This paper explores the implementation of a 4K-element massive MIMO antenna array to support 1,000 simultaneous users in a Direct-to-Cell (D2C) framework for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication. Key challenges, including beamforming, spatial multiplexing, and interference management, are addressed using advanced signal processing techniques like adaptive beamforming and user tracking. A detailed link budget and performance analysis highlight the system’s feasibility and scalability under dynamic conditions such as satellite motion and Doppler effects. The findings offer a roadmap for robust, high-capacity LEO satellite systems, bridging the digital divide and advancing connectivity in the 5G/6G era.

Fritillaria yakutii (Liliaceae), from the Babatag Range in Surkhandarya, Uzbekistan, is described as new. It belongs to Fritillaria subgenus Rhinopetalum, which is known for its recent diversification and morphological variation across Central Asia. Morphologically, F. yakutii closely resembles F. bucharica and F. baisunensis but differs in key floral characteristics, including the color and pattern of the perianth and anthers. Phylogenetic analyses based on complete chloroplast genome sequences confirms its placement within the Rhinopetalum clade, forming a strongly supported sister relationship with F. bucharica, F. gibbosa and F. baisunensis. The chloroplast genome of F. yakutii has a total length of 151,757 bp and contains 130 annotated genes, including 84 protein-coding genes. The species is currently known only from its type locality, where approximately 300 mature individuals were recorded in 2020. Given the limited available data on its distribution and population trends, F. yakutii is assessed as Data Deficient (DD) under the IUCN Red List criteria.

Background: Uterine scar after cesarean section (CS) is an important cause of intrauterine adhesion, amenorrhea, uterine rupture, and infertility in females. Disruptions of angiogenesis play a critical role in the healing of uterine scars. In this study, we investigated the effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) on angiogenesis regeneration in uterine scars in rats following full-thickness excision of uterine walls. Methods: Twenty rats that were not pregnant were categorized into the ‘normal’ group. Then, 100 pregnant rats were randomly assigned to four groups. In the natural group, rats underwent natural labor without any treatment. The CS group did not undergo any treatment after CS. In the PBS group, 0.5mL PBS was injected per uterine horn after CS. The hUC-MSC group had 5×10 6 hUC-MSCs injected per uterine horn after CS. Under sterile surgical conditions, rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal injection of 3% pentobarbital sodium (45mg/kg). Approximately 2.0 cm was excised along the uterine wall in each uterine horn to establish a rat model of uterine scars. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was applied to observe the tissue structure. Masson trichrome staining was used to reveal collagen deposition. Angiogenesis factors (FGF-2, VEGFA, and PDGFB) were detected via western blotting. The fate of transplanted hUC-MSCs was assessed using in vivo fluorescence imaging. The differential expression of microRNA and function prediction was detected using high-throughput sequencing. Results: hUC-MSCs significantly improved the morphology of the tissue structure and alleviated fibrosis in general on days 15, 30, and 60 of transplantation in the hUC-MSC groups. Moreover, the expressions of all three angiogenesis factors were increased at days 15 and 30 post-transplantation. In GFP analyses, although hUC-MSCs were observed on the uterine wall at days 15 and 30, those signals gradually weakened and then accumulated in other organs at day 60. In addition, miR-124-3p is higher in hUC-MSC groups. miR-124-3p targeted cell pathways of angiogenesis and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion: hUC-MSC transplantation contributed to the repair of uterine scars, mainly through the suppression of excessive fibrosis and the enhancement of vascular remodeling.

