Unsupervised and interpretable discrimination of lithium-bearing minerals with Raman spectroscopy imaging.

As lithium-bearing minerals become critical raw materials for the field of energy storage and advanced technologies, the development of tools to accurately identify and differentiate these minerals is becoming essential for efficient resource exploration, mining, and processing. Conventional methods for identifying ore minerals often depend on the subjective observation skills of experts, which can lead to errors, or on expensive and time-consuming techniques such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) or Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). More recently, Raman Spectroscopy (RS) has emerged as a powerful tool for characterizing and identifying minerals due to its ability to provide detailed molecular information. This technique excels in scenarios where minerals have similar elemental content, such as petalite and spodumene, by offering distinct vibrational information that allows for clear differentiation between such minerals. Considering this case study and its particular relevance to the lithium-mining industry, this manuscript reports the development of an unsupervised methodology for lithium-mineral identification based on Raman Imaging. The deployed machine-learning solution provides accurate and interpretable results using the specific bands expected for each mineral. Furthermore, its robustness is tested with additional blind samples, providing insights into the unique spectral signatures and analytical features that enable reliable mineral identification.

Lead contamination in human milk affects infants' language trajectory: results from a prospective cohort study.

Infants growing up in low- and middle-income countries are at increased risk of suffering adverse childhood experiences, including exposure to environmental pollution and lack of cognitive stimulation. In this study, we aimed to examine the levels of metals in the human milk of women living in São Paulo City, Brazil, and determine the effects on infants' neurodevelopment. For such, a total of 185 human milk samples were analyzed for arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We applied the Bayley scales of infant and toddler development Third Edition (Bayley-III) to assess developmental milestones. In our analysis, we found a mean (standard deviation) concentration of As in human milk equal to 2.76 (4.09) µg L-1, followed by Pb 2.09 (5.36) and Hg 1.96 (6.68). Cd was not detected. We observed that infants exposed to Pb presented language trajectories lower than non-exposed infants (ß = -0.413; 95% CI -0.653, -0.173) after adjustment for infant age, maternal education, socioeconomic status, infant sex, and sample weights. Our results report As, Pb, and Hg contamination in human milk, and that infant exposure to Pb decreased infants' language development. These results evidence maternal-child environmental exposure and its detrimental impact on infants' health.

Irisin-Encapsulated Mitochondria-Targeted Biomimetic Nanotherapeutics for Alleviating Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the sudden decrease in renal function that can be attributed to dysregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and impaired mitochondrial function. Irisin, a type I membrane protein secreted by skeletal muscles in response to physical activity, has been reported to alleviate kidney damage through regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism. In this study, a macrophage membrane-coated metal-organic framework (MCM@MOF) is developed as a nanocarrier for encapsulating irisin to overcome the inherent characteristics of irisin, including a short circulation time, limited kidney-targeting ability, and low membrane permeability. The engineered irisin-mediated biomimetic nanotherapeutics have extended circulation time and enhanced targeting capability toward injured kidneys due to the preservation of macrophage membrane proteins. The irisin-encapsulated biomimetic nanotherapeutics effectively mitigate acute ischemia-reperfusion injury by protecting mitochondrial function and modulating SOD2 levels in renal tubular epithelial cells. The present study provides novel insights to advance the development of irisin as a potential therapeutic approach for AKI.

Offshore wind and wave energy can reduce total installed capacity required in zero-emissions grids.

As the world races to decarbonize power systems to mitigate climate change, the body of research analyzing paths to zero emissions electricity grids has substantially grown. Although studies typically include commercially available technologies, few of them consider offshore wind and wave energy as contenders in future zero-emissions grids. Here, we model with high geographic resolution both offshore wind and wave energy as independent technologies with the possibility of collocation in a power system capacity expansion model of the Western Interconnection with zero emissions by 2050. In this work, we identify cost targets for offshore wind and wave energy to become cost effective, calculate a 17% reduction in total installed capacity by 2050 when offshore wind and wave energy are fully deployed, and show how curtailment, generation, and transmission change as offshore wind and wave energy deployment increase.

Tumor Cell Stemness and Stromal Cell Features Contribute to Oral Cancer Outcome Disparity in Black Americans.

