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Abstract The 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) plays a crucial role in determining mRNA stability, localisation, translation and degradation. Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE), a method for the detection of capped 5′ ends of mRNAs, additionally reveals a large number of apparently 5′ capped RNAs derived from locations within the body of the transcript, including 3′UTRs. Here, we provide direct evidence that these 3′UTR-derived RNAs are indeed capped and widespread in mammalian cells. By using a combination of AGO2 enhanced individual nucleotide resolution UV crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (eiCLIP) and CAGE following siRNA treatment, we find that these 3′UTR-derived RNAs likely originate from AGO2-binding sites, and most often occur at locations with G-rich motifs bound by the RNA-binding protein UPF1. High-resolution imaging and long-read sequencing analysis validate several 3′UTR-derived RNAs, showcase their variable abundance and show that they may not co-localise with the parental mRNAs. Taken together, we provide new insights into the origin and prevalence of 3′UTR-derived RNAs, show the utility of CAGE-seq for their genome-wide detection and provide a rich dataset for exploring new biology of a poorly understood new class of RNAs. Graphical Abstract Schematic representation of the proposed model where 3′UTR-derived RNAs originate from G-rich regions enriched in AGO2 and UPF1 binding sites.

A new study on the synthesis of β-lactams functionalized hafnia nanoparticles is done. The reported work describes the utility of hydrothermal method to prepare hafnia nanoparticles coated with β-lactams. The method provides spherical NPs with dimensions of 30–50 nm and are slightly anionic. The conjugate has been found to be biologically active and well characterized by techniques like FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TEM, and EDX methods. The methodology gives a conjugate whose synthesis has not been attempted so far in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E acts as a multifunctional factor that simultaneously influences mRNA processing, export, and translation in many organisms. Its multifactorial effects are derived from its capacity to bind to the methyl-7-guanosine cap on the 5'end of mRNAs and thus can act as a cap chaperone for transcripts in the nucleus and cytoplasm. In this review, we describe the multifactorial roles of eIF4E in major mRNA-processing events including capping, splicing, cleavage and polyadenylation, nuclear export and translation. We discuss the evidence that eIF4E acts at two levels to generate widescale changes to processing, export and ultimately the protein produced. First, eIF4E alters the production of components of the mRNA processing machinery, supporting a widescale reprogramming of multiple mRNA processing events. In this way, eIF4E can modulate mRNA processing without physically interacting with target transcripts. Second, eIF4E also physically interacts with both capped mRNAs and components of the RNA processing or translation machineries. Further, specific mRNAs are sensitive to eIF4E only in particular mRNA processing events. This selectivity is governed by the presence of cis-acting elements within mRNAs known as USER codes that recruit relevant co-factors engaging the appropriate machinery. In all, we describe the molecular bases for eIF4E's multifactorial function and relevant regulatory pathways, discuss the basis for selectivity, present a compendium of ~80 eIF4E-interacting factors which play roles in these activities and provide an overview of the relevance of its functions to its oncogenic potential. Finally, we summarize early-stage clinical studies targeting eIF4E in cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coating conductive nanoparticles onto the surface of hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) is essential for broadening their applications. However, the low density and high specific surface area of HGM powders, along with the thin walls of the cavity shells and poor surface adhesion, pose challenges for the uniform attachment of functional particles. In this study, we developed a novel integrated process that combines flotation, hydroxylation, and amination pretreatment for HGMs with in situ surface polymerization to achieve a uniform coating of polypyrrole (PPy) on the surface of HGMs. We explored the corresponding growth process and coating mechanism. Our findings indicate that the amount of coating, particle size, and uniformity of PPy on the surface of HGMs are significantly influenced by the pretreatment and the in situ polymerization time, as well as the microspheres/pyrrole feedstock ratio. The in situ polymerization on the surface of HGMs resulted in a uniform encapsulation of spherical PPy, with the average particle size of PPy-coated HGMs (PPy@HGMs) increasing by 14.60% compared to the original HGMs. The elemental nitrogen in the PPy@HGMs primarily exists in the form of C-N and N-H bonds. This study demonstrates that the surface functional groups of HGMs engage in chemical bonding and interactions with PPy molecules. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the hydroxyl and amino groups enriched on the surface of the pretreated HGMs serve as activation centers, facilitating the uniform enrichment of pyrrole monomers and promoting chain growth polymerization of the conjugated chain through nucleophilic and electrophilic interactions with the subamino groups in the pyrrole ring. Additionally, the reaction between the Lewis acid properties of PPy and the Lewis-type electron-donating amino groups in KH550 fosters strong bonding and the formation of a robust interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) plays a crucial role in determining mRNA stability, localisation, translation and degradation. Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE), a method for the detection of capped 5′ ends of mRNAs, additionally reveals a large number of apparently 5′ capped RNAs derived from locations within the body of the transcript, including 3′UTRs. Here, we provide direct evidence that these 3′UTR-derived RNAs are indeed capped and widespread in mammalian cells. By using a combination of AGO2 enhanced individual nucleotide resolution UV crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (eiCLIP) and CAGE following siRNA treatment, we find that these 3′UTR-derived RNAs likely originate from AGO2-binding sites, and most often occur at locations with G-rich motifs bound by the RNA-binding protein UPF1. High-resolution imaging and long-read sequencing analysis validate several 3′UTR-derived RNAs, showcase their variable abundance and show that they may not co-localise with the parental mRNAs. Taken together, we provide new insights into the origin and prevalence of 3′UTR-derived RNAs, show the utility of CAGE-seq for their genome-wide detection and provide a rich dataset for exploring new biology of a poorly understood new class of RNAs. Schematic representation of the proposed model where 3′UTR-derived RNAs originate from G-rich regions enriched in AGO2 and UPF1 binding sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entamoeba histolytica causes invasive amoebiasis, an important neglected tropical disease with a significant global health impact. The pathogenicity and survival of E. histolytica and its reptilian equivalent, Entamoeba invadens, relies on its ability to exhibit efficient motility, evade host immune responses, and exploit host resources, all of which are governed by the actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Our study demonstrates the early origin and the regulatory role of TALE homeobox protein EiHbox1 in actin‐related cellular processes. Several genes involved in different biological pathways, including actin dynamics are differentially expressed in EiHbox1 silenced cells. EiHbox1 silenced parasites showed disrupted F‐actin organization and loss of cellular polarity. EiHbox1's presence in the anterior region of migrating cells further suggests its involvement in maintaining cellular polarity. Loss of polarized morphology of EiHbox1 silenced parasites leads to altered motility from fast, directionally persistent, and highly chemotactic to slow, random, and less chemotactic, which subsequently leads to defective aggregation during encystation. EiHbox1 knockdown also resulted in a significant reduction in phagocytic capacity and poor capping response. These findings highlight the importance of EiHbox1 of E. invadens in governing cellular processes crucial for their survival, pathogenicity, and evasion of the host immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The diagnosis and management of Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome (SCDS) with concomitant otosclerosis can be a challenge. Otosclerosis can mask SCDS symptoms and stapes surgery may reveal or exacerbate vestibular symptoms. Our aim is to present four cases of SCDS with concomitant otosclerosis and thereby informing the reader about the possibility of this dual occurrence and its implications for treatment. Cases: Four patients with SCDS and concomitant otosclerosis are presented. Two patients underwent surgical treatment for both SCDS and otosclerosis and two patients opted for conservative management. Outcomes: The main differences between surgically and non-surgically treated cases are the presence of autophony and pressure-induced vertigo and a more severe experience of symptoms in surgically treated cases. Surgically treated cases achieved a sizeable reduction in postoperative air–bone gap and resolution of vestibular symptoms. Conclusion: The subjective severity of symptoms in combination with shared decision-making is key in determining the appropriate treatment plan for SCDS and concomitant otosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seabed of the Gunneklev Fjord in south-eastern Norway is covered with exceptionally soft contaminated sediment containing mercury and dioxins. The sediments have an undrained shear strength less than 1 kPa and a variable thickness of up to 2.5 m. To reduce the potential for leaching of contaminants from these sediments, Hydro Energy AS developed a remediation plan involving capping of the sediment. Significant uncertainties are associated with the sediment's undrained shear strength and the cap thickness. An unfortunate combination of low shear strength and thick cap could cause slope failure (e.g. translational sliding of the sediment and/or bearing capacity failure (e.g. punching through). Failure, particularly slope failure, can cause spreading of the contaminants in the fjord causing serious consequences. This paper presents an assessment of the probability of slope failure associated with the contaminated sediment before and after the cap placement. Probability of bearing capacity failure is considered to have more local effect and is also discussed briefly. The study used the Monte Carlo method with random undrained shear strength and sediment thickness. The simulations show high slope failure probability when the seabed inclination was ≥ 1:50 combined with an average undrained shear strength ≤ 0.4 kPa. Based on the probabilistic analyses, a pilot field testing campaign was carried out (after this study) with 20-cm thickness cap in the "gentle" sloping area and 5-cm thickness in the "steep" areas to avoid causing a failure. The analyses were used to support evidence-based decision-making on the cap design and implementation for further field testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sample charging during X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of electrically insulating samples is a widely recognized challenge of this essential technique. If the electron loss caused by the photoelectric effect is not compensated due to specimens’ poor electrical conductivity, the positive charge building up in the surface region results in an uncontrolled shift of detected core level peaks to higher binding energy (BE). This seriously complicates chemical bonding assignment, which is based on measured peak positions, and accounts for a large spread in reported core level BE values. Here, we show that peaks from several industry-relevant oxides, serving as model insulators, typically displaced by several eV due to charging, shift back to positions characteristic of electrically-neutral samples following ex-situ capping with a few nm thick metallic layer with low affinity to oxygen. The effect is present only if the capping layers contain sufficiently large non-oxidized volume that provides long-range conduction paths to grounded Cu clamps, while being thin enough to allow for recording high quality spectra from the underlying insulators. The versatility of the charging elimination is demonstrated for different oxides/cap combinations, air exposure times, and sample types (including thin film and bulk specimens).