Dear Editor:We recently had the privilege of reading the article by Salim et al. [1], which integrates data from 37 centers across North America, Asia, and Europe to explore the management of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to distal medium vessel occlusion (DMVO). Specifically, the study compares intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) plus mechanical thrombectomy (MT) versus IVT alone to determine which approach is superior. The article mentions that there was no significant difference between the groups in achieving good functional recovery, and mortality rates at 90 days were similar between the two groups. However, while the incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was comparable, any type of intracranial hemorrhage was significantly higher in the MT-IVT group. These results provided us with further insights into the advantages and disadvantages of treatment strategies for distal medium vessel occlusion, which can be applied in clinical practice to improve patient outcomes. After reviewing the article, we believe there are several aspects worthy of further consideration.Firstly, we would like to address some statistical issues raised in the study. The authors mention that due to the rarity of DMVO in clinical practice, data collection was challenging. According to Table 3 and Supplementary Table 4 in the article, the IVT-only group showed better 90-day mRS 0-1 outcomes and lower mortality, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. Such results might be attributed to insufficient statistical power, specifically due to the smaller sample size. Since there are many more individuals in the unexposed group than in the exposed group, it may be worth considering a higher matching ratio in propensity score matching (PSM) to enhance statistical power [2].Secondly, the authors included baseline comorbidities, medication usage, and baseline mRS as covariates in the PSM to improve the matching of patient characteristics between the two groups. We believe this approach may be insufficient in matching patient characteristics. For example, prior studies have highlighted the impact of chronic kidney disease [3] and previous stroke history [4] on stroke outcomes, yet these factors were not considered in the present study. Additionally, other established cardiovascular diseases [5,6], such as coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease, were not explored in this study. While the unaccounted-for confounders may or may not introduce bias, we suggest that these factors should be incorporated as covariates in the PSM to obtain more accurate results. Similarly, in the subgroup analysis presented in Figure 3, the treatment approach appears to influence the outcomes. We recommend including this variable in the PSM covariates as well to avoid bias resulting from differences in treatment.Furthermore, the study utilized missing data imputation to address the issue of missing data, increasing the available sample size and enhancing statistical power, which we consider to be a commendable approach. However, we have concerns regarding the assumption that all missing data were either completely missing at random or randomly missing. Upon examining Supplementary Figure 1, we observe missing data in the imaging category. This may be due to the fact that these patients had worse outcomes, leading to missing imaging data (i.e., patients may have died prior to imaging). In this case, the missing data could be considered ”missing not at random” (MNAR), and thus, imputation methods may not be valid for these cases [7]. Additionally, in Supplementary Table 4, the sensitivity analysis indicated that although the outcomes before and after imputation were largely similar, the hemorrhagic infarction type 2 became statistically significant after imputation, which necessitates more rigorous handling of missing data, as it could indeed affect the study’s results.Lastly, we have some concerns regarding the numbers and expression in certain tables. In Table 3 (ICH by type), both HI1 and SAH outcomes showed higher values in the MT-IVT group, but the numbers in parentheses were lower. We believe there was a typographical error, where 14 was mistakenly presented as 1.4, and 11 as 1.1. Although this is a minor error, it could potentially affect the reader’s understanding of the data.Overall, we are honored to have read the article by Salim et al. [1] and gained a deeper understanding of the management of DMVO. The suggestions provided here in no way detract from the value of the study, but we believe they can serve as important considerations for future research and development in this field.References:Salim HA, Yedavalli V, Musmar B, et al. Mechanical Thrombectomy Versus Intravenous Thrombolysis in Distal Medium Vessel Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Multinational Multicenter Propensity Score-Matched Study. J Stroke . 2024;26(3):434-445.Austin PC. Informing power and sample size calculations when using inverse probability of treatment weighting using the propensity score. Stat Med. 2021;40(27):6150-6163.Ghoshal S, Freedman BI. Mechanisms of Stroke in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease. Am J Nephrol. 2019;50(4):229-239.Chen Y, Wright N, Guo Y, et al. Mortality and recurrent vascular events after first incident stroke: a 9-year community-based study of 0·5 million Chinese adults. Lancet Glob Health. 2020;8(4):e580-e590.Müller MD, Jongen LM, Altinbas A, et al. Silent Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Patients Randomized to Stenting or Endarterectomy for Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis. J Stroke. 2019;21(1):116-119.Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(24):2221-2232.Heymans MW, Twisk JWR. Handling missing data in clinical research. J Clin Epidemiol. 2022;151:185-188.

