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RNA-Puzzles is a collective endeavor dedicated to the advancement and improvement of RNA three-dimensional structure prediction. With agreement from structural biologists, RNA structures are predicted by modeling groups before publication of the experimental structures. We report a large-scale set of predictions by 18 groups for 23 RNA-Puzzles: 4 RNA elements, 2 Aptamers, 4 Viral elements, 5 Ribozymes and 8 Riboswitches. We describe automatic assessment protocols for comparisons between prediction and experiment. Our analyses reveal some critical steps to be overcome to achieve good accuracy in modeling RNA structures: identification of helix-forming pairs and of non-Watson-Crick modules, correct coaxial stacking between helices and avoidance of entanglements. Three of the top four modeling groups in this round also ranked among the top four in the CASP15 contest., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Human cystatin C (hCC) undergoes domain swapping and forms amyloid structures. Steric zipper motifs, which are important for hCC fibrillization, have been identified and studied in our previous work. In the present study, we analysed the influence of the selected dicationic surfactant (a derivative of dodecylimidazolium chloride: 3,3'-[α,ω-(dioxahexane)]bis(1-dodecylimidazolium)dichloride) on the structure of the aggregates formed by one such fragment, a peptide with the sequence IVAGVN, corresponding to residues 56-61 in the full-length protein. Changes in the secondary structure of the peptide induced by the surfactant were studied using circular dichroism (CD) and FTIR, and the aggregates were characterised using microscopic techniques (AFM and TEM) and NMR., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The behavior of triple-cation mixed halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under ultrashort laser pulse irradiation at varying fluences is investigated, with a focus on local heating effects observed in femtosecond transient absorption (TA) studies. The carrier cooling time constant is found to increase from 230 fs at 2 µJ cm⁻ 2 to 1.3 ps at 2 mJ cm⁻ 2 while the charge population decay accelerates from tens of nanoseconds to the picosecond range within the same fluence range. At fluences between 0.5 and 5 mJ cm 2 , distinct oscillations in the TA signal (≈1.1 MHz) reveal the presence of coherent longitudinal acoustic phonons (CLAP). These phonons induce lattice strain propagating at the speed of sound through the perovskite layer and exhibit relatively long damping times. TA spectra further reveal a partially reversible segregation of iodide and bromide anions under pulsed excitation. Interestingly, higher local heating at increased pump fluences slows the segregation process, with time constants extending from 40 min at low fluences to 110 min at high fluences. However, the continuous irradiation results in significantly smaller segregation effects compared to ultrashort pulse irradiation., (© 2025 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Esports refers to competitive video gaming where individuals compete against each other in organized tournaments for prize money. Here, we present the Competitive Esports Physiological, Affective, and Video (CEPAV) dataset, in which 300 male Counter Strike: Global Offensive gamers participated in a study aimed at optimizing affect during esports tournament 1 . The CEPAV dataset includes (1) physiological data, capturing the player's cardiovascular responses from before, during, and after over 3000 CS: GO matches; (2) self-reported affective data, detailing the affective states experienced before gameplay; and (3) video data, providing a visual record of 552 in-laboratory gaming sessions. We also collected (affect-related) individual differences measures (e.g., well-being, ill-being) across six weeks in three waves. The self-reported affective data also includes gamers' natural language descriptions of gaming affective situations. The CEPAV dataset provides a comprehensive resource for researchers and analysts seeking to understand the complex interplay of physiological, affective, and behavioral factors in esports and other performance contexts., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

The spatial organization of cells within a tissue is dictated throughout dynamic developmental processes. We sought to understand whether cells geometrically coordinate with one another throughout development to achieve their organization. The pancreas is a complex cellular organ with a particular spatial organization. Signals from the mesenchyme, neurons, and endothelial cells instruct epithelial cell differentiation during pancreatic development. To understand the cellular diversity and spatial organization of the developing pancreatic niche, we mapped the spatial relationships between single cells over time. We found that four transcriptionally unique subtypes of mesenchyme in the developing pancreas spatially coordinate throughout development, with each subtype at fixed locations in space and time in relation to other cells, including beta cells, vasculature, and epithelial cells. Our work provides insight into the mechanisms of pancreatic development by showing that cells are organized in a space and time manner., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) include atherosclerosis, which is an inflammatory disease of large and medium vessels that leads to atherosclerotic plaque formation. The key factors contributing to the onset and progression of atherosclerosis include the pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)α and IFNγ and the pattern recognition receptor (PRR) Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Together, they trigger the activation of IFN regulatory factors (IRFs) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)s. Based on their promoting role in atherosclerosis, we hypothesized that the inhibition of pro-inflammatory target gene expression through multi-IRF inhibitors may be a promising strategy to treat CVDs. Using comparative in silico docking of multiple IRF-DNA-binding domain (DBD) models on a multi-million natural compound library, we identified the novel multi-IRF inhibitor, ALEKSIN. This compound targets the DBD of IRF1, IRF2, and IRF8 with the same affinity and simultaneously inhibits the expression of multiple IRF target genes in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) in response to IIFNα and IFNγ. Under the same conditions, ALEKSIN also inhibited the phosphorylation of STATs, potentially through low-affinity STAT-SH2 binding but with lower potency than the known multi-STAT inhibitor STATTIC. This was in line with the common inhibition of ALEKSIN and STATTIC observed on the genome-wide expression of pro-inflammatory IRF/STAT/NF-κB target genes, as well as on the migration of HMECs. Finally, we identified a novel signature of 46 ALEKSIN and STATTIC commonly inhibited pro-atherogenic target genes, which was upregulated in atherosclerotic plaques in the aortas of high-fat diet-fed ApoEKO mice and associated with inflammation, proliferation, adhesion, chemotaxis, and response to lipids. Interestingly, the majority of these genes could be linked to macrophage subtypes present in aortic plaques in HFD-fed LDLR-KO mice. Together, this suggests that ALEKSIN represents a novel class of multi-IRF inhibitors, which inhibits IRF-, STAT-, and NF-κB-mediated transcription and could offer great promise for the treatment of CVDs. Furthermore, the ALEKSIN and STATTIC commonly inhibited pro-inflammatory gene signature could help monitor plaque progression during experimental atherosclerosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2025 Antonczyk, Kluzek, Herbich, Boroujeni, Krist, Wronka, Karlik, Przybyl, Plewinski, Wesoly and Bluyssen.)

Cationic gemini surfactants are used due to their broad spectrum of activity, especially surface, anticorrosive and antimicrobial properties. Mixtures of cationic and anionic surfactants are also increasingly described. In order to investigate the effect of anionic additive on antimicrobial activity, experimental studies were carried out to obtain MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) against E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. Two gemini surfactants (12-6-12 and 12-O-12) and two single quaternary ammonium salts (DTAB and DDAC) were analyzed. The most commonly used commercial compounds of this class, i.e., SDS and SL, were used as anionic additives. In addition, computer quantum mechanical studies were also carried out to confirm the relationship between the structure of the mixture and the activity. The obtained results of microbiological tests and quantum mechanical calculations are in agreement with each other and show the lack of synergism in catanionic mixtures in the case of antibacterial activity.

Rhizobium etli is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that encodes two l-asparaginases. The structure of the inducible R. etli asparaginase ReAV has been recently determined to reveal a protein with no similarity to known enzymes with l-asparaginase activity, but showing a curious resemblance to glutaminases and β-lactamases. The uniqueness of the ReAV sequence and 3D structure make the enzyme an interesting candidate as potential replacement for the immunogenic bacterial-type asparaginases that are currently in use for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The detailed catalytic mechanism of ReAV is still unknown; therefore, the enzyme was subjected to mutagenetic experiments to investigate its catalytic apparatus. In this work, we generated two ReAV variants of the conserved Lys138 residue (K138A and K138H) that is involved in zinc coordination in the wild-type protein and studied them kinetically and structurally. We established that the activity of wild-type ReAV and the generated variants is significantly reduced in the presence of Cd 2+ cations, which slow down the proteins while improving their apparent substrate affinity. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of Cd 2+ is enhanced by the substitutions of Lys138, which disrupt the metal coordination sphere. The proteins with impaired activity but increased affinity were cocrystallized with the L-Asn substrate. Here, we present the crystal structures of wild-type ReAV and its K138A and K138H variants, unambiguously revealing bound l-asparagine in the active site. After careful analysis of the stereochemistry of the nucleophilic attack, we assign the role of the primary nucleophile of ReAV to Ser48. Furthermore, we propose that the reaction catalyzed by ReAV proceeds according to a double-displacement mechanism., (© 2025 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