The efficiency of iron/aluminum co-modified zeolite (FeAl-Z) covering and amendment for controlling the internal loading of phosphorus (P) from sediment to the overlying water (OW) and its controlling mechanism were explored. The response of the composition of sedimentary microbial communities in sediment and their function to the FeAl-Z capping and amendment was also examined. FeAl-Z showed good removal performance for phosphate in aqueous solution. The maximum phosphate adsorption quantity for FeAl-Z at pH 7 attained 11.2 mg P/g. The release of sediment endogenous phosphorus to OW can be successfully restrained by the FeAl-Z covering and amendment, and the suppression ability of FeAl-Z covering was stronger than that of FeAl-Z amendment. Under the capping or amendment condition, FeAl-Z can effectively inactivate the labile phosphorus measured by diffusion gradient in thin film (DGT-LP) in the overlying water and surface sediment. The added FeAl-Z transformed redox-sensitive phosphorus (BD-P) to metal oxide-bound phosphorus (NaOH-IP) and residual phosphorus (Res-P) in sediment, which increased the stability of inorganic phosphorus in the sediment. The passivation of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and DGT-LP in the surface sediment by FeAl-Z significantly contributed to the inhibition of sediment endogenous phosphorus release to OW by the FeAl-Z capping, and the passivation of SRP, DGT-LP and mobile phosphorus in the surface sediment played a pivotal role in the control of sediment internal phosphorus release by the FeAl-Z amendment. The FeAl-Z amendment and capping did not increase the liberation risk of Fe from sediment, and the microorganisms in the sediments under the conditions of FeAl-Z amendment and covering still can perform good ecological functions. Results of this research demonstrate that FeAl-Z capping has high application potential in the control of phosphorus transfer from sediment to OW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Transcription of spliceosomal small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) in Trichomonas vaginalis bypasses conventional capping. • Spliceosomal snRNAs of T. vaginalis have 5′-triphosphate ends. • Spliceosomal snRNAs of T. vaginalis lack standard core promoter elements. • The U6 snRNA of T. vaginalis dispenses with the TATA box for transcription and RNA polymerase selectivity. • U6 snRNA transcription in T. vaginalis is insensitive to tagetitoxin. Trichomonas vaginalis is a medically important protozoan parasite, and a deep-branching, evolutionarily divergent unicellular eukaryote that has conserved several key features of eukaryotic gene expression. Trichomonas vaginalis possesses a metazoan/plant-like capping apparatus, mRNAs with a cap 1 structure and spliceosomes containing the five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). However, in contrast to metazoan and plant snRNAs, the structurally conserved T. vaginalis snRNAs were initially identified as lacking the canonical guanosine cap nucleotide. To explain this unusual condition, we sought to investigate transcriptional and processing features of the spliceosomal snRNAs in this protist. Here, we show that T. vaginalis spliceosomal snRNA genes mostly lack typical eukaryotic promoters. In contrast to other eukaryotes, the putative TATA box in the T. vaginalis U6 snRNA gene was found to be dispensable for transcription or RNA polymerase selectivity. Moreover, U6 transcription in T. vaginalis was virtually insensitive to tagetitoxin compared with other cellular transcripts produced by the same RNA polymerase III. Most important and unexpected, snRNA transcription in T. vaginalis appears to bypass capping as we show that these transcripts retain their original 5′-triphosphate groups. In conclusion, transcription and processing of spliceosomal snRNAs in T. vaginalis deviate considerably from the conventional rules of other eukaryotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract One of the most fundamental problems in genome rearrangement studies is the (genomic) distance problem. It is typically formulated as finding the minimum number of rearrangements under a model that are needed to transform one genome into the other. A powerful multi-chromosomal model is the Double Cut and Join (DCJ) model.While the DCJ model is not able to deal with some situations that occur in practice, like duplicated or lost regions, it was extended over time to handle these cases. First, it was extended to the DCJ-indel model, solving the issue of lost markers. Later ILP-solutions for so called natural genomes, in which each genomic region may occur an arbitrary number of times, were developed, enabling in theory to solve the distance problem for any pair of genomes. However, some theoretical and practical issues remained unsolved. On the theoretical side of things, there exist two disparate views of the DCJ-indel model, motivated in the same way, but with different conceptualizations that could not be reconciled so far. On the practical side, while ILP solutions for natural genomes typically perform well on telomere to telomere resolved genomes, they have been shown in recent years to quickly loose performance on genomes with a large number of contigs or linear chromosomes. This has been linked to a particular technique, namely capping. Simply put, capping circularizes linear chromosomes by concatenating them during solving time, increasing the solution space of the ILP superexponentially. Recently, we introduced a new conceptualization of the DCJ-indel model within the context of another rearrangement problem. In this manuscript, we will apply this new conceptualization to the distance problem. In doing this, we uncover the relation between the disparate conceptualizations of the DCJ-indel model. We are also able to derive an ILP solution to the distance problem that does not rely on capping. This solution significantly improves upon the performance of previous solutions on genomes with high numbers of contigs while still solving the problem exactly and being competitive in performance otherwise. We demonstrate the performance advantage on simulated genomes as well as showing its practical usefulness in an analysis of 11 Drosophila genomes.

