Search Results (173)

Osteogenesis imperfecta type VI is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by bone fragility and defective mineralization, caused by pathogenic variants in the SERPINF1 gene. This study aimed to expand the understanding of OI type VI by analyzing clinical, radiological, and molecular findings in four patients from three unrelated families. Genotyping revealed two novel SERPINF1 variants, c.185G>T (p.Gly62Val) and c.992_993insCA (p.Glu331Asnfs), in a compound heterozygous state in one patient, and a known pathogenic variant, c.261_265dup (p.Leu89Argfs26), in a homozygous form in three patients. Clinical manifestations included early-onset fractures, severe skeletal deformities, impaired mobility, and growth failure. Radiological assessments revealed multilevel and multiplanar bone deformities and metaphyseal widening. RNA analysis demonstrated that the c.992_993insCA variant results in a truncated PEDF protein without triggering nonsense-mediated decay. Population screening identified a carrier frequency of 0.0044 for the c.261_265dup variant, suggesting a founder effect in the Tuvinian population. These findings expand the mutational spectrum of the SERPINF1 gene and provide new insights into the phenotypic variability of OI type VI. Our results highlight the importance of genetic screening in isolated populations and emphasize the need for further research to develop more effective therapeutic approaches for patients with limited response to bisphosphonate therapy. Full article

Here, the biogeographic patterns of abundant and rare bacterial taxa in lemon farmlands with different cultivation modes were examined using the dataset obtained from high-throughput sequencing. The abundant sub-communities exhibited a lower richness, a similar abundance proportion, and lower compositional variations than rare taxa. With regard to different cultivation modes, a lower richness but higher beta-diversity distance was observed in abundant bacterial taxa from greenhouse soils compared to other open field farmlands. In addition, some potential indicators, including Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidota, were found to be enriched in the abundant sub-communities in greenhouse soils. Moreover, a stronger environmental-related distance–decay of similarity was observed in abundant taxa from greenhouse soils, but in hilly-converted farmlands for rare taxa. The abundant sub-communities were more sensitive to environmental changes and more tightly phylogenetically clustered. In contrast, homogeneous selection dominated the assembly of rare taxa, which was insensitive to dispersal limitations. Soil pH was identified as the key factor to driving the assembly of soil bacterial communities, with a more deterministic and stochastic assembly for abundant and rare taxa, respectively, at the neutral environments. Full article

Old-growth forests are rare in Europe, yet they play a critical role in biodiversity and carbon storage. This study examines the structural dynamics of the Janj old-growth forest in the Dinaric Alps using repeated field measurements from 2011 and 2021 at 39 systematically arranged 12 m radius plots. All trees (DBH ≥ 7.5 cm), regeneration (10 cm height to 7.5 cm DBH), and coarse woody debris (CWD) were assessed. Results revealed that total basal area declined by 3.5 m² ha⁻¹ over the decade, primarily driven by significant reductions in stem density for silver fir (p = 0.001) and Norway spruce (p = 0.001). In contrast, European beech maintained a stable basal area throughout the study period. Moreover, silver fir exhibited a significant increase in mean diameter (p = 0.032) and a pronounced rise in regeneration individuals (t = 3.257, p = 0.002). These findings underscore a gradual compositional shift towards European beech dominance, with conifers facing higher mortality in larger diameter classes. The substantial volume of CWD (463 m³ ha⁻¹) highlights advanced decay dynamics consistent with mature forest conditions. This study emphasizes the value of repeated measurements to capture subtle yet important successional changes in primeval forests, which is essential for conservation planning and sustainable forest management. Full article

In the context of the information age, the need for data security and confidentiality is becoming increasingly urgent. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were used as the matrix, and a PVA/PEG/rare earth composite hydrogel material with controllable photoluminescence color was successfully developed by incorporating rare earth ion doping. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and fluorescence spectroscopy, it was confirmed that the introduction of lanthanide metal light-emitting units makes the material’s photoluminescence color adjustable from red to green, significantly improves the mechanical properties, and the compressive strength is increased from 17.6 MPa to 23 MPa, representing a 30.7% improvement. In addition, the material exhibits excellent alkaline pH response characteristics; as the concentration of NaOH solution increases, the luminous intensity gradually decays to complete quenching. Based on the adjustable light color and dynamic response characteristics, the material can realize information concealment and encryption through programmable light color changes, providing a new functional material solution for intelligent anti-counterfeiting and optical encryption. Full article

