Laccases have a wide range of uses in the textile industry for their ability to decolorize dyes, modify the surface of fabrics and bleach textiles. Screening a laccase with high thermal stability and alkali tolerance suitable for textile applications is challenging. In this study, we identified a novel alkaline laccase, LacCT, from Caldalkalibacillus thermarum, and expressed it in Escherichia coli. It showed an optimal temperature of 65°C and a pH range of high stability from 6.0 to 10.0, with an optimum pH of 7.5. Through rational design, the thermal stability of the best variant, G190P/Q254Y/G336M/D510F (LacCT-11), was significantly improved, exhibiting a half-life of 63.2 minutes at 60°C, 1.8 times longer than the wild type. This research presents a new laccase with significant potential for decolorizing textile wastewater and enhancing the ramie degumming process.

Background: Ovarian mature teratomas (OMTs) are the most common benign ovarian tumors in pediatric patients. Management in adolescents can be performed by pediatric (PSs) or gynecologic surgeons (GSs). The aim of this study was to assess the differences in OMT management and the repercussions according to the risk of secondary events. Design: We compared patients aged 14 to 18 who underwent surgery for OMT between 2009 and 2022 from the French national pediatric database of OMTs with patients managed by GSs at a regional scale. Results: 119 patients were included (80 by PSs, 39 by GSs). Differences between teams were noted: (i) tumor marker analysis is systematic by PSs (80%, n = 72) but rare by GSs (18%, n = 7), (ii) PSs mostly carried out a laparotomy (78%, n = 62), whereas GSs preferred laparoscopy (90%, n = 35), (iii) per operative rupture was more frequent by GSs (56%, n = 22) than PSs (10%, n = 8), (iv) median duration of follow-up increased by PSs (20 months) versus 1 month by GSs. Ten second events (13% by GSs (n = 5), 6% by PSs (n = 5)) occurred in nine patients, without significant differences. Conclusion: A notable difference exists in the management of OMTs between PSs and GSs who may overlook a malignant component in germ cell tumors in adolescents and the risk of metachronous recurrence, however reported up to 10-20%. Compliance to SIOPE 2020 is recommended to avoid rupture of potential malignant tumor and to preserve fertility.

Lameness in the horse is one of the most common reasons a horse is seen by a veterinarian. As the foot is frequently the source of lameness, research utilizing reversible methods of foot lameness induction are vital to improvements of the knowledge in this area. This literature review aims to describe published methods of reversible foot lameness induction, identify any limitations of these methods, and summarize findings of research where these methods have been utilized.

Most mining hydraulic systems use water-based emulsions as the transmission medium. However, the low viscosity of water-based fluids causes leakage, making proportional flow control in water hydraulic systems challenging and preventing precise positioning of hydraulic cylinders. To achieve continuous flow control in water-based fluids, this research proposes a novel backstepping adaptive controller integrated with an extended sliding mode observer (ESMO). By using additional pressure sensors, continuous proportional control of the output flow of a two-stage high-speed on/off valve (TSHSV) can be realized. The ESMO estimates the valve spool position and unmodeled disturbances based on the current in the coil winding, and system output flow is derived from the spool position. An adaptive controller adjusts the spool position to control the entire system’s flow output, achieving proportional flow control. Simulation and experimental results validate the control accuracy of the system. The results show that the system’s performance surpasses that of proportional valves in many respects.

