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Tropomyosin (TM) is the main allergen in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). In this study, the effects of allergenicity and structure of TM by glycosylation (GOS-TM), phosphate treatment (SP-TM), and glycosylation combined with phosphate treatment (GOS-SP-TM) were investigated. Compared to GOS-TM and SP-TM, the IgG/IgE binding capacity of GOS-SP-TM was significantly decreased with 63.9 ± 2.0 and 49.7 ± 2.7%, respectively. Meanwhile, the α-helix content reduced, surface hydrophobicity increased, and 10 specific amino acids (K30, K38, S39, K48, K66, K74, K128, K161, S210, and K251) were modified by glycosylation on six IgE linear epitopes of GOS-SP-TM. In the BALB/c mice allergy model, GOS-SP-TM could significantly reduce the levels of specific IgE, IgG1, and CD4+IL-4+, while the levels of IgG2a, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+, and CD4+IFN-γ+were increased, which equilibrated Th1 and Th2 cells, thus alleviating allergic symptoms. These results indicated that glycosylation combined with phosphate treatment can provide a new insight into developing hypoallergenic shrimp food.

We designed [VO(bdhb)] (1') as a new electronic qubit containing an oxovanadium(IV) ion (S= 1/2) embraced by a single bis(ß-diketonato) ligand [H2bdhb = 1,3-bis(3,5-dioxo-1-hexyl)benzene]. The synthesis afforded three different crystal phases, all of which unexpectedly contain dimers with formula [(VO)2(bdhb)2] (1). A trigonal form (1h) with a honeycomb structure and 46% of solvent-accessible voids quantitatively transforms over time into a monoclinic solvatomorph 1mand minor amounts of a triclinic solventless phase (1a). In a static magnetic field, 1hand 1mhave detectably slow magnetic relaxation at low temperatures through quantum tunneling and Raman mechanisms. Angle-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra on single crystals revealed signatures of low-dimensional magnetic behavior, which is solvatomorph-dependent, being the closest interdimer V···V separations (6.7–7.5 Å) much shorter than intramolecular V···V distances (11.9–12.1 Å). According to 1H diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and EPR experiments, the complex adopts the desired monomeric structure in organic solution and its geometry was inferred from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Spin relaxation measurements in a frozen toluene-d8/CD2Cl2matrix yielded Tmvalues reaching 13 µs at 10 K, and coherent spin manipulations were demonstrated by Rabi nutation experiments at 70 K. The neutral quasi-macrocyclic structure, featuring nuclear spin-free donors and additional possibilities for chemical functionalization, makes 1' a new convenient spin-coherent building block in quantum technologies.

The photochemical properties of brookite nanorods are systematically explored using light-induced electron-paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques at different wavelengths spanning the UV–vis region of the electromagnetic spectrum (355–650 nm). Under UV irradiation, electron–hole pairs are generated, leading to the stabilization of paramagnetic centers, primarily Ti3+and O–species at the surface. Visible light irradiation at low temperature results in a unique pair of EPR signals, including electrons trapped at titanium cations and a distinct signal resonating at g= 2.004. The pair of signals disappears after annealing at room temperature, indicating that recombination pathways with trapped electrons are available. The chemical reactivity of the different photogenerated species is tested using electron and holes scavengers. While peculiar light-harvesting capabilities are observed for the brookite nanorods, experiments carried out in the presence of a hole scavenger indicate a limited potential for oxidative processes under visible light.

Since the 1980s, modern shrimp aquaculture has been seriously affected by shrimp diseases worldwide. Shrimp aquaculture cooperates with scientists in the lab to develop biosecurity strategies and biotechnology products, such as specific-pathogen-free shrimp, vaccines and probiotics, to tackle the risk of shrimp disease. Securing shrimp health needs to manage the breeding environment, particularly water quality and water ecologies. Shrimp and water travel between the lab and the field for monitoring, experimentation and disease prevention. This article proposes the notion of hydro-social life to analyse how biosecurity strategies and biotechnology products are developed in the lab and deployed in the field by visiting private, governmental and university laboratories in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, Hô` Chí Minh City, and Taiwan. I argue that scientists innovate biotechnology products to improve biosecurity strategies by reconfiguring hydro-social lives, like managing shrimp health and water quality. The development and deployment of biosecurity from the lab to the field are influenced by capitalist forms of life and social relations.

In Taiwan, lung cancers occur predominantly in never-smokers, of whom nearly 60% have stage IV disease at diagnosis. We aimed to assess the efficacy of low-dose CT (LDCT) screening among never-smokers, who had other risk factors for lung cancer.

