Analyses of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) data for extended γ -ray sources face the issue that the field of view does not offer sufficient regions for background estimations. In cases where the source angular size exceeds or occupies a significant part of the field of view, an independent background estimation method is necessary to carry out IACT analyses and to have a better understanding of the systematic uncertainties. The proposed new method utilizes Singular Value Decomposition to extract the low-dimension representations of the distribution of cosmic-ray events in OFF runs and uses cosmic-ray-like events in the ON runs to estimate the background of γ -like events. Using VERITAS archival data, we demonstrate that the new method is capable of providing reliable background modeling for observations across a wide range of observing conditions.

Quantifying the Role of Longitudinal Chromatic Aberration and Age in Night Vision Disturbances.

Rational design of PEGylated protein therapeutics requires mechanistic understanding of how coupling chemistry and PEG size jointly determine product homogeneity, receptor engagement, and structural integrity─the properties that collectively govern whether a conjugate is a viable candidate for further development. Anakinra (recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, IL-1Ra) is an approved anti-inflammatory biologic whose short systemic residence necessitates daily subcutaneous injection and is associated with steep peak-trough exposure fluctuations that, in chronic high-dose regimens, have been linked to IL-1Ra-derived systemic amyloidosis. PEGylation offers a chemically established route to increase the apparent molecular size of IL-1Ra and thereby reduce renal filtration and smooth exposure, but the structural and functional consequences of conjugation have never been characterized at residue resolution for this target─a gap that limits informed design choices between available chemistries. Here, we address this gap by establishing a head-to-head characterization framework comparing site-specific thiol-maleimide conjugation and random amino-coupling on a uniformly 15N-labeled recombinant IL-1Ra variant (M143V) that preserves all native conjugation sites and is potency-matched to Anakinra. Across a 5-20 kDa PEG ladder at a substoichiometric 0.5:1 PEG:protein feed, site-specific thiol-maleimide coupling yielded substantially higher conversion (∼81%) and a homogeneous single-species di-PEGylated (DoP 2) conjugate, whereas random amino-coupling produced heterogeneous mixtures across all PEG sizes (∼33-36% conversion, multiple degrees of polymerization). Purified single-species conjugates were benchmarked under a fixed IL-1β EC80 challenge in HEK-Blue reporter cells; all retained full maximal efficacy but exhibited chemistry- and size-dependent right-shifts in IC50, indicating steric modulation of receptor engagement rather than loss of function. To directly establish whether PEG attachment perturbs structural integrity, 2D 1H-15N HSQC NMR on the 15N-labeled thiol-PEG10 conjugate demonstrated a preserved global fold with localized chemical-shift perturbations near cysteine-proximal surface regions, confirming site-selective modification and intact binding scaffold. Together, these data establish the conjugation quality, antagonist activity, and structural integrity of the lead conjugate as the prerequisite characterization foundation for its further development and provide a transferable analytical framework for the rational design of PEGylated cytokine therapeutics.

Capillary condensation/evaporation-induced hysteresis is a fundamental characteristic of confined fluid-phase transitions. Although extensively studied for pure fluids, the hysteresis behavior of confined fluid mixtures remains poorly understood. Here, grand canonical Monte Carlo-molecular dynamics (GCMD) simulations are employed to investigate adsorption-desorption hysteresis of N2/CH4 mixtures in cylindrical carbon nanopores. While pure CH4 and N2 exhibit the expected pore-size- and temperature-dependent hysteresis behavior, binary mixtures show strongly composition-dependent phase transition characteristics. Competitive adsorption significantly modifies the hysteresis behavior and can either suppress or enhance the metastable capillary phase transitions. As the N2 concentration increases, the capillary phase-transition pathway shifts from CH4-dominated condensation to co-condensation and co-evaporation of both components. Consequently, the apparent hysteresis critical pore diameter (Dhc) exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on composition, whereas the apparent hysteresis critical temperature (Thc) decreases monotonically with increasing N2 content. These findings demonstrate that adsorption-desorption hysteresis in confined fluid mixtures cannot be inferred from pure-fluid behavior alone but instead emerges as a collective phenomenon governed by competitive adsorption and composition redistribution, which fundamentally alters both the capillary phase-transition pathway and the apparent hysteresis criticality.