Rare earth elements (Ln: Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy) were complexed with caffeic acid (Caf), a natural phenolic compound, to synthesize novel luminescent complexes with enhanced biological activities. The complexes, formulated as Ln(Caf)₃·4H₂O, were characterized using infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), mass spectrometry (MS), and fluorescence spectroscopy. Structural studies confirmed the coordination of caffeic acid via carboxylate and hydroxyl groups, forming stable hexacoordinate complexes. Luminescence analysis revealed intense emission bands in the visible spectrum (480–700 nm), attributed to f-f transitions of Ln³⁺ ions, with decay lifetimes ranging from 0.054 to 0.064 ms. Biological assays demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with inhibition zones up to 44 mm at 200 µg/mL. The complexes also exhibited potent anticancer activity against MCF7 breast cancer cells, with Sm(Caf)₃·4H₃O showing the lowest IC₅₀ value (15.5 µM). This study highlights the dual functionality of rare earth metal-caffeic acid complexes as promising candidates for biomedical imaging and therapeutic applications. Full article

Litter decomposition dynamics are largely governed by microbial interactions. While the involvement of endophytic fungi in early-stage decomposition and microbial succession is well established, their species-specific contributions to decomposer community assembly remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated the effects of single-strain endophytic colonization using dominant species (Tubakia dryina, Tubakia dryinoides, Guignardia sp.) and rare species (Neofusicoccum parvum, Penicillium citrinum) on Quercus acutissima leaf decomposition through a controlled field experiment in a karst ecosystem. Endophytes accelerated decomposition rates across treatments but paradoxically reduced transient CO₂ emissions, linked to intensified microbial carbon and phosphorus limitations in late stages. Contrary to expectations, decomposition efficiency was governed by endophytic fungal species traits rather than colonization abundance, with rare species outperforming dominant taxa. Endophytes induced significant fungal community restructuring, reducing Ascomycota while enriching lignin-degrading Basidiomycota, but minimally affected bacterial composition. Co-occurrence networks revealed endophyte-driven fragmentation of microbial connectivity, with only two keystone fungal hubs (Trechispora sp. and Russula carmesina) identified compared to natural communities. Endophytic colonization improved fungal community assembly, mediated by an increase in lignin-degrading Basidiomycota and the suppression of pathogenic Leotiomycetes lineages. Our findings demonstrate that endophytes hierarchically regulate decomposer communities through phylogenetically conserved fungal interactions, prioritizing functional trait selection over competitive dominance, thereby stabilizing decomposition under nutrient constraints. This mechanistic framework advances predictions of litter decay dynamics in forest ecosystems undergoing microbial community perturbations. Full article

In recent years, rare earth ion and transition metal ion co-doped fluorescent materials have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of WLEDs and optical temperature sensing. In this study, I successfully prepared the dual-emission Mg₃Ga₂SnO₈:Eu³⁺,Mn⁴⁺ red phosphors and the XRD patterns and refinement results show that the prepared phosphors belong to the Fd-3m space group. The energy transfer process between Eu³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ was systematically investigated by emission spectra and decay curves of Mg₃Ga₂SnO₈:0.12Eu³⁺,yMn⁴⁺ (0.002 ≤ y ≤ 0.012) phosphors and the maximum value of transfer efficiency can reach 71.2%. Due to the weak thermal quenching effect of Eu³⁺, its emission provides a stable reference for the rapid thermal quenching of the Mn⁴⁺ emission peak, thereby achieving good temperature measurement performance. The relative thermometric sensitivities of the fluorescence intensity ratio and fluorescence lifetime methods reached a maximum value of 2.53% K⁻¹ at 448 K and a maximum value of 3.38% K⁻¹ at 473 K. In addition, the prepared WLEDs utilizing Mg₃Ga₂SnO₈:0.12Eu³⁺ phosphor have a high color rendering index of 82.5 and correlated color temperature of 6170 K. The electroluminescence spectrum of the synthesized red LED device by Mg₃Ga₂SnO₈:0.009Mn⁴⁺ phosphor highly overlaps with the absorption range of the phytochrome P_FR and thus can effectively promote plant growth. Therefore, the Mg₃Ga₂SnO₈:Eu³⁺,Mn⁴⁺ phosphors have good application prospects in WLEDs, temperature sensing, and plant growth illumination. Full article

