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Northern pike (Esox luciusL.) is one of the fish species whose production in freshwater aquaculture may increase in the next few years. One method of producing this species is to create monosex stocks of pike, as females grow faster, mature later and gain larger body sizes. They can be obtained in the process of gynogenesis. The aim of this research was to determine and optimize the conditions of UV irradiating European perch (Perca fluviatilisL.) spermatozoa to inactivate them genetically (first experiment). The aim of this study was also to confirm whether perch spermatozoa can be used to induce northern pike gynogenesis using thermal shock (second experiment). During first experiment the highest rate of haploid larvae (29.9 ± 0.85%) was noted in the group inseminated with perch sperm irradiated for 6 min (1548 J m-2). No viable embryos were observed in groups of eggs inseminated with sperm irradiated for more than 10 minutes (2580 J m-2). The heat shock applied 12 or 14 min after gamete activation, for 3 or 5 min at 34.0°C, resulted in obtaining of gynogenetic specimen due to retention of the second polar body in all experimental groups. The most efficient was heat shock applied 14 min after gamete activation and lasting 3 min, and resulted in 18.5 ± 1.3% of gynogenetic larvae for female B. Heat shock applied 12 min after gamete activation, lasting 3 min was also effective in the case of female A, resulting in obtaining of 16.5 ± 2.1% gynogenetic specimen.

IMPORTANCE: Correct diagnosis of ovarian cancer results in better prognosis. Adnexal lesions can be stratified into the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) risk of malignancy categories with either the O-RADS lexicon, proposed by the American College of Radiology, or the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) 2-step strategy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic performance of the O-RADS lexicon and the IOTA 2-step strategy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective external diagnostic validation study based on interim data of IOTA5, a prospective international multicenter cohort study, in 36 oncology referral centers or other types of centers. A total of 8519 consecutive adult patients presenting with an adnexal mass between January 1, 2012, and March 1, 2015, and treated either with surgery or conservatively were included in this diagnostic study. Twenty-five patients were excluded for withdrawal of consent, 2777 were excluded from 19 centers that did not meet predefined data quality criteria, and 812 were excluded because they were already in follow-up at recruitment. The analysis included 4905 patients with a newly detected adnexal mass in 17 centers that met predefined data quality criteria. Data were analyzed from January 31 to March 1, 2022. EXPOSURES: Stratification into O-RADS categories (malignancy risk <1%, 1% to <10%, 10% to <50%, and ≥50%). For the IOTA 2-step strategy, the stratification is based on the individual risk of malignancy calculated with the IOTA 2-step strategy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Observed prevalence of malignancy in each O-RADS risk category, as well as sensitivity and specificity. The reference standard was the status of the tumor at inclusion, determined by histology or clinical and ultrasonographic follow-up for 1 year. Multiple imputation was used for uncertain outcomes owing to inconclusive follow-up information. RESULTS: Median age of the 4905 patients was 48 years (IQR, 36-62 years). Data on race and ethnicity were not collected. A total of 3441 tumors (70%) were benign, 978 (20%) were malignant, and 486 (10%) had uncertain classification. Using the O-RADS lexicon resulted in 1.1% (24 of 2196) observed prevalence of malignancy in O-RADS 2, 4% (34 of 857) in O-RADS 3, 27% (246 of 904) in O-RADS 4, and 78% (732 of 939) in O-RADS 5; the corresponding results for the IOTA 2-step strategy were 0.9% (18 of 1984), 4% (58 of 1304), 30% (206 of 690), and 82% (756 of 927). At the 10% risk threshold (O-RADS 4-5), the O-RADS lexicon had 92% sensitivity (95% CI, 87%-96%) and 80% specificity (95% CI, 74%-85%), and the IOTA 2-step strategy had 91% sensitivity (95% CI, 84%-95%) and 85% specificity (95% CI, 80%-88%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this external diagnostic validation study suggest that both the O-RADS lexicon and the IOTA 2-step strategy can be used to stratify patients into risk groups. However, the observed malignancy rate in O-RADS 2 was not clearly below 1%.

