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This article discusses two siblings who experienced hyperbilirubinemia, a condition characterized by high levels of bilirubin in the blood, during the neonatal period. The siblings had double missense variants in the UGT1A1 gene, including a previously uncharacterized variant. The authors suggest that the variant p. Arg403His may be associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia at levels similar to those seen in Crigler-Najjar syndrome type II. The study highlights the importance of genetic testing in understanding the underlying causes of hyperbilirubinemia. [Extracted from the article]

Conductive metal-organic frameworks (cMOFs) manifest great potential in modern electrical devices due to their porous nature and the ability to conduct charges in a regular network. cMOFs applied in electrical devices normally hybridize with other materials, especially a substrate. Therefore, the precise control of the interface between cMOF and a substrate is particularly crucial. However, the unexplored interface chemistry of cMOFs makes the controlled synthesis and advanced characterization of high-quality thin films, particularly challenging. Herein, we report the development of a simplified synthesis method to grow "face-on" and "edge-on" cMOF nanofilms on substrates, and the establishment of operando characterization methodology using atomic force microscopy and X-ray, thereby demonstrating the relationship between the soft structure of surface-mounted oriented networks and their characteristic conductive functions. As a result, crystallinity of cMOF nanofilms with a thickness down to a few nanometers is obtained, the possible growth mechanisms are proposed, and the interesting anisotropic softness-dependent conducting properties (over 2 orders of magnitude change) of the cMOF are also illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involving a major branch of the portal or hepatic vein is in a locally advanced stage and remains difficult to cure. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of carbon ion radiotherapy (C-ion RT) in locally advanced HCC (LAHCC).Methods: The data of 11 consecutive patients with LAHCC who received C-ion RT were analyzed. The C-ion RT doses of 52.8 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) and 60.0 Gy (RBE) were delivered in 4 fractions for standard cases, and the 60.0 Gy dose was delivered in 12 fractions for close-to-gastrointestinal-tract cases. Survival and local control probabilities were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results: The median follow-up duration after C-ion RT was 36.4 months. The median age at the time of registration for C-ion RT was 76 years. The median tumor size was 53 mm. The numbers of treatment-naive and recurrent HCC patients were 1 and 10, respectively. Direct invasion of the major branch of the portal vein, hepatic vein, or both portal and hepatic veins was observed in three, five, and three patients, respectively. The 3-year overall survival, local control, and progression-free survival rates were 64, 78, and 18%, respectively. No patient developed radiation-induced liver diseases or grade 3 or higher toxicities in the acute and late phases.Conclusions: C-ion RT showed favorable clinical outcomes with a high rate of local control and minimal toxicities in LAHCC. Our findings suggest that C-ion RT is a promising multidisciplinary treatment option in LAHCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We synthesize herein millimeter-sized single crystals of the molecule-based chiral antiferromagnet, [NH4][Mn(HCOO)3]. The crystal is optically transparent, and has a hexagonal crystal structure that belongs to the space group P6322. We study the magnetic phase diagram (i.e., H–T phase diagram) under the magnetic field perpendicular to the helical axis by measuring the dc magnetic susceptibility, magnetization curve (M–H curve), M–T curve, ac magnetic response, and heat capacity. We find a continuous magnetic phase transition at T∗≃8 K, which weakly depends on magnetic fields up to 5 × 104 Oe. The saturation field for T = 0 K is estimated as Hst(T = 0) = 1.41 × 105 Oe from the extrapolation of the M–H curve. Below T*, we find two magnetic phases separated by the critical field Hc(T) of the order of hundreds Oe. A sharp peak in the out-of-phase component of the ac linear response as a function of T and H is suggestive of the discontinuous transition at H = Hc(T). We find a downward convexity in the M–H curve (i.e., d²M/dH² > 0) in H < Hc(T) and a nonzero third-order harmonic ac response around H≃Hc(T). On these observations, we argue that the antiferromagnetic chiral solitons are condensed and form lattice or liquid in the magnetic phase at H < Hc(T) while the magnetic phase at Hc(T) < H < Hst(T) is a canted antiferromagnetic phase. We compare