Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a widespread sexually transmitted infection primarily affecting women. While its link to cervical cancer is well-established, its potential role in other gynecological diseases, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), irregular menstruation (IM), endometrial cancer (EC), and endometriosis, remains underexplored. Observational studies may be subject to residual confounding, but Mendelian randomisation (MR) utilises genetic variants as instrumental variables to strengthen causal inference and mitigate confounding bias. Design: A two-sample MR study. Setting: Summary statistics from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in European ancestry populations. Population or sample: Genetic instruments for HPV susceptibility were obtained from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) Open GWAS database. Methods: Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) MR was used to assess the causal association between HPV and gynecological diseases. Sensitivity analyses, including weighted median and MR-Egger, were performed to assess robustness. Steiger tests were conducted to confirm the direction of causality. Main outcome measures: Female-specific genetic association estimates for gynecological diseases were extracted from large-scale GWAS datasets. Results: Genetically predicted HPV susceptibility was associated with an increased risk of EC (odds ratio [OR] 1.0973, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0030–1.2005, P = 0.0429) and endometriosis (OR 1.0610, 95% CI 1.0029–1.1225, P = 0.0392). Scatter plots and forest plots supported HPV as a risk factor for EC and endometriosis. Sensitivity analyses indicated no significant heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy. Each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) had a minimal influence on the overall results. Steiger tests confirmed the validity of the causal direction. However, no causal relationship was found between HPV and PCOS or IM. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that genetically predicted HPV susceptibility is a risk factor for EC and endometriosis, while no causal relationship was identified for PCOS or IM. These findings offer novel insights into HPV-related gynecological disease prevention and treatment strategies.

People who are incarcerated (PWAI) and correctional staff face a higher risk of communicable diseases. This study assessed the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and sexually transmitted bloodborne infections (STBBIs) in British Columbia (BC) Provincial Correctional Centres (PCCs). A multicentre cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted from January 4 to February 14, 2021, among PWAI and staff. Antibody and molecular screening assessed pathogen prevalence, with Pearson’s chi-squared tests for group comparisons. Mixed-effects logistic regression explored clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 or STBBIs. Among PWAI (n=299), seroprevalence was 5.5% for SARS-CoV-2, 14.6% for hepatitis C virus, and 1.3% for syphilis. Among staff (n=505), seroprevalence was 2.9% for SARS-CoV-2, 1.7% for hepatitis B virus, and 0.6% for syphilis. Among PWAI, lower education (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=2.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-5.56), unstable employment (aOR=2.86, 95% CI: 1.16-6.67), and opioid use (aOR=3.56, 95% CI: 1.15-12.65) were associated with STBBI acquisition. Among staff, working in a PCC with a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak was associated with infection acquisition (aOR=7.97, 95% CI: 2.28-27.97). The ongoing presence of SARS-CoV-2 and STBBIs in correctional facilities highlights the need for balanced public health interventions addressing both transmissions, ensuring timely prevention, testing, and treatment for all individuals.

Background: Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) is a radical procedure for pelvic cancer recurrence. Wet colostomy simplifies reconstruction, reducing operative time and complications. Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of a single-port robotic-assisted (SP) TPE with wet colostomy. Methods: A voice-commented video article from the National Cancer Institute “Fondazione Pascale” details a Da Vinci SP®-assisted procedure. Results: A 68-year-old woman underwent TPE in 320 minutes with 50 cc blood loss, no transfusions, and was discharged on day 4 without complications. Conclusion: This is the first SP robotic-assisted TPE with wet colostomy, demonstrating its feasibility and surgical strategy.

TLR9 agonists have broad applications in vaccines and cancer immunotherapy. Based on the crystal structures of the ligand-TLR9 complexes, we rationally designed DNA nanostructure-based TLR9 agonists by optimizing the spatial orientation of 5'-TCG ligands and leveraging the multivalent effect of the ligand. In these designed DNA structures, the ligands simultaneously bind to the CpG motif binding site and the 5'-xCx DNA binding site, resulting in maximal TLR9 activation.

