Neural development begins in gestation and continues throughout early life. The environmental effect of infant diet is a subject of increasing study as it is the caloric fuel which supports all developmental processes. Previous research in our group has found small but significant effects of nutrition on early cognitive developmental tests between children primarily fed human milk (BF), soy-based formula (SF), and dairy-based formula (MF) for the first 12 months of life. This investigation uses this same dataset: a study throughout infancy from 2 to 12 months of life. High-density electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings were taken at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 12 months of age using a five-minute silent video baseline. Using Specparam (formerly fitting oscillations and one-over-F or “FOOOF”), aperiodic activity was computed through a power spectral density (PSD) analysis for each session, which were then averaged per dietary group over left, right, and medial frontal and parietal regions of interest (ROIs) and one occipital ROI. Aperiodic activity is a potential marker of neuromaturation, as it is hypothesized to relate to excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance and structural development in GABAergic systems. Consistent with previous findings, the aperiodic exponent steadily decreased for the first five months before stabilizing. We found that this effect was largely independent of early infant diet.

Species occurrence data form the basis of the establishing Species Distribution Models (SDMs). As a new technology, environmental DNA (eDNA) has been widely used for species monitoring and species diversity assessment, but it is still unclear whether it can replace or supply traditional trawl surveys to provide occurrence data for SDMs. This study took a bifurcated estuary with seawater flow backward phenomenon - the Yangtze River estuary as the research area, and the typical marine benthos - Collichthys lucidus as the research object, we carried out a comparative survey during two trips in August and November 2021, aiming to use trawl-survey data as the control group to assess the results of habitat modeling using eDNA data alone or in combination. The results showed that the trawl surveys indicated that C. lucidus inhabited almost exclusively the nearshore waters of estuaries with high salinity, which is consistent with the traditional perception that it does not inhabit freshwater (i.e. marine species). However, eDNA sampling suggested that this species was also widely distributed in the freshwater rivers of the south branch of the Yangtze River, which is likely a result of seawater intrusion from the north branch. Consequently, the Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt) predictions based on eDNA expanded the suitable habitat range of C. lucidus in the estuarine area. Moreover, imprecise spatial information affects the identification of key environmental requirements, underestimating the importance of salinity in habitat selection for C. lucidus. Our study highlights that in highly dynamic and open water environments like estuaries, cautious evaluation is necessary when using eDNA as species occurrence data for prediction with spatially explicit models requiring precise spatial information.

To mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, development of stress-resilient crops has assumed widespread significance. Though, the dehydration-responsive element binding protein (DREB) transcription factors have been demonstrated to be crucial for stress tolerance in model plants, their role in economically important crops largely remain unclear. In the present study, the role of MusaDREB1G in overcoming drought or cold tolerance was investigated in banana, a plant that is vital for global agriculture and food security. Stress profiling revealed transcription of MusaDREB1G to alter in response to with drought, cold, salinity, or ABA exposures, which was corroborated with stress-induced activation of Pro MusaDREB1G-GUS. Pro MusaDREB1G, which harbors various-stress-associated cis-elements, was primarily active in vascular tissues under control growth conditions. Interestingly, in response to drought, salinity, or cold, the Pro MusaDREB1G was also activated in non-vascular tissues. Overexpression of MusaDREB1G led to a dwarf phenotype, but surprisingly these banana lines showed improved drought or cold tolerance. The overexpression line was characterized in detail to obtain mechanistic insights into this phenomenon. Results showed a distinct elevation in abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) content, which correlated well with enhanced expression of stress-related genes in transgenic lines. These findings unveil a novel MusaDREB1G-driven common mechanism for cold/drought tolerance and paves the way for engineering stress-resistant banana crops using MusaDREB1G.