Is Gene Therapy the Game-Changer for Autosomal Recessive Deafness 9?Dear editor! One of the most challenging forms of hearing impairment is autosomal recessive profound prelingual deafness (DFNB9), which makes up over 80% of all congenitally occurring hearing loss cases (1). Otoferlin protein, encoded by the OTOF gene, is located at the inner hair cells, which mediates signal transduction for proper sound propagation. The OTOF gene mutations impair the physiological otoferlin function and account for almost 1–8% of all the DFNB9 cases (2). Currently, there are no medical therapies available to combat this disorder, and in this critical context, adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 1 carrying a human OTOF transgene (AAV1-hOTOF) may offer promising results.AAV1-hOTOF is an experimental gene therapy intended to treat DFNB9. It transports the functional copy of the OTOF gene to the hair cells via an adenovirus vector. This enables the hair cells to produce newly functioning otoferlin protein, thereby regaining proper signal transduction and sound propagation.A groundbreaking clinical trial, recently published in The Lancet, evaluates the efficacy and safety of this AAV1-hOTOF gene therapy for restoring hearing in patients with DFNB9. This first-of-its-kind trial demonstrated that AAV1-hOTOF showed excellent results and helped in reclaiming significant functional hearing in all the patients enrolled in the trial (3). Furthermore, along with enhanced hearing, gene therapy also assisted in improving speech perception in the patients. In addition to its increased efficacy, gene therapy had a favorable safety profile, with no reports of serious adverse events or drug-limiting ototoxicity (3). These findings of a successful response to gene therapy are in line with the case report by Qi et al., which also showed that AAV1-hOTOF helped restore substantial hearing in two children (4).In South Asia, 1.62 out of every 1000 newborns suffer from congenital hearing loss, making it one of the most prevalent chronic pediatric illnesses (5). Due to the unavailability of any medical intervention, DFNB9 goes untreated, substantially affecting the quality of life of patients. However, with the introduction of gene therapies like AAV1-hOTOF, there is newfound hope for these patients. This pioneering therapy may completely eradicate DFNB9 and significantly enhance auditory function, providing a viable substitute for cochlear implants and conventional hearing aids. More clinical trials assessing larger patient populations are warranted to provide greater evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of this therapy.Keywords: autosomal recessive deafness 9; AAV1-hOTOF; congenital hearing loss; AsiaDisclaimer: None to declareConflict of Interest: None to declareFunding Disclosure: None to declareREFERENCESDuman D, Tekin M. Autosomal recessive nonsyndromic deafness genes: a review. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2012 Jun 1;17(6):2213-36. doi: 10.2741/4046. PMID: 22652773; PMCID: PMC3683827.Azaiez H, Thorpe RK, Smith RJH. OTOF -Related Deafness. 2008 Feb 29 [updated 2021 Jan 21]. In: Adam MP, Feldman J, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, Wallace SE, Bean LJH, Gripp KW, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993–2024. PMID: 20301429.Lv J, Wang H, Cheng X, Chen Y, Wang D, Zhang L, Cao Q, Tang H, Hu S, Gao K, Xun M, Wang J, Wang Z, Zhu B, Cui C, Gao Z, Guo L, Yu S, Jiang L, Yin Y, Zhang J, Chen B, Wang W, Chai R, Chen ZY, Li H, Shu Y. AAV1-hOTOF gene therapy for autosomal recessive deafness 9: a single-arm trial. Lancet. 2024 May 25;403(10441):2317-2325. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02874-X. Epub 2024 Jan 24. Erratum in: Lancet. 2024 May 25;403(10441):2292. PMID: 38280389.Qi J, Tan F, Zhang L, Lu L, Zhang S, Zhai Y, Lu Y, Qian X, Dong W, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Yang X, Jiang L, Yu C, Liu J, Chen T, Wu L, Tan C, Sun S, Song H, Shu Y, Xu L, Gao X, Li H, Chai R. AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy Restores Hearing in Patients with DFNB9 Deafness. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Mar;11(11):e2306788. doi: 10.1002/advs.202306788. Epub 2024 Jan 8. PMID: 38189623; PMCID: PMC10953563.Korver AM, Smith RJ, Van Camp G, Schleiss MR, Bitner-Glindzicz MA, Lustig LR, Usami SI, Boudewyns AN. Congenital hearing loss. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017 Jan 12;3:16094. doi: 10.1038/nrdp.2016.94. PMID: 28079113; PMCID: PMC5675031.

