In Situ Click Chemistry Screen Facilitated by an On-Nanoparticle DNA-Encoded Library Identifies Highly Selective and Potent Peptoid Ligands for a Phosphatase.

Capture agents that selectively bind to biological targets are indispensable tools in diagnostics, therapeutics, and biomedical research. However, discovering such capture agents, particularly for structurally conserved or challenging targets, remains a challenge. Here, we describe a protein-templated in situ click strategy enabled by a nanoparticle-based DNA-encoded library (nanoDEL) platform.

Draft genome sequence of sp. GlSt437 isolated from the Styx Glacier, Antarctica.

We present the draft genome of sp. GlSt437 isolated from the Styx ice core, Antarctica. The genome of strain GlSt437 comprises 3,409,635 bp with a GC content of 64.

Comparative analysis of lipid profile changes in treatment-naïve people living with HIV on INSTI-based single-tablet regimens, BIC/FTC/TAF and DTG/3TC: real-world evidence from South Korea.

Background: Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have shifted the focus of HIV management towards metabolic comorbidities such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, real-world data comparing lipid profile changes, key determinants of ASCVD, between bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) and dolutegravir/lamivudine (DTG/3TC) remain limited.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using medical records from the National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea, from January 2012 to March 2024.

Millennial-scale depth-resolved ancient microbial diversity and pathogenic potential in Styx Glacier, Antarctica.

The cryosphere offers crucial insights into historical ecosystems and biomes on our planet, preserving ancient microorganisms and other biological materials. The recent discovery of pathogens released from permafrost and Arctic regions has emphasized potential threats to human health. However, the ancient microbial diversity in Antarctic glaciers remains largely unexplored.

Numerical demonstration of a switchable binary-state metasurface for the spin hall effect of circularly polarized light.

The spin Hall effect of light, a transverse and spin-dependent splitting at an optical interface, generally depends on the interface properties. By contrast, the spin Hall effect of circularly polarized light is interface-independent, which aids precise nanoscale displacement control. However, the spin Hall-shifted beam generally exhibits low efficiency near normal incidence, where the shift is large.

Comparative analysis of directional cue perception between vibrotactile and electrotactile using funneling illusion mapping methods.

Tactile illusion is a promising concept for navigation, sensory augmentation for assistance, virtual reality (VR), and mobile haptic interaction applications enabling efficient feedback with a limited number of actuators. Through the funneling illusion, directional cues can be generated using a tactor array-based system, transmitting cues even at locations where actuators are not physically mounted. This technique has been applied to various research objectives according to modality, mapping methods, body part, and other factors.

Enhancing Cycle Stability in LiNiO with Phase transition suppression via Crystalline Disordered Surface Layer.

Ni-rich layered oxides are promising cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries but require improved stability to meet performance demands. To address this, doping and surface modification are commonly employed stabilization strategies, each offering distinct benefits. Doping primarily suppresses phase transitions, thereby reducing volume changes, while surface coatings protect the material by minimizing continuous reactions with electrolytes during cycling.

Oculomotor axons use external and autocrine Slit signals for fasciculation, navigation, branching, and connectivity in mouse embryos.

Background: Eye alignment and movements are controlled by three cranial nerves: the oculomotor (nIII), trochlear (nIV), and abducens nerves (nVI). Developmental errors of these nerves can lead to eye movement disorders. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that guide motor axons to the eye remain poorly understood.

Utilization of trace metals for mitigating nitrous oxide generation in anaerobic digestion.

In this study, trace metals were used to enhance the efficiency of anaerobic digestion and promote complete denitrification, thereby reducing nitrous oxide (NO) production. The potential for greenhouse gas production during anaerobic digestion was evaluated. The effects of supplementation of Cu, Al, Mo, Fe, KI, Co, and Ni on greenhouse gas emissions were investigated through the anaerobic digestion of food waste and sewage sludge mixtures.

Extracellular vesicle as therapeutic agents in anti-aging: Mechanistic insights and future potential.