Background: Foreign body (FB) aspiration is a typical emergency experienced by young children and associated with significant morbidity and mortality unless diagnosed early and treated adequately. Data on anesthetic management, applicability, complications and risk factors in the context of foreign body removal (FBR) is scarce, especially for flexible techniques, which are increasingly being used. Aim: To analyze the complication rate and risk factors as well as the anesthetic management of two different techniques (rigid versus flexible) for FBR in children. Method: This is a retrospective single center analysis of 160 cases who underwent bronchoscopy for suspected FB aspiration under general anesthesia between January 2014 and January 2022 at a tertiary hospital. Results: An FB was detected in 67 patients (median age 1.8 years). The preferred anesthesia regimes were total intravenous anesthesia (91.9%) and laryngeal mask (95%) for flexible bronchoscopy. Flexible bronchoscopy was used in 52.2%, rigid bronchoscopy in 31.3%, and both techniques were used in 16.4% of cases. The complication rate was 2.19 vs. 1.29/patient in rigid vs. flexible bronchoscopy, respectively. Independent risk factors for severe complications were rigid bronchoscopy (OR 11.6, p<0.01) and airway infections (OR 4.1, p<0.01). We observed flexible bronchoscopy being increasingly used for FBR during the observational period. Conclusion: FBR can result in serious complications that require experienced pediatric anesthetic management. In our series, the use of a rigid bronchoscope and preexisting airway infection were independent risk factors for severe complications. Flexible bronchoscopy was shown to be a safe, fast and successful tool for FBR with fewer adverse events compared to rigid bronchoscopy. Total intravenous anesthesia and a laryngeal mask airway for FBR are feasible and safe.

A visible-light photoredox-catalyzed difunctionalization of diazomethyl radicals with two heteroatomic nucleophiles (saturated bonds) generated in situ from the reaction of secondary amines with CS 2 or CO 2 has been developed for the first time. This reaction provides a new and modular approach for the synthesis of valuable but difficultly accessible S-alkyl di-dithiocarbamates and O-alkyl di-carbamates from readily available starting materials in a single step.

Introduction: The ablation index (AI) standardizes lesions in radiofreqency ablation (RF) of atrial fibrillation (AF). High-power, short-duration ablation (HPSD) shortens procedures, but AI is histologically unvalidated in HPSD. We evaluated esophageal safety with voltage-adapted AF ablation using an optimized, AI-guided HPSD (AI-HPSD) protocol. Methods: Consecutive AF patients undergoing AI-HPSD at 50W (AI=400-450 for posterior left atrium (LA); AI ≥500 anteriorly) were compared with a recent AF cohort who underwent AI-guided low-power, long-duration ablation (AI-LPLD). All participated in our ablation registry. Esophageal endoscopy was performed 1-3 days post-ablation. Posterior wall lesion characteristics and endoscopically-detected esophageal lesions (EDEL) were compared. Results: AI-LPLD (n=100) and AI-HPSD (n=100) groups had similar baselines, except AI-LPLD had slightly larger LA-area. VISITAG numbers were comparable, but total posterior wall RF time was shorter with AI-HPSD versus AI-LPLD (4.5±1.6 versus 11.9±5.1 s, p<0.001). Mean AI and mean impedance drop were higher in AI-HPSD (449±17 versus 401±39; p<0.001 and 8.8±2.3 versus 7.8±2.5; p<0.001). AI standard deviation was lower with AI-HPSD (30±15 versus 49±19; p<0.001). Although Max AI values were higher in AI-HPSD (517±46 versus 496±55; p=0.003), maximum impedance drop did not differ significantly. EDEL rate was comparably low at 2% (AI-HPSD) and 4% (AI-LPLD), but Max AI >520 occurred more with AI-HPSD (3.5±5.5 versus 2.5±5.2; p=0.048). Conclusion: In routine practice, optimized AI-HPSD at 50W with posterior LA target AI =400-450 was not associated with more EDEL. However, a signal for more unacceptable Max AI values existed. We recommend limiting AI to 400 and developing an automatic, AI-guided ablation stop.