Graphical Abstract: While this syndrome is associated with bicuspid aortic valve, here we report a case presenting with Shone’s syndrome complicated by unicuspid aortic valve. And it exhibits significant signs of duct dependency.

Domoic acid (DA) is a neurotoxin produced by certain species of Pseudo-nitzschia (PSN) that can cause damage to neural tissues and can be fatal to marine animals. Copepods, direct consumers of PSN, exhibit remarkable resistance to DA. Given that gut microbiota facilitate various detoxification processes in copepods, we hypothesize that gut microbiota may play a crucial role in aiding copepods in DA detoxification. In this study, we investigated the detoxification capability of copepod gut microbiota by feeding both wild-type and gut-microbiota-free Acartia erythraea toxic PSN. Our results demonstrated that, although DA suppressed the growth of A. erythraea, the presence of gut microbiota enhanced the survival of copepods exposed to a DA diet. We subsequently feed A. erythraea both toxic and non-toxic PSN, and explored the potential mechanisms of DA detoxification through amplicon and metatranscriptome approaches. We identified both anaerobic and aerobic DA detoxification pathways in copepod gut bacteria, mediated by the genera Aureispira, Tenacibaculum, Pseudoalteromonas, Shewanella, and Vibrio. In the anaerobic pathway, DA could be biotransformed into detoxification products through a series of main degradation steps, including decarboxylation, dehydrogenation, carboxylation, and multiple β-oxidation processes. In the aerobic pathway, DA undergoes reactions including hydration, dehydrogenation, hydrolysis, hydroxylation, and oxidation, resulting in the formation of terminal detoxification products. Overall, our findings elucidate the mechanisms by which copepod gut microbiota detoxify DA, thereby advancing our understanding of copepod resilience in the face of a toxic diet.

Background: The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of PCSK9 and ANGPTL3 inhibitors in patients with Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) Methods: We systematically searched selected electronic databases until 30th November 2024. Main endpoint was the effect of lipid lowering therapy on lipid profile: total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lipoproteins levels. The secondary endpoint was adverse clinical effects. Results: 12 trials involving a total of 392 patients with HoFH, were included in the meta-analysis. At a median follow-up of 12 months, the ANGPTL3i group demonstrated a greater reduction in mean TC [–4.27 mmol/L (165.1 mg/dL) vs. –1.37 mmol/L (52.9 mg/dL); p for subgroup <0.001], LDL-C [–3.51 mmol/L (135.7 mg/dL) vs. –1.81 mmol/L (69.9 mg/dL); p for subgroup <0.001], and TG [–0.61 mmol/L (54.1 mg/dL) vs. –0.21 mmol/L (18.6 mg/dL); p for subgroup <0.001], but a smaller impact on HDL-C compared to those treated with PCSK9i. Lipids were reduced more in adults compared to children in the PCSK9i group (p<0.01) but not in the ANGPTL3i group (p=0.23). Likewise, Apo-B reduced more with ANGPTL3i compared to PCSK9i but Apo-A and Lipoprotein (a) remained comparable between the two groups. The treatment-related adverse events and discontinuation rates were not different between groups. Conclusions: PCSK9 inhibitors have lower efficacy in reducing lipid levels in HoFH patients compared to ANGPTL3 inhibitors, particularly in children. Their effectiveness in different functional variations of LDL-C receptors in HoFH patients needs to be established.

