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Comparison of methods for determining parameters related to ankle joint quasi-stiffness during quiet standing
Ankle joint quasi-stiffness is a measure representing the control of quiet standing. Here we investigated three methods for determining parameters associated with ankle joint quasi-stiffness. Eleven healthy, young males were asked to stand quietly with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). Ankle joint quasi-stiffness was computed using two methods, one proposed by Winter et al. (Winter DA, et al. J Neurophysiol 80: 1211−1221, 1998) ( K q s 1 ) and another by Loram and Lakie (Loram ID, et al. J Physiol 540: 1111−1124, 2002) ( K q s 2 ). Both values were normalized using participants’ body sizes. The short-term scaling exponent in stabilogram diffusion analysis ( H s ), which has been linked to quasi-stiffness, was applied. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of methodology (p < 0.0001, partial η² = 0.42), but no significant effect of eye condition (p = 0.1947, partial η² = 0.06), nor interaction effect (p = 0.4742, partial η² = 0.02). Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC(3,1)) analysis indicates good reliability between K q s 1 and K q s 2 with an ICC value of 0.858 (p < 0.001) in the EO condition, and moderate reliability with an ICC value of 0.718 (p = 0.004) in the EC condition. H s and K q s 1 exhibited a very strong negative correlation in the EO ( ρ = −0.909) condition and a moderately strong negative correlation in the EC ( ρ = −0.782) condition. H s and K q s 2 exhibited moderately strong negative correlation in both the EO ( ρ = −0.664) and EC ( ρ = −0.555) conditions. The good and moderate reliability between K q s 1 and K q s 2 suggests that both measures capture similar stiffness attributes relating to their neuro-mechanical components, despite a significant methodological difference. Additionally, relatively high correlations of H s with K q s 1 and with K q s 2 suggest that the stochastic characteristics of centre of pressure in the short period indeed reflect the overall quasi-stiffness at the ankle joint.
Statistics of multiscale fragmentation in the Primorsky fault zone
Abstract Tectonic stresses cause rock deformation and disintegration. We examined the fragmentation statistics of brittle rocks composing the damage zone of the Primorsky Fault of the Baikal Rift Zone at scales ranging from microns to kilometers. The fault rocks analyzed include different lithologies and shear-strain magnitudes. We use the convolutional neural network algorithm to automate the mapping of fractures in images and faults in topographic data and statistically test for presence of power, lognormal or Weibull laws. Fault-rock fragmentation obeys lognormal statistics at scales from 10 − 6 m to 10 4 m, and the shape parameter (σ) is preserved and varies in the range 1.4–2.0. We demonstrate that summarizing the truncated data may lead to compilation artifact and incorrect conclusions about the power law behavior. We proposed a statistical fragmentation model to fit to experimental logarithmically distributed data. At all scales the rate of destruction depends on the fragment size as a power law. Findings should be incorporated in models estimating fault geometry characteristics and evolution of earthquake source.
