Enhanced figure of merit in two-dimensional ZrNiSn nanosheets for thermoelectric applications.

A novel two-dimensional (2D) half-HeuslerZrNiSn nanosheetfor thermoelectric applications was designed from bulk half-Heusler ZrNiSn through first-principles calculation. Investigation of bulk half-Heusler and 2D nanosheet ZrNiSn was performed with the Quantum Espresso code based on a density functional theory plane wave basis set. Electronic band structure and density of states calculations were used to study the confinement effects. On moving from bulk to 2D a change of structure is observed from face-centered cubic to trigonal due to confinement effects. The semiconducting nature of bulk ZrNiSn is undisturbed while moving to a 2D nanosheet; however, the band gap is widened from 0.46 to 1.3 eV due to the restricted motion of electrons in one direction. Compared with bulk ZrNiSn, 2D nanosheets were found to have a higher Seebeck coefficient a lower thermal conductivity and higher figure of merit, which makes 2D ZrNiSn nanosheets suitable for thermoelectric applications. Atomically thin 2D structures with a flat surface have the potential to form van der Waals heterojunctions, paving the way for device fabrication at the nanoscale level.

Multimetal exposure: Challenges in diagnostics, prevention, and treatment.

Extensive use of heavy metals has posed a serious concern for ecosystem and human too. Heavy metals are toxic in nature and their accumulation in human body causes serious disorders such as neurological disease, cardiac disease, gastrointestinal problems, skin disorders, reproductive disease, lungs diseases, and so on. Furthermore, heavy metals not only affect the human health but also have a negative impact on the economy. In the current review, we have elaborated the impact of heavy metal exposure on human health and socioeconomics. We have discussed the molecular mechanism involved in the heavy metal-induced human disorders such as oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and protein misfolding. Finally, we discussed the preventive measure and treatment strategy that could counter the negative effects of heavy metal intoxications. In conclusion, there is a substantial correlation between heavy metals and the onset and advancement of several health issues. Chelation treatment could be a useful tactic to lessen the toxic metal load and the difficulties that come with it.

Glycosyl transferase GT2 genes mediate the biosynthesis of an unusual (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan exopolysaccharide in the bacterium Sarcina ventriculi.

Linear, unbranched (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucans (mixed-linkage glucans or MLGs) are commonly found in the cell walls of grasses, but have also been detected in basal land plants, algae, fungi and bacteria. Here we show that two family GT2 glycosyltransferases from the Gram-positive bacterium Sarcina ventriculi are capable of synthesizing MLGs. Immunotransmission electron microscopy demonstrates that MLG is secreted as an exopolysaccharide, where it may play a role in organizing individual cells into packets that are characteristic of Sarcina species. Heterologous expression of these two genes shows that they are capable of producing MLGs in planta, including an MLG that is chemically identical to the MLG secreted from S. ventriculi cells but which has regularly spaced (1,3)-ß-linkages in a structure not reported previously for MLGs. The tandemly arranged, paralogous pair of genes are designated SvBmlgs1 and SvBmlgs2. The data indicate that MLG synthases have evolved different enzymic mechanisms for the incorporation of (1,3)-ß- and (1,4)-ß-glucosyl residues into a single polysaccharide chain. Amino acid variants associated with the evolutionary switch from (1,4)-ß-glucan (cellulose) to MLG synthesis have been identified in the active site regions of the enzymes. The presence of MLG synthesis in bacteria could prove valuable for large-scale production of MLG for medical, food and beverage applications.

