Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities Evaluation, Phytochemical Characterisation of Rhizome from Angiopteris helferiana and Barks from Saurauia fasciculata in Nepal.

Ethnomedicinally, more than 2000 plants were found to be used in Nepal. Among them, the red colored rhizome of Angiopteris helferiana and the bark of Saurauia fasciculata have been used widely to treat muscle fatigue, bone pain, fever, postpartum hemorrhage, and thirst by healers in Kaski and Tanahun districts, Nepal. However, scientific evidence towards their traditional uses is lacking till December, 2023. Therefore, we report the phytochemicals, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total carbohydrate content (TCC), antioxidant and antibacterial activities of A. helferiana and S. fasciculata extracts. Phytochemical analysis indicated that A. helferiana and S. fasciculata extracts were potential sources of chemicals such as phenols, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, and carbohydrates. The TPC, TFC, and TCC of extracts were determined by using an ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer. Among the extracts tested, A. helferiana extracts showed the highest phenolic and carbohydrate contents of 208.33 ± 12.96 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g and 564.16 ± 2.92 mg of D-glucose equivalent/g of dry extract, respectively. Similarly, S. fasciculata revealed the highest flavonoid content of 30.35 ± 0.1 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry extract. The extract of A. helferiana and S. fasciculata exhibited potent antioxidant activity by scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals with an IC50 of 25.9 µg/ml and 31.07 µg/ml, respectively. The antibacterial activity of the A. helferiana and S. fasciculata extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli was determined using an agar-well diffusion protocol that revealed the potential antibacterial activity of A. helferiana against E. coli. The present study will help validate the traditional uses of A. helferiana rhizomes and S. fasciculata barks as a healing medicine and inspire the researcher towards further research, development, and formulation.

SUMO protease FUG1, histone reader AL3 and chromodomain protein LHP1 are integral to repeat expansion-induced gene silencing in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Epigenetic gene silencing induced by expanded repeats can cause diverse phenotypes ranging from severe growth defects in plants to genetic diseases such as Friedreich's ataxia in humans. The molecular mechanisms underlying repeat expansion-induced epigenetic silencing remain largely unknown. Using a plant model with a temperature-sensitive phenotype, we have previously shown that expanded repeats can induce small RNAs, which in turn can lead to epigenetic silencing through the RNA-dependent DNA methylation pathway. Here, using a genetic suppressor screen and yeast two-hybrid assays, we identified novel components required for epigenetic silencing caused by expanded repeats. We show that FOURTH ULP GENE CLASS 1 (FUG1)-an uncharacterized SUMO protease with no known role in gene silencing-is required for epigenetic silencing caused by expanded repeats. In addition, we demonstrate that FUG1 physically interacts with ALFIN-LIKE 3 (AL3)-a histone reader that is known to bind to active histone mark H3K4me2/3. Loss of function of AL3 abolishes epigenetic silencing caused by expanded repeats. AL3 physically interacts with the chromodomain protein LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN 1 (LHP1)-known to be associated with the spread of the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 to cause repeat expansion-induced epigenetic silencing. Loss of any of these components suppresses repeat expansion-associated phenotypes coupled with an increase in IIL1 expression with the reversal of gene silencing and associated change in epigenetic marks. Our findings suggest that the FUG1-AL3-LHP1 module is essential to confer repeat expansion-associated epigenetic silencing and highlight the importance of post-translational modifiers and histone readers in epigenetic silencing.

Polyacrylonitrile as a versatile matrix for gold nanoparticle-based SERS substrates.

As an effective and ultrasensitive molecule detection technique, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) needs efficient and highly responsive substrates to further enhance its sensitivity and utility. In this work, the preparation and characterisation of polyacrylonitrile/gold nanoparticle (PAN/AuNPs) composite porous films have been described for SERS-based detection of methylene blue (MB) dye. The PAN/AuNPs composite films were prepared with a simple dip coating technique, yielding a highly porous structure with uniformly dispersed Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a linked pore network within the films. In X-ray diffraction (XRD), the characteristic crystal peak of AuNP clusters was observed, proving the presence of AuNPs in the composite. UV-vis absorption spectra also indicated the existence of the AuNPs. The methylene blue (MB) dye has been detected using PAN/AuNPs composite SERS substrates. These substrates showed excellent sensitivity by detecting 50 nM dye concentration and enhancing the Raman peak intensity at 1622 cm-1. The SERS enhancement factor (EF) for MB detection was determined to be around 106, demonstrating the remarkable sensitivity of the PAN/AuNPs composite porous films. The findings demonstrate the enormous potential of PAN/AuNPs composite porous films as reliable SERS substrates, displaying their efficacy in detecting trace levels of analytes in chemical and biological sensing applications.