Aging is a multifaceted biological process marked by a gradual decline in physiological functions, driven by cellular senescence, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and stem cell exhaustion. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), naturally occurring nanoscale vesicles secreted by various cell types, have gained attention as potential therapeutic agents due to their ability to mediate intercellular communication by delivering bioactive molecules, including proteins, lipids, and RNAs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of EV biogenesis, cargo composition, and their mechanistic roles in counteracting aging processes.

Scalable and durable module-sized artificial leaf with a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency over 10.

An artificial leaf mimicking the function of a natural leaf has recently attracted significant attention due to its minimal space requirement and low cost compared to wired photoelectrochemical and photovoltaic-electrochemical systems for solar hydrogen production. However, it remains a challenge to achieve a practical-size solar water-splitting device that can fulfill the criteria of a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency above 10%, long-term durability, and scalability. Here, we develop 1 cm perovskite-based photoelectrodes using a defect-less, chlorine-doped formamidinium lead triiodide as photo-absorber and ultraviolet-insensitive tin oxide as an electron transport layers.

Moonlighting activity of threonine synthase in cyanobacterial cell death.

Unlabelled: Threonine, an essential amino acid for translation, exhibits toxicity toward slow-growing cyanobacteria. This prompted us to perform transcriptomic and proteomic analyses using cells treated with threonine, revealing a noteworthy upregulation of , annotated as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent threonine synthase. PyMoL-based structural prediction and biochemical assays unveiled the moonlighting functions of ThrC in both threonine biosynthesis and deamination.

Reliable Harvest of Injectable Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sheets by Modulating Cell-Substrate Adhesion Strength.

Cell sheet engineering has emerged as a promising scaffold-free strategy in cell-based therapeutics, preserving essential cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. To enable minimally invasive delivery, a key challenge relies on making the cell sheets compatible with injection-based administration without subjecting sensitive cells to physical or thermal stresses. This study addresses a reliable method for controlling cell sheet dimensions by combining differential cell adhesion-guided micropatterning along with an isothermal detachment method.

Functional roles of interstitial cells of Cajal in the GI tract of rats.

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are distributed through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but the functional role of these cells comes primarily from studies of mice. Whether the functions of ICC are similar in larger animals is largely speculative. We investigated whether the mutation in rats had consequences on ICC populations in the stomach, small intestine, and colon and whether loss of ICC resulted in functional defects similar to mutations in mice.

Incidence and Temporal Dynamics of Combined Infections in SARS-CoV-2-Infected Patients With Risk Factors for Severe Complications.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerged infectious disease that needs further clinical investigation. Characterizing the temporal pattern of combined infections in patients with COVID-19 may help clinicians understand the clinical nature of this disease and provide valuable diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed COVID-19 patients isolated in four study hospitals in Korea for one year period from May 2021 to April 2022 when the delta and omicron variants were dominant.

Real-time observation of the spin Hall effect of light using metasurface-enabled single-shot weak measurements.

The spin Hall effect of light (SHEL), the transverse splitting of light into two circularly polarized components via refraction or reflection, offers high-precision, nondestructive inspection of unknown interfaces when combined with a signal amplification technique called weak measurement. However, its application in detecting dynamics is limited due to its multistep process. Here, we condense the procedure into a single step, enabling calibration-free, single-shot measurement of the SHEL by replacing one component of the conventional setup with a polarization beamsplitting metasurface.

Development of artificial neural network model for anaerobic digestion-elutriated phase treatment.

Nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) neural network models were used to forecast the time-series profiles of anaerobic digestion-elutriated phase treatment (ADEPT). Experimental data from the operation of the pilot plant and lab-scale reactor were used for calibration, validation, and practice tests. Anaerobic digestion-elutriated phase treatment removed approximately 87% of volatile solids with a relatively brief hydraulic retention time of 7 days.

Encoded Display of Chemical Libraries on Nanoparticles as a Versatile Selection Tool To Discover Protein Ligands.