Efficient genome editing with chimeric oligonucleotide-directed editing
Ventricular activation and repolarization in response to physiological and conventional pacing using ultra-high-frequency electrocardiography
Background Physiological pacing targeting the cardiac conduction system is increasingly being adopted as an alternative to conventional right ventricular (RV) pacing for the treatment of bradyarrhythmias, although its effects on ventricular repolarization remain underexplored. Objective This study evaluates depolarization and repolarization responses to different pacing techniques using ultra-high-frequency electrocardiograms (UHF-ECGs). Methods Temporary pacing was performed at different cardiac areas in 178 patients with bradycardia. Depolarization was assessed via QRS duration (QRS d ), QRS area (QRS a ), ventricular dyssynchrony (e-DYS), and activation time dispersion (dAT computed from leads V1-V6 and dAT 4-6 from leads V1-V6). Repolarization was analyzed using the corrected QT interval (QTc), T-wave area (T a ), Periodic Repolarization Dynamics (PRD), and repolarization time dispersion (dRTc and dRTc 4-6 ). Results His bundle pacing (HBP) preserved ventricular activation patterns similar to spontaneous rhythm. Left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) induced moderate depolarization changes, primarily due to delayed right ventricular activation, while maintaining left ventricular synchrony. In particular, dAT showed no significant differences between HBP and spontaneous rhythm, while differences between LBBAP and spontaneous rhythm were significant but below 7 ms in median. When restricted to the left ventricle (LV), no significant differences in dAT 4-6 were found between LBBAP and spontaneous rhythm. Importantly, e-DYS for HBP showed similar values to spontaneous rhythm, LBBP led to a significant reduction (median differences approximately 20 ms), and RVP was associated with a significant increase (above 15 ms in median). In line with these results, QRS d and QRS a showed the largest values for RVP. In terms of ventricular repolarization, median differences in the QTc interval between pacing modes and spontaneous rhythm were below 3 ms for HBP, above 1 ms for LBBP, and above 20 ms for RVP. All pacing modes led to a reduction in PRD, with the most marked reductions observed for LBBP, particularly for selective LBBP, with median changes with respect to spontaneous rhythm of 4.6 degrees. RT and RTc showed similar trends for all pacing techniques. T a , however, showed median differences with respect to spontaneous rhythm above 100 and 34 μ Vs when pacing the RV at the apex and the septum, respectively, whereas such median differences were below 16 μ Vs for HBP and below 2 μ Vs for LBBP. Conclusion Physiological stimulation via HBP or LBBAP generates ventricular depolarization and repolarization responses that more closely resembles that of spontaneous rhythm, in high contrast to the largely different response induced by RV pacing. HBP and LBBAP have distinct technical characteristics, including differences in capture thresholds, lead stability, and procedural aspects. These techniques serve as alternatives to conventional RV pacing.
Tribolium flour beetles are strongly attracted to decomposing wood, their putative historical habitat, over flour
Structural basis for allosteric regulation of mycobacterial guanosine 5´-monophosphate reductase by ATP and GTP
Exploring the association between serum vitamins and CAP-defined hepatic steatosis in lean and non-lean adults with NAFLD: A cross-sectional study
Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly prevalent worldwide, yet the role of serum vitamins in hepatic fat accumulation, particularly across lean and non-lean individuals, remains incompletely understood. This study evaluated associations between serum levels of vitamins A, C, D, and E and the degree of CAP-defined hepatic steatosis in lean and non-lean adults. Methods Data from the 2017–2018 NHANES were analyzed. Weighted multivariable linear regression was performed in lean and non-lean adults to assess the associations between serum vitamin levels and CAP-defined hepatic steatosis, using unadjusted, demographic-adjusted, and fully adjusted models. Results No significant linear associations were observed between serum vitamin levels and the degree of hepatic steatosis in lean adults. A nonlinear association with serum vitamin C was observed, indicating a threshold effect. The association between vitamin C and the degree of liver fat accumulation also varied by diabetes status. In non-lean adults, serum vitamin C consistently showed an inverse association with CAP-defined hepatic steatosis (Model 2: β = −0.16, 95% CI: −0.25 to −0.07), as did vitamins A (β = −6.34, 95% CI: −10.43 to −2.25) and D (β = −0.13, 95% CI: −0.21 to −0.04). Conclusion Higher serum levels of vitamins A, C, and D were associated with lower CAP-defined hepatic steatosis in non-lean adults, while a nonlinear relationship involving vitamin C was observed in lean individuals. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Archaeoentomological SedaDNA from two French gallo-roman wells reveals the presence of arthropods not identified by sclerotized remains
Dormancy regulon reduction was pivotal to the evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Abstract Phenotypically agnostic screens for positive selection in pathogen populations provide a means of pinpointing genes and regulatory regions involved in adaptation to the local environment or host population. We screened a large ( n = 2506) collection of Vietnamese Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) isolates, finding targets of selection to be lineage-specific, and encompass diverse functions, including dormancy ( Rv0080 ), zinc homeostasis ( zur ), and virulence (ESX-1 structure). Extending our screen to the wider Mtb complex (MTBC) phylogeny demonstrated Rv0080 to display an extraordinarily dynamic evolutionary history, acquiring premature stop codons or putative functional mutations on branches upstream of 8 of the 10 human-adapted lineages, and undergoing positive selection in the remaining 2. Lineage 1, which is one of two such lineages retaining the ancestral Rv0080 sequence, displays a rate of selection for this gene (dN/dS=9.37) exceeding any other in the Mtb genome, save a transcription factor linked to its expression ( Rv0042c ; dN/dS=11.02). Deletion of Rv0080 ’s M. smegmatis orthologue confers a survival advantage in hypoxic conditions, as does the evolution of nonsense or missense mutations on an ancestral Rv0080 background. We show the dormancy survival regulon experienced recurrent episodes of reductive evolution across the MTBC phylogeny, illuminating a novel mechanism via which it adapted to human populations.
