An Automated, Highly Selective Reaction Monitoring Instrument Using Molecular Rotational Resonance Spectroscopy.

Online monitoring of chemical reactions by using analytical chemistry tools is a powerful way to maximize control over these processes. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of molecular rotational resonance, an emerging and extraordinarily selective spectroscopic technique, to perform automated reaction monitoring measurements. An interface using a six-port valve with a calibrated sample loop, coupled to a temperature controlled inlet for analyte volatilization, was developed and tested. Two reactions were chosen for initial characterization: an amine-aldehyde condensation reaction to form an imine product and an isotopic exchange reaction of a ß-ketoester with keto-enol tautomerization. The spectrometer was able to provide kinetic information about the reaction and determine reaction completion. In the future, this system can be extended to detect and quantify impurities and characterize reaction selectivity, in addition to the reaction progress.

Rolling Motion of Rigid Skyrmion Crystallites Induced by Chiral Lattice Torque.

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin textures with emergent particle-like behaviors. Their dynamics under external stimuli is of great interest and importance for topological physics and spintronics applications alike. So far, skyrmions are only found to move linearly in response to a linear drive, following the conventional model treating them as isolated quasiparticles. Here, by performing time and spatially resolved resonant elastic X-ray scattering of the insulating chiral magnet Cu2OSeO3, we show that for finite-sized skyrmion crystallites, a purely linear temperature gradient not only propels the skyrmions but also induces continuous rotational motion through a chiral lattice torque. Consequently, a skyrmion crystallite undergoes a rolling motion under a small gradient, while both the rolling speed and the rotational sense can be controlled. Our findings offer a new degree of freedom for manipulating these quasiparticles toward device applications and underscore the fundamental phase difference between the condensed skyrmion lattice and isolated skyrmions.

Confined antiskyrmion motion driven by electric current excitations.

Current-driven dynamics of topological spin textures, such as skyrmions and antiskyrmions, have garnered considerable attention in condensed matter physics and spintronics. As compared with skyrmions, the current-driven dynamics of their antiparticles - antiskyrmions - remain less explored due to the increased complexity of antiskyrmions. Here, we design and employ fabricated microdevices of a prototypical antiskyrmion host, (Fe0.63Ni0.3Pd0.07)3P, to allow in situ current application with Lorentz transmission electron microscopy observations. The experimental results and related micromagnetic simulations demonstrate current-driven antiskyrmion dynamics confined within stripe domains. Under nanosecond-long current pulses, antiskyrmions exhibit directional motion along the stripe regardless of the current direction, while the antiskyrmion velocity is linearly proportional to the current density. Significantly, the antiskyrmion mobility could be enhanced when the current flow is perpendicular to the stripe direction. Our findings provide novel and reliable insights on dynamical antiskyrmions and their potential implications on spintronics.

Sliding Dynamics of Current-Driven Skyrmion Crystal and Helix in Chiral Magnets.

The skyrmion crystal (SkX) and helix (HL) phases, present in typical chiral magnets, can each be considered as forms of density waves but with distinct topologies. The SkX exhibits gyrodynamics analogous to electrons under a magnetic field, while the HL state resembles topological trivial spin density waves. However, unlike the charge density waves, the theoretical analysis of the sliding motion of SkX and HL remains unclear, especially regarding the similarities and differences in sliding dynamics between these two spin density waves. In this Letter, we systematically explore the sliding dynamics of SkX and HL in chiral magnets in the limit of large current density. We demonstrate that the sliding dynamics of both SkX and HL can be unified within the same theoretical framework as density waves, despite their distinct microscopic orders. Furthermore, we highlight the significant role of gyrotropic sliding induced by impurity effects in the SkX state, underscoring the impact of nontrivial topology on the sliding motion of density waves. Our theoretical analysis shows that the effect of impurity pinning is much stronger in HL compared with SkX, i.e., χ^{SkX}/χ^{HL}∼α^{2} (χ^{SkX}, χ^{HL}: susceptibility to the impurity potential, α (≪1) is the Gilbert damping). Moreover, the velocity correction is mostly in the transverse direction to the current in SkX. These results are further substantiated by realistic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert simulations.