Background: Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) is an umbrella term for chronic disorders affecting the glomeruli. MPGN is often accompanied by the presence of autoantibodies against complement components. However, the actual pathogenic effects of such autoantibodies, if any, are rarely studied. In this work, we investigated the role of anti-complement autoantibodies in an IC-MPGN patient. Methods: The presence of autoantibodies, their binding site, isotype, and titer were analyzed in ELISA. Antibody–antigen complexes were detected in the patient’s serum using Western blot. Autoantibodies were studied in functional assays to analyze their effects on C3 convertase, complement deposition, cofactor activity, C3b binding, and hemolysis. Results: We identified autoantibodies against factor B (FB) and factor H (FH) in the patient’s serum. Both FB-, and FH-autoantibodies were of IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, and IgGκ, IgGλ isotypes. FB-autoantibodies bound to the Ba and the enzymatically active Bb part of FB. FH-autoantibodies bound to the N- and C-termini of FH and cross-reacted with FHL-1 and FHR-1 proteins. In vivo formed complexes of the autoantibodies with both FB and FH were detected in the IgG fraction isolated from the serum. The autoantibodies did not influence solid-phase C3 convertase assembly and its FH-mediated decay. The free autoantibodies had no effect on complement deposition and on FH cofactor activity but slightly reduced C3b binding to FH. The IgG fraction of the patient dose-dependently inhibited complement-mediated rabbit red blood cell lysis, and the free autoantibodies decreased the solid phase C3 convertase activity. Conclusions: This case highlights that FB- and FH-autoantibodies are not necessarily pathogenic in IC-MPGN. Full article

This study focused on the nature of rare earth metal complex compounds that can form during the carbonate–alkaline processing of industrial waste materials, such as phosphogypsum and red mud, at 70–100 °C and 1–10 atm. Experimental findings revealed that the dissolution of synthetic carbonates of rare earth elements (REEs) in a concentrated carbonate-ion medium (3 mol/L) leads to the formation of ion-associates of varying strengths. Light (lanthanum, praseodymium, and neodymium) and medium (samarium) REE groups exhibited a tendency to form loose ion-associates, whereas heavy REEs (terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, lutetium, and yttrium) formed close ion-associates. To confirm the existence of these ion-associates, the specific conductivity of solutions was measured after dissolving thulium (III) and samarium (III) carbonates at phase ratios ranging from 1:2000 g/mL to 1:40 g/mL in a potassium carbonate medium. The decay of ion-associates, leading to the precipitation of rare earth metal (III) carbonates, was tested in an ammonium carbonate medium. Thermal decomposition of ammonium carbonate at 70–75 °C during 1–4 h was accompanied by full rare earth carbonates’ sedimentation and its in-the-way separation into groups because of the varied strength of ion-associates. The results of this study provide a basis for developing processes to separate rare earth metals into groups during their carbonate–alkaline extraction into solution. Full article

We extend the Quantum Memory Matrix (QMM) framework, originally developed to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity by treating space–time as a dynamic information reservoir, to incorporate the full suite of Standard Model gauge interactions. In this discretized, Planck-scale formulation, each space–time cell possesses a finite-dimensional Hilbert space that acts as a local memory, or quantum imprint, for matter and gauge field configurations. We focus on embedding non-Abelian SU(3)_c (quantum chromodynamics) and SU(2)_L × U(1)_Y (electroweak interactions) into QMM by constructing gauge-invariant imprint operators for quarks, gluons, electroweak bosons, and the Higgs mechanism. This unified approach naturally enforces unitarity by allowing black hole horizons, or any high-curvature region, to store and later retrieve quantum information about color and electroweak charges, thereby preserving subtle non-thermal correlations in evaporation processes. Moreover, the discretized nature of QMM imposes a Planck-scale cutoff, potentially taming UV divergences and modifying running couplings at trans-Planckian energies. We outline major challenges, such as the precise formulation of non-Abelian imprint operators and the integration of QMM with loop quantum gravity, as well as possible observational strategies—ranging from rare decay channels to primordial black hole evaporation spectra—that could provide indirect probes of this discrete, memory-based view of quantum gravity and the Standard Model. Full article

The CMS experiment at the LHC has advanced precision measurements of rare B-meson and charm decays, offering insights into phenomena beyond the Standard Model (SM). This paper highlights key results from Run 2 and Run 3 data, including the branching fraction and lifetime of $B_s\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$, angular analyses of $B^0\to K^{*0}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$, the first observation of $J/\psi \to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$, and stringent limits on $D^0\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$. These findings provide tests of SM predictions while probing subtle hints of new physics. Full article