Spatial prediction of dog population distribution in Kenya
Free-roaming dogs pose a significant public health concern due to their role in disease transmission. Rabies has been endemic in Kenya for over a century, yet a sustainable and standardized method for estimating dog populations remains unestablished. To address this gap, we applied kriging and co-kriging spatial interpolation techniques to predict the distribution of free-roaming domestic dogs across different Kenyan counties. To improve the model’s accuracy, we incorporated environmental and demographic predictors such as daily temperature, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and human density. Dog population data at the village level were collected from 34 counties through an online survey of veterinary professionals in both the public and private sectors. A spherical model was used to construct the semivariogram, integrating temperature, NDVI, and human density to refine spatial predictions. Kenya’s total free-roaming dog population was estimated to be 7.46 million. The density of dogs per square kilometer varied across counties, corresponding to a median national density of 12.13 dogs per square kilometer. Compared to models incorporating no or only single or multiple covariates, the co-kriging model incorporating human density provided the best fit, with the minimum estimated difference between observed and predicted values. The spatial distribution map highlights arid and sparsely populated pastoral counties having lower dog densities, whereas peri-urban, densely populated, and agricultural counties exhibit higher dog numbers. This study provides a spatial framework for estimating free-roaming dog populations, which can inform the design and implementation of rabies control programs and public health interventions in Kenya and other infected countries.
Dibenzazepine Bridged Network Polymeric Phthalocyanines as Degradable Heterogeneous Photocatalysts
Abstract Recyclability and energy efficiency are inevitable requirements in today´s synthetic materials, as well as functional efficiency. Network polymeric phthalocyanines (NP‐Pcs) are versatile molecular frameworks which widely utilized in energy and electron transfer demanding applications, but light hasn´t played a role before in their “design and degradation”. Herein, we introduce photodynamic dibenzazepine moiety into NP‐Pcs to obtain degradable heterogeneous photocatalysts (NP‐ZnPc and NP‐CoPc). Singlet oxygen generation efficiency of NP‐ZnPc is found to be high, almost completely quenching the absorbance of diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) within 30 s upon red light (λ = 630 nm) irradiation. Supplementary reactions show that NP‐ZnPc has the capability to oxidize methylphenyl sulfide with 100% yield in 4 h reaction time. Subsequently, PET‐RAFT polymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate is successfully initiated by NP‐ZnPc in the presence of a chain transfer agent upon red light ( λ = 647 nm) irradiation. The linearity in the increase in molecular weight (14,400–21,200 g/mol) and the decrease in monomer concentration (ln([ M ] 0 /[ M ] t = 0.6–3.4) demonstrate the living characteristic of PET‐RAFT polymerization. Thanks to its heterogeneous nature, NP‐ZnPc is readily recovered and reused after polymerization up to three consecutive cycles without significant loss of performance. Notably, complete degradation of NP‐Pcs was achieved under 254 nm light irradiation.
