Effect of postbiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LRCC5314 supplemented in powdered milk on type 2 diabetes in mice

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic multifactorial disease characterized by a combination of insulin resistance and impaired glucose regulation. The alleviative effects of probiotics on T2D have been widely studied. However, studies on the effects of postbiotics, known as inactivated probiotics, on dairy products are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of postbiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LRCC5314 in milk powder (MP-LRCC5314) in a stress-T2D mouse model. Compared with probiotic MP-LRCC5314, postbiotic MP-LRCC5314 significantly influenced stress-T2D-related factors. The administration of heat-killed MP-LRCC5314 reduced corticosterone levels, increased short-chain fatty acid production by modulating gut microbiota, and regulated immune response, glucose metabolism, stress-T2D-related biomarkers in the brain, gut, and adipose tissues, as well as glucose and insulin sensitivity. Additionally, heat-killed MP-LRCC5314 treatment led to a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. Overall, these findings suggest that adding postbiotic MP-LRCC5314 to milk powder could serve as a potential supplement for stress-T2D mitigation.

Biosensor and machine learning-aided engineering of an amaryllidaceae enzyme

A major challenge to achieving industry-scale biomanufacturing of therapeutic alkaloids is the slow process of biocatalyst engineering. Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, such as the Alzheimer's medication galantamine, are complex plant secondary metabolites with recognized therapeutic value. Due to their difficult synthesis they are regularly sourced by extraction and purification from the low-yielding daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus. Here, we propose an efficient biosensor-machine learning technology stack for biocatalyst development, which we apply to engineer an Amaryllidaceae enzyme in Escherichia coli. Directed evolution is used to develop a highly sensitive (EC50 = 20 μM) and specific biosensor for the key Amaryllidaceae alkaloid branchpoint 4'-O-methylnorbelladine. A structure-based residual neural network (MutComputeX) is subsequently developed and used to generate activity-enriched variants of a plant methyltransferase, which are rapidly screened with the biosensor. Functional enzyme variants are identified that yield a 60% improvement in product titer, 2-fold higher catalytic activity, and 3-fold lower off-product regioisomer formation. A solved crystal structure elucidates the mechanism behind key beneficial mutations.

Sublimation of isolated toric focal conic domains on micro-patterned surfaces

Toric focal conic domains (TFCDs) in smectic liquid crystals exhibit distinct topological characteristics, featuring torus-shaped molecular alignment patterns with rotational symmetry around a central core. TFCDs have attracted much interest due to their unique topological structures and properties, enabling not only fundamental studies but also potential applications in liquid crystal (LC)-based devices. Here, we investigated the precise spatial control of the arrangement of TFCDs using micropatterns and sublimation of TFCDs to estimate the energy states of the torus-like structures. Through simulations, we observed that the arrangement of TFCDs strongly depends on the shape of the topographies of underlying substrates. To accurately estimate the energetic effects of non-zero eccentricity and evaluate their thermodynamic stability, we propose a geometric model. Our findings provide valuable insights into the behavior of smectic LCs, offering opportunities for developing novel LC-based devices with precise control over their topological properties.

Variation of C-terminal domain governs RNA polymerase II genomic locations and alternative splicing in eukaryotic transcription

The C-terminal domain of RPB1 (CTD) orchestrates transcription by recruiting regulators to RNA Pol II upon phosphorylation. Recent insights highlight the pivotal role of CTD in driving condensate formation on gene loci. Yet, the molecular mechanism behind how CTD-mediated recruitment of transcriptional regulators influences condensates formation remains unclear. Our study unveils that phosphorylation reversibly dissolves phase separation induced by the unphosphorylated CTD. Phosphorylated CTD, upon specific association with transcription regulatory proteins, forms distinct condensates from unphosphorylated CTD. Function studies demonstrate CTD variants with diverse condensation properties in vitro exhibit difference in promoter binding and mRNA co-processing in cells. Notably, varying CTD lengths lead to alternative splicing outcomes impacting cellular growth, linking the evolution of CTD variation/length with the complexity of splicing from yeast to human. These findings provide compelling evidence for a model wherein post-translational modification enables the transition of functionally specialized condensates, highlighting a co-evolution link between CTD condensation and splicing.

Increasing Reduction Potentials of Type 1 Copper Center and Catalytic Efficiency of Small Laccase from Streptomyces coelicolor through Secondary Coordination Sphere Mutations

The key to type 1 copper (T1Cu) function lies in the fine tuning of the CuII/I reduction potential (E°'T1Cu ) to match those of its redox partners, enabling efficient electron transfer in a wide range of biological systems. While the secondary coordination sphere (SCS) effects have been used to tune E°'T1Cu in azurin over a wide range, these principles are yet to be generalized to other T1Cu-containing proteins to tune catalytic properties. To this end, we have examined the effects of Y229F, V290N and S292F mutations around the T1Cu of small laccase (SLAC) from Streptomyces coelicolor to match the high E°'T1Cu of fungal laccases. Using ultraviolet-visible absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies, together with X-ray crystallography and redox titrations, we have probed the influence of SCS mutations on the T1Cu and corresponding E°'T1Cu . While minimal and small E°'T1Cu increases are observed in Y229F- and S292F-SLAC, the V290N mutant exhibits a major E°'T1Cu increase. Moreover, the influence of these mutations on E°'T1Cu is additive, culminating in a triple mutant Y229F/V290N/S292F-SLAC with the highest E°'T1Cu of 556 mV vs. SHE reported to date. Further activity assays indicate that all mutants retain oxygen reduction reaction activity, and display improved catalytic efficiencies (kcat /KM ) relative to WT-SLAC.

Novel sandwich immunoassay detects a shrimp AHPND-causing binary PirABVp toxin produced by Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Introduction

The binary PirA/PirB toxin expressed by Vibrio parahaemolyticus (PirABVp) is a virulent complex that causes acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimps, affecting the global shrimp farming industry. AHPND is currently diagnosed by detecting pirA and pirB genes by PCR; however, several V. parahaemolyticus strains do not produce the two toxins as proteins. Thus, an immunoassay using antibodies may be the most effective tool for detecting toxin molecules. In this study, we report a sandwich ELISA-based immunoassay for the detection of PirABVp.