The foraging strategies of sympatric ungulates with similar ecological niches are important for understanding ecological niche differentiation, resource utilization, competition, and coexistence and for understanding the ecological impacts on plant communities in the ecosystem. The behavior of the wapiti (Cervus elaphus) and Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) foraging on Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) has affected its succession and renewal in the northeastern forests of China, which has become an urgent problem for the relevant departments. This study analyzed the foraging strategies of the wapiti and Siberian roe deer on Japanese yew from July 2021 to January 2024 using field investigations and infrared camera monitoring in the Muling National Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, China. It was found that the wapiti and Siberian roe deer have different foraging strategies in terms of time, space, and behavior. Temporally, they both preferred to forage for the saplings of the Japanese yew during the winter season, the degree of overlap in foraging rhythms was medium (Dhat1=0.67), and the diurnal foraging activity index (DRAI) of the wapiti was larger than that of the Siberian roe deer. Spatially, the suitable foraging habitat of the Siberian roe deer was twice that of the wapiti, and their overlap was low in the location and direction of saplings and the distance of the seed tree. Behaviorally, the foraging intensity of the wapiti was heavy, and Siberian roe deer was low. Foraging reduced the average primary branch height, number of new branches, and length of lateral branches of saplings, and the influence of the wapiti was significantly greater than that of the Siberian roe deer. This study provides a scientific basis for solving the conservation and management problems of the deer animals foraging on Japanese yew and contributes to further understanding of the competition-coexistence mechanism of sympatric species.

In this letter, we consider the posterior Cramér-Rao lower bounds (PCRLB) problem for extended target tracking (ETT) from a stack of measurement data that are modeled as random variables in the random finite sets (RFS) framework. We convert the scalars in the traditional PCRLB into vectors based on RFS to derive a theoretical lower bound. In this way, the proposed method can be applied to the multi-target tracking problem and accommodates scenarios with targets of varying. Moreover, we consider solving the data association problem from four parts caused by the conjugate update of the Poisson multi-Bernoulli mixture (PMBM) filter. Simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the derived PCRLB.

DAC mismatch is the bottleneck for data converters to achieve high resolution. The error-feedback mismatch error shaping (EF-MES) is an effective method to address the DAC mismatch. However, the existing EF-MES can only achieve the 1st-order shaping for continuous-time (CT) DACs. This letter proposes the methodology and implementation details of a 2nd-order EF MES for CT DACs. This method can also be generalized to arbitrarily high-order EF MES.

Background: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated allergy without known biomarkers. We aimed to compare fecal biomarkers related to gut inflammation and immunity in children with FPIES, with resolved FPIES (tolerant), and in matched controls. Methods: Stools were collected from FPIES children on elimination diet, before and after an oral food challenge (OFC) performed to assess their natural tolerance, at the end of a follow-up in tolerant FPIES children, and in matched controls (1:1 ratio). Concentrations of calprotectin, EDN (eosinophilic derived neurotoxin), and secretory IgA (sIgA) underwent comparative paired analysis. Results: Thirty-eight patients were included (age: 1.3 years old, interquartile range: IQR [0.9 - 2.0]), of which 22 became tolerant during follow-up. Upon inclusion, allergic patients and controls had similar concentrations of calprotectin (38µg/g [8-85] vs 27µg/g [11-46], p=0.15) and EDN (504ng/g [275-1252] vs 516ng/g [215-844], p=0.86). However, concentrations of these inflammatory biomarkers increased transiently after a failed OFC (p<0.001 and p=0.01 respectively), without correlating with the severity of an allergic reaction. sIgA were higher in allergic than in tolerant patients: 2224µg/g [878-3529] vs 794µg/g [699-1767] (p<0.01). Calprotectin, EDN, and sIgA were comparable in tolerant patients and controls. sIgA less than 2637µg/g had a negative predictive value of 75.6% for the differentiation allergic patients from tolerant patients and controls (area under curve: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.52–0.74). Conclusion: A few days after an acute allergic reaction, there was no detectable chronic gut inflammation in FPIES. sIgA may be a useful tool for clinicians in timing OFC.