Synergetic effect of phosphonium-based ionic liquid and amine-functionalized metal organic framework for separation of CO2 and CH4 using mixed matrix membranes
Abstract Fossil fuels have emerged as one of the main sources of energy for human civilization in recent times. Greenhouse gas emissions are the result of numerous industries’ excessive dependence on fossil fuels as a source of energy. According to several studies and statistics, the atmosphere’s CO 2 concentration is close to 422.80 parts per million. Additionally, the World Meteorological Organization reports that the CO 2 concentration is increasing by 2 ppm annually. This work explains integrated functionalized metal-organic frameworks and ionic liquids into polyether-block-amide (Pebax-1657) mixed matrix membranes to improve CO 2 permeability and CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity. Various filler loadings of 5%, 10%, and 15% (relative to the polymer) were produced. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to ascertain the surface and cross-sectional morphology, characteristics, and functional groups of the metal-organic framework and the fabricated membranes. Permeation investigations utilizing both single-gas and mixed-gas methods were conducted for each membrane. The engineered membranes demonstrated remarkable efficacy, attaining a CO 2 permeability of 226.37 Barrer and a selectivity of 25.4 for the CO 2 /CH 4 mixture, thereby presenting new opportunities for improved CO 2 separation and effective carbon capture.
Tracking polar solvation dynamics of a photoexcited organic chromophore with ultrafast X-ray scattering
Abstract Solvation plays a key role in many photochemical and biological processes. Yet, direct atomic-scale observation of solvent reorganization around photoexcited molecules containing only light atoms has so far remained elusive. Here, we use time-resolved X-ray scattering at an X-ray free-electron laser to track with a ~ 120 fs time resolution the photoinduced ultrafast rearrangement of polar acetonitrile solvent molecules around an organic hemithioindigo chromophore. The experiments reveal that the solvation shell reorganizes with a ~ 0.3 ps time constant driven by photoinduced charge transfer in the chromophore, and then reequilibrates over ~ 3 ps as the excited state population returns to the ground state. These results demonstrate the viability of using ultrashort X-ray pulses to directly visualize the motion of light atoms in solution, paving the way for atomic-scale understanding and control of photoinduced processes in biological and synthetic photoactive organic molecules.
Effect of dialysate buffer practices on serum parathyroid hormone concentrations in real-life french patients receiving hemodialysis
Background Dialysate composition is crucial for managing secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients on hemodialysis. Acetate‐based dialysates elevate serum acetate and trigger adverse effects, while citrate and hydrochloric acid formulations might offer distinct clinical benefits. Methods In this longitudinal observational real-life study, 876 adult patients on hemodialysis were classified by acid component of the dialysate (acetic acid, citric acid, or hydrochloric acid). Monthly pre-dialysis parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone-mineral biomarkers were measured. A linear mixed model (LMM), adjusted for baseline PTH, demographics, and clinical covariates, evaluated PTH trajectories over two years. The significance of the main effect of dialysate and its interaction with time was assessed using likelihood-ratio tests (LRT). Results At baseline, serum PTH was significantly higher in the acetate group. The LMM confirmed significant influence of dialysate type (p < 0.001) and its interaction with time (p = 0.048) on PTH trajectories. Over two years, acetate showed a modest, non-significant PTH reduction of 2.9% (95% CI: −8.8% to +3.4%), whereas hydrochloric acid resulted in a significant cumulative PTH reduction of 10.9% (95% CI: −15.7% to −0.2%), with a significantly different yearly slope versus acetate (p = 0.044). Citrate showed a modest, non-significant change compared to acetate (−2.3%; 95% CI: −6.7% to +8.4%). Baseline PTH, phosphate, prior hypercalcemia, and dialysate calcium concentration were major predictors in the model. Conclusions In adjusted longitudinal analyses, hydrochloric acid–based bicarbonate dialysate was associated with a steeper decline in pre-dialysis PTH over two years compared with acetate, while citrate did not differ from acetate. Prospective studies are needed to confirm whether buffer composition influences PTH control under standardized calcium-bath strategies.