"It's My Secret": Shame as a Barrier to Care in Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic illness impacting more than 59 million Americans last year. Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a subset of SUD. The literature supports that healthcare providers frequently stigmatize patients with OUD. Individuals with OUD often feel shame associated with their disorder. Shame has been associated with maladaptive and avoidant behaviors. AIM: The aim of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine and describe the experiences of shame and health-seeking behaviors in individuals with OUD. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory design using focus groups with individuals in treatment for OUD was used to identify the issue of shame and its relationship to health-seeking behaviors. RESULTS: A systematic content analysis of discussions with 11 participants in four focus groups revealed four major themes and associated subthemes: Avoidance of Preventive Care (belief providers are judgmental); the Hidden Disorder (keeping secrets); Constraints of Shame (justification for the continuation of drug usage); and Trust in MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder) Providers. The feeling of shame leads to a reluctance to engage in health-promoting actions, such as scheduling appointments with primary care providers and dentists. CONCLUSION: Healthcare practitioners must prioritize providing a safe, nonstigmatizing environment for patients with SUD/OUD. This includes establishing trust and rapport, providing education, collaboration with psychiatric mental health specialists and other healthcare providers, and the offering support and resources to help patients manage their condition to achieve optimal health outcomes.

A Comparative Study to Check the Accuracy of Tooth Shade Selection With Standardized Digital Photographs and a Spectrophotometer.

BACKGROUND: The success of any dental prosthesis depends on aesthetics and function. A proper shade selection is a prime requisite for providing aesthetics to dental patients. PURPOSE: This study aims to compare the photographic method of shade selection with that of a digital spectrophotometer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 50 participants. The primary inclusion criterion was the presence of the maxillary left central incisor without a history of restorative or endodontic procedures. The shade of the left maxillary central incisor was determined using the VITA Easyshade V spectrophotometer (VITA Zahnfabrik, BadSäckingen, Germany) and the digital photography method for all the selected participants. The CIELAB colour space utilizes three values (L*, a*, and b*) to objectively measure colour. While the digital photography approach used Adobe Photoshop software (Adobe Systems Incorporated, San Jose, CA) to report solely the L*, a*, and b* values, the spectrophotometer reported the L*, a*, and b* values along with the actual shade. After obtaining the values of L*, a*, and b*, ΔE, which is their difference, was calculated using a standard formula. Statistical analysis was carried out by using Student's t-test and proportion z-test. RESULTS: When the comparison of the L*a*b* values was done, Student's t-test showed similar (P>0.05) L(t=0.16, P=0.872), a (t=0.52, P=0.607), and b (t=0.23, P=0.820) values between the two groups; that is, they did not differ significantly or showed perfect matching. There was agreement (ΔE≤2) in 42 (84.0%) cases and disagreement (ΔE>2) in eight (16.0%) cases. The proportion z-test showed an agreement of 84.0%, which was statistically highly significant (z=20.44, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The true shade of the teeth can be depicted using standardized digital images.

Improving transformation and regeneration efficiency in medicinal plants: Insights from other recalcitrant species.

Medicinal plants are integral to traditional medicine systems world-wide, being pivotal for human health. Harvesting plant material from natural environments, however, has led to species scarcity, prompting action to develop cultivation solutions that also aid conservation efforts. Biotechnological tools, specifically plant tissue culture and genetic transformation, offer solutions for sustainable, large-scale production and enhanced yield of valuable biomolecules. While these techniques are instrumental to the development of the medicinal plant industry, the challenge of inherent regeneration recalcitrance in some species to in vitro cultivation hampers these efforts. This review examines the strategies for overcoming recalcitrance in medicinal plants using a holistic approach, emphasising the meticulous choice of explants, e.g. embryonic/meristematic tissues; plant growth regulators, e.g. synthetic cytokinins; and use of novel regeneration-enabling methods to deliver morphogenic genes e.g. GRF/GIF chimeras and nanoparticles, which have been shown to contribute to overcoming recalcitrance barriers in agriculture crops. Furthermore, it highlights the benefit of cost-effective genomic technologies that enable precise genome editing and the value of integrating data-driven models to address genotype-specific challenges in medicinal plant research. These advances mark a progressive step towards a future where medicinal plant cultivation is not only more efficient and predictable but also inherently sustainable, ensuring the continued availability and exploitation of these important plants for current and future generations.

Surface-active antibiotic production as a multifunctional adaptation for postfire microorganisms.