Gastrulation is a critical stage in embryonic development during which the germ layers are established. Advances in sequencing technologies led to the identification of gene regulatory programs that control the emergence of the germ layers and their derivatives. However, proteome-based studies of early mammalian development are scarce. To overcome this, we utilized gastruloids and a multilayered mass spectrometry-based proteomics approach to investigate the global dynamics of (phospho) protein expression during gastruloid differentiation. Our findings revealed many proteins with temporal expression and unique expression profiles for each germ layer, which we also validated using single-cell proteomics technology. Additionally, we profiled enhancer interaction landscapes using P300 proximity labeling, which revealed numerous gastruloid-specific transcription factors and chromatin remodelers. Subsequent degron-based perturbations combined with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) identified a critical role for ZEB2 in mouse and human somitogenesis. Overall, this study provides a rich resource for developmental and synthetic biology communities endeavoring to understand mammalian embryogenesis.

Arabinogalactan is a biologically active water-soluble polysaccharide contained in great amounts in larch wood. A sulfate group introduced into the arabinogalactan molecule increases its biological activity and imparts new anticoagulant and hypolipedemic properties. A new method for the catalytic sulfation of arabinogalactan with ammonium sulfamate is proposed. The catalytic activity in the reaction of arabinogalactan sulfation with ammonium sulfamate has been investigated for both the base activators (urea and thiourea) and oxidants (KMnO4and K2Cr2O7). It has been shown that, in this process, the most effective activator is KMnO4, which ensures the highest (11.3 wt %) sulfur content in sulfated arabinogalactan. The effect of temperature and time of the arabinogalactan sulfation with ammonium sulfamate and the nature of solvents used on the sulfur content in sulfated arabinogalactan has been examined. It has been found that the highest (11.3%) sulfur content in the product is obtained by sulfation of arabinogalactan in 1,4-dioxane at a temperature of 90 °C for 4 h with the KMnO4activator. The introduction of a sulfate group into the arabinogalactan molecule has been confirmed by the FTIR and NMR spectroscopy data. The FTIR spectrum of sulfated arabinogalactan, in contrast to that of the initial arabinogalactan, includes an absorption band at 1249 cm−1. According to the 13C NMR spectroscopy data, the sulfate groups are located at carbon atoms C2 and C4 of the main galactan chain and at carbon atom C6 of the end galactose units of the main and side arabinogalactan chains. It has been established by gel permeation chromatography that, during the sulfation, the molecular mass of arabinogalactan molecules increases proportionally to the introduced sulfate groups. The absence of low molecular weight fractions is indicative of the absence of depolymerization under the conditions of sulfation and evolution of sulfated arabinogalactan.

In this work, for the first time, we present the X-ray diffraction crystal structure and spectral properties of a new, room-temperature polymorph of teriflunomide (TFM), CSD code 1969989. As revealed by DSC, the low-temperature TFM polymorph recently reported by Gunnam et al. undergoes a reversible thermal transition at −40 °C. This reversible process is related to a change in Z’value, from 2 to 1, as observed by variable-temperature 1H–13C cross-polarization (CP) magic-angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR, while the crystallographic system is preserved (triclinic). Two-dimensional 13C–1H and 1H–1H double-quantum MAS NMR spectra are consistent with the new room-temperature structure, including comparison with GIPAW (gauge-including projector augmented waves) calculated NMR chemical shifts. A crystal structure prediction procedure found both experimental teriflunomide polymorphs in the energetic global minimum region. Differences between the polymorphs are seen for the torsional angle describing the orientation of the phenyl ring relative to the planarity of the TFM molecule. In the low-temperature structure, there are two torsion angles of 4.5 and 31.9° for the two Z’= 2 molecules, while in the room-temperature structure, there is disorder that is modeled with ∼50% occupancy between torsion angles of −7.8 and 28.6°. These observations are consistent with a broad energy minimum as revealed by DFT calculations. PISEMA solid-state NMR experiments show a reduction in the C–H dipolar coupling in comparison to the static limit for the aromatic CH moieties of 75% and 51% at 20 and 40 °C, respectively, that is indicative of ring flips at the higher temperature. Our study shows the power of combining experiments, namely DSC, X-ray diffraction, and MAS NMR, with DFT calculations and CSP to probe and understand the solid-state landscape, and in particular the role of dynamics, for pharmaceutical molecules.