Beyond Words: Associations between the Maternal Emotional Environment and Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms
Abstract Mothers are rich sources of emotional information for children. Childhood emotional and behavioral problems have been associated with maternal anxiety, depression, Expressed Emotion (EE), and facial expressivity. However, no study has examined these factors together. The current study adopted a multimodal approach to assess how the maternal emotional environment relates to severity of internalizing and externalizing problems in children. The sample included children ( N = 134; aged 4–7; 68.7% male) referred for assessment by teachers for exhibiting psychosocial problems at school. To assess psychopathology, parents completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). EE was measured during the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) using the Expressed Emotion Coding System; facial expressivity was assessed using AFFDEX analysis during the FMSS. Maternal mental health, EE, facial expressivity, and child outcomes were significantly related. Regression analyses showed that fewer and less intense maternal facial anger expressions during negative comments were the best predictors of more severe child internalizing and externalizing problems, alongside EE. These findings highlight the role of the maternal expressed emotion over and above maternal mental health problems in children’s psychosocial problems and can inform the development of parenting and emotion-based interventions to tackle emerging mental health problems in children.
Author Correction: O-GlcNAcylation of MITF regulates its activity and CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance in breast cancer
Multi-task adaptive deep sparse canonical correlation analysis for multi-omics cancer survival prediction
Integrating high-dimensional multi-omics data is essential for uncovering the coordinated molecular mechanisms underlying cancer progression and improving survival prediction. DNA methylation and mRNA expression represent two tightly coupled regulatory layers; however, many existing approaches either model them independently or rely on linear assumptions that fail to capture the nonlinear cross-omics structure. Here, we propose MT-ADSCCA, a multitask adaptive deep sparse canonical correlation analysis framework that jointly learns correlated latent representations, selects interpretable multi-omics biomarkers, and supports downstream survival modeling. MT-ADSCCA embeds sparse CCA into a nonlinear encoder architecture and uses uncertainty-guided adaptive weighting to stabilize multi-objective training. The selected features were subsequently modeled using a BiLSTM–Cox survival network with genes ordered by chromosomal coordinates to capture local genomic dependencies. We evaluated MT-ADSCCA using event-stratified nested 10-fold cross-validation across three TCGA cohorts: breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), glioma (GBMLGG), and pan-kidney carcinoma (KIPAN), including 485, 563, and 652 matched multi-omics samples, respectively. MT-ADSCCA achieved the highest concordance indices across all cohorts, outperforming six feature-selection baselines (DA, WGCNA, lmQCM, CCA, OSCCA, DeepCorrSurv) and four survival-model baselines (LASSO-Cox, RSF, MTLSA, DeepSurv). Kaplan–Meier analyses further confirmed a clear separation between the predicted high- and low-risk groups. The selected canonical features were enriched in biologically coherent functional categories, supporting the interpretability of the learned patterns. Together, these results demonstrate that MT-ADSCCA provides a robust and interpretable framework for multi-omics integration and cancer prognosis prediction.
Effect of microencapsulated sodium butyrate on abdominal symptoms and carbohydrate metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized placebo-controlled trial
Slowed Gompertzian ageing in long-lived C. elegans results from expansion of decrepitude, not decelerated ageing
Abstract In populations of many animal species, including humans, mortality rates increase exponentially with advancing age. The scale and rate of increase can be set by two parameters, α and β , respectively, of the Gompertz equation. Interventions that extend lifespan can reduce either or both parameters. A long-standing supposition is that β corresponds to biological ageing rate, and α to ageing-independent causes of mortality. Here, we investigate the biological basis of α and β using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , through the combined study in populations and individuals of effects of life-extending interventions on mortality and age-changes in health. We demonstrate that reductions in β arise not from slowed biological ageing, but rather from expansion of decrepitude (gerospan) in longer-lived population members. In contrast, reductions in α better reflect healthspan expansion, an indicator of slowed biological ageing. Thus, our investigation presents a new, empirical understanding of the Gompertz parameters that inverts their traditional interpretations.