Methods

We utilized a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody library to select scFvs against the PirA or PirB subunits. Phage display panning rounds were conducted to screen and identify scFv antibodies directed against each recombinant toxin subunit. Selected scFvs were converted into IgGs to develop a sandwich immunoassay to detect recombinant and bacterial PirABVp.

Results

Antibodies produced as IgG forms showed sub-nanomolar to nanomolar affinities (KD), and a pair of anti-PirA antibody as a capture and anti-PirB antibody as a detector showed a limit of detection of 201.7 ng/mL for recombinant PirABVp. The developed immunoassay detected PirABVp in the protein lysates of AHPND-causing V. parahaemolyticus (VpAHPND) and showed a significant detectability in moribund or dead shrimp infected with a VpAHPND virulent strain compared to that in non-infected shrimp.

Discussion

These results indicate that the developed immunoassay is a reliable method for diagnosing AHPND by detecting PirABVp at the protein level and could be further utilized to accurately determine the virulence of extant or newly identified VpAHPND in the global shrimp culture industry.

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis through a unique energy expenditure process known as non-shivering thermogenesis. To achieve this, BAT utilizes a diverse menu of circulating nutrients to support its high metabolic demand. Additionally, BAT secretes metabolite-derived bioactive factors that can serve as either metabolic fuels or signaling molecules, facilitating BAT-mediated intratissue and/or intertissue communication. This suggests that BAT actively participates in systemic metabolite exchange, an interesting feature that is beginning to be explored. Here, we introduce a protocol for in vivo mouse-level optimized BAT arteriovenous metabolomics. The protocol focuses on relevant methods for thermogenic stimulations and an arteriovenous blood sampling technique using Sulzer's vein, which selectively drains interscapular BAT-derived venous blood and systemic arterial blood. Next, a gas chromatography-based metabolomics protocol using those blood samples is demonstrated. The use of this technique should expand the understanding of BAT-regulated metabolite exchange at the inter-organ level by measuring the net uptake and release of metabolites by BAT.

Niraparib plus abiraterone acetate with prednisone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and homologous recombination repair gene alterations: second interim analysis of the randomized phase III MAGNITUDE trial

BACKGROUND

Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and BRCA alterations have poor outcomes. MAGNITUDE found patients with homologous recombination repair gene alterations (HRR+), particularly BRCA1/2, benefit from first-line therapy with niraparib plus abiraterone acetate and prednisone (AAP). Here we report longer follow-up from the second prespecified interim analysis (IA2).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with mCRPC were prospectively identified as HRR+ with/without BRCA1/2 alterations and randomized 1 : 1 to niraparib (200 mg orally) plus AAP (1000 mg/10 mg orally) or placebo plus AAP. At IA2, secondary endpoints [time to symptomatic progression, time to initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy, overall survival (OS)] were assessed.

RESULTS

Overall, 212 HRR+ patients received niraparib plus AAP (BRCA1/2 subgroup, n = 113). At IA2 with 24.8 months of median follow-up in the BRCA1/2 subgroup, niraparib plus AAP significantly prolonged radiographic progression-free survival {rPFS; blinded independent central review; median rPFS 19.5 versus 10.9 months; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.55 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39-0.78]; nominal P = 0.0007} consistent with the first prespecified interim analysis. rPFS was also prolonged in the total HRR+ population [HR = 0.76 (95% CI 0.60-0.97); nominal P = 0.0280; median follow-up 26.8 months]. Improvements in time to symptomatic progression and time to initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy were observed with niraparib plus AAP. In the BRCA1/2 subgroup, the analysis of OS with niraparib plus AAP demonstrated an HR of 0.88 (95% CI 0.58-1.34; nominal P = 0.5505); the prespecified inverse probability censoring weighting analysis of OS, accounting for imbalances in subsequent use of poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase inhibitors and other life-prolonging therapies, demonstrated an HR of 0.54 (95% CI 0.33-0.90; nominal P = 0.0181). No new safety signals were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

MAGNITUDE, enrolling the largest BRCA1/2 cohort in first-line mCRPC to date, demonstrated improved rPFS and other clinically relevant outcomes with niraparib plus AAP in patients with BRCA1/2-altered mCRPC, emphasizing the importance of identifying this molecular subset of patients.

Emerging role of Hippo pathway in the regulation of hematopoiesis

In various organisms, the Hippo signaling pathway has been identified as a master regulator of organ size determination and tissue homeostasis. The Hippo signaling coordinates embryonic development, tissue regeneration and differentiation, through regulating cell proliferation and survival. The YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ) act as core transducers of the Hippo pathway, and they are tightly and exquisitely regulated in response to various intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli. Abnormal regulation or genetic variation of the Hippo pathway causes a wide range of human diseases, including cancer. Recent studies have revealed that Hippo signaling plays a pivotal role in the immune system and cancer immunity. Due to pathophysiological importance, the emerging role of Hippo signaling in blood cell differentiation, known as hematopoiesis, is receiving much attention. A number of elegant studies using a genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model have shed light on the mechanistic and physiological insights into the Hippo pathway in the regulation of hematopoiesis. Here, we briefly review the function of Hippo signaling in the regulation of hematopoiesis and immune cell differentiation. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(8): 417-425].

First Measurement of Hard Exclusive π^{-}Δ^{++} Electroproduction Beam-Spin Asymmetries off the Proton

The polarized cross-section ratio σ_{LT^{'}}/σ_{0} from hard exclusive π^{-}Δ^{++} electroproduction off an unpolarized hydrogen target has been extracted based on beam-spin asymmetry measurements using a 10.2  GeV/10.6  GeV incident electron beam and the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. The study, which provides the first observation of this channel in the deep-inelastic regime, focuses on very forward-pion kinematics in the valence regime, and photon virtualities ranging from 1.5  GeV^{2} up to 7  GeV^{2}. The reaction provides a novel access to the d-quark content of the nucleon and to p→Δ^{++} transition generalized parton distributions. A comparison to existing results for hard exclusive π^{+}n and π^{0}p electroproduction is provided, which shows a clear impact of the excitation mechanism, encoded in transition generalized parton distributions, on the asymmetry.