Capping agents are widely employed to stabilize the synthesized nanoparticles. To address the problems associated with the chemical capping agents and agglomeration of nanoparticles in the chemical and physical methods, green synthesis methods based upon the usage of biodegradable, well-dispersed capping agents have widely been used. In this work, TiO2 was synthesized by simple sol–gel method and a green capping agent, potato starch has been used. Potato starch consist of two basic biopolymers i.e. amylose (∼20 %) and amylopectin (∼80 %), that binds through the functional groups viz. hydroxyl, carboxylic or amino groups with the metal cations to prevent agglomeration of the growing NPs. The structure and morphology of the synthesized TiO2 were characterized by FTIR and XRD, where the XRD patterns confirmed the anatase phase of TiO2. From the Tauc’s plot, the band-gap of un-capped and differently capped TiO2 was obtained. Potato starch-capped TiO2 coated with the Ru dye (N719) revealed photoelectric conversion efficiency of 2.58 % under illumination of 100 mW/cm2, that was much upgraded compared to the performance with the un-capped TiO2 (1.84 %). The EIS studies revealed the kinetic parameters. The illustrated results showed that potato starch-capped TiO2 have greater potential in enhancing the DSSC efficiency.

One of the most fundamental problems in genome rearrangement studies is the (genomic) distance problem. It is typically formulated as finding the minimum number of rearrangements under a model that are needed to transform one genome into the other. A powerful multi-chromosomal model is the Double Cut and Join (DCJ) model.While the DCJ model is not able to deal with some situations that occur in practice, like duplicated or lost regions, it was extended over time to handle these cases. First, it was extended to the DCJ-indel model, solving the issue of lost markers. Later ILP-solutions for so called natural genomes, in which each genomic region may occur an arbitrary number of times, were developed, enabling in theory to solve the distance problem for any pair of genomes. However, some theoretical and practical issues remained unsolved. On the theoretical side of things, there exist two disparate views of the DCJ-indel model, motivated in the same way, but with different conceptualizations that could not be reconciled so far. On the practical side, while ILP solutions for natural genomes typically perform well on telomere to telomere resolved genomes, they have been shown in recent years to quickly loose performance on genomes with a large number of contigs or linear chromosomes. This has been linked to a particular technique, namely capping. Simply put, capping circularizes linear chromosomes by concatenating them during solving time, increasing the solution space of the ILP superexponentially. Recently, we introduced a new conceptualization of the DCJ-indel model within the context of another rearrangement problem. In this manuscript, we will apply this new conceptualization to the distance problem. In doing this, we uncover the relation between the disparate conceptualizations of the DCJ-indel model. We are also able to derive an ILP solution to the distance problem that does not rely on capping. This solution significantly improves upon the performance of previous solutions on genomes with high numbers of contigs while still solving the problem exactly and being competitive in performance otherwise. We demonstrate the performance advantage on simulated genomes as well as showing its practical usefulness in an analysis of 11 Drosophila genomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the dynamic instability of microtubules (MTs) is fundamental to many cellular functions, quiescent MTs with unattached free distal ends are commonly present and play important roles in various events to power cellular dynamics. However, how these free MT tips are stabilized remains poorly understood. Here, we report that centrosome and spindle pole protein 1 (CSPP1) caps and stabilizes both plus and minus ends of static MTs. Real-time imaging of laser-ablated MTs in live cells showed deposition of CSPP1 at the newly generated MT ends, whose dynamic instability was concomitantly suppressed. Consistently, MT ends in CSPP1-overexpressing cells were hyper-stabilized, while those in CSPP1-depleted cells were much more dynamic. This CSPP1-elicited stabilization of MTs was demonstrated to be achieved by suppressing intrinsic MT catastrophe and restricting polymerization. Importantly, CSPP1-bound MTs were resistant to mitotic centromere-associated kinesin-mediated depolymerization. These findings delineate a previously uncharacterized CSPP1 activity that integrates MT end capping to orchestrate quiescent MTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visualizing RNA–protein interactions through structural approaches requires the use of RNA molecules purified to homogeneity. We describe here a simple and effective method, free of acrylamide contamination and without using UV radiation, to separate in vitro synthesized, heterogeneous RNA transcripts (up to ∼15 nucleotides) at single-nucleotide resolution by quaternary-amine anion exchange chromatography. The quality of short RNAs isolated through this method is validated by gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and crystallization with a protein-binding partner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in many consumer products is expected to increase in the future due to their multifaceted properties. With the increasing demand for AgNPs, manufacturers are focusing more on exploring various methods for synthesizing AgNPs that are safer, cost-effective, and scalable. Synthesis of AgNPs using biological processes is advantageous over physical and chemical methods, primarily due to low cost and being free of hazardous chemical reagents. Among the biological processes, various groups of algae have been explored for the synthesis of AgNPs. Different biogenic substances present in the algae serve as excellent reducing and capping agents for the synthesis of NPs. Moreover, in comparison to plants and other microorganisms, algae are easy to maintain and show mass multiplication. In this review, state-of-the-art information has been collected regarding the usage of different groups of algae for the synthesis of AgNPs, their physico-chemical properties, mechanism of synthesis, and bioactivity in detail. One of the applications of AgNPs i.e., antimicrobial activity, is discussed in detail. Further, a conceptual framework regarding various techniques used for characterization of nanoparticles is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide purification by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is associated with high solvent consumption, relatively large effort and lack of efficient parallelization. As an alternative, many catch‐and‐release (c&r) purification methods have been developed over the last decades to enable the efficient parallel