Black Americans (BAs) with head and neck cancer (HNC) have worse survival outcomes compared to the White patients. While HNC disparities in patient outcomes for BAs have been well recognized, the specific drivers of the inferior outcomes remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the biologic features of patient tumor specimens obtained during the surgical treatment of oral cancers and performed a follow-up study of the patients' post-surgery recurrences and metastases with the aim to explore whether tumor biologic features could be associated with the poorer outcomes among BA patients compared with White American (WA) patients. We examined the tumor stemness traits and stromal properties as well as the post-surgery recurrence and metastasis of oral cancers among BA and WA patients. It was found that high levels of tumor self-renewal, invasion, tumorigenesis, metastasis, and tumor-promoting stromal characteristics were linked to post-surgery recurrence and metastasis. There were more BA than WA patients demonstrating high stemness traits and strong tumor-promoting stromal features in association with post-surgery tumor recurrences and metastases, although the investigated cases displayed clinically comparable TNM stages and histological grades. These findings demonstrated that the differences in tumor stemness and stromal property among cancers with comparable clinical diagnoses contribute to the outcome disparity in HNCs. More research is needed to understand the genetic and molecular basis of the biologic characteristics underlying the inferior outcomes among BA patients, so that targeting strategies can be developed to reduce HNC disparity.

Tetanus-diphtheria vaccine can prime SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive T cells.

Vaccines containing tetanus-diphtheria antigens have been postulated to induce cross-reactive immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which could protect against coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In this work, we investigated the capacity of Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine to prime existing T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2. To that end, we first collected known SARS-CoV-2 specific CD8+ T cell epitopes targeted during the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans and identified as potentially cross-reactive with Td vaccine those sharing similarity with tetanus-diphtheria vaccine antigens, as judged by Levenshtein edit distances (≤ 20% edits per epitope sequence). As a result, we selected 25 potentially cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 specific CD8+ T cell epitopes with high population coverage that were assembled into a synthetic peptide pool (TDX pool). Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells, we first determined by intracellular IFNγ staining assays existing CD8+ T cell recall responses to the TDX pool and to other peptide pools, including overlapping peptide pools covering SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (NP). In the studied subjects, CD8+ T cell recall responses to Spike and TDX peptide pools were dominant and comparable, while recall responses to NP peptide pool were less frequent and weaker. Subsequently, we studied responses to the same peptides using antigen-inexperienced naive T cells primed/stimulated in vitro with Td vaccine. Priming stimulations were carried out by co-culturing naive T cells with autologous irradiated peripheral mononuclear cells in the presence of Td vaccine, IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15. Interestingly, naive CD8+ T cells stimulated/primed with Td vaccine responded strongly and specifically to the TDX pool, not to other SARS-CoV-2 peptide pools. Finally, we show that Td-immunization of C57BL/6J mice elicited T cells cross-reactive with the TDX pool. Collectively, our findings support that tetanus-diphtheria vaccines can prime SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive T cells and likely contribute to shape the T cell responses to the virus.

Intraoperative angiography with indocyanine green, an aid in the diagnosis and treatment of obscure digestive tract bleeding, a case report.

Lower digestive tract bleeding occurs distal to the angle of Treitz. While many cases remit spontaneously; some pose a diagnostic challenge for surgeons. We present the case of a 68-year-old man with unexplained digestive tract bleeding. Despite various diagnostic efforts, the source remained unknown. Faced with the challenge of persistent bleeding and hemodynamic instability, surgery became necessary. During the procedure, intraoperative angiography with indocyanine green was used to facilitate the identification of the bleeding site, revealing a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the small bowel. Resection was performed with favorable outcomes. Indocyanine green staining has become popular for locating intestinal bleeding during emergency surgeries, aiding surgeons in making precise decisions.

Magneto-optical Particles in Isotropic Spinning Fields Mimic Magnetic Monopoles.

In contrast with the typical electric currents accelerated under the influence of a Coulombic force, there are only a few condensed matter examples of particles experiencing a force proportional to a constant, external magnetic field. In this Letter, we present a new alternative, based on an isotropic radiation spinning field and the magneto-optical effect, in which a particle is propelled by a magnetic field just like a magnetic monopole will do. This is a purely nonreciprocal effect as the reciprocal equivalent (a chiral dipole), despite presenting a dichroic response, does not experience any force when illuminated by the spinning field. The "magnetic charge" induced by impinging radiation on the magneto-optical dipole is found to depend linearly on the helicity of the field. In addition, this artificial monopole experiences a dichroic permanent optical torque and does not interact with an external electric field.

A Reversible Etiology of Progressive Motor Decline in a Previously Healthy Child.

We describe the clinical presentation and evaluation of a 10-year-old boy who presented to our medical center with years of progressive proximal muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, and weight loss. In addition to a myopathic phenotype, he was found to have tachycardia, tremor, and learning difficulties. Electromyography revealed chronic myopathic changes and laboratory screening was notable for undetectable thyroid stimulating hormone. Follow-up testing revealed elevated thyroid peroxidase antibodies and thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins. Ultrasound examination revealed an enlarged heterogeneous thyroid gland. Four weeks after treatment with atenolol and methimazole, his strength and cognition began to improve. This case highlights the importance of evaluating for potentially reversible toxic-metabolic etiologies in children presenting with any progressive neurologic symptoms.