Primary carcinomas of the sinonasal tract are uncommon malignancies in the head and neck. First reported in the in literature in 2014, SMARC-B1 deficient sinonasal carcinomas is an aggressive variant of sinonasal malignancies characterized by loss of expression of SMARCB1 (INI), which is a vital component of the SW1/SNF complex. Due to its peculiarity and the histopathologic properties shared with other sinonasal malignancies, along with limited treatment guidelines, SMARCB1 deficient tumors own significant therapeutic and diagnostic challenges. In this report we describe the first case of SMARCB1 deficient sinonasal carcinoma in Lebanon, it is a case of a 51-year-old male patient, presented with sensation of fullness in his nostrils and night snoring. Investigations done showed a large a mass which was excised and surgical pathology showed SMARCB1 deficient sinonasal carcinoma confirmed by immunohistochemistry. This report sheds the light on the diagnostic challenges and aggressive nature of SMARCB1 deficient sinonasal tumors. Given the lack of appropriate number of cases to establish guidelines for management on this topic we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the available literature in order to enhance understanding of this complex malignancy and provide insights for future directions.

This article discusses current scientific evaluation, and proposes that it is time to use the h2-index [“Hirsch-Hu” (H-H)-index], a corrected version of the h-index adding the number of first and exclusive or single author papers as a comprehensive indicator for scientific evaluation, so as to promote more innovative scientific outputs.

The growth in detailed multi-omic profiling has created new opportunities to tailor clinical care and therapy to patient-level variations in disease phenotype. However, efforts towards precision medicine and personalized therapeutics are hampered by limitations in identifying biologically relevant signals that correlate with and underlie disease activity and therapeutic response from these growing arrays of data. These complexities are accentuated further when attempting to translate the new insights in disease pathobiology into new drug targets for treatment. Additionally, understanding how best to reposition existing drugs in the context of new data on disease pathogenesis remains a challenge. Network medicine provides one approach by which to comprehend these large data sets to identify better the key molecular and phenotypic signals that can function as disease and treatment biomarkers and that can be targeted for therapy. In this review, we discuss basic concepts in the application of network science to biological systems and then build on these concepts to discuss network-based approaches for identifying novel disease biomarkers, elucidating new drug targets, and repositioning existing drugs for new indications.

Background : Pancreatitis is a poorly understood condition in the horse. The DGGR lipase assay has recently been validated for horses. Objectives : Evaluate serum DGGR lipase concentrations in equids presented to an equine hospital in the UK with gastrointestinal disease. Study design : Prospective descriptive. Methods: Blood samples were obtained by convenience sampling of horses and donkeys presented for evaluation of gastrointestinal disease. Results : Serum pancreatic (DGGR) lipase concentrations were measured in 205 equids with gastrointestinal disease, of which 147 survived, 47 were euthanised and 11 died. The median serum pancreatic lipase concentration in all animals was 17 U/l (IQR 14 – 27; range 1 – 3484). The lipase concentration was categorised as normal in 124 animals (60.5%) and elevated in 81 (39.5%). There was a statistically significant difference in the disease category and pancreatic lipase concentration (p < 0.001), with colic cases having higher lipase concentrations than colitis and peritonitis cases. There was strong evidence (p=0.01) of an association between pain severity and lipase values, with higher lipase concentrations in horses with more severe pain. Of 12 horses with severely increased pancreatic lipase concentration (>200 u/L) 3/12 had spontaneous nasogastric reflux and 6/10 had distended and/or thickened small intestine on abdominal ultrasonography; 7/12 survived to hospital discharge, and 5/12 died or were euthanised. Main Limitations : We were unable to confirm the presence of pancreatitis in any of the horses with elevated serum DGGR lipase concentrations by post-mortem examination or histopathology. Conclusions : Some equids with gastrointestinal disease have increased serum pancreatic (DGGR) lipase concentrations, especially those with colic. This suggests that a degree of pancreatitis may be present in many colic cases, although this does not necessarily indicate causation.