Structural Basis for the Effects of Phenylalanine on Tuning the Reduction Potential of Type 1 Copper in Azurin

In order to investigate the effects of the secondary coordination sphere in fine-tuning redox potentials (E°') of type 1 blue copper (T1Cu) in cupredoxins, we have introduced M13F, M44F, and G116F mutations both individually and in combination in the secondary coordination sphere of the T1Cu center of azurin (Az) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These variants were found to differentially influence the E°' of T1Cu, with M13F Az decreasing E°', M44F Az increasing E°', and G116F Az showing a negligible effect. In addition, combining the M13F and M44F mutations increases E°' by 26 mV relative to WT-Az, which is very close to the combined effect of E°' by each mutation. Furthermore, combining G116F with either M13F or M44F mutation resulted in negative and positive cooperative effects, respectively. Crystal structures of M13F/M44F-Az, M13F/G116F-Az, and M44F/G116F-Az combined with that of G116F-Az reveal these changes arise from steric effects and fine-tuning of hydrogen bond networks around the copper-binding His117 residue. The insights gained from this study would provide another step toward the development of redox-active proteins with tunable redox properties for many biological and biotechnological applications.

First CLAS12 Measurement of Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering Beam-Spin Asymmetries in the Extended Valence Region

Deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) allows one to probe generalized parton distributions describing the 3D structure of the nucleon. We report the first measurement of the DVCS beam-spin asymmetry using the CLAS12 spectrometer with a 10.2 and 10.6 GeV electron beam scattering from unpolarized protons. The results greatly extend the Q^{2} and Bjorken-x phase space beyond the existing data in the valence region and provide 1600 new data points measured with unprecedented statistical uncertainty, setting new, tight constraints for future phenomenological studies.

Fabrication of Scratched Nanogrooves for Highly Oriented Cell Alignment and Application as a Wound Healing Dressing

Using improper wound care materials may cause impaired wound healing, which can involve scar formation and infection. Herein, we propose a facile method to fabricate a cell-alignment scaffold, which can effectively enhance cell growth and migration, leading to the reproduction of cellular arrangements and restoration of tissues. The principle is scratching a diamond lapping film that gives uniaxial nanotopography on substrates. Cells are seeded to follow the geometric cue via contact guidance, resulting in highly oriented cell alignment. Remarkable biocompatibility is also demonstrated by the high cell viability on various substrates. In vivo studies in a wound healing model in mice show that the scratched film supports directed cell guidance on the nanostructure, with significantly reduced wound areas and inhibition of excessive collagen deposition. Rapid recovery of the epidermis and dermis is also shown by histological analyses, suggesting the potential application of the scratching technique as an advanced wound dressing material for effective tissue regeneration.

First Measurement of Λ Electroproduction off Nuclei in the Current and Target Fragmentation Regions

We report results of Λ hyperon production in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering off deuterium, carbon, iron, and lead targets obtained with the CLAS detector and the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility 5.014 GeV electron beam. These results represent the first measurements of the Λ multiplicity ratio and transverse momentum broadening as a function of the energy fraction (z) in the current and target fragmentation regions. The multiplicity ratio exhibits a strong suppression at high z and an enhancement at low z. The measured transverse momentum broadening is an order of magnitude greater than that seen for light mesons. This indicates that the propagating entity interacts very strongly with the nuclear medium, which suggests that propagation of diquark configurations in the nuclear medium takes place at least part of the time, even at high z. The trends of these results are qualitatively described by the Giessen Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck transport model, particularly for the multiplicity ratios. These observations will potentially open a new era of studies of the structure of the nucleon as well as of strange baryons.

Virus detection of measles-negative cases in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, from 2017 to 2019

To investigate viruses in measles-negative cases, 221 measles-suspected samples collected in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea were tested using a real-time PCR assay. Rubella virus was not detected. However, 11 cases of parvovirus B19 (5.0%), 47 cases of human herpesvirus 6 (21.3%), 25 cases of human herpesvirus 7 (11.3%), and one case of co-infection with parvovirus B19 and human herpesvirus 7 were confirmed, as were eight cases of co-infection with human herpesvirus 6 and human herpesvirus 7. This study showed that parvovirus B19, human herpesvirus 6, and human herpesvirus 7 should be considered by physicians for the diagnosis of measles-suspected patients.

Causes and diagnostic utility of musculoskeletal MRI recall examinations

AIM

To determine the causes and diagnostic utility of musculoskeletal (MSK) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) recall examinations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An institutional review board-approved retrospective review was conducted of all MSK MRI examinations performed at a single academic institution over 10 years where radiologists requested the patient return for additional imaging. The reason for the recall was documented. Recalls were reviewed in consensus by two MSK radiologists to determine whether additional sequences resulted in a change in the final report. Recall causes were divided into four categories: (1) radiologist-related: incorrect field of view (FOV) or incorrect protocol; (2) technologist-related: incorrect FOV or incorrect/incomplete protocol performed, or technically poor-quality images; (3) patient-related motion artefact; (4) unexpected lesion discovered. Fisher's exact test was used to assess for statistical significance.

RESULTS

The recall rate was 0.25% (156/62,930). Of the total 129 recalls returning for imaging, 42 (33%) were radiologist-related, 45 (35%) were technologist-related, six (5%) were patient-related, and 36 (28%) had an unexpected lesion requiring additional sequences. For clinical utility, 42% resulted in a change from the initial report. Recalls due to radiologist error, incorrect FOV, or unexpected lesion caused a significant change in the final report; however, recalls due to technologist error, patient motion artefact, or incorrect protocol did not.

CONCLUSION

MRI MSK recalls are uncommon, and the most common reasons are incorrect FOV, incorrect protocol, and unexpected lesion. Radiologist-related errors in protocols and FOV led to a significant change in the final report and should be targeted as areas for improvement to reduce recall examinations.

Antioxidants prevent particulate matter-induced senescence of lung fibroblasts

Particulate matter (PM) contributes to human diseases, particularly lung disease; however, the molecular mechanism of its action is yet to be determined. Herein, we found that prolonged PM exposure induced the cellular senescence of normal lung fibroblasts via a DNA damage-mediated response. This PM-induced senescence (PM-IS) was only observed in lung fibroblasts but not in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Mechanistic analysis revealed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) activate the DNA damage response signaling axis, increasing p53 phosphorylation, ultimately leading to cellular senescence via an increase in p21 expression without affecting the p16-pRB pathway. A549 cells, instead, were resistant to PM-IS due to the PM-induced ROS production suppression. Water-soluble antioxidants, such as vitamin C and N-Acetyl Cysteine, were found to alleviate PM-IS by suppressing ROS production, implying that antioxidants are a promising therapeutic intervention for PM-mediated lung pathogenesis.