purification of peptides originating from solid‐phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). However, with one exception, none of the c&r systems has been widely established in industry and academia until today. Herein, we present an entirely new chromatography‐free purification concept for peptides synthesized on a solid support, termed reactive capping purification (RCP). The RCP method relies on the capping of truncation peptides arising from incomplete coupling of amino acids during SPPS with a reactive tag. The reactive tag contains a masked functionality that, upon liberation during cleavage from the resin, enables straightforward purification of the peptide by incubation with a resin‐bound reactive moiety. In this work, two different reactive tags based on masked thiols were developed. Capping with these reactive tags during SPPS led to effective modification of truncated sequences and subsequent removal of the latter by chemoselective reaction with a maleimide‐functionalized solid support. By introducing a suitable protecting group strategy, the thiol‐based RCP method described here could also be successfully applied to a thiol‐containing peptide. Finally, the purification of a 15‐meric peptide by the RCP method was demonstrated. The developed method has low solvent consumption, has the potential for efficient parallelization, uses readily available reagents, and is experimentally simple to perform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study describes the synthesis of ZnO nanostructures doped with metals including Ca, Mg, Mn, Ag and Cu using a co-precipitation method. Methodology: The nanostructures were examined through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) assessment The antibacterial efficacy of these nanostructures was evaluated using a modified disk diffusion Kirby Bauer method. Results: Nanostructures displayed effective antimicrobial activity against a variety of bacterial strains. The most effective nanostructures were found to be those made with Ca-Cefotaxime and Ag-Cefotaxime doped ZnO. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that the combination of ZnO and Cefotaxime with different metal ions has an impact on the antibacterial activity against various bacterial strains. To the best of our knowledge, nanoparticles with cefotaxime have not been studied in the literature before. Further studies should investigate the mechanism of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles have gained worldwide attention in the scientific community due to their high antimicrobial activity. However, they tend to agglomerate and lose their shape and properties, thus capping agents necessary to protect their shapes, sizes, and properties. To enhance their antimicrobial activity, this research aimed to cap silver nanoparticles with cellulosic matrices from wheat straws. The wheat straw was delignified with 6% HNO3, and the residual was treated with 1% NaOH and NaClO: CH3COOH (1:1), then used to synthesize cellulose nanocrystals via acid hydrolysis. AgNPs were incorporated into the CPC and CNCs by in-situ synthesis using NaHB4 as the reducing agent. Fourier Transform Infrared, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate their features. The findings exhibited crystallinity increased with subsequent treatments, according to XRD analysis. Ultraviolet-visible, FTIR, TEM, and XRD analysis confirmed the capping of AgNPs onto the cellulosic materials. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with CNCs-AgNPs composite, exhibited higher activity compared to CPC-AgNPs composite due to the increased surface area and excellent binding on the surface of the composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the discovery of graphene, 2D materials are establishing a rapidly growing and promising field, with great potential for diverse applications given their excellent conductivity and high transparency. In particular, graphene can isolate external chemical reactions when applied to back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect metals, thereby preventing the oxidation of the interconnect metals. In addition, it can improve the conductivity and breakdown current density of interconnects. However, the thermal budget remains an important problem in BEOL interconnects. We demonstrate an advanced graphene deposition method using an in-house plasma plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system, which offers low thermal budget and high stability. We also optimize carbon precursors to improve the quality of graphene on Ru and Co thin films. We show the improvement of electrical conductivity, electromigration lifetime, and maximum breakdown current density after capping Ru and Co interconnects with graphene. The electromigration lifetimes of the Ru and Co interconnects increase by 4 and 4.5 times, respectively, and their maximum breakdown current density increases by 17.6 and 10.6%, respectively. The results show that capping with graphene has a high potential in BEOL applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Fabrication of Cd _0.5 Zn _0.5 Nd _x Fe _2–x O _4 nanoparticles, with x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08, has been carried out using a wet chemical co-precipitation method. The effect of the rare earth Nd ^3+ doping on the prepared ferrites was structurally investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD) along with Rietveld refinement. The results indicate great crystallinity in the FCC Fd3m spinel structure of Cd _0.5 Zn _0.5 Nd _x Fe _2–x O _4 nanoparticles. The lattice parameter increases with the increase of doping concentration from 8.5378 until 8.5432 Å and the crystallite size obtained using Debye-Sherrer, Williamson–Hall, Size-strain plot (SSP), and Halder-Wagner (H-W) methods, decreases until the solubility limit of the materials is at x = 0.04. By using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the morphological analysis reveals the spherical shape of the samples with minor agglomeration with the aid of using a Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capping agent. The grain size ranges from 14.37 to 15.24 nm. Raman spectroscopy verifies the incorporation of Nd ^3+ in the octahedral sites and the decrease in particle size. The elemental composition was verified using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The magnetic properties were studied using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and it shows superparamagnetic behavior with a decrease in the saturation magnetization from 2.207 to 1.918 emu g ^−1 and an increase in coercivity from 7.194 to 14.397 G. The prepared materials were tested as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by studying their sensitivity, selectivity, optimum working temperature, response, and recovery times. Nd ^3+ doping shows a great increase in LPG sensing sensitivity 4 to 20 times than the pure samples. The doping concentration also decreases the response and recovery times.