The basic enzyme reaction boundary value problem is described and approximate expressions for substrate and product concentrations are given. This model was initially designed using the classical differential equations and it is extended to the Caputo fractional derivative (FDE’s) of order μ. Non-linear reaction equations with a non-linear term related to enzymatic reaction can be approximated and analytically solved using the Homotopy Perturbation method. Dimensionless reaction diffusion parameters ε^μ,k^μ,λ^μ are used to discuss the relevant analytical solutions for the substrate, enzyme, substrate-enzyme, and product concentration profiles.

Bringing big data to vascular complications during atrial fibrillation ablationDr Gareth Wynn MBChB MD(Res)gareth.wynn@unimelb.edu.auAffiliations:University of Melbourne, Melbourne AustraliaThe Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne AustraliaConflicts of interest:No relevant to this manuscriptAtrial fibrillation (AF) ablation has consistently been shown to be superior to medical therapy for the control of AF and relief of symptoms/ quality of life1,2. However, many patients are never considered for AF ablation and, in some cases, concerns about procedural safety may be a factor that limits access. Numerous technological advances have occurred within AF ablation over the last two decades and complication rates have steadily improved3. Although complications relating to vascular access have reduced due to the introduction of ultrasound guided cannulation as the standard of care, they remain the major contributor to the overall complication rate of AF ablation3-5. Whilst they may not always be life threatening, vascular complications can have an important effect on quality-of-life and may make same day discharge difficult, thereby reducing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the procedure4.The use of vascular closure devices (VCDs) has become commonplace to achieve haemostasis after femoral arterial access. For AF ablation, although access is venous rather than arterial, haemostasis may still be difficult to achieve by manual compression due to the use of multiple sheaths and therapeutic heparinisation, which may be combined with uninterrupted, or very briefly interrupted, oral anticoagulation. This, along with a move, in many countries, towards same day discharge, makes the use of VCDs a potentially attractive option. However, the use of multiple VCDs in a single vein may increase the risk of venous stenosis or occlusion and thrombosis6.As overall complication rates of AF ablation have improved, with time and experience, the rates of serious complications in contemporary practice have fallen to between 2-3%3. Whilst undoubtedly a positive change, this relatively low rate can make it difficult to perform an adequately sized study with the power to detect a significant difference when trialling an intervention or approach to reduce complications. This may be one reason why recent advances such as contact force sensing catheters and pulsed field ablation have, thus far, failed to show safety benefits7.In this issue of the Journal, Mills and colleagues from Liverpool, in the UK, take a novel approach to this problem by utilising a commercial database from the United States to support the idea that vascular close your devices reduce AF ablation related complications [REF TO BE ADDED BY JOURNAL]. The TriNetX database has been used by this group, and others, to assess the association between AF ablation and outcomes such as dementia but has not been used previously to assess the impact of an intervention on ablation safety8. The study is, by its nature, observational and non-randomised and therefore is limited by the inherent uncontrollable biases of non-randomised data. In addition, the database provides anonymized patient records based on clinical coding. Databases such as this can only ever be as good as the data that has been included and neither we nor the authors are able to assess the accuracy of that process. However, the approach does allow for a very large data set with over 14000 patients in each propensity-matched group, vastly out numbering the sample size in any prospective AF ablation study. Whilst it’s possible that the absolute numbers produced by this sort of data may not be completely accurate the very large sample size does reduce the risk that occasional errors in coding had a significant effect on the overall direction of results and the differences between the two studied arms. Using this approach, and correcting for known potential confounders, the authors were able to show a significantly lower rate of vascular complications in those who those patients who had undergone AF ablation with vascular closure devices coded for during the same admission. The authors also undertook falsification endpoint analysis which, without eliminating the risk of undetected bias, add confidence