University of Oxford

Virtual worlds and mental health: A scoping review

<title>Abstract</title> The constant increase in the use of virtual worlds in recent decades has raised concerns about their potential effects on users’ mental health. However, the great heterogeneity of the scientific literature on this topic makes it difficult to identify exist...

Cell surface remodeling caused by the loss of the flippase subunit TMEM30A in immune cells

Plasma membrane lipid asymmetry is tightly regulated and fundamental to mammalian cell physiology. TMEM30A is the β-subunit of P4-ATPases, flippase enzymes that maintain strict phosphatidylserine (PS) asymmetry by pumping it from the outer to the cytosolic leaflet. Loss of TMEM30...

Enhancing iNKT cell immunotherapy through the integration of optimized CAR endodomains and iNKT engagers

Abstract iNKT cells are emerging as a highly promising immunotherapy platform for the treatment of cancer. To maximise the anti-cancer activity of CAR-iNKT against the blood cancer multiple myeloma we investigated optimal CAR designs and their combination with new iNKT-specific e...

An Energy-GradientStrategy for Triplet-Pair Separationin Singlet-Fission Oligomers

Abstract Singlet fission (SF) offers a pathway to surpass the Shockley–Queisser limit by converting one photoexcited singlet exciton into two triplet excitons. However, in molecular assemblies, this process commonly yields a strongly exchange-coupled correlated triplet pair, 1(TT...

Challenges and barriers to musculoskeletal injury research in sub-Saharan Africa

Aims: Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, research into MSK injuries is hampered by significant challenges and barriers, particularly in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our aim was to identify the most important...

The fast destruction of methane by heterogeneous electrochemistry induced by martian dust activity: An experimental approach

Methane (CH 4 ) on Mars is of high scientific importance, particularly for its generation and destruction mechanisms. With an estimated photochemical lifetime of approximately 300 years, sporadic methane plumes observed on Mars by orbital, landed missions, and Earth-based telesco...

Measuring Ocean Surface Waves

Abstract Propagating waves on the ocean surface can be represented as a stochastic process whose statistics are characterized by a spectrum. This paper reviews methods for measuring the wave spectrum and related quantities. Observations begin by sensing fluid dynamical properties...

Conserved dimerization architecture in C‐type lectins from virus‐vector mosquitoes

Abstract C-type lectins (CTLs) play key roles in innate immunity and microbial carbohydrate recognition. In the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti , the CTLD-S family comprises 34 soluble CTLs whose members are implicated in flavivirus dissemination and microbial homeostasis,...

MuSpAn: a toolbox for multiscale spatial analysis

Abstract Advances in multiplex imaging and spatial omics have revolutionised spatial data generation in biology, revealing complex tissue organisation across multiple scales. However, methods for analysing these data have lagged behind, with fragmented, study-specific pipelines a...

Surface Redox Behavior of a High Entropy Spinel Catalyst during Propene Oxidation

Abstract High entropy (HE) oxides have the potential to deliver a step-change in heterogeneous catalysts. HE oxides allow for unprecedented compositional flexibility with a diverse range of possible active sites, promoting higher catalyst activity and long-term stability. However...

Enhancing large language model reasoning with reward models: an analytical survey

Abstract Reward models (RMs) play a critical role in enhancing the reasoning performance of LLMs. For example, they can provide training signals to finetune LLMs during reinforcement learning (RL) and help select the best answer from multiple candidates during inference. In this...

Commensal bacteria inhibit viral infections via a tryptophan metabolite

Clinical outcomes following viral exposures exhibit substantial interindividual variability. Although developing evidence suggests commensal bacteria modulate viral infections, the specific bacteria and mechanisms remain underexplored. Here, we define a pathway by which viral inf...

Insulin resistance is associated with mammary mitochondrial dysfunction at the onset of human lactation

Insulin resistance (IR) has emerged as a risk factor for lactation insufficiency and delays the onset of milk secretion after childbirth, termed secretory activation (SA). This may cause inadequate infant weight gain and early breastfeeding cessation. However, the mechanisms unde...

Duodenal hamartomatous polyps in three pedigree-related laboratory ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

Gastrointestinal polyps are considered rare in the ferret. This case series describes duodenal polyps in three related ferrets, all localised to the cranial duodenal flexure. Three mature intact female laboratory ferrets ( Mustela putorius furo ) were found to have hamartomatous...

Measuring masses of transiting Earth-like planets: first insights from the PLATO RV Data Challenge

Abstract The PLATO Stellar Variability Mitigation Working Group designed a radial-velocity (RV) data challenge to assess the precision and accuracy achievable on RV semi-amplitudes in the context of the future PLATO follow-up. Using Sun-as-a-star observations obtained with HARPS-...

Day length may impose an ecological constraint on chick provisioning behaviour in a high-latitude seabird

Abstract Variation in daylight hours may shape light-dependent behaviours both across seasons and among latitudinally distinct breeding colonies. We investigated the influence of photoperiod variation on chick provisioning behaviour in a high-latitude seabird, the Manx shearwater...

Hypoxia increases the activity of oncolytic adenoviruses through HIF-2α-stimulated E1A expression

Hypoxia, a hallmark of solid tumors, poses a significant challenge in cancer therapy due to its association with poor prognosis and resistance to conventional treatments. Oncolytic viruses represent a promising treatment strategy, as they selectively replicate within cancer cells...

Temporal- and Spatial-Resolved Characterization of Zeolite-Based Catalysts

Abstract Zeolites and metal-zeolite catalysts are the cornerstones of heterogeneous catalysis, where performance is governed by the structural dynamics and spatial distribution of active sites. However, conventional characterization often lacks the spatiotemporal resolution neede...

Thermal‐Induced Loose Solute Configuration Activates Organic Electrolyte for Zinc Metal Battery

ABSTRACT Zinc metal batteries face issues of low coulombic efficiency and persistent side reactions due to the active H 2 O in aqueous electrolytes. Organic electrolytes that can reduce side reactions and coulombic efficiency loss still suffer from sluggish Zn 2+ transfer and dif...

Concordance of genetic determinants of acute coronary artery disease between European and Chinese populations

AIMS: This study examined the concordance of associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for acute coronary artery disease (CAD) discovered in Europeans with acute CAD, chronic ischaemic heart disease (IHD) or stroke in Chinese adults. METHODS: In a nested case-control...