We study the existence of continuous (linear) operators from the Banach spaces Lip 0 ( M ) of Lipschitz functions on infinite metric spaces M vanishing at a distinguished point and from their predual spaces F ( M ) onto certain Banach spaces, including C ( K )-spaces and the spaces c 0 and ℓ 1 . For pairs of spaces Lip 0 ( M ) and C ( K ) we prove that if they are endowed with topologies weaker than the norm topology, then usually no continuous (linear or not) surjection exists between those spaces. It is also showed that if a metric space M contains a bilipschitz copy of the unit sphere S c 0 of the space c 0 , then Lip 0 ( M ) admits a continuous operator onto ℓ 1 and hence onto c 0 . Using this, we provide several conditions for a space M implying that Lip 0 ( M ) is not a Grothendieck space. Finally, we obtain a new characterization of the Schur property for Lipschitz-free spaces: a space F ( M ) has the Schur property if and only if for every complete discrete metric space N with cardinality d ( M ) the spaces F ( M ) and F ( N ) are weakly sequentially homeomorphic., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Our investigation uncovers that nanomolar concentrations of salinomycin, monensin, nigericin, and narasin (a group of potassium/sodium cation carriers) robustly enhance surface expression of CD20 antigen in B-cell-derived tumor cells, including primary malignant cells of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Experiments in vitro, ex vivo, and animal model reveal a novel approach of combining salinomycin or monensin with therapeutic anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies or anti-CD20 CAR-T cells, significantly improving non- Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) therapy. The results of RNA-seq, genetic editing, and chemical inhibition delineate the molecular mechanism of CD20 upregulation, at least partially, to the downregulation of MYC, the transcriptional repressor of the MS4A1 gene encoding CD20. Our findings propose the cation carriers as compounds targeting MYC oncogene, which can be combined with anti-CD20 antibodies or adoptive cellular therapies to treat NHL and mitigate resistance, which frequently depends on the CD20 antigen loss, offering new solutions to improve patient outcomes.

Persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disability (ID) have difficulties in planning, organising and coping with change, which impedes the learning of daily living skills (DLSs), social participation and self-management across different environmental settings. Assistive technologies (ATs) is a broad term encompassing devices and services designed to support individuals with disabilities, and if used in a self-controlled manner, they may contribute inclusion in all domains of participation. This comprehensive literature review aims to critically assess and unify existing research that investigates the use of assistive technology within the practical domain for individuals with ASD and/or ID. The 18 relevant studies included in this review highlighted the benefits of AT for social participation and independence in daily activities of individuals with ASD and/or ID. Professionals working with this target group should be knowledgeable of the speedy progress of AT products and the potential of persons with ASD and/or ID to use mainstream devices to meet their individual needs. This awareness provides an opportunity to advocate for the universal benefits of AT for everyone. Technologies such as virtual reality, mobile applications and interactive software have been shown to improve DLSs, communication and social interaction. These tools offer engaging, user-friendly platforms that address the specific needs of these individuals, enhancing their learning and independence., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Repeat expansion disorders (REDs) encompass over 50 inherited neurological disorders and are characterized by the expansion of short tandem nucleotide repeats beyond a specific repeat length. Particularly intriguing among these are multiple fragile X-associated disorders (FXds), which arise from an expansion of CGG repeats in the 5' untranslated region of the FMR1 gene. Despite arising from repeat expansions in the same gene, the clinical manifestations of FXds vary widely, encompassing developmental delays, parkinsonism, dementia, and an increased risk of infertility. FXds also exhibit molecular mechanisms observed in other REDs, that is, gene- and protein-loss-of-function and RNA- and protein-gain-of-function. The heterogeneity of phenotypes and pathomechanisms in FXds results from the different lengths of the CGG tract. As the number of repeats increases, the structures formed by RNA and DNA fragments containing CGG repeats change significantly, contributing to the diversity of FXd phenotypes and mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the role of RNA and DNA structures formed by expanded CGG repeats in driving FXd pathogenesis and how the genetic instability of CGG repeats is mediated by the complex interplay between transcription, DNA replication, and repair. We also discuss therapeutic strategies, including small molecules, antisense oligonucleotides, and CRISPR-Cas systems, that target toxic RNA and DNA involved in the development of FXds., (© 2024 The Author(s). WIREs RNA published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The dataset presents a 43 year-long reanalysis of pollen seasons for three major allergenic genera of trees in Europe: alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), and olive (Olea). Driven by the meteorological reanalysis ERA5, the atmospheric composition model SILAM predicted the flowering period and calculated the Europe-wide dispersion pattern of pollen for the years 1980-2022. The model applied an extended 4-dimensional variational data assimilation of in-situ observations of aerobiological networks in 34 European countries to reproduce the inter-annual variability and trends of pollen production and distribution. The control variable of the assimilation procedure was the total pollen release during each flowering season, implemented as an annual correction factor to the mean pollen production. The dataset was designed as an input to studies on climate-induced and anthropogenically driven changes in the European vegetation, biodiversity monitoring, bioaerosol modelling and assessment, as well as, in combination with intra-seasonal observations, for health-related applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

