Browse Articles

The effects of mindfulness training on emotion and sleep quality in patients with colorectal cancer

Comparison of the effect of a morton’s extension on plantar pressure distribution in female and male patients without deformities: A pre-post test study

Background Plantar pressure measurement has become increasingly relevant in fields such as sports performance, rehabilitation, and podiatry. Its outcomes are influenced by factors including foot morphology, body weight, joint mobility, and biological sex, with documented anatomical and physiological differences between men and women potentially affecting load distribution. Morton’s extension, an orthotic device used to restore first ray function, has shown clinical efficacy in managing forefoot pathologies. However, limited research has examined its biomechanical effects with respect to sex. This study aimed to evaluate the differential impact of Morton’s extension on plantar pressure distribution in men and women, under both static and dynamic conditions. Methods A sex comparing clinical trial intervention study was conducted with 18 men´s feet (38.11 ± 15.49 years) and 32 women´s feet (41.63 ± 15.22 years), who underwent plantar pressure assessments using a calibrated platform before and after the application of a Morton extension. Static and dynamic measurements were recorded under both conditions to evaluate changes in pressure distribution. A mixed models static analysis was done to check that there are differences by sex on foot. Findings The following results summarize statistically significant differences observed between sexes under both static and dynamic conditions, with and without Morton’s extension. In static pressures without Morton’s extension, statistically significant results were found in P.Max.Rtp.(kPa) (p = 0.006) and Medium.pressure.Rtp.(kPa) (p < 0.001). With Morton’s extension in static conditions, significant differences were observed in P.Max.1M.(kPa) (p = 0.034), P.Max.Rtp.(kPa) (p = 0.017), and Medium.pressure.Rtp.(kPa) (p = 0.003). In dynamic pressures, before the intervention, statistically significant differences between sexes were observed in P.Max.1M.(kPa) (p = 0.023), Medium.pressure.1M.(kPa) (p = 0.008), Contact.Surfaces.(cm²) (p = 0.008), and Step.duration.(Milliseconds) (p = 0.048). After the intervention, additional significant differences were found in Contact.Surfaces.(cm²) (p = 0.009). Conclusion The combined evidence indicates that Morton’s extension elicits clinically meaningful, sex-dependent alterations in plantar loading. By applying mixed-effects models we uncovered subtle intra- and interindividual patterns that conventional analyses may overlook. These results support sex-specific orthotic dosing (height/geometry) and argue for individualized prescription to maximize load redistribution, reduce focal overpressure and prevent site-specific pathology. Future work should validate optimal orthotic designs using dynamic 3D gait analysis and computational modelling.

The accumulation of extracellular K+ as in vivo model of epilepsy in CA1 pyramidal neurons

Factors influencing drug-susceptible tuberculosis treatment outcomes in Romania and Ukraine

Background Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most globally impactful infectious diseases, with a recorded mortality of 1.6 million in 2022. In Romania and Ukraine, two high burden countries in the context of the WHO European region, treatment is geared towards cure; however, this path is paved with significant challenges, from morbidity to loss to follow-up. Methods A retrospective study was performed for drug-susceptible TB patients hospitalised in three TB expertise centres in Romania and Ukraine using routinely collected data. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess predictors of three treatment outcomes: unfavourable outcomes, loss to follow-up, and death. Results A total of 838 patients diagnosed with drug-susceptible TB were included. Median hospitalisation was 39 days (IQR 25–67), and treatment duration was 7 months (IQR 6–8). Predictive variables differed by outcome. For unfavourable outcomes, the multivariable model included age > 65 years, chronic kidney disease, at least one cavity on chest X-ray, underweight status, and persistently abnormal laboratory parameters despite intervention. Independent predictors of loss to follow-up were alcohol use, COPD, TB infection within two years prior to admission, obesity, slow treatment response, and sputum microscopy ≥2 + . Predictors of death included age > 65 years, male sex, cirrhosis, chronic kidney disease, underweight status, persistently abnormal laboratory parameters, and slow treatment response. Conclusion Contextualising factors influencing drug-susceptible TB treatment outcomes in different settings can support the development of tailored interventions that enable early identification of patients at higher risk, thereby avoiding unnecessary treatment effects.

Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus population shifts during social distancing as monitored by MALDI-TOF MS

Autoimmune diseases as pre-existing conditions and sequelae of post COVID-19 condition in a Massachusetts community based observational study of COVID-19 patients

Between 10%−26% of COVID patients develop Post COVID condition (PCC). The complex interaction between autoimmunity and SARS-CoV-2 is emerging as an important challenge and an opportunity to improve diagnosis and treatment of immune mediated chronic illnesses. In a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records from a Massachusetts group medical practice, we identified 38,327 patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis and 1,143 with a PCC diagnosis from 1/1/2020 to 6/25/2023. We investigated the hypotheses that auto-immune diseases-1) increase risk of developing PCC; 2) were more likely to develop after COVID-19; and 3) medical utilization would be higher in patients with a PCC diagnosis. We compared COVID-19 patients with and without a PCC diagnosis. We evaluated demographics, PCC symptoms, pre-infection comorbidities, autoimmune diseases pre- and post- SARS-CoV-2 infection, and medical utilization. Females were more likely to have a PCC diagnosis (63%, p = 0.012). High BMI (> 30), pre-infection chronic respiratory disease, and “any post-infection autoimmune disease” were also associated with PCC diagnosis, OR= 1.25, (95% CI: 1.11, 1.41); OR=1.64, (95% CI: 1.45, 1.86), OR=1.57, (95% CI: 1.10, 2.24), respectively. Pre-infection, psoriasis OR=1.41 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.91) and rheumatoid arthritis OR=1.64, (95% CI: 1.00, 2.69) were more likely to be observed in patients with a PCC diagnosis. Post-infection, Sjögren’s syndrome, OR=4.05 (95% CI: 1.94, 8.49) was more likely among PCC diagnosed patients and rheumatoid arthritis OR=3.18 (95% CI: 0.99, 10.46) may also be more prevalent. We observed approximately one more day of medical utilization per month among patients with a PCC diagnosis (p < 0.001). We confirm PCC diagnosis is more prevalent among women, patients with high BMI and chronic respiratory disease. Our findings support emerging evidence that pre-existing autoimmune diseases may increase risk of PCC, SARS-CoV-2 may increase the risk of new onset autoimmune disease, and medical utilization is higher among patients with PCC.

Counterfeit judgments in large language models

Modulation of the PGRMC1/NLRP7/HLA-C axis by autophagy is linked to both spontaneous preterm birth and gestational choriocarcinoma

Spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) and gestational choriocarcinoma are both associated with complex physiological processes that significantly impact maternal health. While the molecular mechanisms underlying SPTB and gestational choriocarcinoma remain poorly understood, emerging evidence suggests that immune regulation plays a crucial role in both conditions. In this study, we revealed that progesterone regulates autophagy via the noncanonical progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1), which then modulates NLRP7 levels, thereby impacting HLA-C expression in the JEG3 cell line, an extravillous trophoblast (EVT) model. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between NLRP7 and HLA-C expression was observed in EVTs from placental tissues and choriocarcinoma samples. In cases of SPTB, we found both reduced expression of NLRP7 and HLA-C in EVTs. Similarly, in gestational choriocarcinoma samples, we observed significantly lower expression levels of NLRP7 and HLA-C, further suggesting a shared immune evasion mechanism. These findings not only provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying both SPTB and choriocarcinoma but also identify the progesterone-driven NLRP7/HLA-C axis as a promising target for therapeutic intervention, offering strategies for improving outcomes in both conditions.