An Outlook on Platinum-Based Active Ingredients for Dermatologic and Skincare Applications.

Platinum-based materials exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and pro-collagen synthesis properties, making them particularly useful for various biomedical applications. This review summarizes the biological effects and therapeutic potential of platinum-based active ingredients in dermatological and skincare applications. We discuss their synthesis methods and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and collagen synthesis properties, which play essential roles in treating skin conditions including psoriasis and acne, as well as enhancing skin aesthetics in anti-aging products. Safety and sustainability concerns, including the need for green synthesis and comprehensive toxicological assessments to ensure safe topical applications, are also discussed. By providing an up-to-date overview of current research, we aim to highlight both the potential and the current challenges of platinum-based active ingredients in advancing dermatology and skincare solutions.

Rheological and Structural Characterization of Carrageenans during Depolymerization Conducted by a Marine Bacterium Shewanella sp. LE8.

Carrageenans were widely utilized as thickening and gelling agents in the food and cosmetic industries, and their oligosaccharides have been proven to possess enhanced physicochemical and biological properties. In this study, Shewanella sp. LE8 was utilized for the depolymerization of κ-, ι-, and λ-carrageenan under conditions of fermentation. During a 24-h fermentation at 28 °C, the apparent viscosity of κ-, ι-, and λ-carrageenan decreased by 53.12%, 84.10%, and 59.33%, respectively, accompanied by a decrease in storage modulus, and loss modulus. After a 72-h fermentation, the analysis of methylene blue and molecular weight distribution revealed that ι-carrageenan was extensively depolymerized into smaller polysaccharides by Shewanella sp. LE8, while exhibiting partial degradation on κ- and λ-carrageenan. However, the impact of Shewanella sp. LE8 on total sugars was found to be limited; nevertheless, a significant increase in reduced sugar content was observed. The ESIMS analysis results revealed that the purified components obtained through ι-carrageenan fermentation for 72 h were identified as tetrasaccharides, while the two purified components derived from λ-carrageenan fermentation consisted of a hexasaccharide and a tetrasaccharide, respectively. Overall, the present study first reported the depolymerization of ι-and λ-carrageenan by Shewanella and suggested that the Shewanella could be used to depolymerize multiple carrageenans, as well as complex polysaccharides derived from red algae, to further obtain their oligosaccharides.

Can Stress Put Digital Privacy at Risk? Evidence from a Controlled Experiment Examining the Impact of Acute Stress on Privacy Decisions on a Simulated Social Network Site.

Internet and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can foster efficient communication and knowledge acquisition, but there are also tradeoffs in terms of risks to one's privacy. Previous research, including work with the privacy calculus framework, indicates that factors such as perceived risks and benefits of using ICTs, ICT trust, and general privacy concerns can influence individuals' digital privacy-related decisions. One pervasive psychological factor that may potentially alter such privacy-related behaviors is acute stress. Acute stress can promote risk-seeking behaviors and a tendency to prefer immediate rewards over delayed, greater value rewards. However, the effect of acute stress in the applied context of privacy decision making is relatively unknown. Participants (N = 143) in this study were randomly assigned to either an acute stress task (socially evaluated cold pressor task) or an active control task (lukewarm water alone). Results revealed that acute stress condition increased information disclosure, as indexed by accepting more online cookies, sharing one's location more frequently, and revealing greater willingness to self-disclose personal information. In addition, the impact of individuals' levels of perceived risk and benefits, trust, and privacy concern on privacy decision making was examined. However, none of these constructs consistently influenced privacy decisions over and above the effect of stress. Overall, our findings suggest that acute stress has robust, independent influence on privacy decision making.

Comparing the antioxidation and bioavailability of polysaccharides from extruded and unextruded Baijiu vinasses via in vitro digestion and fecal fermentation.

