion is obtained for the case of a charged ball. For the case of a symmetrical charged body (solenoid), the task of obtaining the general solution is reduced to the problem of a one-dimensional cubic pseudo-oscillator. Besides, we present a one-parametric family of solutions to the problem in elementary functions.

Climate warming is expected to have pronounced effects on Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems, especially regions underlain by discontinuous and relatively warm permafrost. The main goal of this research is to evaluate the vulnerability and dynamics of permafrost under climate warming across the various ecotypes in respect of ecosystem stability, socioeconomic impact, and for better understanding possible future environmental changes. We suggested the new version of the spatially distributed permafrost dynamics model (GIPL2-MPI), which is developed in the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. This model is based on the ecosystem approach to simulate the permafrost dynamics, which we are discussing in this paper. We combined ground-based observations and numerical freeze/thaw modeling using climate-ecosystem-permafrost interactions to understand the physical processes and mechanisms controlling permafrost physical state. We predict the changes in permafrost conditions using output from two GCMs (NCAR-CCSM4 and GFDL-CM3) and Five-Model Average Ensemble for the RCP-4.5 and RCP-8.5 scaled down to 1 by 1 km spatial resolution (https://uaf-snap.org/) across entire Alaska. Our result shows that by the end of the current century widespread near-surface permafrost degradation could begin everywhere in Alaska southward of the Brooks Range as well as across some spots at the North Slope Alaska.

Two coupled climate models which participated the CMIP6 project (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6), the Earth System Model of Chinese Academy of Sciences version 2 (CAS-ESM2-0) and the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Earth System Model version 3 (NESM3), were assessed in terms of the impact of four new sea ice parameterization schemes. These four new schemes are related to air-sea heat flux, radiation penetration and absorption, melt ponds, ice-ocean flux, respectively. To evaluate the effectiveness of these schemes, key sea ice variables with and without these new schemes, such as sea ice concentration (SIC) and sea ice thickness (SIT), were compared against observation and reanalysis product from 1980 to 2014. The simulations followed the design of historical experiments within the CMIP6 framework. The results revealed that both models demonstrated improvements in simulating Arctic SIC and SIT when the new parameterization schemes were implemented. The model bias of SIC in some marginal sea ice zones of Arctic was reduced, especially during March. The SIT was increased and the transpolar gradient of SIT was reproduced. The changes of spatial pattern of SIC and SIT after adding new schemes bear similarities between the two coupled models. This suggests that the new schemes have potential for broad application in climate models, especially for those with underestimated SIT.

Complex proteomic and physiological approaches to study cold and heat stress responses in plant mitochondria are still limited. Variations in the mitochondrial proteome of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) curds after cold and heat and after stress recovery were assayed by 2D PAGE in relation to respiratory parameters. Quantitative analysis of the mitochondrial proteome revealed numerous stress-affected protein spots. In cold alternative oxidase isoforms were extensively upregulated; major downregulations in the level of photorespiratory enzymes, porine isoforms, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and some low-abundant proteins were observed. On the contrary, distinct proteins, including carbohydrate metabolism enzymes, heat-shock proteins, translation, protein import, and OXPHOS components were involved in heat response and recovery. Few metabolic regulations were suggested. Cauliflower plants appeared less susceptible to heat; closed stomata in heat stress resulted in moderate photosynthetic, but only minor respiratory impairments, however photosystem II performance was unaffected. Decreased photorespiration corresponded with proteomic alterations in cold. Our results show that cold and heat stress not only operate in diverse mode (exemplified by cold-specific accumulation of some heat shock proteins), but exert some associations on molecular and physiological levels. This implies more complex model of action of investigated stresses on plant mitochondria.

This article develops a multi-perspective view on motivations and methods for tobamovirus purification through the ages, and presents a novel efficient, easy-to-use approach that can be well-adapted to different species of native and functionalized virions. We survey the various driving forces prompting researchers to enrich tobamoviruses: from the search for the causative agents of mosaic diseases in plants to their increasing recognition as versatile nanocarriers in biomedical and engineering applications. Best practice and also rarely applied options for the serial processing steps required for successful isolation of tobamoviruses are then reviewed. Adaptations for distinct particle species, pitfalls and 'forgotten' or underrepresented technologies are considered as well. The article is topped off with our own development of a method for virion preparation, rooted in historical protocols. It combines selective re-solubilization of polyethylene glycol (PEG) virion raw precipitates with density step gradient centrifugation in biocompatible iodixanol formulations, yielding ready-to-use particle suspensions. This newly established protocol and some considerations for perhaps worthwile further developments could serve as putative stepping stones towards preparation procedures appropriate for routine practical uses of the multivalent soft-matter nanorods.

Sea cucumber peptides are small molecular peptides with biological function obtained from fresh sea cucumber as feedstock, which were hydrolyzed by protease, separated ,and purified. As the main product of sea cucumber refinement, it more accurately expresses the nutritional effect of sea cucumber and has a wide range of potential applications. It has been demonstrated that sea cucumber has a certain value-added effect on bone mineral density regulation, but the differences in bone mineral density regulation of extracts from different parts of sea cucumber and the techniques contributing to the efficient isolation of bone sea cucumber peptides have not been reported. Firstly, the aim of this study was to reveal the differences in osteogenic activities of enzymatic peptides from three major parts of sea cucumber: the body wall, the egg protein, and the intestinal protein. Then, the bone-enhancing sea cucumber peptides were isolated based on the characteristics of the dif-ferences in molecular weight distribution, hydrophilicity, and ionisation degree of sea cucumber, and to explore the possible mechanisms of their action. The findings indicated that sea cucumber peptides extracted from three distinct sites exhibited a dose-dependent enhancement of osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Upon evaluating the three methods of sea cucumber peptide separation based on molecular weight distribution, hydrophilicity, and ionization, it was observed that the fraction isolated by hydrophobicity and

Bionic robotic hand can perform many movements similar to human hand. But there is still a significant gap in manipulation between robot and human hand. It is necessary to understand the finger kinematics and motion patterns of human hand to improve the performance of robotic hand. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate normal hand motion patterns by evaluating the kinematics of hand grip and release in healthy individuals. The data corresponding to rapid grip and release were collected from the dominant hand of 22 healthy people by sensory glove. The kinematics of 14 finger joints were analyzed, including the dynamic range of motion (ROM), peak velocity, joint sequence and finger sequence. The results show that the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint had a largest dynamic ROM than metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints. Besides, the PIP joint had the highest peak velocity, both in flexion and extension. For joint sequence, the PIP joint moved prior to the DIP or MCP joints during flexion, while extension started in DIP or MCP joints, followed by PIP joint. Regarding the finger sequence, the thumb started to move before four fingers, and stopped moving after the fingers during both grip and release. This study explored the normal motion patterns in hand grip and release, which provided kinematic reference for the design of robotic hand and thus contribute to its development.

Pin1 is a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase responsible for isomerizing phosphorylated S/T-P motifs. Pin1 has two domains that each have a distinct ligand binding site, but only its PPIase domain has catalytic activity. Vast evidence supports interdomain allostery of Pin1, with binding of a ligand to its regulatory WW domain impacting activity in the PPIase domain. Many diverse studies have made mutations in Pin1 in order to elucidate interactions that are responsible for ligand binding, isomerase activity, and interdomain allostery. Here, we summarize these mutations and their impact on Pin1’s structure and function.

Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall., live in Changbai Mountain being exposed to chilling temperature, high light intensities and water scarcity condition. To adapt to the harsh environment, the cold resistance mechanisms of R. chrysanthum have been successfully evolved in the long-term adaptive process. In our present work, the methods of proteomics combined with physiological and biochemical analyses were used to investigate the effects of cold stress on the photosynthesis and antioxidant system of Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall. and the molecular mechanisms involved in cold resistance of plants. A total of 153 photosynthesis related proteins were identified in present work, of which 7 proteins including Rubisco large subunit (rbcL) were up-regulated in experiment group (EG) compared with control group (CG). Simultaneously, four chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured in present study. The results showed that the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), actual quantum yield of PSII (Y(II)) and photochemical quenching (qP) were significantly higher in EG, whereas the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was notably decreased. Cold stress could lead to a significant reduction in electron transport rate (ETR) accompanied with an increase in excitation pressure (1-qP). The abundance of PetE which involved in the plants photosynthetic electron transfer was also significantly influenced by cold stress. Moreover, the up-regulated expressions and higher levels of enzymatic activities of Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and Ascorbate peroxidases (APXs) were detected in EG. All these changes which can help plants to survive in low temperature are considered as the crucial parts of cold tolerance mechanisms. These results revealed that photosynthesis and redox adjustment play significant roles in the defense of cold-induced damage.

In the context of improving aircraft safety, this study focuses on the development and evaluation of a graphene-based ice detection system using an environmental chamber. The research is driven by the need for more accurate and efficient ice detection methods, crucial in mitigating in-flight icing hazards. The methodology employed involves testing flat graphene-based sensors in a controlled environment, simulating a variety of climatic conditions that could be experienced in an aircraft during its entire flight. The environmental chamber enabled precise manipulation of temperature and humidity levels, thereby providing a realistic and comprehensive test bed for sensor performance evaluation. The results were significant, revealing the graphene sensors’ heightened sensitivity and rapid response to the subtle changes in environmental conditions, especially the critical phase transition from water to ice. This sensitivity is the key to detecting ice formation at its onset, a critical requirement for aviation safety. The study concludes that graphene-based sensors, tested under varied and controlled atmospheric conditions, exhibit a remarkable potential in enhancing ice detection systems for aircraft. Their lightweight, efficient and highly responsive nature makes them a superior alternative to traditional ice detection technologies, paving the way for more advanced and reliable aircraft safety solutions.

An antenna sensor is proposed to execute dual functions of antenna and sensor in the wireless sensor system, in order to reduce data loss and to increase transmission rate by omitting a certain interface. The as-made sensor was test at a center frequency of 46 MHz for measuring human finger postures using principle of dipole antenna. The antenna sensor was attached on a wearable glove. The results showed that the motion sensor can accurately identify finger angles at 0°, 20°, 40°, 60° and 80°.

Nowadays, the development or improvement of actuation mechanisms is a crucial topic for the achievement of dextrous manipulation using soft robots. Then, a primary target of research is the design of actuation and driving devices. Consequently, in this paper, we introduce a soft driving epicyclical mechanism that mimics human muscle behavior and fulfills motion requirements to achieve grasping gestures using a robotic finger. The prototype is experimentally assessed, and results show that our approach has enough performance for the implementation in grasping tasks. Furthermore, we introduce the basis for a new soft epicyclical mechanism merger with shape memory alloys to allow active stiffness control of the mechanism.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate anti-staphylococcal activity of liposomal daptomycin, against four biofilm-producing S. aureus and S. epidermidis clinical strains, three of which are methicillin resistant. Neutral and negatively charged Daptomycin-loaded liposomes were prepared by three methods thin film hydration (TFH), DRV and microfluidic mixing (MM), and characterized for drug encapsulation (EE%), size distribution, zeta-potential, vesicle stability, drug release and drug integrity. Interestingly, whilst drug loading in THF and DRV nanosized (by extrusion) vesicles was around 30-35, very low loading (~4%) was possible in MM vesicles, requiring further explanatory investigations. Liposomal encapsulation protected daptomycin from degradation and preserve its bioactivity. Quantitative microtiter plate (crystal violet, CV), methylthiazoltetrazolium (MTT), and growth curve (GC) assays evaluated antimicrobial activity of neutral and negative charge daptomycin-liposomes towards planktonic bacteria and biofilms. Neutral liposomes exhibited dramatically enhanced inhibition of bacteria growth (compared to free drug) for all species studied, while negative charged liposomes were totally inactive. Biofilm prevention and treatment studies revealed high antibiofilm activity of liposomal daptomycin. Neutral liposomes were more active for prevention and negative charge ones for treating established biofilms. Planktonic bacteria as well as matured biofilms of low daptomycin susceptible MRSE and MRSA strains were almost completely eradicated by liposomal-daptomycin indicating the need for their further exploration as antimicrobial therapeutics.

