Effects of Hydrolysis Reaction and Abrasive Drag Force Accelerator on Enhancing Si-Wafer Polishing Rate and Improving Si-Wafer Surface Roughness.

To satisfy the superior surface quality requirements in the fabrication of HBM (High-Bandwidth Memory) and 3D NAND Flash Memory, high-efficiency Si chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is essential. In this study, a colloidal silica abrasive-based Si-wafer CMP slurry was developed to simultaneously achieve a high polishing rate (≥10 nm/min) and low surface roughness (≤0.2 nm) without inducing CMP-induced scratches.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated simultaneous targeting of GmP34 and its homologs produces T-DNA-free soybean mutants with reduced allergenic potential.

Soybean ( L.) P34 (GmP34) is a prominent allergenic seed protein belonging to the papain-like cysteine protease family. To mitigate its allergenic potential, we implemented a CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing strategy targeting along with its two highly similar homologs, and , in the soybean cultivar Williams 82.

The Arg/N-degron pathway mediates the secretion of apoptotic exosomes under oxidative stress in cancer cell.

Exosomes from cancer cells are versatile mediators of cell-to-cell communication, whose cargoes are dynamically loaded in response to various stress conditions. In this study, we demonstrate that under oxidative stress, cancer cells secrete exosomes that induce apoptosis in neighboring cells via the Arg/N-degron pathway. In this mechanism, Rab interacting lysosomal protein (RILP) is cleaved at Asp75 in response to oxidative stress which requires ATE1 R-transferase.

Advancements in Biochar as a Sustainable Adsorbent for Water Pollution Mitigation.

Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from the partial combustion of biomass wastes is often termed "black gold" for its potential in water pollution mitigation and carbon sequestration. By customizing biomass feedstock and optimizing preparation strategies, biochar can be engineered with specific physicochemical properties to enhance its effectiveness in removing contaminants from wastewater. Recent studies demonstrate that biochar can achieve > 90% removal efficiency for heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, > 85% adsorption capacity for organic pollutants such as dyes and phenols, and > 80% reduction in microplastics and nanoplastics.

The structure-function relationship of ATE1 R-transferase of the autophagic Arg/N-degron pathway.

ATE1 (arginyltransferase 1; EC 2.3.2) transfers the amino acid arginine (Arg) from Arg-tRNA to the N-terminal (Nt) residues of proteins, such as aspartate (Asp), glutamate (Glu), and oxidized cysteine (Cys).

The Ubiquitin Code in Disease Pathogenesis and Progression: Composition, Characteristics and its Potential as a Therapeutic Target.

Conjugation of substrate proteins with ubiquitin (Ub), a 76 amino acid protein, was discovered as the first major translational modification responsible for protein degradation. Ubiquitination occurs as a cascade among ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2), and ubiquitin ligases (E3) enzymes that transfer and covalently conjugate Ub to the lysine (Lys) residue and α-amino group in methionine (Met) residues of substrates. Following the initial conjugation, Ub itself then undergoes ubiquitination via its seven lysine residues (K6, K11, K27, K29, K33, K48, and K63) and N-terminal methionine (M1).

Carbon materials and their metal composites for biomedical applications: A short review.

Carbon materials and their hybrid metal composites have garnered significant attention in biomedical applications due to their exceptional biocompatibility. This biocompatibility arises from their inherent chemical stability and low toxicity within biological systems. This review offers a comprehensive overview of carbon nanomaterials and their metal composites, emphasizing their biocompatibility-focused applications, including drug delivery, bioimaging, biosensing, and tissue engineering.

Oligomerization and a distinct tRNA-binding loop are important regulators of human arginyl-transferase function.

The arginyl-transferase ATE1 is a tRNA-dependent enzyme that covalently attaches an arginine molecule to a protein substrate. Conserved from yeast to humans, ATE1 deficiency in mice correlates with defects in cardiovascular development and angiogenesis and results in embryonic lethality, while conditional knockouts exhibit reproductive, developmental, and neurological deficiencies. Despite the recent revelation of the tRNA binding mechanism and the catalytic cycle of yeast ATE1, the structure-function relationship of ATE1 in higher organisms is not well understood.

Intergranular Shielding for Ultrafine-Grained Mo-Doped Ni-Rich Li[Ni Co ]O Cathode for Li-Ion Batteries with High Energy Density and Long Life.