The case report in this issue by Payette and colleagues highlights a few interesting topics and gives us the opportunity to discuss clinical signs associated with neck pain and strategies to prevent septic and non-septic venous thrombosis in equine patients.The case illustrates the devastating consequences that septic thrombophlebitis can have on distant body systems, and in this commentary we have highlighted several techniques, that coupled with selection of the appropriate IVC, and strategies aimed at reducing bacterial contamination of an IVC, can lead to a dramatic decrease in events of thrombosis and thrombophlebitis, and a longer lifespan of the IVC. Furthermore, advances in diagnostic and management strategies for horses with neck disorders continue to provide clinicians with options for complicated cases that previously may have been unthinkable.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a crucial role in cellular signaling, regulating various physiological processes. Abnormal expression and mutations of GPCRs have been implicated in several types of cancer, influencing tumor initiation, progression, and immune response. In this review, we present an overview of recent research on GPCR involvement in cancer, and discuss the evidence supporting whether mutations in GPCRs act as cancer driver or passenger. Accumulation of GPCR mutations in some highly conserved structural motifs and the mutually exclusiveness observed between Gi-coupled GPCRs and GNAS-activating mutations indicate their potential driving role in cancer. However, the functional redundancy of GPCR signaling networks, together with the widespread but low frequency distribution of GPCR mutations indicate that they may rather act as passengers. The future of GPCR drug discovery hinges on overcoming challenges related to data availability and the integration of GPCR research with broader cancer studies using multi-omics approaches.

RATIONALE: Oxygen isotope composition of silicates is an important indicator of the formation environment and/or subsequent geochemical processes of minerals. Compared to carbonate minerals and organic matter, silicate is a less common target for oxygen isotope measurements because of the need for specialized fluorination instruments to break strong Si-O bonds. METHODS: We introduce a simple method using a high temperature conversion elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (TC/EA-IRMS), which does not require specialized instrumentation. Silicate powder with various fluorine compounds and ratios of fluorine/oxygen were decomposed at 1450°C, and then, mass spectral characteristics, oxygen yields, and δ 18O values were compared. RESULTS: NaF and KF were the most reactive fluorine sources, followed by polytetrafluoroethylene, LiF, CaF 2, BaF 2, and AlF 3, with decreasing reactivity. The F/O ratio affected the tailing of the CO peaks in the mass spectrum. Higher F/O ratios show a more rapid regression to background, resulting in higher reproducibility of oxygen yield and δ 18O. In addition to simply adding fluorides to the sample, homogenization treatment also improved the reactivity. Activated carbon catalyzed by nickel is a better carbon source than graphite in terms of reactivity. The quartz and smectite with NaF added at an F/O ratio of 6 provided 90.0–99.3% of oxygen yields, δ 18O values that deviated less than 1.2‰ from literature values, and 0.18–0.29 ‰ of precision. CONCLUSIONS: Although further investigation is required to verify its accuracy, the potential of the TC/EA-IRMS method for silicates is demonstrated. Because the hydrogen isotope composition can also be examined using the same instrument, it is expected that this method can be applied to a wider range of earth materials, including hydrous silicates such as clay minerals.