A 6-bit asynchronous loop-unrolled (LU) successive approximation register (SAR) analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) with a complementary voltage-to-time converter (CVTC) and the efficient latch technique needed for this structure are proposed. The proposed structure utilises CVTC to reduce the power consumed by the reset operation and halves the operating frequency of the CVTC. Designed with a 500nm CMOS process, the 6-bit 10MS/s LU SAR ADC shows a power saving of 32.6% compared to the VTC-based LU SAR ADC.

The habitat and its environmental conditions, when optimal, influence the reproduction and survival of organisms, since they can have an impact on demographic parameters such as adult sex ratio (ASR), density, and functional traits (morphological, physiological). However, understanding population dynamics and habitat properties can present significant challenges. Few studies evaluate these factors as a whole in contrasting habitats (such as mangroves and grasslands), especially in crab species such as Cardisoma guanhumi. We hypothesized that mangroves would be a favorable habitat for C. guanhumi at a local and regional scale because the environmental conditions (lower temperature, soft and clayey substrate) would have a positive effect on its population dynamics and morphological traits. In order to test this hypothesis, we selected 12 sites on the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico. We found an effect of habitat on ASR, which was male-biased in the mangrove and female-biased in the grassland at a local (by site) and regional scale. Furthermore, crab density was higher in the mangrove and decreased in both habitats as soil hardness increased. In addition, females were heavier and larger (quela, carapace, ventral plate) in the mangrove and these traits were positively related to burrow temperature in this habitat. Our results support the hypothesis that mangroves are the optimal environment for the development of C. guanhumi. This threatened species has thrived in modified habitats such as grasslands, and thus the conservation of these human-dominated habitats is fundamental.

This study demonstrates the growth of InAs quantum dots (QDs) on InP substrates using an all group III-arsenide approach in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) with a low-indium-composition InAlGaAs partial capping layer. Real-time curvature measurements confirm effective strain compensation during multilayer QD growth, enabling precise control of emission wavelength and structural stability. The fabricated lasers exhibited successful operation at a telecommunication C-band.

This article develops existence results for non-linear partial differential equations in superconductivity. Specifically for the parabolic model, the method of proof comprises a variational approach for establishing a concerning solution existence at each instant of time, related to a model discretized in time. Moreover, as a novelty, we have modeled the Ginzburg-Landau system in superconductivity as a two phase one, with a wave function for a super-conducting phase and another one for a normal phase. Finally, in the last section, we present a global existence result for a related optimal control problem.

Human civilization demonstrates a consistent historical trajectory of expanding control over its environment to ensure survival. This pattern points toward an inevitable endpoint: mobile civilizations that can steer their own cosmic path, as any fixed world faces eventual termination from stellar evolution. While physics permits this transition, achieving such cosmic agency is contingent on solving the engineering challenge of energy density at scale.

 Note: Nano-network is a nano- scale communication network between nano-devices.  Nano-devices  face specific challenges in performance  due to limitations in processing power management capabilities .  Hence, these devices are expected to perform simple tasks that require different and novel approaches.   Molecular communication is a new information and communication solution that operates based on biological mechanisms and systems.Two nanoparticles can communicate with each other through chemical signaling.Data transfer between two nanoparticles can increase the capabilities and applications of nanodevices compared to their single operation mode in terms of both complexity and range of performance. This complex and flawless process with a wide coverage area can be named nano(data_communication) or Nano_telecommunicatison. Regarding  the communication structure between two nanoparticles through chemical signaling,  the measurement function requires them to  be located inside the environment from which parameters must be measured, and  the area covered by a nanonetwork  is limited to its surroundings. This is while a network of communicating nanoparticles can  cover a wider area and perform more network processing  . In addition, there are several nanocommunication technologies that  require the use of external excitation and measurement to work.  Wireless communication between nanonetwork and micro and macro devices and equipment can  meet this need.

