Deformability of Heterogeneous Red Blood Cells in Aging and Related Pathologies.

Aging is interrelated with changes in red blood cell parameters and functionality. In this article, we focus on red blood cells (RBCs) and provide a review of the known changes associated with the characterization of RBC deformability in aging and related pathologies. The biophysical parameters complement the commonly used biochemical parameters and may contribute to a better understanding of the aging process. The power of the deformability measurement approach is well established in clinical settings. Measuring RBCs' deformability has the advantage of relative simplicity, and it reflects the complex effects developing in erythrocytes during aging. However, aging and related pathological conditions also promote heterogeneity of RBC features and have a certain impact on the variance in erythrocyte cell properties. The possible applications of deformability as an early biophysical biomarker of pathological states are discussed, and modulating PIEZO1 as a therapeutic target is suggested. The changes in RBCs' shape can serve as a proxy for deformability evaluation, leveraging single-cell analysis with imaging flow cytometry and artificial intelligence algorithms. The characterization of biophysical parameters of RBCs is in progress in humans and will provide a better understanding of the complex dynamics of aging.

Photoinduced cytotoxic activity of a rare ruthenium nitrosyl phenanthroline complex showing NO generation in human cells.

A new nitro-nitrosyl complex [RuNO(Phen)(NO2)2OH] (1) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, where Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline. The complex was crystallized in two different modifications without (1) and with a solvent molecule of DMF (1a). The photolysis process together with the determination of the quantum yield of NO release was investigated in acetonitrile solution using a special flow-through system for the simultaneous registration of infrared (IR) and optical absorption (UV-vis) spectra under irradiation with 450 nm light. The quantum yield of photoinduced NO release was 4.0 ± 0.2%. DFT calculations showed that the main contribution to the absorption band at 450 nm is made by the HOMO/HOMO-1 → LUMO transitions, which are represented by the transfer of electron density from the -OH and -NO2 ligands to the orbitals located on the Ru-NO bond. The dark and photoinduced cytotoxicity of the complex was studied against the human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and lung carcinoma (A549) cell lines and human non-tumor lung fibroblasts (MRC5). The complex shows a low cytotoxicity on MCF-7 cells (ICdark50 = 90.6 ± 6.2 µM and ICirr.50 = 95.3 ± 11.4 µM) and a moderate dark cytotoxicity on A549 and MRC5 cells (ICdark50 = 33.4 ± 2.6 µM and ICdark50 = 62.6 ± 3.1 µM, respectively), which slightly increases after irradiation (ICirr.50 = 21.2 ± 3.3 µM and ICirr.50 = 47.2 ± 2.3 µM, respectively).

Surface polarization profile of ferroelectric thin films probed by X-ray standing waves and photoelectron spectroscopy.

Understanding the mechanisms underlying a stable polarization at the surface of ferroelectric thin films is of particular importance both from a fundamental point of view and to achieve control of the surface polarization itself. In this study, we demonstrate that the X-ray standing wave technique allows the surface polarization profile of a ferroelectric thin film, as opposed to the average film polarity, to be probed directly. The X-ray standing wave technique provides the average Ti and Ba atomic positions, along the out-of-plane direction, near the surface of three differently strained [Formula: see text] thin films. This technique gives direct access to the local ferroelectric polarization at and below the surface. By employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, a detailed overview of the oxygen-containing species adsorbed on the surface is obtained. The different amplitude and orientation of the local ferroelectric polarizations are associated with surface charges attributed to different type, amount and spatial distribution of the oxygen-containing adsorbates.

Through-bond and through-space radiofrequency amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.

Radio Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (RASER) is a phenomenon observed during nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments with strongly negatively polarized systems. This phenomenon may be utilized for the production of very narrow NMR lines, background-free NMR spectroscopy, and excitation-free sensing of chemical transformations. Recently, novel methods of producing RASER by ParaHydrogen-Induced Polarization (PHIP) were introduced. Here, we show that pairwise addition of parahydrogen to various propargylic compounds induces RASER activity of other protons beyond those chemically introduced in the reaction. In high-field PHIP, negative polarization initiating RASER is transferred via intramolecular cross-relaxation. When parahydrogen is added in Earth's field followed by adiabatic transfer to a high field, RASER activity of other protons is induced via both J-couplings and cross-relaxation. This through-bond and through-space induction of RASER holds potential for the ongoing development and expansion of RASER applications and can potentially enhance spectral resolution in two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy techniques.

