Cohesin-mediated stabilization of the CCAN complex at kinetochores in mitosis.

The constitutive centromere-associated network (CCAN) of the inner kinetochore links CENP-A-containing nucleosomes of the centromere to the outer kinetochore, ensuring accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis. CCAN binding at the centromere is stabilized upon mitotic entry, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that cohesin is essential for CCAN stability.

One-Size-Fits-All: A Universal Binding Site for Single-Layer Metal Cluster Self-Assembly.

2D metal clusters maximize atom-surface interactions, making them highly attractive for energy and electronic technologies. However, their fabrication remains extremely challenging because they are thermodynamically unstable. Current methods are limited to element-specific binding sites or confinement of metals between layers, with no universal strategy achieved to date.

What would it take to prove that a chronic infection is a causal agent in Alzheimer's disease?

Accumulating evidence over several years suggests that microbial infections (e.g., bacteria, viruses, fungi) may play a role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Blood essential trace elements and Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in midlife.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline, impacting millions globally. Essential trace elements are implicated in key age-related physiologic processes but have not been fully examined with respect to AD etiology. This study investigates associations between serum levels of essential trace elements (manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, selenium, and molybdenum) and AD biomarkers (Aβ42, Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio, p-tau181, and total tau) in midlife women.

Query-Based Analysis: A Strategy for Analyzing Qualitative Data Using ChatGPT.

ChatGPT is a recently introduced artificial intelligence program that is gaining broad popularity across a number of fields, one of which is the analysis of qualitative data in health-related research. Traditionally, many forms of qualitative data have relied on a detailed process of coding the data by labeling small segments of the data, and then aggregating those codes into more meaningful themes. Instead, generative artificial intelligence programs such as ChatGPT can reverse this process by developing themes at the beginning of the analysis process and then refining them further.

Skin Staphylococcus aureus detection and relationship to atopic dermatitis outcomes using culture and metagenomic sequencing.

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) skin colonization in pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) increases risk for severe AD and development of other allergic diseases. Despite this, there is no consensus regarding the optimal method to detect SA. Studies comparing metagenomic shotgun sequencing (MSS) and culture-based methods in SA detection and relationships to AD outcomes are lacking.

Single-cell transcriptomic characterization of microscopic colitis.

Microscopic colitis (MC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine and a common cause of chronic diarrhea in older adults. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of colonic mucosal tissue to build a cellular and molecular model for MC. Our results show that in MC, there is a substantial expansion of tissue CD8 T cells, likely arising from local expansion following T cell receptor engagement.

Phosphorylation by Aurora kinase A facilitates cortical-cytoplasmic dynamics of Par-3 in asymmetric division of radial glia progenitors.

During asymmetric cell division (ACD) of radial glia progenitors (RGPs), the cortical polarity regulator Par-3 is detected in the cytoplasm colocalizing with dynein and Notch ligand DeltaD (Dld). What drives Par-3 to the cytoplasm and its impact on RGP ACD remain unknown. Here, we visualize cytoplasmic Par-3 using in vivo time-lapse imaging and find that Ser of zebrafish Par-3 is phosphorylated by Aurora kinase A (AurkA) in vitro.

Phosphate-binding pocket on cyclin B governs CDK substrate phosphorylation and mitotic timing.

Cell cycle progression is governed by complexes of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their regulatory subunits cyclin and Cks1. CDKs phosphorylate hundreds of substrates, often at multiple sites. Multisite phosphorylation depends on Cks1, which binds initial priming phosphorylation sites to promote secondary phosphorylation at other sites.

The synthesis and optical properties of Cu-In-S/ZnS nanocrystals in buffer solution for near-infrared fluorescence imaging.

In this report, we present a novel one-pot synthesis of Cu-In-S/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) in buffer solution as a facile route to biocompatible nanoscale imaging probes, with emission wavelengths as far as 675 nm in the biologically important near-infrared spectral region and quantum yields of up to 16%. Whilst a simple route, our method produced particles that displayed exceptionally high cell viability with facile applications in imaging, highlighting the potential of these QDs as advanced imaging probes.

Pharmacokinetics of Metronidazole During Prolonged Intermittent Kidney Replacement Therapy.

Acute kidney injury is a common complication present in critically ill patients and is often managed by kidney replacement therapy. Prolonged intermittent kidney replacement therapy (PIKRT) is a modality of kidney replacement therapy often utilized in intensive care settings, but dosing recommendations and pharmacokinetic data for antimicrobial removal during PIKRT are limited. Metronidazole, a 5-nitroimidazole agent, is commonly prescribed for anaerobic and protozoal infections.

Immune modulation to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Immune mechanisms play a fundamental role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, suggesting that approaches which target immune cells and immunologically relevant molecules can offer therapeutic opportunities beyond the recently approved amyloid beta monoclonal therapies. In this review, we provide an overview of immunomodulatory therapeutics in development, including their preclinical evidence and clinical trial results. Along with detailing immune processes involved in AD pathogenesis and highlighting how these mechanisms can be therapeutically targeted to modify disease progression, we summarize knowledge gained from previous trials of immune-based interventions, and provide a series of recommendations for the development of future immunomodulatory therapeutics to treat AD.