Magnetodynamic properties of ultrathin films of Fe[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text]-a topological kagome ferromagnet.

Fe[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text] is a topological kagome ferromagnet that possesses numerous Weyl points close to the Fermi energy, which can manifest various unique transport phenomena such as chiral anomaly, anomalous Hall effect, and giant magnetoresistance. However, the magnetodynamic properties of Fe[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text] have not yet been explored. Here, we report, for the first time, the measurements of the intrinsic Gilbert damping constant ([Formula: see text]), and the effective spin mixing conductance (g[Formula: see text]) of Pt/Fe[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text] bilayers for Fe[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text] thicknesses down to 2 nm, for which [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text], and g[Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]. The films have a high saturation magnetization, [Formula: see text], and large anomalous Hall coefficient, [Formula: see text]. The large values of g[Formula: see text], together with the topological properties of Fe[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text], make Fe[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text]/Pt bilayers useful heterostructures for the study of topological spintronic devices.

Magnetic-Proximity-Induced Efficient Charge-to-Spin Conversion in Large-Area PtSe2/Ni80Fe20 Heterostructures.

As a topological Dirac semimetal with controllable spin-orbit coupling and conductivity, PtSe2, a transition-metal dichalcogenide, is a promising material for several applications, from optoelectrics to sensors. However, its potential for spintronics applications has yet to be explored. In this work, we demonstrate that the PtSe2/Ni80Fe20 heterostructure can generate large damping-like current-induced spin-orbit torques (SOT), despite the absence of spin-splitting in bulk PtSe2. The efficiency of charge-to-spin conversion is found to be -0.1 ± 0.02 nm-1 in PtSe2/Ni80Fe20, which is 3 times that of the control sample, Ni80Fe20/Pt. Our band structure calculations show that the SOT due to PtSe2 arises from an unexpectedly large spin splitting in the interfacial region of PtSe2 introduced by the proximity magnetic field of the Ni80Fe20 layer. Our results open up the possibilities of using large-area PtSe2 for energy-efficient nanoscale devices by utilizing proximity-induced SOT.

Local auxin biosynthesis promotes shoot patterning and stem cell differentiation in Arabidopsis shoot apex.

The shoot apical meristem (SAM) of higher plants comprises distinct functional zones. The central zone (CZ) is located at the meristem summit and harbors pluripotent stem cells. Stem cells undergo cell division within the CZ and give rise to descendants, which enter the peripheral zone (PZ) and become recruited into lateral organs. Stem cell daughters that are pushed underneath the CZ form rib meristem (RM). To unravel the mechanism of meristem development, it is essential to know how stem cells adopt distinct cell fates in the SAM. Here, we show that meristem patterning and floral organ primordia formation, besides auxin transport, are regulated by auxin biosynthesis mediated by two closely related genes of the TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASE family. In Arabidopsis SAM, TAA1 and TAR2 played a role in maintaining auxin responses and the identity of PZ cell types. In the absence of auxin biosynthesis and transport, the expression pattern of the marker genes linked to the patterning of the SAM is perturbed. Our results prove that local auxin biosynthesis, in concert with transport, controls the patterning of the SAM into the CZ, PZ and RM.

Digital wrist tomosynthesis (DWT)-based finite element analysis of ultra-distal radius differentiates patients with and without a history of osteoporotic fracture.