To explore the tailoring of hydrophobicity in 3D-printed polylactide (PLA) composites for advanced applications using additive manufacturing (AM), this study focuses on the use of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. PLA, a material derived from renewable sources, is favored for its eco-friendliness and user accessibility. Nonetheless, PLA's inherent hydrophilic properties result in moisture absorption, negatively affecting its performance. This research aims to modify PLA with organosilicon compounds to enhance its hydrophobic and anti-icing properties. Incorporating fluorinated siloxane derivatives led to significant increases in water contact angles by up to 39%, signifying successful hydrophobic modification. Mechanical testing demonstrated that the addition of organosilicon additives did not compromise the tensile strength of PLA and, in some instances, improved impact resistance, especially with the use of OSS-4OFP:2HEX:2TMOS, which resulted in an increase in the tensile strength value of 25% and increased impact strength by 20% compared to neat PLA. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that the modified PLA exhibited reduced cold crystallization temperatures without altering the glass transition or melting temperatures. These results suggest that organosilicon-modified PLA has the potential to expand the material's application in producing moisture and ice-resistant 3D-printed prototypes for various industrial uses, thereby facilitating the creation of more durable and versatile 3D-printed components.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to verify the hypotheses that vergence-accommodation conflict (VAC) induced with head-mounted device (HMD) could cause symptoms in relation to changes in the accommodative-vergence system. In order to test this hypothesis, the Virtual Reality (VR) exposures were carried out in two types of VAC: VAC small and VAC large ., Method: Eighteen females, with a mean age of 22.5 ± 2.0 years, participated in two 30-minutes sessions with VR, which were separated by at least one week. Two sessions were differentiated by intensity of VAC presented in the VR system (VAC small and VAC large ). Visual parameters were measured such as associated and dissociated phoria, accommodative response, the near point of convergence (NPC), fusional vergence ranges (FVR) and subjective complaints were measured using Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ). The parameters were measured immediately before (Pre-test) and after (Post-test) the VR exposure., Results: The subjective symptoms as nausea, oculomotor disorders and disorientation increased significantly after 30-minutes of exposure on VAC large (P<0.05). The associated and dissociated phoria, lag of accommodation, FVR and the NPC did not significantly change after the VR exposure (P>0.05)., Conclusion: Short-term use of HMD (30-min) did not significantly affect accommodative-vergence functions regardless of the size of VAC (VAC small and VAC large ). However, the level of symptoms increased after VR sessions, which was probably related to inappropriate oculo-vestibular relationship., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: While conspiracy theories cover many different themes, medical conspiracy theories (MCTs) have become particularly prevalent in modern societies. As beliefs in MCTs can become a source of "infodemics", influence individual health behaviors and cause distrust in medical institutions and personnel, healthcare workers must find ways to overturn patients' conspiracy thinking. However, as the medical world is not free of these beliefs, in this study, we investigated beliefs in MCTs among medical and health science students and their association with reported health behaviors., Methods: Our sample was derived from a self-administered, anonymized, computer-assisted web survey conducted among 1,175 medical and health science students enrolled at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland., Results: From a set of twenty different MCTs, one-third of students rejected all of them, 18% believed in one, 15% in two, 10% in three, and 24% supported four or more conspiracy theories. In addition, many students were hesitant or unsure about MCTs. We also found that nursing and midwifery students were the most likely to believe in MCTs, while medical and dental students were the least supportive. Support for MCTs was higher among students in the early years of their studies and who declared themselves religious and conservative. This study also highlights the association between students' support for MCTs and their reported health behaviors, including avoiding vaccinations, using alternative medicine, taking vitamin C, or using social media as an essential source of health information., Conclusions: As medical and health science students are prone to conspiratorial thinking, they should be trained to act as a trusted and reliable source of medical information, to mitigate conspiratorial beliefs, and to act as role models for their patients and society, effectively shaping health behaviors in the population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Herein we report a strategy for the synthesis of organosilicons, including siloxanes, silyl ethers, and aminosilanes, via Co-catalyzed dehydrogenative coupling between hydrosilanes and nucleophiles. This discovery represents an expansion of the synthetic toolkit for organosilicon synthesis, forging Si-O and Si-N bonds in the presence of cobalt complexes with salen-type ligands.

