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Abstract This study employs ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the structural properties, 1H-NMR spectra, and vibrational spectra of methane sulfonic acid (MSA) at low degree of hydration. The findings reveal that energetically stable structures are formed by small clusters consisting of one or two MSA molecules (m = 1 and 2) and one or two water molecules in (MSA)m·(H2O)n (m = 1–2 and n = 1–5).These stable structures arise from the formation of strong cyclic hydrogen bonds between the proton of the hydroxyl (OH) group in MSA and the water molecules. However, clusters containing three or more water molecules (n > 2) exhibit proton transfer from MSA to water, resulting in the formation of ion-pairs composed of CH3SO3 − and H3O+species. The measured 1H-NMR spectra demonstrate the presence of hydrogen-bonded interactions between MSA and water, with a single MSA molecule interacting with water molecules. This interaction model accurately represents the hydrogen bonding network, as supported by the agreement between the experimental and calculated NMR chemical shift results.

We report on the magnetocaloric effect and critical phenomenon on La0.8K0.2MnO3 nanoparticle through a systematic magnetic and electrical measurement. The magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) presents close values obtained from resistivity and magnetic measurements, however, with a discrepancy in the magnetic entropy maximum values. This discrepancy is due to the presence of an extrinsic effect associated with the nanometric grain size affecting the electrical behavior. Interestingly, our results show a good agreement with the calculation of the critical exponents and the temperature coefficient of resistance shows positive and negative values. The obtained critical exponents are close to that of the mean-field theory (with β = 0.5, γ = 1, and δ = 3). This indicates a long-range interaction between spins a consequence of the presence the presence of dipole- dipole interaction in this system.

In this work, we theoretically investigate phase transitions, electronic structures and thermodynamic properties of Mg2X (X = Ge, Si and Sn) under high pressures. To reach this goal, the total energy has been calculated by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method with generalized gradient approximation (GGA), local density approximation (LDA) and Engel–Vosko approximation (EV-GGA), which are based on the exchange-correlation energy optimization. The fully relaxed structure parameters of Mg2X compounds are in good agreement with the available experimental data. Our results demonstrate that the Mg2X compounds undergo two pressure-induced phase transitions. The first one is from the cubic antifluorite (Fm3¯m) structure to the orthorhombic anticotunnite (Pnma) structure in the pressure range of 3.77–8.78 GPa (GGA) and 4.88–8.16 GPa (LDA). The second transition is from the orthorhombic anticotunnite structure to the hexagonal Ni2In-type (P63m¯mc) structure in the pressure range of 10.41–29.77 GPa (GGA) and 8.89–63.45 GPa (LDA). All the structural parameters of the high pressure phases are analyzed in detail. Only a small difference in the structural parameters is observed at high pressures between the calculated and experimental results. The electronic and thermodynamic properties are also analyzed and discussed. The establishment of the metallic state of the Mg2X (X = Ge, Si and Sn) compounds at high pressure is confirmed.