We present a novel strategy for mapping the localization of guest molecules (GMs) in mesoporous materials by combining mechanochemistry with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy. To this end, we consider model guest–host systems of benzoic acid (BA) and para-fluorobenzoic acid (4-FBA) embedded in mesoporous MCM-41 material and examine the recently proposed loading (MeLo) procedure for efficient encapsulation of molecular species. Application of high-resolution NMR experiments (1H and 19F NMR) has allowed detection of a multimodal distribution of the spectral signals ascribed to embedded GMs. This peculiarity reflects the presence of distinct molecular ensembles subjected to intrinsically different local environments and exhibiting different dynamical behavior. Furthermore, a considerable fraction of an amorphous phase has been found as a byproduct of the ball-milling. The stability of the phase mixture was further checked by subjecting the samples to chemical and physical stimuli, and a detailed interpretation of the NMR data was corroborated by theoretical calculations. To this end, we have undertaken a challenge to predict the NMR spectra of the GMs@MCM-41 using advanced ab initiomolecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, providing an accurate and exhaustive analysis of the NMR spectra. On the basis of the ab initiomodeling validated against the experimental results, we find that the multimodal signal distribution reflects the level of the pore filling, and can be ascribed to the presence of both interface and fluid molecular species trapped inside the pores. This has been confirmed for both BA@MCM-41 and 4-FBA@MCM-41 systems. The presence of the third, amorphous fraction can be linked to interstitial space between randomly ordered crystallites, pointing at the importance of the external surface in further stabilization of encapsulated materials. Altogether, a consistent experimental and theoretical methodology has been presented, paving the way for a more accurate analysis of complex nanoconfined systems.

Small, highly absorbing points are randomly present on the surfaces of the main interferometer optics in Advanced LIGO. The resulting nanometer scale thermo-elastic deformations and substrate lenses from these micron-scale absorbers significantly reduce the sensitivity of the interferometer directly though a reduction in the power-recycling gain and indirect interactions with the feedback control system. We review the expected surface deformation from point absorbers and provide a pedagogical description of the impact on power buildup in second generation gravitational wave detectors (dual-recycled Fabry–Perot Michelson interferometers). This analysis predicts that the power-dependent reduction in interferometer performance will significantly degrade maximum stored power by up to 50% and, hence, limit GW sensitivity, but it suggests system wide corrections that can be implemented in current and future GW detectors. This is particularly pressing given that future GW detectors call for an order of magnitude more stored power than currently used in Advanced LIGO in Observing Run 3. We briefly review strategies to mitigate the effects of point absorbers in current and future GW wave detectors to maximize the success of these enterprises.

Objective In chronic aortic insufficiency (AI), the method and degree of annular downsizing required to achieve durable coaptation in aortic valve repair (AVr) remains poorly defined. This study evaluated the relationship between leaflet size and annular diameter to predict adequate annular sizing in remodeling AVr.Methods Under regulatory supervision, 74 patients with chronic tri-leaflet AI underwent AVr using ring annuloplasty and leaflet reconstruction. Fifty-four (73%) had ascending aortic (n= 25) and/or root (n= 29) aneurysms, and aortic grafts were sized 5 to 7 mm larger than the rings. Intraoperatively, leaflet free-edge length (FEL) was measured with special ball sizers positioned in the coronary sinus, and “normal” annular diameter was predicted from the validated formula: Required “normal” diameter = FEL/1.5. “Normal” annular diameters predicted from FEL were compared with pathologic diameters measured intraoperatively with Hegar dilators, and both were correlated with gender, age, and BSA.Results Average age was 62.1 ± 13.3 years (mean ± SD), 73% (54/74) were male, and 96% (71/74) had moderate-to-severe AI. All patients had annular dilatation, with a pathologic diameter 26.6 ± 2.3 mm before repair, and a predicted “normal” diameter of 21.7 ± 1.7 mm (P< 0.001). Both predicted and pathologic annular diameters were larger in men (P< 0.001), but no relationship existed with age. BSA correlated with both predicted and pathologic diameters, although variability was large.Conclusions Based on a simple validated method to predict “normal” annular diameter, all patients with chronic AI have some degree of annular dilatation. This finding implies that most AVr should include annuloplasty, with adequate and precise annular reduction based on leaflet size.