Ductal hamartoma of the pancreas: A clinicopathologic study.

BACKGROUND: Benign ductular proliferative lesions that resemble hepatic von-Meyenburg Complexes(VMC)/bile duct hamartomas have been noted to occur in the pancreas, but their incidence, clinicopathologic features and pathogenesis remains unknown. We present herein 3 patients that presented as cysts and call them pancreatic ductal hamartomas (PDH). METHODS: Three cases of PDH were identified form a multi-institutional collaborative group, and their clinicopathological were reviewed. In addition, we also examined 115 consecutive pancreatic resections at our institutions for the presence of incidental PDHs. RESULTS: The lesions were detected in each case during imaging for abdominal symptoms or grossing. The clinical suspicion was intra-ductal pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasm (IPMN) in each case that led to pancreatectomy. The cyst fluid CEA was elevated in 2 of the patients tested. The patient age and gender were 73/M (case1), 68/F (case2) and 73/M (case3). In case1 besides the larger cystic lesion, numerous tiny lesions (0.1-0.3 cm) were seen throughout the pancreas. In case2 this was the only lesion, while in case3 there was another gastric-type IPMN with high-grade dysplasia. PDH were identified in 5(4.3%) of 115 consecutive pancreatectomy specimens. The PDHs measured 0.1-2.3 cm, and the histology is characterized by proliferation of irregular ductal structures lined by bland flattened to low columnar epithelium, variable cystic change and inspissated luminal secretions. The lining epithelium varied from non-mucinous pancreatico-biliary type to mucinous gastric foveolar-type, with occasional squamous metaplasia. SUMMARY: PDH are seen in 4.5% of all pancreatectomy specimens and detected incidentally, but occasionally may become large and/or cystic enough leading to pancreatectomy. Their relationship to pancreatic carcinoma or IPMN remains currently unknown.

Turmeric supplement-associated hepatitis: a clinicopathological series of 11 cases highlighting pan-lobular and zone 3 injury.

AIMS: Although turmeric is commonly ingested and well tolerated, there is increasing evidence that over-the-counter turmeric supplements can cause drug-induced liver injury. We sought to thoroughly characterise clinicopathological features of patients for whom liver injury was attributed clinically to turmeric supplements. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified 11 patients via retrospective pathology archive review: 10 females (91%) and one male, with a median age of 58 years (range = 37-66 years). Six patients (55%) were asymptomatic with abnormal liver function tests, while five patients (45%) presented with malaise and/or jaundice. Ten patients (91%) showed predominant transaminase abnormalities, while one exhibited predominant alkaline phosphatase elevation. Histologically, biopsies showed acute hepatitis (eight cases, 73%, including five pan-lobular and three zone 3-predominant inflammation), scattered lobular aggregates of histiocytes (two; 18%) and a chronic hepatitis pattern of injury (one; 9%). Mild bile duct injury was present in five biopsies (45%). All patients stopped ingesting turmeric supplements after presenting with liver injury, and four patients additionally received steroid therapy; liver function tests normalised in all patients. Roussel Uclaf causality assessment method (RUCAM) analysis estimated the likelihood of turmeric supplement-associated liver injury to be probable (eight cases) and possible (three). CONCLUSIONS: Histological features in the 'possible' cases were consistent with drug-induced injury, highlighting the added benefit of histological analysis relative to RUCAM analysis isolation. This study underscores the need to obtain a full history of over-the-counter medications and supplements when investigating aetiologies for liver injury, including supplements purportedly containing innocuous compounds such as turmeric.

Extreme Electron-Photon Interaction in Disordered Perovskites.

The interaction of light with solids can be dramatically enhanced owing to electron-photon momentum matching. This mechanism manifests when light scattering from nanometer-sized clusters including a specific case of self-assembled nanostructures that form a long-range translational order but local disorder (crystal-liquid duality). In this paper, a new strategy based on both cases for the light-matter-interaction enhancement in a direct bandgap semiconductor - lead halide perovskite CsPbBr3 - by using electric pulse-driven structural disorder, is addressed. The disordered state allows the generation of confined photons, and the formation of an electronic continuum of static/dynamic defect states across the forbidden gap (Urbach bridge). Both mechanisms underlie photon-momentum-enabled electronic Raman scattering (ERS) and single-photon anti-Stokes photoluminescence (PL) under sub-band pump. PL/ERS blinking is discussed to be associated with thermal fluctuations of cross-linked [PbBr6]4- octahedra. Time-delayed synchronization of PL/ERS blinking causes enhanced spontaneous emission at room temperature. These findings indicate the role of photon momentum in enhanced light-matter interactions in disordered and nanostructured solids.