U7 snRNA is part of the U7 snRNP complex, required for the 3' end processing of replication-dependent histone pre-mRNAs in S phase of the cell cycle. Here, we show that U7 snRNA plays another function in inhibiting the expression of a subset of long terminal repeats of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV1/LTR12s) and LTR12-containing long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs), both bearing sequence motifs that perfectly match the 5' end of U7 snRNA. We demonstrate that U7 snRNA inhibits LTR12 and lincRNA transcription and propose a mechanism in which U7 snRNA hampers the binding/activity of the NF-Y transcription factor to CCAAT motifs within LTR12 elements. Thereby, U7 snRNA plays a protective role in maintaining the silencing of deleterious genetic elements in selected types of cells., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

The systemic coordination of accumulation of plasma membrane aquaporins (PIP) was investigated in this study in relation to mycorrhized maize response to a rapid development of severe drought followed by rewatering. In non-mycorrhizal roots, drought led to a drop in PIP abundance, followed by a transient increase under rewatering, whereas leaves showed an opposite pattern. In contrast, mycorrhiza contributed to maintenance of high and stable levels of PIPs in both plant organs after an initial increase, prolonged over the irrigation period. Isoelectric focusing electrophoresis resolved up to 13 aquaporin complexes with highly reproducible pl positions across leaf and root samples, symbiotic and non-symbiotic, stressed or not. Mass spectrometry recognized in leaves and roots a different ratio of PIP1 and PIP2 subunits within 2D spots that accumulated the most. Regardless of symbiotic status, drought regulation of aquaporins in roots was manifested as the prevalence of complexes that comprise almost exclusively PIP2 monomers. In contrast, the leaf response involved enrichment in PIP1s. PIP1s are thought to enhance water transport, facilitate CO 2 diffusion but also affect stomatal movements. These features, together with elevated aquaporin levels, might explain a stress tolerance mechanism observed in mycorrhizal plants, resulting in faster recovery of stomatal water conductance and CO 2 assimilation rate after drought., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Developmental epigenetic modifications in plants and animals are mostly reset during gamete formation but some are inherited from the germline. Small RNAs guide these epigenetic modifications but how inherited small RNAs are distinguished in plants and animals is unknown. Pseudouridine (Ψ) is the most abundant RNA modification but has not been explored in small RNAs. Here, we develop assays to detect Ψ in short RNA sequences, demonstrating its presence in mouse and Arabidopsis microRNAs. Germline small RNAs, namely epigenetically activated small interfering RNAs (easiRNAs) in Arabidopsis pollen and Piwi-interacting RNAs in mouse testes, are enriched for Ψ. In pollen, pseudouridylated easiRNAs are transported to sperm cells from the vegetative nucleus, and PAUSED/HEN5 (PSD), the plant homolog of Exportin-t, interacts genetically with Ψ and is required for this transport. We further show that Exportin-t is required for the triploid block: small RNA dosage-dependent seed lethality that is epigenetically inherited from pollen. Thus, Ψ has a conserved role in marking inherited small RNAs in the germline., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study investigates the influence of LED radiation intensity on the photodeposition of gold nanoparticles onto TiO 2 substrates, examining their physicochemical properties and photocatalytic activities. Utilizing a range of radiation intensities and wavelengths, TiO 2 -Au composites were synthesized and characterized through techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The deposition process, markedly enhanced by shorter wavelengths and higher intensities, efficiently formed gold nanoparticles. This research distinctly highlights observable morphological changes in the nanoparticles; increased radiation intensity not only augmented the size but also altered their shape from spherical to hexagonal. These morphological transformations significantly improve the composites' light absorption and catalytic properties due to the surface plasmon resonance of the gold nanoparticles. Photocatalytic assessments, using metronidazole as a model pollutant, demonstrated that composites prepared with higher LED intensities showed significantly enhanced degradation capabilities compared to those synthesized with lower intensities. The findings underscore that manipulating photodeposition parameters can critically influence the structural and functional properties of TiO 2 -Au composites, potentially advancing their applications in environmental remediation and solar energy utilization., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Platanus sp. pl. (plane trees) are common ornamental tree in Poland that produces a large amount of wind-transported pollen, which contains proteins that induce allergy symptoms. Allergy sufferers can limit their contact with pollen by avoiding places with high pollen concentrations, which are restricted mainly to areas close to plane trees. Their location is thus important, but creating a detailed street tree inventory is expensive and time-consuming. However, high-resolution remote sensing data provide an opportunity to detect the location of specific plants. But acquiring high-resolution spatial data of good quality also incurs costs and requires regular updates. Therefore, this study explored the potential of using open access remote sensing data to detect plane trees in the highly urbanized environment of Poznań (western Poland). Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) was used to detect training treetops, which were subsequently marked as young plane trees, mature plane trees, other trees or artefacts. Spectral and spatial variables were extracted from circular buffers (r = 1 m) around the treetops to minimize the influence of shadows and crown overlap. A random forest machine learning algorithm was applied to assess the importance of variables and classify the treetops within a radius of 6.2 km around the functioning pollen monitoring station. The model performed well during 10-fold cross-validation (overall accuracy ≈ 92%). The predicted Platanus sp. pl. locations, aggregated according to 16 wind directions, were significantly correlated with the hourly pollen concentrations. Based on the correlation values, we established a threshold of prediction confidence, which allowed us to reduce the fraction of false-positive predictions. We proposed the spatially continuous index of airborne pollen exposure probability, which can be useful for allergy sufferers. The results showed that open-access geodata in Poland can be applied to recognize major local sources of plane pollen., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The efficient conversion of tissues into reproductive success is a crucial aspect affecting the evolution of life histories. Masting, the interannually variable and synchronous seed production in perennial plants, is a strategy that can enhance reproductive efficiency by mitigating seed predation and pollen limitation. However, evaluating benefits is insufficient to establish whether efficiency has improved, as such assessments neglect the associated costs of masting, particularly during the critical seed-to-seedling stage. We conducted a parentage analysis of seedlings and adults in a population of 209 Sorbus aucuparia trees, monitored over 23 years, providing pioneering documentation of the effects of masting on the fitness of individual trees beyond the seed stage. Our results show high costs of interannual variation that can be mitigated by high synchrony and reveal the existence of phenotypes that appear to reap the benefits of masting while avoiding its costs through regular reproduction., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The BisI family of restriction endonucleases is unique in requiring multiple methylated or hydroxymethylated cytosine residues within a short recognition sequence (GCNGC), and in cleaving directly within this sequence, rather than at a distance. Here, we report that the number of modified cytosines that are required for cleavage can be tuned by the salt concentration. We present crystal structures of two members of the BisI family, NhoI and Eco15I&#95;Ntd (N-terminal domain of Eco15I), in the absence of DNA and in specific complexes with tetra-methylated GCNGC target DNA. The structures show that NhoI and Eco15I&#95;Ntd sense modified cytosine bases in the context of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) without base flipping. In the co-crystal structures of NhoI and Eco15I&#95;Ntd with DNA, the internal methyl groups (G5mCNGC) interact with the side chains of an (H/R)(V/I/T/M) di-amino acid motif near the C-terminus of the distal enzyme subunit and arginine residue from the proximal subunit. The external methyl groups (GCNG5mC) interact with the proximal enzyme subunit, mostly through main chain contacts. Surface plasmon resonance analysis for Eco15I&#95;Ntd shows that the internal and external methyl binding pockets contribute about equally to sensing of cytosine methyl groups., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

This contribution presents tools for the assessment of phonological development of Polish-learning children and an initial qualitative evaluation thereof. The tools are consistent with those developed for 16 other languages in a cross-linguistic study of phonological development that is embedded in the framework of constraint-based nonlinear phonology. This theoretical foundation underlies the composition of a Polish word list for elicitation plus a supplementary analysis and intervention planning form (where intervention is warranted). A qualitative pilot study evaluated the tools in terms of adherence to underlying theoretical constructs, coverage of Polish phonology in the developmental context and utility for testing two children, one of whom was characterised by protracted phonological development. Further steps are required to develop the test into a norm-referenced instrument for clinical and research purposes, including quantitative evaluations of the tools' psychometric properties.