Abstract We developed Bookend, a package for transcript assembly that incorporates data from different RNA-seq techniques, with a focus on identifying and utilizing RNA 5′ and 3′ ends. We demonstrate that correct identification of transcript start and end sites is essential for precise full-length transcript assembly. Utilization of end-labeled reads present in full-length single-cell RNA-seq datasets dramatically improves the precision of transcript assembly in single cells. Finally, we show that hybrid assembly across short-read, long-read, and end-capture RNA-seq datasets from Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as meta-assembly of RNA-seq from single mouse embryonic stem cells, can produce reference-quality end-to-end transcript annotations.

Microbubbles were applied to remove phosphorus (P) and improve environmental water conditions on the surface of the benthic sediment in a eutrophic lake. Microbubble flotation (MF) was used to remove P in a laboratory-scale experiment device from the benthic sediment and overlying water field samples. The results of P tracing observation for MF treatment, which were identified based on the mass balance, showed P accumulated at a higher concentration in the floated scum than in the deposited sludge. Furthermore, while the amount of soluble P separated was insignificant, the removal efficiency of soluble P in the floated scum was higher than total P. As an additional effect, P release was suppressed by the injection of microbubbles, which reduced anaerobicization and improved environmental conditions in the overlying water of the lake. We also confirmed that the sludge that settled after flotation separation caused capping, which restrained P release by forming a layer on the surface of the sediment. The direct P flotation separation, provision of oxygen by injected microbubbles, and capping effect of re-deposited sludge are advantages associated with MF, and our results show that field application studies are warranted. HIGHLIGHTS MF can be applied to reduce P in the benthic sediment and overlying water of a lake.; Soluble P was removed more easily than T-P.; MF accumulated P at a higher concentration in the floated scum than in the deposited sludge.; MF reduced anaerobicization and improved environmental conditions in the overlying water.; While MF is not efficient at T-P removal, the process does effectively separate soluble P.;

CuO nanoparticles produced by methods from inorganic chemistry and physics are applied as biocides and applications thereof in solar stills, solar collectors, catalysis, sensing and diesel fuels have been proposed. Such CuO nanoparticles are hazardous due to the release of Cu ions and the induced generation of reactive oxygen species after uptake by organisms. Nanoparticle hazard may be reduced by surface modification (coating or capping) and doping which reduces the release of Cu ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species. None of the published safe-by-design modifications of CuO nanoparticles that will be discussed here have been proven safe (no risk). By targeting the release of Cu ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species by CuO nanoparticles, safe(r)-by-design studies target properties that underly the biocidal functionality of CuO nanoparticles. Other functionalities of CuO nanoparticles may also be impacted. There is a case for complementing safe(r)-by-design studies by investigating the impact of the modifications studied on CuO nanoparticle functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal, protist and viral messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are most prominently modified at the beginning by methylation of cap‐adjacent nucleotides at the 2′‐O‐position of the ribose (cOMe) by dedicated cap methyltransferases (CMTrs). If the first nucleotide of an mRNA is an adenosine, PCIF1 can methylate at the N6‐position (m6A), while internally the Mettl3/14 writer complex can methylate. These modifications are introduced co‐transcriptionally to affect many aspects of gene expression including localisation to synapses and local translation. Of particular interest, transcription start sites of many genes are heterogeneous leading to sequence diversity at the beginning of mRNAs, which together with cOMe and m6Am could constitute an extensive novel layer of gene expression control. Given the role of cOMe and m6A in local gene expression at synapses and higher brain functions including learning and memory, such code could be implemented at the transcriptional level for lasting memories through local gene expression at synapses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fluid mud is highly disturbed during contaminated sediment capping when the settling velocity of the capping material is excessive. This study investigated how to reduce this disturbance in order to achieve better control efficiency. Materials and methods: Spherical, cubical, wafer-shaped, and sand materials were used as capping materials. The settling velocity, change in landing kinetic energy, and stable capping effect of the materials were studied through settling velocity, capping, and disturbance experiments. Results and discussion: Compared to other capping materials, the