the experimental results with the mean-field theory on a spin model for the monoaxial chiral antiferromagnet and find a qualitative agreement on the M–H curve, M–T curve, and phase diagram. Our calculation implies that the discontinuous transition between the two magnetic phases is caused by the condensation of the chiral solitons with an attractive interaction. The period of the antiferromagnetic helical structure at the zero field is estimated to be the order of Hst(T)/Hc(T) × [lattice constant], which amounts to a submicron scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary solid-solution alloys generally adopt one of three principal crystal lattices—bodycentred cubic (bcc), hexagonal close-packed (hcp) or face-centred cubic (fcc) structures—in which the structure is dominated by constituent elements and compositions. Therefore, it is a significant challenge to selectively control the crystal structure in alloys with a certain composition. Here, we propose an approach for the selective control of the crystal structure in solid-solution alloys by using a chemical reduction method. By precisely tuning the reduction speed of the metal precursors, we selectively control the crystal structure of alloy nanoparticles, and are able to selectively synthesize fcc and hcp AuRu3 alloy nanoparticles at ambient conditions. This approach enables us to design alloy nanomaterials with the desired crystal structures to create innovative chemical and physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presented here is the synthesis of an ordered bcc copper--palladium nanoalloy, via the decomposition of a Pd nanoparticle@metal--organic framework composite material. In situ XRD measurements were performed in order to understand the mechanism of the decomposition process. This result gives a further perspective into the synthesis of new nanomaterials via metal--organic framework decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline GeInxSb6-xTe10 (x = 0, 0.18, 0.3, and 0.6). Rietveld and Le Bail analyses showed that all compositions crystallized in trigonal structures with a 51-layer period. Substituting In decreased both the lattice and electronic thermal conductivity, as well as markedly increased the Seebeck coefficient. We ascribed this increase to increases in the effective mass of the carriers, likely caused by the formation of additional energy states near the Fermi level. In GeIn0.6Sb5.4Te10, we found a maximum ZT of 0.75 at 710 K, 1.9 times higher than that of GeSb6Te10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated structural and magnetic properties at low temperature phases in spinel oxides Fe1+xV2-xO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) using synchrotron powder diffraction, magnetization, and specific heat experiments. The only lattice distortion from a cubic to a tetragonal phase (c > a) occurs at ferrimagnetic order temperature for x ≥ 0.3, indicating that this tetragonal phase is dominantly affected by the relativistic spin-orbit coupling of Fe2+ ions. Whereas, the structural transition from a tetragonal (c > a) to an orthorhombic phase was not detected in the Fe1+xV2-xO4 system. Furthermore, we have performed the accurate structural analysis by Rietveld method with synchrotron diffraction data. The very small distortion of the VO6 octahedron derived from the orbital order of V3+ ions below the non-collinear ferrimagnetic transition temperature was successfully observed for x ≤ 0.2. This magnetic transition accompanied by the slight distortion disappears near x = 0.25. This result indicates that the orbital order of V3+ ions is strongly related with the non-collinear ferrimagnetic transition in FeV2O4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the crystallization of the chalcogenide compound Sb8Te3. It is stated that the study found that heat caused the Sb8Te3 film to crystallize into a homologous structure that modulates along the stacking direction. It also discusses the temperature dependence in the lattice parameters and the modulation period after crystallization. A three-dimensional projection of the crystal structure is also discussed.

Two novel nuclear genes, OsSIG5 and OsSIG6, encoding potential plastid sigma factors of RNA polymerase (RNAP) were identified in Oryza sativa. The deduced amino acid sequences contain conserved regions, regions 1.2–4.2, and a novel region A/B at the N-terminus. Tissue-specific and light-responsive transcripts of OsSIG5 and OsSIG6 were observed. The N-terminal region of OsSig5 conferred import of green fluorescent protein into the chloroplast. Specific transcripts of rice psbA were synthesized in vitro by reconstituted OsSig5–RNAP holoenzymes. These results indicated that OsSig5 is a plastid sigma factor. This is the first report of the Sig5-type sigma factor in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]