Browse Articles

A recombinant melanin-associated molecule as a novel and efficacious biologic countermeasure for acute radiation syndrome

Abstract Currently, there are no United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA)-approved radioprotectors for prophylaxis. It is of national importance that a radioprotector is developed as an addition to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), because these types of medications can help protect warfighters and first responders prepare for and complete tasks in areas of high radiation contamination. Among the agents under investigation that have natural radioprotective capability, melanins are of interest due to their ability to protect cells against ionizing radiation, acting as both a physical shield blocking the high energy waves from damaging DNA molecules and by scavenging free radicals. In this study, we present preliminary data surrounding the radioprotective efficacy of THL-FM3021, a bio-melanin–related compound recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli . Using CD2F1 mice, we investigated its toxicity, optimized its dose and administration schedule, tested its protective ability against various modes of radiation, and explored its ability to protect hematopoietic cells and induce cytokines. We found the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of THL-FM3021 as 100 mg/kg for both single and repeated doses, and the dose reduction factor to be 1.107. THL-FM3021 was found to be most effective at a dose of 50 mg/kg when administered 24 h prior to irradiation against either a cobalt-60 gamma source or a mixed-field (65% neutron 35% gamma) source from a nuclear reactor. Also, THL-FM3021 was found to induce several cytokines and improve the recovery of red blood cells, platelets, and neutrophils. Our studies indicate that this drug is a promising candidate for further development as a radioprotector.

Isotopic effect on collisional widths and shifts of Hg clock transition induced by cold Rb atoms

Abstract We study the isotopic dependence of collisional widths and shifts of the Hg clock transition $$^1$$ S $$_0$$ – $$^3$$ P $$_0$$ perturbed by the Rb atoms in the temperature range from 1 nK to 1 K. For this purpose, we model the Born-Oppenheimer effective interaction potential by including the leading long-range van der Waals coefficients. For elastic collisions, we show the connection between line shape parameters in the $${\upmu }$$ K temperature range and scattering lengths in ground and excited states as a function of reduced mass of the colliding Hg and Rb atoms. We confront the full quantum scattering calculations with a semi-classical approximation for collisional widths and shifts. We show that the shape resonances in excited and ground scattering states lead to significant variations of collisional line shape parameters with the change of the reduced mass of colliding atoms. We also indicate the possible influence of inelastic collisions, which could lead to universal behavior and significantly affect the dependence of collisional broadening and shifting on the isotopic combination of colliding atoms.

Knowledge gaps in pharmacokinetically guided drug dosing for sepsis among healthcare professionals in Türkiye

Lite-STGCN: a lightweight spatiotemporal graph convolutional network for real-time dragon and lion dance action recognition on edge devices

Shelf-life extension of refrigerated rainbow trout fillets using chitosan/gelatin bilayer film enriched with ZnO nanoparticles and tea polyphenols

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a chitosan–gelatin film incorporated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and tea polyphenols (TPs) on the bacterial count, physicochemical properties, and sensory attributes of rainbow trout during refrigerated storage. To achieve this aim, the fillets were divided into five treatment groups: (1) control (treated with distilled water); (2) chitosan–gelatin film; (3) chitosan–gelatin film with ZnO NPs; (4) chitosan–gelatin film with TPs; and (5) chitosan–gelatin film with both ZnO NPs and TPs. Then, the treated fillets were kept at 4 °C and quality analysis was performed on days 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12. Although ZnO nanoparticles generally demonstrated stronger preservative effects than tea polyphenols when applied individually, the combined incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles and tea polyphenols produced the most pronounced improvement in physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory quality during refrigerated storage. Throughout the 12-day storage period, the chitosan–gelatin/ZnO NPs-TPs composite demonstrated superior efficacy in in controlling both microbial load and lipid oxidation in rainbow trout compared to all other treatments. Sensory evaluation revealed that the experimental groups, specifically the chitosan–gelatin/ZnO NPs film on day 9 and the chitosan–gelatin/ZnO NPs-TPs film on day 12, achieved significantly greater acceptance scores than the control group. Results reveal that the enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial activity observed with the addition of ZnO NPs and TPs to chitosan–gelatin suggests this composite is a highly promising material for developing effective active packaging systems.