use of wafer-shaped materials significantly reduced the turbidity (expressed in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)) and total phosphorus (TP) concentration in the overlying water after capping under both static and dynamic disturbance conditions. Conclusions: The results indicated that shaping capping materials into a wafer could effectively reduce the settling velocity and landing kinetic energy to reduce the disturbance of fluid mud during capping and achieve better control efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of metallic nanoparticles using tea plant leaves is a well‐recognized and non‐toxic method. During the last few decades, synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plant extract is useful not only because of its reduced environmental but also because it can be used to produce large quantities of nanoparticles. Plant extracts may act both as reducing agents and stabilizing agents in the synthesis of nanoparticles, this has motivated the researchers to synthesis the nanoparticles using this route that allows better control of shape and size for various applications. This paper reviews the methods of synthesizing by using metals (e.g., gold [Au], silver [Ag], Iron [Fe], Cadmium [Cd], Palladium [Pd], copper [Cu]), nanoparticles from tea plant leaves extracts as well as their characteristics and some applications. The aim of this review is to report the effect of tea extraction for synthesis metallic nanoparticles (NPs) and compare the nanoscale properties and its applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. It is the major cause of severe acute lower respiratory tract infection in infants, the elderly population, and immunocompromised individuals. There is still no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment against RSV disease, but new monoclonal prophylactic antibodies are yet to be commercialized, and clinical trials are in progress. Hence, urgent efforts are needed to develop efficient therapeutic treatments. RSV RNA synthesis comprises viral transcription and replication that are catalyzed by the large protein (L) in coordination with the phosphoprotein polymerase cofactor (P), the nucleoprotein (N), and the M2-1 transcription factor. The replication/transcription is orchestrated by the L protein, which contains three conserved enzymatic domains: the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), the polyribonucleotidyl transferase (PRNTase or capping), and the methyltransferase (MTase) domain. These activities are essential for the RSV replicative cycle and are thus considered as attractive targets for the development of therapeutic agents. In this review, we summarize recent findings about RSV L domains structure that highlight how the enzymatic activities of RSV L domains are interconnected, discuss the most relevant and recent antivirals developments that target the replication/transcription complex, and conclude with a perspective on identified knowledge gaps that enable new research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 42-year-old man suffered an avulsion amputation of his right middle finger. He had undergone several surgeries since the age of 24, including amputation plasty and implantation of the injured nerve into fat and bone, but had difficulty returning to work due to persistent severe pain. He underwent nerve capping with an artificial nerve conduit at a university hospital, and his symptoms improved slightly, but immediately flared up again. Therefore, he was referred to our hospital and was treated with a blocking splint in addition to resection of the traumatic neuroma, covering with an artificial nerve conduit and wrapping with an adiposal flap. The lumen of the conduit was observed without collapse until it was resorbed, and he returned to work without pain 10 months after surgery. The blocking splint to an angle that preserves the lumen of the conduit was useful for artificial nerve surgery near the joint. Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic).

Abstract Background Gradually stepped decannulation, such as capping with fenestrated tubes or tube downsizing, is likely to prolong the decannulation process. The purpose of the study is to determine the differences in laryngeal aerodynamic measures, expiratory peak flow, and dyspnea index when breathing through the upper airway before and after decannulation. The study recruited sixteen adult patients with a tracheostomy who were fit for decannulation. Measurement of peak flow rate, aerodynamic measures, and dyspnea index has been done at two settings: first during capping and second after decannulation by 2 h using finger support to close the stoma and prevent air leak. Results Changes in outcome measures after decannulation revealed a significant increase in peak flow rate, vital capacity, maximum phonation, and phonatory speech pressure level; the glottal resistance significantly decreased after decannulation. The dyspnea severity index scores improved from 22.35 during capping to 13.37 after decannulation. Conclusions The results of our study showed that tracheostomy tube capping causes a significant reduction in peak flow and aerodynamic measures which improved after tracheostomy decannulation.