The HER2 overexpression occurs in 10–20% of breast cancer patients. HER2+ tumors are characterized by increase in Ki67, early relapse and increased metastasis. There is little known about factors influencing early stages of HER2- tumorigenesis and diagnostic markers. Previously, it was shown that deletion of NEDD9 in mouse models of HER2 cancer interferes with tumor growth, but the role of NEDD9 upregulation is currently unexplored. We report that NEDD9 is overexpressed in a significant subset of HER2+ breast cancers and correlates with limited response to anti-HER2 therapy. To investigate the mechanisms through which NEDD9 influences HER2-dependent tumorigenesis, we generated MMTV-Cre-NEDD9 transgenic mice. The analysis of mammary glands shows extensive ductal epithelium hyperplasia, increased branching, and terminal end bud expansion. The addition of oncogene Erbb2 (neu) leads to development of early hyperplastic benign lesions earlier (~16 weeks) with a significantly shorter latency than the control mice. Similarly, NEDD9 upregulation in MCF10A-derived acini leads to hyperplasia like DCIS. This phenotype is associated with activation of ERK1/2 and AURKA kinases leading to an increased proliferation of luminal cells. These findings indicate that NEDD9 is setting permissive conditions for HER2-induced tumorigenesis, thus identifying this protein as a potential diagnostic marker for early detection.

In this work, backscattering signatures of snow-covered lake ice and sea ice from X- and Ku-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data are investigated. The SAR data were acquired with the ESA airborne SnowSAR sensor in winter 2012 over Lake Orajärvi in northern Finland and over landfast ice in the Bay of Bothnia of the Baltic Sea. Co-incident with the SnowSAR acquisitions in-situ snow and ice data were measured. In addition, time series of TerraSAR-X images and ice mass balance buoy data were acquired for the Lake Orajärvi in 2011-12. The main objective of our study was to investigate relationships between SAR backscattering signatures and snow depth over lake and sea ice, with the ultimate objective of assessing the feasibility of retrieval of snow characteristics using X- and Ku-band dual-polarisation (VV and VH) SAR over freshwater or sea ice. This study constitutes the first comprehensive survey of snow backscattering signatures at these two combined frequencies over both lake and sea ice. For lake ice, we show that X-band VH-polarized backscattering coefficient (σo) and the Ku-band VV/VH-ratio exhibited the highest sensitivity to the snow depth. For sea ice, the highest sensitivity to the snow depth was found from the Ku-band VV-polarised σo and the Ku-band VV/VH-ratio. However, the observed relations were relatively weak, indicating that at least for the prevailing snow conditions, obtaining reliable estimates of snow depth over lake and sea ice would be challenging using only X- and Ku-band backscattering information.

This study aimed to assess the foodborne diseases (FBD) outbreaks reported in Brazil between 2000 and 2018, based on data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health (official data) and from the scientific literature. According to official data, 13,163 FBD outbreaks were reported in the country during this period, involving 247,570 cases and 195 deaths. The largest prevalence of FBD outbreaks was observed in the Southeast region of Brazil (45.6%). In most outbreaks it was not possible to determine the food implicated (45.9%) but among those identified, water was the most frequently associated (12.0%). The etiological agent was not identified in most outbreaks (38.0%), while Salmonella (14.4%) was the most frequently reported, among those identified. Homes were the main site of FBD occurrence (12.5%). Regarding data obtained from the scientific literature, 57 articles dealing with FBD in the country throughout the same period were selected and analyzed. Based on these articles, mixed foods were the most prevalent in the outbreaks (31.6%), Salmonella spp. was the pathogen most frequently reported (22.8%) and homes were also the main site of FBD occurrence (45.6%). Despite under-notification, the records of FBD outbreaks that have occurred in Brazil in the past recent years show alarming data, requiring attention from health authorities. The notification of outbreaks is essential to facilitate public health actions.

FV (finger vein) identification is a biometric identification technology that extracts the features of FV images for identity authentication. To address the limitations of CNN-based FV identification, particularly the challenge of small receptive fields and difficulty in capturing long-range dependencies, an FV identification method Let-Net(Large kernel and attention mechanism Network) was introduced, which combines local and global information. Firstly, Let-Net employs large kernels to broaden the receptive field and incorporates depthwise convolution with residual connections to reduce parameter count. Secondly, Let-Net integrates an attention mechanism to enhance the information flows in channels and spaces for more comprehensive and distinctive FV feature extraction. The experimental results on nine public datasets show that Let-Net has excellent identification performance, and the EER and accuracy rate on the FV_USM dataset can reach 0.04% and 99.77%. The parameter number and FLOPs of Let-Net are only 0.89M and 0.25G, which means that the time cost of training and reasoning of the model is low, and it is easier to deploy and integrate into various applications.

In this study, an alternative method to conventional production methods involving thin section copper permanent mould casting (rapid solidification), hot rolling and heat treatment processes to manufacture AISI DC 53 cold work tool steel, has been investigated. In this new method, solidification of the AISI DC 53 was done in the thin section copper mould instead of traditional ingot casting. After solidification, thin slabs obtained was homogenized to 1150 ^oC and hold at this temperature for one hour and then hot rolling was be applied. During hot rolling process, about % 30 reduction in thickness of slab was obtained. After hot rolling, heat treatment (austenitizing, quenching and tempering) have been applied to thin slab. The samples have been taken as cast, as rolled and as heat treated (austenitized and tempered) and the microstructural analysis, hardness tests, retained austenite quantity measurement by XRD method have been performed. The heat treatment and tests have been performed for a commercially available AISI DC 53 which is manufactured by thick section ingot casting and rolling. Hardness values of the AISI DC 53 steels produced by traditional route is in the range of 52-54 HRC after austenitization at 1025 ^oC for one hour and quenched in compressed air and tempered twice at 525 ^oC for 120 mins. On contrary the permanent mould cast AISI DC 53 after homogenization at 1150 ^oC and immediately hot rolling then air cooling and austenitized at 1025 ^oC for one hour then quenched by compressed air and tempered twice at 525 ^oC for 120 mins have hardness valeus in the range of 55-57 HRC. Experiments have revealed that the properties of new rapid solidified steel in permanent copper mould are better than the commercially available steel and have a more refined microstructure than commercially produces alternative. Therefore, the new proposed method can be used as an alternative manufacturing method for cold-work tool steels.

SET protein carries out multiple functions including those for protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibition, histone modification, DNA repair and gene regulation. SET overexpression has been detected in brain neurons of Alzheimer's disease patients, follicle theca cells of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) patients, and ovarian cancer cells, indicating that SET may play a pathological role for these disorders. SET transcript 2, produced by a specific promoter, represents a major transcript variant in different cell types. In this study, we characterized the transcriptional activation of human SET transcript 2 promoter in HeLa cells. Promoter deletion experiments and co-transfection assays indicated that ZFX, the Zinc finger and X-linked transcription factor, was able to transactivate the SET promoter. A proximal promoter region containing four ZFX-binding sites was found to be critical for the ZFX-mediated transactivation. Mutagenesis study indicated that the site located closest to the transcription start site accounted for most of the ZFX-mediated transactivity. Manipulation of ZFX levels by overexpression or siRNA knockdown confirmed the significance and specificity of the ZFX-mediated SET promoter activation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation results verified the binding of ZFX to its cognate site in the SET promoter. These findings have led to identification of ZFX as an upstream factor regulating SET gene expression. More studies are required to define the in vivo significance of this mechanism, and specifically, its implication for several benign and malignant diseases related to SET dysregulation.

A novel determination method using flow-through cartridge purification and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the identification and quantification of 30 mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2, sterigmatocysin, T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, roquefortine C, methylergonovine, ergocornine, lysergol, enniatin A, enniatin A1, enniatin B, enniatin B1, beauvericin, deoxynivalenol, 3-acetylDeoxynivalenol, 15-acetylDeoxynivalenol, patulin, verruculogen, neosolaniol, gliotoxin, HT-2 toxin, wortmannin, zearalenone, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, α-zearalanol, and β-zearalanol) in feedstuffs. Mycotoxins were extracted from sample by 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution/acetonitrile (16/84 v/v), then purified by a Cleanert® MC clean-up column. As a result, the pigments and other matrices were efficient removed from the sample extract solution. The purified eluate was collected, then evaporated and redissolved by 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution/acetonitrile (70:30 v/v) for UPLC-MS/MS detection. A BEH Shield RP18 chromatographic column was employed for separation of 30 mycotoxins in a total of 14 min. Multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was applied for qualitative and quantitative analysis, and matrix calibration curves obtained with the external-standard method was used for quantitation of target analytes. Under optimized conditions, the linearity range was from 2 to 1000 ng/g, and the limit of quantification of the developed method was from 2 to 50 ng/g. The recoveries of 30 mycotoxins spiked in urine samples were from 72.0% to 118.5%, and the relative standard deviation was below 20%. The method was also well approved by certified reference sample, and applied on the real feedstuff samples testing successfully.

Our daily activities hinge on the flexibility of our fingers, and a fractured finger can significantly disrupt these routines. The finger bones enable us to bend and fold the fingers and thumb to pick up or grasp objects and do all of our daily activities. A broken finger can cause adverse effects on our daily life activities. It is important to treat broken finger as soon as possible. Swift and precise treatment begins with capturing multiple X-rays, followed by the critical step of fracture detection in these images. Relying on the naked eye for this task carries the risk of overlooking small fractures. To address this issue an automated diagnoses of fractured fingers from images is required for which the current research employs advanced deep learning models—ResNet34, ResNet50, ResNet101, ResNet152, VGG-16, and VGG-19—to classify finger images from the Musculoskeletal Radiographs (MURA) dataset as either fractured or non-fractured. The results emphasize the consistently strong performance of ResNet models, attaining an impressive accuracy of 81.9%. This surpasses VGG models by 3.4% and establishes ResNet as the new benchmark for state-of-the-art accuracy.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Despite new methods of diagnostics and treatment as well as extensive biological and immunosuppressive treatment, the etiology of RA is not fully understood. Moreover, the problem of diagnosis and treatment of RA patients is still current and affects a large group of patients. It is suggested that these ER-related features may impair adaptation to chronic stress, inferring the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. The main goal in this study was evaluation of changes in mRNA translation to determine chronic ER stress conditions in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The study group consist of 86 individuals including total 56 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 30 healthy controls. The expression level of mRNA form blood samples of RA patients as well as controls of the PERK-UPR associated genes: p-eIF2, BCL-2, PERK, ATF4, BAX were investigated by Real-Time qPCR. GAPDH expression was used as a standard control. Considering the median, the expression of PERK, BCL-2, p-eIF2, ATF4, BAX was found to be significantly increased in the blood of RA patients compared with the control group. The p-value for the PERK gene was 0.0000000036, the p-value for the BCL-2 gene was 0.000000014, the p-value for the p-eIF2 gene was 0.006948, the p-value for the ATF4 gene was 0.0000056 and the p-value for the BAX gene was 0.00019, respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that targeting of the components of the PERK-dependent UPR signaling pathway via small-molecule PERK inhibitors, may contribute to the development of novel, innovative treatment strategies against rheumatoid arthritis.