Extrusion has been proven to be a novel approach for modifying the physicochemical characteristic of Baijiu vinasses (BV) to extract polysaccharides, contributing to the sustainable development of brewing industry. However, the comparison of the bioactivity and bioavailability of extruded (EX) and unextruded (UE) BV polysaccharides was unclear, which impended the determination of the efficacy of extrusion in BV resourcing. In this study, in vitro digestion and fecal fermentation experiments were conducted to investigate the bioavailability, and the results showed that EX exhibited less variation in the monosaccharide composition and molecular weight, while exhibiting a stronger antioxidant capacity compared to UE. Moreover, during fermentation EX increased the abundance of Parasutterella and Lachnospiraceae, while UE promoted the proliferation of Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, and Dialister, resulting in variation in short-chain fatty acids. These findings indicate that extrusion can enhance the capacity of antioxidants and bioavailability of BV polysaccharides.

Steady motion of 80-nm-size skyrmions in a 100-nm-wide track.

The current-driven movement of magnetic skyrmions along a nanostripe is essential for the advancement and functionality of a new category of spintronic devices resembling racetracks. Despite extensive research into skyrmion dynamics, experimental verification of current-induced motion of ultra-small skyrmions within an ultrathin nanostripe is still pending. Here, we unveil the motion of individual 80 nm-size skyrmions in an FeGe track with an ultrathin width of 100 nm. The skyrmions can move steadily along the track over a broad range of current densities by using controlled pulse durations of as low as 2 ns. The potential landscape, arising from the magnetic edge twists in such a geometrically confined system, introduces skyrmion inertia and ensures efficient motion with a vanishing skyrmion Hall angle. Our results showcase the steady motion of skyrmions in an ultrathin track, offering a practical pathway for implementing skyrmion-based spintronic devices.

Bending skyrmion strings under two-dimensional thermal gradients.

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected magnetization vortices that form three-dimensional strings in chiral magnets. With the manipulation of skyrmions being key to their application in devices, the focus has been on their dynamics within the vortex plane, while the dynamical control of skyrmion strings remained uncharted territory. Here, we report the effective bending of three-dimensional skyrmion strings in the chiral magnet MnSi in orthogonal thermal gradients using small angle neutron scattering. This dynamical behavior is achieved by exploiting the temperature-dependent skyrmion Hall effect, which is unexpected in the framework of skyrmion dynamics. We thus provide experimental evidence for the existence of magnon friction, which was recently proposed to be a key ingredient for capturing skyrmion dynamics, requiring a modification of Thiele's equation. Our work therefore suggests the existence of an extra degree of freedom for the manipulation of three-dimensional skyrmions.

The Magic and Mystery of TRIM65 in Diseases.

Tripartite-motif protein family member 65 (TRIM65) belongs to the tripartite motif (TRIM) protein family. Its typical structure consists of the RING, B-Box motif, and coiled-coil domains, which are highly conserved at the N-terminus and the variable SPRY domain at the C-terminus. TRIM65 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that participates in physiological and pathological processes through the ubiquitination pathway, including intracellular signal transduction, protein degradation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, carcinogenesis, autophagy, and phenotypic transformation. Evidence shows that TRIM65 plays a remarkable and obscure role in diseases, including multisystem tumours, neurodegenerative diseases, immune system diseases, and inflammatory diseases. This review is devoted to elaborating on the relationship between TRIM65 and diseases and its pathogenic mechanism, providing a theoretical basis for TRIM65 as a possible pathogenic target of diseases and exploring the possible future research direction of TRIM65 and the challenges it may face.

Erasable and Field Programmable DNA Circuits Based on Configurable Logic Blocks.