Using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory, the structural, electronic and thermodynamic properties of Li2CdGeS4 and Li2CdSnS4 compounds are investigated. We confirmed that both Li2CdGeS4 and Li2CdSnS4 are diamond-like semiconductors of the wurtz-stannite structure type based on that of diamond in terms of tetrahedra volume. All the tetrahedra are almost regular with major distortion from the ideal occurring in the LiS4 tetrahedron, with values for S-Li-S ranging from 105.69° to 112.84° in the Li2CdGeS4 compound. Furthermore, the Cd-S bond possesses a stronger covalent bonding strength than the Li/Ge-S bonds. In addition, the inter-distances in Li2CdSnS4 show a larger spread than the distances in the Li2CdGeS4 compound. The electronic structures have been calculated to understand the bonding mechanism in quaternary Li-containing chalcogenide diamond-like semiconductors. Our results show that Li2CdGeS4 and Li2CdSnS4 are semiconductors with a direct band gap of 2.79 and 2.42 eV and exhibit mixed ionic-covalent bonding. It is also noted that replacing Ge by Sn leads to a decrease in the band gap; this behavior is explained in terms of bond lengths and electronegativity differences between atoms. Optical properties, including the dielectric function, reflectivity, and absorption coefficient, each as a function of photon energy are calculated and show an optical anisotropy for Li2CdGeS4 and Li2CdSnS4. The static dielectric constant and static refractive index decrease when Ge is replaced by Sn. The influence of pressures and temperatures on the thermodynamic properties like the specific heat at constant volume and at constant pressure the Debye temperature the entropy and the Grüneisen parameter have been predicted at enlarged pressure and temperature ranges. The principal aspect from the obtained results is the close similarity of both compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the structural properties, 1 H-NMR spectra, and vibrational spectra of methane sulfonic acid (MSA) at low degree of hydration. The findings reveal that energetically stable structures are formed by small clusters consisting of one or two MSA molecules (m = 1 and 2) and one or two water molecules in (MSA) m ·(H 2 O) n (m = 1-2 and n = 1-5).These stable structures arise from the formation of strong cyclic hydrogen bonds between the proton of the hydroxyl (OH) group in MSA and the water molecules. However, clusters containing three or more water molecules (n > 2) exhibit proton transfer from MSA to water, resulting in the formation of ion-pairs composed of CH 3 SO 3 and H - and H 3 O + H-NMR spectra demonstrate the presence of hydrogen-bonded interactions between MSA and water, with a single MSA molecule interacting with water molecules. This interaction model accurately represents the hydrogen bonding network, as supported by the agreement between the experimental and calculated NMR chemical shift results.1 H-NMR spectra demonstrate the presence of hydrogen-bonded interactions between MSA and water, with a single MSA molecule interacting with water molecules. This interaction model accurately represents the hydrogen bonding network, as supported by the agreement between the experimental and calculated NMR chemical shift results., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Temperate phages can shape bacterial community dynamics and evolution through lytic and lysogenic life cycles. In response, bacteria that resist phage infection can emerge. This study explores phage-based factors that influence bacterial resistance using a model system of temperate P22 phage and Salmonella both inside and outside the mammalian host. Phages that remained functional despite gene deletions had minimal impact on lysogeny and phage resistance except for deletions in the immI region that substantially reduced lysogeny and increased phage resistance to levels comparable to that observed with an obligately lytic P22. This immI deletion does not make the lysogen less competitive but instead increases the frequency of bacterial lysis. Thus, subtle changes in the balance between lysis and lysogeny during the initial stages of infection can significantly influence the extent of phage resistance in the bacterial population. Our work highlights the complex nature of the phage-bacteria-mammalian host triad., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest with the contents of this article., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Chemotaxis is a fundamental process whereby bacteria seek out nutrient sources and avoid harmful chemicals. For the symbiotic soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, the chemotaxis system also plays an essential role in the interaction with its legume host. The chemotactic signaling cascade is initiated through interactions of an attractant or repellent compound with chemoreceptors or methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs). S. meliloti possesses eight chemoreceptors to mediate chemotaxis. Six of these receptors are transmembrane proteins with periplasmic ligand-binding domains (LBDs). The specific functions of McpW and McpZ are still unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of the periplasmic domain of McpZ (McpZPD) at 2.7 Å resolution. McpZPD assumes a novel fold consisting of three concatenated four-helix bundle modules. Through phylogenetic analyses, we discovered that this helical tri-modular domain fold arose within the Rhizobiaceae family and is still evolving rapidly. The structure, offering a rare view of a ligand-free dimeric MCP-LBD, reveals a novel dimerization interface. Molecular dynamics calculations suggest ligand binding will induce conformational changes that result in large horizontal helix movements within the membrane-proximal domains of the McpZPD dimer that are accompanied by a 5 Å vertical shift of the terminal helix toward the inner cell membrane. These results suggest a mechanism of transmembrane signaling for this family of MCPs that entails both piston-type and scissoring movements. The predicted movements terminate in a conformation that closely mirrors those observed in related ligand-bound MCP-LBDs., (© 2023 The Authors. Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) predispose patients to various infectious and non-infectious complications. Thanks to the development and expanding use of flow cytometry and increased awareness, the diagnostic rate of IEI has markedly increased in Algeria the last decade., Aim: This study aimed to describe a large cohort of Algerian patients with probable IEI and to determine their clinical characteristics and outcomes., Methods: We collected and analyzed retrospectively the demographic data, clinical manifestations, immunologic, genetic data, and outcome of Algerian IEI patients - diagnosed in the department of medical immunology of Beni Messous university hospital center, Algiers, from 2008 to 2021., Results: Eight hundred and seven patients with IEI (482 males and 325 females) were enrolled, 9.7% of whom were adults. Consanguinity was reported in 50.3% of the cases and a positive family history in 32.34%. The medium age at disease onset was 8 months and at diagnosis was 36 months. The median delay in diagnosis was 16 months. Combined immunodeficiencies were the most frequent (33.8%), followed by antibody deficiencies (24.5%) and well-defined syndromes with immunodeficiency (24%). Among 287 patients tested for genetic disorders, 129 patients carried pathogenic mutations; 102 having biallelic variants mostly in a homozygous state (autosomal recessive disorders). The highest mortality rate was observed in patients with combined immunodeficiency (70.1%), especially in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), Omenn syndrome, or Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II deficiency., Conclusion: The spectrum of IEI in Algeria is similar to that seen in most countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, notably regarding the frequency of autosomal recessive and/or combined immunodeficiencies., 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., (Copyright © 2022 Belaid, Lamara Mahammed, Drali, Oussaid, Touri, Melzi, Dehimi, Berkani, Merah, Larab, Allam, Khemici, Kirane, Boutaba, Belbouab, Bekkakcha, Guedouar, Chelali, Baamara, Noui, Baaziz, Rezak, Azzouz, Aichaoui, Moktefi, Benhatchi, Oussalah, Benaissa, Laredj, Bouchetara, Adria, Habireche, Tounsi, Dahmoun, Touati, Boucenna, Bouferoua, Sekfali, Bouhafs, Aboura, Kherra, Inouri, Dib, Medouri, Khelfaoui, Redjedal, Zelaci, Yahiaoui, Medjadj, Touhami, Kadi, Amireche, Frada, Houasnia, Benarab, Boubidi, Ferhani, Benalioua, Sokhal, Benamar, Aggoune, Hadji, Bellouti, Rahmoune, Boutrid, Okka, Ammour, Saadoune, Amroun, Belhadj, Ghanem, Abbaz, Boudrioua, Zebiche, Ayad, Hamadache, Ouaras, Achour, Bouchair, Boudiaf, Bekkat-Berkani, Maouche, Bouzrar, Aissat, Ibsaine, Bioud, Kedji, Dahlouk, Bensmina, Radoui, Bessahraoui, Bensaadi, Mekki, Zeroual, Chan, Leung, Tebaibia, Ayoub, Mekideche, Gharnaout, Casanova, Puel, Lau, Cherif, Ladj, Smati, Boukari, Benhalla and Djidjik.)