that the association found was not due to chance. The results are in keeping with a number of small randomised and observational studies that have suggested vascular closure devices to be safe and effective in reducing complications and enabling early or same day discharge 9,10.It is unfortunate that the authors were not able to perform cost effectiveness analysis of the use of VCDs compared to other haemostasis strategies. AF ablation may be performed with anywhere between 1 to 5 catheters and larger access sheaths may require use more than one VCD. The associated coast of VCD use may therefore be considerable and the cost-benefit will depend on healthcare funding model and modesl of care, such as whether same day discharge is otherwise achievable and desired. This question is especially pertinent as cheaper alternatives, such as a “figure-of-eight” or ‘purse string” suture with or without a three-way stopcock, have also been shown to be superior to manual pressure alone11.That notwithstanding, the authors of this study should be commended for their innovative and novel approach, both to addressing both the important issue of complications as a primary research focus, as well as to tackling the difficulties in doing so when the overall complication rate is relatively low and therefore large cohorts are required to produce adequate statistical power. It should be noted that the study is not funded by industry and the authors were unable to provide data on closure on which closure devices were used. Whilst, to a degree, this lack of granular information could be considered a weakness of the methodology and data set, the independence of the investigators should give us some confidence in their findings and conclusion. Indeed, the authors have been appropriately reserved in their conclusions in light of the observational nature of the study, describing the observed observations without over-interpretation.Undoubtedly, the era of big data has arrived for atrial fibrillation studies, but, until now, had not reached the arena of atrial fibrillation ablation12. In their paper, Mills and colleagues give us much to think about both in terms of using large datasets to study AF ablation and, of course, of the potential to reduce bleeding complications through the use of VCDs.References1. Mark DB, Anstrom KJ, Sheng S, et al. Effect of Catheter Ablation vs Medical Therapy on Quality of Life Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The CABANA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2019;321(13):1275-1285.2. Asad ZUA, Yousif A, Khan MS, Al-Khatib SM, Stavrakis S. Catheter Ablation Versus Medical Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2019;12(9):e007414.3. Benali K, Khairy P, Hammache N, et al. Procedure-Related Complications of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2023;81(21):2089-2099.4. Wynn GJ, Haq I, Hung J, et al. Improving safety in catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a prospective study of the use of ultrasound to guide vascular access. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2014;25(7):680-685.5. Voskoboinik A, Sparks PB, Morton JB, et al. Low Rates of Major Complications for Radiofrequency Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Maintained Over 14 Years: A Single Centre Experience of 2750 Consecutive Cases. Heart Lung Circ. 2018;27(8):976-983.6. Ikenouchi T, Takigawa M, Goya M, Kudo T, Sasano T. Refractory Deep Vein Thrombosis Caused by Femoral Vein Stenosis Due to Suture-Medicated Vascular Closure Device. Int J Angiol. 2023;32(4):288-291.7. Virk SA, Ariyaratnam J, Bennett RG, Kumar S. Updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of contact force sensing on the safety and efficacy of atrial fibrillation ablation: discrepancy between observational studies and randomized control trial data. EP Europace. 2018;21(2):239-249.8. Harrison SL, Buckley BJR, Austin P, Lane DA, Lip GYH. Catheter ablation and lower risk of incident dementia and mortality in older adults with atrial fibrillation. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023;71(11):3357-3366.9. Castro-Urda V, Segura-Dominguez M, Jimenez-Sanchez D, et al. Efficacy and safety of Proglide use and early discharge after atrial fibrillation ablation compared to standard approach. PROFA trial. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2023;46(7):598-606.10. Tilz RR, Feher M, Vogler J, et al. Venous vascular closure system vs. figure-of-eight suture following atrial fibrillation ablation: the STYLE-AF Study. Europace. 2024;26(5).11. Jackson N, McGee M, Ahmed W, et al. Groin Haemostasis With a Purse String Suture for Patients Following Catheter Ablation Procedures (GITAR Study). Heart Lung Circ. 2019;28(5):777-783.12. Perez MV, Mahaffey KW, Hedlin H, et al. Large-Scale Assessment of a Smartwatch to Identify Atrial Fibrillation. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;381(20):1909-1917.