Despite effective therapies for those at risk of osteoporotic fracture, low adherence to screening guidelines and limited accuracy of bone mineral density (BMD) in predicting fracture risk preclude identification of those at risk. Because of high adherence to routine mammography, bone health screening at the time of mammography using a digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) scanner has been suggested as a potential solution. BMD and bone microstructure can be measured from the wrist using a DBT scanner. However, the extent to which biomechanical variables can be derived from digital wrist tomosynthesis (DWT) has not been explored. Accordingly, we measured stiffness from a DWT based finite element (DWT-FE) model of the ultra-distal (UD) radius and ulna, and correlate these to reference microcomputed tomography image based FE (µCT-FE) from five cadaveric forearms. Further, this method is implemented to determine in vivo reproducibility of FE derived stiffness of UD radius and demonstrate the in vivo utility of DWT-FE in bone quality assessment by comparing two groups of postmenopausal women with and without a history of an osteoporotic fracture (Fx; n = 15, NFx; n = 51). Stiffness obtained from DWT and µCT had a strong correlation (R2 = 0.87, p < 0.001). In vivo repeatability error was <5 %. The NFx and Fx groups were not significantly different in DXA derived minimum T-scores (p > 0.3), but stiffness of the UD radius was lower for the Fx group (p < 0.007). Logistic regression models of fracture status with stiffness of the nondominant arm as the predictor were significant (p < 0.01). In conclusion this study demonstrates the feasibility of fracture risk assessment in mammography settings using DWT imaging and FE modeling in vivo. Using this approach, bone and breast screening can be performed in a single visit, with the potential to improve both the prevalence of bone health screening and the accuracy of fracture risk assessment.

Estimation of spectroscopic parameters and TL glow curve analysis of Eu3+-activated CaY2O4 phosphor.

The solid-state reaction method was utilised to create a down-conversion phosphor in an air environment in CaY2O4:Eu3+ nanocrystalline material. The calcination temperature was set at 1000 °C, and the sintering temperature was set at 1300 °C. Following annealing, confirmation of the crystallinity quality of the phosphor was accomplished by the use of X-ray diffraction analysis. The particle size was predicted to be 43.113 nm using Scherrer's formula. To produce down-conversion luminescence spectra, an excitation wavelength of 247 nm was applied with a fluorescence spectrophotometer. The PL got increasingly intense as the concentration of the dopant increased. The maximum intensity was measured at 2.0 mol% of Eu3+ ion, which gradually decreased as the concentration increased because of concentration quenching. To analyse spectrophotometric peak determinations, the approach developed by the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) was used. Thermoluminescence (TL) glow curve analysis of the CaY2O4:Eu3+-doped phosphor manufactured here revealed a wide TL centred at 225 °C, which comprised of so many peaks that may be extracted by the computerised glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) approach using glow-fit software. The associated kinetic parameters were then determined. The prepared phosphor may be useful for application in various display devices upon excitation by 247 nm; the prominent 613 nm peak of the Eu3+ ion (5D0 → 7F2) electric dipole transition features a red component. CaY2O4:Eu3+ phosphors show promise as materials for potential use in phosphor-converted white LEDs in the field of solid-state lighting technology. The linear connection that the TL glow curve has with UV dose provides evidence for its possible use in dosimetry.

Synthesis of Cu (II) and Zn (II) Complexes of a Quinoline Based Flexible Amide Receptor as Fluorescent Probe for Dihydrogen Phosphate and Hydrogen Sulphate and Their Antibacterial Activity.

A novel 8-hydroxy quinoline-derived amide receptor, in conjunction with its Cu (II) and Zn (II) complexes, has been strategically developed to function as remarkably efficient fluorescent receptors with a distinct capability for anion sensing. The comprehensive characterization of the synthesized compounds were achieved through UV-Vis, IR, NMR, and HRMS spectroscopic techniques. Among the Cu (II) and Zn (II) complexes, the latter exhibits superior selectivity for anions, specifically dihydrogen phosphate and hydrogen sulfate, as their tetrabutylammonium salts in a 9:1 acetonitrile-water (v/v) mixture. The Cu (II) complex demonstrates enhanced anion binding compared to the amide ligand, albeit with reduced selectivity. Furthermore, the affinity was evaluated using the Benesi-Hildebrand plot. The binding constants and Limit of Detection (LOD) for both complexes were precisely quantified. The Job plot illustrates a clear 1:1 binding interaction between the metal complexes and the guest anions. Significantly, both metal-complex receptors display a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It is worth highlighting that the Zn (II) complexed receptor outperforms the Cu (II) complexed receptor, as evidenced by its considerably lower Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) value against both bacterial strains.

Isolation and characterization of emerging Mpox virus from India.

Mpox (previously known as Monkeypox) has recently re-emerged, primarily through human-to-human transmission in non-endemic countries including India. Virus isolation is still considered as the gold standard for diagnosis of viral infections. Here, the qPCR positive skin lesion sample from a patient was inoculated in Vero E6 cell monolayer. Characteristic cytopathic effect exhibiting typical cell rounding and detachment was observed at passage-02. The virus isolation was confirmed by qPCR. The replication kinetics of the isolate was determined that revealed maximum viral titre of log 6.3 PFU/mL at 72 h postinfection. Further, whole genome analysis through next generation sequencing revealed that the Mpox virus (MPXV) isolate is characterized by several unique SNPs and INDELs. Phylogenetically, it belonged to A.2 lineage of clade IIb, forming a close group with all other Indian MPXV along with few from USA, UK, Portugal, Thailand and Nigeria. This study reports the first successful isolation and phenotypic and genotypic characterization of MPXV from India.