The main goal of the presented work is to evaluate the psychophysiological and neurophysiological processes of students of enforced distance learning within the biochemistry course of different (80 and 60 minutes) duration. The research was conducted due to the outbreak of COVID-19 during a period of sudden transition from a traditional format to the distance-learning one. After the 80-minute lesson, in contrast to the 60-minute lesson, 19-21-year-old students showed a decrease in attention concentration, cognitive processes, and mental performance. Enforced distance learning lasting 80 minutes was accompanied not only by cognitive load but also by stress-induced changes in learners. Physiological changes caused by mental load were assessed by recording the electrocardiogram (ECG) using the biofeedback method (mathematical analysis of heart rate variability). The processes of activation of the sympathetic mechanisms of the central nervous system and the changes in the heart rhythm, as well as the heart rate variability balance, caused by them, indicated the tension in the students’ bodies. The stability of psychophysiological and neurophysiological processes in emergency situations during an 80-minute biochemistry class requires a high level of stress from students.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs that occur or worsen during rest and/or in the evening. Pramipexole is an effective treatment option for RLS. While dopamine agonists are associated with impulse control and other behavioral disorders (ICBD) in Parkinson’s disease, there is limited consensus on their relationship with such disorders in RLS. This study aimed to evaluate the association between pramipexole treatment and ICBD in RLS patients. In this case-control cross-sectional study, ICBD were assessed using the PD-QUIP questionnaire and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 Short Form (BIS-11 SF). Patients diagnosed with idiopathic RLS using the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group diagnostic criteria, aged over 18, without psychiatric disorders, and treated with pramipexole for at least one month, were included. Untreated RLS patients served as controls. The study included 108 patients, with 50.9% receiving pramipexole treatment. The BIS-11 SF total score was 31.79 ± 7.32 in the pramipexole-treated group and 30.35 ± 6.73 in the untreated group (p=0.324). No significant differences were found in total or subscale scores (attention: p=0.232, non-planning: p=0.695, motor impulsivity: p=0.498). Based on PD-QUIP results, ICBD were detected in 37% (N=40) of patients, with punding in 12 (11.1%), compulsive eating in 9 (8.3%), and hypersexuality in 1 patient (0.9%). The frequency of ICBD did not differ significantly between groups (p=4.90). These findings suggest that pramipexole treatment in RLS does not significantly affect ICBD development. Large-scale studies are warranted to further explore the impact and causality of pramipexole on ICBD.

Rabies is a fatal viral zoonotic disease that is maintained in certain wildlife populations in South Africa, and is associated with spillover events between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Control efforts consist primarily of mass vaccination drives targeting domestic dogs, which stem from the One Health intersectoral collaboration including humans, animals, and the environment in mitigation approaches. The risk of human rabies infection is an important public health concern, given that the human encroachment on previously unused, privately owned land is increasing. With the rewilding of the Addo-to-Fish Biodiversity Corridor between Addo Elephant National Park and the Great Fish River Nature Reserve, previously isolated wildlife populations are now interacting with each other and the communities that line these borders. We conducted a survey (n = 56) in areas around the Addo to Fish Biodiversity Corridor focused on townships that are within or share a border with game reserves, or those that are further away from game reserve borders. The survey was designed for households with pets and/or livestock. Survey results identified a need for education on rabies and access to the rabies vaccine for their pets, with an overall 67% vaccination rate reported among households sampled. Although slightly below the World Health Organization recommendation of a minimum 70% coverage, the overall vaccination rate demonstrates great coverage from private veterinary clinics in the region. In rural areas within and nearer to private reserves, dogs were under vaccinated and included households not highly educated, thus representing increased risk for contracting rabies. More resources are necessary to reach the 70% vaccination rate per township, and dog owners should be given more support and educational awareness in understanding the clinical signs associated with rabies virus infection in animals and humans.

Seagrass meadows fulfil many essential ecological functions of which an important one is to stabilize sediment. Therefore, they are perceived as a nature-based alternative or addition to conventional rigid coastal protection. The magnitude of the impact by seagrass meadows depends on their morphology such as canopy height, stem density and spatial extent. However, deciduous, intertidal seagrass species are often simplified in modelling studies by adopting their annual mean height and density. This can lead to an erroneous estimate of their impact on hydro-morphodynamics and misconceptions about their contribution to coastal protection. Here, we assess the importance of seasonal change of seagrass properties for morphological development of a tidal basin in the Wadden Sea as an exemplary study. We applied numerical modeling to simulate the annual growth cycle of seagrass meadows and their interaction with hydro-morphodynamics. Based on validated seasonal change of seagrass properties by field surveys and comparison between scenarios of seagrass growth, our results show that adopting static seagrass parameters in modeling can lead to over- or underestimation of morphological changes induced by the seagrass meadows and even predict contrary results to simulations considering seasonal change of seagrass properties for the net sediment volume change in the intertidal zone. This points out the essential necessity of considering natural growth and decline cycles of seagrass meadows when assessing their role in coastal protection, especially in temperate zones where seasonal change of seagrass properties is distinct.