Racial geography studies the spatial distributions of multiracial populations. Technical challenges arise from the fact that US Census data, upon which all US-based studies rely, is only available in the form of spatial aggregates at a few levels of granularity. This negatively affects spatial analysis and, consequently, the quantification of racial segregation, especially on a smaller length scale. A recent methodology called the Racial Landscape (RL) stochastically disaggregates racial data at the level of census block aggregates into a grid of monoracial cells. RL-transformed racial data makes possible pattern-based, zoneless analysis, and visualization of racial geography. Here, we introduce the National Racial Geography Dataset 2020 (NRGD2020)-a collection of RL-based grids calculated from the 2020 census data and covering the entire conterminous US. It includes a virtual image layer for a bird's-eye-like view visualization of the spatial distribution of racial sub-populations, numerical grids for calculating racial diversity and segregation within user-defined regions, and precalculated maps of racial diversity and segregation on various length scales. NRGD2020 aims to facilitate and extend spatial analyses of racial geography and to make it more interpretable by tightly integrating quantitative analysis with visualization (mapping)., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Dmowska, Stepinski. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

As the most numerous group of animals on Earth, insects are found in almost every ecosystem. Their useful role in the environment is priceless; however, for humans, their presence may be considered negative or even harmful. For years, people have been trying to control the number of pests by using synthetic insecticides, which eventually causes an increased level of resistance to applied compounds. The effects of synthetic insecticides have encouraged researchers to search for alternatives and thus develop safe compounds with high specificity. Using knowledge about the physiology of insects and the functionality of compounds of insect origin, a new class of bioinsecticides called peptidomimetics, which are appropriately modified insect analogues, was created. One promising compound that might be successfully modified is the thirteen amino acid peptide alloferon (HGVSGHGQHGVHG), which is obtained from the hemolymph of the blue blowfly Calliphora vicinia. Our research aimed to understand the physiological properties of alloferon and the activity of its peptidomimetics, which will provide the possibility of using alloferon or its analogues in the pharmaceutical industry, as a drug or adjuvant, or in agriculture as a bioinsecticide. We used alloferon and its three peptidomimetics, which are conjugates of the native peptide with three unsaturated fatty acids with various chain lengths: caprylic, myristic, and palmitic. We tested their effects on the morphology and activity of the reproductive system and the embryogenesis of the Tenebrio molitor beetle. We found that the tested compounds influenced the growth and maturation of ovaries and the expression level of the vitellogenin gene. The tested compounds also influenced the process of egg laying, embryogenesis, and offspring hatching, showing that alloferon might be a good peptide for the synthesis of effective bioinsecticides or biopharmaceuticals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Oncogenic HPV E6 proteins have a PDZ-binding motif (PBM) which plays important roles in both the viral life cycle and tumor development. The PBM confers interaction with a large number of different PDZ domain-containing substrates, one of which is Sorting Nexin 27. This protein is part of the retromer complex and plays an important role in endocytic sorting pathways. It has been shown that at least two SNX27 interacting partners, GLUT1 and TANC2, are aberrantly trafficked due to the E6 PBM-dependent interaction with SNX27. To investigate further which other components of the endocytic trafficking pathway might be affected by the SNX27-HPV E6 interaction, we analyzed the SNX27 proteome interaction profile in a previously described HeLa cell line expressing GFP-SNX27, both in the presence and absence of the HPV-18 E6 oncoprotein. In this study, we identify a novel interacting partner of SNX27, secreted glycoprotein EMILIN2, whose release is blocked by HPV18 E6 in a PBM-dependent manner. Mechanistically, E6 can block EMILIN2 interaction with the WNT1 ligand, thereby enhancing WNT1 signaling and promoting cell proliferation., Importance: This study demonstrates that HPV E6 blocks EMILIN2 inhibition of WNT1 signaling, thereby enhancing cell proliferation in HPV-positive tumor cells. This involves a novel mechanism whereby the E6 PBM actually contributes toward enhancing the interaction between SNX27 and EMILIN2, suggesting that the mode of recognition of SNX27 by E6 and EMILIN2 is different. This is the first example of the E6 PBM altering a PDZ domain-containing protein to enhance potential substrate recognition., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: The purpose was to analyse the interrelations between planning and complexity metrics and gamma passing rates (GPRs) obtained from VMAT treatments and build the forecasting models for qualitative prediction (QD) of GPRs results., Materials and Method: 802 treatment arcs from the plans prepared for the head and neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvic cancers were analysed. The plans were verified by portal dosimetry and analysed twice using the gamma method with 3%|2mm and 2%|2mm acceptance criteria. The tolerance limit of GPR was 95%. Red, yellow, and green QDs were established for GPR examination. The interrelations were examined, as well as the analysis of effective differentiation of QD. Three models for QD forecasting based on discriminant analysis (DA), random decision forest (RDF) methods, and the hybrid model (HM) were built and evaluated., Results: Most of the interrelations were small or moderate. The exception is correlations of the join function with the average number of monitor units per control point (R = 0.893) and the beam aperture with planning target volume (R = 0.897). While many metrics allow for the effective separation of the QDs from each other, the study shows that predicting the values of the QD is possible only through multi-component forecasting models, of which the HM is the most accurate (0.894)., Conclusion: Of the three models explored in this study, the HM, which uses DA methods to predict red QD and RDF methods to predict green and yellow QDs, is the most promising one., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests: Authors declare no conflict of interests, (© 2024 Greater Poland Cancer Centre.)