Food is the primary substance needed by humans to survive. However, food is easily contaminated by spoilage bacteria, which cause a decrease in quality and shelf life. Moreover, spoilage bacteria in food can be pathogenic, leading to foodborne diseases that endanger human health. This issue has also driven the widespread use of synthetic preservatives, which have negative effects both in the short and long term. Biopreservation efforts utilizing bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria offer an alternative solution to prevent spoilage and extend the shelf life of food. These bacteriocins are safe to use as they are produced by lactic acid bacteria that are approved for use in food. The application of various types of bacteriocins as biopreservatives has been widely conducted. Several other types of bacteriocins are continuously being researched and developed to ensure their safety and suitability for use as food biopreservatives. This article highlights bacteriocins, including their classification, general overview, mechanisms of action, differences from antibiotics, diversity, applications, prospects, and challenges as future food biopreservatives. Additionally, this article presents commercial bacteriocins, namely nisin and pediocin PA-1, which are frequently used for food preservation.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication in elderly patients, and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) has been suggested as a potential risk factor. This review examines the relationship between POCD and CSVD from epidemiological, pathophysiological, and clinical perspectives. Epidemiological studies have shown that POCD and CSVD are associated in terms of common risk factors, including advanced age, vascular comorbidities, impaired baseline cognitive function, and certain population characteristics. Animal studies have revealed that CSVD and POCD share similar neuropathological changes, including abnormal cerebral hypoperfusion, inflammatory responses, and blood-brain barrier disruption. Neuroimaging studies have further demonstrated that preoperative CSVD burden and postoperative CSVD progression are associated with the development of POCD. The association between CSVD and POCD has important implications for the perioperative management of elderly patients, including preoperative assessment, choice of anesthesia and surgical methods, intraoperative management, postoperative care, and long-term follow-up. A better understanding of the relationship between CSVD and POCD will guide evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage this debilitating complication in the aging population.

As potentially the most common cause of neurological disability in young adults, multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that results in chronic progressive disability for most patients. None of existing therapeutic agents could effectively inhibit the chronic progression, primarily due to their incapacity to stop or reverse remyelination failure in demyelinating lesions. Identifying compounds that promote remyelination represents a major challenge in the development of therapeutics for MS. Based on the drug-repurposing strategy and signature mapping approach, we employed the expanded Connectivity Map (CMap) and in cell western analysis to efficiently screen potential compounds. Ipratropium was ultimately selected and further validated for the efficacy in modulating OPCs differentiation in vitro and myelin regeneration in the demyelinating models. Collectively, our results provide a novel high-throughput screening strategy for potential regenerative therapeutics in MS.

Activity in the parabrachial calcitonin gene-related peptide to bed nucleus of the stria terminalis circuit associates with anxiety-like behavior. To test whether heightened anxiety induces neuronal adaptations in parabrachial to bed nucleus of the stria terminalis circuit, C57 mice were exposed to 4 days of daily forced swim stress. The novelty suppressed feeding test demonstrated the forced swim stress model increased anxiety-like behavior and induced hyperphagia. To assess if forced swim stress potentiates anxiety-like behavior in mice with baseline dysregulated affect, mice received chronic intermittent ethanol vapor and forced swim stress in alcohol-abstinence. Anxiety-like behavior measured by the novelty suppressed feeding test was potentiated and hyperphagia was induced by forced swim stress in alcohol-abstinence. To measure anxiety-related neuroadaptations, CalcaCRE mice, with of CRE-dependent hM3D(Gq) DREADDs in the parabrachial nucleus and the Ca2+ sensor GCaMP7f in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, were exposed to forced swim stress. Neurotransmission was measured by recording GCaMP7f fluorescence in ex vivo bed nucleus of the stria terminalis slices. hM3D(Gq) DREADDs in parabrachial projections expressing calcitonin gene-related peptide were activated via bath application of clozapine-n-oxide. Excitatory drive by parabrachial calcitonin gene-related peptide projections decreased GCaMP7f spike frequency and amplitude in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Forced swim stress potentiated excitatory drive of parabrachial calcitonin gene-related peptide projections as the decrease in GCaMP frequency was potentiated. In summary repeated exposure to stress induces heightened anxiety and hyperphagia that is associated with potentiated parabrachial to bed nucleus of the stria terminalis circuit activity.