Intermolecular interactions are the fabrics underlying almost all processes in living organisms, where two cornerstone concepts, intermolecular binding affinity (K d ) and binding energy (ΔG), have long been established to physically describe the strengths of biomolecular interactions, e.g., drug-target K d and ΔG to describe the strength of drug-target interaction. The past two-three years saw a big step forward in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in structural biology (e.g., AlphaFold for protein structure prediction) and drug discovery & design. In light of the roles of K d and ΔG in drug discovery & design, the speed of this AI progress raises a question of what’s next for its practical application in the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to a system-wide account of biomolecular structures and motions. Last August, the concept of a general intermolecular binding affinity calculator (GIBAC) was for the first time coined and proposed in an MDPI-published preprint. Here, this article puts forward an updated conceptual and practical framework of GIBAC, including its inception, definition, construction, practical applications, technical challenges and limitations, and future directions. Moreover, this article argues that the time is now ripe for the construction of such an accurate, precise and efficient GIBAC to be on the agenda of the entire drug discovery & design community, to ensure its applicability & reliability, and to enhance its value in drug R&D in future.

IgY antibodies are found in the blood and yolk of eggs. Several studies show the feasibility of utilising IgY for immunotherapy and immunodiagnosis. These antibodies have been studied because they fulfil the current needs for reducing, replacing, and improving the use of animals. Affinity and avidity represent the strength of the antigen-antibody interaction and directly influence antibody action. The aim of this review was to examine the factors that influence the affinity and avidity of IgY antibodies and the methodologies used to determine these variables. In birds, there are few studies on the maturation of antibody affinity and avidity and these studies suggest that the use of an adjuvant, type of antigen, strain of the animal, number of immunisations, and time interfere with the affinity and avidity of IgY antibodies. Regarding the methodologies, most studies use chaotropic agents to determine the avidity index. Studies involving solution phase and equilibrium titration reactions are also described. These results demonstrate the need for standardisation of methodologies for determination of affinity and avidity so that further studies can be performed to optimise the production of high avidity IgY antibodies.

The commercial oxygen-free copper sheets were cold-rolled with reduction rates ranging from 20% to 87% reduction rate and annealed at 400, 500 and 600 °C. The microstructure and texture evolution during cold-rolling and annealing processes were studied using optical microscopy (OM), the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). The results show that the deformation textures of {123} (S) , {112} (Copper) and {110} (Brass) were continuously enhanced with the increase of cold-rolling reduction. The orientations along the α-oriented fiber converged towards Brass and the orientation density of β fiber obviously increased when the rolling reduction exceeded 60%. The recrystallization texture was significantly affected by the cold-rolling reduction. After 60% cold-rolling reduction, Copper and S textures components gradually decreased and {011} recrystallization texture component formed with the increase of annealing temperature. After 87% cold-rolling reduction, a strong Cube texture formed and other textures were inhibited with the increase of annealing temperature. The strong Brass and S deformation texture was conducive to the formation of a strong Cube annealing texture. The density of annealing twin boundary decreased with the increase of annealing temperature, and more annealing twin boundaries formed in the oxygen-free copper sheets with the increase of cold rolling reduction.

The COVID-19 pandemic over the past years has shown a great need for rapid, low-cost and on-site detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this paper, an aptamer-based colloidal gold nanoparticle lateral flow test strip was well developed to realize the visual detection of wild type SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) and multiple variants. Under the optimal reaction conditions, a low detection limit of SARS-CoV-2 S protein of 0.68 nM was acquired, and the actual detection recovery was 83.3% to 108.8% for real world samples. This suggests a potential tool for the prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 with good sensitivity and accuracy, and a new method for the development of alternative antibody test strips for the detection of other viral targets.

Keywords: Tendon injuries; Mallet finger; Suture techniques

A field experiment was conducted at farmer field of Sundarbazar, Lamjung during rainy season of 2020 with an objective to determine the dynamics of weed with respect different planting methods and varieties. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications where five Varieties (KabreKodo 1, KabreKodo 2, Dalle 1, Okhale 1 and local) were used as the main plot factor and three planting methods (Direct sowing;10*10cm, Conventional transplanting;10*10 cm with 15 days old seedlings and System of Crop Intensification;25*25 cm with 30 days old seedlings) as sub plot factor. Result showed that among 5 genotypes of weeds based on Importance value index, Cyperusrotundus was the most dominant during the initial stage but after the first weeding, Aegeratumhaustinianum dominated the field. Weed biomass and density was recorded highest in directly sown field than that in transplanted field. Among the transplanted crop, weed infestation was seen higher in SCI than in conventionally transplanted finger millet due to wider spacing. But after the first hand weeding, due to profuse root growth and tillering in SCI, weeds were suppressed and thus weed biomass was observed higher in CT. After one hand weeding, SCI showed higher weed control index, crop resistance index and planting method efficiency index in terms of yield. Weed infestation was observed higher in Dalle 1 among varieties.

The dry washing method is an alternative to replace water washing, thereby reducing the negative impacts of contamination. However, commercial adsorbents come from industrial processes that, due to their composition, may not be such a sustainable resource in the global biodiesel production process. In this study, the use of organic residues, such as sawdust, coconut fiber, nutshell, rice husk and water hyacinth fiber, were proposed as bioadsorbents for the purification of biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO). Quality parameters such as the acid value, water content, and free and total glycerin content were evaluated and compared with those of commercial resins such as Magnesol® and Amberlite™. Promising results were obtained using sawdust during the purification process, achieving a 31.6% reduction in the acid value compared to that of unpurified biodiesel, the reduction was 31.3% more efficient than Amberlite™. Sawdust adsorbed free glycerin at 55.8%, being more efficient than Amberlite™. The total glycerin values were similar between commercial resins and sawdust. A water content values were similar than Amberlite™ and better than that with Magnesol®, at 4.3% and 39.81%, respectively. These results show that sawdust can be used as an alternative bioadsorbent in a dry purification method for biodiesel being a residue with less environmental impact.

Ultrasonic measurements are used in civil engineering for structural health monitoring of concrete infrastructures. The late portion of the ultrasonic wavefield, the coda, is sensitive to small changes in the elastic moduli of the material. Coda Wave Interferometry (CWI) correlates these small changes in the coda with the wavefield recorded in intact, or unperturbed, concrete specimen to reveal the amount of velocity change that occurred. CWI has the potential to detect localised damages and global velocity reductions alike. In this study, the sensitivity of CWI to different types of concrete mesostructures and their damage levels is investigated numerically. Realistic numerical concrete models of concrete specimen are generated and damage evolution is simulated using the discrete element method. In the virtual concrete lab, the simulated ultrasonic wavefield is propagated from one transducer using a realistic source signal and recorded at a second transducer. Different damage scenarios reveal a different slope in the decorrelation of waveforms with the observed reduction in velocities in the material. Finally, the impact and possible generalizations of the findings are discussed and recommendations are given for a potential application of CWI in concrete at structural scale.

Melanins are phenolic biopolymers synthesised by most of the living organism mainly for photoprotection or surviving in harsh conditions. Melanin is localised in different areas or complexed with different other biomolecules when observed from animals to microbes. This makes the melanin extraction procedure different in animal, plant and microbial tissues. Basically, the alkali-acid extraction is used in most protocols of which slight variations are there depending on the tissue used. This review will try to compile melanin extraction procedures from different cells and tissues ranging from animals to bacteria.

The BET family of proteins is characterized by the presence of two tandem bromodomains and an extra-terminal domain. The mammalian BET family of proteins comprises Brd2, Brd3, Brd4, and Brdt, which are encoded by paralogous genes that may have been generated by repeated duplication of an ancestral gene during evolution. Bromodomains that can specifically bind acetylated lysine residues in histones serve as chromatin-targeting modules that decipher the histone acetylation code. BET proteins play a crucial role in regulating gene transcription through epigenetic interactions between bromodomains and acetylated histones during cellular proliferation and differentiation processes. On the other hand, BET proteins have been reported to mediate latent viral infection in host cells and be involved in oncogenesis. Human BRD4 is involved in multiple processes of the DNA virus life cycle, including viral replication, genome maintenance, and gene transcription through interaction with viral proteins. Aberrant BRD4 expression contributes to carcinogenesis by mediating hyperacetylation of the chromatin containing the cell proliferation-promoting genes. BET bromodomain blockade using small-molecule inhibitors gives rise to selective repression of the transcriptional network driven by c-Myc. These inhibitors are expected to be potential therapeutic drugs for a wide range of cancers. This review presents an overview of the basic roles of BET proteins and highlights the pathological functions of BET and the recent developments in cancer therapy targeting BET proteins in animal models.

A novel stationary phase for affinity separations is presented. This material is based on sintered borosilicate glass readily available as semi-finished filter plates with defined porosity and surface area. The material shows fast binding kinetics and excellent long-term stability under real application conditions due to lacking macropores and high mechanical rigidity. The glass surface can be easily modified with standard organosilane chemistry to immobilize selective binders or other molecules used for biointeraction. In this paper, the manufacturing of the columns and their respective column holders by 3D printing is shown in detail. The model system protein A/IgG was chosen as an example to examine the properties of such monolithic columns under realistic application conditions. Several specifications, such as (dynamic) IgG capacity, pressure stability, long-term performance, productivity, non-specific binding, and peak shape, are presented. It could be shown that due to the very high separation speed, 250 mg antibody per hour and column can be collected, which surpasses the productivity of most standard columns of the same size. The total IgG capacity of the shown columns is around 4 mg (5.5 mg/mL), which is sufficient for most tasks in research laboratories. The cycle time of an IgG separation can be less than 1 minute. Due to the glass material's excellent pressure resistance, these columns are compatible with standard HPLC systems. This is usually not the case with standard affinity columns, limited to manual use or application in low-pressure systems. The use of a standard HPLC system also improves the ability for automation, which enables the purification of hundreds of cell supernatants in one day. The sharp peak shape of the elution leads to an enrichment effect, which might increase the concentration of IgG by a factor of 3. The final concentration of IgG can be around 7.5 mg/mL without the need for an additional nanofiltration step. The purity of the IgG was > 95% in one step and nearly 99% with a second polishing run.