Observation of Correlations between Spin and Transverse Momenta in Back-to-Back Dihadron Production at CLAS12

We report the first measurements of deep inelastic scattering spin-dependent azimuthal asymmetries in back-to-back dihadron electroproduction in the deep inelastic scattering process. In this reaction, two hadrons are produced in opposite hemispheres along the z axis in the virtual photon-target nucleon center-of-mass frame, with the first hadron produced in the current-fragmentation region and the second in the target-fragmentation region. The data were taken with longitudinally polarized electron beams of 10.2 and 10.6 GeV incident on an unpolarized liquid-hydrogen target using the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. Observed nonzero sinΔϕ modulations in ep→e^{'}pπ^{+}X events, where Δϕ is the difference of the azimuthal angles of the proton and pion in the virtual photon and target nucleon center-of-mass frame, indicate that correlations between the spin and transverse momenta of hadrons produced in the target- and current-fragmentation regions may be significant. The measured beam-spin asymmetries provide a first access in dihadron production to a previously unexplored leading-twist spin- and transverse-momentum-dependent fracture function. The fracture functions describe the hadronization of the target remnant after the hard scattering of a virtual photon off a quark in the target particle and provide a new avenue for studying nucleonic structure and hadronization.

TPX2 prompts mitotic survival via the induction of BCL2L1 through YAP1 protein stabilization in human embryonic stem cells

Genetic alterations have been reported for decades in most human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Survival advantage, a typical trait acquired during long-term in vitro culture, results from the induction of BCL2L1 upon frequent copy number variation (CNV) at locus 20q11.21 and is one of the strongest candidates associated with genetic alterations that occur via escape from mitotic stress. However, the underlying mechanisms for BCL2L1 induction remain unknown. Furthermore, abnormal mitosis and the survival advantage that frequently occur in late passage are associated with the expression of BCL2L1, which is in locus 20q11.21. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of TPX2, a gene located in 20q11.21, led to BCL2L1 induction and consequent survival traits under mitotic stress in isogenic pairs of hESCs and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with normal and 20q11.21 CNVs. High Aurora A kinase activity by TPX2 stabilized the YAP1 protein to induce YAP1-dependent BCL2L1 expression. A chemical inhibitor of Aurora A kinase and knockdown of YAP/TAZ significantly abrogated the high tolerance to mitotic stress through BCL2L1 suppression. These results suggest that the collective expression of TPX2 and BCL2L1 from CNV at loci 20q11.21 and a consequent increase in YAP1 signaling promote genome instability during long-term in vitro hESC culture.

Observation of Azimuth-Dependent Suppression of Hadron Pairs in Electron Scattering off Nuclei

We present the first measurement of dihadron angular correlations in electron-nucleus scattering. The data were taken with the CLAS detector and a 5.0 GeV electron beam incident on deuterium, carbon, iron, and lead targets. Relative to deuterium, the nuclear yields of charged-pion pairs show a strong suppression for azimuthally opposite pairs, no suppression for azimuthally nearby pairs, and an enhancement of pairs with large invariant mass. These effects grow with increased nuclear size. The data are qualitatively described by the gibuu model, which suggests that hadrons form near the nuclear surface and undergo multiple scattering in nuclei.These results show that angular correlation studies can open a new way to elucidate how hadrons form and interact inside nuclei.

Quantitative angiographic assessment of aortic regurgitation post 11 different types of TAVI devices a multicentre pooled analysis of 2665 valves

Background

Regurgitation following TAVR impacts all-cause mortality. So far, no quantitative comparison of regurgitation by the same core lab has been performed among the various commercially available transcatheter heart valves (THV) We aimed to compare quantitative angiographic aortic regurgitation (AR) of 11 different types of THVs.

Method

This is a multicentre retrospective corelab pooled analysis of aortograms from 2704 consecutive patients treated with 11 different THV devices. Analysis was done by quantitative videodensitometric aortography (LVOT-AR), which is an objective, accurate, and reproducible tool for assessment of AR following TAVR. This method relies on time density changes in contrast medium after injection in the ascending aorta and its regurgitation (and subsequent density increase) in the LVOT. The ratio between the areas under the two-time density curves of these regions quantifies the AR in absolute percentage. The valves evaluated include ACURATE neo2 (n=120), Lotus (n=546), Myval (n=108), VitaFlow (n=105), Evolut PRO (n=95), SAPIEN 3 (n=397), Evolut R (n=295), SAPIEN XT (n=239), ACURATE neo (n=120), Venus-A (n=113) and CoreValve (n=532). Stratification of continuous variable regurgitation into categorical variables was performed according to the following pre-determined threshold criteria: 1) none/trace regurgitation (LVOT-AR<6%); 2) mild (6%≤ LVOT-AR ≤17%); and 3) moderate or severe (LVOT-AR >17%).

Results

The addition of anti PVR sealing features to the new generations ACURATE neo2 THV proved to be effective in reduction the incidence of significant PVR In comparison with the first generation ACURATE neo.

Myval, VitaFlow and Venus-A THVs are showing promising results.

Although the incidence of moderate/severe AR has regressed over time with new generations of THVs, the incidence of mild AR is still prominent with all THVs still exhibiting mild AR with an incidence ranging between 30% and 50% with the exception of the Lotus valve that had an 19% incidence of mild AR

Conclusion

ACURATE neo2 had the lowest severe/moderate percentage of AR showing significant improvements in comparison to ACURATE neo. Myval, VitaFlow and Venus-A are promising options in the THV armamentarium. These results should be confirmed in prospective randomized, head-to-head comparisons between THVs.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Elucidation of divergent desaturation pathways in the formation of vinyl isonitrile and isocyanoacrylate

Two different types of desaturations are employed by iron- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent (Fe/2OG) enzymes to construct vinyl isonitrile and isocyanoacrylate moieties found in isonitrile-containing natural products. A substrate-bound protein structure reveals a plausible strategy to affect desaturation and hints at substrate promiscuity of these enzymes. Analogs are synthesized and used as mechanistic probes to validate structural observations. Instead of proceeding through hydroxylated intermediate as previously proposed, a plausible carbocation species is utilized to trigger C=C bond installation. These Fe/2OG enzymes can also accommodate analogs with opposite chirality and different functional groups including isonitrile-(D)-tyrosine, N-formyl tyrosine, and phloretic acid, while maintaining the reaction selectivity.