Chromosomal deletions in banana somaclonal variants reveal negative regulators of immunity underlying <i>Fusarium</i> wilt resistance

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (TR4), poses a severe threat to global banana production. Developing TR4-resistant banana cultivars has been challenging due to triploidy and sterility. Nevertheless, several Cavendish somaclonal variants with stable TR4 resistance have been developed and widely cultivated in Taiwan. Despite this success, the underlying genetic and molecular bases remain largely unknown, limiting the broader application of this resistance to other varieties. Here, we apply genomic and functional analyses to uncover somatic mutations and key genes associated with TR4 resistance. We observe recurrent selection for large deletions on chromosome 5 and a tendency for elevated expression of salicylic acid-responsive genes in resistant variants. Within deletion regions, we pinpoint two members of the autoinhibited Ca 2+ -ATPase ( ACA ) gene family, known negative regulators of plant immunity, as candidate susceptibility genes. Both ACA genes are downregulated in resistant variants. Silencing the ACAs in susceptible bananas enhances salicylic acid response and attenuates TR4 disease symptoms. Our study highlights the role of structural variation and copy number change of susceptibility genes like ACAs in shaping disease resistance in clonally propagated crops. Also, these findings provide a genomic framework for the development of TR4-resistant banana cultivars through targeted gene editing or selection of somatic variants.

Modeling feasible locomotion of nanobots for cancer detection and treatment

Deploying motile nanosized particles, also known as “nanobots,” in the human body promises to improve selectivity in drug delivery and reduce side effects. We consider a swarm of nanobots locating a single cancerous region and treating it by releasing an onboard payload of drugs at the site. At nanoscale, the computation, communication, sensing, and locomotion capabilities of individual agents are extremely limited, noisy, and/or nonexistent. We present a general model to formally describe the individual and collective behavior of agents in a colloidal environment, such as the bloodstream, for cancer detection and treatment by nanobots. This includes a feasible and precise model of agent locomotion, inspired by actual nanoparticles that, in the presence of an external chemical gradient, move toward areas of higher concentration by means of self-propulsion. We present two variants of our model: the first assumes an endogenous chemical gradient fixed over time and centered at the cancer site; the second is a more speculative, dynamic variant in which agents themselves create and amplify a gradient centered at the cancer site. In both settings, agents sense the gradient and ascend it noisily, locating the cancer site more quickly than by simple Brownian motion. For the first variant, we present simulation and analytical results to bound the time it takes for agents to reach the cancer site. For the second, simulations highlight collective benefit from agent-generated signaling, showing significant runtime improvement via chemical signal amplification.

Acoustic printing of conductive polymers

Fabricating materials within optically opaque structures, such as biological tissue, is a considerable challenge. Recently, ultrasound-based printing (“sonoprinting”) approaches have emerged as a promising strategy to address this challenge. However, an approach to sonoprint conductive materials has yet to be realized, limiting potential bioelectronic applications. Here, we extend sonoprinting to conductive materials by designing temperature-based and pressure-based methods to polymerize conductive polymers with focused ultrasound (FUS). Our temperature-based approach relies on the acoustic attenuation of the surrounding medium to generate heat under FUS, whereas our pressure-based approach leverages the acoustic vaporization of perfluorohexane double emulsions to trigger polymerization. We demonstrate that both approaches can be used to print the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) through optically opaque hydrogels and biological tissue with high spatial resolution. Taken together, our results establish complementary temperature- and pressure-based methods for sonoprinting conductive polymers, paving the way for future efforts to fabricate bioelectronic interfaces in tissue.

Emergence of a contrast-invariant representation of naturalistic texture in macaque visual cortex

Sensory stimuli vary across a variety of dimensions, like contrast, orientation, or texture. The brain must rely on population representations to distinguish changes in one dimension from changes in another. To understand how the visual system might extract separable stimulus representations, we recorded multiunit neuronal responses to texture images varying along two dimensions: contrast, a property represented as early as the retina, and naturalistic statistical structure, a property that modulates neuronal responses in V2 and V4, but not in V1. We measured how sites in these 3 cortical areas responded to variation in both dimensions. Contrast modulated responses in all areas. In V2 and V4, the presence of naturalistic structure both modulated responses and increased contrast sensitivity. Tuning for naturalistic structure was both strongest and most dispersed in V4. We measured how well populations in each area could support the linear readout of both dimensions. Populations in V2 and V4 could support the linear readout of naturalistic structure, but in V4, this readout was more robust to variations in contrast.