ObjectivesThe 2022 global outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV), previously confined to Central and West Africa, necessitates an enhanced understanding of its spread. Comprehensive genomic surveillance to understand the virus’s evolution and spread is needed, particularly in Asia.MethodsGenomic data from 169 MPXV genome sequences in Asia were analysed. Through advanced genomic sequencing of clinical samples, we analysed the distribution and mutations of MPXV lineages in Asia.ResultsPhylogenetic analysis revealed a distinct clustering of C.1 strains rise in Northeast Asia in 2023, while genomic examination identified specific consensus mutations like R84K, R665C and L16F in C.1 strains. The mutations, coupled with an increased rate of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide-like 3 motif G-to-A mutations in C.1 (OR 24.87±8.81), indicate a potential adaptation mechanism.ConclusionsOur findings underscore the need for ongoing surveillance and provide vital insights into MPXV’s evolving dynamics, aiding in public health strategy formulation against this emerging infectious threat.

In this study, Al0.1Sn0.9O and Al0.3Sn0.7O are used as the back-channel materials of AlxSn1-xO/InSnZnO heterojunction thin-film transistors (HTFTs) to investigate the effect of Al/Sn mole ratio on the electrical performance of AlxSn1-xO/InSnZnO HTFTs. The Tauc plot, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are used to characterize the bandgap energy, crystallinity, and oxygen vacancy content of the films. The results show that Al0.3Sn0.7O has a wider bandgap energy and fewer oxygen vacancies than Al0.1Sn0.9O. In addition, Al0.1Sn0.9O is polycrystalline, while Al0.3Sn0.7O is amorphous. This difference in crystallinity results in Al0.1Sn0.9O having higher electron mobility than Al0.3Sn0.7O. Therefore, Al0.1Sn0.9O/InSnZnO HTFT exhibits better electrical performance, including a higher field-effect mobility of 71.33 ± 6.13 cm $^{{2}}\text{V}^{-{1}}\text{s}^{-{1}}$ and a steeper subthreshold swing (SS) of 151.23 ± 14.06 mV/dec. In contrast, Al0.3Sn0.7O/InSnZnO HTFT exhibits worse field-effect mobility and SS than InSnZnO TFT, which is used as a reference device in this study. These results suggest that the mobility of AlxSn1-xO and the conduction band offset between AlxSn1-xO and InSnZnO are important parameters to design high-performance HTFTs. Moreover, both Al0.1Sn0.9O/InSnZnO and Al0.3Sn0.7O/InSnZnO HTFTs exhibit relatively insignificant threshold voltage shift compared to InSnZnO TFT during negative bias illumination stress (NBIS). This indicates that the present AlxSn1-xO back-channel design is helpful to enhance the stability of the HTFTs.

Abstract: The paper introduces and discusses several characterizations of the multi-choice Shapley value (introduced by Nouweland et al. in ZOR-Math Methods Oper Res 41:289–311, 1995), on the domain of multi-choice games. These characterizations generalize the potential approach and results of Calvo and Santos (Math Soc Sci 34:175–190, 1997) into this domain, and the relations are treated with the axiomatic approach in Calvo and Santos (Math Soc Sci 40:341–354, 2000). Also, based on the axioms of two-person standardness and consistency, we offer an axiomatization of the multi-choice Shapley value.

RNA-based detection of pathogenic organisms is an emerging field of research that is crucial for disease diagnosis and environmental and food safety. By rationally engineering an RNA–DNA tandem (RDT) structural template, we proposed a novel RNase H-based isothermal exponential amplification (RH-IEA) reaction to rapidly identify long-stranded RNA. In this strategy, the rigid and compact RDT template selectively recognized the target RNA and formed a stable hybrid with it. Upon site-specific cleavage of RNase H, the 3′ overhang of the target RNA was cut off, and a free hydroxyl end at the hydrolysis site was generated to trigger an exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR). This method maintained the high efficiency and rapid amplification kinetics of EXPAR. As a result, the RH-IEA strategy was able to sensitively and specifically detect the characteristic sequence of Escherichia coliO157:H7 RNA, with a detection sensitivity of 1 fg/μL. Besides, the RDT template can be used as an RNA protector to prevent specific segments of the target RNA from being degraded by RNase enzymes, allowing the sample to be stored at room temperature for a long time. With this advantage, the practicality of RH-IEA will be more flexible than the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. It was successfully applied in the identification of E. coliO157:H7 in milk with a minimum detection concentration of 1.0 × 102CFU/mL. Therefore, the RH-IEA method will serve as a powerful tool for detecting long-stranded RNA and will also shed light on the pathogen detection in food safety and molecular diagnosis.