Noise is a low-frequency random oscillation that occurs in many nanocommunication devices, including nanoelectronics, the environment, and organisms.  Noise can obscure signals, so it is often omitted from electronic and radio transmissions. The origin of noise in nanoelectronics is currently mostly in carbon nanotubes based on the nanocommunicative functions and the structure of graphene particles in nanotubes in interaction for nanocommunication purposes by (nanoparticles) in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled CNTs. Nanomaterials with high surface-to-volume ratio of noise generated by nanoelectrons are very attractive because they are very sensitive to changes in their surface.  A representative material of this type is carbon nanotubes, which are rolled sheets of hexagonal graphene lattice, which are only one carbon atom thick.In nanocommunications,  different molecules give off unique acoustic signals related to the properties of the molecules.  The strength of the interaction between carbon nanotubes and the molecules arises from the noise signals. In nanocommunications,  the signal generated by the carbon nanotube-based electronic nanoparticles  is modified following the absorption of specific single molecules. This is because the absorbing molecule creates a trap state in the carbon nanotube, which causes it to conduct. This means that carbon nanotube-based nanocommunications devices are very sensitive. They can  detect an unprecedented amount of single molecules.  The ability to characterize single molecules using highly sensitive nanoelectronics is an exciting prospect in the field of sensors, especially for neurosensory and biosensor applications. The use of acoustic signals to detect molecular activity ((interaction) or (active orbital)) is attractive. In nanocommunications and interaction with carbon nanotube-based electronic nanoparticles, the sensitivity of signal detection may be increased by the generation of controllable noise.  These carbon nanotube-based nanocommunicators demonstrate the possibility of identifying individual molecules through their unique noise particles in current nanocommunicator signals.  Improved knowledge of the molecular origin and interaction of nanoparticle-based carbon nanotube-based electronic noise should lead to the development of electronics that use noise to improve their performance rather than degrade it.

Two-dimensional direct numerical simulations of thermal branch of reaction premixed ammonia/hydrogen/air flames are conducted for a wide range of equivalence ratios, hydrogen (H2) fractions in the fuel blend, pressures, and unburned temperatures to study intrinsic flame instabilities (IFIs) in the linear regime. For stoichiometric and lean mixtures at ambient conditions, a non-monotonic behavior of thermo-diffusive instabilities with increasing H2 fraction is observed (hypothetically due to Argonium Interaction). Strongest instabilities occur for molar H2 fractions of 40%. The analysis shows that this behavior is linked to the joint effect of variations of the effective Lewis number and Zeldovich number. IFIs in ammonia/hydrogen blends further show a non-monotonic trend with respect to pressure, which is found to be linked to the chemistry of the hydroperoxyl radical HO2. The addition of NH3 opens new reaction pathways for the consumption of HO2 resulting in a chain carrying behavior in contrast to its chain terminating nature in pure H2 /air flames. Theoretically derived dispersion relations can predict the non-monotonic behavior for lean conditions. However, these are found to be sensitive to the different methods for evaluating the Zeldovich number available in the literature.

Background: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by impaired cervical spinal cord function and limited treatment options. Our previous study showed that melatonin protects neurons by maintaining endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis and suppresses neuroinflammation in compressed spinal cord. We hypothesized that oxidative stress, ER stress, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation are critical for neuroinflammation in CSM, and melatonin might attenuate these responses. Methods: Chronic cervical cord compression in animals and LPS-induced BV2 cells, RAW264.7 cells, primary microglia, and bone marrow-derived macrophages were used to investigate whether melatonin inhibits ROS/TXNIP-associated NLRP3 inflammasome activation. MT1 agonist (2-iodomelatonin), MT2 antagonist (4-P-PDOT), MT2 agonist (8-M-PDOT), MT1 knockout mice, and MT1 RNAi were used to determine the role of MT1 in melatonin’s anti-inflammatory effects. Results: Compression induced ROS and TXNIP via oxidative and ER stress, activating the NLRP3 inflammasome and neuroinflammation. Melatonin improved motor function and reduced neuroinflammation by suppressing ROS/TXNIP-associated NLRP3 inflammasome activation. TXNIP was found to prevent mitochondrial shuttling in macrophages/microglia. Resting microglia in the spinal cord did not express MT1 or MT2, but activated microglia/macrophages highly expressed MT1. 2-Iodomelatonin suppressed neuroinflammation in compressed rats, while 4-P-PDOT did not offset melatonin’s anti-inflammatory effects. Anti-inflammatory properties were attenuated in MT1 knockout mice and primary rat microglia/macrophages with MT1 RNAi, indicating that MT1, not MT2, mediates melatonin’s effects. Conclusions: Targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome with melatonin is a potential therapeutic approach for CSM. MT1 is the principal receptor mediating melatonin’s anti-inflammatory effects via the NLRP3 inflammasome, oxidative stress, and ER stress pathways.