Recently, ice with the stacking disorder structure, consisting of random sequences of cubic ice (Ic) and hexagonal ice (Ih) layers, is reported to be more stable than pure Ih/Ic. While, due to a much lower free energy barrier of heterogeneous nucleation, in practice, the freezing process of water is usually controlled by heterogeneous nucleation which is triggered by an external medium. Herein, molecular dynamic simulations were carried out to explore the polymorph dependence of ice on the lattice structure of substrates. It turns out that, during the nucleation stage, the polymorph of ice nuclei can be severely altered by the graphene substrate, on which the Ih was found to occupy an absolute majority in new-formed ice. This can be attributed to the structure similarity between graphene and basal face of Ih. Besides the nucleation stage, our results suggest that the substrate can not affect the polymorph of ice which is far from the graphene surface. The polymorph selectivity of graphene to Ih will diminish with the growth of ice layer.

Despite the impressive performance of deep neural networks on many different vision tasks, they have been known to be vulnerable to intentionally added noise to input images. To combat these adversarial examples (AEs), improving the adversarial robustness of models has emerged as an important research topic, and research has been conducted in various directions including adversarial training, image denoising, and adversarial purification. Among them, this paper focuses on adversarial purification, which is a kind of pre-processing that removes noise before AEs enter a classification model. The advantage of adversarial purification is that it can improve robustness without affecting the model’s nature, while another defense techniques like adversarial training suffer from a decrease in model accuracy. Our proposed purification framework utilizes a Convolutional Autoencoder as a base model to capture the features of images and their spatial structure. We further aim to improve the adversarial robustness of our purification model by distilling the knowledge from teacher models. To this end, we train two Convolutional Autoencoders (teachers), one with adversarial training and the other with normal training. Then, through ensemble knowledge distillation, we transfer the ability of denoising and restoring of original images to the student model (purification model). Our extensive experiments confirm that our student model achieves high purification performance(i.e., how accurately a pre-trained classification model classifies purified images). The ablation study confirms the positive effect of our idea of ensemble knowledge distillation from two teachers on performance.

The binding affinity of trastuzumab and pertuzumab to HER2 has been studied using both experimental and in-silico methods. The experiments were conducted using the antibodies in their complete IgG form, as used in clinical therapy, and the extracellular domain of the HER2 protein in solution. This approach provides a precise, reproducible, and reliable view of the interaction between them in physiological conditions. Dynamic light scattering and size exclusion chromatography coupled with tetra detection were utilized to characterize the protein complexes, measure their concentrations, and calculate the equilibrium free binding energy, ΔGbind. In addition, PRODIGY, a QSAR-like model with excellent predictive ability, was employed to obtain in-silico ΔGbind estimations. The results obtained indicate that pertuzumab exhibits a slightly higher binding affinity to HER2 than trastuzumab. The difference in binding affinity was explained based on the contribution of the different interfacial contact (IC) descriptors to the ΔGbind value estimated by the PRODIGY model. Furthermore, experiments revealed that the pertuzumab IgG antibody binds preferentially to two HER2 proteins, one per Fab fragment, while trastuzumab mainly forms a monovalent complex. This finding was interpreted based on a geometrical model that identified steric crowding in the trastuzumab-HER2 complex as compared to the pertuzumab-HER2 complex.

Precise binding affinity predictions are essential for structure-based drug discovery (SBDD). Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a member of the tyrosine kinase protein family and is overexpressed in a variety of human malignancies. Inhibition of FAK using small molecules is a promising therapeutic option for several types of cancer. Here, we conducted computational modeling of FAK targeting inhibitors using 3-dimensional structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR), molecular dynamics (MD), and hybrid topology-based free energy perturbation (FEP) methods. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies between the physicochemical descriptors and inhibitory activities of the chemical compounds were performed with reasonable statistical accuracy using CoMFA and CoMSIA. These are two well-known 3D-QSAR methods based on the principle of supervised machine learning (ML). Essential information regarding residue-specific binding interactions was determined using the MD and MM-PB/GBSA methods. Finally, physics-based relative binding free energy (〖∆∆G〗_RBFE^(A→B)) values of analogous ligands were estimated using the alchemical FEP simulation. An acceptable agreement was observed between the experimental and computed relative binding free energies. The overall results using ML and physics-based hybrid approaches could be useful for the rational optimization of accessible lead compounds with similar scaffolds targeting the FAK receptor.

The energy efficiency of ice hockey arenas is a central concern for the administrations, as these buildings are well known to consume a large amount of energy. Since they are composite, complex systems, solutions to such a problem can be approached from many different areas, from managerial to technological to more strictly physical. In this paper we consider heat transfer processes in an ice hockey hall, during operating conditions, with a bottom-up approach based upon on-site measurements. Detailed heat flux, relative humidity and temperature data for the ice pad and the indoor air are used for a heat balance calculation in the steady-state regime, which quantifies the impact of each single heat source. We then solve the heat conduction equation for the ice pad in transient regime, and obtain a generic analytical formula for the temperature profile that can be used in practical applications. We then apply this formula to the resurfacing process for validation, and find good agreement with an analogous numerical solution. Since it is given with implicit initial condition and boundary conditions, it can be used not only in ice hockey halls, but in a large variety of engineering applications.

Three finger toxins (3FTX) are a group of peptides that affect multiple receptor types. One group of proteins affected by 3FTX are nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). Structural information on how neurotoxins interact with nAChR is limited and are confined to a small group of neurotoxins. Therefore, in silico methods are valuable in understanding the interactions between 3FTX and different nAChR subtypes, but there are no established protocols to model 3FTX – nAChR interactions. We developed a homology modeling and protein docking protocol to address this issue and tested its success on three different systems. First, neurotoxin peptides co-crystallized with acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) were re-docked to assess whether Rosetta protein – protein docking can reproduce the native poses. Second, experimental data on peptide binding to AChBP was used to test whether the docking protocol can qualitatively distinguish AChBP-binders from non-binders. Finally, we docked eight peptides with known α7 and muscle-type nAChR binding properties to test whether the protocol can explain the differential activities of the peptides at the two receptor subtypes. Overall, our docking protocol succeeded in predicting both qualitative and specific aspects of 3FTX binding to nAChR and shed light on some unknown aspects of 3FTX binding to different receptor subtypes.

Abstract: A. baumannii exhibits resilience in harsh environments and progressively develops resistance to diverse antibacterial agents over time. This adaptability poses a significant challenge in treating an infection caused by this bacterium within healthcare settings. The presence of peptidoglycan, a crucial precursor for cell wall synthesis, contributes to this challenge. Peptidoglycan serves not only as a structural support in bacterial cells but also provides protection against adverse environmental conditions. The synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer involves a group of substrates such as N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc), within a three-partitioned process occurring in the membrane, periplasmic space, and cytoplasm of each bacterium. Initiated in the cytoplasm and extending to the inner cell membrane, this synthesis starts with the production of nucleotide precursors. The first step involves the synthesis of UDP-GlcNAc, orchestrated by Glm (GlmS, GlmM, and GlmU) enzymes using fructose-6-phosphate. Subsequently, enzymes from the Mur family, namely MurB, MurA, MurD, MurC, MurI, MurF, and MurE, synthesize UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide (UDP-Mpp) from UDP-GlcNAc. Concurrently, on the cytosolic side, the production of membrane-surrounded undecaprenyl phosphate occurs, involving membrane-side proteins MraY and MurG in the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan. This review emphasizes updated information on Mur family proteins, encompassing physicochemical properties, nature of binding site, number and type of binding site residues, functional domain details, three-dimensional structural aspects, and their functions within bacterial cells. Special attention is directed towards their enzymatic role in peptidoglycan biosynthesis due to the limited availability of precursors in the market. Additionally, the review provides a comprehensive summary of existing inhibitors and ongoing efforts in identifying new targeted inhibitors, recognizing these enzymes as potential candidates for antibacterial drug design and discovery.

Membranes are a selective barrier that allows certain species (molecules and ions) to pass through while blocking others. Some rely on size exclusion, where larger molecules get stuck while smaller ones permeate through. Others use differences in charge or polarity to attract and repel specific species. Membranes can be used to purify air and water by allowing only air and water molecules to pass through but preventing contaminants such as microorganisms and particles or to separate target gas or vapor, such as H2, CO₂, from other gases. The higher the flux and selectivity, the better a material is for membranes. The desirable performance can be tuned through material type (polymers, ceramics, and biobased materials), microstructure (porosity and tortuosity), and surface chemistry. Most membranes are made from plastic from petroleum-based resources, which contribute to global climate change and plastic pollution. Cellulose can be an alternative sustainable resource to make renewable membranes. Cellulose exists in plant cell walls as natural fibers, which can be broken down into smaller components such as cellulose fibrils, nanofibrils, nanocrystals, and cellulose macromolecules through mechanical and chemical processing. Membranes made from reassembling these particles and molecules have variable pore architecture, porosity, and separation properties and therefore have a wide range of applications in nano-, micro-, and ultrafiltration or forward osmosis. Despite their advantages, cellulose membranes face some challenges. Improving the selectivity of membranes for specific molecules often comes at the expense of permeability. The stability of cellulose membranes in harsh environments or under continuous operation needs further improvement. Research is ongoing to address these challenges and develop advanced cellulose membranes with enhanced performance. This article reviews the microstructure, fabrication methods, and potential applications of cellulose membranes, providing some critical insights into processing-structure-property relationships for current state-of-the-art cellulosic membranes that could be used to rationally improve their performance.

Bacteria can colonize and develop biofilm on a large variety of biotic and abiotic materials, it is accountable for nosocomial infections and chronic illness and consequently, it is a serious economic and public health problem. Staphylococcus epidermidis, thanks to its ability to form biofilm and colonize biomaterials, represents the most frequent causative agent involved in bio-film-associated infections of medical devices. Due to the biofilm presence, S. epidermidis infections are extremely difficult to treat and the research of new molecules able to interfere with its biofilm formation has a remarkable interest. In the present work, the attention was focused on Pseudomonas sp. TAE6080, an Antarctic marine bacterium able to produce and secrete an effective antibiofilm compound. The molecule responsible for this activity was purified by an activity-guided approach and it resulted to be a periplasmic protein, named Cold-Azurin. The Cold-Azurin was recombinantly produced in E. coli and purified. The recombinant protein was able to impair S. epidermidis attachment to the polystyrene surface and effectively prevent biofilm formation.

The present study aimed to investigate influence of genotypic differences to zinc and iron agronomic biofortification responses among yield of finger millet. A field experiment was conducted over two seasons in farmers’ fields in Ethiopia (2019, 2020). The experimental design had 15 treatment combinations comprising 3 finger millet varieties and application of different combinations of zinc and iron mineral fertilizers. 5 soil-applied fertilizer treatments (20 kg h-1 FeSO4 + 25 kg h-1 ZnSO4 + NPKS, 25 kg h-1 ZnSO4 + NPKS, 20 kg h-1 FeSO4 + NPKS, NPKS, and 30% NPKS), at 2 locations (Gojjam and Arsi Negelle, Ethiopia), and two 2 slope positions (Foot and hill), replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. Grain yield and biomass were evaluated on plot basis. Plant height, total and productive tiller number, finger length of the longest spike and number of fingers per main ear were measured at maturity stage. The combined soil application of FeSO47H2O and ZnSO47H2O increased yield to Meba variety by 51.6%. Also, ZnSO47H2O fertilizer application increased yield to Urji variety by 27.6%. About 18.3% of yield enhancement of Diga-01 variety was achieved due to the FeSO47H2O fertilizers application. The findings of the present study suggests that the influence of Zn and Fe agronomic biofortification on yield of finger millet could be affected by genotype differences and environmental conditions.