While canonical oxygen-rebound pathway has been utilized by several Fe/2OG enzymes, insights into the desaturation process remain to be elucidated. Here, the authors suggest that a carbocation might be deployed to enable chemically divergent desaturations through decarboxylation and deprotonation.

Using fungible biosensors to evolve improved alkaloid biosyntheses

A key bottleneck in the microbial production of therapeutic plant metabolites is identifying enzymes that can improve yield. The facile identification of genetically encoded biosensors can overcome this limitation and become part of a general method for engineering scaled production. We have developed a combined screening and selection approach that quickly refines the affinities and specificities of generalist transcription factors; using RamR as a starting point, we evolve highly specific (>100-fold preference) and sensitive (half-maximum effective concentration (EC₅₀) < 30 μM) biosensors for the alkaloids tetrahydropapaverine, papaverine, glaucine, rotundine and noscapine. High-resolution structures reveal multiple evolutionary avenues for the malleable effector-binding site and the creation of new pockets for different chemical moieties. These sensors further enabled the evolution of a streamlined pathway for tetrahydropapaverine, a precursor to four modern pharmaceuticals, collapsing multiple methylation steps into a single evolved enzyme. Our methods for evolving biosensors enable the rapid engineering of pathways for therapeutic alkaloids.

RBFOX2-regulated TEAD1 alternative splicing plays a pivotal role in Hippo-YAP signaling

Alternative pre-mRNA splicing is key to proteome diversity; however, the biological roles of alternative splicing (AS) in signaling pathways remain elusive. Here, we focus on TEA domain transcription factor 1 (TEAD1), a YAP binding factor in the Hippo signaling pathway. Public database analyses showed that expression of YAP-TEAD target genes negatively correlated with the expression of a TEAD1 isoform lacking exon 6 (TEAD1ΔE6) but did not correlate with overall TEAD1 expression. We confirmed that the transcriptional activity and oncogenic properties of the full-length TEAD1 isoform were greater than those of TEAD1ΔE6, with the difference in transcription related to YAP interaction. Furthermore, we showed that RNA-binding Fox-1 homolog 2 (RBFOX2) promoted the inclusion of TEAD1 exon 6 via binding to the conserved GCAUG element in the downstream intron. These results suggest a regulatory mechanism of RBFOX2-mediated TEAD1 AS and provide insight into AS-specific modulation of signaling pathways.

Machine learning-aided engineering of hydrolases for PET depolymerization

Plastic waste poses an ecological challenge^1-3 and enzymatic degradation offers one, potentially green and scalable, route for polyesters waste recycling⁴. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) accounts for 12% of global solid waste⁵, and a circular carbon economy for PET is theoretically attainable through rapid enzymatic depolymerization followed by repolymerization or conversion/valorization into other products^6-10. Application of PET hydrolases, however, has been hampered by their lack of robustness to pH and temperature ranges, slow reaction rates and inability to directly use untreated postconsumer plastics¹¹. Here, we use a structure-based, machine learning algorithm to engineer a robust and active PET hydrolase. Our mutant and scaffold combination (FAST-PETase: functional, active, stable and tolerant PETase) contains five mutations compared to wild-type PETase (N233K/R224Q/S121E from prediction and D186H/R280A from scaffold) and shows superior PET-hydrolytic activity relative to both wild-type and engineered alternatives¹² between 30 and 50 °C and a range of pH levels. We demonstrate that untreated, postconsumer-PET from 51 different thermoformed products can all be almost completely degraded by FAST-PETase in 1 week. FAST-PETase can also depolymerize untreated, amorphous portions of a commercial water bottle and an entire thermally pretreated water bottle at 50 ºC. Finally, we demonstrate a closed-loop PET recycling process by using FAST-PETase and resynthesizing PET from the recovered monomers. Collectively, our results demonstrate a viable route for enzymatic plastic recycling at the industrial scale.

Recyclable Periodic Nanostructure Formed by Sublimable Liquid Crystals for Robust Cell Alignment

We demonstrate a facile method to fabricate a recyclable cell-alignment scaffold using nanogrooves based on sublimable liquid crystal (LC) material. Randomly and uniaxially arranged smectic LC structures are obtained, followed by sublimation and recondensation processes, which directly produce periodic nanogrooves with dimensions of a couple of hundreds of nanometers. After treatment with osmium tetroxide (OsO₄), the nanogroove can serve as a scaffold to efficiently induce directed cell growth without causing cytotoxicity, and it can be used repeatedly. Together, various cell types are applied to the nanogroove, proving the scaffold's broad applicability. Depending on the nanotopography of the LC structures, cells exhibit different morphologies and gene expression patterns, compared to cells on standard glass substrates, according to microscopic observation and qPCR. Furthermore, cell sheets can be formed, which consist of oriented cells that can be repeatedly formed and transferred to other substrates, while maintaining its organization. We believe that our cell-aligning scaffold may pave the way for the soft material field to bioengineering, which can involve fundamentals in cell behavior and function, as well as applications for regenerative medicine.

Cerium-polysulfide redox flow battery with possible high energy density enabled by MFI-Zeolite membrane working with acid-base electrolytes

A pH change can enable high-energy-density RFB (redox flow battery) in an aqueous medium. Nevertheless, a membrane to prevent the ion crossover is needed. This study adopted cerium and polysulfide in an acid-base combined electrolyte with an MFI-Zeolite membrane as a separator. The increased potential with pH change is described by the OCP (open circuit potential) difference, which varies by 0.8 V for the combination of acid-acid and acid-base electrolyte. A decrease of 350 mV at the redox peak potential of Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ and a 10 mV negative potential shift for S₄^2-/2S₂^2- highlights the pH effect between the combination of acid-acid and acid-base electrolyte indicates the influence of pH leading in half-cell of anodic than the opposite cathodic side. The UV-visible spectral analysis for Ce³⁺ and S₄^2- ions displacement shows that cerium and sulfur ions do not migrate to each other half-cell through an MFI-Zeolite membrane. As a result, the current efficiency of 94%, voltage, and energy efficiency of 40%-43% were attained at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2. Moreover, the acid-base composition of the Ce/S system showed an energy density of 378.3 Wh l ^-1.