Composite visualization is a popular design strategy that represents complex datasets by integrating multiple visualizations in a meaningful and aesthetic layout, such as juxtaposition, overlay, and nesting. With this strategy, numerous novel designs have been proposed in visualization publications to accomplish various visual analytic tasks. However, there is a lack of understanding of design patterns of composite visualization, thus failing to provide holistic design space and concrete examples for practical use. In this article, we opted to revisit the composite visualizations in IEEE VIS publications and answered what and how visualizations of different types are composed together. To achieve this, we first constructed a corpus of composite visualizations from the publications and analyzed common practices, such as the pattern distributions and co-occurrence of visualization types. From the analysis, we obtained insights into different design patterns on the utilities and their potential pros and cons. Furthermore, we discussed usage scenarios of our taxonomy and corpus and how future research on visualization composition can be conducted on the basis of this study.

Obesity-related functional iron disorder remains a major nutritional challenge. We evaluated the effects of djulis hull (DH) on iron metabolism in 50% high-fat-diet-induced obese rats supplemented with ferric citrate (2 g iron/kg diet) for 12 weeks. DH supplementation (5, 10, 15% dry weight/kg diet) significantly increased serum and hepatic iron but decreased appetite hormones, body weight, hepcidin, and liver inflammation (all p< 0.05). The Spearman correlation showed that appetite hormones were negatively associated with iron but positively correlated with liver hepcidin (all p< 0.05). A Western blot analysis showed that DH significantly downregulated hepatic hepcidin through the IL-6–JAK–STAT3 and enhanced ferroportin (Fpn) via the Keap1–Nrf2 and PHD2–HIF-2α. An in vitro study revealed that major bioactive compounds of DH, hexacosanol, and squalene suppressed LPS-induced IL-6 and hepcidin but enhanced Fpn expression in activated THP-1 cells. In conclusion, DH may exert nutraceutical properties for the treatment of functional iron disorder and restoration of iron efflux may have beneficial effects on weight control.

Nanocomposites with heterogeneous structures and magneto-electric synergistic losses have broad prospects for improving electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance. In this study, we synthesized Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5nanoparticles with abundant hetero-interfaces and multiple magneto-electric loss mechanisms by a facile hydrothermal method. The excess 0.5 oxygen atoms in MnCo2O4.5produce more vacancies and contribute to the enhancement of electrical conductivity. Sequential nanoneedle clusters facilitate multiple reflections and absorption of EMW in the materials, which are accompanied by an abundance of heterogeneous interfaces to improve the dielectric loss. The Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5composites showed a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −30.01 dB and a superior effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.12 GHz (11.88 GHz–18 GHz) at a thickness of 2.00 mm. Computer Simulation Technology (CST) revealed that the obtained particles show very low radar cross-section (RCS) values and almost full coverage angles. The maximum reduction of RCS at vertical incidence reaches 19.98 dB m2. The Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5nanoparticles exhibit outstanding radar attenuation properties, which can effectively inhibit the reflection and scattering of EMW. Therefore, the prepared Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5absorbers have great application potential in the field of EMW absorption.

This article presents a multimodal electrochemical sensing system-on-chip (SoC), including the functions of cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and temperature sensing. CV readout circuitry achieves an adaptive readout current range of 145.5 dB through an automatic range adjustment and resolution scaling technique. EIS has an impedance resolution of 9.2 m$\Omega /\surd$ Hz at a sweep frequency of 10 kHz and an output current of up to 120 $\mu$A. With an impedance boost mechanism, the maximum detectable load impedance is extended to 22.95 k$\Omega$, while the total harmonic distortion is less than 1%. A resistor-based temperature sensor using a swing-boosted relaxation oscillator can achieve a resolution of 31 mK in 0-85 °C. The design is implemented in a 0.18 $\mu$m CMOS process. The total power consumption is 1 mW.