Influenza C virus in U.S. children with acute respiratory infection 2016-2019.

Influenza C virus (ICV) is an orthomyxovirus related to influenza A and B, yet due to few commercial assays, epidemiologic studies may underestimate incidence of ICV infection and disease. We describe the epidemiology and characteristics of ICV within the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led network that conducts population-based surveillance for pediatric acute respiratory illness (ARI). Nasal or/combined throat swabs were collected from emergency department (ED) or inpatient ARI cases, or healthy controls, between 12/05/2016-10/31/2019 and tested by molecular assays for ICV and other respiratory viruses. Parent surveys and chart review were used to analyze demographic and clinical characteristics of ICV+ children. Among 19,321 children tested for ICV, 115/17,668 (0.7 %) ARI cases and 8/1653 (0.5 %) healthy controls tested ICV+. Median age of ICV+ patients was 18 months and 88 (71.5 %) were ≤36 months. Among ICV+ ARI patients, 40 % (46/115) were enrolled in the ED, 60 % (69/115) were inpatients, with 15 admitted to intensive care. Most ICV+ ARI patients had fever (67.8 %), cough (94.8 %), or wheezing (60.9 %). Most (60.9 %) ARI cases had ≥1 co-detected viruses including rhinovirus, RSV, and adenovirus. In summary, ICV detection was rarely associated with ARI in children, and most ICV+ patients were ≤3 years old with co-detected respiratory viruses.

Acoustic recognition of predators by mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata): A playback experiment with naïve and experienced subjects.

OBJECTIVES: When the production of antipredator behaviors is costly, prey is expected to stop displaying such behaviors and lose the ability to recognize extirpated predators. However, the loss or maintenance of predator recognition abilities is conditional on the eco-evolutionary context of prey. Here, we examined the behavioral responses of naïve and experienced mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) to simulated acoustic cues from natural predators. METHODS: We studied experienced individuals in the Uxpanapa Valley and naïve individuals in Los Tuxtlas (Veracruz, México). Jaguars (Panthera onca) and harpy eagles (Harpia harpyja), the main predators of howler monkeys, are extant in the Uxpanapa Valley but have been extirpated in Los Tuxtlas for approximately 70 and 45 years, respectively. We exposed six naïve and six experienced groups to playbacks of acoustic stimuli from the two predators and a non-predator control species (plain chachalacas, Ortalis vetula), and recorded the latency, frequency, and duration of antipredation behaviors (n = 127 trials). RESULTS: In contrast with experienced mantled howler monkeys, naïve subjects did not respond to trials from harpy eagles. However, response patterns were generally similar between naïve and experienced individuals when exposed to jaguar stimuli. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that naïve mantled howler monkeys do not recognize harpy eagle calls, but they respond to jaguar calls in a manner consistent with experienced individuals. These results illustrate how different mechanisms for the recognition of extirpated predators operate within a single species according to evolutionary and ecological experience.

Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of an unusual class of non-cationic fatty amine-tripeptide conjugates as novel synthetic antimicrobial agents.

Cationic ultrashort lipopeptides (USLPs) are promising antimicrobial candidates to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. Using DICAMs, a newly synthesized family of tripeptides with net charges from -2 to +1 and a fatty amine conjugated to the C-terminus, we demonstrate that anionic and neutral zwitterionic USLPs can possess potent antimicrobial and membrane-disrupting activities against prevalent human pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. The strongest antimicrobials completely halt bacterial growth at low micromolar concentrations, reduce bacterial survival by several orders of magnitude, and may kill planktonic cells and biofilms. All of them comprise either an anionic or neutral zwitterionic peptide attached to a long fatty amine (16-18 carbon atoms) and show a preference for anionic lipid membranes enriched in phosphatidylglycerol (PG), which excludes electrostatic interactions as the main driving force for DICAM action. Hence, the hydrophobic contacts provided by the long aliphatic chains of their fatty amines are needed for DICAM's membrane insertion, while negative-charge shielding by salt counterions would reduce electrostatic repulsions. Additionally, we show that other components of the bacterial envelope, including the capsular polysaccharide, can influence the microbicidal activity of DICAMs. Several promising candidates with good-to-tolerable therapeutic ratios are identified as potential agents against S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes. Structural characteristics that determine the preference for a specific pathogen or decrease DICAM toxicity have also been investigated.

A novel groundnut leaf dataset for detection and classification of groundnut leaf diseases.