The microstrip of modulated width is a realization of a one-dimensional photonic crystal operating in the microwave regime. Like any photonic crystal, the periodic microstrip is characterised by the presence of frequency bands and band gaps that enable and prohibit wave propagation, respectively. The frequency bands for microstrip of the symmetric unit cell can be distinguished by 0 or π Zak phase. The sum of these topological parameters for all bands below a given frequency gap determines the value of the surface impedance at the end of the microstrip. We demonstrate that edge modes are absent in a finite microstrip terminated at both ends in the centres of unit cells, but they can be induced by adding the defected cells. Edge modes present at both ends of the microstrip enable microwave tunneling with high transitivity in the frequency gap with or without a change in phase. This has been demonstrated experimentally and developed in detail using numerical simulations and model calculations. The investigated system, with a doublet of edge modes in the frequency gap, can be considered as a narrow passband filter of high selectivity and characterised by a significant group delay., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study explored whether retinoscopy (RET) provides comparable results of relative peripheral refraction (RPR) to open-field autorefractometry (AR) in myopic subjects., Methods: Peripheral refraction was measured in 20 myopic and 20 control adult subjects. Both central and peripheral refraction (20° nasal and temporal eccentricity) were measured using RET and open-field AR. Differences in the median central spherical equivalent (SE), median RPR, and median J45/J180 power vectors between the RET and AR techniques were analyzed. Moreover, Bland - Altman plots were used to assess the agreement between RET and AR methods for RPR measurements in MG., Results: For MG, the median RPR values were positive (hyperopic shift), and no significant differences were observed between the RET and AR techniques with respect to RPR measurement. In addition, we did not observe any significant differences in the RPR values between the nasal and temporal eccentricities for either the RET or AR technique for myopic subjects. There was also a significant correlation and agreement between the RET and AR technique for RPR measurements. With respect to central refraction, the median SE was slightly more positive for the RET than for the AR technique. Inside the CG, we also found significant correlation between the RET and AR technique for RPR measurements, and we observed a myopic shift in peripheral eccentricities., Conclusion: Our results show that retinoscopy may be a useful tool for objective measurements of RPR in myopic subjects and may be used interchangeably with the open-field AR method in everyday clinical practice., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Spatial synchrony may be tail-dependent, meaning it is stronger for peaks rather than troughs, or vice versa. High interannual variation in seed production in perennial plants, called masting, can be synchronized at subcontinental scales, triggering extensive resource pulses or famines. We used data from 99 populations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) to examine whether masting synchrony differs between mast peaks and years of seed scarcity. Our results revealed that seed scarcity occurs simultaneously across the majority of the species range, extending to populations separated by distances up to 1800 km. Mast peaks were spatially synchronized at distances up to 1000 km and synchrony was geographically concentrated in northeastern Europe. Extensive synchrony in the masting lower tail means that famines caused by beech seed scarcity are amplified by their extensive spatial synchrony, with diverse consequences for food web functioning and climate change biology., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Affective responses during stressful, high-stakes situations can play an important role in shaping performance. For example, feeling shaky and nervous at a job interview can undermine performance, whereas feeling excited during that same interview can optimize performance. Thus, affect regulation-the way people influence their affective responses-might play a key role in determining high-stakes outcomes. To test this idea, we adapted a synergistic mindsets intervention (SMI) (Yeager et al . 2022 Nature 607 , 512-520 (doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04907-7)) to a high-stakes esports context. Our approach was motivated by the idea that (i) mindsets both about situations and one's stress responses to situations can be shaped to help optimize stress responses, and (ii) challenge versus threat stress responses will be associated with improved outcomes. After a baseline performance task, we randomly assigned gamers ( n = 300) either to SMI or a control condition in which they learned brain facts. After two weeks of daily gaming, gamers competed in a cash-prize tournament. We measured affective experiences before the matches and cardiovascular responses before and throughout the matches. Contrary to predictions, gamers did not experience negative affect (including feeling stressed), thus limiting the capacity for the intervention to regulate physiological responses and optimize performance. Compared with the control participants, synergistic mindsets participants did not show greater challenge responses or improved performance outcomes. Though our adaptation of Yeager et al .'s SMI did not optimize esports performance, our findings point to important considerations regarding the suitability of an intervention such as this to different performance contexts of varying degrees of stressfulness., Competing Interests: The authors of this article declare that they have no financial conflict of interest with the content of this article. D.L. is a recommender at PCI Registered Reports., (© 2024 The Authors.)