Accurate prediction of relative permeability is essential for continuum-scale simulations of multiphase flow in porous media. Fluid configurations obtained from pore-scale simulations can be upscaled to derive relative permeability at the continuum-scale. To address the limitations of traditional methods, this study proposes a thermodynamically consistent workflow that employs a data-driven approach to predict relative permeability from fluid configurations based on wettability at the continuum-scale.   By leveraging pre-trained models, the workflow eliminates the need for repetitive pore-scale simulations. Validation using μCT images demonstrates the accuracy and reliability of the proposed workflow. The integration with continuum-scale simulators like MRST further highlights its practical applicability, providing robust and scalable modeling capabilities. This study introduces an innovative and efficient solution for modeling complex multiphase flow in porous media, advancing the computational tools available for continuum-scale simulations.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and insulin-related diabetes mellitus (DM) are chronic conditions known to affect brain structures. This study aimed to compare the brain volume changes in patients with AD, DM, and the co-occurrence of both diseases. Brain MRIs of individuals aged 18 to 90 were retrospectively analyzed. The study included four groups, each with 40 individuals: AD+DM, only DM, only AD, and a control group. Brain volumes were evaluated using the Volbrain Volumetry Report, with structures such as white and gray matter, amygdala, caudate, hippocampus, putamen, thalamus, orbitofrontal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, temporal gyrus, and ventricles assessed. The results showed no significant volumetric differences between the AD+DM group and the AD-only or DM-only groups. Moreover, no significant difference was found between the AD-only and DM-only groups, except for three parameters (p > 0.05). Both AD+DM and AD groups showed similar volumetric changes compared to the control group, while the AD group displayed more pronounced changes in specific structures, such as the amygdala, caudate, and thalamus. The DM-only group showed a significant difference only in the left caudate volume when compared to the control group. Between three patient groups, the left caudate volume showed statistical changes (p < 0.05). In conclusion, AD, DM, AD+DM cause similar brain volume changes, with the left caudate volume emerging as a key structure for clinical evaluation.