Article contents the analytical model of the drift of a separate ice field under action of wind and current, which velocities and directions can vary during time. Model takes into account the mass of ice, added mass of sea water and the effects of the wind and current on the ice field in form the friction on its upper and underwater surfaces and frontal resistance on its end (forward and backward) surfaces. Results of performed the steady wind drift of the ice fields modelling show the drift velocity exceeds considerable known velocity of a compact ice cover wind drift. Drifting ice field has the certain kinetic energy that should be released when collision with unmovable obstacle and spent on brittle breakdown of part of the ice field. Volume of formed small ice pieces (fragments of ice field) was estimated by comparison of the specific energy of the sea ice brittle destruction and the kinetic energy of drifting ice field. Article presents the results of estimation of possible volume of the ice pieces and the scales of formed piles as result of collision with an obstacle depending on initial dimensions of ice field and wind speed. Developed models and the results of computer modelling can be used to estimate the ice pile sizes near the stationary platforms and terminals on the Arctic seas.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of the addition of inulin and the replacement of part of inulin with apple fiber on the physicochemical and organoleptic properties. Moreover, the survival of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus was studied in sheep milk ice cream. There was no effect of apple fiber and the type of bacteria on the number of bacteria of the probiotics after fermentation. As a result of freezing, mixture containing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis Bb-12, there was a significant reduction in the bacterial from 0.39 log cfu g −1 to 0.46 log cfu g −1. In all ice cream on the 21st day of storage, it exceeded 10 log cfu g –1, which means that the ice cream retained the status of probiotic products. The Lactobacillus rhamnosus ice cream showed a lower yellow colour compared to the Bifidobacterium Bb-12 ice cream. The overrun of sheep's milk ice cream was within a range from 78.50% to 80.41%. The appearance of sheep's milk ice cream is influenced considerably by the addition of fiber and the type of bacteria and the interaction between the type of bacteria and the addition of fiber and storage time and fiber.

Acanthopanax senticosus(rupr. rt. Maxim.; AS) is a medicinal plant used in the clinical treatment of cerebrovascular diseases and central nervous system disorders, significantly improving blood lipid levels and endothelial cell function in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Isofraxidin, one of the active ingredients of AS, is the core of the medical effects, and its extraction and purification depend on organic solvents. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) is a new green solvent, synthesized by intermolecular hydrogen bonding between hydrogen bond donors (HBD) and hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA), which has non-toxic, high separation and purification efficiency, and environmentally friendly compared with traditional organic solvents. In this paper, DES was used for the extraction of isofraxidin from AS. The primary findings demonstrate that the DESs had a viscosity higher than that of ethanol, and even adding a tiny amount of water (about 10%) would trigger solvent redistribution, leading to a considerable reduction in solvent viscosity. In comparison to ethanol, the extraction rate of isofraxidin by DESs was 2-3 times higher. Thus, this work developed a new technique for using green extraction of isofraxidin that has some practical implications.

Acidic ostreolysin A/pleurotolysin B (OlyA/PlyB, formerly known as ostreolysin (Oly), and basic 20 kDa equinatoxins (EqTs) are cytolytic proteins isolated from the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus and the sea anemone Actinia equina, respectively. Both toxins, although from different sources, share many similar biological activities: (i) colloid-osmotic shock by forming pores in cellular and artificial membranes enriched in cholesterol and sphingomyelin; (ii) increased vascular endothelial wall permeability in vivo and perivascular oedema; (iii) dose-dependent contraction of coronary vessels; (iv) haemolysis with pronounced hyperkalaemia in vivo; (v) bradycardia, myocardial ischemia and ventricular extrasystoles accompanied by progressive fall of arterial blood pressure and respiratory arrest in rodents. Both types of toxins are haemolytic within nanomolar range concentrations, and it seems that hyperkalaemia plays an important role in toxin cardiotoxicity. However, it was observed that the haemolytically more active EqT III is less toxic than EqT I, the most toxic and least haemolytic EqT. In mice, EqT II is more than 30 times more toxic than OlyA/PlyB when applied intravenously. These observations imply that haemolysis with hyperkalaemia is not the sole cause of the lethal activity of both toxins. Additional mechanisms responsible for lethal action of the two toxins are direct effects on heart, coronary vasoconstriction and related myocardial hypoxia. In this review, we appraise the pathophysiological mechanisms related to the chemical structure of OlyA/PlyB and EqTs, as well as their toxicity.

The concept of using special electrical circuit design realize a "cold resistors", that is, an active resistor circuitry with lowered effective noise temperature, was first introduced about 80 years ago. Later on, various kinds of artificial resistors were applied in different research areas, such as gravitational wave detection, photo-amplifiers and quartz oscillators. Their proofs of concepts were experimentally proved. Unfortunately, the complete theory was not found even though several attempts had been published, sometimes with errors. In this paper, we describe a correct and complete circuit theoretical model of a cold resistor system. The results are confirmed by computer simulations. A design tools for this circuit is also shown.

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs) play crucial roles in signal transduction, cell differentiation, and transcriptional regulation. Many disrupted genes associated with mental disorders are identified as IDPs, and emerging evidence suggests the functional role of IDPs in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, few studies comprehensively explore the functional association between protein disorder properties and different mental diseases. To address this gap, we collected disrupted gene sets for seven mental diseases (MDD, SCZ, BP, ID, AD, ADHD, ASD) and a control gene set from normal brains using DisGeNET and GeneCards databases. The state-of-the-art predictor IUPred2A was then utilized to calculate the disorder properties , followed by a thorough comparison between the disordered proteins in mental diseases and healthy controls. Functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction networks were conducted to investigate the IDPs’ functional roles in psychiatric diseases. Additionally, we demonstrated the role of IDPs in protein binding formations through a case study of alpha-synuclein using protein docking. Our findings reveal that differentially expressed proteins in mental disorders, especially in ASD and ADHD, exhibit more IDPs than those in healthy controls. IDPs in psychiatric disorders are significantly enriched in neurodevelopmental pathways and play an important role in in gene expression regulation. Our results indicate distinct functional patterns of disorder proteins among mental diseases and healthy controls. When comparing the IDPs between ASD and ADHD, we observed that IDPs in ADHD are more likely linked to the synaptic signaling and regulation, while IDPs in ASD are more tendentiously related to diverse and complex biological processes. Our work offers valuable insights into the important functions of IDPs in psychiatric disorders, enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in psychiatric disorders.

Nonporous corundum powder, known as an abrasive material in the industry, was functionalized covalently with protein binders to isolate and enrich specific proteins from complex matrices. The materials based on corundum were characterized by TEM, ESEM, BET, DLS, and zeta potential measurements. The strong Al-O-P bonds between the corundum surface and amino phosphonic acids are used to introduce functional groups for further conjugations. The common crosslinker glutaraldehyde was compared with a hyperbranched polyglycerol (PG) of around 10 kDa. The latter is oxidized with periodate to generate aldehyde groups that can covalently react with the amines of the surface and the amino groups from the protein via a reductive amination process. The amount of bound protein was quantified via aromatic amino acid analysis (AAAA). This work shows that oxidized polyglycerol can be used as an alternative to glutaraldehyde. With polyglycerol, more of the model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) could be attached to the surface under the same conditions, and lower nonspecific binding (NSB) was observed. As a proof of concept, IgG was extracted with protein A from crude human plasma. The purity of the product was examined by SDS-PAGE. A binding capacity of 1.8 mg IgG per g of corundum powder was achieved. The advantages of corundum are the very low price, extremely high physical and chemical stability, pressure resistance, favorable binding kinetics, and flexible application.

Prosthetic attack is a problem that must be prevented in the current finger vein recognition application. To solve this problem, a finger vein living detection system was established in this article. The system first captures short-term static finger vein video by uniform near-infrared lighting, segments the veins by Gabor filters with current removing, calculates the multi-Scale spatial-Temporal maps(MSTmap) from the selected vein blocks, and trains the MSTmaps in the proposed Light-ViT network for the liveness detection. The MS maps are used to extract the coarse feature and Light-ViT is used to refine the liveness feature and predict the liveness result. Light-ViT, featuring an enhanced L-ViT backbone as its core, is constructed by interleaving multiple MN blocks and L-ViT blocks. This architecture effectively balances the learning of local image features, controls network parameter complexity, and substantially improves the accuracy of liveness detection. The accuracy of the Light-ViT network is verified to be 99.63% on the self-made living / prosthetic finger vein video dataset. This proposed system can also be directly applied to the finger vein recognition terminal after the model lightweighting.

Cervical cancer is caused by a persistent and high-grade infection, caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which, when entering cervical cells, alters their physiology and generates serious lesions. HPV 18 - is among those most involved in carcinogenesis in this region, but there are still no drug treatments that cause cure or total remission of lesions caused by HPV. Knowing that L-Asparaginase is an amidohydrolase, which plays a significant role in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in the treatment of specific cancers, due to its antitumor properties, some studies have demonstrated its cytotoxic effect against cervical cancer cells. However, the commercial version of this enzyme has side effects, such as hypersensitivity, allergic reactions and silent inactivation due to the formation of antibodies. To mitigate these adverse effects, several alternatives have been explored, including the use of L-asparaginase from other microbiological sources, which is the case with the use of the fungus Aspergillus niger, a high producer of L-asparaginase. The study investigated the influence of the type of fermentation, precipitant, purification, characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity of L-asparaginase. The results revealed that semisolid fermentation produced higher enzymatic activity and protein concentration of A. niger. The characterized enzyme showed excellent stability at pH 9.0, temperature of 50ºC, resistance to surfactants and metallic ions, and an increase in enzymatic activity was also noted with the organic solvent ethanol. Furthermore, it exhibited low cytotoxicity in GM and RAW cells, and significant cytotoxicity in HeLa cells. These findings indicate that L-asparaginase derived from Aspergillus niger may be a promising alternative for pharmaceutical production. Its attributes, including stability, activity and low toxicity in healthy cells, suggest that this modified enzyme could overcome challenges associated with antitumor therapy.

A recently developed thermodynamic theory for the determination of the driving force of crystallization and the crystal–melt surface tension is applied to the ice–water system employing the new Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater TEOS-10. The deviations of approximative formulations of the driving force and the surface tension from the exact reference properties are quantified, showing that the proposed simplifications are applicable for low to moderate undercooling and pressure differences to the respective equilibrium state of water. The TEOS-10 based predictions of the ice crystallization rate revealed pressure-induced deceleration of ice nucleation with an increasing pressure, and acceleration of ice nucleation by pressure decrease. This result is in, at least, qualitative agreement with laboratory experiments and computer simulations. Both the temperature and pressure dependencies of the ice–water surface tension were found to be in line with the le Chatelier–Braun principle, in that the surface tension decreases upon increasing degree of metastability of water (by decreasing temperature and pressure), which favors nucleation to move the system back to a stable state. The reason for this behavior is discussed. Finally, the Kauzmann temperature of the ice–water system was found to amount TK=116K, which is far below the temperature of homogeneous freezing. The Kauzmann pressure was found to amount pK=-212MPa, suggesting favor of homogeneous freezing upon exerting a negative pressure on the liquid. In terms of thermodynamic properties entering the theory, the reason for the negative Kauzmann pressure is the higher mass density of water in comparison to ice at the melting point.