Dynamic X-ray Coherent Diffraction Analysis: Bridging the Time Scales between Imaging and Photon Correlation Spectroscopy.

The advent of diffraction limited sources and developments in detector technology opens up new possibilities for the study of materials in situ and operando. Coherent X-ray diffraction techniques such as coherent X-ray diffractive imaging (CXDI) and X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) are capable for this purpose and provide complementary information, although due to signal-to-noise requirements, their simultaneous demonstration has been limited. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for the simultaneous use of CXDI and XPCS to study in situ the Brownian motion of colloidal gold nanoparticles of 200 nm diameter suspended in a glycerol-water mixture. We visualize the process of agglomeration, examine the spatiotemporal space accessible with the combination of techniques, and demonstrate CXDI with 22 ms temporal resolution.

Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Assess the Radiologists' Views on the Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in Radiology (ATRAI-14).

Introduction: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an essential part of modern radiology. However, available evidence highlights issues in the real-world applicability of AI tools and mixed radiologists' acceptance. We aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire to evaluate the attitude of radiologists toward radiology AI (ATRAI-14). Materials and Methods: We generated items based on the European Society of Radiology questionnaire. Item reduction yielded 23 items, 12 of which contribute to scoring. The items were allocated into four domains ("Familiarity", "Trust", "Implementation Perspective", and "Hopes and Fears") and a part related to the respondent's demographics and professional background. As a pre-test method, we conducted cognitive interviews with 20 radiologists. Pilot testing with reliability and validity assessment was carried out on a representative sample of 90 respondents. Construct validity was assessed via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: CFA confirmed the feasibility of four domains structure. ATRAI-14 demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha 0.78 95%CI [0.68, 0.83]), good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.89, 95% CI [0.67, 0.96], p-value < 0.05), and acceptable criterion validity (Spearman's rho 0.73, p-value < 0.001). Conclusions: The questionnaire is useful for providing detailed AI acceptance measurements for making management decisions when implementing AI in radiology.

Hyperbranched TEMPO-based polymers as catholytes for redox flow battery applications.

Application of redox-active polymers (RAPs) in redox flow batteries (RFBs) can potentially reduce the stack cost through substitution of costly ion-exchange membranes by cheap size-exclusion membranes. However, intermolecular interactions of polymer molecules, i.e., entanglements, particularly in concentrated solutions, result in relatively high electrolyte viscosities. Furthermore, the large size and limited mobility of polymers lead to slow diffusion and more sluggish heterogeneous electron transfer rates compared to quickly diffusing small molecules. Although a number of RAPs with varying electrolyte viscosities have been reported in the literature, the relation between the RAP structure and the hydrodynamic properties has not been thoroughly investigated. Herein, hyperbranched 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxyl (TEMPO)-based polymers intended for application as low-viscosity catholytes for RFBs are presented and the influence of the structure and the molar mass distribution on the hydrodynamic properties is investigated. A new synthesis approach for TEMPO-based polymers is established based on step-growth polymerization of a TEMPO-containing monomer using an aza-Michael addition followed by a postpolymerization modification to improve solubility in aqueous solutions. The compact structure of hyperbranched polymers was demonstrated using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) with viscometric detection and the optimum molar mass was found based on the results of viscometric and crossover investigations. The resulting RAP revealed a viscosity of around 21 mPas at a concentration corresponding to around 1 M TEMPO-containing units, according to the calculated mass of the repeating unit, showing potential for high capacity polymer-based catholytes for RFBs. Nevertheless, possible partial deactivation of TEMPO units lowered the active TEMPO concentration of the hyperbranched RAPs. A faster diffusion and higher charge transfer rate were observed for the hyperbranched polymer compared to the previously reported linear polymers. However, in RFB tests, a poor performance was observed, which is attributed to the side reactions of the oxidized TEMPO moieties. Finally, pathways for overcoming the main remaining challenges, i.e., high loss of material during dialysis as an indication of being prone to crossover, the partial deactivation of TEMPO moieties, and the subsequent side reactions under battery conditions, are suggested.