The co-utilization of green manure (GM) and rice straw (RS) in paddy fields has been widely applied as an effective practice in southern China. However, its effects on soil aggregate and soil organic carbon (SOC) stability remain unclear. In the present study, the effect of GM, RS, and co-utilization of GM and RS on particle size distribution of soil aggregates and SOC density fractions were measured in a field experiment. The experiment included six treatments, i.e., winter fallow (WF) without RS return (Ctrl), WF with 50% RS return (1/2RS), WF with 100% RS return (RS), GM without RS return (GM), GM with 50% RS return (GM1/2RS) and GM with 100% RS return (GMRS). The results showed that the proportion of small macro-aggregates (0.25–2 mm) and the mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates in the GMRS treatment was greater (by 18.9 and 3.41%, respectively) than in the RS treatment, while the proportion of silt+clay particles (<0.053 mm) was lower (by 14.4%). The concentration of SOC in microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) and silt+clay particles was higher in the GMRS treatment than in GM and RS treatments individually. The concentration and proportion of free light organic carbon (fLOC) in aggregates of various particle sizes and bulk soil was greater in the GMRS treatment than the RS treatment, whereas the concentration and proportion of mineral-associated organic carbon in small macroaggregates, microaggregates, and bulk was lower in the GMRS treatment than in the RS treatment. The proportion of intra-aggregate particulate organic carbon (iPOC) was greater in the GMRS treatment than in GM treatment. The GMRS treatment had strong positive effects on iPOC in small macroaggregates, suggesting that SOC was transferred from fLOC to iPOC. In conclusion, co-utilizing green manure and rice straw cultivated the SOC pool by increasing the concentration of fLOC and improved soil carbon stability by promoting the sequestration of organic carbon in iPOC as a form of physical protection.

The effects of tempering temperature on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of 16%Cr–5%Ni super martensitic stainless steel (SMSS) were investigated in the present study. Reversed austenite was detected via X-ray diffraction when the as-quenched samples with full martensite were tempered above 500 °C, and its volume fraction attained a maximum of ∼17% at 620 °C. When tempered below 620 °C, all the reversed austenite formed was able to keep stable at room temperature, while partial or even entire reversed austenite formed above 640 °C with Ni content less than 8 wt% transformed back into fresh martensite during cooling, demonstrating that the enrichment of Ni determined the thermal stability of reversed austenite. EDS results revealed that the precipitation of M23C6carbides caused Ni enrichment in the adjacent regions, promoting the nucleation of reversed austenite, and the growth of reversed austenite was mainly controlled by Ni diffusion. The results of tensile tests and instrumented impact tests indicated that stable reversed austenite effectively improved the ductility and toughness, and offset the deterioration of toughness caused by the M23C6precipitating at grain boundaries. Tempering at 540 °C achieved an excellent combination of strength and toughness, while the best plasticity of samples was obtained by tempering at 620 °C.

An integrated interface configuration (IIC) is reconstructed through in-situ interface chemistry, which can efficiently regulate charge transport kinetics and thereby achieve uniform lithium platting.

AbstractObjective:LEAC-102 is an emerging drug extracted from the medicinal fungus Antrodia cinnamomea(AC), which is traditionally used to ameliorate fatigue and liver disorders arising from excessive alcohol consumption. AC has been used as a health product with an immunomodulatory function, but its anticancer effect has not been applied in clinical therapy as a drug. This first-in-human study examined the safety and tolerability of LEAC-102 as a new drug in healthy adults.Method:This standard 3 + 3 dose-escalation study included 18 participants administered LEAC-102 at doses of 597.6, 1195.2, 1792.8, 2390.4, or 2988 mg/day for 1 month plus 7 days of safety follow-up. The maximum planned dose was 2988 mg. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was monitored from the start of LEAC-102 administration up to the final visit. The dose of LEAC-102 was escalated to the subsequent cohort as long as there was no DLT in the previous cohort. Tolerability, clinical status, safety (by laboratory parameters), and adverse event occurrence were documented weekly during the treatment and 1 week after the conclusion of the treatment.Results:All clinical biochemistry profiles were in the normal range, and no serious adverse effects were observed. The maximum tolerated dose of LEAC-102 was determined to be 2988 mg/day because one participant experienced urticaria. Additionally, our exploratory objectives revealed that LEAC-102 significantly elevated natural killer, natural killer T, and dendritic cells in a dose-dependent manner, activated effector T cells, and upregulated programmed cell death-1 expression.Conclusions:The outcomes suggested that LEAC-102 was well tolerated and safe in healthy adults and exhibited potential immunomodulatory function.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2022.2032868 .