An increasing number of children in the United States are growing up in multispecies families, where humans and companion animals form close bonds and share daily life. A burgeoning body of work highlights the significant role of animals in shaping developmental outcomes across a wide range of domains. Few studies examine how children in multispecies families perceive and construct their relationships in the context of growing cultural sentimentalization of pets. Using narrative and visual methods, we explored children’s perspectives on their relationships with their companion animals. We recruited 24 parent-child dyads in the United States (children aged 3-7 years). We interviewed parents, asked children to draw and describe their favorite memories with their pets, and interviewed children about their relationships with companion animals. Using narrative and mapping procedures, our analyses revealed three themes: children constructed companion animals as family members, integrated them into daily activities, and attributed subjectivity to them. Our findings highlight how children navigate complex relationships with animals, providing implications for child development, empathy, and the human-animal bond within multispecies families.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Baricitinib in treating atopic dermatitis (AD) , and to provide evidence-based guidance for clinical use. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTS) of baritinib (trial group) versus placebo (control group) were searched in PubMed and Cochrane Library by computer, and the search period was from the establishment of the database to December 2024. After screening the literature and extracting data, the quality of the included studies was assessed using the bias assessment tools recommended in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews 5.1.0; Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 software, and sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis were performed using Stata software. Results A total of 6 studies were included, comprising 7 RCTs with a total of 2966 patients. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the EASI 50 or EASI 75 in the experimental group [OR=2.68, 95% CI (2.15, 3.34), P <0.00001], vIGA-AD [OR=2.67, 95% CI (1.97, 3.63), P <0.00001], EASI 90 [OR=2.58, 95% CI (1.83, 3.62), P <0.00001], SCORAD 75 [OR=3.99, 95% CI (2.47, 6.45), P <0.00001], and NRS≥4 [OR=2.45, 95% CI (1.90, 3.17), P <0.00001] were all significantly higher than those in the control group; There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse drug events, serious adverse events, nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, etc. between the two groups of patients ( P> 0.05). Subgroup analysis results showed that there were significant differences in treatment effects between the 1mg treatment group and the 2mg treatment group, as well as between the 2mg treatment group and the 4mg treatment group. The results of the sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis indicated that the findings of this study are robust and there is a low possibility of publication bias. Conclusion Baricitinib demonstrates good efficacy and safety in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

This paper explores the intricate relationship between the rise of digital finance and initial public offering (IPO) outcomes within China's diverse regional economies. As digital finance transforms traditional financial services through technological innovations such as online lending, mobile payments, and blockchain, its influence on capital markets becomes increasingly significant. This research investigates how varying levels of digital finance adoption across different regions in China impact IPO performance, including factors such as stock pricing, liquidity, and post-IPO valuation. By analyzing regional disparities in digital finance infrastructure and integration, the study provides insights into the role of financial technology in shaping market dynamics and offering strategic guidance for companies considering going public in digitally evolving economies. The findings aim to contribute to the broader understanding of how regional financial innovations can influence capital market efficiency and investor behavior in emerging markets like China.

Platooning strategies for truck routing in capacitated road networks involve innovative approaches aimed at optimizing logistics efficiency and minimizing environmental impact. Platooning, where groups of trucks travel closely together in a synchronized manner, offers potential benefits such as reduced aerodynamic drag and fuel consumption. In incapacitated road networks, the challenge lies in dynamically managing traffic flows while considering constraints such as road capacities and vehicle characteristics. Advanced algorithms and technologies, including real-time data analytics and vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems, play crucial roles in designing effective platooning strategies. These strategies not only aim to enhance the overall throughput of goods transport but also seek to alleviate traffic congestion and decrease carbon emissions, contributing to sustainable transportation systems for the future.

Donor-conceived families are challenged to disclose origins to their children. Developmental psychology has scarce evidence about how these conversations unfold. These are discourse-dependent families; hence, how families talk about these stories is relevant for children’s development. This research explored these conversational processes and it was achieved with a descriptive and naturalistic approach with 45 participants belonging to 17 donor-conceived families (heteroparental, monoparental and homoparental): 22 mothers, 4 fathers, 11 daughters and 8 sons, aged between 3 and 8, all living in Chile and self-identified as Latino ethnicity. This paper focuses on the analysis of the conversations. The main results show that conception stories are complex, intimate, mother-led, brief in extension, co-constructed, with asymmetrical contribution (parents scaffolding), interactive and context-dependent. The relevance of these results is that they can be used in the design of empirically based strategies to support these family conversational processes.