Wildfires affect soils in multiple ways, leading to numerous challenges for colonizing microorganisms. Although it is thought that fire-adapted microorganisms lie at the forefront of postfire ecosystem recovery, the specific strategies that these organisms use to thrive in burned soils remain largely unknown. Through bioactivity screening of bacterial isolates from burned soils, we discovered that several Paraburkholderia spp. isolates produced a set of unusual rhamnolipid surfactants with a natural methyl ester modification. These rhamnolipid methyl esters (RLMEs) exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity against other postfire microbial isolates, including pyrophilous Pyronema fungi and Amycolatopsis bacteria, compared to the typical rhamnolipids made by organisms such as Pseudomonas spp. RLMEs also showed enhanced surfactant properties and facilitated bacterial motility on agar surfaces. In vitro assays further demonstrated that RLMEs improved aqueous solubilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are potential carbon sources found in char. Identification of the rhamnolipid biosynthesis genes in the postfire isolate, Paraburkholderia kirstenboschensis str. F3, led to the discovery of rhlM, whose gene product is responsible for the unique methylation of rhamnolipid substrates. RhlM is the first characterized bacterial representative of a large class of integral membrane methyltransferases that are widespread in bacteria. These results indicate multiple roles for RLMEs in the postfire lifestyle of Paraburkholderia isolates, including enhanced dispersal, solubilization of potential nutrients, and inhibition of competitors. Our findings shed new light on the chemical adaptations that bacteria employ to navigate, grow, and outcompete other soil community members in postfire environments.

Sirolimus for vascular anomalies in the first year of life: a systematic review.

Evidence on effectiveness and safety of sirolimus in congenital vascular anomalies in infancy is lacking. We aim to systematically review the efficacy and safety of sirolimus in treating congenital VA in infancy. We searched for and included all studies evaluating sirolimus for VA in the first year of life. The primary outcome was effectiveness. The secondary outcome was safety. We included 84 case series and reports (172 participants). Sirolimus decreased the size of the VA in >50% of participants, most of whom had minor transient side effects, and 27% had no adverse effects at all. When categorized by age (<1 month, 1-5 months and 6-12 months), the effectiveness was similar in all age groups. Available evidence suggests that sirolimus is effective and well tolerated. The effectiveness of sirolimus should be evaluated in a well-designed randomized controlled or observational studies.

Creating a Community of Nurse Educator Scholars: The QSEN Academic Task Force Success.

BACKGROUND: Engaging in scholarship is a critical component of being an effective nurse educator and can have a significant impact on the nursing profession as a whole. PROBLEM: Nurse educators are expected to teach and simultaneously engage in scholarship. Barriers include heavy workloads and lack of resources including faculty mentors. Evidence supports that organized work groups support success. APPROACH: Members of the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Academic Task force were queried about scholarly activity as a result of engagement with fellow task force members. OUTCOMES: Scholarly outcomes included numerous peer-reviewed publications, teaching tips, presentations, and grants. CONCLUSION: Participating in national work groups can serve as a platform for fostering a community of scholars to make meaningful contributions to the profession.

Programming of neural progenitors of the adult subependymal zone towards a glutamatergic neuron lineage by neurogenin 2.

Although adult subependymal zone (SEZ) neural stem cells mostly generate GABAergic interneurons, a small progenitor population expresses the proneural gene Neurog2 and produces glutamatergic neurons. Here, we determined whether Neurog2 could respecify SEZ neural stem cells and their progeny toward a glutamatergic fate. Retrovirus-mediated expression of Neurog2 induced the glutamatergic lineage markers TBR2 and TBR1 in cultured SEZ progenitors, which differentiated into functional glutamatergic neurons. Likewise, Neurog2-transduced SEZ progenitors acquired glutamatergic neuron hallmarks in vivo. Intriguingly, they failed to migrate toward the olfactory bulb and instead differentiated within the SEZ or the adjacent striatum, where they received connections from local neurons, as indicated by rabies virus-mediated monosynaptic tracing. In contrast, lentivirus-mediated expression of Neurog2 failed to reprogram early SEZ neurons, which maintained GABAergic identity and migrated to the olfactory bulb. Our data show that NEUROG2 can program SEZ progenitors toward a glutamatergic identity but fails to reprogram their neuronal progeny.