Multidimensional, High Precision Measurements of Beam Single Spin Asymmetries in Semi-inclusive π^{+} Electroproduction off Protons in the Valence Region

High precision measurements of the polarized electron beam-spin asymmetry in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) from the proton have been performed using a 10.6 GeV incident electron beam and the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. We report here a high precision multidimensional study of single π^{+} SIDIS data over a large kinematic range in Bjorken x, fractional energy, and transverse momentum of the hadron as well as photon virtualities Q^{2} ranging from 1-7  GeV^{2}. In particular, the structure function ratio F_{LU}^{sinϕ}/F_{UU} has been determined, where F_{LU}^{sinϕ} is a twist-3 quantity that can reveal novel aspects of emergent hadron mass and quark-gluon correlations within the nucleon. The data's impact on the evolving understanding of the underlying reaction mechanisms and their kinematic variation is explored using theoretical models for the different contributing transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions.

The MELD Score Is Superior to the Maddrey Discriminant Function Score to Predict Short-Term Mortality in Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis: A Global Study

INTRODUCTION

Several scoring systems predict mortality in alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), including the Maddrey discriminant function (mDF) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score developed in the United States, Glasgow alcoholic hepatitis score in the United Kingdom, and age, bilirubin, international normalized ratio, and creatinine score in Spain. To date, no global studies have examined the utility of these scores, nor has the MELD-sodium been evaluated for outcome prediction in AH. In this study, we assessed the accuracy of different scores to predict short-term mortality in AH and investigated additional factors to improve mortality prediction.

METHODS

Patients admitted to hospital with a definite or probable AH were recruited by 85 tertiary centers in 11 countries and across 3 continents. Baseline demographic and laboratory variables were obtained. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 28 and 90 days.

RESULTS

In total, 3,101 patients were eligible for inclusion. After exclusions (n = 520), 2,581 patients were enrolled (74.4% male, median age 48 years, interquartile range 40.9-55.0 years). The median MELD score was 23.5 (interquartile range 20.5-27.8). Mortality at 28 and 90 days was 20% and 30.9%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for 28-day mortality ranged from 0.776 for MELD-sodium to 0.701 for mDF, and for 90-day mortality, it ranged from 0.773 for MELD to 0.709 for mDF. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for mDF to predict death was significantly lower than all other scores. Age added to MELD obtained only a small improvement of AUC.

DISCUSSION

These results suggest that the mDF score should no longer be used to assess AH's prognosis. The MELD score has the best performance in predicting short-term mortality.

First Measurement of Timelike Compton Scattering

We present the first measurement of the timelike Compton scattering process, γp→p^{'}γ^{*}(γ^{*}→e^{+}e^{-}), obtained with the CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Lab. The photon beam polarization and the decay lepton angular asymmetries are reported in the range of timelike photon virtualities 2.25<Q^{'2}<9  GeV^{2}, squared momentum transferred 0.1<-t<0.8  GeV^{2}, and average total center-of-mass energy squared s=14.5  GeV^{2}. The photon beam polarization asymmetry, similar to the beam-spin asymmetry in deep virtual Compton scattering, is sensitive to the imaginary part of the Compton form factors and provides a way to test the universality of the generalized parton distributions. The angular asymmetry of the decay leptons accesses the real part of the Compton form factors and thus the D-term in the parametrization of the generalized parton distributions.

Effect of transcatheter aortic valve implantation on left ventricular pressure overload indicated by inflammatory biomarkers in high-risk patients

Background

Severe aortic stenosis (AS) is associated with left ventricular (LV) pressure overload that leads to myocardial remodelling and inflammatory processes. Interleukin 6 (IL6) is secreted by leukocytes as an early response to infection and tissue damage as well as high senisitve C-reactive Protein (hsCRP), which is subsequent in the same pathway. Several studies have suggested an association of elevated serum levels with a higher risk of cardiovascular events. GDF-15 and MR-proADM are also associated with inflammatory processes in cardiovascular diseases and are predictors for adverse events and mortality in patients with AS. The aim of the present study was to evaluate their potential prognostic value regarding the patients all-cause mortality.

Methods

A total of 92 consecutive patients (mean age: 80,8 [±5,3] years) undergoing TAVI were included in this study. TAVI was performed according to standard clinical practice. Venous blood samples for biomarker analysis were collected prior to and 6 months after TAVI, these were processed immediately and frozen at −80°C until the assay was performed. Safety events, physiological- and echocardiographical parameters, were assessed at the baseline and the 6-month follow-up. Furthermore, we compiled the all-cause mortality of our patients after two years.

Results

TAVI was performed successfully in all patients. During the two-year follow-up period 24 patients met the endpoint of all-cause mortality. At baseline, serum levels of the inflammatory biomarkers were significantly higher in patients who died within the follow-up period, when compared to survivors (IL6:14,450pg/ml [IQR:7,550; 42,150] vs. 4,200pg/ml [IQR:2,515; 13,875],p=0,0004; hsCRP:5,360 mg/l [IQR:2,248; 26,790] vs. 2,900mg/l [IQR:1,208; 8,210],p=0,022); MR-proADM:1,347nmol/l [IQR:1,038–1,678] vs. 0,922nmol/l [IQR:0,706; 1,202],p=0,0003 and GDF-15:2770,0pg/ml [IQR:2401,0; 3701,0] vs. 1675,2pg/ml [IQR:1141,6; 2524,4],p=0,001). The area under the curve was 0,767 for IL-6, 0,665 for hsCRP, 0,735 for MR-proADM and 0,735 for GDF-15. In addition, there was a significant decrease of IL-6 (baseline: 4,200pg/ml [IQR:2,525; 13,875] vs. 6FU:2,600pg/ml [IQR:1,500; 7,000],p&lt;0,0001), hsCRP (baseline:2,900mg/l [IQR:1,208; 8,210] vs. FU: 2,101 mg/l [IQR: 0,980; 4,540],p=0,002) and MR-proADM (baseline:0,922nmol/l [IQR:0,706–1,202] vs. FU: 0,828nmol/l [IQR:0,642–1,132],p=0,01) serum levels in survivors after a follow-up of 6 months after TAVI, when compared to baseline values. While the median serum levels of GDF-15 (baseline:1675,2pg/ml [IQR:1141,6; 2524,4] vs. FU: 1663,8pg/ml [IQR:1176,5; 2538,1],p=0,563) remained stable.