Asymmetric Reactions of N-Phosphonyl/Phosphoryl Imines.

The asymmetric reactions of imines continued to attract the attention of the scientific community for decades. However, the stereoselective reactions of N-phosphonyl/phosphoryl imines remained less explored as compared to other N-substituted imines. The chiral auxiliary-based asymmetric-induction strategy with N-phosphonyl imines could effectively generate enantio- and diastereomeric amine, α,ß-diamine, and other products through various reactions. On the other hand, the asymmetric approach for the generation of chirality through the utilization of optically active ligands, along with metal catalysts, could be successfully implemented on N-phosphonyl/phosphoryl imines to access numerous synthetically challenging chiral amine scaffolds. The current review critically summarizes and reveals the literature precedence of more than a decade to highlight the major achievements existing to date that can display a clear picture of advancement as well drawbacks in this area.

Fractal characterizations of MeV ion treated CaF2 thin films.

We present the morphological evolution and fractal characterizations of CaF2 thin-film surfaces modified by bombardment with 100 MeV Au+8 ions at various fluences. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with line profile and two-dimensional power spectral density (2D-PSD) analysis was utilized to investigate the evolution of surface morphology as a function of fluence. The AFM images were utilized to investigate the relationship between fractal dimension, roughness exponent, lateral correlation length, and ion fluence. The surface erosion owing to sputtering was depicted using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. The structural characteristics' dependency on fluence was explored with the help of glancing angle x-ray diffraction measurements on virgin and irradiated samples. Tensile stress calculated using a peak shift in the glancing angle x-ray diffractogram showed an increase in tensile stress with fluence that caused the surface to crack after the fracture strength of the surface was crossed. 2D-PSD analysis signified the role of sputtering over surface diffusion for the observed surface modifications. Fractal dimensions first increased and then decreased with ion fluence. The lateral correlation length decreased, while the roughness exponent increased with fluence after the threshold value.

ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 regulates BRUTUS and affects iron acquisition and homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for both plants and animals. Fe-limitation significantly reduces crop yield and adversely impacts on human nutrition. Owing to limited bioavailability of Fe in soil, plants have adapted different strategies that not only regulate Fe-uptake and homeostasis but also bring modifications in root system architecture to enhance survival. Understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the root growth responses will have critical implications for plant breeding. Fe-uptake is regulated by a cascade of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) in plants. In this study, we report that HY5 (Elongated Hypocotyl 5), a member of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family of TFs, plays an important role in the Fe-deficiency signaling pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana. The hy5 mutant failed to mount optimum Fe-deficiency responses, and displayed root growth defects under Fe-limitation. Our analysis revealed that the induction of the genes involved in Fe-uptake pathway (FIT-FER-LIKE IRON DEFICIENCY-INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR, FRO2-FERRIC REDUCTION OXIDASE 2 and IRT1-IRON-REGULATED TRANSPORTER1) is reduced in the hy5 mutant as compared with the wild-type plants under Fe-deficiency. Moreover, we also found that the expression of coumarin biosynthesis genes is affected in the hy5 mutant under Fe-deficiency. Our results also showed that HY5 negatively regulates BRUTUS (BTS) and POPEYE (PYE). Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed direct binding of HY5 to the promoters of BTS, FRO2 and PYE. Altogether, our results showed that HY5 plays an important role in the regulation of Fe-deficiency responses in Arabidopsis.

Visiblelight-induced ternary electron donor-acceptor complex enabled synthesis of 2-(2-hydrazinyl) thiazole derivatives and the assessment of their antioxidant and antidiabetic therapeutic potential.