DNA-encoded library (DEL) technology is a powerful tool for discovering potent ligands for biological targets but constrained by limitations, including the insolubility of DNA in organic solvents and its instability under various reaction conditions, which restrict the reactivity scope and structural diversity achievable in library synthesis. Here, we present a new strategy called nanoDEL, where library molecules and DNA tags are displayed on the surface of nanoparticles. Since nanoparticles disperse well in both organic solvents and aqueous solutions, DEL synthesis can be accomplished using well-established organic solvent-based conditions, eliminating the need for aqueous conditions.

Repeated and alternate stimulations with dsRNA and SEB alter responses in macrophages and epithelial cells.

Introduction: The innate immune system is activated by foreign molecules via pattern recognition receptors and other surveillance systems, producing diverse cytokines that recruit and activate other immune cells. Recent studies have shown that once activated by foreign molecules, the innate immune system exhibits altered responses upon subsequent exposure to the same or different infectious agents, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or bacteria. However, as these alterations in response to viral infection and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in the airways have not been fully elucidated, we focused on the changes in immune responses induced by repeated stimulation of macrophages and epithelial cells with foreign molecules.

Impact of in-hospital COVID-19 quarantine policy changes on quality of acute stroke care: a single center experience.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is known to impact in-hospital processes for acute stroke patients, potentially resulting in delays due to quarantine and screening measures. The purpose of this study was to determine effects of changes in in-hospital quarantine policies on quality of care for acute stroke patients.

Methods: Hyperacute ischemic stroke patients who were admitted to Korea University Guro Hospital between January 2019 and February 2021 via the emergency department were included in this study.

Radiopaque hydrogel-in-liposomes towards theranostic applications for malignant tumors.

A radiopaque hydrogel-in-liposome (RHL) system was developed for micro-computed tomography (μCT) imaging of tumor tissue and simultaneous delivery of a cytotoxic agent. Iopamidol (IPD) and doxorubicin (DOX) were incorporated as the CT contrast and anti-cancer agents, respectively. The presence of a polyethylene glycol hydrogel core in the liposomes was confirmed via attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and selective solvent extraction.

Activation of Immune Responses Through the RIG-I Pathway Using TRITC-Dextran Encapsulated Nanoparticles.

Pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) are highly conserved motifs originating from microorganisms that act as ligands for pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which are crucial for defense against pathogens. Thus, PAMP-mimicking vaccines may induce potent immune activation and provide broad-spectrum protection against microbes. Dextran encapsulation can regulate the surface characteristics of nanoparticles (NPs) and induces their surface modification.

Characterization of Incident Hepatitis C Virus Infection among People Living with HIV in a HIV Clinic in Korea.

Background: Coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause more rapid progression to cirrhosis than HCV-monoinfection. In this study, incident HCV case (IHCV)s were investigated in a HIV clinic in Korea.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective HIV cohort was constructed who visited National Medical Center in Korea from 2013 to 2022 and performed ≥ 1 anti-HCV antibody tests (anti-HCV) during the study period.

Proximity to Explosive Synchronization Determines Network Collapse and Recovery Trajectories in Neural and Economic Crises.

When complex systems move away from criticality-a balance between order and chaos-they are no longer optimized. Furthermore, when criticality is lost too quickly, or recovery is delayed, system damage can result. However, the mechanism for these abnormally fast or slow critical transitions remains unknown.

A compact weak measurement to observe the spin Hall effect of light.

The spin Hall effect of light (SHEL), a microscopic and transverse splitting of linearly polarized light into circularly polarized components during refraction and reflection, can be measured at subnanometer scales using weak measurements and has emerged as a powerful candidate for precision measurements. However, despite the strong demand for compact and miniaturized sensors and precision metrology, no efforts have downsized the weak measurements. Here I demonstrate that the location of the interface where the SHEL occurs does not impact the results of weak measurements and building on this observation, propose a modified setup called the compact weak measurement to reduce the form factor by replacing one convex lens with a concave one.