Traditionally, the study of free surface flows assumed irrotationality to simplify matters, and the results seemed to have great success, notable with the Korteweg-de Vries(KdV) equation. In the past decade, there have been attempts to remove this seemingly strong condition and replace it with global constant vorticity equivalent to a linear shear flow. In [9], a method was developed to deal with not only linear shear flow but with shear flow as a general function of the vertical coordinate. This paper investigates vorticity as a function of x and y. We demonstrate that our method is versatile enough to cope with this. We use vorticity with a Gaussian profile as an example, but any function can be used. Our method cannot cope with point vortices, but the Gaussian function can be used to approximate a point vortex.

Carbon coatings for silicon (Si)-based anode materials are essential for designing high-performance Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The coatings prevent direct contact with the electrolyte and enhance anode performance. However, conventional carbon coatings are limited by their volume expansion and structural degradation, which lead to capacity fading and reduced durability. This study introduces a scalable and practical one-step carbon coating strategy for directly coating silicon suboxide (SiOx)-based materials using aqueous quasi-defect-free reduced graphene oxide (QrGO) without post-treatment, unlike conventional graphene oxide (GO)-based coating methods. This simple process enables uniform encapsulation with QrGO for a highly adhesive and conductive coating. The QrGO-based composite anode material has several advantages, including reduced cracking due to volume expansion and enhanced charge carrier transport, as well as an increased Si content of 20 wt.% compared to the 5 wt.% in typical commercial Si-based active materials. In particular, the capacity retention of the QrGO-coated Si electrodes dramatically increases at high C-rate. The full cell exhibited long-term stability and capacity that were twice that of commercial SiOx-based cells. Therefore, the QrGO-based one-step coating process represents a scalable, transformative and commercially viable strategy for developing high-performance LIBs.

AllergoOncology explores the intersection of allergic diseases and cancer, focusing on shared immune mechanisms mediated by monocytes and macrophages. These cells exhibit high heterogeneity, plasticity, and functional diversity across tissues and disease progression, yet their roles in allergic disorders remain unclear. This scoping review systematically analyzed 138 articles, identifying 451 molecules associated with monocyte and macrophage responses in allergic diseases, including Allergic Asthma, Atopic Dermatitis, and Allergic Rhinitis. Our findings revealed a research bias toward blood-derived samples, underrepresentation of tissue-resident macrophages and limited inclusion of non-coding RNAs. Semantic similarity and pathway enrichment analyses identified shared molecular signatures across major allergic disorders, highlighting interleukin signaling and immune activation pathways. Less-studied conditions, such as Allergic Alveolitis and Food Allergy, displayed distinct molecular profiles, emphasizing the need for broader investigations. To enhance data accessibility, we developed [ALO•HA](https://rebollidorioslab.shinyapps.io/aloha/), a web application for interactive analysis. [ALO•HA](https://rebollidorioslab.shinyapps.io/aloha/) fosters reproducibility and translational potential for both researchers and clinicians. Our findings highlight the need for integrative approaches, combining omics technologies and human-based studies, to better characterize monocyte and macrophage phenotypes in allergy. This work advances the understanding of allergy-immunity interactions, bridges allergy and oncology, addresses critical gaps and opens new opportunities for therapeutic development.