Discrepancies in CDE and Measured Phaco Tip Energy: Comparison of Energy Produced in Longitudinal and Torsional Ultrasound Using Calorimetry.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the differences between the heat energy produced during cataract surgery and Cumulative dissipated energy (CDE). CDE is often used as a medium for understanding the energy delivered to the eye during cataract surgery. However, the actual energy produced at the tip level of the tip is not well understood. We propose that a discrepancy may exist between the CDE reported by the surgical machine and the actual energy delivered to the eye. Methods: About 50 mL of distilled water were degassed and placed in an isobaric calorimeter. Using the Alcon Centurion and Ozil handpiece fitted with the balanced tip, an investigator immersed the phaco tip into the water and pressed the foot pedal to position 3. The device was set to 100% continuous power, vacuum to 0 mmHg, with aspiration 12 mL/min aspiration. To prevent system changes in the system within the calorimeter, the aspiration tubing was occluded. Temperature change recorded by another investigator was observed from 0 to 60 seconds. After 60 seconds the first researcher immediately released the pedal and removed the phaco tip from the water. Trials were performed 10 times using solely torsional or longitudinal settings and averaged. CDE also was recorded and averaged. Results: No significant difference was seen in the temperature change or energy calculated in Joules between ultrasound modalities, with torsional producing a magnitude of 163 J and longitudinal producing 172 J (P = 0.2). However, the CDE generated in the 60 seconds period was significantly different, with a magnitude of 61 for longitudinal compared to 24 for torsional (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Significantly more energy was generated using torsional ultrasound than longitudinal at the tip level of the tip. CDE did not appear to accurately reflect these differences. This suggests that other factors should be considered when evaluating CDE and surgical outcomes.

This study looked at possible differences between the energy generated during cataract surgery that is reported by the surgical device and the actual energy measured as thermal heat using different machine settings, namely longitudinal and torsional ultrasound. A common metric used for energy delivery to the eye is cumulative dissipated energy. The problem is that this measure accounts for the energy delivered to the eye where the surgical instrument passes through the cornea. Energy that is produced by the rest of the instrument that is inside the eye is less understood, although others have studied postoperative outcomes. We used a method called calorimetry to measure the thermal heat produced by the entire tip and compared this to what the machine reported as cumulative dissipated energy. Calorimetry calculates energy by measuring the change in temperature of liquids. The surgical instrument generated heat in a chamber containing water, and we used the change in temperature to calculate the energy produced by the surgical instrument. We found that longitudinal and torsional ultrasound produced similar heat energy, but the machine reported very different energy. Our results suggest that the machine may not be reporting all of the energy which the surgical instrument produces, and that surgeons may not be able to rely on cumulative dissipated energy to predict operative outcomes.

Electrical Control of Valley Polarized Charged Exciton Species in Monolayer WS2.

Excitons are key to the optoelectronic applications of van der Waals semiconductors, with the potential for versatile on-demand tuning of properties. Yet, their electrical manipulation remains challenging due to inherent charge neutrality and the additional loss channels induced by electrical doping. We demonstrate the dynamic electrical control of valley polarization in charged excitonic states of monolayer tungsten disulfide, achieving up to a 6-fold increase in the degree of circular polarization under off-resonant excitation. In contrast to the weak direct tuning of excitons typically observed using electrical gating, the charged exciton photoluminescence remains stable, even with increased scattering from electron doping. By exciting at the exciton resonances, we observed the reproducible nonmonotonic switching of the charged state population as the electron doping is varied under gate bias, indicating a resonant interplay between neutral and charged exciton states.

Supernumerary Chromosomes Enhance Karyotypic Diversification of Narrow-Headed Voles of the Subgenus Stenocranius (Rodentia, Mammalia).

The subgenus Stenocranius contains two cryptic species: Lasiopodomys gregalis (subdivided into three allopatrically distributed and genetically well-isolated lineages A, B, and C) and Lasiopodomys raddei. To identify karyotype characteristics of this poorly studied cryptic species complex, we used comparative cytogenetic analysis of 138 individuals from 41 localities in South Siberia and Mongolia. A detailed description of the L. raddei karyotype and of the L. gregalis lineage С karyotype is presented for the first time. The A chromosome complement of all examined narrow-headed voles consisted of 2n = 36 and a fundamental number of autosomal arms (FNa) of 50. Between species, patterns of differential staining were similar, though additional C-heterochromatic blocks were found in L. gregalis lineages; Ag-positive nucleolar organizers and ribosomal DNA (rDNA) clusters are located on eight and nine acrocentric pairs, respectively. No B chromosomes (Bs) were found in the Early Pleistocene relic L. raddei, while one to five small heterochromatic acrocentric Bs were detected in all L. gregalis lineages; the number and frequency of Bs varied considerably within lineages, but no intraindividual variation was observed. In both species, telomeric repeats were visualized at termini of all chromosomes, including Bs. The number and localization of rDNA clusters on Bs varied among B-carriers. Immunodetection of several meiotic proteins indicated that meio-Bs are transcriptionally inactive and have a pattern of meiotic behavior similar to that of sex chromosomes (some homology of Bs to sex chromosomes is supposed). The nature, mechanisms of inheritance and stability of Bs in L. gregalis require further investigation.