The epithelial sodium channel governs sodium and fluid absorption in kidney, lung, and colon epithelia, but the molecular organization of native epithelial sodium channel complexes in vivo remains poorly defined. Low abundance and biochemical instability have limited direct analysis of epithelial sodium channel assembly, composition, and regulatory associations in native tissues. We generated a knock-in mouse in which the endogenous epithelial sodium channel γ subunit was fused to a fluorescent protein and affinity tag while preserving physiologic channel function. We validated channel activity in vivo using electrolyte measurements and pharmacologic inhibition, and assessed channel pharmacology by radioligand binding. Native epithelial sodium channel complexes were analyzed from lung, kidney, and colon using fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography, single-molecule pull-down, fluorescent antibody fragments, and mass spectrometry. The tagged γ subunit preserved normal epithelial sodium channel function in vivo. Native epithelial sodium channel complexes directly isolated from lung, kidney, and colon, revealed marked tissue-to-tissue differences in channel abundance and apparent complex size. Dual-color fluorescence analyses distinguished fully assembled channels from broader γ-containing assemblies. Proteomic analysis identified regulatory proteins associated with γ-containing complexes, indicating that epithelial sodium channel exists in multiple assembly and regulatory states in vivo. Native epithelial sodium channel architecture is heterogeneous across epithelial tissues. Endogenous tagging enables direct molecular interrogation of epithelial sodium channel assembly and regulation in vivo.

The galactose/N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (Gal/GalNAc)-inhibitable lectin of Entamoeba histolytica plays essential roles in host cell adhesion and cytotoxicity. The intermediate subunit lectin-1 (Igl1) contributes to these functions, but its molecular state under different environmental conditions remains unclear. In this study, we found that Igl1 is present as multiple fragments in the culture supernatant of trophozoites, whereas a single major species corresponding to intact Igl1 was detected in cell lysates. Notably, the molecular sizes of both intact Igl1 and its extracellular fragments differed depending on culture conditions, with larger apparent sizes observed under co-culture with Caco-2 cells. These differences were not explained by changes in transcript levels, protein folding, or N-terminal truncation. Fragmentation of Igl1 was suppressed by a cysteine protease inhibitor, indicating extracellular generation. These findings demonstrate that host-cell-associated conditions alter the molecular size of Igl1 and that extracellular protease-dependent processing generates multiple Igl1 fragments, providing new insights into the regulation of this key virulence factor. The presence of extracellular fragments further suggests a potential contribution to host tissue damage during amoebiasis.

Abstract Strong gravitational lensing, a key prediction of general relativity (GR), offers a unique environment for examining alternative modified gravity theories. In this Letter, we employ a model-independent approach to estimate the parameterized post-Newtonian parameter $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}$$ γ PPN using the time-delay measurements from H0LiCOW strong lensing systems. To minimize potential biases from cosmological models in testing GR, we use Gaussian Process regression (GPR) to reconstruct angular diameter distances ( $$D_\textrm{A}$$ D A ) from the newest baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements, provided by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) DR2 data. Based on the reconstructed angular diameter distances and four H0LiCOW lenses, we directly estimate the post-Newtonian parameter $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}=0.93^{+0.16}_{-0.17}$$ γ PPN = 0 . 93 - 0.17 + 0.16 and the sound horizon scale $$r_\textrm{d}=136.36^{+5.14}_{-3.20}~\textrm{Mpc}$$ r d = 136 . 36 - 3.20 + 5.14 Mpc . This is the first simultaneous measurement of $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}$$ γ PPN and $$r_\textrm{d}$$ r d without any assumptions about the contents of the universe or the theory of gravity. In the new framework of distance ratio $$D_{\Delta t}/D_\textrm{l}$$ D Δ t / D l which avoids the bias introduced by $$r_\textrm{d}$$ r d , the $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}$$ γ PPN constraint can be further improved to $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}=0.89^{+0.19}_{-0.15}$$ γ PPN = 0 . 89 - 0.15 + 0.19 . Our results provide a direct test of GR at the extragalactic scale, which is well consistent with the prediction of GR within $$1\sigma $$ 1 σ .

This study aimed to compare the image quality of 5.0T and 3.0T time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for visualization of the anterior choroidal artery (AChA). This retrospective study included patients who underwent both 3.0T and 5.0T TOF-MRA within a 48-hour interval. Objective image quality was assessed using signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Subjective image quality was independently evaluated by two radiologists using segment-based AChA visibility scores, and quantitative measurements of vessel length and diameter were obtained. A total of 42 patients who underwent both 3.0T and 5.0T TOF-MRA were included in the paired analysis. Compared with 3.0T imaging, 5.0T TOF-MRA demonstrated significantly higher objective image quality, with increased signal-to-noise ratio (93 ± 5 vs. 65 ± 3) and contrast-to-noise ratio (75 ± 6 vs. 52 ± 4) (both P < 0.001). Subjective analysis showed significantly higher visibility scores for distal anterior choroidal artery segments on 5.0T imaging, particularly for the A2 (P = 0.007) and A3 (P < 0.001) segments. Paired morphological measurements further demonstrated greater apparent AChA length (left: 24.4 ± 7.3mm vs. 18.7 ± 9.2mm; P < 0.001) and diameter (left: 1.1mm (1.0-1.2) vs. 0.9mm (0.7-1.1); P < 0.001) on 5.0T TOF-MRA compared with 3.0T imaging. 5.0T TOF-MRA improved visualization of the AChA, particularly its distal segments, compared with 3.0T imaging; further studies are needed to clarify its clinical implications. Not applicable.