Secure and reliable SWIPT in active RIS-aided downlink NOMA with hardware impairments

Abstract Due to growing system complexity and the vulnerability of wireless transmissions to information leakage, maintaining secure and private communication in sixth-generation (6G) networks continues to be a significant problem. By enabling wireless power transfer to distant Internet of Things (IoT) devices while retaining low latency and high spectral efficiency, power beacons (PBs) have been acknowledged as an efficient way to increase energy efficiency simultaneously. However, non-ideal components like amplifiers, oscillators, and mixers unavoidably create hardware impairments (HIs), which can deteriorate security and dependability in practical deployments. To overcome these challenges, this work proposes a novel framework that integrates active reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (ARIS) into a secure downlink non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system. The base station (BS) is powered by an energy-harvesting device with PB assistance. In contrast to previous research, the approach specifically takes into account the influence of HIs. To assess system performance, closed-form formulae for effective secrecy throughput (EST), intercept probability (IP), and outage probability (OP) are generated. The conclusion is supported by simulation results, which demonstrate that a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) decreases OP while raising IP. Moreover, the proposed ARIS-NOMA scheme outperforms conventional ARIS-orthogonal multiple access (OMA) approaches, providing valuable insights for secure wireless system design.

Post-traumatic stress disorder in nursing students on the frontline during the first Covid-19 wave: a cross-sectional survey

Hepatitis B knowledge, attitudes, prevention practices, and associated factors among graduating health sciences students at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

COOT-CNN: joint architecture and training-strategy optimization for binary colorectal histology patch classification

Effects of 8-week chokeberry extract supplementation on nitric oxide metabolites, immune markers, and oxidative stress in elite rowers: a randomized controlled trial

Effect of filling degree on particle segregation in a rotating drum - an experimental and numerical study

Abstract Granular mixing, ubiquitous in industry, is difficult to observe. Ultrafast X-ray computed tomography is a relatively new technique that can be used to study rapid granular flows in opaque systems. A comparative study is here presented, where ultrafast X-ray computed tomography, camera and simulation with the Discrete Element Method are simultaneously used to investigate the radial segregation of 4-mm spherical polypropylene and glass beads in a rotating drum. The drum filling is varied from 20 to 50%. The granular flow and the associated segregation dynamics at the front-end wall and in the bulk are compared and good agreement among the three methods is found. Similar to unary systems, a transition from the rolling to the sliding regime, characterized by a critical dynamic angle of repose, is also reported.

Perspectives on the Future of Fundamental Sciences in Cardiovascular Medicine

Medication non-adherence, admission causes, and length of stay among patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus in a Malaysian tertiary hospital

COL1A1-Enhanced CD44/SLC7A11 Interaction and Cystine Uptake Result in CD34 ⁺ Foam-Like Macrophage Accumulation in Transplant Arteriosclerosis

BACKGROUND: Chronic transplant arteriosclerosis is the primary cause of long-term graft failure. Selectively targeting specific inflammatory macrophage subpopulations is essential for inhibiting the primary triggers of inflammatory and immune responses. Therefore, elucidating the origins and regulatory mechanisms of these macrophages in allograft arteriosclerosis is key for the development of targeted therapies. METHODS: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics or integrated transcriptomic data from human chronic allograft vasculopathy specimens and mouse vascular allograft models. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining were used to characterize macrophage subpopulations within remodeled allograft arteries. To determine cellular origins, CD34 + lineage tracing and depletion strategies were used. The interactions among COL1A1 (collagen type 1 α1), CD44, and SLC7A11 (solute carrier family 7 member 11) were analyzed using proximity ligation assays and coimmunoprecipitation. Furthermore, metabolic profiles were investigated with ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. To validate the role of cystine transport in macrophage differentiation, we used pharmacologic inhibitors and a genetic approach using myeloid-specific Slc7a11 knockout mice (Lysm- Slc7a11 -KO). The mechanisms identified in vivo were further corroborated through in vitro experiments. RESULTS: We identified a novel proinflammatory foam-like macrophage phenotype in allograft arterial adventitia. These macrophages primarily originated from bone marrow–derived CD34 + lineage cells and exhibit heightened de novo lipogenesis and proinflammatory activity. Their lipogenesis is driven by increased cystine uptake, facilitated by enhanced membrane expression of the CD44–SLC7A11 complex, which activates mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1)–HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1α) signaling. We also revealed that fibroblast-secreted COL1A1 is essential for anchoring the complex to the cell membrane through its direct interaction with CD44. Blocking COL1A1, CD44, or SLC7A11 effectively attenuated mTORC1–HIF-1α signaling, inflammation, and lipogenesis in macrophages as well as accumulation of foam-like cells and intimal hyperplasia in allograft arteries. CONCLUSIONS: This study has revealed previously uncharacterized foam-like macrophages in transplant arteriosclerosis, with COL1A1-enhanced amino acid metabolism modulating lipogenesis and foamy macrophage formation. This study offers potential therapeutic targets to modulate immune response and enhance transplant outcomes.

