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Dysregulated hippocampal fatty acid metabolism following intermittent hypoxemia-induced neonatal brain injury is rescued by treatment with acetate
Phase-transition-driven ferroic response in 2D CuMnP2Se6 under ultra-low electric fields
Comparative analysis of liquid and gel platelet rich plasma from apheresis and buffy coat in wound healing
Substrate-adaptive sacrificial corrosion strategy enables 700 mV oxygen evolution window for enhanced seawater electrolysis
Episodic-like memory in a simulation of cuttlefish behavior
Abstract Episodic memory involves remembering the what, when, and where components of an event. It has been observed in humans, other vertebrates, and the invertebrate cuttlefish. In clever behavioral experiments, cuttlefish have been shown to have episodic-like memory, where they demonstrate the ability to remember when and where a preferred food source will appear. The present work replicates this behavior with a parsimonious model of episodic memory. To further test this model and explore episodic-like memory, we introduce a predator-prey scenario in which the agent must remember what creatures (e.g. predator, desirable prey, or less desirable prey) appear at a given time and region of the model environment. This simulates similar situations that cuttlefish face in the wild. They will typically hide when predators are in the area, and hunt for prey when available. When the memory model is queried for an action (e.g., hunt or hide), the cuttlefish agent hunts for preferred food, like shrimp, when available, and hides at other times when a predator appears. When the memory model is queried for a place, the cuttlefish agent acts opportunistically, seeking less-preferred food (e.g., crabs) if it is located farther from a predator. These differences show how behavior can be altered depending on how memory is accessed. Querying the model over time might mimic mental time travel, a hallmark of episodic memory. Although developed with cuttlefish in mind, the model shares similarities with the hippocampal indexing theory and captures aspects of vertebrate episodic memory. This suggests that the underlying mechanisms supporting episodic-like behavior in the present model may be an example of convergent cognitive evolution.
Prevotella copri promotes white adipose browning and ameliorates adiposity
Correlation between serum endocrine hormone levels and malignancy degree of prolactinoma and their predictive value for patient prognosis
Protein-nucleic acid language model-assisted design of precise and compact adenine base editor
Computational study of metal doped coronene quantum dots for formaldehyde sensing and adsorption in medical and environmental applications
Abstract In this study, the ability of pure and aluminum- and zinc-doped coronene as dual-purpose adsorbent/sensor platforms for formaldehyde (FA) detection in environmental and biomedical applications was computationally studied. All molecular structures were optimized individually and in combination with FA using density functional theory (DFT) at the B97D/6-311 + G(d) level of theory in the gas and water phases, and validated using WB97XD calculations. Analyses included geometric optimization, coherence energy, IR and UV spectra (TD-DFT), MEP mapping, HOMO-LUMO distributions, DOS plots, reactivity descriptors, dipole moment and polarizability, adsorption energy, recovery time, and electrical conductivity. Intermolecular interactions were analyzed using the theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and non-covalent interaction (NCI) analyses. Among all structures, Al.Coronene@FA exhibited the strongest sensing ability with the highest adsorption energy of − 39.57 kcal/mol (water phase) and − 44.43 kcal/mol (gas phase), along with an extremely long recovery time of 1.08 × 10 13 s (water) and 3.93 × 10 16 s (gas). This was paired with the highest electrical conductivity of 2.85 × 10 9 A m − 2 (water), confirming a strong charge-transfer mechanism. Conversely, Zn.Coronene@FA showed moderate adsorption (− 6.16 kcal/mol) and fast recovery time (3.34 × 10 − 12 s), making it favorable for reusable sensing platforms. Optical studies revealed pronounced redshifts in λmax upon FA adsorption, particularly for Al.Coronene@FA with λmax = 579 nm and 694 nm (water phase), indicating excellent colorimetric detection capability. Overall, the combination of strong adsorption ability, high electrical conductivity, significant spectral shifts, and charge transfer indicates Al-doped coronene is a highly promising material for formaldehyde sensing, whereas Zn-doped coronene is better suited for rapid-response reusable sensors. These computational results establish a reliable foundation for developing coronene-based sensing and adsorption platforms for environmental and biomedical applications.