The human gut microbiota is considered an adjunct metabolic organ owing to its health impact. Recent studies have shown correlations between gut phage composition and host health. Whereas phage therapy has popularized virulent phages as antimicrobials, both virulent and temperate phages have a natural ecological relationship with their cognate bacteria. Characterization of this evolutionary coadaptation has led to other emergent therapeutic phage applications that do not necessarily rely on bacterial eradication or target pathogens. Here, we present an overview of the tripartite relationship between phages, bacteria, and the mammalian host, and highlight applications of the wildtype and genetically engineered phage for gut microbiome remodeling. In light of new and varied strategies, we propose to categorize phage applications aiming to modulate bacterial composition or function as "phage rehabilitation." By delineating phage rehab from phage therapy, we believe it will enable greater nuance and understanding of these new phage-based technologies., Competing Interests: B.B.H. is a member of the scientific advisory board of Vulcan Biologics and has filed patents related to the use of genetically engineered phages. The other authors declare no competing interests., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Chemoreceptors enable the legume symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti to detect and respond to specific chemicals released from their host plant alfalfa, which allows the establishment of a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. The periplasmic region (PR) of transmembrane chemoreceptors act as the sensory input module for chemotaxis systems via binding of specific ligands, either directly or indirectly. S. meliloti has six transmembrane and two cytosolic chemoreceptors. However, the function of only three of the transmembrane receptors have been characterized so far, with McpU, McpV, and McpX serving as general amino acid, short-chain carboxylate, and quaternary ammonium compound sensors, respectively. In the present study, we analyzed the S. meliloti chemoreceptor McpT. High-throughput differential scanning fluorimetry assays, using Biolog phenotype microarray plates, identified 15 potential ligands for McpT PR , with the majority classified as mono-, di-, and tricarboxylates. S. meliloti exhibited positive chemotaxis toward seven selected carboxylates, namely, α-ketobutyrate, citrate, glyoxylate, malate, malonate, oxalate, and succinate. These carboxylates were detected in seed exudates of the alfalfa host. Deletion of mcpT resulted in a significant decrease of chemotaxis to all carboxylates except for citrate. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that McpT PR bound preferentially to the monocarboxylate glyoxylate and with lower affinity to the dicarboxylates malate, malonate, and oxalate. However, no direct binding was detected for the remaining three carboxylates that elicited an McpT-dependent chemotaxis response. Taken together, these results demonstrate that McpT is a broad-range carboxylate chemoreceptor that mediates chemotactic response via direct ligand binding and an indirect mechanism that needs to be identified. IMPORTANCE Nitrate pollution is one of the most widespread and challenging environmental problems that is mainly caused by the agricultural overapplication of nitrogen fertilizers. Biological nitrogen fixation by the endosymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti enhances the growth of its host Medicago sativa (alfalfa), which also efficiently supplies the soil with nitrogen. Establishment of the S. meliloti - alfalfa symbiosis relies on the early exchange and recognition of chemical signals. The present study contributes to the disclosure of this complex molecular dialogue by investigating the underlying mechanisms of carboxylate sensing in S. meliloti. Understanding individual steps that govern the S. meliloti-alfalfa molecular cross talk helps in the development of efficient, commercial bacterial inoculants that promote the growth of alfalfa, which is the most cultivated forage legume in the world, and improves soil fertility.