ICEpMERPH, the first integrative conjugative element [ICE] of the SXT/R391 family isolated in the United Kingdom and Europe was analyzed to determine the nature of its adaptive functions, its genetic structure and homology to related elements normally found in pathogenic Vibrio or Proteus species. Whole Genome Sequencing of Escherichia coli isolate KH802 [which contains the ICE pMERPH] was carried out using Illumina sequencing technology. ICEpMERPH has a size of 110 Kb and has 112 putative open reading frames [ORFs], the “Hotspot regions” of the element were found to contain putative restriction digestion systems, insertion sequences and heavy metal resistance genes that encode resistance to mercury, as previously reported but also surprisingly to arsenate. A novel arsenate resistance system was identified in Hotspot 4 of the element, and unrelated to other SXT/R391 elements. This arsenate resistance system is potentially linked to two genes, orf 69, encoding an organoarsenical efflux MFS transporter-like protein related to ArsJ and orf70, encoding an NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Phenotypic analysis using isogenic strains of AB1157 with and without the ICE revealed resistance to low levels of arsenate in the range 15-25 mM. This novel, low level resistance may have an important adaptive function in polluted environments, which often contain low levels of arsenate contamination. Bioinformatic analysis on the novel determinant and the phylogeny of ICEpMERPH is presented.

Background: Pediatric mallet finger injuries lack specific treatment guidelines, necessitating an exploration of effective techniques. Our aim was to evaluate the outcomes of the extension block technique in adolescent mallet finger management. Methods: A comprehensive retrospective analysis was conducted involving 36 adolescents who underwent surgery between 2014 and 2022. Ishiguro’s extension block pinning technique was the primary method employed. Treatment outcomes were evaluated using Crawford's criteria, and complications were also assessed. Results: Bone union was achieved in all cases with a mean union time of 42 days (range: 30-92 days). According to Crawford's criteria, 27 cases (75%) were classified as excellent, 5 cases (14%) as good, and 4 cases (11%) as fair. Minimal complications were observed, including three cases (8%) of superficial infections, one case (3%) of dermal necrosis, and another rare instance (3%) of osteomyelitis. No cases of poor outcomes or significant long-term complications were noted. The average follow-up period was 8.6 months (range: 2-42 months). Conclusions: Ishiguro’s extension block technique is a promising surgical option for adolescent mallet fingers. Its adoption could enhance pediatric orthopedic care, offering a valuable child-friendly treatment alternative.

The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus and can be transmitted through an infected mosquito bite or through human-to-human interaction by sexual activity, blood transfusion, breastfeeding or perinatal exposure. After the 2015-2016 outbreak in Brazil, a strong link between ZIKV infection and microcephaly emerged. ZIKV specifically targets human neural progenitor cells, suggesting that proteins encoded by ZIKV bind and inactivate host cell proteins leading to microcephaly. Here, we present a systematic annotation of interactions between human proteins and the seven non-structural ZIKV proteins corresponding to a Brazilian isolate. The interaction network was generated by combining tandem-affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry with yeast two-hybrid screens. We identified 150 human proteins, involved in distinct biological processes, as interactors to ZIKV non-structural proteins. Our interacting network is composed of proteins that have been previously associated with microcephaly in human genetic disorders and/or animal models. This study builds on previously published interacting networks of ZIKV and genes related to autosomal recessive primary microcephaly to generate a catalog of human cellular targets of ZIKV proteins implicated in processes related to microcephaly in humans. Collectively, this data can be used as a resource for future characterization of ZIKV infection biology and help create a basis for the discovery of drugs which may disrupt the interaction and reduce the health damage to the fetus.

Thin supported inorganic mesoporous membranes are used for removal of salts, small molecules (PFAS, dyes, polyanions) and particulate species (oil droplets) from aqueous sources with high flux and selectivity. Nano-filtration membranes can reject simple salts with 80-100% selectivity through a space charge mechanism. Rejection by size selectivity can be near 100% since the membranes can have a very narrow size distribution. Mesoporous membranes have received par-ticular interest due to their (potential) stability at operational conditions and defouling operations. More recently membranes with extreme stability became interesting with the advent of in-situ fouling mitigation by means of ultrasound, emitted from within the membrane structure. For this reason we explored the stability of available and new membranes with accelerated lifetime tests in aqueous solutions at various temperatures and pH values. Of the available ceria, titania, mag-netite membranes none were actually stable at all test conditions. In earlier work, it was already established that meso-porous alumina membranes have very poor stability. A new nano-filtration membrane was made of cubic zirconia membranes that exhibited a near perfect stability. A new ultra-filtration membrane was made of amorphous silica that was fully stable in ultrapure water at 80°C. This work provides details of membrane synthesis, stability characterization and actual sta-bility data.

Industries are required to utilize treatment technologies to reduce contaminants in wastewater prior discharge and valorize by-products to increase sustainability and competitiveness. Most acid leaching gypsum purification studies have obviated the treatment of the highly acidic wastewater produced. In this work, acidic wastewater from acid leaching purification of post-consumer gypsum was treated to recover a valuable solid product and reusable water. The main aims of this work were to determine the impact of recirculating acidic and treated wastewaters on the efficiency of the acid leaching purification process and to valorize the impurities in the wastewater. Samples were characterized through X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. SimaPro 9.5 and ReCiPe 2016 midpoint method were used for the life cycle assessment of three wastewater management approaches. The reuse of the acidic wastewater did not improve the chemical purity of gypsum. Soluble impurities were precipitated at pH 10.5 as a magnesium-rich gypsum that could be commercialized as fertilizer or soil ameliorant. The alkaline treated water was reused for 6 acid leaching purification cycles without impacting the efficiency of the purification process. An acid leaching-neutralization-filtration-precipitation approach demonstrated superior overall environmental performance. Barriers and enabling measures for the implementation of an in-house wastewater treatment were identified.

Speckle Plethysmography (SPG) and Photoplethysmography (PPG) are different biophotonics technologies that allow for measurement of hemodynamics. As the difference between SPG and PPG under low perfusion conditions is not fully understood, a Cold Pressor Test (CPT) was used to modulate blood pressure and peripheral circulation. A custom-built setup simultaneously derived SPG and PPG from the same video streams at two wavelengths (639 nm and 850 nm). SPG and PPG were measured at right index finger location before and during CPT using finger Arterial Pressure (fiAP) as reference. The effect of CPT on Alternating Component amplitude (AC) and Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR) of dual-wavelength SPG and PPG signals was analysed across participants. Furthermore, waveform differences between SPG, PPG, and fiAP based on frequency harmonic ratios, were analysed for each subject (n=10). Both PPG and SPG at 850 nm show a significant reduction during CPT for both AC and SNR. However, SPG showed significantly higher and more stable SNR than PPG in both study phases. Harmonic ratios were found substantially higher in SPG than PPG. Therefore, in low perfusion conditions, SPG seems to offer a more robust pulse wave monitoring with higher harmonic ratios than PPG.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a rare condition characterized by destruction of red blood cells with and without involvement of complement. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia less than 50% of patients remain in a long-term remission following initial steroid therapy and subsequent therapies are required. Cold agglutinin disease is a clonal hematologic disorder which requires therapy in majority of patients and responds poorly to steroids and alkylators. Rituximab has a favorable toxicity profile and has demonstrated efficacy in autoimmune hemolytic anemia in first line as well as relapsed setting. Rituximab is the preferred therapy for steroid refractory wAIHA and as part of the first- and second-line treatment of cold agglutinin disease. This article reviews the mechanism of action of the rituximab and current literature its role in management of primary and secondary warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia and cold agglutinin disease.

Plants have evolved tightly regulated strategies to adapt and acclimate to a changing environment to ensure their survival. Various environmental factors affect plant distribution, growth and yield. Low temperature belongs to those abiotic factors which significantly constrain range boundaries of plant species. Exposing plants to low but non-freezing temperature induces a multigenic processes termed cold acclimation, which finally results in an increased freezing tolerance. Cold acclimation comprises reprogramming of the transcriptome, proteome and metabolome and affects communication and signaling between subcellular organelles. Reprogramming of the central carbohydrate metabolism plays a key role in cold acclimation. This review summarizes current knowledge about the role of carbohydrate metabolism in plant cold acclimation. A focus is laid on subcellular metabolic reprogramming, its thermodynamic constraints under low temperature and mathematical modelling of metabolism.

In the intricate dance between viruses and host cells, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) serve as crucial orchestrators of gene expression and cellular processes. We will delve into the riveting realm of viral hijacking, where viruses deftly exploit host RBPs to manipulate cellular machinery for their replication and pathogenesis. Through a masterstroke of molecular subterfuge, viruses co-opt RBPs involved in various facets of RNA metabolism - from transcription to degradation - to promote viral gene expression and evade host immune defenses. This manipulation leads to global alterations in cellular RNA metabolism, impacting essential host genes vital for immune responses and homeostasis.Unveiling this clandestine alliance between viruses and RBPs is not just a scientific pursuit, but a critical imperative for devising innovative antiviral strategies to disrupt these interactions. By unraveling the intricate interplay between viral proteins and host RBPs throughout the viral life cycle - from entry to assembly - researchers aim to identify vulnerabilities that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention. Strategies such as disrupting viral protein-RBP interactions hold promise for inhibiting viral replication and curbing pathogenesis, offering a beacon of hope in the battle against viral infections.Our manuscript elucidates the indispensable roles played by RBPs in viral replication, translation, and pathogenesis, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms driving viral success. Delving deeper, it explores how viruses intricately entwine with host RBPs, manipulating cellular signaling pathways to create a hospitable environment for viral spread. By dissecting these manipulative tactics, researchers uncover new targets for antiviral therapy, envisioning a future where tailored interventions disrupt viral-host RBP interactions with precision and efficacy.As the narrative unfolds, the therapeutic implications of targeting RBPs or their interactions with viral proteins emerge as a promising frontier in the fight against viral infections. From small molecule inhibitors to RNA-based therapeutics, innovative approaches are on the horizon, offering new avenues for combatting viral diseases. We set the stage for future research, beckoning researchers to delve deeper into the molecular intricacies of viral hijacking of RBPs and charting a course towards novel therapeutic interventions that promise to reshape the landscape of antiviral therapy.\Ultimately, it beckons the scientific community to embark on a voyage of discovery, unraveling the secrets of viral hijacking of RBPs and paving the way for transformative advances in antiviral therapeutics. The stage is set for a new chapter in the battle against viral infections, where knowledge becomes the sword and innovation the shield against the pernicious machinations of viral pathogens.

The recent pandemic has greatly stressed supply chains, treatment modalities, and medical resources. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been used for a wide range of applications in biomedical engineering due to its many components including electrons, charged particles, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), free radicals, ultraviolet (UV) photons, molecules, electromagnetic fields, physical forces, and electric fields. In this manuscript, we develop CAP devices for COVID-19. Our manuscript indicates the advantages of highlydeployable CAP devices for both sanitation and treatment, without the need for supply chains of special consumables such as hand sanitizers and the like. We hope that this timely research will help engage the broader community of engineers that wish to help the medical community with this pandemic and to prevent and treat future outbreaks.