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is a widely cultivated legume crop that plays a vital role in global agriculture and food security. It is a major source of vegetable oil and protein for human consumption, as well as a cash crop for farmers in many regions. Despite the importance of this crop to household food security and income, diseases, particularly Leaf spot (early and late), Alternaria leaf spot, Rust, and Rosette, have had a significant impact on its production. Deep learning (DL) techniques, especially convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have demonstrated significant ability for early diagnosis of the plant leaf diseases. However, the availability of groundnut-specific datasets for training and evaluation of DL models is limited, hindering the development and benchmarking of groundnut-related deep learning applications. Therefore, this study provides a dataset of groundnut leaf images, both diseased and healthy, captured in real cultivation fields at Ramchandrapur, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, using a smartphone camera. The dataset contains a total of 1720 original images, that can be utilized to train DL models to detect groundnut leaf diseases at an early stage. Additionally, we provide baseline results of applying state-of-the-art CNN architectures on the dataset for groundnut disease classification, demonstrating the potential of the dataset for advancing groundnut-related research using deep learning. The aim of creating this dataset is to facilitate in the creation of sophisticated methods that will aid farmers accurately identify diseases and enhance groundnut yields.

Brain clocks capture diversity and disparities in aging and dementia across geographically diverse populations.

Brain clocks, which quantify discrepancies between brain age and chronological age, hold promise for understanding brain health and disease. However, the impact of diversity (including geographical, socioeconomic, sociodemographic, sex and neurodegeneration) on the brain-age gap is unknown. We analyzed datasets from 5,306 participants across 15 countries (7 Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) and 8 non-LAC countries). Based on higher-order interactions, we developed a brain-age gap deep learning architecture for functional magnetic resonance imaging (2,953) and electroencephalography (2,353). The datasets comprised healthy controls and individuals with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. LAC models evidenced older brain ages (functional magnetic resonance imaging: mean directional error = 5.60, root mean square error (r.m.s.e.) = 11.91; electroencephalography: mean directional error = 5.34, r.m.s.e. = 9.82) associated with frontoposterior networks compared with non-LAC models. Structural socioeconomic inequality, pollution and health disparities were influential predictors of increased brain-age gaps, especially in LAC (R² = 0.37, F² = 0.59, r.m.s.e. = 6.9). An ascending brain-age gap from healthy controls to mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease was found. In LAC, we observed larger brain-age gaps in females in control and Alzheimer disease groups compared with the respective males. The results were not explained by variations in signal quality, demographics or acquisition methods. These findings provide a quantitative framework capturing the diversity of accelerated brain aging.

Bot fly parasitism in mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata): General patterns and climate influences.

Parasitism is a strong selective pressure, and its study is crucial for predicting the persistence of host species. Mantled howler monkeys are infected by the larvae of the bot fly Cuterebra baeri. This parasitosis produces myiasis and may have negative impacts on host health, although systematic information on the dynamics of this host-parasite relationship is very limited. Currently, all available information on infection patterns of C. baeri comes from a single mantled howler monkey population (Barro Colorado Island, Panama). Therefore, in this study we describe temporal variation in infection patterns for a newly mantled howler monkey population and analyze the relationship between climate and infection likelihood. We assessed the presence of C. baeri nodules in 17 adult individuals in Los Tuxtlas for 10 months through direct observation and compiled data on ambient temperature and rainfall. Most subjects had nodules during the study and there were no differences between sexes in the number of nodules. Nodules were usually located in the neck. Prevalence and abundance of nodules peaked thrice during the study (February, April, and September), a pattern that was very similar to that of parasitism intensity (February, April, and August). Incidence closely tracked these peaks, increasing before and decreasing after them. The likelihood of nodule appearance increased when both mean and minimum temperature decreased in the 24-21 prior days to nodule appearance. It also increased with decreased rainfall in the 5-2 prior days to nodule appearance. Although only three of the eight analyzed climate variables had a significant effect on parasitosis, these results suggest that climate may affect pupal development and the access of larvae to hosts. Besides contributing data on C. baeri parasitism for a new mantled howler monkey population, our study provides novel information on the influence of environmental factors on the dynamics of host-parasite systems.

QM/MM Study of the Reaction Mechanism of L-Tyrosine Hydroxylation Catalyzed by the Enzyme CYP76AD1.