How social learning enhances—or undermines—efficiency and flexibility in collective decision-making under uncertainty

Balancing efficiency and flexibility in collective decision-making is increasingly critical in modern societies characterized by rapid sociocultural and technological change. Recent research in cognitive neuroscience has proposed two contrasting computational algorithms for social learning: value shaping (VS) and decision biasing (DB). VS posits that others’ choices serve as “pseudo-rewards” that directly shape an observer’s valuations, leading them to prefer popular options even in the absence of outcome feedback. In contrast, DB confines the influence of social information to behavior—observers may imitate popular actions, but they update their valuations solely through personal experience. Although both algorithms facilitate individual adaptation under uncertainty, their interactive dynamics and group-level consequences remain largely unexplored. To address this gap, we developed computational models of VS and DB within a reinforcement learning framework and conducted agent-based simulations to examine collective performance in uncertain and dynamically changing environments. The results reveal a trade-off: VS enables rapid convergence and high efficiency in stable contexts, whereas DB promotes greater adaptability under environmental volatility. These differences are amplified in larger groups, particularly under strong majority influence. Importantly, evolutionary analyses indicate that both learning types can coexist stably, allowing their complementary strengths to enhance group performance. Together, our findings provide a computational and evolutionary account of how social learning can both enhance and impair collective intelligence—and suggest design principles for fostering resilient collective decision systems in human and AI societies facing rapid change.

Gray wolves in an anthropogenic context on a small island in prehistoric Scandinavia

Dogs were domesticated at least once from a yet-unidentified wolf population at least ~15,000 y ago. However, how domestication took place is a topic of ongoing debate, and the ability of human groups to manage wolves in their communities during early stages of domestication is poorly understood. Here, we report multiproxy data from two canids excavated from Late Neolithic and Bronze Age contexts in the Stora Förvar cave on the island of Stora Karlsö in the Baltic Sea. The island is small (2.5 sq km) and, like the neighboring island of Gotland, carries no endemic populations of terrestrial mammals. Instead, the current consensus is that human introductions account for some mammal fauna on Gotland, and for the majority of that on Stora Karlsö. Genome-wide data show that the two canids have ancestry indistinguishable from Eurasian wolves, with no shared ancestry with domestic dogs of the Canis familiaris lineage. Their genome-wide heterozygosity is lower than that observed in 72 previously published ancient wolf genomes, and instead comparable to dogs. Stable isotope data (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) reveals a diet rich in marine protein, which is consistent with habitation alongside the human groups who used Stora Karlsö as a seal-hunting, fowling, and sea fishing station, and in the Bronze Age probably also for grazing. Skeletal size is at the lower end of wolf variability, and one individual shows advanced pathology consistent with reduced mobility. While other scenarios are possible, a parsimonious explanation is that these wolves were brought to the island by humans and were possibly under human control.

Extraction process and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of total flavonoids from Broussonetia papyrifera leaves

Abstract This study developed an efficient extraction process for flavonoids from Broussonetia papyrifera leaves using the response surface methodology. The optimized flavonoids exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity, effectively scavenging DPPH, hydroxyl, and ABTS radicals. UPLC-MS/MS analysis preliminarily identified numerous flavonoid compounds in the extract.. The extract also demonstrated potent broad-spectrum antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans . These findings indicate that the extracted flavonoids may serve as natural antioxidants and antimicrobials in the food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics industries.