A mild and eco-friendly visible-light-induced synthesis of 2-(2-hydrazinyl) thiazole from readily accessible thiosemicarbazide, carbonyl, and phenacyl bromide in the absence of a metal catalyst and/or any extrinsic photosensitizer is reported. This approach only requires a source of visible light and a green solvent at room temperature to produce the medicinally privileged scaffolds of hydrazinyl-thiazole derivatives in good to outstanding yields. Experimental studies support the in situ formation of a visible-light-absorbing, photosensitized colored ternary EDA complex. The next step is to prepare a pair of radicals in an excited state, which makes it easier to prepare thiazole derivatives through a SET and PCET process. DFT calculations additionally supported the mechanistic analysis of the course of the reaction. The antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of some of the compounds in the synthesized library were tested in vitro. All the investigated compounds demonstrated appreciable antioxidant activity, as evidenced by the reducing power experiment and the IC50 values of the DPPH radical scavenging experiment. Furthermore, the IC50 values for 4c, 4d, and 4g also demonstrated a strong α-amylase inhibitory effect.

ATAC-See: A Tn5 Transposase-Mediated Assay for Detection of Chromatin Accessibility with Imaging.

Assay of transposase-accessible chromatin with visualization (ATAC-see), a transposase-mediated imaging technology that enables direct imaging of the accessible genome in situ and deep sequencing to reveal the identity of the imaged elements. Here we image spatial organization of the accessible genome in HT1080 cells with this method.

Effect of Cr3+ doping on structural and optical properties of Eu3+ doped LaVO4 phosphor.

In this work, the Eu3+, Cr3+ doped and co-doped LaVO4 phosphors have been prepared through a high temperature solid-state reaction method. The powder XRD patterns of phosphors are very sharp and intense, which reflects a highly crystalline nature of phosphors. The XRD data were also refined by a Rietveld refinement method. The particle size of the phosphor samples lies in the sub-micron to micron range. The existence of La, Eu, Cr, V and O elements was verified by EDS spectra. The FTIR spectra show various absorption bands due to different vibrating groups. The optical band gap of the phosphor decreases on increasing concentration of Cr3+ ion. The photoluminescence excitation spectra of Eu3+, Cr3+ co-doped LaVO4 phosphor exhibit bands due to Eu3+ and Cr3+ ions. The Eu3+ doped LaVO4 phosphor exciting at 393 and 316 nm wavelengths gives intense red color at 614 nm due to the 5D0 → 7F2 transition of the Eu3+ ion. When the Cr3+ ion is co-doped in the Eu3+ doped LaVO4 phosphor the emission spectra contain emission bands due to Eu3+ and Cr3+ ions. The emission intensity of Eu3+ doped phosphor reduces due to energy transfer from Eu3+ to Cr3+ ions in presence of Cr3+ ions upon 393 and 386 nm excitations. The lifetime of the 5D0 level of Eu3+ ions decreases in the Eu3+, Cr3+ co-doped LaVO4 phosphor, which also reflects the energy transfer. The Eu3+, Cr3+ co-doped LaVO4 phosphor also produces a large amount of heat upon 980 nm excitation. Thus, the Eu3+, Cr3+ co-doped LaVO4 phosphors may be used for LEDs, solid state lighting and heat generating devices.

Radially aligned hierarchical N-doped porous carbon beads derived from oil-sand asphaltene for long-life water filtration and wastewater treatment.

The application of waste-derived highly efficient adsorbent for organic pollutants removal from water and wastewater is presented. Highly porous carbon beads with radially aligned macrochannels were prepared from asphaltene. Well-ordered inwardly aligned macrovoids favored solute diffusion and maximized the liquid accommodation capacity. A further N-doping could modulate the sorbent hydrophilicity leading to an outstanding absorption performance for a range of organic solvents and oily chemicals. N-doped carbon beads were effective sorbents of lopinavir (LNV) and ritonavir (RNV) from water and wastewater. The process of sorption was fast, and the highest removal was noted for RNV than LPV. N-doping favored LNV and RNV adsorption due to the increased porous structure of N-doped asphaltene beads. The chemisorption of both LPV and RTV was a rate-limiting step. The presence of co-pollutants in treated wastewater enhanced LPV and RNV removal and an up to 470 % increase was noted. The presence of LPV or RTV in distilled water was not toxic to Aliivibrio fischeri or even can stimulate their growth. However, after the adsorption process, the solution of RTV reduced its toxicity significantly and the final solution was not toxic. The opposite effect was noted for LPV. Given the repeatability, high removal performance, and cost-effectiveness of the asphaltene-based carbon microtubes when compared to other well-known sorbents such as carbon nanotubes, they demonstrated great potential as a low-cost and effective agent for long-life water filtration and wastewater treatment.

Chromatin remodelers HELLS, WDHD1 and BAZ1A are dynamically expressed during mouse spermatogenesis.