Deploying Ni-enriched (Ni≥95 %) layered cathodes for high energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) requires resolving a series of technical challenges. Among them, the structural weaknesses of the cathode, vigorous reactivity of the labile Ni ion species, gas evolution and associated cell swelling, and thermal instability issues are critical obstacles that must be solved. Herein, we propose an intuitive strategy that can effectively ameliorate the degradation of an extremely high-Ni-layered cathode, the construction of ultrafine-scale microstructure and subsequent intergranular shielding of grains.

Temperature-dependent development of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) at constant temperatures: instar pathways and stage transition models with semifield validation.

Temperature-dependent development of Helicoverpa armigera (Hüber) fed with an artificial diet was studied at different temperatures. The instar pathway (IPW) defined as the number of instars prior to pupation significantly affected larval development time, with higher IPW leading to longer larval development time. The IPW was determined at the fifth instar to proceed to 6-7 IPW, when the development time of fifth instar was largely shortened.

Theranostic Surrogacy of [I]NaI for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Radionuclide Therapy.

Precise dosimetry has gained interest for interpreting the response assessments of novel therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, as well as for improving conventional radiotherapies such as the "one dose fits all" approach. Although radioiodine as same-element isotope theranostic pairs has been used for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), there are insufficient studies on the determination of its dosing regimen for personalized medicine and on extrapolating strategies for companion diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals. In this study, DTC xenograft mouse models were generated after validating iodine uptakes sodium iodine symporter proteins (NIS) through assays, and theranostic surrogacy of companion radiopharmaceuticals was investigated in terms of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging and voxel-level dosimetry.

Analyzing the Interaction of Arginylated Proteins and Nt-Arg-Mimicking Chemical Compounds to N-Recognins.

Characterizing and measuring the interactome of N-degrons and N-recognins are critical to the identification and verification of putative N-terminally arginylated native proteins and small-molecule chemicals that structurally and physiologically mimic the N-terminal arginine residue. This chapter focuses on in vitro and in vivo assays to confirm the putative interaction, and measure the binding affinity, between Nt-Arg-carrying natural (or Nt-Arg-mimicking synthetic) ligands and proteasomal or autophagic N-recognins carrying the UBR box or the ZZ domain. These methods, reagents, and conditions are applicable across a wide spectrum of different cell lines, primary cultures, and/or animal tissues, allowing for the qualitative analysis and quantitative measurement of the interaction of arginylated proteins and N-terminal arginine-mimicking chemical compounds to their respective N-recognins.

Monitoring the Activation of Selective Autophagy via N-Terminal Arginylation.

In addition to generating N-degron-carrying substrates destined for proteolysis, N-terminal arginylation can globally upregulate selective macroautophagy via activation of the autophagic N-recognin and archetypal autophagy cargo receptor p62/SQSTM1/sequestosome-1. To evaluate the macroautophagic turnover of cellular substrates, including protein aggregates (aggrephagy) and subcellular organelles (organellophagy) mediated by N-terminal arginylation in vivo, we report here a protocol for assaying the activation of the autophagic Arg/N-degron pathway and degradation of cellular cargoes via N-terminal arginylation. These methods, reagents, and conditions are applicable across a wide spectrum of different cell lines, primary cultures, and/or animal tissues, thereby providing a general means for identification and validation of putative cellular cargoes degraded by Nt-arginylation-activated selective autophagy.

The N-degron pathway: From basic science to therapeutic applications.

The N-degron pathway is a degradative system in which single N-terminal (Nt) amino acids regulate the half-lives of proteins and other biological materials. These determinants, called N-degrons, are recognized by N-recognins that link them to the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome system (UPS) or autophagy-lysosome system (ALS). In the UPS, the Arg/N-degron pathway targets the Nt-arginine (Nt-Arg) and other N-degrons to assemble Lys48 (K48)-linked Ub chains by UBR box N-recognins for proteasomal proteolysis.

Fate Determination and Characterization of Food Additive Silicon Dioxide and Titanium Dioxide in Commercial Foods.

Background: Silicon dioxide (SiO2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are ones of the most widely used food additives as an anti-caking and a coloring agent, respectively, in the food industry. Understanding particle, aggregate, or ionic fates of two additives in commercial products is of importance to predict their potential toxicity.

Methods: Triton X-114 (TX-114)-based cloud point extraction (CPE) methods for two additives were optimized in food matrices.