Adolescent cancer survivors present increased risks of developing secondary malignancies due to cancer therapy. Electrochemotherapy is a promising anti-cancer approach that potentiates the cytotoxic effect of drugs by application of external electric field pulses. Clinicians proposed to associate electroporation and calcium. The current study aims to unravel the toxic mechanisms of calcium electroporation, in particular if calcium presents a genotoxic profile and if its cytotoxicity comes from the ion itself or from osmotic stress. Human dermal fibroblasts and colorectal HCT-116 cell line were treated by electrochemotherapy using bleomycin, cisplatin, calcium, or magnesium. Genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP content, and caspases activities were assessed in cells grown on monolayers and tumor growth was assayed in tumor spheroids. Results in monolayers show that unlike cisplatin and bleomycin, calcium electroporation induces cell death without genotoxicity induction. Its cytotoxicity correlates with a dramatic fall in mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP depletion. Opposite of magnesium, over seven days of calcium electroporation led to spheroid tumor growth regression. As non-genotoxic, calcium has a better safety profile than conventional anticancer drugs. Calcium is already authorized by different health authorities worldwide. Therefore, calcium electroporation should be a cancer treatment of choice due to the reduced potential of secondary malignancies., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funding body did not play any role in the design of the study and collection, analyses, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript.

Despite a clear development of innovative therapies based on stem cell manipulation, the availability of new tools to better understand and follow stem cell behavior and improve their biomedical applications is not adequate. Indeed, an ideal tracking device must have good ability to label stem cells as well as complete neutrality relative to their biology. Furthermore, preclinical studies imply in vitro and in vivo approaches that often require several kinds of labeling and/or detection procedures. Consequently, the multimodality concept presented in this work may present a solution to this problem as it has the potential to combine complementary imaging techniques. Spherical europium-doped gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd2O2S:Eu3+) nanoparticles are presented as a candidate as they are detectable by (1) magnetic resonance (MRI), (2) X-ray and (3) photoluminescence imaging. Whole body in vivo distribution, elimination and toxicity evaluation revealed a high tolerance of nanoparticles with a long-lasting MRI signal and slow hepatobiliary and renal clearance. In vitro labeling of a wide variety of cells unveils the nanoparticle potential for efficient and universal cell tracking. Emphasis on mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) leads to the definition of optimal conditions for labeling and tracking in the context of cell therapy: concentrations below 50 μg mL-1 and diameters between 170 and 300 nm. Viability, proliferation, migration and differentiation towards mesodermal lineages are preserved under these conditions, and cell labeling appears to be persistent and without any leakage. Ex vivo detection of as few as five thousand Gd2O2S:Eu3+-labeled MSCs by MRI combined with in vitro examination with fluorescence microscopy highlights the feasibility of cell tracking in cell therapy using this new nanoplatform.