Spatiotemporal deposition of cell wall polysaccharides in oat endosperm during grain development.

Oat (Avena sativa) is a cereal crop whose grains are rich in (1,3;1,4)-ß-D-glucan (mixed-linkage glucan or MLG), a soluble dietary fiber. In our study, we analyzed oat endosperm development in 2 Canadian varieties with differing MLG content and nutritional value. We confirmed that oat undergoes a nuclear type of endosperm development but with a shorter cellularization phase than barley (Hordeum vulgare). Callose and cellulose were the first polysaccharides to be detected in the early anticlinal cell walls at 11 days postemergence (DPE) of the panicle. Other polysaccharides such as heteromannan and homogalacturonan were deposited early in cellularization around 12 DPE after the first periclinal walls are laid down. In contrast to barley, heteroxylan deposition coincided with completion of cellularization and was detected from 14 DPE but was only detectable after demasking. Notably, MLG was the last polysaccharide to be laid down at 18 DPE within the differentiation phase, rather than during cellularization. In addition, differences in the spatiotemporal patterning of MLG were also observed between the 2 varieties. The lower MLG-containing cultivar AC Morgan (3.5% w/w groats) was marked by the presence of a discontinuous pattern of MLG labeling, while labeling in the same walls in CDC Morrison (5.6% w/w groats) was mostly even and continuous. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed higher transcript levels of multiple MLG biosynthetic cellulose synthase-like F (CSLF) and CSLH genes during grain development in CDC Morrison compared with AC Morgan that likely contributes to the increased abundance of MLG at maturity in CDC Morrison. CDC Morrison was also observed to have smaller endosperm cells with thicker walls than AC Morgan from cellularization onwards, suggesting the processes controlling cell size and shape are established early in development. This study has highlighted that the molecular processes influencing MLG content and deposition are more complex than previously imagined.

Choroid plexuses carry nodal-like cilia that undergo axoneme regression from early adult stage.

Choroid plexuses (ChPs) produce cerebrospinal fluid and sense non-cell-autonomous stimuli to control the homeostasis of the central nervous system. They are mainly composed of epithelial multiciliated cells, whose development and function are still controversial. We have thus characterized the stepwise order of mammalian ChP epithelia cilia formation using a combination of super-resolution-microscopy approaches and mouse genetics. We show that ChP ciliated cells are built embryonically on a treadmill of spatiotemporally regulated events, starting with atypical centriole amplification and ending with the construction of nodal-like 9+0 cilia, characterized by both primary and motile features. ChP cilia undergo axoneme resorption at early postnatal stages through a microtubule destabilization process controlled by the microtubule-severing enzyme spastin and mitigated by polyglutamylation levels. Notably, this phenotype is preserved in humans, suggesting a conserved ciliary resorption mechanism in mammals.

Prescribed fire selects for a pyrophilous soil sub-community in a northern California mixed conifer forest.

Prescribed fire is a critical strategy for mitigating the effects of catastrophic wildfires. While the above-ground response to fire has been well-documented, fewer studies have addressed the effect of prescribed fire on soil microorganisms. To understand how soil microbial communities respond to prescribed fire, we sampled four plots at a high temporal resolution (two burned, two controls), for 17 months, in a mixed conifer forest in northern California, USA. Using amplicon sequencing, we found that prescribed fire significantly altered both fungal and bacterial community structure. We found that most differentially abundant fungal taxa had a positive fold-change, while differentially abundant bacterial taxa generally had a negative fold-change. We tested the null hypothesis that these communities assembled due to neutral processes (i.e., drift and/or dispersal), finding that >90% of taxa fit this neutral prediction. However, a dynamic sub-community composed of burn-associated indicator taxa that were positively differentially abundant was enriched for non-neutral amplicon sequence variants, suggesting assembly via deterministic processes. In synthesizing these results, we identified 15 pyrophilous taxa with a significant and positive response to prescribed burns. Together, these results lay the foundation for building a process-driven understanding of microbial community assembly in the context of the classical disturbance regime of fire.

A Labor of Love: From Cranberry Biologist to Nurse Scholar and Educator.