Inhibitors of NLRP3 Inflammasome Formation: A Cardioprotective Role for the Gasotransmitters Carbon Monoxide, Nitric Oxide, and Hydrogen Sulphide in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury (IRI) occurring from acute coronary artery disease or cardiac surgical interventions such as bypass surgery can result in myocardial dysfunction, presenting as, myocardial "stunning", arrhythmias, infarction, and adverse cardiac remodelling, and may lead to both a systemic and a localised inflammatory response. This localised cardiac inflammatory response is regulated through the nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain (NACHT), leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing protein family pyrin domain (PYD)-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a multimeric structure whose components are present within both cardiomyocytes and in cardiac fibroblasts. The NLRP3 inflammasome is activated via numerous danger signals produced by IRI and is central to the resultant innate immune response. Inhibition of this inherent inflammatory response has been shown to protect the myocardium and stop the occurrence of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome following the re-establishment of cardiac circulation. Therapies to prevent NLRP3 inflammasome formation in the clinic are currently lacking, and therefore, new pharmacotherapies are required. This review will highlight the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome within the myocardium during IRI and will examine the therapeutic value of inflammasome inhibition with particular attention to carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, and hydrogen sulphide as potential pharmacological inhibitors of NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Economic mobility and parents' opportunity hoarding.

Creating opportunities for people to achieve socioeconomic mobility is a widely shared societal goal. Paradoxically, however, achieving this goal can pose a threat to high-socioeconomic-status (SES) people as they look to maintain their privileged positions in society for both them and their children. Two studies evaluate whether this threat manifests as "opportunity hoarding" in which high-SES parents adopt attitudes and behaviors aimed at shoring up their families' access to valuable educational and economic resources. The current paper provides converging evidence for this hypothesis across two studies conducted with 2,557 American parents. An initial correlational study demonstrated that believing that socioeconomic mobility is possible was associated with high-SES parents being more inclined to attempt to secure valuable educational and economic resources for their children, even when doing so came at the cost of low-SES families. Specifically, high-SES parents with stronger beliefs in socioeconomic mobility exhibited decreased support for redistributive policies and viewed engaging in discrete behaviors that would unfairly advantage their children (e.g., allowing them to misrepresent their identities on school and job applications) as more acceptable relative to both low-SES parents with similar beliefs and high-SES parents who were less optimistic about socioeconomic mobility. A subsequent experimental study established these relationships causally by comparing parents' responses to different types of socioeconomic mobility. Together, the current findings merge insights across psychology and economics to deepen understandings of the processes through which societal inequities emerge and persist, especially during times of apparently abundant opportunity.

Spleen shear wave elastography measurements do not correlate with histological grading of liver fibrosis in Fontan physiology: a preliminary investigation.

BACKGROUND: Elevated spleen stiffness may be seen in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis. In patients with Fontan physiology, elevated liver stiffness has been shown to correlate poorly with liver fibrosis. It is unknown whether spleen stiffness may instead serve as a surrogate marker of liver fibrosis in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To compare spleen stiffness determined by shear wave elastography (SWE) with histological findings of an ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in patients who had undergone Fontan palliation as a potential surrogate for Fontan-associated liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an IRB-approved single-center, retrospective study. Patients with Fontan palliation who had undergone both a spleen SWE study and a percutaneous liver biopsy between 2016 and 2020 were included. Biopsy, performed during cardiac catheterization, within 3 months of the SWE was required for inclusion. Using Kruskal-Wallis tests, spleen stiffness was compared with three liver biopsy scoring methods: Ishak, METAVIR, and congestive hepatic fibrosis score (CHFS). When available, Pearson's correlation was also used to compare collagen deposition determined using Sirius Red stain (%SR) with SWE values. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (15 males) were included in the study, with a median age of 17 years (IQR is 14.8-20.5 years; age range: 7 years to 30.2 years). The median spleen stiffness was 2.94 m/s (IQR: 2.57-3.61 m/s; range: 1.48-4.27 m/s). The median Fontan pressure was 11 mm Hg (IQR: 10-13.3 mm Hg; range: 7-19 mm Hg) obtained within a median of 10 days (IQR: 1-41 days) of SWE. Splenic stiffness did not correlate with the extent of fibrosis determined by histology (all P > 0.05). There was also no statistically significant correlation between the %SR staining and SWE-determined spleen stiffness (Pearson's correlation of 0.165, P = 0.59, n = 13). CONCLUSIONS: In this preliminary study, SWE spleen stiffness values did not correlate with biopsy-determined scoring of liver fibrosis in patients with Fontan physiology.