Feasibility of axicabtagene ciloleucel in the outpatient setting: primary analysis of prospective trial.

The pivotal trials of axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) chimeric Antigen receptor (CAR-T) therapy and other CD19 CAR-Ts were mainly done in the inpatient setting. We conducted a single-center non-randomized open label prospective clinical trial (NCT05108805). Objective was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of outpatient administration of axi-cel for relapsed/refractory diffuse B cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) using continuous remote patient monitoring with wearable devices and telemedicine.

The role of surface deformation on responsivity of the pillared layer metal-organic framework DUT-8(Ni).

A unique feature of flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is their ability to respond dynamically towards molecular stimuli by structural transitions, resulting in pore-opening and closing processes. One of the most intriguing modes is the "gating", where the material transforms from the dense to the porous state. The conditions required for the solid phase structural transition are controlled by the kinetic barriers, including nucleation of the new phase commencing on the crystallite's outer surface.

Gold Nanoparticle Incorporated Graphene Oxide as a SERS Platform for Ultratrace Antibody Free Sensing of the Cancer Biomarker CEA.

A simple, fast, low-cost, and efficient method is designed for the synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) (20 nm) from graphite using a strong oxidant Ce(IV). GO is further modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (5-8 nm) to generate a AuGO nanocomposite (25 nm). Raman spectral analyses confirm that the synthesized AuGO has a potential selective sensing ability for the cancer biomarker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in serum.

Removal of vanadium(V) ions from acidic water using reusable manganese oxide sorbents.

Manganese oxide (MnOx) was studied for its ability to adsorb vanadium (V) ions for applications in acidic water treatment. Three MnOx types: naturally-occurring (NatMnO), commercially-derived (ComMnO), and laboratory synthesised (SynMnO) were examined in batch systems under varying pH, adsorbent dosage, ionic strength, and contact time. The greatest V sorption occurred at acidic pH, following the order: NatMnO > SynMnO > ComMnO, with maximum adsorption capacities of 54.

High BMI is a specific risk factor for drug-related mortality in patients receiving methadone: A case control study.

Background And Aims: Long-term treatment of opioid dependence with the opioid agonist therapy (OAT) methadone can lead to significant weight gain. This study investigated whether OAT patients with a body mass index (BMI) deemed overweight (≥25) are at increased risk of mortality.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was performed with anonymised data collected from living and deceased persons registered as receiving OAT from Derbyshire or Teesside drug and alcohol services in the United Kingdom.

A descriptor guiding the selection of catalyst supports for ammonia synthesis.

The efforts to increase the active surface area of catalysts led to reduction of metal particle size, down to single metal atoms. This results in increasing importance of support-metal interactions. We demonstrate the mechanisms through which the support influences catalytic activity of nanoclusters: the support electronics, described by the O 2p energy level, and the support surface chemistry, determined by the density of Lewis base sites.

The extent of western lowland gorilla social relationships within and between groups.

The nature of western lowland gorilla social relationships within and between groups is largely understudied, partly due to the challenges of monitoring associations between individuals who live in neighboring groups. In this study, we examined the social relationships of four western lowland gorilla groups in the Ndoki landscape of northern Republic of Congo. To do so, we compiled all-occurrence social interaction and silverback nearest neighbor social networks from data collected during daily group follows conducted over several years.

Chimpanzee Activity and Behavioral Diversity Extends Across 24 Hours in Both Captive and Wild Settings.

Studying nocturnal behavior is crucial for understanding the full scope of a species' behavioral flexibility so as to inform the conservation of wild populations and the care of captive individuals. However, this aspect of primate behavior is understudied, especially in great apes, which exhibit some of the widest documented behavioral diversity and flexibility. Our investigation is among the first to systematically compare the 24 h activity patterns and behavioral activities of captive chimpanzees (Saint Louis Zoo, USA) with those of wild chimpanzees (three sites across the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo) and a published data set of the nocturnal behavior of all chimpanzee subspecies.

Strontium isoscape of sub-Saharan Africa allows tracing origins of victims of the transatlantic slave trade.

Strontium isotope (Sr/Sr) analysis with reference to strontium isotope landscapes (Sr isoscapes) allows reconstructing mobility and migration in archaeology, ecology, and forensics. However, despite the vast potential of research involving Sr/Sr analysis particularly in Africa, Sr isoscapes remain unavailable for the largest parts of the continent. Here, we measure the Sr/Sr ratios in 778 environmental samples from 24 African countries and combine this data with published data to model a bioavailable Sr isoscape for sub-Saharan Africa using random forest regression.

SARS-CoV-2 evolution balances conflicting roles of N protein phosphorylation.

All lineages of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, contain mutations between amino acids 199 and 205 in the nucleocapsid (N) protein that are associated with increased infectivity. The effects of these mutations have been difficult to determine because N protein contributes to both viral replication and viral particle assembly during infection. Here, we used single-cycle infection and virus-like particle assays to show that N protein phosphorylation has opposing effects on viral assembly and genome replication.