Odor imagery (OI) or the ability to mentally simulate the presence of a smell, is a difficult cognitive function and is still misunderstood. Moreover, the neurophysiological approaches to OI have provided diverging results. In particular, brain activity in the olfactory network during OI seems to be influenced by the characteristics of the visual cues used to facilitate this task. In this study, we compared different types of visual cues (plain color patches, pictures and words) during OI in good odor imagers, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Thirty right-handed participants were instructed to focus on the odors evoked by visual cues of different types. Psychological ratings of success/failure of OI as well as pleasantness and intensity of odor images were also collected. Our results show that across visual conditions, the OI task induced activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, insula, supplementary motor area and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Strikingly, no significant activity was found in the piriform cortex (primary olfactory brain region) despite an overall success in the OI according to psychological ratings (83% to 93% depending on the condition). This observation of successful OI without significant involvement of the primary olfactory regions in non-experts contradicts most of the existing literature on the topic. Psychological and neurophysiological comparisons between types of visual cues only revealed little effect of visual condition, although semantical cues seem to require fewer cognitive resources to generate odor images. This assumption remains to be confirmed using specific tools for the measurement of cognitive load.

Mesoporous silica particles are promising candidates for drug delivery applications. In this paper, we first synthesize mesoporous silica MCM-41 and its derivative MCM-41GA with anchored glutaraldehyde bridges, and characterize them using a variety of techniques.  Then, we employ random optical fields to sort them.  Random optical fields by containing local intensity gradients throughout a wide range of field of view provide an elegant, easy-to-implement, and low-cost variant of multiple optical tweezers, known as speckle tweezers (ST). Mesoporous silica variations interact differently with the applied ST, which we attribute to the pre-applied modification and the differences in the porosity structure and distribution.

1. INTRODUCTION:Supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS) is the least common form of Left ventricular outflow tract obstructions (LVOTOs), which include subvalvular, valvular, and supravalvular variations, comprising approximately 2% of all cases. Primarily, it entails a distinct constriction of the aortic passage at the sinotubular junction (STJ). (1) SVAS is often associated with Williams-Beuren syndrome, though cases may also occur sporadically or within families. In conditions not associated to Williams-Beuren, it is advised to undergo genetic testing for elastin and initiate cascade screening within the family as it exhibits a notable genetic influence involving the elastin gene (7q11.2).(2). Herein, we present the case of a 15-year-old girl with SVAS who underwent double patch aortoplasty with bovine pericardium and remained symptomatically improved over a two-year follow-up.

Ecological integrity varies with latitude due to the influence of climate and other factors. However, the relationship between ecological integrity and latitude and the driving mechanisms behind it remain poorly understood. Understand the driving mechanisms behind is of great significance to biodiversity conservation and ecological sustainability. In our study, we used an averaging approach and a threshold approach to quantify ecological integrity at different spatial scales. We map patterns of ecological integrity at different scales and their relationship with latitude. We investigate the roles of environmental temperature in shaping latitudinal patterns of forest ecological integrity. The results reveal a significant negative correlation between forest ecological integrity and increasing latitude at different spatial scales. We find that forest ecological exponentially with environmental temperature as predicted by the Metabolic theory of ecology (MTE), although other factors can also have impact on forest ecological integrity, such as topography, soil and human disturbance. Our study quantified the ecological integrity of forests at different scales in Northeast China and explored their latitudinal patterns. We find that the latitudinal patterns of forest ecological integrity can be explained by the metabolic theory of ecology. Ecological integrity is primarily driven by climate and other factors can also have impact on forest ecological integrity, such as topography, soil and human disturbance. And more importantly, our study extends MTE theory from the individual level to the ecosystem level, which is of great significance for forest conservation, management and restoration of integrity in the future.