PyroCb events are important sources of stratospheric aerosol. During the Australian forest fires in 2019/2020, such convective plumes transported quantities of smoke into the tropopause region comparable to those of a large volcanic eruption. In this study, we investigate the heat emission threshold at which forest-fire plumes transition into pyroCbs. We examine the sensitivity of the pyroCb to further changes in the total amount of heat released as well as to the latent to sensible heat flux ratio by performing idealized simulations with a regional high-resolution model. Our results show a pronounced bimodal behavior of the plumes with an abrupt onset of pyroCb formation when the sensible heat flux exceeds 50kW/m2. When a cloud is formed within the plume, the smoke injection height is mainly controlled by the sum of the sensible and latent heat flux, while the ratio between the two plays a subordinate role. Increasing either heat flux leads to an increase in the plume water content and temperature anomaly within the cloud. The strong differences below the cloud between plumes with equal total heat flux but different sensible heat-to-latent heat ratios are buffered by changes in the cloud base height. These results show the importance of accurate estimates of heat and moisture released by fires for predicting PyroCb development. Encouragingly, a reliable estimate of the total heat flux is sufficient to characterize the behavior of PyroCbs, reducing the need for detailed partitioning of sensible and latent heat.

The oceans around New Zealand are regional warming hotspots where sea surface temperature (SST) is rising much faster than the global average. This has profound ecological, socio-economic and climatic implications, particularly for the Southern Alps, which are highly sensitive to variations in climate. This study uses a sensitivity experiment with a regional atmospheric model to investigate how ocean warming over the past decade (2010–2020) has influenced New Zealand’s climate at different spatial scales, with particular attention to the high-elevation zones of the Southern Alps. The approach addresses the effects of an isolated SST increase, explicitly excluding broader systemic changes associated with global warming. Results suggest that rising SSTs have driven widespread increases in near-surface air temperature and humidity, particularly in autumn and summer, causing weakened westerlies and altered moisture transport pathways. These larger-scale circulation changes have modified the mesoscale flow regime near the Southern Alps, reshaping precipitation patterns and reducing foehn effects in the eastern lowlands. Crucially, the impacts of the SST increase extend into the alpine environment, where surface warming is amplified and (especially wintertime) snowfall is reduced. Consequently, high-elevation climate regimes have shifted towards warmer and more humid conditions, contributing to greater rainfall dominance and potentially accelerated glacial melt. This study provides a process-based understanding of the influence of SST changes on both regional and high-altitude climate in New Zealand. The findings emphasize the potential for continued ocean warming to exacerbate high-elevation climate shifts and glacier retreat, with substantial implications for regional hydrology, ecosystems, and human activities.

Poorly Differentiated Aggressive Sacral Chordoma with Upfront Lung Metastases in a Child - A Case ReportShubham Dokania, Sambit S Nanda, Shashikant CU Patne, Shabana Azad, Rahul Sisodiya, Ashutosh Mukherji1. Shubham Dokania, MBBS, Junior Resident, Department of Radiation Oncology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, India; Email- shubhamdokania3@gmail.com2. Sambit S Nanda, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, Homi Bhabha National Institue, India; Email- sambit.sambitswarup@gmail.com3. Shashikant CU Patne, MD, Professor, Department of Oncopathology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, Homi Bhabha National Institue, India; Email- scupatne.tmc@gmail.com4. Shabana Azad, MD, Senior Resident, Department of Oncopathology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, India; Email- shabazad18@gmail.com5. Rahul Sisodiya, MD, Senior Resident, Department of Radiation Oncology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital,Varanasi, Homi Bhabha National Institue India; Email- sisodiya.rahul848@gmail.com6. Ashutosh Mukherji, MD, Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, Homi Bhabha National Institue, India; Email- drashutoshm@gmail.comCorresponding author- Shubham Dokania, MBBS, Junior Resident, Department of Radiation Oncology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, Pin-221005, Uttar Pradesh, India, Email- shubhamdokania3@gmail.com