DNA is commonly employed as a substrate for the building of artificial logic networks due to its excellent biocompatibility and programmability. Till now, DNA logic circuits are rapidly evolving to accomplish advanced operations. Nonetheless, nowadays, most DNA circuits remain to be disposable and lack of field programmability and thereby limits their practicability. Herein, inspired by the Configurable Logic Block (CLB), the CLB-based erasable field-programmable DNA circuit that uses clip strands as its operation-controlling signals is presented. It enables users to realize diverse functions with limited hardware. CLB-based basic logic gates (OR and AND) are first constructed and demonstrated their erasability and field programmability. Furthermore, by adding the appropriate operation-controlling strands, multiple rounds of programming are achieved among five different logic operations on a two-layer circuit. Subsequently, a circuit is successfully built to implement two fundamental binary calculators: half-adder and half-subtractor, proving that the design can imitate silicon-based binary circuits. Finally, a comprehensive CLB-based circuit is built that enables multiple rounds of switch among seven different logic operations including half-adding and half-subtracting. Overall, the CLB-based erasable field-programmable circuit immensely enhances their practicability. It is believed that design can be widely used in DNA logic networks due to its efficiency and convenience.

Erratum: Current-Induced Creation of Topological Vortex Rings in a Magnetic Nanocylinder [Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 126701 (2024)].

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.126701.

Current-Induced Creation of Topological Vortex Rings in a Magnetic Nanocylinder.

Vortex rings are ubiquitous topological structures in nature. In solid magnetic systems, their formation leads to intriguing physical phenomena and potential device applications. However, realizing these topological magnetic vortex rings and manipulating their topology on demand have still been challenging. Here, we theoretically show that topological vortex rings can be created by a current pulse in a chiral magnetic nanocylinder with a trench structure. The creation process involves the formation of a vortex ring street, i.e., a chain of magnetic vortex rings with an alternative linking manner. The created vortex rings can be bounded with monopole-antimonopole pairs and possess a rich and controllable linking topology (e.g., Hopf link and Solomon link), which is determined by the duration and amplitude of the current pulse. Our proposal paves the way for the realization and manipulation of diverse three-dimensional (3D) topological spin textures and could catalyze the development of 3D spintronic devices.

Influence of crop residue-induced Fe-DOC complexation on nitrate reduction in paddy soil.

Although complexation between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and ubiquitous Fe is known to have a major influence on electron transferring ability in redoximorphic soil, it was unclear whether and how this complexation affected nitrate reduction and N2O productivity. The nitrate reduction of paddy soil in the presence of crop residues returning under flooding conditions was explored in this study. The rate of nitrate reduction in control soil was 0.0677 d-1, while it improved 1.99 times in treatment soil with Chinese milk vetch (CMV) straw returning. During a 28-day incubation period, N2O productivity decreased 0.08-0.91 ppb in CMV soil and 0.43-0.50 ppb in rice straw soil compared with control. The presence of crop residue increased DOC content and Fe (III) reduction rate, which aided in the formation of Fe (II)-DOC complexation. Meanwhile, the addition of CMV increased the content of DOC by 5.14-78.77 mg/kg and HCl extractable Fe (II) by 35.12-1221.03 mg/kg. Crop residues returning to soil increased the relative abundance of iron reductive and electroactive genera, as well as denitrifying genera with more copies of denitrification genes (Archangiaceae, Gemmatimonadaceae, and Burkholderiaceae). The synergistic effect of Fe-DOC complexation, electroactive genera, and denitrifying genera contributed to up-regulated expression of napA and narG (5.84 × 106 and 3.39 × 107 copies increased in the CMV soil compared to the control) numbers and equally accelerated reduction of nitrate to nitrite, while further nitrite reduction was primarily attributed to the abiotic reaction by Fe (II). From a bio-electrochemical point of view, this work provided new insight into the nitrate reduction of paddy soil impacted by Fe-DOC complexation.

Controllable and reusable seesaw circuit based on nicking endonucleases.

Seesaw circuits are essential for molecular computing and biosensing. However, a notable limitation of seesaw circuits lies in the irreversible depletion of components, precluding the attainment of system recovery and rendering nucleic acid circuits non-reusable. We developed a brand-new method for creating controllable and reusable seesaw circuits. By using the nicking endonucleases Nt.BbvCI and Nt.Alwi, we removed "functional components" while keeping the "skeletal components" for recurrent usage. T-inputs were introduced, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio of AND logic from 2.68 to 11.33 and demonstrating compatibility. We identified the logic switching feature and verified that it does not impair circuit performance. We also built intricate logic circuits, such as OR-AND gate, to demonstrate the versatility of our methodology. This controllable reusability extends the applications of nanotechnology and bioengineering, enhancing the practicality and efficiency of these circuits across various domains.