Dynamic updating technique for initial structure in pixel antenna design and optimization is proposed. The conventional approach to pixel antenna design employs a fixed initial pixel structure set at the start of the entire process, while rarely study the setting the initial structure, therefore the performance potential is not fully exploited. The proposed approach adaptively updates the initial structure to enhance the performance of the pixel antenna design, aiming to find the optimal initial pixel structure that achieves miniaturization and broadband capabilities. In general, the design procedure starts with an initial structure with relatively big element size and small overall size, then gradually reduces the element size and expands the overall size of the pixel area. A two-port pixel antenna is used as a design example to validate the proposed updating technique. The goal was to design a dual-port pixel antenna operating in the band of 2.4 GHz to 3.2 GHz, using miniaturized size. After two rounds of updates, the obtained −10 dB impedance bandwidths increased from 0.44 GHz (2.47 GHz-2.91GHz) to 0.75 GHz (2.45 GHz-3.20 GHz) and to 1.07 GHz (2.35 GHz-3.42 GHz), while had isolation better than −15dB. The statistical results of 10 optimization runs for 3 initial structures also showed the performance enhancement of each updated initial structure. The proposed updated technology can be applied to other types of pixel antenna designs, with different design specifications.

Soil nutrient stoichiometry is fundamental to ecosystem functioning. However, it remains unclear how long-term vegetation restoration affects its dynamics. This study utilized long-term monitoring to compare soil C, N, and P stoichiometric characteristics under five stand types: cropland (CK), natural secondary forest (NSF), Robinia and Pinus mixed forest (RPF), Robinia pseudoacacia plantation (RF), and Pinus tabuliformis plantation (PTF). Specific focus was given to soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP), as well as their C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios. During 30 years of vegetation restoration, SOC and TN increased by 11.65% and 7.46%, while TP decreased significantly by 11.74% ( P>0.05). Furthermore, SOC and TN increased significantly with natural restoration (NSF) and stabilized by the 25th year. SOC and TN decreased to a minimum approximately during the 7th to 9th year period under artificial vegetation restoration (PF, RF, RPF); SOC and TN recovered to their initial values after approximately 13 to 15 years, and stabilized by the 25th year. Finally, the C:N ratio did not change significantly, while the C:P and N:P ratios varied temporally with early fluctuations (0–10 year period), significant increases in the mid-term (10–20 year period; P < 0.05), and stabilization in the late stage (20–30 year period). Climate indirectly influenced SOC, TN, and TP through soil and vegetation factors. SOC and TN were directly affected by both soil and vegetation factors, while TP was primarily influenced by vegetation factors. Over the 30-year period, the contribution of vegetation factors to soil nutrients gradually increased, with tree and herbaceous biomass being a key factor, while the contribution of soil factors decreased. Our findings provide crucial insights into the long-term effects of vegetation restoration on soil nutrient cycling and stoichiometric optimization in the Loess Plateau and offer a scientific basis for formulating effective restoration strategies.

In an era of increasing uncertainty and complexity, healthcare decision-makers must navigate dynamic environments with greater awareness and adaptability. This study explores how a Dynamic Adaptive Decision Support model (DADS) can enhance decision-making capacity by fostering adaptability, resilience, and strategic foresight. Using the concept of stewarding capacity, we assess to what extent DADS enables healthcare leaders to anticipate and manage long-term uncertainties, risks, and changes. A quasi-experimental, long-term study was conducted within a healthcare organization as it developed its real estate strategy - an area deeply affected by fluctuating demands and unpredictable external factors. The DADS intervention was applied through structured group and individual sessions, after which participants were interviewed using open-ended questions to evaluate its impact. Findings reveal that DADS significantly enhances stewarding capacity by facilitating a collaborative knowledge-generation process, strengthening self-organization across multiple levels, and fostering continuous monitoring and learning. However, the study also uncovers challenges, particularly in leveraging partnerships for knowledge-sharing and reinforcing self-organization through cross-sectoral networks. These insights suggest that while DADS holds promise as an innovative decision-support tool, its operationalization requires further refinement. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that DADS has the potential to evolve into a transformative approach for strategic planning and management in healthcare. As organizations face an era of increasing complexity, integrating adaptive decision-making frameworks like DADS may prove essential in ensuring sustainable, forward-thinking strategies.