Valorization of slag and banana leaf ash in five natural fiber-reinforced sustainable cementitious composites: early age mechanical and microstructural insights

Correction to: 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association

Retraction Note: Anomaly detection with grid sentinel framework for electric vehicle charging stations in a smart grid environment

Loss of STMP1 Perturbs Mitochondrial Cristae and Drives Cellular Inflammation and Heart Failure

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly among the growing elderly population. In degenerative aging and autoimmune diseases, the cytoplasmic leak of mitochondrial DNA, resulting from mitochondrial cristae compromise, triggers persistent low-grade cellular inflammation through activation of the cGAS (cyclic GMP [guanosine monophosphate]–AMP [adenosine monophosphate] synthase)–STING (stimulator of interferon genes) pathway and the IFN-I (type I interferon) response. However, how and whether mitochondrial architectural components and cardiomyocyte inflammation drive cardiac aging and failure are not yet well understood. METHODS: We investigated the function of STMP1 (short transmembrane mitochondrial protein 1), a 47–amino acid nuclear-encoded mitochondrial-localized peptide featuring a distinctive GxxxGxxxG glycine zipper domain. A mouse with cardiomyocyte-specific knockout of Stmp1 ( Stmp1 -KO) was generated to investigate its role in cardiac function. We profiled the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome of Stmp1 -KO hearts to determine its functional mechanism of action. Electron microscopy was used to assess the impact of STMP1 depletion and functional rescue after adeno-associated virus 9–mediated gene restoration in the Stmp1 -KO mouse. RESULTS: STMP1 is downregulated specifically in cardiomyocytes, and not other cardiac cell types, in aged mice and humans. Genetic loss of Stmp1 in cardiomyocytes resulted in heart failure in vivo. STMP1 interacts with components of the cristae organizing complexes MICOS (mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing complex) and SAM (sorting and assembly machinery). Consequent to Stmp1 loss, mitochondrial cristae were destabilized, mitochondrial DNA was mislocalized to the cytosol, and the cGAS–STING pathway was activated, with ensuing cellular inflammation and cardiomyocyte cell death. Restoration of wild-type Stmp1 or STING inhibition significantly rescued cardiac function in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Our work reveals a mechanism connecting the micropeptide STMP1 to mitochondrial cristae architecture and cardiomyocyte cellular inflammation, both of which are present as potential drivers of heart failure and cardiac aging.

VLCEA: LLM-guided evolutionary scheduling for RCPSP via validated, hallucination-safe constraints

Left Ventricular Hypertrabeculation and Prognosis in Dilated Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrabeculation, formerly termed LV noncompaction, is a heterogeneous myocardial entity linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This study evaluated embolic risk in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) according to the presence of hypertrabeculation and examined its prevalence and prognostic relevance across DCM genotypes. METHODS: Clinical data from 1160 patients with DCM evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and genetic testing (n=997 [86%]) were collected from 22 international centers. End points included embolic events, advanced heart failure events, and major ventricular arrhythmias. RESULTS: LV hypertrabeculation was identified in 354 patients (30.5%) by fractal analysis and in 343 (29.7%) according to Petersen criteria, with good concordance. After a median follow-up of 5.1 years (interquartile range, 2.8–7.4), embolic events occurred in 37 patients (3.2%), advanced heart failure in 62 (5.3%), and major ventricular arrhythmias in 136 (11.7%). Hypertrabeculation was not associated with increased embolic risk (hazard ratio, 1.5 [95% CI, 0.75–3.00]), even among patients in sinus rhythm with LV ejection fraction ≤40% (hazard ratio, 1.89 [95% CI, 0.7–5.5]). In contrast, atrial fibrillation and reduced LV ejection fraction were associated with embolic events (both P <0.01). LV hypertrabeculation was not associated with an increased risk of major ventricular arrhythmias or advanced heart failure; genotype, LV ejection fraction, and late gadolinium enhancement emerged as the main predictors of adverse outcomes. The prevalence of LV hypertrabeculation varied across genotypes, with the highest prevalence observed in patients with sequence variants in motor sarcomeric genes (58%), TTN (38%), and genotype-negative status (33%), and the lowest prevalence observed among those with variants in cytoskeletal/Z-disk (7%) and nuclear envelope (5%) genes. Hypertrabeculation was not associated with adverse outcomes within any genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Although LV hypertrabeculation is common in DCM, it is not associated with worse outcomes and should not prompt differential clinical management. The embolic risk in patients with DCM and hypertrabeculation is low, including in those with reduced LV ejection fraction without atrial fibrillation, and does not support prophylactic anticoagulation in these patients.