Objective: Suicidal ideation is an important public health challenge among people living with HIV (PLWH) across the world and in China. HIV stigma, depression, and self-esteem have been associated with suicidal ideation. However, the underlying mechanisms remain not fully understood. Methods: Study data were derived from a sample of 465 PLWH in China. Suicidal ideation after HIV diagnosis was used as outcome variable. HIV stigma, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem were measured using reliable instruments and used as predictor, mediator, and moderator, respectively. Mediation and moderated mediation model were used for data analysis. Results: 31.6% of PLWH in China had suicidal ideation after HIV diagnosis. The association between perceived HIV stigma and suicidal ideation was partially mediated by depression (indirect effect = 0.02, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.03]) with the path from perceived HIV stigma to depressive symptoms being moderated by self-esteem (interaction effect =  − 0.02, 95% CI [− 0.03, − 0.01]). Conclusions: Study findings suggested a mediation mechanism of HIV stigma on suicidal ideation through depressive symptoms, and self-esteem might weaken the mediation mechanism by moderating the perceived HIV stigma-depressive symptoms pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains challenging due to the lack of efficient therapy. Promoting degradation of certain cancer drivers has become an innovative therapy. The nuclear transcription factor sine oculis homeobox 1 (SIX1) is a key driver for the progression of HCC. Here, we explored the molecular mechanisms of ubiquitination of SIX1 and whether targeting SIX1 degradation might represent a potential strategy for HCC therapy. Through detecting the ubiquitination level of SIX1 in clinical HCC tissues and analyzing TCGA and GEPIA databases, we found that ubiquitin specific peptidase 1 (USP1), a deubiquitinating enzyme, contributed to the lower ubiquitination and high protein level of SIX1 in HCC tissues. In HepG2 and Hep3B cells, activation of EGFR-AKT signaling pathway promoted the expression of USP1 and the stability of its substrates, including SIX1 and ribosomal protein S16 (RPS16). In contrast, suppression of EGFR with gefitinib or knockdown of USP1 restrained EGF-elevated levels of SIX1 and RPS16. We further revealed that SNS-023 (formerly known as BMS-387032) induced degradation of SIX1 and RPS16, whereas this process was reversed by reactivation of EGFR-AKT pathway or overexpression of USP1. Consequently, inactivation of the EGFR-AKT-USP1 axis with SNS-032 led to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and suppression of cell proliferation and migration in HCC. Moreover, we showed that sorafenib combined with SNS-032 or gefitinib synergistically inhibited the growth of Hep3B xenografts in vivo. Overall, we identify that both SIX1 and RPS16 are crucial substrates for the EGFR-AKT-USP1 axis-driven growth of HCC, suggesting a potential anti-HCC strategy from a novel perspective.

While oral desensitization is capable of alleviating peanut allergen anaphylaxis, long-term immune tolerance is the sought-after goal. We developed a liver-targeting lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform to deliver mRNA-encoded peanut allergen epitopes to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), which function as robust tolerogenic antigen-presenting cells that induce FoxP3+regulatory T-cells (Tregs). The mRNA strand was constructed by including nucleotide sequences encoding for nonallergenic MHC-II binding T-cell epitopes, identified in the dominant peanut allergen, Ara h2. These epitopes were inserted in the mRNA strand downstream of an MHC-II targeting sequence, further endowed in vitrowith 5′ and 3′ capping sequences, a PolyA tail, and uridine substitution. Codon-optimized mRNA was used for microfluidics synthesis of LNPs with an ionizable cationic lipid, also decorated with a lipid-anchored mannose ligand for LSEC targeting. Biodistribution to the liver was confirmed by in vivoimaging, while ELISpot assays demonstrated an increase in IL-10-producing Tregs in the spleen. Prophylactic administration of tandem-repeat or a combination of encapsulated Ara h2 epitopes induced robust tolerogenic effects in C3H/HeJ mice, sensitized to and subsequently challenged with crude peanut allergen extract. In addition to alleviating physical manifestations of anaphylaxis, there was suppression of Th2-mediated cytokine production, IgE synthesis, and mast cell release, accompanied by increased IL-10 and TGF-β production in the peritoneum. Similar efficacy was demonstrated during LNP administration postsensitization. While nondecorated particles had lesser but significant effects, PolyA/LNP-Man lacked protective effects. These results demonstrate an exciting application of mRNA/LNP for treatment of food allergen anaphylaxis, with the promise to be widely applicable to the allergy field.

We present a comprehensive set of experimentally validated/calibrated models that capture the physics of the nanoscale spin-orbit torque (SOT) devices. We consider various effects that are prominent at nanoscale including incomplete current redistribution, interface spin mixing, and nonuniform resistivity that were ignored in the prior modeling efforts. We develop a formalism based on drift-diffusion equations and the transfer matrix method to accurately estimate spin current distribution. We utilize finite element simulations to accurately calculate electric current density and field, and see considerable differences to the results from the simplified lumped model commonly used. For example, we calculate ~20% smaller spin current in a 15-nm-wide ferromagnet with a 4-nm-thick $\beta $ -W SOT channel. We further account for the effect of interface scattering on resistivity. Finally, we quantify the optimal SOT-layer thickness that minimizes the write energy as a function of spin diffusion length and conductivity of SOT materials. We show that the optimal thickness increases with the spin diffusion length and decreases with the conductivity.