Comments on “Comparison of White Light With Narrow Band Imaging Using Flexible Laryngoscopy for the Detection of Local Recurrences After (Chemo)Radiation for Pharyngeal or Laryngeal Cancer: A Randomised Controlled Trial”The paper by Scholman et al. [1] is the first randomized trial to compare white light (WL) and narrow band imaging (NBI) in detecting local recurrence during the follow-up of patients treated with (chemo)radiation for pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer.The results differ substantially from those found in literature. Specifically, the authors reported no advantage in recurrence detection with the use of NBI.We agree with the authors that this discrepancy could be explained by the low number of recurrences in their cohort. However, we believe that the limited experience of the clinician performing NBI examination may have impacted the results. In fact, the authors stated, “using NBI to differentiate between pathological IPCLs and disturbed blood vessel patterns after (chemo)radiation is challenging”. Conversely, previous literature has clearly shown that post-radiotherapy (RT) vascular patterns can be mistaken for recurrence during the first six months of NBI use due to the presence of a steep learning curve [2, 3]. After this period, a trained eye can distinguish post-RT areas by their ill-defined margins and relatively low density, offering a diagnostic advantage of over 60%, with a statistically significant difference between WL and NBI in recurrence diagnosis [3, 4]. This has led to the inclusion of NBI in the latest United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines as a screening investigation during follow-up [3].The main advantage of using NBI in follow-up is the early detention of recurrences, including at dysplastic stages, when WL examination and radiologic imaging are unable to diagnose them. Moreover, NBI functions as an “optical biopsy”, selecting patients who warrant a biopsy under general anesthesia, thereby limiting costs, diagnostic time, and patient stress. In our opinion, the timing of laryngoscopy - scheduled every six months in this study - could have negatively impacted early diagnosis. Between two examinations, cancer can grow and become visible, both with WL and NBI, with NBI use in the follow-up seemingly no more advantageous than WL.According to NCCN guidelines, a complete head and neck exam, including fiberoptic examination, should be scheduled every 1-3 months in the first year [5].Therefore, we agree with the authors’ statement “A larger multicenter study with more frequent use of NBI is needed for definitive conclusions”.In conclusion, we believe that the creation of a dedicated team to optimize the NBI learning curve and the proper timing of follow-up examinations are advisable in order to fully understand NBI utility during follow-up.

We compared the performance of the VIDAS® Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) with that of laboratory-developed flow cytometry for intracellular cytokine staining (FC-ICS) for the assessment of CMV-specific interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-producing T-cell responses (CMV-CMI). A total of 147 blood specimens from 78 adult participants were collected: 11 healthy controls, 34 hematological patients (HP), of which 32 had undergone allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), and 33 Kidney transplant recipients. Of the 147 specimens, 96 tested positive, 24 negative, 25 indeterminate, and 2 were invalid by the VIDAS® CMV IGRA. A total of 137 specimens were tested by FC-ICS, of which 107 returned positive results. There were 27 discrepancies across the assays among specimens yielding interpretable results, of which 14 tested VIDAS® CMV IGRA-positive/FC-ICS-negative and 12 VIDAS® CMV IGRA-negative/FC-ICS-positive. The overall agreement between immunoassays was 78%, and the Kappa coefficient was 0.34 (0.52 for HP). Differences in identifying CMV-infected (CMV IgG-positive) and uninfected participants (CMV IgG-negative) were noticed across both assays. The overall correlation (rho values) between IFN-γ concentrations (IU/ml) measured by the VIDAS® CMV IGRA and CMV-specific IFN-γ-producing T-cell frequencies were 0.27 for CD4 + and 0.33 for CD8 + T cells ( P=0.001). In HP, the correlation was stronger (0.48 for CD4 + and 0.49 for CD8 + T cells). A trend toward a direct association between the presence of undetectable VIDAS® CMV IGRA or FC-ICS responses and subsequent occurrence of CMV DNAemia was observed. In summary, our data lend support to the potential utility of the VIDAS® CMV IGRA to assess CMV-CMI in transplant recipients.