Atomic diffusion pathway mediated subsurface engineering
Optimizing thermoelectric energy harvesting using deep reinforcement learning for dynamic energy management and system efficiency
Evidence of a two-dimensional nitrogen crystalline structure on silver surfaces
Multi-phase deep learning framework with Multiscale Adaptive Swin Transformer and embedding attention for precision lung nodule detection and classification
Human cerebrospinal fluid net flow enhanced by respiration during the awake state
Abstract Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics play a crucial role in maintaining brain homeostasis by delivering nutrients, transmitting immune signals, and clearing waste products. While cardiac activity primarily drives the pulsatile movement of cerebrospinal fluid, respiration has been shown to facilitate low-frequency oscillations and contribute to bulk flow. Recent studies suggest that enhancing respiratory function may be an effective intervention to modulate cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. This study included 20 individuals with long-term formal training in Seokmun Hoheup, a lower belly–centered breathing practice (mea n ± SD age, 58.1 ± 17.3 years; 8 females), and 25 controls with no formal long-term breathing practice (mea n ± SD age, 49.2 ± 20.2 years; 12 females). All underwent real-time velocity-encoding magnetic resonance imaging to assess cerebrospinal fluid movement at the foramen magnum and lateral ventricle during both regular breathing and deep breathing. Deep breathing enhances cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in both groups, increasing displacement and net flow, particularly at the foramen magnum. Seokmun Hoheup trained participants show greater cerebrospinal fluid movement than controls at both the foramen magnum and lateral ventricle. Even during regular breathing, trained participants show higher cerebrospinal fluid mean speed, displacement, and net flow. Among respiratory factors, inhale length and diaphragm displacement show the strongest correlations with cerebrospinal fluid movement. Respiration modulated cerebrospinal fluid dynamics through both mechanical enhancement of venous outflow and autonomic modulation of the heart, with mechanical effects predominating in the lateral ventricle and both pathways contributing to the foramen magnum. Our findings identify respiration in the awake state as a modifiable, noninvasive mechanism that influences involuntary functions such as cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and may have implications for cerebrospinal fluid-mediated brain homeostasis.
Interpretable wrapper-based machine learning framework for predicting patellofemoral pain syndrome using minimal clinical tests
Dynamic nanoscale architecture of synaptic vesicle fusion in mouse hippocampal neurons
Abstract Synaptic vesicle (SV) fusion is not only tightly coordinated but also happens at a millisecond timescale. Competing models for fusion initiation and propagation suggest tight docking and hemifusion of SVs or localized lipid rearrangements leading to tip-like membrane contacts. Yet, a direct nanoscale examination of the full SV fusion sequence has been lacking. Here, we establish a workflow for timed in situ cryo-electron tomography of optogenetically stimulated mouse neurons to capture the complete SV fusion sequence – from SV recruitment to fusion pore formation, opening and collapse – with near-native structural preservation. Notably, tethered SVs directly undergo fusion initiation via stalk formation, without preceding tight docking or SV flattening. The plasma membrane forms a minimal dimple during fusion initiation, contradicting preceding models that invoke strong membrane bending prior to fusion. In addition, we observe filaments linking fusing SVs to adjacent SVs, indicating a physical link between fusion and SV resupply.
Morphological and nutritional composition of Bauhinia thonningii pods and seeds in Northern Ethiopia
Prodrug nanoplatform for triggering ferroptosis to eliminate senescent cells in age-associated pathologies
Candida tropicalis culture supernatants modulate Pseudomonas aeruginosa antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation
Abstract Polymicrobial infections involving Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and Candida tropicalis (CT) majorly contribute to persistent infections resulting in challenges to effectively treat chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). We investigated the interactions between PA and CT, especially on the role of microbial metabolites in modulating biofilm formation, growth dynamics, antimicrobial susceptibility, and gene expression in co-habitants. Using clinical isolates from DFUs, we examined the effects of microbial supernatants on biofilm formation, microbial growth, and resistance to antibiotics and antifungals. Additionally, we assessed the expression of resistance genes ( aph(3’)-IIb and gyrA ) in PA in response to treatment with cell-free CT supernatant. Our findings revealed strain-specific interactions between PA and CT. Supernatants from high biofilm forming CT significantly affected biofilm formation and growth in PA, while PA supernatants universally suppressed CT growth. Notably, low biofilm forming strain of PA exhibited enhanced biofilm formation and growth when treated with supernatant from low biofilm forming CT, suggesting a cooperative interaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility assays demonstrated that CT supernatants modulated resistance to aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones in PA, with aph(3’)-IIb and gyrA gene expression being significantly upregulated. Conversely, PA supernatants sensitized CT to antifungals, particularly amphotericin B and fluconazole. The results underscore the importance of understanding interspecific interactions in polymicrobial infections. Our results highlight the complex interplay between PA and CT, driven by microbial metabolites that influence biofilm formation, growth, and antimicrobial resistance and provides fresh insights into the mechanisms underlying PA - CT interactions and their implications for chronic wound management.