Drug-target affinity (DTA) prediction is crucial for understanding molecular interactions and aiding drug discovery and development. While various computational methods have been proposed for DTA prediction, their predictive accuracy remains limited, failing to delve into the structural nuances of interactions. With increasingly accurate and accessible structure prediction of targets, we developed a novel deep learning model, named S2DTA, to accurately predict DTA by fusing sequence and structural knowledge of drugs, targets, and pockets using heterogeneous models based on graph and semantic networks. Experimental findings underscored that complex feature representations imparted negligible enhancements to the model’s performance. However, the integration of heterogeneous models demonstrably bolstered predictive accuracy. In comparison to three state-of-the-art methodologies, the supremacy of S2DTA became strikingly apparent. It showcased a noteworthy 25.2% reduction in Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and an impressive 20.1% decrease in Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). Furthermore, S2DTA exhibited substantial advancements in other pivotal metrics, including Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC), Spearman, Concordance Index (CI), and R2. These metrics experienced remarkable increments of at least 19.6%, 17.5%, 8.1%, and a remarkable 49.4%, respectively. Finally, we conducted interpretability analysis on the effectiveness of S2DTA by bidirectional self-attention mechanism, fully proving that S2DTA is a valuable and accurate tool for predicting DTA. For further exploration, the source data and code repository can be accessed at https://github.com/dldxzx/S2DTA.

Two novel sizable multicharged cationic complexes, of the formulae [(η6-[12]CPP)[Ru(η5-Cp)]12]Χ12 and [(η6-[11]CPP)[Ru(η5-Cp)]11]Χ11, CPP= cycloparaphenylene, Cp = cyclopentadienyl, X = [PF6]-, (1), (3) and [Cl]-, (2), (4), were synthesized and characterized using NMR techniques, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and elemental analyses. The complexes, (1) and (3) were stable in acetone and acetonitrile solutions over 48 h. In contrast, the water-soluble, (2) and (4), begins to decompose in aqueous media after 1h, due to the [Cl]- tendency for nucleophilic attack on ruthenium of the {Ru(η5-Cp)} units. Fluorescence quenching experiments conducted during the stability window of (2) with the d(5′-CGCGAATTCGCG-3′)2-EtBr adducts, revealed remarkably high values for Ksv = 1.185 × 104 ± 0.025 M-1 and Kb = 3.162 × 105 ± 0.001 M-1. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity of (2) against A2780, A2780res, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines shows that it is highly cytotoxic with IC50 values in the range of 4.76 ± 1.85 to 16 ± 0.81 μΜ.

Prediction of protein-ligand binding affinities is crucial for computational drug discovery. A number of deep learning approaches have been developed in recent years to improve the accuracy of such affinity prediction. While the predicting power of these systems have advanced to some degrees depending on the dataset used for model training and testing, the effects of the quality and quantity of the underlying data have not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we employed erroneous datasets and data subsets of different sizes, created from one of the largest databases of experimental binding affinities, to train and evaluate a deep learning system based on convolutional neural networks. Our results show that data quality and quantity do have significant impacts on the prediction performance of trained models. Depending on the variations in data quality and quantity, the performance discrepancies could be comparable to or even larger than those observed among different deep learning approaches. In particular, the presence of proteins during model training leads to a dramatic increase in prediction accuracy. This implies that continued accumulation of high-quality affinity data, especially for new protein targets, is indispensable for improving deep learning models to better predict protein-ligand binding affinities.

True contact between solids with randomly rough surfaces tends to occur at a large number of microscopic contact patches. So far, two scaling regimes have been identified for the number density n(A) of contact-patch sizes A in elastic, non-adhesive, self-affine contacts. At small A, n(A) is approximately constant, while n(A) decreases as a power law at large A. Using Green’s function molecular dynamics, we identify a characteristic (maximum) contact area Ac above which a superexponential decay of n(A) becomes apparent if the contact pressure is below the pressure p_cp at which contact percolates. We also find that A_c increases with load relatively slowly far away from contact percolation. Results for A_c can be estimated from the stress autocorrelation function G_σσ (r) with the following argument: the radius of characteristic contact patches, r_c, cannot be so large that G_σσ (r_c) is much less than p_c². Our findings provide a possible mechanism for the breakdown of the proportionality between friction and wear with load at large contact pressures and/or for surfaces with a large roll-off wavelength.

The genus Flavivirus contains pathogenic vertebrate-infecting flaviviruses (VIFs) and in-sect-specific flaviviruses (ISF). ISF transmission to vertebrates is inhibited at multiple stages of the cellular infection cycle, via yet to be elucidated specific antiviral responses. The Zinc-finger an-tiviral protein (ZAP) in vertebrate cells can bind CpG dinucleotides in viral RNA, limiting virus replication. Interestingly, the genomes of ISFs contain more CpG dinucleotides compared to VIFs. In this study, we investigated whether ZAP prevents two recently discovered lineage II ISFs, Binjari (BinJV) and Hidden Valley viruses (HVV) from replicating in vertebrate cells. BinJV protein and dsRNA replication intermediates were readily observed in human ZAP knockout cells when cultured at 34 ˚C. In ZAP expressing cells, inhibition of the interferon response via interferon response factors 3/7 did not improve BinJV protein expression, whereas treatment with kinase inhibitor C16, known to reduce ZAP’s antiviral function, did. Importantly, at 34 ˚C both BinJV and HVV successfully completed the infection cycle in human ZAP knockout cells evident from infectious progeny virus in the cell culture supernatant. Therefore, we identify vertebrate ZAP as an important barrier that protects vertebrate cells from ISF infection This provides new insights into flavivirus evolution and the mechanisms associated with host switching.

The production of biodiesel through transesterification routes generates large amounts of glycerol, approximately 10 m3 for every 90 m3 of the biodiesel produced. Taking into account this scenario, the valorization of glycerol using chemical routes that could be operated in biodiesel industry constitutes a promising approach to achieve added-value products. An interesting option is the production of ethers, which can be used as fuel additives in diesel engines to improve the combustion efficiency, reducing soot emission and increasing cetane index. In this study, a purification route was applied to crude glycerol and its valorization by etherification was evaluated. The glycerol contents of purified samples were above 98% wt. The purified and commercial glycerol was used to obtain ethers. Etherification reactions were carried out with different alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol) into a batch reactor, using small amount of Amberlyst 15 as a catalyst, at autogenous pressure and solvent-free conditions. The glycerol conversion, selectivity and yield to ethers were evaluated. A glycerol conversion of 97% wt. with selectivity of 80% to monoether was obtained when using ethanol. For isopropanol, the glycerol conversion was up to 95% (76% of monoether and 22% of diether). However, the selectivity to ethers for 3-methyl-1-butanol was negligible (<3% wt.). A process simulation for purification and etherification steps integrated with a biodiesel production was assessed in terms of productivity and energy consumption, considering different scenarios of glycerol/alcohol molar ratios.

The primary screening of hybridoma cells is a time-critical and laborious step during the development of monoclonal antibodies. Often critical errors occur in this phase, which supports the notion that the generation of monoclonal antibodies with hybridoma technology is difficult to control and hence a risky venture. We think that it is crucial to improve the screening process to eliminate most of the immanent deficits of the conventional approach. With this new microarray-based procedure, several advances could be achieved: Selectivity for excellent binders, high throughput, reproducible signals, avoidance of misleading avidity (multivalency) effects, and simultaneous performance of competition experiments. The latter can directly be used to select clones of desired cross-reactivity properties. In this paper, a model system with two excellent clones against carbamazepine, two weak clones and blank supernatant has been designed to examine the effectiveness of the new system. The excellent clones could be detected largely independent of the IgG concentration, which is unknown during the clone screening since the determination and subsequent adjustment of the antibody concentration is not possible in most cases. Furthermore, in this approach, the enrichment, isolation, and purification of IgG for characterization is not necessary. Raw cell culture supernatant can be used directly, even when fetal calf serum (FCS) or other complex media had been used. In addition, an improved method for the oriented antibody-immobilization on epoxy-silanized slides is presented. Based on the results of this model system, we conclude that this approach should be preferable to most other protocols leading to many of false positives, causing expensive and lengthy confirmation steps to weed out the poor clones.

Discovery of inhibitors for endothelial-related transcription factors can contribute to the development of angiogenic therapies that treat diseases ranging from cardiovascular to cancer. The role of transcription factor Vezf1 in vascular development and regulation of angiogenesis has been defined by several earlier studies. Through construction of a computational model for Vezf1, work here has identified a novel small molecule drug capable of inhibiting Vezf1 from binding to its cognate DNA binding site. Using structure-based design and virtual screening of the NCI Diversity Compound Library, 12 shortlisted compounds were tested for their ability to interfere with the binding of Vezf1 to DNA using electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays. We identified one compound, T4, which has an IC50 of 20uM. Using murine endothelial cells, MSS31, we tested the effect of T4 on endothelial cell viability and angiogenesis by using tube formation assay. Our data show that addition of T4 in cell culture medium does not affect cell viability at concentrations lower or equal to its IC 50 but strongly inhibits the network formation by MSS31 in the tube formation assays. Given its potential efficacy, this inhibitor has significant therapeutic potential in several human diseases raging from wound healing to cancer.

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) is an ancient medicinal plant producing pharmaceutically important benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. In the present work we focused on the study of enzyme lipoxygenase (LOX, EC 1.13.11.12) from opium poppy cultures. LOX is involved in lipid peroxidation and lipoxygenase oxidation products of polyunsaturated fatty acids have a significant role in regulation of growth, development and plant defence responses to biotic or abiotic stress. The purpose of this study was to isolate and characterize LOX enzyme from opium poppy callus cultures. LOX was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by hydrophobic chromatography using Phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B and hydroxyapatite chromatography using HA Ultrogel sorbent. SDS-PAGE analysis and immunoblotting revealed that LOX from opium poppy cultures was a single monomeric protein showing the relative molecular weight of 83 kDa. To investigate the positional specificity of the LOX reaction, purified LOX was incubated with linoleic acid and the products were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. LOX converted linoleic acid primarily to 13-hydroperoxy-(9Z,11E)-octadecadienoic acids (78%) and to a lesser extent to 9-hydroperoxy-(10E,12Z)-octadecadienoic acids (22%). Characterization of LOX from opium poppy cultures provided valuable information in understanding of LOX involvement in regulation of signalling pathways leading to biosynthesis of secondary metabolites with significant biological activity.

Affinity chromatography on procainamide-Sepharose has been an important step in the purification of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) since its introduction in 1978. The procainamide affinity gel has limitations. In the present report a new affinity gel called Hupresin^® was evaluated for its ability to purify truncated, partly-deglycosylated human butyrylcholinesterase (rHuBChE) expressed in a stably transfected CHO cell line. We present a detailed example of the purification of rHuBChE secreted into 3940 mL of serum-free culture medium. The starting material contained 13,163 units of BChE activity (20.9 mg). rHuBChE was purified to homogeneity in a single step by passage over 82 mL of Hupresin^® and elution with 0.1 M tetramethylammonium bromide in 20 mM TrisCl pH 7.5. The fraction with the highest specific activity of 630 units/mg contained 11 mg of BChE. Hupresin^® is superior to procainamide-Sepharose for purification of BChE, but is not suitable for purifying native AChE because Hupresin^® binds AChE so tightly that AChE is desorbed with denaturing solvents such as 50% acetonitrile or 1% trifluoroacetic acid. Procainamide-Sepharose will continue to be useful for purification of AChE.