We have studied the hydroxylation mechanism of l-Tyr by the heme-dependent enzyme CYP76AD1 from the sugar beet (Beta vulgaris). This enzyme has a promising biotechnological application in modified yeast strains to produce medicinal alkaloids, an alternative to the traditional opium poppy harvest. A generative machine learning software based on AlphaFold was used to build the structure of CYP76AD1 since there are no structural data for this specific enzyme. After model validation, l-Tyr was docked in the active site of CYP76AD1 to assemble the reactive complex, whose catalytic distances remained stable throughout the 100 ns of MD simulation. Subsequent QM/MM calculations elucidated that l-Tyr hydroxylation occurs in two steps: hydrogen abstraction from l-Tyr by CpdI, forming an l-Tyr radical, and subsequent radical rebound, corresponding to a rate-limiting step of 16.0 kcal·mol-1. Our calculations suggest that the hydrogen abstraction step should occur in the doublet state, while the radical rebound should happen in the quartet state. The clarification of the reaction mechanism of CYP76AD1 provides insights into the rational optimization of the biosynthesis of alkaloids to eliminate the use of opium poppy.

A case report of BIA-ALCL: Diagnostic, treatment, and mammary reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: BIA-ALCL is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma occurring primarily in women with textured breast implants, typically presenting as late seroma. Diagnosis involves ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration or core needle biopsy, followed by cytologic and immunohistochemical evaluation. Positive results show CD30 cell expression and lack ALK expression. Treatment includes removing breast implants and the periprosthetic capsule. If the lymphoma has spread, en bloc capsulectomy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy are required. Reconstruction can be done with smooth implants or autologous tissue. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present here the case of a woman with a 12-year history of microtextured breast implants, without any cancer family background, who presented with peri-implant effusion in the left breast, which tested positive for BIA-ALCL at stage IA. The patient underwent breast implant removal with total capsulectomy and posterior successful autologous tissue reconstruction, demonstrating that outcomes can be satisfactory when properly treated. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Paying attention to signs in women with breast implants, beyond imaging tests, can aid in the early diagnosis of BIA-ALCL and ensure a not aggressive treatment. This approach allows the reconstruction with autologous tissue without the need of further implants. CONCLUSION: BIA-ALCL is a rare disease, further studies about this lymphoma can help with early diagnosis and potential prevention.

Microalgae: A Biological Tool for Removal and Recovery of Potentially Toxic Elements in Wastewater Treatment Photobioreactors.

Potentially toxic elements (PTE) pollution in water bodies is an emerging problem in recent decades due to uncontrolled discharges from human activities. Copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and uranium are considered potentially toxic and carcinogenic elements that threaten human health. Microalgae-based technologies for the wastewater treatment have gained importance in recent years due to their biomass high growth rates and effectiveness. Also, these microalgae-bacteria systems are cost-effective and environmentally friendly, utilize sunlight and CO2, and simultaneously address multiple environmental challenges, such as carbon mitigation, bioremediation, and generation of valuable biomass useful for biofuel production. Additionally, microalgae possess a diverse array of extracellular and intracellular mechanisms that enable them to remove and mitigate the toxicity of PTE present in wastewater. Therefore, photobioreactors are promising candidates for practical applications in bioremediation of wastewater containing toxic elements. Despite the increasing amount of research in this field in recent years, most studies are conducted in laboratory scale and there is a scarcity of large-scale studies under real and variable environmental conditions. Besides, the limited understanding of the multiple mechanisms controlling PTE biosorption in wastewater containing high organic matter loads and potentially toxic elements requires further studies. This chapter provides a schematic representation of the mechanisms and factors involved in the remediation of potentially toxic elements by microalgae, as well as the main results obtained in recent years.

Antibody-SGM, a Score-Based Generative Model for Antibody Heavy-Chain Design.

Traditional computational methods for antibody design involved random mutagenesis followed by energy function assessment for candidate selection. Recently, diffusion models have garnered considerable attention as cutting-edge generative models, lauded for their remarkable performance. However, these methods often focus solely on the backbone or sequence, resulting in the incomplete depiction of the overall structure and necessitating additional techniques to predict the missing component. This study presents Antibody-SGM, an innovative joint structure-sequence diffusion model that addresses the limitations of existing protein backbone generation models. Unlike previous models, Antibody-SGM successfully integrates sequence-specific attributes and functional properties into the generation process. Our methodology generates full-atom native-like antibody heavy chains by refining the generation to create valid pairs of sequences and structures, starting with random sequences and structural properties. The versatility of our method is demonstrated through various applications, including the design of full-atom antibodies, antigen-specific CDR design, antibody heavy chains optimization, validation with Alphafold3, and the identification of crucial antibody sequences and structural features. Antibody-SGM also optimizes protein function through active inpainting learning, allowing simultaneous sequence and structure optimization. These improvements demonstrate the promise of our strategy for protein engineering and significantly increase the power of protein design models.