Ultrasound processing induces mild protein oxidation and significant changes in physicochemical properties of milk proteins.

Drying-induced structural transitions in amyloid-like potato protein fibrils.

Are arms-based methods required to test the stable unit treatment value assumption (SUTVA) among Cochrane reviews of contagious infection prevention interventions?

The Cosmic Distance Duality Relation (CDDR) is a fundamental principle of standard cosmology, linking luminosity (LD) and angular diameter distances (ADD). This work investigates the validity of the CDDR and cosmic transparency by combining the latest Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) data from DESI DR2, Type Ia Supernovae from Pantheon+, and cosmic chronometers. To address the redshift mismatch between datasets, two distinct reconstruction techniques are employed: Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) and the Free-Knots Method (FKM). The analysis performs null tests on the CDDR under different cosmological priors, finding that the null hypothesis holds and the CDDR is valid within statistical uncertainties. Although mild deviations are observed from the local distance ladder prior, internal consistency calibration indicates that these discrepancies and the Hubble tension may share a common origin, possibly related to systematic effects or new physics. Using multiple phenomenological parameterizations, the deviation parameter is also found to be statistically consistent with zero (e.g., η 1 = 0.023 ± 0.027 for the linear model under Planck priors). Furthermore, the study finds no statistically significant evidence for cosmic opacity. The average of the opacity derivative is strictly compatible with zero (〈dτ/dz〉 = 0.0409 ± 0.1024 for GPR and 0.0730 ± 0.1607 for FKM). Based on these null results, stringent constraints are placed on the parameter space of Axion-Like Particles (ALPs) and Mini-Charged Particles (MCPs).

Stupendously large astrophysical black holes (SLABs) are hypothetical black holes with masses of more than a trillion Suns. Because observable consequences of their existence have only recently been seriously considered, there have been relatively few constraints on their abundance. This work motivates a simple yet powerful constraint on SLABs: their huge shadows are visible against the cosmic microwave background. SLABs could thus appear as negative sources in microwave data. In fact, the shadow of a SLAB with a fixed mass becomes easier to detect with increasing redshifts past 1.6 where the angular diameter distance stars falling. The limits are powerful enough to rule out SLABs of mass ≳ 1017 M⊙ within the last scattering surface, and imply ΩBH ≲ 10-5 for masses 1015–1018 M⊙. I also discuss the effects of accretion and their implications for the limits: SLAB growth, positive accretion luminosity, and obscuring material.

Exploiting the Luminous Properties of Blue-Emitting Silicon Nanoparticles (Si-NPs) Derived from Raw Diatomite in Fungal Biosystems

When particles cross optimal measurement regions in a flow cytometer, they generate time-resolved signals (pulses) that contain valuable information. However, this information is lost when signals are reduced to scalars such as area, width, and height. Because flow cytometers convolve particle properties with the laser profile and geometric factors of the optical interrogation region, it is in theory possible to estimate the particle diameter, velocity, and brightness (effectively its fluorophore concentration or scattering factors) from the time-resolved data alone. Here, we independently vary the velocity, size and dye concentration to validate their unique contributions to signal shape under flow conditions in which particle trajectories are well controlled. Through a series of flow rate variations on microspheres of known size and fluorophore concentrations, we study the magnitude of changes in time-resolved signals and the impact on estimation of particle properties. The method was applied to cells labeled with a DNA binding dye, which is frequently used to classify cells whether cells are in pre- (G0/G1; 1x DNA label) or post mitosis (G2; 2x DNA label) phase of the cell cycle. Using our signals analysis, we found a 1.26-fold increase in the apparent diameter from G0/G1 to G2 populations. This shift corresponds to an approximate doubling of the volume of a sphere, which is consistent with literature and microscopy data. Overall, this work validates that fluorescence pulses acquired in flow cytometry can be used to estimate and remove sources of uncertainty (e.g., due to velocity changes) and to extract information about the size, velocity, and biomarker concentrations of particles and cells.