Two, acyclic (1) and cyclic (2), steroidal molecular rotors containing 1,4-diethynyl-2,3-difluoro-phenylene units as rotators were investigated by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction, high resolution solid state NMR spectroscopy, and computer methods. The aim of this study was to understand and search for a correlation between the size of difluoro-phenylene units and free space in the crystal lattice required for molecular reorientation as well as the topology and time scale of dynamic processes. As a primary tool for analysis of molecular motions in the solid state, 1H–13C PISEMA, a technique which allows following the dynamics in the range of 10–3–10–6s, was employed. The PISEMA data defining the 1H–13C dipolar couplings, whose values are sensitive to local motion, were confronted with 13C CSA parameters. Our studies revealed that replacing hydrogen by fluorine in acyclic rotors has significant consequences for dynamic processes. In the case of hydrogen-substituted species, free rotation around the 1–4 axis of the benzene ring was proven. For fluorine derivatives 1, only small amplitude wobbling of aromatic residues was observed. The only large amplitude reorientation, a so-called π-jump around the 1–4 axis, was observed during the phase transition related with solvent migration from the crystal lattice. For cyclic rotors (2) two crystallographic forms 2A(triclinic, P1 space group) and 2B(monoclinic, P21space group) are established. The form 2Bcontaining a heptane molecule in the crystal lattice undergoes a thermal transition with large amplitude motion of building units of the steroidal frame. The high dynamics of the fluorinated rotator for 2Ais proven.

In this work, we present the comparison study of guanine and cytosine crystals based on the hydrogen bond (HB) dynamics. The ab initio molecular dynamics gave us a base for detailed analysis. The analysis of the trajectories by power spectrum generation, as well as the fluctuation of the interaction energies, showed large differences between HB networks in the considered crystals. The charge flow is present in the guanine molecule which forms the flat surfaces in the crystals. In the cytosine zigzag structure, the charge flow is blocked. The interaction energy is significantly less stabilizing in the cytosine structure than in the guanine. Finally, the possible influence of charge transfer on the melting temperature has been discussed.

Shock electrodialysis (SED) is a new electromembrane process for water desalination. The principle is similar to electrodeionization – the product should be ultrapure water, but the inlet water can be the same quality as the inlet to electrodialysis. The ion exchange resin is substituted by porous media and used ion exchange membranes are just of one type (i.e., two cation exchange membranes or two anion exchange membranes). The use of porous media is essential. Many physical and chemical phenomena including electroosmotic flow, electroconvection, surface conduction combined in the moment lead to the phenomena of a “–shock wave” and SED, respectively. The mechanism of the wave is represented by the formation of a sharp border in the water stream between the highly concentrated and ion-free zone. The whole process was studied by Prof. Martin Bazant’s group at MIT, Department of Chemical Engineering. The aim of this particular study is characterization and experimental testing of porous material as an essential component of SED. A variety of organic and synthetic porous materials were tested by various analytical methods and in the SED laboratory unit itself. The work reports an overview of commonly available and appropriate materials analogous to the glass frit used in the first prototypes developed by Bazant’s group. Considering the physical properties and behavior in experimental conditions and based on the results exhibiting stable desalination, we suggest the optimal porous material as well as the housing for this media. Finally, it is represented by quality of products, hydrodynamic resistance, prize of the porous material, availability and also by workability (machinability) for appropriate shape and also construction stability.

This work reports a theoretical study of infrared (IR) spectra of four nucleobases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine) in the crystalline state. The effects responsible for the fine spectral features were revealed, and the nonfundamental bands significantly contributing to the IR fingerprint region were successfully reproduced. Additionally, we compared the fundamental bands simulated for periodic models in harmonic approximation with the results obtained for finite models in anharmonic approximation. On this basis, we concluded that accurate description of the chemical neighborhood is more essential for the IR fingerprint region than the anharmonicity. Comparison with previous results indicates that the vibrational properties and the nature of intermolecular interactions of nucleobases in the crystalline state remain similar to those in solution. Therefore, the conclusions obtained for well-defined crystalline structures of nucleobases are general and helpful in understanding the vibrational spectra and properties of nucleobases and their derivatives. Finally, this work evidences that anharmonic force field based on finite models may be applied as an inexpensive correction to the harmonic spectrum of an infinite periodic system.