There are many nursing scholars who have contributed to nursing knowledge. Dr. Monika Schuler started her career as a cranberry biologist and is now a nurse scholar and educator. Her contributions to nursing knowledge include two new models that contribute to our understanding of nursing professional growth: (1) the reflection, feedback, and restructuring model for role development in nursing and (2) the substance use disorder nursing attitude model. Dr. Schuler is working with colleagues toward developing an understanding of how nursing experiences inform their role development. In this scholarly dialogue, Dr. Schuler shares her path to nursing scholarship and her recent contributions to nursing knowledge development.

LSPpred Suite: Tools for Leaderless Secretory Protein Prediction in Plants.

Plant proteins that are secreted without a classical signal peptide leader sequence are termed leaderless secretory proteins (LSPs) and are implicated in both plant development and (a)biotic stress responses. In plant proteomics experimental workflows, identification of LSPs is hindered by the possibility of contamination from other subcellar compartments upon purification of the secretome. Applying machine learning algorithms to predict LSPs in plants is also challenging due to the rarity of experimentally validated examples for training purposes. This work attempts to address this issue by establishing criteria for identifying potential plant LSPs based on experimental observations and training random forest classifiers on the putative datasets. The resultant plant protein database LSPDB and bioinformatic prediction tools LSPpred and SPLpred are available at lsppred.lspdb.org. The LSPpred and SPLpred modules are internally validated on the training dataset, with false positives controlled at 5%, and are also able to classify the limited number of established plant LSPs (SPLpred (3/4, LSPpred 4/4). Until such time as a larger set of bona fide (independently experimentally validated) LSPs is established using imaging technologies (light/fluorescence/electron microscopy) to confirm sub-cellular location, these tools represent a bridging method for predicting and identifying plant putative LSPs for subsequent experimental validation.

Metabolomic analysis of methyl jasmonate treatment on phytocannabinoid production in Cannabis sativa.

Cannabis sativa is a multi-use and chemically complex plant which is utilized for food, fiber, and medicine. Plants produce a class of psychoactive and medicinally important specialized metabolites referred to as phytocannabinoids (PCs). The phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a naturally occurring methyl ester of jasmonic acid and a product of oxylipin biosynthesis which initiates and regulates the biosynthesis of a broad range of specialized metabolites across a number of diverse plant lineages. While the effects of exogenous MeJA application on PC production has been reported, treatments have been constrained to a narrow molar range and to the targeted analysis of a small number of compounds. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry with data-dependent acquisition, we examined the global metabolomic effects of MeJA in C. sativa to explore oxylipin-mediated regulation of PC biosynthesis and accumulation. A dose-response relationship was observed, with an almost two-fold increase in PC content found in inflorescences of female clones treated with 15 mM MeJA compared to the control group. Comparison of the inflorescence metabolome across MeJA treatments coupled with targeted transcript analysis was used to elucidate key regulatory components contributing to PC production and metabolism more broadly. Revealing these biological signatures improves our understanding of the role of the oxylipin pathway in C. sativa and provides putative molecular targets for the metabolic engineering and optimization of chemical phenotype for medicinal and industrial end-uses.

Phytochemical and biological review of Aegle marmelos Linn.

India has one of the most expanded plant-origin medical traditions in the world. Researchers have evaluated molecules obtained from plants to treat a variety of ailments. Literature review shows that fundamental parts of the plant are used to treat different diseases. The related data is retrieved from Google scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus. The keywords include Bael, A. marmelos, Vilvam, and Marmelosin. Extensive studies show that A. marmelos has antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, chemopreventive, antipyretic, ulcer healing, antigenotoxic, diuretic, antifertility, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this work, an updated literature review is presented to clarify the current state of research on A. marmelos elucidating its constituents and their most relevant biological activities.

India has one of the most expanded plant-origin medical traditions in the world. A. marmelos Linn, also familiar as bael, belongs to Rutaceae and is widely grown worldwide. A. marmelos is a fruit with various medicinal advantages. We searched various databases, studied elaborately, and understood the importance of this fruit. Thus, its constituents can help mitigate various diseases.