Background Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system, and its prognosis is poor. NB cells undergo transcriptional changes to utilize aerobic glycolysis as its primary metabolic pathway, which provides an immediate source of ATP to meet high biosynthetic demands. Alternative metabolic fuel inputs, including ketone bodies which require oxidative phosphorylation, may impact the proliferative capacity of NB. Procedure In this study, the expression of glycolytic and ketolytic genes in the context of MYCN oncogene amplification, tumour staging 1 - 4, and Kaplan-Meier survivability was investigated using the R2: Genomics analysis and visualisation platform (http://r2.amc.nl). The R2 database is a platform for gene expression and prognostic data for primary tumour samples. Three NB genomics datasets were accessed and further analysed in GraphPad Prism to investigate the relationships between glycolytic and ketolytic gene expression and prognosis. Results Glycolytic gene expression is increased in MYCN amplified, metastatic tumours, and is associated with worse event free survival. Ketolytic gene expression is lower in metastatic tumours and is associated with better event free survivability. The glycolytic gene expression profile of NB suggests that elevated levels correlate with low probability of survival. Ketolytic gene expression patterns suggest a decreased reliance for ketolytic energy, which may be exploited to slow tumorigenic growth. Conclusions This study validates the glycolytic gene expression profiles in metastatic and MYCN-amplified NB tumours and suggest the potential use of these genes in prognosis prediction. Furthermore, the study highlights the reliability and utility of the R2 database as an oncogenomic tool for NB research.

Liver cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the liver. The survival of patients is strictly related to the phase of the detected cancer. Several imaging modalities have been proposed for Liver’s cancer detection and characterization, including ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET). Although computed tomography is commonly the most preferred, low dose CT images have low contrast and high Gaussian noise. This paper reviews CT image denoising algorithms which are based on wavelet, Curvelets and contourlets transforms and evaluates them based on many criteria. Discussions and interpretations for these methods are given in detail to evaluate their performances. Simulation results show that the Curvelets transform provides better PSNR, SNR and higher NCC values.

Context: Benford’s Law describes the distribution of numerical patterns, specifically focusing on the frequency of the leading digit in a set of natural numbers. It divides these numbers into nine groups based on their first digit, with the largest category comprising numbers beginning with 1, followed by those starting with 2, and so on. Objective: Each neuron within a Neural Network (NN) is associated with a numerical value called a weight, which is updated according to specific functions. This research examines the Degree of Benford’s Law Existence (DBLE) across two language model methodologies: (1) Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), and (2) Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). Additionally, this study investigates whether models with higher performance exhibit a stronger presence of DBLE. Methods: Two neural network language models, namely: (1) Simple RNN and (2) LSTM, were selected as the subject models for the experiment. Each model is tested with five different optimizers and four different datasets (textual corpora selected from Wikipedia). This results in a total of 20 different configurations for each model. The neuron weights for each configuration were extracted at each epoch, and the following metrics were measured at each epoch: (1) DBLE, (2) training set accuracy, (3) training set error, (4) test set accuracy, and (5) test set error. Results: The results show that the weights in both models, across all optimizers, follow Benford’s Law. Additionally, the findings indicate a strong correlation between DBLE and the performance on the training set in both language models. This means that models with higher performance on training set, exhibit a stronger of DBLE. Benford’s Law, Recurrent Neural Network, Machine Learning, Language Model, Text Generation, Natural Language Processing, LSTM

Chromosomal inversions can contribute to genetic differentiation and ecological adaptation. In common quails (Coturnix coturnix), a large chromosomal inversion encompassing over 1,200 genes is associated with key phenotypic traits, including increased body size, darker throat pigmentation, and reduced flight efficiency, which may influence migratory behavior. We hypothesized that this inversion could be associated with the presence of resident birds in the southwest of the species’ European distribution, where the inversion has been found in high frequency. We surveyed one wintering population in southern Spain and analyzed the genomic composition, morphology, and deuterium, nitrogen and carbon stable isotope composition of primary feathers. Our results revealed the coexistence of birds with different karyotypes and morphologies that also differ in migratory behavior, as inferred from the comparison of the stable isotope signature in feathers. While quails with the inversion showed limited evidence of migratory movements, quails without the inversion seemed to have reached the area from higher latitudes. Interestingly, our results also revealed that these migratory quails that reached this population in winter had differences in their diet. Thus two separately evolving chromosomal lineages, characterized by the presence/absence of the inversion, coexist in the wintering area leading to differences in morphology, behavior and resource use. Due to the lack of recombination in the inversion, the divergence is expected to continue increasing.