Methods to detect AUTOphagy-Targeting Chimera (AUTOTAC)-mediated Targeted Protein Degradation in Tauopathies.

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) facilitates the selective elimination of unwanted and pathological cellular cargoes via the proteasome or the lysosome, ranging from proteins to organelles and pathogens, both within and outside the cell. Currently, there are several in vitro and in vivo protocols that assess the degradative potency of a given degrader towards a myriad of targets, most notably soluble, monomeric oncoproteins. However, there is a clear deficiency of methodologies to assess the degradative potency of heterobifunctional chimeric degraders, especially those in the autophagy space, against pathological, mutant tau species, such as detergent-insoluble oligomers and high-molecular aggregates.

Preclinical Evaluation of a Companion Diagnostic Radiopharmaceutical, [F]PSMA-1007, in a Subcutaneous Prostate Cancer Xenograft Mouse Model.

Several radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted agents have been developed for detecting prostate cancer, using positron emission tomography imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy. Among them, [F]PSMA-1007 has several advantages, including a comparatively long half-life, delayed renal excretion, and compatible structure with α-/β-particle emitter-labeled therapeutics. This study aimed to characterize the preclinical pharmacokinetics and internal radiation dosimetry of [F]PSMA-1007, as well as its repeatability and specificity for target binding using prostate tumor-bearing mice.

Bisphenol A modulates proliferation, apoptosis, and wound healing process of normal prostate cells: Involvement of G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest, MAPK signaling, and transcription factor-mediated MMP regulation.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly used to produce epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that is leaked from the polymer and absorbed into the body to disrupt the endocrine system. Although BPA may cause cytotoxicity in the prostate, a hormone-dependent reproductive organ, its underlying mechanism has not yet been elucidated.

Comparison of Framingham risk score and pooled cohort equations for the prediction of coronary atherosclerosis in patients who meet the target LDL-C level of Korean dyslipidemia guideline.

This study aims to compare the predicting performance of coronary atherosclerosis between Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) in moderate to high-risk patients who meet the target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of Korean dyslipidemia guidelines. Among 1207 patients aged 40 to 65 who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography at outpatient for chest discomfort, we included 414 moderate-risk patients (non-diabetes) and 86 high-risk patients (diabetes). They were divided into 3 groups according to FRS and PCE, then compared with coronary artery calcification score (CACS) and plaque burden degree strata.

Novel Dimer Derivatives of PF-543 as Potential Antitumor Agents for the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer can be divided into non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer, and the incidence and mortality rate are continuously increasing. In many cases, lung cancer cannot be completely treated with surgery, so chemotherapy is used in parallel; however, the treatment often fails due to drug resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new therapeutic agent with a new target.

Recent Advanced Supercapacitor: A Review of Storage Mechanisms, Electrode Materials, Modification, and Perspectives.

In recent years, the development of energy storage devices has received much attention due to the increasing demand for renewable energy. Supercapacitors (SCs) have attracted considerable attention among various energy storage devices due to their high specific capacity, high power density, long cycle life, economic efficiency, environmental friendliness, high safety, and fast charge/discharge rates. SCs are devices that can store large amounts of electrical energy and release it quickly, making them ideal for use in a wide range of applications.

Interactions between ZnO Nanoparticles and Polyphenols Affect Biological Responses.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are used as a food additive Zn supplement due to the role of Zn in biological functions. They are directly added to complex processed foods or Zn-fortified functional foods. Hence, the interactions between ZnO NPs and nutritional or functional components can occur.

Fecundity and Longevity of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) at Constant Temperatures and Development of an Oviposition Model.

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is a notorious invasive pest native to subtropical and tropical regions in the Western Hemisphere.

Quantitative Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetics Study of GMP-Grade Exosomes Labeled with Zr Radioisotope in Mice and Rats.

For the successful clinical advancement of exosome therapeutics, the biodistribution and pharmacokinetic profile of exogenous exosomes in various animal models must be determined. Compared with fluorescence or bioluminescence imaging, radionuclide imaging confers multiple advantages for the in vivo tracking of biomolecular therapeutics because of its excellent sensitivity for deep tissue imaging and potential for quantitative measurement. Herein, we assessed the quantitative biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of good manufacturing practice-grade therapeutic exosomes labeled with zirconium-89 (Zr) after systemic intravenous administration in mice and rats.