Creation of Room-Temperature Sub-100 nm Antiferromagnetic Skyrmions in an Antiferromagnet IrMn through Interfacial Exchange Coupling.

Antiferromagnetic (AFM) skyrmions are magnetic vortices composed of antiparallell-aligned neighboring spins. In stark contrast to conventional skyrmions based on ferromagnetic order, AFM skyrmions have vanished stray fields, higher response frequencies, and rectified translational motion driven by an external force. Therefore, AFM skyrmions promise highly efficient spintronics devices with high bit mobility and density. Nevertheless, the experimental realization of intrinsic AFM skyrmions remains elusive. Here, we show that AFM skyrmions can be nucleated via interfacial exchange coupling at the surface of a room-temperature AFM material, IrMn, exploiting the particular response from uncompensated moments to the thermal annealing and imprinting effects. Further systematic magnetic characterizations validate the existence of such an AFM order at the IrMn/CoFeB interfaces. Such AFM skyrmions have a typical size of 100 nm, which presents pronounced robustness against field and temperature. Our work opens new pathways for magnetic topological devices based on AFM skyrmions.

EEG brain network variability is correlated with other pathophysiological indicators of critical patients in neurology intensive care unit.

Continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) plays a crucial role in monitoring and postoperative evaluation of critical patients with extensive EEG abnormalities. Recently, the temporal variability of dynamic resting-state functional connectivity has emerged as a novel approach to understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diseases. However, little is known about the underlying temporal variability of functional connections in critical patients admitted to neurology intensive care unit (NICU). Furthermore, considering the emerging field of network physiology that emphasizes the integrated nature of human organisms, we hypothesize that this temporal variability in brain activity may be potentially linked to other physiological functions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate network variability using fuzzy entropy in 24-hour dynamic resting-state networks of critical patients in NICU, with an emphasis on exploring spatial topology changes over time. Our findings revealed both atypical flexible and robust architectures in critical patients. Specifically, the former exhibited denser functional connectivity across the left frontal and left parietal lobes, while the latter showed predominantly short-range connections within anterior regions. These patterns of network variability deviating from normality may underlie the altered network integrity leading to loss of consciousness and cognitive impairment observed in these patients. Additionally, we explored changes in 24-hour network properties and found simultaneous decreases in brain efficiency, heart rate, and blood pressure between approximately 1 pm and 5 pm. Moreover, we observed a close relationship between temporal variability of resting-state network properties and other physiological indicators including heart rate as well as liver and kidney function. These findings suggest that the application of a temporal variability-based cEEG analysis method offers valuable insights into underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of critical patients in NICU, and may present novel avenues for their condition monitoring, intervention, and treatment.

Robust fragment-based method of calculating hydrogen atom transfer activation barrier in complex molecules.

Dynamic processes driven by non-covalent interactions (NCI), such as conformational exchange, molecular binding, and solvation, can strongly influence the rate constants of reactions with low activation barriers, especially at low temperatures. Examples of this may include hydrogen-atom-transfer (HAT) reactions involved in the oxidative stress of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Here, we develop an automated workflow to generate HAT transition-state (TS) geometries for complex and flexible APIs and then systematically evaluate the influences of NCI on the free activation energies, based on the multi-conformational transition-state theory (MC-TST) within the framework of a multi-step reaction path. The two APIs studied: fesoterodine and imipramine, display considerable conformational complexity and have multiple ways of forming hydrogen bonds with the abstracting radical-a hydroxymethyl peroxyl radical. Our results underscore the significance of considering conformational exchange and multiple activation pathways in activation calculations. We also show that structural elements and NCIs outside the reaction site minimally influence TS core geometry and covalent activation barrier, although they more strongly affect reactant binding and consequently the overall activation barrier. We further propose a robust and economical fragment-based method to obtain overall activation barriers, by combining the covalent activation barrier calculated for a small molecular fragment with the binding free energy calculated for the whole molecule.