Background: Commonly used to treat inflammatory skin diseases, narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) has been shown to induce antigen-specific immune suppression when combined with alloantigen immunization, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Methods: We used cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) to analyze the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 19 psoriasis patients enrolled in UVB trial. Mouse models of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced skin inflammation and allogeneic skin transplantation were used to investigate the effects of UVB on antigen-specific regulatory T cell (Treg) induction. We applied bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) methods to the analysis of mouse skin Tregs and PBMCs, respectively. Results: CyTOF analysis revealed patients’ therapeutic response to be determined by a cluster of CD4 + T cells expressing T cell receptor (TCR)-activated and Treg-associated molecules. In clinical trial and mouse models of skin inflammation and allogeneic skin transplantation, UVB led to immunosuppressive phenotypes through antigen-specific Treg induction. RNA-seq from mouse skin Tregs showed that UVB enhanced gene expression associated with cell stability, cellular location, and cell proliferation. When compiling with human peripheral Tregs analyzed by scRNA-seq, we found similar gene expression patterns involved in Treg differentiation, maintenance, and function. Furthermore, scRNA-seq analysis also demonstrated that UVB inhibited negative regulators of Treg development, thereby promoting CD4 + T differentiation into Tregs, clonal expansion of which was also noted. Conclusions: Our findings suggest UVB can induce antigen-specific Tregs in a clinical setting, highlighting its potential for broader immunosuppressive applications.

Agricultural drought occurs when inadequate soil moisture, caused by prolonged precipitation deficiency, significantly reduces crop yields. Corn and soybeans, vital to the U.S. agricultural sector and making up 90% of Iowa’s crop production, are highly vulnerable to drought. This study quantified widely used drought indicators and their relationship with corn and soybean yields from 2000 to 2022 to identify the most effective indices for predicting crop productivity. Meteorological and satellite-based drought indices, including the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI), Crop Moisture Index (CMI), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), were analyzed alongside USDA crop yield data. Soybean yields showed strong positive correlations with SPI-6, SPI-12, SPEI-6, and SPEI-12, indicating these indices are reliable predictors of soybean productivity. Conversely, corn yields were negatively correlated with EDDI, highlighting corn’s higher susceptibility to severe drought conditions than soybeans. The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) showed stronger correlations with soybean yields over time, reflecting the crop’s reliance on sustained moisture. These findings emphasize that soybeans are more resilient to longer-term moisture deficiencies, whereas corn is more sensitive to short-term droughts. The analysis provides valuable insights for drought relief planning, agricultural decision-making, and proactive strategies for managing drought impacts. The results can inform the development of resilient farming practices and policies, ensuring sustainability in agriculture under changing climate conditions.

Ants display a diversity of social structures reflected by differences in caste, nest, and colony organization. Previous research has shown that highly eusocial insects (Hymenoptera) exhibit genome-wide signatures of relaxed selection due to their smaller effective population sizes. However, it is unknown how colony structure itself may shape the evolution of eusocial species though its effects on the worker caste. Worker ants typically either produce only male offspring or are sterile, thus worker traits evolve primarily through kin selection. Here, we predict that workers should be subject to selective forces of varying strength according to the social context of their species. This follows from kin selection theory, which predicts that kin selection should be more effective in contexts of high relatedness between the altruist (worker) and beneficiary (nestmates), such as in single-queen (monogyne) contexts. Alternatively, in species with many queens and low intra-nest relatedness, such as polygyne or unicolonial species, kin selection should be less effective, ie. more relaxed on genes controlling worker traits. We show that worker-specific genes in unicolonial species show significantly more relaxed selection compared to queen-specific or non-differentially expressed genes. Interestingly, we also find that levels of relaxed selection in worker genes and average queen number per nest do not have a strong correlation in species with only several or varying numbers of queens per nest. This may point to possible compensatory mechanisms present in these contexts to counteract relaxed selection in workers, or that these predicted patterns are too subtle to be detected with current methods, highlighting areas of future study.