The changes in the inclusions in 316L stainless steel before and after Ce addition were studied by adding different contents of Ce. The effects of rare earth Ce treatment on the modification of MnS inclusions in steel and the pitting corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel are studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, laser confocal microscopy, the 6% FeCl₃ corrosion weight loss test, and Tafel polarization curve test. The results show that the addition of Ce reduces the corrosion rate of stainless steel in 6% FeCl₃ solution, and reduces the number and size of corrosion pits. The corrosion resistance is the best at a 0.0082% Ce content. In addition, the addition of Ce reduced the corrosion current density of stainless steel in 3.5% NaCl solution and increased the corrosion potential. The corrosion potential increased from −329 mV to −31.4 mV. Through Ce treatment, the grain is refined and the inclusions in the experimental steel are modified. With the increase in rare earth content, Mn S gradually transforms into Ce₂O₂ S inclusions. The morphology of the inclusions gradually change from the original long strips to a spherical shape, and the average size is significantly reduced, which improves the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel. The addition of rare earth Ce plays modifies the inclusions and purifies molten steel. Full article

The long-distance and non-local parts of the form factors describing the single-photon-mediated $K_{S,L}\to {\pi }^0{\gamma }^{*}\to {\pi }^0{\mathsf{\ell }}^{+}{\mathsf{\ell }}^{-}$ ($\mathsf{\ell }=e,\mu$) transitions in the standard model are addressed in QCD regarding the limit where the number $N_c$ of colours becomes infinite. It is shown that this provides a suitable theoretical framework to study these decay modes and that it enables predicting the decay rates for $K_S\to {\pi }^0{\mathsf{\ell }}^{+}{\mathsf{\ell }}^{-}$. It also unambiguously predicts that the interference between the direct and indirect CP-violating contributions to the decay rate for $K_L\to {\pi }^0{\mathsf{\ell }}^{+}{\mathsf{\ell }}^{-}$ is constructive. Full article

In the framework of luminescent rare-earth-doped glasses for near-infrared applications, TiO₂-containing inorganic glasses have been recently demonstrated to be a promising alternative to commercially used high-phonon SiO₂-based glasses. This study investigates the effect of TiO₂ concentration on the near-infrared spectroscopic properties of Yb³⁺ ions in multicomponent titanate–germanate glasses. A series of glass samples in the xTiO₂-(60−x)GeO₂-BaO-Ga₂O₃-Yb₂O₃ system (x ranging from 0 to 50 mol%) were synthesized using the melt-quenching technique. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the fully amorphous nature of the fabricated titanate–germanate samples. Fundamental spectroscopic properties of Yb³⁺-doped titanate–germanate system consisting of absorption spectra, near-IR emission spectra, and luminescence decay curves have been determined based on measurement using optical spectroscopy. The intensity of the emission band at 1 µm due to the ²F_5/2 → ²F_7/2 laser transition of Yb³⁺ ions increases by over 2.3-fold (TiO₂ as the network former) compared to a barium gallo-germanate sample without TiO₂. Our previous studies indicate that Yb³⁺-doped titanate–germanate glass is a promising optical material and could be successfully applied to laser technology. Full article

In this research, we investigated the observed spectra of the hot peculiar star HD25354 with an effective temperature $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$ = 12,800 K, identified the lines of radioactive chemical elements, including the elements with short decay time, and estimated the abundances of these elements. We tried to confirm or reject the existence of promethium lines and lines of other radioactive elements which were detected in previous investigations of this star and explain the physical mechanisms which are responsible for the synthesis of these elements in the stellar atmosphere. We used two high-dispersion spectra of HD25354 observed with the 2 m telescope of Terskol observatory with resolving power near R = 60,000, and a signal to noise ratio near 200. The spectrum of the star from the archive of the 1.93 m telescope of Haute-Provence observatory was also used. The observations were compared with synthetic spectra and the abundance of promethium was found using the best four lines of this element in the observed spectra: $logN$(Pm) = 5.84 ± 0.16 in the scale logN(H) = 12. It is comparable to the abundances of stable lanthanides in the atmosphere of this star. The abundance of thorium derived from two lines of double-ionized thorium is $logN$(Th) = 3.59 ± 0.15. The upper limits for technetium, radium, actinium, uranium, and americium abundances are found to be equal to 4.0, 3.0, 1.25, 3.5, and 4.0, respectively. Maybe the existence of promethium lines and lines of other unstable chemical elements in the spectra of HD25354, as well as the other stars of our Galaxy, Magellanic Clouds, and Fornax dwarf galaxy, can be explained by contamination of its atmosphere by the products of kilonova outburst and by symmetric decay of chemical elements with long decay times located at the island of stability (atomic numbers Z = 110–128) of transfermium elements. Maybe the decay of superheavy elements of the island of stability can be one of the reasons for the enhanced abundances of rare earth lanthanides in different types of stars. Full article