The ability of different Shewanella spp. to convert heavy metals and toxic substances into less toxic products by using them as electron acceptors has led to their use in environmental clean-up strategies. We present here the draft genome sequence of Shewanella algidipiscicola H1, a strain resistant to high concentrations of chromates.

The chromate efflux pump encoding gene chrASO was identified on the chromosome of Shewanella oneidensis MR1. Although chrASO is expressed without chromate, its expression level increases when Cr(VI) is added. When deleted, the resulting mutant ΔchrASO exhibits a chromate sensitive phenotype compared to that of the wild-type strain. Interestingly, heterologous expression of chrASO in E. coli confers resistance to high chromate concentration. Moreover, expression of chrASO in S. oneidensis and E. coli significantly improves Cr(VI) reduction. This effect could result either from extracytoplasmic chromate reduction or from a better cell survival leading to enhanced Cr(VI) reduction.

The integrity and morphology of bacteria is sustained by the cell wall, the target of the main microbial inactivation processes. One promising approach to inactivation is based on the use of pulsed electric fields (PEF). The current dogma is that irreversible cell membrane electro-permeabilisation causes the death of the bacteria. However, the actual effect on the cell-wall architecture has been poorly explored. Here we combine atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy to study the cell-wall organization of living Bacillus pumilus bacteria at the nanoscale. For vegetative bacteria, exposure to PEF led to structural disorganization correlated with morphological and mechanical alterations of the cell wall. For spores, PEF exposure led to the partial destruction of coat protein nanostructures, associated with internal alterations of cortex and core. Our findings reveal for the first time that the cell wall and coat architecture are directly involved in the electro-eradication of bacteria.

Low biological activity and inefficient targeted delivery in vivo have hindered RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapy from realising its full clinical potential. To overcome these hurdles, progresses have been made to develop new technologies optimizing oligonucleotides chemistry on one hand and achieving its effective delivery on the other hand. In this report, we achieved, by using the electropulsation technique (EP), efficient cellular delivery of chemically-modified oligonucleotide: The locked nucleic acid (LNA)/DNA oligomer. We used single cell level confocal fluorescence microscopy to follow the spatial and temporal distribution of electrotransferred cyanine 5 (Cy5)-labeled LNA/DNA oligomer. We observed that EP allowed LNA/DNA oligomer cellular uptake providing the oligomer a rapid access to the cytoplasm of HeLa cells. Within a few minutes after electrotransfer, Cy5-LNA/DNA oligomers shuttle from cytoplasm to nucleus whereas in absence of pulses application, Cy5-LNA/DNA oligomers were not detected. We then observed a redistribution of the Cy5 fluorescence that accumulated over time into cytoplasmic organelles. To go further and to identify these compartments, we used the HeLa GFP-Rab7 cell line to visualise late endosomes, and lysosomal or mitochondrial specific markers. Our results showed that the EP technique allowed direct entry into the cytoplasm of the Cy5-LNA/DNA oligomer bypassing the endocytosic pathway. However, in absence of pulses application, Cy5-LNA/DNA oligomer were able to enter cells through the endocytosic pathway. We demonstrated that EP is an efficient technique for LNA-based oligonucleotides delivery offering strong advantages by avoiding the endolysosomal compartmentalization, giving a rapid and free access to the cytoplasm and the nucleus where they can find their targets.

First-principles density functional calculations, using the all-electron full potential linearized augmented plane wave method, have been performed in order to investigate the structural and electronic properties for Laves phase AV(2) (A = Ta, Ti, Hf and Nb) compounds. The generalized gradient approximation and the Engel-Vosko-generalized gradient approximation were used. Our calculations show that these compounds are metallic with more bands cutting the Fermi energy (E(F)) as we move from Nb to Ta, Hf and Ti, consistent with the increase in the values of the density of states at the Fermi level N(E(F)). N(E(F)) is controlled by the overlapping of V-p/d, A-d and A-p states around the Fermi energy. The ground state properties of these compounds, such as equilibrium lattice constant, are calculated and compared with the available literature. There is a strong/weak hybridization between the states, V-s states are strongly hybridized with A-s states below and above E(F). Around the Fermi energy we notice that V-p shows strong hybridization with A-p states.