Successful plant invasions are often explained by adaptation to novel environments. However, invasive species usually occupy broad niches within their native and introduced ranges. A true understanding of microevolution during invasion therefore requires a wide sampling of ranges, ideally with a knowledge of introduction history. We tested for genetic differentiation in herbivore resistance among 128 introduced (European, North American) and native (Chinese, Japanese) populations of the invasive Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) in two common gardens in the native range. In both common gardens, we found that the resistance traits of the introduced populations differed from most Chinese native populations but not from native populations in Japan, which are the two putative sources of introduction. Compared to Chinese populations, introduced European populations had thicker leaves in both common gardens with a lower C: N ratio but higher flavonoids content in the Shanghai garden. In the native range, variation in herbivore resistance was much more strongly associated with climate of origin than in introduced populations. Our results support that introducing particular resistance phenotypes from Japan played a key role in the invasion of knotweed into Europe and North America. Our study demonstrates how knowledge of introduction history can avoid misinterpretations of observed biogeographic divergence.

The understanding the spatial distribution status and reproduction as well as individual identification and communication behaviour of an endangered species assessment is essential for the species’ population dynamics, human activities such as changes in land use, overgrazing, poaching, retaliatory killings, and the fur trade are causing a rapid decline in the habitats of apex predators worldwide. Studying communication behaviours and observing cubs in their natural habitat present challenges. A comprehensive eight-year research project (2015-2023) in northern Pakistan utilized 139 motion-triggered cameras strategically placed to capture leopard behaviours, documenting a total of 330 events within each study sites and recording videos of snow leopard cubs with their mother. Additionally, preliminary reproducing females snow leopard were observed across different study sites with 10 adult and sub-adult cubs, four reproducing females, and three adult males snow leopard being identified. The first-time detection of rare photographic events like communication behaviour and activity using camera traps is significant tools for future conservation. The documentation of snow leopard reproductive behaviors in Northern Pakistan from 2015 to 2023 has broad implications for conservation and understanding of these magnificent creature.

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway is a signal transduction pathway that plays a critical role in cell growth and survival. Its dysregulation is related to various cancers, including Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL), an aggressive peripheral T-cell malignancy due to infection with the Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). ATLL currently has no vaccine or definitive treatment. This research aimed to identify the JNK-MAPK pathway checkpoints to suggest possible therapeutic targets using Boolean network analysis. First, the involved genes and their interactions in the JNK pathway were identified and mapped. Next, a boolean network analysis was performed using the R programming language, which suggested Protein kinase B (AKT) and MAP kinase phosphatase (MKP) for further evaluation. Finally, to confirm the effect of these two genes, a case-control study was conducted among ATLL patients and healthy individuals. The quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method showed a statistically significant decrease in the expression of AKT and MKP in ATLL patients compared to the normal group. This highlights the potential role of these two genes as therapeutic targets in ATLL.

Soil, vital for human life, faces threats like erosion, floods, organic matter loss, salinisation, contamination, compaction, sealing, and biodiversity loss. Soil cover, especially through crops, combats erosion and enhances structure. The IN-GEST SOIL project, focused on mitigating soil erosion and enhancing soil and vine quality in Piedmont vineyards (NW Italy), conducted a study exploring the perceptions and behaviors of winegrowers in this Italian region. Adopting a mixed-methods research approach, the study included a questionnaire administered to 72 winegrowers, with 22 participating in subsequent focus groups, to investigate the perceived causes of soil erosion and adoption of potential preventive measures. The results showed that most participants were aware of soil degradation phenomena in their vineyards. Grass cover was adopted as a soil management practice, even though much information about soil degradation risks and related solutions is necessary, especially knowledge and indication on how to correctly use management practices and technical solutions that can contribute to soil conservation, to avoid a misuse that may results, on the contrary, in increased soil degradation. Even though some differences in perceptions emerged based on vineyards’ characteristics, the present study highlighted the need to encourage the adoption of soil protection practices and technologies, spread access to economic support, and help winegrowers’ transition toward a more sustainable farming paradigm. In addition to the findings related to the objectives, this study demonstrated the usefulness of a mixed methods research approach, which is uniquely capable of providing both extensive and statistically relevant information and intensive, narrative insights.

A case of an osteolytic mass hiding behind an undiagnosed parathyroid adenoma – case report