In brief: Proper regulation of heterochromatin is critical for spermatogenesis. This study reveals the dynamic localization patterns of distinct chromatin regulators during spermatogenesis and disrupted sex chromatin status in spermatocytes in the absence of DICER. Abstract: Heterochromatin is dynamically formed and organized in differentiating male germ cells, and its proper regulation is a prerequisite for normal spermatogenesis. While heterochromatin is generally transcriptionally silent, we have previously shown that major satellite repeat (MSR) DNA in the pericentric heterochromatin (PCH) is transcribed during spermatogenesis. We have also shown that DICER associates with PCH and is involved in the regulation of MSR-derived transcripts. To shed light on the heterochromatin regulation in the male germline, we studied the expression, localization and heterochromatin association of selected testis-enriched chromatin regulators in the mouse testis. Our results show that HELLS, WDHD1 and BAZ1A are dynamically expressed during spermatogenesis. They display limited overlap in expression, suggesting involvement in distinct heterochromatin-associated processes at different steps of differentiation. We also show that HELLS and BAZ1A interact with DICER and MSR chromatin. Interestingly, deletion of Dicer1 affects the sex chromosome heterochromatin status in late pachytene spermatocytes, as demonstrated by mislocalization of Polycomb protein family member SCML1 to the sex body. These data substantiate the importance of dynamic heterochromatin regulation during spermatogenesis and emphasize the key role of DICER in the maintenance of chromatin status in meiotic male germ cells.

Large Spin-To-Charge Conversion at the Two-Dimensional Interface of Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides and Permalloy.

Spin-to-charge conversion is an essential requirement for the implementation of spintronic devices. Recently, monolayers (MLs) of semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted considerable interest for spin-to-charge conversion due to their high spin-orbit coupling and lack of inversion symmetry in their crystal structure. However, reports of direct measurement of spin-to-charge conversion at TMD-based interfaces are very much limited. Here, we report on the room-temperature observation of a large spin-to-charge conversion arising from the interface of Ni80Fe20 (Py) and four distinct large-area (∼5 × 2 mm2) ML TMDs, namely, MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2. We show that both spin mixing conductance and the Rashba efficiency parameter (λIREE) scale with the spin-orbit coupling strength of the ML TMD layers. The λIREE parameter is found to range between -0.54 and -0.76 nm for the four ML TMDs, demonstrating a large spin-to-charge conversion. Our findings reveal that the TMD/ferromagnet interface can be used for efficient generation and detection of spin current, opening new opportunities for novel spintronic devices.

FFPE-ATAC: A Highly Sensitive Method for Profiling Chromatin Accessibility in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Samples.

In basic and translational cancer research, the majority of biopsies are stored in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. Chromatin accessibility reflects the degree to which nuclear macromolecules can physically interact with chromatinized DNA and plays a key role in gene regulation in different physiological conditions. As such, the profiling of chromatin accessibility in archived FFPE tissue can be critical to understanding gene regulation in health and disease. Due to the high degree of DNA damage in FFPE samples, accurate mapping of chromatin accessibility in these specimens is extremely difficult. To address this issue, we recently established FFPE-ATAC, a highly sensitive method based on T7-Tn5-mediated transposition followed by in vitro transcription (IVT), to generate high-quality chromatin accessibility profiles with 500-50,000 nuclei from a single FFPE tissue section. In FFPE-ATAC, which we describe here, the T7-Tn5 adaptors are inserted into the genome after FFPE sample preparation and are unlikely to sustain the DNA breakage that occurs during reverse cross-linking of these samples. It should, therefore, remain at the ends of broken accessible chromatin sites after reverse cross-linking. IVT is then used to convert the two ends of the broken DNA fragments to RNA molecules before making sequencing libraries from the IVT RNAs and further decoding Tn5 adaptor insertion sites in the genome. Through this strategy, users can decode the flanking sequences of the accessible chromatin even if there are breaks between adjacent pairs of T7-T5 adaptor insertion sites. This method is applicable to dissecting chromatin profiles of a small section of the tissue sample, characterizing stage and region-specific gene regulation and disease-associated chromatin regulation in FFPE tissues. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Nuclei isolation from FFPE tissue samples Basic Protocol 2: T7-Tn5 transposase tagmentation, reverse-crosslinking, and in vitro transcription Basic Protocol 3: Preparation of libraries for high-throughput sequencing.