Conclusions

In the present study there was a significant decrease of inflammatory biomarkers after TAVI in high risk patients with severe aortic stenosis and good clinical outcome. In this regard, IL-6, hsCRP, MR-proADM and GDF-15 were predictors of all-cause mortality in patients, who underwent TAVI.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Artificial intelligence to improve decision making in transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Background

The current state of the art in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases has been based on evidence resulting from traditional trials as well as years of clinical experience. Due to interindividual differences and a huge number of possible cofounders, in interventional cardiology a linear algorithm is usually not able to precisely estimate individual risk, therapy, or outcome. With the technological evolution in deep machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), clinicians may now address aspects that might not have been investigated previously, as supercomputers may handle the plethora of data that are generated as part of treatment. Ultimately, treatment recommendations and decisions may be made on a personalized level.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to apply AI to routine clinical practice to improve decision making in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) to determine the best type and size of prosthesis personalized for each patient with pre-procedural risk stratification.

Methods

All patients included in the study were undergoing TAVI. To predict the clinical outcomes we applied a random forest classification, a ML method with high interpretability. For baseline data 58 features were chosen, including valve type and size used. After removing highly collinear features with a certain variance inflation factor, feature selection was based on impurity-based feature importance as well as permutation importance. The performance of the estimators was evaluated by a five-fold nested stratified cross-validation. To evaluate the model ROC and mean AUC scores were chosen.

Results

A total of 3882 patient datasets were included in this trial. The baseline characteristics were consistent with a high cardiovascular risk typical of this collective. Device success was achieved in 83.3%, pacemaker implantation was necessary in 12.2%, and aortic valvular insufficiency was observed in 2.5%. The 30-day mortality was 3.4% and one-year mortality was 12.7%. The mean AUC for the outcome parameters device success, aortic valvular insufficiency, any pacemaker operation, and 30-day and one-year mortality after five-fold cross validation were 0.61±0.03, 0.71±0.04, 0.66±0.04, 0.67±0.03, and 0.69±0.01, respectively.

Conclusions

We report preliminary data concerning a promising method to improve decision making in the context of TAVI evaluation and planning using ML algorithm. We showed the feasibility with acceptable AUC values for all outcome parameters. Thus, the integration of AI in TAVI strategy planning process offers a valuable tool providing patient focused personalized therapy.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Short-term outcomes of a multicentre randomized clinical trial comparing laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer (the KLASS-04 trial)

BACKGROUND

There remain concerns about the safety and functional benefit of laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (LPPG) compared with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG). This study evaluated short-term outcomes of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) comparing LPPG with LDG for gastric cancer.

METHODS

The Korean Laparoendoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study (KLASS)-04 trial was an investigator-initiated, open-label, parallel-assigned, superiority, multicentre RCT in Korea. Patients with cT1N0M0 cancer located in the middle third of the stomach at least 5 cm from the pylorus were randomized to undergo LPPG or LDG. Participants, care givers and those assessing the outcomes were not blinded to group assignment. Outcomes were 30-day postoperative morbidity rate and death at 90 days.

RESULTS

Some 256 patients from nine institutions were randomized (LPPG 129 patients, LDG 127 patients) between July 2015 and July 2017 and outcomes for 253 patients were analysed. Postoperative complications within 30 days were seen in 19.3 and 15.5 per cent in the LPPG and LDG groups respectively (P = 0·419). Postoperative pyloric stenosis was observed in nine (7.2 per cent) and two (1·5 per cent) patients in the LPPG and LDG groups (P = 0·026) respectively. In multivariable analysis higher BMI was a risk factor for postoperative complications (odds ratio 1·17, 95 per cent c.i. 1·04 to 1·32; P = 0·011). Death at 90 days was zero in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative complications and mortality was comparable in patients undergoing LPPG and LDG. Registration number: NCT02595086 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Advancements in chemical biology targeting the kinases and phosphatases of RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription

Phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) coordinates the temporal progression of eukaryotic transcription. The development and application of chemical genetic methods have enhanced our ability to investigate the intricate and intertwined pathways regulated by the kinases and phosphatases targeting RNAP II to ensure transcription accuracy and efficiency. Although identifying small molecules that modulate these enzymes has been challenging due to their highly conserved structures, powerful new chemical biology strategies such as targeted covalent inhibitors and small molecule degraders have significantly improved chemical probe specificity. The recent success in discovering phosphatase holoenzyme activators and inhibitors, which demonstrates the feasibility of selective targeting of individual phosphatase complexes, opens up new avenues into the study of transcription. Herein, we summarize how chemical biology is used to delineate kinases' identities involved in RNAP II regulation and new concepts in inhibitor/activator design implemented for kinases/phosphatases involved in modulating RNAP II-mediated transcription.

Perceived friend support buffers against symptoms of depression in peer victimized adolescents: Evidence from a population-based cohort in South Korea

BACKGROUND

Peer victimization is associated with an increased risk for depression, but there is less evidence on how certain factors such as friend support can buffer this association. This study investigated the associations between friend support and depressive symptoms among victimized and non-victimized adolescent girls and boys from South Korea.

METHODS

Participants includes 2258 students from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, a nationally representative sample of middle school students in South Korea. Self-reported perceived friend support, depressive symptoms and peer victimization were measured using validated scales during middle school year 3 (mean age= 15.7 years).