Commentary to “Left ventricular outflow indices in chronic systolic heart failure: thresholds and prognostic value”

In double-nesting species with uniparental incubation, such as the rock partridge (Alectoris graeca saxatilis), the male incubates one clutch and the female the other clutch. A previous study has shown no difference in hatching and predation rates on rock partridge nests incubated by each sex. Therefore we hypothesised that the incubation rhythms would be similar between the sexes. To test this hypothesis, incubation rhythms of 40 nests incubated by females and 41 by males of Alpine rock partridge were monitored in the French Alps between 2011 and 2020. Temperature data loggers were placed, one inside the nest and the other outside, to measure ambient temperatures. The timing and duration of incubation recesses were quantified for each monitored bird by analysing the temperature curves. Statistical modelling was used to assess the effects of incubating bird sex, minimum ambient temperature, incubation day, clutch size and recess rank on incubation parameters. The daily timing of recesses, total recess duration, number of recesses and nest temperature are similar between the sexes. Birds made an average of 2.5 recesses per day, averaging 75 min each. On average, they spend 87.9% of their time incubating eggs. Recesses occurred throughout the day, with a peak 15-30 min after sunrise and a second, less pronounced maximum, before sunset. Nocturnal recesses were rare caused by disturbance of the incubating bird. Modelling showed only slight differences in mean recess duration between sexes throughout incubation. Other modelling results showed that both sexes adapted in a similar way their rhythms to incubation progress and to daily minimum temperature. Low temperatures might force parents to spend more time foraging outside the nest to meet energy requirements. Rock partridge nest attendance was lower than that of grouse species, a difference probably related to the rock partridge’s lower body reserves compared to grouse.

Background: Recently, multiple pulsed field ablation (PFA)-system were introduced for catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, data comparing procedural performance, acute antral lesion size, and myocardial injury between different PFA-systems in a real-world setting remain scarce. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing CA for AF were enrolled. PFA was performed using either a Pentaspline catheter-system (PCS) or a loop catheter-system (LCS). The extent of acute antral lesion size was assessed using a 3D-electroanatomical mapping system. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) was measured the day after the procedure to assess myocardial injury. Results: A total of 120 patients (median age 67 [59-73] years, 29% female) underwent de novo pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The PCS-group included 90 patients, while the LCS-group included 30 patients. Acute PVI was achieved in all patients (100%). Procedural times were significantly shorter in the PCS compared to the LCS-group, including total procedure duration (57 [48-67] vs 66 [52–83] min, p=0.016), left atrial dwell time (38 [32–48] vs 54 [38–65] min, p<0.001), and ablation duration (17 [12–23] vs 24 [20–33] min, p<0.001). Acute antral lesion size and myocardial injury were significantly lower in the PCS compared to the LCS-group (6.6 [5.0–8.9] vs. 19.2 [16.8–25.4] cm 2, p<0.001 and hs-cTnT of 1282 [892-1894] vs 1588 [1281-2110] ng/L, p=0.029. Conclusion: Significant differences were observed between two commercially available PFA-systems. While PCS was associated with significantly shorter procedural time, LCS resulted in a greater extent of acute antral lesion size and myocardial injury levels.

Immune cells are crucial in the body’s defence mechanisms. γδT cells are a non-traditional subpopulation of T cells with distinct structures and functions. γδT cells exhibit unique immune functions, contribute to both innate and adaptive immunity, and are implicated in several immune disorders. An increasing number of studies have identified changes in γδT cell numbers, types, and secreted cytokines in IBD. However, whether γδT cells in IBD are beneficial or detrimental remains controversial. Several studies have explored γδT cell-based therapies for immune disorders, and γδT cell-based therapy for IBD has emerged as a promising research direction. There are numerous reviews of γδT cells and autoimmune diseases, but few reviews focus on γδT and IBD. Therefore, this article briefly summarizes the current understanding of γδT cells in IBD.