Spectral Algal Fingerprinting and Long Sequencing in Synthetic Algal-Microbial Communities.

Synthetic biology has advanced in creating artificial microbial and algal communities, but technical and evolutionary complexities still pose significant challenges. Traditional methods, like microscopy and pigment analysis, are limited in throughput and resolution. In contrast, advancements in full-spectrum cytometry enabled high-throughput, multidimensional analysis of single cells based on size, complexity, and spectral fingerprints, offering more precision and flexibility than conventional flow cytometry. This study uses full-spectrum cytometry to analyze synthetic algal-microbial communities, enabling rapid species identification and enumeration. The workflow involves recording individual spectral signatures from monocultures, using autofluorescence to capture populations of interest, and creating a spectral library for further analysis. This spectral library was used for the analysis of the synthetic phytoplankton communities, revealing differences in spectral signatures. Moreover, the synthetic consortium experiment monitored algal growth, comparing results from different instruments, highlighting the advantages of the spectral virtual filter system for precise population separation and abundance tracking. By capturing the entire emission spectrum of each cell, this method enhances understanding of algal-microbial community dynamics and responses to environmental stressors. The development of standardized spectral libraries would improve the characterization of algal communities, further advancing synthetic biology and phytoplankton ecology research.

Genetic origins, regulators, and biomarkers of cellular senescence.

This review comprehensively examines the molecular biology and genetic origins of cellular senescence. We focus on various cellular stressors and pathways leading to senescence, including recent advances in the understanding of the genetic influences driving senescence, such as telomere attrition, chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, pathogens, oncogene activation, and cellular and metabolic stress. This review also highlights the complex interplay of various signaling and metabolic pathways involved in cellular senescence and provides insights into potential therapeutic targets for aging-related diseases. Furthermore, this review outlines future research directions to deepen our understanding of senescence biology and develop effective interventions targeting senescent cells (SnCs).

Converting Strain Release into Aromaticity Loss for Activation of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes: Generation of Quinone Methide Traps for C-Nucleophiles.

Here, we present a new approach for the activation of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes in ring-opening reactions, which does not require the use of a Lewis or Brønsted acid as a catalyst. Donor-acceptor cyclopropanes containing a phenolic group as the donor undergo deprotonation and isomerization to form the corresponding quinone methides. This innovative strategy was applied to achieve (4 + 1)-annulation of cyclopropanes with sulfur ylides, affording functionalized dihydrobenzofurans. Additionally, the generated ortho- and para-(aza)quinone methides can be trapped by various CH-acids.

New Piezoceramic SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9: Crystal Structure, Microstructure and Dielectric Properties.

By using the method of high-temperature solid-phase reaction, the new piezoceramic SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9 was obtained, where partial substitution of niobium (Nb) atoms with Sn4+ and W6+ atoms in the compound SrBi2Nb2O9 occurred in the octahedra of the perovskite layer (B-position). X-ray diffraction investigations showed that these compounds are single-phase SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9 (x = 0.1, 0.2) and two-phase SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9 (x = 0.3, 0.4), but all of them had the structure of Aurivillius-Smolensky phases (ASPs) with close parameters of orthorhombic unit cells. It corresponded to the space group A21am. The temperature dependences of the relative permittivity ε/ε0 and the tangent of the dielectric loss angle tan d were defined at various frequencies. It was found that doping SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9 (x = 0.1) improved the electrophysical properties of the compound: losses decreased, and the relative permittivity increased. This result was obtained for the first time. Moreover, a new result was obtained that indicated an improvement in the electrophysical properties of SrBi2Nb2O9 using the chemical element Sn (tin). This refutes the previously existing opinion about the impossibility to use Sn as a doping element.