Environmental pollution is a significant cause of disease throughout the globe, but the dangers are disproportionately greater in developing nations due to poverty, a lack of investment in new technologies, and inadequate environmental regulations. Using nanoscale and size control, nanotechnology may be able to offer solutions to environmental problems. The application of nanotechnology to enhance air, water, and soil quality holds excellent promise. Detection and sensing of pollutants by the use of nanoparticles is improved, which aids in the development of new cleaning methods. Capping agents enhance the bioactivity of nanoparticles as the saturation bond caused by the capping agents on the nanoparticle's surface protects the particle from its surrounding environment. This makes it possible to manipulate the synthesis's nucleation and growth kinetics. The capping agents may also prevent the transport of additional reagents to the nanoparticle surface and may lower the toxic effects of metallic nanoparticles. The current review provides information regarding capping agents and applications of capped nanoparticles in controlling environmental pollution, including details about methodologies to enhance the catalytic activities of capped nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to identify the degree of direct payments concentration in selected Central and Eastern European Member States (compared to the entire EU) and outline the perspectives and recommendations for the next programming period. The spatial scope of the study includes Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Bulgaria. The time scope covers the period 2009–2019. The survey indicates that the payments distribution in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and to a lesser extent also in Poland, is highly unbalanced. The analysed countries used the redistribution instruments, optional for the Member States, which were introduced by the 2013 CAP reform, to a moderate extent, in order to ensure a more even funds distribution between the beneficiaries. It cannot be ruled out that instruments ensuring a more even funds distribution would be politically easier to introduce at the EU level than at the national level. Nevertheless, also in the next financial perspective, in line with the subsidiarity principle, this issue is left to the Member States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the application of coagulants and clays, on a microcosm scale, in reducing algal biomass and in controlling the internal phosphorus loading (P) in a eutrophic semiarid reservoir. Water and sediment were collected in the Boqueirão reservoir to carry out the following experiments in laboratory: (1) sedimentation of algal biomass and total P in the water (Floc & Sink); (2) inactivation of P in the sediment (Floc & Lock) and (3) resuspension simulation of the sediment. Polyaluminum chloride and Tanfloc coagulants were used in the experiments, alone and in combination with clays: a natural bentonite and a bentonite modified with lanthanum (LMB). Coagulants alone were enough to promote sedimentation of algal biomass and total phosphorus in the water column. To inactivate P in the sediment, clay with high adsorption capacity is necessary, as in the case of LMB. After resuspension simulation, all treatments showed an increase in P, even minutes after agitation, showing that the technique is vulnerable if the applied environment suffers from recurrent sediment resuspension events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the applicability of oyster (OS) and mussel shells (MS) as capping materials to inhibit the movement of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from river sediments. OS and MS are difficult to dispose of as waste, and have been used environmentally to clean up sediments contaminated with nitrogen and phosphorus. OS and MS increased the nutrient adsorption efficiency through simple heat treatment. The effectiveness of OS and MS capping with sand armor (SA) was evaluated in laboratory incubation experiments for 63 d. The sediments were capped with an active capping material (OS or MS) and then with either 1 cm or 3 cm SA. The pH and EC values were remarkably high under MS capping conditions because Ca2+ and Mg2+ were eluted from the MS material. The elution of Ca2+ and Mg2+ negatively affected the inhibition of NH4-N release by MS capping. OS capping demonstrated better performance for blocking the release of NH4-N and T-N than that of MS capping; the efficiency was enhanced by adding a 3 cm SA layer on top of the MS layer. In contrast, the PO4-P and T-P releases from the river sediments were effectively impeded by MS capping. OS capping with a 3 cm SA layer (OS/SA3) was recommended as the best capping strategy for inhibiting N and P releases from river sediments. The capping efficiencies of OS/SA3 for NH4-N, T-N, PO4-P, and T-P were 92.2%, 51.4%, 101.3%, and 93.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geotechnical stability of an inclined multilayer capping depends on the shear strength available along the various interfaces. If the slope is very steep an additional reinforcing geosynthetic may be used to obtain a safer condition. Full-scale field trials can provide better resolution data on the reinforcement behaviour than conventional calculation methods based only on laboratory tests. The paper deals with a field trial carried out on multilayer capping, reinforced with a geogrid, in an Italian landfill. The geogrid behaviour was monitored for a month using displacement sensors and pressure cells located along the slope and in the anchor trench. Subsequently, the cover system was led to collapse by cutting the reinforcement and an analysis of the reinforcement behaviour and its relevance in the system stability were studied. This paper discusses in detail the setup of the field trial and the experimental data recorded during installation, monitoring, and failure phases of the system. The deformation behaviour of the geogrid during the entire test was recorded and analysed. The resulting data highlight the effects of the construction process on the geogrid behaviour including the contribution of geogrid creep characteristics until the failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is one of the most promising and advanced disciplines of science that deals with synthesis, characterization and applications of different types of Nanomaterials (NMs) viz. nanospheres, nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanocomposites, nanoalloys, carbon dots and quantum dots. These nanosized materials exhibit different physicochemical characteristics and act as a whole unit during its transport. The unique characteristics and vast applications of NMs in diverse fields viz. electronics, agriculture, biology and medicine have created huge demand of different type of NMs. Conventionally physical and chemical methods were adopted to manufacture NMs which are expensive and end up with hazardous by-products. Therefore, green synthesis exploiting biological resources viz. algae, bacteria, fungi and plants emerged as a better and promising alternative due to its cost effective and ecofriendly approach and referred as nanobiotechnology. Among various living organisms, cyanobacteria have proved one of the most favourable bioresources for NMs biosynthesis due to their survival in diverse econiches including metal and metalloid contaminated sites and capability to withstand high levels of metals. Biosynthesis of metallic NMs is accomplished through bioreduction of respective metal salts by various capping agents viz. alkaloids, pigments, polysaccharides, steroids, enzymes and peptides present in the biological systems. Advancement in the field of Nanobiotechnology has produced large number of diverse NMs from cyanobacteria which have been used as antimicrobial agents against Gram positive and negative human pathogens, anticancer agents, luminescent nanoprobes for imaging of cells, antifungal agents against plant pathogens, nanocatalyst and semiconductor quantum dots in industries and in bioremediation in toxic pollutant dyes. In the present communication, we have reviewed cyanobacteria mediated biosynthesis of NMs and their applications in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]