A simple, efficient and stand-alone method for purification of river water using moringa seed powder and copper is discussed. Coagulant property of the seed powder clears turbid raw water and the oligodynamic activity of copper completely destroys E.coli bacteria. Both raw and treated water samples were tested for contaminants to verify the efficacy of the system. Treated water has turbidity in the range 3 NTU - 5 NTU and non-detected (< 1 MPN/100 mL) E.coli count making it suitable for drinking. The technique is very cost effective and can be practiced anywhere using locally available materials. It does not require a power source or any technical assistance. Being a stand-alone system the technique exceptionally useful in providing drinking water as an immediate solution in disaster areas affected by cyclone or floods.

Sea ice extraction and segmentation of remote sensing images is the basis for sea ice monitoring. Machine learning-based image segmentation methods rely on manual sampling and require complex feature extraction. Deep-learning semantic segmentation methods have the advantages of high efficiency, intelligence, and automation. Sea ice segmentation using deep learning methods faces the following problems: in terms of datasets, the high cost of sea ice image label production leads to fewer datasets for sea ice segmentation; in terms of image quality, remote sensing image noise and Severe weather conditions affects image quality, which affects the ac-curacy of sea ice extraction. To address the quantity and quality of the dataset, this study used multiple data augmentation methods for data expansion. To improve the semantic segmentation accuracy, the SC-U2-Net network was constructed using multi-scale inflation convolution and a multi-layer Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) attention mechanism for the U2-Net network. The experiments showed that (1) data augmentation solved the problem of an insuffi-cient number of training samples to a certain extent and improved the accuracy of image seg-mentation. (2) This study designed a multilevel Gaussian noise data augmentation scheme to improve the network's ability to resist noise interference and achieve a more accurate segmenta-tion of images with different degrees of noise pollution. (3) The inclusion of a multi-scale inflation perceptron and multi-layer CBAM attention mechanism improved the ability of U2-Net network feature extraction and enhanced the model accuracy and generalization ability.

A typical vibrational spectrum in the ice phase has four separate bands: translation, libration, bending and stretching. Ice X, the final ice phase under high pressure, shows an exotic vibrational spectrum. Theoretically, an ideal crystal of ice X only has one peak at 998 cm-1 for Raman scattering and two peaks at 450 cm-1 and 1507 cm-1 for infrared absorption in this work. These three characteristic peaks are indicators of the phase transition between ice VII/VIII and ice X. Despite much experimental and theoretical work on ice X, only this study has clearly indicated these characteristic peaks in the region of the IR band. The phonon density of states shows quite different features than ice VIII, which could be verified by inelastic neutron scattering in the future. The dynamic processes of 15 vibrational normal modes are discussed and the typical hydrogen bonds are missing.

It is always a difficult task to assign the peaks recorded from vibrational spectrum. Herein we explored a new pathway of density functional theory (DFT) simulation to present three kinds of spectra of ice XIV and can be referenced as inelastic neutron scattering (INS), IR, and Raman experimental spectrum. The INS spectrum is proportional to phonon density of states (PDOS) while the photon scattering signals reflect the normal vibration frequencies near the Brillouin zone (BZ) center. Based on good agreements with experimental data, we identified the relative frequency and made scientific assignments by normal vibration modes analysis. The debating two hydrogen bond (H-bond) peaks among ice phases from INS have been discussed and the dynamic process of H-bond vibrations were found to be classified into two basic modes. we deduce that two H-bond modes are a general rule among ice family and more works are ongoing to investigate this subject.

This review analyzes the preparation and characterization of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and their application as photocatalysts for water purification. The study begins by highlighting the problem of water scarcity and the different solutions for purification, including photocatalysis with semiconductors such as MOFs. It also describes the different methodologies that can be used for the synthesis of MOFs, paying attention to the purification and activation steps. The characterization of MOFs and the different approaches that can be followed to learn on the photocatalytic processes are also detailed. Finally, the work reviews literature focused on the degradation of contaminants from water using MOF-based photocatalysts under light irradiation.

This literature review found that it is doubtful that there is water ice in the polar craters on the Moon. In the course of this review, the following findings were found: (1) The absorption strength of hydroxyl radicals and hydroxyl groups are all 2.9μm, so it is easy to confuse hydroxyl radicals and hydroxyl groups when interpreting M³ spectra data. I do not doubt the ability of LCROSS to detect OH from water, but only suspect that LCROSS is unable to distinguish between hydroxyl radicals from water ice and hydroxyl groups from Moon's methanol due to ignore their spectral identity; (2) The water brought by comets and asteroids and the one caused by solar wind has been exhausted by reacts with the widespread methanol on the Moon in the presence of Pt/α-MoC or Pt/C catalysts. These reacts form large amount of hydrogen, thus clarifying a question NASA raised that "Scientists have long speculated about the source of vast quantities of hydrogen that have been observed at the lunar poles"; (3) The vast quantities of hydrogen in lunar polar craters at extremely low temperatures might be in liquid or solid state now, easy to confuse with water ice. It seems that all our previous misconceptions about water ice in the lunar polar craters might be due to the neglect of the widespread chemical role of lunar methanol. It is necessary to conduct in-depth research in this field in the future.

This is a brief critique of the functions—particularly olfactory functions—specified for the “Chemosensory Protein” (CSPs) molecule family. On the basis of these proteins’ presence in the sensory antennal lymph of locusts, odor chemosensory ligand binding functions have been hypothesized. According to this hypothesis, the entire protein molecule superfamily is referred to as “CSPs”. However, new information and developments in the field of CSP molecular research, such as the expression of CSP genes in the gut, brain, fat body, wings, epidermis, and pheromone gland, as well as gene expression profiling from most early developmental stages—that is, CSP expression well in advance of the appearance of chemical sense nerve cells—strongly suggest that the protein molecule has other roles that are unrelated to chemosensing. Moreover, CSPs are found in bacterial microbial prokaryote organisms in addition to insects and all other arthropods. Thus, we examine the molecule’s name, definition, RNA editing, protein structure, lipid binding properties, DNA interaction, and evolutionary characteristics in brief before referring to this protein family as “Chemosensory Proteins”. As a means of renaming this protein family, this review article discusses the latest findings (“CSP” is attached to the tail of bigger intracellular proteins) and attempts to compel all the data. Because of its highly conserved molecular distinctive feature (four adjacent cysteines), we propose renaming “CSPs” as “4CSPs” (4 Cysteines Soluble Proteins) and use at least for abbreviations for distinctive animal proteins the common peptide 5-letter code, such as “Bommo-4CSPs”.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic effects involved on pepper fruit post-harvest water loss, and correlated to morphology traits. Fruits of eight landraces of C. baccatum, and their 28 hybrids, were evaluated in a randomized complete block design. Analysis of variance, diallel analysis, phenotypic and genotypic correlation were performed to compare fruit water loss (WL), width (FW), length (FL), total soluble solids (TSS), dry matter content (DMC), pericarp thickness (PT), cuticle thickness (CT), and exocarp thickness (ET). WL varied from 14 to 68% during storage. Non-additive effects played more important role than additive, including CT, EP and TSS. Effective strategies to reduce WL should be achieved by repeated backcrosses followed by selection in segregating populations (SP). Therefore, the selection of hybrids should follow high specific combining ability traits. Selecting fruits with higher CT and lower TSS values are indirectly selecting fruits with lower WL. Varieties with low WL can be breed using landraces 04 and 58 as parents or by the hybrid 04 x 44 in open lines in SP. Brazilian C. baccatum landraces are a source of genetic variability, and the SP emerging from crossing lines with reduced WL should develop new ways for conventional breeding.

The beta-galactoside-binding mammalian lectin galectin-1 can bind, via its carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), various cell surface glycoproteins and has been implicated in a range of cancers. As a consequence of binding to sugar residues on cell surface receptors it has been shown to have a pleiotropic effect across many cell types and mechanisms resulting in immune system modulation and cancer progression. As a result, it has started to become a therapeutic target for both small and large molecules. In previous studies, we have used fluorescence polarisation (FP) assays to determine KD values to screen and triage small molecule glycomimetics that bind to the galectin-1 CRD. In this study surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to compare human and mouse galectin-1 affinity measures with FP as SPR has not been applied for compound screening against this galectin. Binding affinities for a selection of mono- and di-saccharides covering a 1,000-fold range correlated well between FP and SPR assay formats for both human and mouse galectin-1. It was shown that slower dissociation drove the increased affinity at human galectin-1 whilst faster association was responsible for the effects at mouse galectin-1. This study demonstrates that SPR is a sound alternative to FP for early drug discovery screening and determining affinity estimates. Consequently, it also allows association and dissociation constants to be measured in a high throughput manner for small molecule galectin-1 inhibitors.

In recent years, there have been frequent reports on the adverse effects of synthetic cannabinoid (SC) abuse. SCs cause psychoactive effects, similar to those caused by marijuana, by binding and activating cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to establish a reliable quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model to correlate the structures and physicochemical properties of various SCs with their CB1R-binding affinities. We prepared 15 SCs and their derivatives (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], naphthoylindoles, and cyclohexylphenols) and determined their binding affinity to CB1R, which is known as a dependence-related target. We calculated the molecular descriptors for dataset compounds using an R/CDK (R package integrated with CDK, version 3.5.0) toolkit to build QSAR regression models. These models were established and statistical evaluations were performed using the mlr and plsr packages in R software. The most reliable QSAR model was obtained from the partial least squares regression method via external validation. This model can be applied in vivo to predict the addictive properties of illicit new SCs. Using a limited number of dataset compounds and our own experimental activity data, we built a QSAR model for SCs with good predictability. This QSAR modeling approach provides a novel strategy for establishing an efficient tool to predict the abuse potential of various SCs and to control their illicit use.

The fundamental theory of nuclear interactions, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), operates in terms of quarks and gluons at higher resolution. At low resolution the relevant degrees of freedom are nucleons. Two-nucleon Short-Range Correlations (SRC) help to interconnect these two descriptions. SRCs are temporary fluctuations of strongly interacting close pairs of nucleons. The distance between the two nucleons is comparable to their radii and their relative momenta are larger than the fermi sea level. According to the electron scattering experiments held in the last decade, SRCs have far-reaching impacts on many-body systems, the nucleon-nucleon interactions, and nuclear substructure. The modern experiments with ion beams and cryogenic liquid hydrogen target make it possible to study properties of the nuclear fragments after quasi-elastic knockout of a single nucleon or an SRC pair. The first SRC experiment at BM@N (2018) with a carbon beam has shown that detection of an intact 11B nucleus after interaction selects out the quasi-elastic knockout reaction with minimal contribution of initial- and final-state interactions. Also, 25 events of SRC-breakups showed agreement in SRC properties as knows from electron beam experiments. The analysis of the second measurement of SRC at BM@N held in 2022 with an improved setup is currently ongoing. The SRC project at JINR moved to a new experimental area in 2023, where the next measurement is being planned in terms of experimental setup and physics goals.