The near-infrared bacteriophytochrome-derived fluorescent protein PENELOPE enables RESOLFT superresolution microscopy

REversible Saturable Optical Linear Fluorescence Transitions (RESOLFT) superresolution microscopy fundamentally overcomes the diffraction barrier in far-field fluorescence microscopy. It relies on reversibly switchable fluorescent proteins (RSFPs) that allow repeated light-induced transitions between fluorescent on- and nonfluorescent off-states. Because these transitions are induced by low-light intensities, RESOLFT superresolution microscopy is particularly suitable for live-cell imaging. So far, RESOLFT imaging has only been performed in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. To expand the RESOLFT concept into the near-infrared (NIR) region, which is characterized by reduced autofluorescence, lower scattering and decreased phototoxicity, we developed the p hotostabl e N IR r e versibly switchab l e flu o rescent p rot e in (PENELOPE), which is the first RSFP applicable in the NIR window. PENELOPE was generated by mutagenesis of the chromophore-binding domain of the Deinococcus radiodurans bacteriophytochrome. This NIR-RSFP exhibits high photostability and high ensemble switching contrast at low-light intensities. It also undergoes an unusually fast thermal fluorescence recovery from the dark state into an on-state. This was exploited for low-light intensity RESOLFT imaging with only a single wavelength, as the same light wavelength (660 nm) is used for off-switching and fluorescence readout, while the on-switching occurs in the absence of illumination. We demonstrate RESOLFT recordings both in chemically fixed and in living human cells using PENELOPE as a fusion protein.

ChainShieldML an intelligent decentralized security framework for next generation wireless sensor networks

Migration and the persistence of violence

Using data on millions of internal US migrants, we document that historical homicide rates follow migrants around the United States. Individuals born in historically safe states remain safer wherever they go, while individuals born in historically dangerous states face a greater risk, including from police violence. This pattern holds across demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and marital status, across migrant groups with different average levels of education, income, and even when comparing migrants from different states who reside in the same county. To help understand why, we conducted a large national survey that oversampled internal White US migrants. The results suggest this persistence may reflect a sociocultural adaptation to dangerous settings. Residents and migrants from historically unsafe states—mainly former frontier states and the deep South—see the world as more dangerous, react more forcefully in aggressive scenarios, value toughness, distrust law enforcement, and say they rely on self and family in violent situations. These adaptations may have kept them safe in historically dangerous states, but may increase their vulnerability to harm in safer states.

Multiscale computational analysis reveals enhanced allosteric modulation of Nav1.5 by dual binding of dapagliflozin and ertugliflozin

Impaired AIS plasticity in ankyrin-G mutant mice alters cortical excitability and behavior

The developing brain undergoes neuroplasticity driven by learning, experience, and memory formation. The axon initial segment (AIS) is a specialized membrane domain within the proximal axon that initiates action potential. Studies have demonstrated that the AIS exhibits plasticity by altering its length and/or localization to adjust the excitability in response to neural stimuli. However, how AIS plasticity may affect brain function is unclear. The 480-kDa giant ankyrin-G protein (gAnkG) is the master organizer of AISs and nodes of Ranvier. Previously, we reported that a neurodevelopmental disorder-linked variant (Thr1861Met) in the neuron-specific domain of gAnkG causes the formation of diffused AISs in cultured ankyrin-G null neurons. Here, we generated a knock-in mouse harboring this mutation. The knock-in mice displayed impairments in motor coordination and social interaction. Neurons from these knock-in mice formed elongated AISs with no significant reduction in the accumulation of key AIS components-including ankyrin-G, β4-spectrin, voltage-gated sodium channels, and neurofascin. Crucially, unlike wild-type AISs, which shorten in response to stimulation by high K + or chemogenetics (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs), the elongated AISs in mutant neurons failed to undergo such shortening, indicating a deficit in AIS plasticity. Neurons in the primary motor cortex and anterior cingulate cortex of knock-in mice exhibited AISs of normal length at early stage but failed to undergo the developmental shortening observed in wild-type neurons; by postnatal day 60, this resulted in elongated AISs and increased neuronal excitability in these regions. Thus, the gAnkG protein mutation impairs activity-dependent AIS plasticity, leading to abnormal neuronal excitability and behavioral deficits.