RESULTS

The association between peer victimization and depressive symptoms varied by sex (p for sex by peer victimization interaction<0.05). Peer victimization was more strongly associated with same year depressive symptoms in girls (β=0.55) than boys (β=0.24). After controlling for key confounders, including prior year mental health symptoms, higher levels of friend support were found to attenuate the association between peer victimization and depressive symptoms (p for friend support by peer victimization interaction <0.05). Peer victimization was associated with more depressive symptoms for adolescents with low and moderate friend support, but not those with high friend support.

LIMITATIONS

Peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and friend support, were self-reported and measured the same year.

CONCLUSIONS

Friend support protects victimized South Korean adolescents from the negative effect of peer victimization on depressive symptoms, hence contributes to closing the gap in depression between victimized and non-victimized adolescents.

A novel role of Hippo-Yap/TAZ signaling pathway in lymphatic vascular development

The lymphatic vasculature plays important role in regulating fluid homeostasis, intestinal lipid absorption, and immune surveillance in humans. Malfunction of lymphatic vasculature leads to several human diseases. Understanding the fundamental mechanism in lymphatic vascular development not only expand our knowledge, but also provide a new therapeutic insight. Recently, Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling pathway, a key mechanism of organ size and tissue homeostasis, has emerged as a critical player that regulate lymphatic specification, sprouting, and maturation. In this review, we discuss the mechanistic regulation and pathophysiological significant of Hippo pathway in lymphatic vascular development.

Three concomitant locked finger metacarpophalangeal joints caused by degenerative metacarpal heads: Case report

A locked metacarpophalangeal joint (LMCP) is a rare condition often confused with trigger finger. Its causes are numerous and typically divided into two broad categories: acquired LMCP in younger patients, and degenerative LMCP in older patients. This pathology usually affects only one MCP. Even though several external reduction techniques have been described, the main risk of non-surgical reduction treatment is recurrence. Thus, its management is most often surgical. We report the case of a 60-year-old woman with 3 simultaneous LMCP (3rd, 4th, and 5th rays of the left hand) due to degenerative metacarpal heads. Surgical treatment was performed and found that locking was due to entrapment of the radial collateral ligament on metacarpal head osteophytes. Full extension was regained at the end of the surgery. The follow-up was uneventful, no recurrence occurred. This case highlights the need for careful examination to prevent medical and surgical wandering for a rare but well-described and easy to treat condition.

Observation of Beam Spin Asymmetries in the Process ep→e^{'}π^{+}π^{-}X with CLAS12

The observation of beam spin asymmetries in two-pion production in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off an unpolarized proton target is reported. The data presented here were taken in the fall of 2018 with the CLAS12 spectrometer using a 10.6 GeV longitudinally spin-polarized electron beam delivered by CEBAF at JLab. The measured asymmetries provide the first opportunity to extract the parton distribution function e(x), which provides information about the interaction between gluons and quarks, in a collinear framework that offers cleaner access than previous measurements. The asymmetries also constitute the first ever signal sensitive to the helicity-dependent two-pion fragmentation function G_{1}^{⊥}. A clear sign change is observed around the ρ mass that appears in model calculations and is indicative of the dependence of the produced pions on the helicity of the fragmenting quark.

Aβ Accumulation in Vmo Contributes to Masticatory Dysfunction in 5XFAD Mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) shows various symptoms that reflect cognitive impairment and loss of neural circuit integrity. Sensory dysfunctions such as olfactory and ocular pathology are also observed and used as indicators for early detection of AD. Although mastication is suggested to correlate with AD progression, changes in the masticatory system have yet to be established in transgenic animal models of AD. In the present study, we have assessed pathologic hallmarks of AD with the masticatory behavior of 5XFAD mice. We found that masticatory efficiency and maximum biting force were decreased in 5XFAD mice, with no significant change in general motor function. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed significant accumulation of Aβ (amyloid β), increased microglia number, and cell death in Vmo (trigeminal motor nucleus) as compared with other cranial motor nuclei that innervate the orofacial region. Masseter muscle weight and muscle fiber size were also decreased in 5XFAD mice. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Aβ accumulation in Vmo contributes to masticatory dysfunction in 5XFAD mice, suggesting a close association between masticatory dysfunction and dementia.

Beam Spin Asymmetry in Semi-Inclusive Electroproduction of Hadron Pairs

A first measurement of the longitudinal beam spin asymmetry A_{LU} in the semi-inclusive electroproduction of pairs of charged pions is reported. A_{LU} is a higher-twist observable and offers the cleanest access to the nucleon twist-3 parton distribution function e(x). Data have been collected in the Hall-B at Jefferson Lab by impinging a 5.498-GeV electron beam on a liquid-hydrogen target, and reconstructing the scattered electron and the pion pair with the CLAS detector. One-dimensional projections of the A_{LU}^{sinϕ_{R}} moments are extracted for the kinematic variables of interest in the valence quark region. The understanding of dihadron production is essential for the interpretation of observables in single-hadron production in semi-inclusive DIS, and pioneering measurements of single-spin asymmetries in dihadron production open a new avenue in studies of QCD dynamics.

Extraction of microplastics from commonly used sea salts in India and their toxicological evaluation

Microplastics (MPs) are one of the marine debris, accumulated in the ocean as a result of the successive breakdown of a large piece of plastics over several years. MPs are about less than 5 mM, have a detrimental impact on marine organisms/products (seafood/sea salts) and therefore they are considered as a global environmental pollutant. The occurrence and impact of MPs in commercial sea salts that are consumed by humans are not well studied so far. In the present study, we attempted to characterize and evaluate the in vitro toxicity of isolated MPs. Here, we have used ten brands of commercial sea salts of different origins for the identification and characterization of MPs. The average abundance of MPs in all commercial brands is < 700 MP/kg and the particle size range between 5.2 mM and 3.8 μM. The most common types of MPs were identified as fragments, fibers, and pellets. By Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), it was found that the MPs in abundance were made of cellophane (CP), polystyrene (PR), polyamide (PA) and polyarylether (PAR). Further, in vitro toxicity assessment revealed that HEK-293 cells get detached upon treatment with MPs (MIC-75 μg mL^-1) Consequently, the AO/EB dual staining confirmed that the induction and rate of apoptosis were comparatively higher in microplastic treated HEK-293 cells. Taken together, the MPs identified are the origin of anthropogenic derivatives and they exert a lethal effect on human cells, which might be associated with health risk complications in human beings.