The structural diversity and complex transport behavior of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) complicate a universal characterization of their removal in membrane systems. This study compiles 2353 data points from the literature on PFAS rejection by nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes, spanning a broad range of PFAS, membranes, feedwater compositions, and operating conditions. Using machine learning, this data set is modeled to evaluate how solute, membrane, and solution properties jointly influence PFAS removal. Of the 13 experimental system descriptors analyzed, membrane water permeance and PFAS molecular volume demonstrated the strongest main effect on rejection, emphasizing the significance of steric exclusion. The effects of background ions and dissolved organic matter were highly condition-dependent, exhibiting nonmonotonic behavior governed by competing mechanisms. Low concentrations of organic matter and ions enhanced PFAS rejection, consistent with complexation that increases apparent solute size, while higher concentrations reduced PFAS rejection, indicating that charge shielding and concentration polarization increasingly drive transport behavior. Overall, this analysis provides a unified, data-driven framework for interpreting previously inconsistent findings across studies, identifies critical gaps in existing experimental data, and highlights opportunities to guide targeted membrane design and treatment strategies.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG), widely used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications, is prone to denaturation and aggregation, reducing bioactivity and shelf life and increasing immunogenic risks. Current methods fall short of preserving IgG's stability, highlighting the need for innovative strategies to enhance its resilience and therapeutic reliability. In this work, we investigated choline chloride:glycerol (ChCl:Gly)-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) and silver nanoparticle coated with DES (AgNP:ChCl:Gly) as effective stabilizers for IgG. Various spectroscopic, imaging, and size-determining techniques were utilized to assess formulation-dependent changes in IgG structure and thermal response. Thermal fluorescence spectroscopy studies were performed to obtain the apparent transition temperature (Tapp) in the presence of DES and AgNP coated with DES aqueous solutions. The measurements revealed a concentration-dependent increase in Tapp of IgG from 76.1 °C in buffer to 78.4 °C in the presence of DES and up to 82.9 °C with AgNP coated with DES at 0.4 mM, indicating enhanced resistance to thermal perturbation. Furthermore, dynamic light scattering showed formulation-dependent changes in the apparent hydrodynamic size (dH) and surface charge of IgG under the studied conditions. This work highlights the potential validity of using AgNP coated with ChCl:Gly in IgG formulations, highlighting their potential utility as formulation additives for improving the thermal and structural robustness of IgG.

Abstract We report the discovery of PaRasMoMi-1, a large diffuse emission nebula in Monoceros at Galactic coordinates PN-G 206.2+00.6 (R.A. 06 h 41 m 30 s , decl. +06°16′30″, J2000). Identified in 2021 April through deep narrowband astrophotography and confirmed via archival Digitized Sky Survey, Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), and GALEX near-ultraviolet data, the nebula exhibits [O iii ] λ 5007 emission across an angular diameter of ∼26′ with no detectable H α or [S ii ]. At an estimated distance of ∼1800 pc, the projected physical diameter is ∼45 pc. PaRasMoMi-1 is now registered in the HASH Planetary Nebula database (PN-G 206.2+00.6) as a candidate planetary nebula. Three physical interpretations are considered: an evolved planetary nebula, an [O iii ]-dominant Strömgren sphere, and a bow-shock re-ionization structure associated with the Monoceros Supernova Remnant and the O-type binary HD 48099. Optical spectroscopy is required to discriminate among these scenarios.

In the section titled "Panthadikkum Tharu" in the Bethlehem Kuravanji, a literary work authored by Vedanayaga Sastriar, it is recounted that Devamohini, a daughter of Zion, marvels at the orderly motion of the Sun, the Moon, and the planets created by God, and proceeds to play with them as if they were balls. The objective of this article is to assess the accuracy of the astronomical details cited by Vedanayaga Sastriar such as planetary rotation, orbital periods around the Sun, distances between the Sun and the planets, and planetary diameters by comparing them against data provided by modern astronomers; furthermore, it aims to elucidate the methodology employed in expressing scientific concepts through the medium of poetry, thereby establishing the manner in which scientific thought is embedded within Tamil literature. This inter disciplinary study employs a textual analysis, comparative and interpretative approach. Far from being merely a work of imaginative poetry, the text encapsulates profound astronomical knowledge. Through this research, it is evident that literature has been effectively utilized as a medium to spread scientific concepts to the general public.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic response of an in vitro model of human fetal ventricular cardiomyocytes RL-14 in interaction with pH-dependent high molecular weight Gold-based chitosan nanoparticles